By Evan Walsh
Contributing Writer
NORTHBOROUGH – First, there was Toby. Then Hank, then Hamlet.
Then came Bruno and Bailey, Bunky and Ringo, and Ramsey and Raja. Dyson and Issy were after that, followed by Putter, Otto, and Adam. Domenick “The Chatty” – who practically knew how to speak – is next in line, with Charley, Kramer, Beau, and Jack O. rounding out the bunch.
Those 19 names belong to 19 service dogs, each of which spent their formative years in the household of longtime Northborough residents Paul and Karla Reuter. For the last two decades, the Reuter family has been raising puppies for the Guide Dog Foundation and America’s VetDogs. Over a one- to two-year period, the Reuters prepare puppies for a life of service and companionship.
“I always wanted to get a dog, and [Karla] didn’t want to get a dog; she had put down five dogs in her life,” said Paul. “When we saw [the program], we thought it was perfect. We’d get a dog, have it for a year-and-a-half, everybody would get their dog fix, and we’d be done.”
“It didn’t quite work out that way,” he said laughing.
Nowadays, the Reuters have shaped their life around raising these canines. A room off their kitchen was once a closet – now it’s the “dog room.” Furniture around the house has little “chew marks,” evidence of puppies that went through the teething phase.
“Our house does look like it has had 20 dogs in it,” Paul joked. But it hasn’t stopped the Reuters.
It’s a roughly year-and-a-half-long stay in Northborough for the puppies. The family doesn’t bring the dogs into the public until they’re about three months old. From there, the Reuters bring the dogs around town in an effort to get them adjusted. The dogs must be well-behaved and understand 40 verbal commands, which they’ll use one day to help their handler navigate the world.
Right now, Jack O. – a 4-month-old puppy born in October and named after a jack-o’-lantern – is the Reuters’ latest friend. Karla handles all the inside training, while Paul focuses on the outdoor environment. Training the dogs isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it.
After training is complete, the Reuters are invited to attend “Celebration Sunday,” where they can see their one-time puppy – now all grown up and well-behaved – and its handler. In training the dog, the Reuters gave someone another set of eyes and ears, making that person’s life significantly easier.
“When you meet somebody that you’ve given a dog to, it’s very impactful on your life because you know they can now ride a bus, they can go wherever they want. If they go somewhere, the dog will find a chair for them. It gives them so much more independence,” said Karla.
And, yes, it’s hard to give the dogs away. But there’s also an element of pride.
“You’re saying goodbye to a young, healthy dog who is going to do something awesome. Sometimes we’re sent Christmas cards with the dog’s picture,” said Paul. “We’re an ambassador for the organization as well, and we really have to make sure that these dogs are well-trained.”
For more information on the Guide Dog Foundation, visit https://www.guidedog.org/. For more information on America’s VetDogs, visit https://www.vetdogs.org/.
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