With Patricia by her side, Elizabeth Cleek hasn’t walked this fast in years.

They circle a few blocks in downtown Gresham, Patricia leading the way, stopping at curbs and intersections.

The pair met just two weeks ago, but it’s going to be a life-long connection.

For Patricia, anyway.

Patricia is a yellow lab guide dog, trained on the Boring, Oregon campus of Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Guide Dogs for the Blind was founded in 1942 to help returning soldiers who had been blinded during World War II. Since then, the California-based nonprofit has trained some 15,000 guide dogs — not just for military veterans, but for anyone with a visual impairment.

In 1995, the guide dog school expanded with the opening of its Boring campus, where about 150 dogs go through training each year. Guide Dogs for the Blind also has a training center in Gresham, where dogs get experience working in a more urban environment.

On any given weekend, passersby in downtown Gresham might spot a handful of dogs, wearing green “Guide Dog in Training” vests, pacing the blocks. They’re working with handlers to identify curbs, watch for traffic and perform the basic work of being a guide dog.

This is where Cleek and Patricia worked together. Cleek flew out to Oregon from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to receive her very first guide dog this summer.

Cleek was diagnosed four years ago with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative retinal disease that leaves her with severely limited vision. A few years ago she started using a white cane.

Last year, she couldn’t leave home without it.

“The cane can be very isolating,” she said. People tend to back away as someone approaches with a cane.

But they draw closer when there’s a dog.

“In so many ways, I’m going to feel more confident when I go out in the world and travel public transportation,” Cleek said.

Guide Dogs for the Blind breeds Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and a mix between the two for its programs.

“In the past, we tried to use rescue dogs, and it was really like finding a needle in a haystack,” said Karen Woon, vice president of marketing for Guide Dogs for the Blind. “We need to know the background of this dog, we need them to be healthy and successful for a really long time.”

Retrievers work well because of their temperament, size, coat – and because they are extremely food motivated. Dogs are trained with positive reinforcement using food rewards throughout the day.

Puppies spend their first year in volunteer puppy raiser homes, where they learn house manners, socialization and “get the building blocks to becoming guide dogs,” Woon said.

At around 15 months old, the puppies are recalled in to either Oregon or California for three to four months of formal guide work training.

Of the roughly 800 puppies born at the San Rafael, California campus each year, only about 300 will ultimately make it as guide dogs. Some dogs don’t have the temperament or get too distracted. They might get carsick or have allergies — any number of things can force a pup into what is referred to as a “career change.”

Those dogs might go on to become search and rescue, or medical alert dogs. Dogs that aren’t well suited to another purpose often return to their puppy raisers to live out their lives, Woon said.

Clients who are receiving a guide dog go through training, too. Guide Dogs for the Blind flies out clients to one of their campuses, where they spend two weeks learning to work with their dog. The Boring campus has a dorm with seven rooms for visiting clients, a gymnasium, library and music room.

All this is done at no cost to the clients.

Handlers learn commands for left, right, stop and “focus.” (And, if you’re wondering, the dogs are even trained to poop on command.)

After two weeks working together, Cleek and Patricia attended a graduation ceremony in Boring. Patricia’s two puppy raisers flew in from San Antonio, Texas to say goodbye to their dog and meet her new owner.

“It’s so hard,” said Grace Taylor, who raised Patricia with a classmate, Nicolas Wildestorm as part of a high school FFA project. “I cried so much, but it’s not entirely sad tears. It’s very bittersweet because you know they are going to do amazing things.”

A typical guide dog works for eight to 10 years. At retirement, they often stay with their owner. If that person is unable to care for them, they will go to a family member or friend. And sometimes, the dogs come full circle, and spend their twilight years back with their puppy raiser.

Guide Dogs for the Blind is always looking for puppy raisers and other volunteers at its Boring campus. For more information, visit guidedogs.com or call 800-295-4050.

-- Samantha Swindler / @editorswindler / sswindler@oregonian.com