Poncho Updates
March 26, 2026
Congratulations, Poncho!
Poncho has reached an exciting milestone in his journey with Guiding Eyes for the Blind—he has successfully completed his blindfold training and is now officially placement ready. Described by his evaluator as a “stable, willing, and methodical dog,” Poncho has demonstrated the skill, focus, and temperament needed for his future role as a guide dog. His training team has already begun the process of identifying the right match for him.
From his earliest days at Grace to his advanced training in busy environments, Poncho has continued to grow in confidence and ability. Along the way, he has learned to navigate obstacles, respond to complex environments, and make thoughtful decisions to keep his future handler safe.
This milestone is not just Poncho’s—it belongs to the entire Grace community. As his evaluator shared, “Thank you again for playing such an integral part in his story… we are so thankful for all the hard work, love, time, and dedication you and the kids at Grace Episcopal Day School put into creating such a lovely dog.”
As Poncho prepares for his next chapter, we celebrate all he has accomplished—and the meaningful role our students played in helping him become the remarkable guide dog he is today.
March 8, 2026
Poncho’s Phase Three Training Update
Poncho continues to make strong progress in Phase Three of his training with Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Working primarily in Peekskill and soon expanding to White Plains, he is practicing guiding in increasingly busy environments with more distractions.
A major milestone this month was Poncho’s preliminary blindfold evaluation, which he passed successfully. Evaluators described him as a thoughtful dog with intuitive guide work who continues to build confidence as he gains experience.
Poncho has also begun escalator training, completed platform safety training to help keep a handler safely away from platform edges, and successfully finished the first two phases of traffic training. His trainer reports steady improvement in his guiding skills, including navigating obstacles, maintaining a strong pace in harness, and making safe decisions for his handler.
With many milestone trainings ahead, Poncho is continuing to build the confidence and skills needed for his future role as a guide dog.
March 5, 2026
Poncho is Progressing! 
We are delighted to share this recent video posted by Poncho’s trainer, Olivia. Poncho is growing more confident with guiding and has learned how to stop at street crossings and curbs—important milestones for a future guide dog!
As he moves through Phase 3 of his training, it’s wonderful to see his confidence and comfort leading on a busy city street.
The whole Grace community—especially our students—should feel incredibly proud of the love and care they gave him. That early foundation has played an important role in helping Poncho grow into the capable guide dog he is becoming.
Stay tuned for news about his next chapter, which we hope will include a successful match with his forever person. 
