By Tom Vartabedian
Staff Writer

Shiloh is a black Labrador retriever who roams Hadley West Drive with his owner, Jeanne L. Donovan, in tow.

What sets him apart from the average canine is that he is a leader dog trained specifically to guide the sightless.

He came to Donovan in April after a 26-day, live-in training program with Leader Dogs for the Blind, a nonprofit school in Rochester, Mich. that trains adult dogs to bring safety and independent mobility to the visually-impaired.

Donovan was born legally blind and lost total vision six years ago from retinitis pigmentosa.

"He's a heartbeat next to me," said Donovan, a 50-year-old widow with two children. "I never feel alone anymore. Shiloh accepts me for what I am and doesn't care what I look like. A pat on the head--that's all he wants."

Shiloh means "savior" in Hebrew.

The two were matched after an extensive evaluation based on personality, needs and lifestyle. By the use of verbal commands, hand signals and a special harness, the canine guides Donovan around. They board a bus together, shop for groceries, attend church services and take long walks around the neighborhood.

Both are regulars at the Citizens Center for meetings of a support group for people who are blind or nearly blind. It convenes the first Monday of every month from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

"Shiloh knows the checkout counters and where to cash a check," said Donovan. "He has his own set of commands and is not only my best friend, but my partner. He sleeps on the edge of my bed on a patchwork quilt I found in an antique store."

The sign attached to his harness, "Do not pet me. I am working," is a warning placed there for the safety of his owner. Too much attention can distract him from doing his job. As loveable as Shiloh is, he has been taught to ward off affection.

His diet is dog food and an occasional treat. Too many sweets could add weight and curtail his ability to work and Donovan takes great care to keep their relationship firm.

When his harness is on he knows he is working.

"It's the harness that activates his commands and Shiloh knows the difference," she said. "Once the harness is removed, he's a regular dog and we can play ball. He has his own toy box."

Up until she got Shiloh, Donovan relied on a cane which made winter travel over snow and ice difficult.

"It was like being locked in a closet," said Donovan. "If you're not sure where you're going, you can get lost very easily. Shiloh has been my guardian angel."

The school was free. So was the dog. Donovan attended classes with 22 others from around the world. Most dogs come from a breeding program. Others are donated by families who give them up. Labrador retrievers are preferred over German shepherds because of their docile manner.

Donovan graduated from Regis College (Weston) in 1976 with a degree in social work and was employed as a state coordinator for home school groups. She lost her husband after 18 years of marriage in 1995 and continued to raise their two young teenagers.

"It was difficult keeping track of my children all the time and making sure they were safe," said Donovan. "They've been a big help to me."

Her son Michael is a floor technician at The Oxford, which encourages Donovan to visit nursing homes in the city and perform social work. She has no anger due to her blindness, as difficult as it can make life at times.

"It wasn't like I had my sight when I was born," said Donovan. "I don't miss something I never really had."

Donovan cooks, cleans house, works with a "talking" computer and just took a fun course on how to use an abacus -- a counting device made of beads strung on rods in a frame.

--There are currently more than 1.1 million blind and partially-sighted people in the United States who could become more independent with mobility training. Leader Dog offers independence and mobility to the blind and the visually-impaired.

--Leader Dogs was established in 1939 and its first class had four people. Today, there are more than 12,500 graduates in 49 states, seven provinces and 31 countries.

--300 student-dog guide teams graduate annually at a cost of $35,000 per team. Leader Dogs does not receive federal, state or United Way money and relies upon voluntary contributions to fulfill its mission. Utilities to maintain the residential program costs about $430,000 annually.

--A 65,000-square-foot kennel houses up to 315 dogs who require over 122,000 pounds of dog food annually. Approximately 170 meals a day are served. Annually they go through 2,000 dozen eggs, 1,800 pounds of beefs, 3,000 pounds of chicken and 1,200 loaves of bread.

--Puppies are trained for four months before being matched with a student. Each student attends a 26-day residential program.