Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - University of Wisconsin-Platteville alumna Barb Schultze raises puppies and socializes them before they are trained as guide dogs for the visually impaired. Schultze is currently working with a 9-month-old black Labrador named Slick. They go everywhere together and have since he was about 8 weeks old. They go to the grocery store, restaurants, Madison's State Street and even to the movies. In fact, Slick fell asleep at "Marley & Me."

Schultze works with the OccuPaws Guide Dog Association in Madison as a volunteer, which means that she and her husband Mark, who maintains the website, cover any costs related to Slick's care. Costs can include vaccinations, veterinary bills, food and anything else he might need.

Schultze is happy to do it. When she and her husband retired, they felt a real need to give back to the community. "You feel really good, like you've really done something," Schultze said. "How often do you get to affect someone's life like this? These dogs really change lives for people with visual impairments."

Schultze usually works with one puppy at a time, from the age of approximately 8 weeks old to 18 months old. Most of the puppies that Schultze raises come from Anthem Labradors in Harvard, Ill. Schultze said, "It can be hard to let the dogs go when it is time to turn them over to the trainer, but when you see them working as a team, it's all worth it."

Schultze attended UWP as a non-traditional student through the extended degree program after she decided to make a career change. She graduated in 1986 with a degree in finance. "I had two kids at the time and I couldn't have gotten the second degree without that program," Schultze said.

"The overall feeling that you can do it and you are not the only one going back to school who is 30, 40 or even 50 motivates you," Schultze said. Schultze's first bachelor's degree was in zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Schultze highly recommends going back to school for anyone thinking about a career change. "People used to get a job and stay in that job for many, many years and there weren't many returning adults in college," Schultze said. "But when you get a driver's license, it doesn't mean that you are necessarily a good driver yet. It's the same with an educational degree, it's a license to learn."

"The overall experience at UWP was great because it's a smaller campus and very welcoming," Schultze said.

When Slick and Schultze are out and about, the reactions are very positive. "Children ask the most questions because they are surprised to see a dog in a store," Schultze said. "It's a great opportunity for Slick to get used to kids and it's a great opportunity to teach children how to approach dogs, for instance, that they shouldn't reach out to pet a dog without first asking the owner."

One of Slick and Schultze's favorite locations to visit is the nursing home. "I give to the dog and he gives back to the residents, it's a very rewarding cycle," Schultze said.

According to Schultze, not all dogs make it as guide dogs. OccuPaws places over 50 percent of their dogs with a person, but nationwide, only 10 percent of dogs that start the program end up being placed. Their eyes and hips have to be perfect and they can't be afraid of noises or be too excitable.

One of the most important aspects of a guide dog's job is dealing with traffic. The dog has to be able to assess the situation and think. They have to be able to refuse the forward command if they see that a car is coming.

Schultze's daughter is also active in OccuPaws and both of her children are grown and live in the Madison area. Schultze resides in Cross Plains with her husband.

Contact: Barb Schultze, UWP alumna, (608) 798-4325, barbleftseat@chorus.net Written by: Barbara Weinbrenner, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194, weinbreb@uwplatt.edu