Judy and Grant Reid are based in the Southern Lakes District and along with being puppy raisers for Mobility Dogs, Grant is also the Senior Trainer for the area. They hail from Colorado where Judy taught English, grades 7 through to college level, and Grant taught landscape architecture at college level and also had his own landscape design business. When they retired from teaching, they decided to make New Zealand their home, as they had made frequent visits to the Otago region through the years and knew this was where they wanted to spend their retirement years. Grant is a Kiwi having been born and raised in Dunedin, and Judy grew up in the state of Nebraska.
Judy and Grant got involved with service dog raising/training in the States when they applied to raise a guide dog puppy in 2001. Five dogs followed. When they came to New Zealand, wanting to continue to work with service dogs, they went online and found the Mobility Assistance Dogs Trust. In 2007 after contacting the trust, submitting an application and interviewing in Auckland, the Reids raised their first Mobility Dog puppy Emmet, and now in 2022 they are raising their 12th Mobility Dog puppy, Wilma. Baxter, Judy’s working Mobility Dog, also lives with them and participates in all puppy events and most outings.
In 2012 Grant traveled to California to complete the Service Dog Instructor Certification at the Bergin University of Canine Studies. Grant does the puppy training, and Judy coordinates speaking engagements, organises public relations events and has puppy cuddle duty.
Grant’s other involvements include, conducting the monthly puppy meetings, training existing and new puppy raisers, advance training the southern adult dogs when they are ready and placing fully-trained dogs with disabled clients.
Working with the dedicated individuals within the Trust, plus raising and training these gorgeous dogs have been highlights of the Reids time here in New Zealand.