{"id":104905,"date":"2025-10-28T16:01:04","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T16:01:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/?p=104905"},"modified":"2025-11-17T20:18:55","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T20:18:55","slug":"aria-mia-loberti-teaches-uri-preschool-students-impressive-skills-special-relationship-of-a-guide-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2025\/10\/aria-mia-loberti-teaches-uri-preschool-students-impressive-skills-special-relationship-of-a-guide-dog\/","title":{"rendered":"Aria Mia Loberti teaches 溏心vlog免费B站 preschool students impressive skills, special relationship of a guide dog"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>KINGSTON, R.I. \u2014 Oct. 28, 2025 \u2014 How can your dog tell you what the letters on the buildings\u2019 signs are? Why does your dog wear a special harness? Why do dogs poop and pee?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>溏心vlog免费B站 graduate, actor, advocate, and newly published author Aria Mia Loberti \u201920 patiently fielded myriad questions from the inquisitive minds of preschool students in <a href=\"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/child-development-centers\/\">溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Child Development Centers<\/a> as she joined them on the carpet with her guide dog, Ingrid. Loberti, who was born with achromatopsia\u2014a rare condition that results in low vision, which rendered her legally blind for most of her life\u2014visited the CDC Oct. 21 to talk about her new children\u2019s book <em>I Am Ingrid<\/em>, teach the children what makes guide dogs so special, and answer the young students\u2019 questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, all of them.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"oembed oembed-youtube-com\" style=\"\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=n4zvaeV56o0\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Aria and Ingrid\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/n4zvaeV56o0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGuide dogs are actually not allowed to go to the bathroom when they\u2019re working,\u201d Loberti said, explaining that the service animals must be on duty at all times when out in public with their human. \u201cSo, you have to pay attention to when your dog last ate or drank something, and you have to learn how long it takes for your dog to go to the bathroom after. Sometimes Ingrid will let me know, but as smart as she is, she is a dog. So you have to be very aware.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_1-copy-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104911\" style=\"width:543px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_1-copy-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_1-copy-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_1-copy-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_1-copy-364x243.jpg 364w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_1-copy-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_1-copy-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_1-copy.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Loberti\u2014star of the Netflix series \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/title\/81083008\">All the Light We Cannot See<\/a>\u201d\u2014visited the Kingston Campus for a series of events associated with the launch of her new picture book published by Scholastic. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scholastic.com\/site\/i-am-ingrid.html\"><em>I Am Ingrid<\/em><\/a> tells the story of the eponymous black lab from her time as a puppy, through her training by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.guidedogs.com\/?utm_campaign=fy25_eg_ppc&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=20321749847&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw04HIBhB8EiwA8jGNbQwRqrKMeO2RUjeqAGz9kAc5kA9M3u9yHurVr1mvSnuYFqoUdFkhdBoCa7cQAvD_BwE\">Guide Dogs for the Blind California<\/a>, her travels with \u201cher human\u201d to Narragansett, R.I., and all the adventures they share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn the story, Ingrid has a lot of false confidence, so sometimes she\u2019ll tell you she\u2019s doing something perfectly, and the illustrations will tell you something different,\u201d Loberti said. \u201cYou see her grow into her confidence, so that by the end of the story, what she tells you about how incredible she is you see reflected on the page in the illustrations. You see her journey, her evolution. It was exciting to see what a great tool it can be for kids, but also it\u2019s just a fun story about following your dreams and not giving up, and I think that\u2019s something that can resonate with people, regardless of how old they are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_19-copy-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104912\" style=\"width:580px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_19-copy-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_19-copy-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_19-copy-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_19-copy-364x243.jpg 364w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_19-copy-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_19-copy-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/news\/sites\/16\/2025\/10\/CHS_102125_CS_19-copy.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>While much of Loberti\u2019s vision has been restored thanks to special light-filtering contact lenses that have trained and strengthened her eyes, her special relationship with Ingrid continues after eight years. As she explained to the preschool students, the relationship with a guide dog is unique because you have to learn to become in tune with the animal and teach them to act as close to a human being as possible\u2014at least in public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen you\u2019re at home, it\u2019s pretty much the same as having a pet. Because they work so hard, when they\u2019re off-duty it\u2019s so important for them to detox and play, and have their toys and other dog friends, and run around and be crazy,\u201d Loberti said. \u201cIf you\u2019re taking your pet dog out for a walk, the dog can sniff and play, but when a guide dog is in her harness, she can\u2019t be distracted, or sniff, or jump on people. It\u2019s very difficult to teach a dog how to compartmentalize. The book was a really interesting way of showcasing all the skills she has to learn. It\u2019s important for kids to understand how difficult the job is, and that the dog can\u2019t be distracted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ingrid, like all guide dogs, also had to learn when <em>not<\/em> to listen to her human. Separating them from most other service animals, guide dogs must learn \u201cintelligent disobedience,\u201d a skill that allows her to consider an instruction and determine if it\u2019s safe to follow. Loberti gives an example of needing to cross a street on campus, where nearly silent electric scooters, bicycles, and even cars pose a particular threat to those with low vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would think it\u2019s safe to cross the street because I don\u2019t hear any cars coming, and she would have to be the one to think it through and determine no, we\u2019re not going to cross the street right now,\u201d Loberti said. \u201cIt\u2019s so hard because she had to learn to listen to her human when she thinks it\u2019s best, and we have to trust her judgment. Now that I can see, being able to see what she\u2019s doing and realize the amount of brain power that goes into weaving around people or obstacles\u2014watching her watch 50 paces ahead\u2014is absolutely crazy. I had the textbook understanding of it, but I didn\u2019t know what it entailed until I could see her actually do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those lessons and more are included in <em>I Am Ingrid<\/em>, which is not Loberti\u2019s first book. After penning two young adult novels that have yet to be published, Loberti hadn\u2019t planned on aiming for a younger audience until the publisher suggested it. It was a difficult, but rewarding challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was really intimidating to write a children\u2019s book, because, as opposed to a novel where you have more freedom, every word in a picture book has to count for something and sort of earn its place,\u201d Loberti said. \u201cSo it was really exciting to figure out the best way to tell the story, and to reach out to this population where there is very little representation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Loberti plans to continue writing and hopes to publish more in the future. Since her starring role in the 2023 miniseries, she has been featured in fashion magazine <em>Marie Claire<\/em>, narrated an audiobook of Jules Verne\u2019s \u201cTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,\u201d and appeared in ABC drama \u201cGrey\u2019s Anatomy,\u201d as well as five episodes of \u201cThe Spiderwick Chronicles\u201d on Roku TV. She has other acting projects in the works and is starting a production company with close friend and colleague, Molly Stevens \u201920.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for Ingrid, the 10-year-old dog is settling into a more relaxed life now that her human has gained her vision and ability to travel more independently. Loberti\u2019s contact lenses have acted as physical therapy for her eyes, she said, strengthening her vision. While she remains unable to see color, she is able to live as a fully sighted person, even without the lenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIngrid travels a little bit less with me now because I also have to get used to doing it without her. I was low-vision my whole life. Now full-sighted, it\u2019s different,\u201d Loberti said. \u201cSo she will go with my parents and have a little vacation sometimes, and she gets to come with me when it\u2019s something fun, as opposed to me always needing her to work even when it\u2019s 100 degrees. Her life has become a bit more balanced. It\u2019s nice to say you can have a day off today.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>KINGSTON, R.I. \u2014 Oct. 28, 2025 \u2014 How can your dog tell you what the letters on the buildings\u2019 signs are? Why does your dog wear a special harness? Why do dogs poop and pee? 溏心vlog免费B站 graduate, actor, advocate, and newly published author Aria Mia Loberti \u201920 patiently fielded myriad questions from [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":104906,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1910,4,1902],"class_list":["post-104905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives","tag-alumni","tag-college-of-health-sciences","tag-student-engagement"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104905","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=104905"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104905\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":104917,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104905\/revisions\/104917"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/104906"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=104905"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=104905"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=104905"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}