BLOG: Gaining independence with Turkey's first guide dog Kara

Kara, (black in Turkish) a black Labrador, is Turkey's first guide dog. Her owner, Nurdeniz Tuncer, is the president of the Turkish Guide Dogs Association. After the duo recently started living together, Kara has begun to become Nurdeniz's eyes. You can read this pioneer duo's adventures in the Hürriyet Daily News as the two discover how to live together and overcome challenges together.

Before I start my blog entry, I would like to thank the British Ambassador to Turkey's wife, Maggie Moore, for all the support and being a pioneer on the project.

Having a guide dog has been a roller coaster ride all together - mixed feelings, lots of confusion and moments of unexpected happenings are all part of the experience I have had during the initial stages of the process.
I knew Kara from before, but when I met her for the first time in Ankara, my heart wouldn't stop pounding.

There were various reasons that had led to this reaction, of course: I had never had a dog before, but I was now getting used to the idea that Kara and I would be starting a new life together. A life where I wouldn't rely on another individual to hold my arm and guide me along the way. A life where I would have more flexibility and independence.

The first stages of my training left me feeling really excited about the entire procedure. The fact that I had a fundraising event to look after and my zero experience with dogs were thoughts that always bothered me, but with time, things fell into place.

I still remember the first night when Kara slept in my room. I woke up at 2:30 a.m. to notice that she was snoring loudly! I couldn't stop laughing at the situation. This explains that having a guide dog is not just about following rules, one needs...