When baby Jack was born prematurely at 1.4 pounds, it took all kinds of faith to see him through his first few days.

When Jack spent months in the hospital, every breath a struggle, it took all kinds of faith to see him through his first year.

When 13-month-old Jack came to live with the Rettig family in St. Cloud, not even able to sit up, it took all kinds of faith to help him thrive.

When the almost 10-year-old Jack walked off the school bus recently to greet his Canine Connections dog, he met an instant friend named Faith.

Southeastern Guide Dogs’ Canine Connections is a new program providing gentle companion dogs for visually impaired children, helping them learn the responsibilities and joys of dog ownership in anticipation of a future guide dog.

“We found that a number of our students had never owned a dog, so not only did they have to learn to work as a team with their new guide, they also had to adjust to sharing their home with a dog” said Titus Herman, CEO of Southeastern Guide Dogs.  “By providing these highly trained companion dogs to visually impaired kids, it gives them the opportunity to become confident dog owners and handlers prior to being matched with a guide.” 

“Jack is legally blind and moderately-to-severely deaf,” explains his mom, Erin. Jack is one of the Rettigs' seven children, including three adopted children with special needs. “Jack is a walking miracle!” she says.

Jack is beaming about his new responsibilities. He feeds her, walks her and takes her out before and after school. In spite of his learning disabilities, Jack is quickly grasping Faith’s commands. “Fate — sit!” he says firmly (pronouncing Faith as "Fate"), placing his hand under her chin as Faith obediently sits.

“We’ve only had Faith a short time, but it’s unbelievable,” Erin said. “She knows just who needs her, too. The first time we took Faith to the playground, we dropped the leash, and Faith just went everywhere that Jack went. She never leaves his side. It’s amazing!

“And Jack is absolutely beside himself,” she continues. “He can’t communicate it, but his demeanor says, ‘This is my puppy, and I am going to take care of her!’ We are so thrilled. I cannot say enough how blessed we feel. It’s like Faith has been with us forever!”

Since joining the Rettig family, Faith has made herself right at home. She has even gone to school with Jack. At the invitation of his teachers, Jack brought Faith in for a bit of show and tell. Jack got to show off Faith’s obedience skills, and all of the kids got to give her some love — she and Jack were the hit of the school.

The Canine Connections program has been extremely well-received, and Southeastern has accepted a number of invitations from schools and other groups to visit and explain the program and its benefits to their visually impaired students. It is expected that at least 10 placements will be made in this first year of the program and even more in years to come.

The hope is that by educating kids about the benefits of working with a guide dog, Southeastern will be able to extend its reach, and more people will experience the independence of walking through life with a guide by their side.