American Humane Names Eddie Top Hero Dog
The 16th annual Hero Dog Awards recognized the Labrador retriever, who guides a legally blind Miami man.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Dogs
American Humane Society named Eddie, a 3-year-old, 70-pound Labrador retriever, the top honoree at the 16th annual Hero Dog Awards. Eddie is the first guide dog for his owner, Luis Rodriguez of Miami, who is considered legally blind.
Why it matters
The awards recognize dogs that save lives, lend sight or hearing, or help people achieve goals. Eddie's recognition highlights the role working dogs play in the daily independence of people with vision loss.
Eddie has been Rodriguez's guide dog for 18 months, and Rodriguez's vision deteriorated over five years after being born with retinitis pigmentosa. The five finalists were chosen from 25 dogs, one per award category.
The players
American Humane Society
A national animal welfare organization that runs the Hero Dog Awards to recognize working and service dogs.
Luis Rodriguez
A Miami man with retinitis pigmentosa who is considered legally blind and relies on Eddie as his guide dog.
The details
Rodriguez was born with retinitis pigmentosa and has lost vision over the past five years, and Eddie is his first guide dog. Five finalist dogs, including a Navy facility dog in Norfolk, Virginia, and a Chicago Police Department dog, will be honored at a December ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Timeline
June: Dogs were initially nominated for the Hero Dog Awards.
November 4: Eddie's victory was announced on TODAY.
December: Finalist dogs will be honored at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Season Trajectory
The Hero Dog Awards, now in their 16th year, have become a fixed national platform for recognizing working dogs across categories including service, detection and therapy work. Eddie's win extends that tradition by spotlighting guide dogs alongside police, military and therapy dogs.
For people with vision loss, a trained guide dog can provide daily mobility support and independence on routine trips. Readers considering a service dog can look into how these animals are trained and placed with handlers.
The takeaway
Working dogs like Eddie show how trained animals can expand independence for people with disabilities. Recognition programs such as the Hero Dog Awards help bring attention to the range of work these dogs perform.
What happens next
The five finalist dogs will be honored at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. in December.
Further reading
Explore more Dogs coverage for context on working and service dogs across the country.
