Mary Francis Dunn knew she was barking up the right tree when she started raising Guide Dogs for the Blind trainees.

831 -- Tales from the Area Code When I was a young child, I pretended to be a dog. A few years later, I simply wanted to have one. More than a few Monterey Country 4H students and adults who raise puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind are probably familiar with both fantasies.

I first met one such person, Mary Francis Dunn, at a Lyceum of Monterey County afterschool class demonstration. The Seaside elementary school teacher joined the puppy raising group almost three years ago, and she was anxiously awaiting her second puppy from Guide Dogs for the Blind''s San Rafael headquarters. All she knew was that the pup''s name started with "N."

Three weeks later, Dunn introduced me to Nureen, a silky-soft, 9-week-old golden retriever. The pup wriggled in excitement on her short leash but when she jumped to greet me, Dunn gave a tug on her collar and Nureen obediently sat.

Guide Dogs for the Blind began in 1942 as a service for blinded soldiers returning from World War II. The dogs now used as guides--golden retrievers, German shepherds, yellow and black Labradors--were chosen for their willingness to please and follow commands, physical abilities and intelligence. The mission of the program''s puppy raisers is to teach their pups house manners, simple commands, and how to be loving and confident guides.

The pups are bred and raised in beautiful San Rafael kennels. At around eight weeks old, they''re given to puppy raisers--such as our local 4H students--to care for about a year. These raisers work through the frustrations of housebreaking, shoe-chewing, cat-chasing and "sit" and "stay" ordering to sculpt a well-mannered pup ready for specialized obedience training.

In her living room, Dunn demonstrates the types of games that Guide Dog puppies are allowed to play and the training commands she uses to stop Nureen from "mouthing," or playfully chewing, on my hands and shirt. In a corner sits a wire kennel, where Nureen sleeps for the first few weeks of her stay and where she learns to retreat to on command.

Guide Dogs for the Blind has only one method of training for its dogs, so everyone involved--from raisers and trainers to blind handlers and dogs--know what commands are effective. At times, the rigorous training seems excessive: Dogs are not allowed off-leash except in the house, they are taught to relieve themselves on command, and they can have little social interaction with other animals. (On the street, people often want to pet the guide dogs, but it''s important to ask handlers for permission first so the dog won''t become distracted).

Strict as it seems, these dogs, as Dunn reminds me, are not pets. They are bred to be professional working guides for people who depend on them for almost everything in their daily lives.

Loss and Freedom

Carmela Cantisaini has certainly made good use of her guide dogs. She lives on a quiet street near Laguna Grande Park in Seaside, runs a gourmet salad dressing company, and travels frequently to Europe and Italy, where she was born. As we talk, her "gentle giant," Heinz, lies patiently at her feet.

Cantisaini says her three German shepherds--Colton, McLeod and newest arrival Heinz--accompanied her everywhere until they retired (most guide dogs are retired from service around eight years old). Her adventures have included competing in the 1986 Winter World Championships for the Disabled, where she won a gold medal in downhill skiing, and substitute teaching in Monterey.

By law, her guide dog is allowed to go everywhere with her, but she has experienced some discrimination. "Some businesses are still not aware that it''s illegal to stop the dogs from coming in," Cantisaini says. "It''s better now, but it used to be bad. There''s been a great campaign for guide dog awareness. It just ruins your night or your meal when you have to explain or make a scene."

The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states that "privately owned businesses that serve the public, such as restaurants, hotels, retail stores, taxicabs, theaters, concert halls and sports facilities are prohibited from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. The ADA requires these businesses to allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals onto business premises in whatever areas customers are generally allowed."

Cantisaini enjoys the freedom her dog provides but she understands some blind people might prefer to get around with a cane. "With a dog you can get around faster, but you''ve got to have mobility skills first," she explains. "You''ve got to know how to command a dog to move, it doesn''t know where you''re going, so you''ve got to. And guide dogs require care--they''re always with you. A cane doesn''t eat."

Constant companionship is the rule--pups go everywhere with their raisers. The Monterey County raisers group, led by Karen Rieger, meets every month for training and frequently takes field trips to expose their pups and dogs to myriad situations they may encounter as guides. Many puppy raisers get permission from their employers to bring the puppies to work. Dunn brings Nureen with her to school, to the delight of her students.

Of course, at first the puppies can''t be left alone, says Dunn. The puppies can stay in their kennels for a few hours, but they need to be walked and played with every few hours--just like a pet dog.

Dunn''s first guide dog, Apollo, was as much a joy as a challenge to love and raise. "Nureen''s really a sweet girl--I mean, night and day from Apollo," she says. "He was pretty stubborn, but really smart. He was a perfect gentleman with his commands on-leash, but just had a lot of energy inside. He would steal pillows off the couch and we''d have a chasing game--which was not supposed to happen. He became a career-change dog, which means he wasn''t perfectly suited to being a guide, so he was adopted by a family with a big yard where he can run around."

It''s not uncommon for guide dogs to be "career-changed" for either behavior or health reasons. Only about 50 percent of the dog recruits end up demonstrating enough maturity and mastery of the training required to lead a blind person.

Of course one of the hardest parts of raising a guide dog puppy is reaching the day, after a year and a half of bonding, when it must be returned to San Rafael for training. But Dunn believes that the best way to deal with the separation is to "remember it is not your dog and all your hard work is going toward giving someone else freedom." Like any good tail--uh... tales--the end of one story becomes the beginning of another one.

To get involved with guide dogs locally, call Karen Rieger at 484-5353, or click on www.guidedogs.com.