Runner, the latest service-dog-in-training being raised by a Watkins Museum volunteer, stopped by the museum Thursday to greet her future colleagues.

Doug Tyler doubles as a volunteer with the Watkins and Canine Companions, a national nonprofit that prepares and places service dogs with people with disabilities for free.

Folks like Tyler serve as an early link in the training chain for the pooches. He gets the dogs when they’re 8 weeks old, and by the 18-month mark, the animal will have learned 30 basic commands before graduating to a higher level of training with specialists.

Tyler and his wife are co-raising Runner with another volunteer with Canine Companions, Jules Rudigier. Each party will take the puppy for two weeks at a time.

Runner is the ninth dog Tyler has helped raise with the program. She’ll also join the ranks of dozens of service dogs-in-training that Tyler brings to his Friday shifts at the Watkins Museum. 

In August, Tyler presented a certificate to the Watkins on behalf of Canine Companions, recognizing the 26 pups who had joined him for volunteer shifts by that time. In addition to his own dogs, he’s brought puppies from other Canine Companions volunteers throughout the Kansas City area.

Unlike service dogs, puppies in training don’t have legal protections and can’t enter many buildings. Bringing the puppies to the Watkins gives them a unique opportunity to be socialized and test their developing skills.

On Thursday, Watkins staff got an early chance to meet and dote upon Runner. She won’t officially join Tyler for volunteer shifts until she’s fully vaccinated at four months old and he’s confident she can make it for three hours without an accident — behavioral or otherwise.

Tyler’s last dog, Rileigh, was a Watkins regular and a superstar who has already been placed with a person with a disability. Runner has a big cape to fill, but Tyler thinks she’s up for the job.

“I think she’s doing excellent,” Tyler said. “… She’s been wonderful, and I hope she’s as good as Rileigh was. She’s heading in that direction, I think.”

Runner arrived in Lawrence in style. Born in California, Canine Companions sent her to Kansas via private plane when she was 8 weeks old. If all goes to plan, she will be with Tyler and Rudigier for 18 months before graduating.

Contributed photos of Runner’s litter and itty-bitty Runner

Runner is the fifth dog Rudigier has helped raise with Canine Companions. She took a yearlong break after her last dog, Rye, who was Rileigh’s littermate. Unlike Rileigh, Rye didn’t graduate his first round of training. Rudigier said that folks ask about dogs who don’t go on to be service animals, calling them “flunkies.”

“They actually call it a change of career,” she said, and laughed.

Rudigier and Tyler each adopted dogs who didn’t make it to the final bout of training — Dancer and Dice, respectively — who were also littermates. These dogs’ change in careers means they help to keep the new training puppies in line, teaching them how to socialize with other dogs.

Tyler said Runner is giving Dice a run for his money so far.

“We think it’s a good thing for a puppy to be around another dog, because they learn how to do that and we can — if there’s any inappropriate behavior by Runner — we can stop that so she learns boundaries with other dogs,” Tyler said. “So Dice doesn’t know what the hell to do with her. She really torments him … She’ll just jump up on him.”

A few lucky museumgoers were treated to a sneak preview of Runner in action Thursday.

Kim Henrichs, from the Alvamar area of Lawrence, went to the Watkins to enjoy the 1920 Milburn Electric Car and the KU basketball memorabilia on display as part of the “Jayhawks vs. Tigers” exhibition.

“That’s the best part in the museum,” he said jokingly, looking at Runner.

For those who weren’t as lucky as Henrichs, the Watkins is running a column on Facebook called “The Puppy Diaries: Raising Runner” to chronicle the fluffball’s progress as she grows. As of yet, people can soak up updates on her arrival in Kansas and how she got her name.

Wulfe Wulfemeyer (they/them), reporter and news editor, has worked with The Lawrence Times since May 2025. They can be reached at wulfe@lawrencekstimes.com.

Read their complete bio here. Read their work for the Times here.

Carter Gaskins (he/him) has been a photographer for The Lawrence Times since April 2021. He has also been a photographer for 10-plus years in photojournalism and sports.

Check out more of his work at Gaskins-Photography.com. See his work for the Times here.

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