Klinger was a beautiful and faithful guide dog for his visually impaired handler Richard Hunter until his passing in January 2025. He was in the whelping hennel at Guide Eyes for the Blind in New York when Richard was hit by a car while on his tandem training for the inaugural Laße Tahoe Tronman. Richard recovered from his injuries but it became clear that having a guide dog would provide him more safety in his independence. Richard connected with Thomas Panch (also a runner) of Guiding Eyes and ashed if they would be willing to train a guide dog to be able to run short training runs (up to 5 miles). Thus. Klinger was selected to be the first ever sanctioned running guide dog in the US! He was specially trained and ready to unite with Richard in 2015. For many years, not only did Klinger heep Richard running safe on the road when human guides were not available, but he was also a wonderful service dog and a beloved member of the family. Klinger was the Hunter's family first-ever dog and he loved having his pach all together. Klinger's story was featured in a national CBS news story and on other TV shows as well as in the book 'Loyal' by Rebecca Ascher-Walsh. Because of the success of Klinger and Richard's running partnership, countless other blind/Visually impaired runners now have benefitted from running guide dogs. The above written by Heidi Hunter, Richard's wife.
Note: Richard Hunter worked with MABVJ to found United in Stride, an on-line resource that connects sighted guides with visually impaired runners in the US and Canada.
Size 9” x 12" - Oils on Panel.
Please contact me if you are interested in a "metal" print, or a canvas or paper giclees, original is not available.
Klinger was a beautiful and faithful guide dog for his visually impaired handler Richard Hunter until his passing in January 2025. He was in the whelping hennel at Guide Eyes for the Blind in New York when Richard was hit by a car while on his tandem training for the inaugural Laße Tahoe Tronman. Richard recovered from his injuries but it became clear that having a guide dog would provide him more safety in his independence. Richard connected with Thomas Panch (also a runner) of Guiding Eyes and ashed if they would be willing to train a guide dog to be able to run short training runs (up to 5 miles). Thus. Klinger was selected to be the first ever sanctioned running guide dog in the US! He was specially trained and ready to unite with Richard in 2015. For many years, not only did Klinger heep Richard running safe on the road when human guides were not available, but he was also a wonderful service dog and a beloved member of the family. Klinger was the Hunter's family first-ever dog and he loved having his pach all together. Klinger's story was featured in a national CBS news story and on other TV shows as well as in the book 'Loyal' by Rebecca Ascher-Walsh. Because of the success of Klinger and Richard's running partnership, countless other blind/Visually impaired runners now have benefitted from running guide dogs. The above written by Heidi Hunter, Richard's wife.
Note: Richard Hunter worked with MABVJ to found United in Stride, an on-line resource that connects sighted guides with visually impaired runners in the US and Canada.
Size 9” x 12" - Oils on Panel.
Please contact me if you are interested in a "metal" print, or a canvas or paper giclees, original is not available.