Couple opens home for Leader Dogs for the Blind breeding program

LATHRUP VILLAGE, Mich. (WJBK) - After recently giving birth to nine puppies Maeve, a beautiful yellow Labrador, is taking a well-deserved break.

Barb Price and Dan Silverman have turned their Lathrup Village home into a puppy haven. It started when the couple was soon to be married and decided they wanted to get a dog.

"Well Dan saw something on TV about leader dogs looking for host families," Barb said. 

"We checked it out, sounded fun, something new to do, something new to learn," Dan said.

And it didn't take long to convince the couple to become a breeding host family for Leader Dogs For The Blind. After many conversations, applications and a background check, they met Maeve. It was love at first sight.

"We brought her in and of course, she was crazy. She was racing around the room," Barb said. "We're like, oh my. But we left with her and brought her home. And they make it so easy, Leader Dogs, because they give you so much information, so much support."

Not long after Maeve moved in, she gave birth in the middle of the night. But Barb says the vets are so supportive, and even took her call at 2 o' clock in the morning.

"At the beginning (Maeve) totally does everything and they can't really get into any trouble," Barb added. "And then you will see they move pretty quickly now if you are not paying attention."

The pups in their most recent liter are now six weeks old, mobile, playful and curious. 

"It is something new every day. I did not think it would be this much fun. It's a lot of work at the very end, because now they're dogs," Barb said. 

But Maeve's job isn't done. She will give birth to a total of four litters of puppies.

"When she is done, she's ours," Barb said. "People often say to me, 'How could you give her back?' We don't have to give her back."

In the meantime, Barb and Dan have outfitted their home to accommodate Maeve and her puppies. At seven weeks, it's time to give the dogs back to Leaders for the Blind who will start Phase 2 of the remarkable training process.

And because of people like Dan and Barb, eventually each dog will be matched and begin leading the blind.

"It's very rewarding," Barb said. "It does give you a little boost thinking that everything we do, hopefully, is helping to start these puppies down the right road."

If you're interested in being a breeding host as well, a host home orientation is scheduled for Thursday, August 16 at 6:30 pm. The meeting will be in Leader Dog for the Blind's canine development center at 1039 S. Rochester Road, Rochester, Michigan at the corner of Rochester Road and Avon Road.

If people are interested in attending, they can find out more at: leaderdog.org/volunteer.