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The Perfect Match: Katherine & Frieda

Freida, a black Lab, lies next to Katherine on a dock overlooking a large lake and an array of mountains.

After a near accident, Katherine began to experience a lack of confidence and mobility. It was then that she realized it was time to explore guide dog options.

At first, Katherine hesitated to apply for a Seeing Eye dog. She still had some remaining vision and worried she wouldn’t be accepted into the program. The Seeing Eye evaluated her and explained that because of her remaining vision, she would have to surrender to the dog and allow them to do the seeing for her.

The dog The Seeing Eye chose for Katherine made that level of trust easy for her. As soon as Katherine arrived at The Seeing Eye and met Frieda, she knew immediately that her life was going to be different. “She was a perfect match. I connected with her immediately. I was told it could take a while for the real connection to happen, but that wasn’t the case for us. Frieda is very sensitive and very thoughtful— she is my best friend.”

Today, Katherine is living her dream in Washington, DC as a Senior Analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, where Frieda accompanies her to work each day by Uber or metro. She noted that Frieda “allows me to walk in confidence in a professional environment, and she provides a sense of security.” “She even reminded me one day that I was about to leave the office without my coat by staring into the corner where my jacket was hung. She is just so smart.”

Katherine and Frieda certainly make a great team. We cannot wait to find out about all they accomplish together in the future.