Meet Tyler and guide dog Shadow
Tyler kneels with Shadow, a black Labrador.
Tyler Patskoski and guide dog Shadow
Greer, South Carolina
Trainer Jonathan explains how to approach stairs with a guide dog to Tyler.
When Tyler Patskoski met his new guide dog Shadow, he discovered that he and this black Labrador have a lot in common. “He’s just like me—laid back, mellow, friendly, and he loves to interact and socialize. He hates being isolated from the world.”
At age five, Tyler’s vision loss was caused by neurofibromatosis due to a tumor on his optic nerve. Despite the hardship, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Now living in Greer, S.C., Shadow will make an excellent roommate as he guides Tyler to his volunteer job at a local hospital and to church activities.
“I want the independence of traveling by myself and not having everybody tell me that things are coming up,” he says. “I hate feeling like I’m being smothered by my mother. I like being an adult.” Tyler is also looking forward to his dog’s other talents—his friendliness. “Shadow is a conversation starter,” he says. “He opens a lot of people’s eyes. I’m hoping to find more of a social life with people my age, and be able to interact more.”
