Puppies Get Put Through Their Paces

On Sunday, a dog day of its own, about 40 young canines, their tongues sometimes lolling, took part in guide dog trials on a grassy lawn in Sylmar. The Labrador, German shepherd and golden retriever puppies, adopted and trained by volunteers for 15 to 18 months, were being returned to International Guiding Eyes Inc., a nonprofit organization for the blind, for further instruction. But first, they showed off their prowess by running an obstacle course filled with such distractions as a hot dog, a live burro and a ceramic dog.