A Mutt in Milwaukee

Chase and I went back to work today after a week-long adventure.  Last Tuesday, Patti, Chase and I flew from San Francisco to Milwaukee to visit our son and daughter-in-law.  It’s the first time Chase and I have flown together. 

He did a great job clearing the TSA checkpoint.  I was delayed because it took some time to find a TSA agent who could swab my hands (because of my insulin pump) and pat me down.  So Chase went with Patti and did just fine. 

We preboarded our flight on Southwest Airlines.  I had to make a choice whether to take a bulkhead seat or a regular one.  After reading several posts on the forum of the National Association of Guide Dog Users, I decided to take a regular seat and have Chase go under the seat in front of me.  People on the forum assured me he would fit, and he did.  They suggested it was safer to have him under the seat if we hit turbulence.  He did a little circling and settling, and finally come to rest with his back half under the seat and his head by my feet.  He pretty much stayed that way for the full four hour flight. 

As usual, Chase found a crowded place to be stimulating.  We had brisk walks through the airport going to and from our gate. 

In Milwaukee, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency downtown.  Part of the fun of having a guide dog is finding a place to relieve him three or four time s day.  For this Californian, it was especially challenging to take the dog out in sub-freezing weather. 

Chase got to meet a new dog in Milwaukee.  Georgia belongs to our son and daughter-in-law.

They played together like the two young dogs that they are.

We took a drive down to Chicago to see our daughter’s home.  Chase met her cat there and was properly cautious.  He was also appropriately deferential and did not incur the wrath of the kitty claws.  In Lincoln Square, we encountered the first person who has told me I can’t bring my pet dog into their restaurant.  When I explained he was my guide dog, they apologized and backed off.

All in all, we had a great adventure.

Rainy Day Dog

It finally rained this week in the Bay Area.  So Chase got to wear the rain coat I bought for him in July.  It's a nice safe yellow, with a reflective stripe on the side.  Stylish, no? 

 

 

It kept me from having a wet, smelly dog when I arrived at work. 

As with most things, Chase just went with it.  He's very mellow about new things and new experiences.  We also road the bus over to the veterinarian's office.  I weighed him and he came in at 59 pounds (compared to 63 pounds when we left Guide Dogs in July). 

I called Guide Dogs' support center, and Beth said to feed him more.  So he's now getting four cups of kibble a day instead of three.  I'll weigh him again in a couple weeks.

 
 

This Little Light of Mine

In my last post, I mentioned that Chase and I are well-lighted now that it’s getting darker earlier.  I asked Patti to shoot a little video of us walking in the dark.

Here are the devices we use.  The front two are arm bands.  The back two are LED strips that I put on the harness handle. Behind them are a couple of velcro straps I use to keep them from coming off.  I bought the LED lights from NiteIze.com.

 

Three Months On

Today marks three months since Chase and I graduated from Guide Dogs for the Blind.  It seems to be a good time to reflect on how things have gone and how things have changed since then.

I have thought throughout that one fundamental change is that I’m less likely to procrastinate.  With the added demands of caring for Chase and keeping our schedule, I now try to do things as soon as I think of them.  I don’t make mental lists of what I’ll do later. 

This blog is the one thing that puts the lie to that previous paragraph.  I write all day long for a living and sometimes find it hard to sit down at night and write some more.  So I put it off.  To those of you who have been kind enough to say you enjoy reading about me and Chase, I apologize that my posts have become less regular and less frequent.

I have learned that no matter how well trained, a dog is still a dog.  Chase does his job well, but he can be distracted.  He is drawn to other dogs.  He is drawn to things on the ground.  So I have to be aware of what he’s doing.  In terms of dog behavior, Chase sometimes seems unaware of certain basic rules.  When we walk down the street, he turns his head and stares at passing dogs.  Sometimes they seem  to find that provocative.  As a result, I have begun using his Gentle Leader, a leash attachment that goes over his snout and makes it easy to direct his head.  It also helps me keep his nose from scanning the ground around him.

Our daily ride on BART generally goes smoothly.  Chase knows the rhythm of our schedule.  He now not only sits and lies down in front the side-facing seats, but slides himself back under the seat.  Then as we depart the station before the one where we change trains or the station before the one where we get off, he gets up so I can put his harness handle back on.  He also knows how to jump up on the bus bench so I can put his shoes on or take them off. 

At work, people come by to visit us through the day.  By us, I mean Chase.  Chase is always happy to see them (if his tail and full body curl are any indicators).  And I think he provides therapeutic relief for some of them. 

At home, he and Cody have become good friends.  I think they would wrestle, growl and chew on each other without end if we let them.  When off his lead, Chase loves to bound across the living room and engage his skinny adopted brother.  It makes the rugs slides across the wood floors and the dogs slide across the rugs. 

A couple weeks ago, Chase attended a meeting of the San Ramon Valley School District.  The club there that raises puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind has been encouraging the district in its efforts to develop a policy that would allow students to bring guide dog puppies on campus with them.  They asked me to offer some perspective from a person with a guide dog on the value of the puppy training.  Chase slept through most of the meeting.  I suspect he is not the first to do that.

Chase is proving to be a good guide and a good companion.  As the darkness comes earlier, it really helps to have him lead me down the street.  We wear lots of flashing lights to let people know a man wearing dark clothes and a black guide dog are there.  So far, so good.

Taking a Second to Talk About Firsts

Last Friday marked two months since Chase and I graduated from Guide Dogs for the Blind.  And we have had a number of firsts in recent weeks.

A couple Saturdays ago, Chase took his first bus ride with me.  That delivered us to another first, his premiere visit to Ace Hardware.  Then, weekend before last, Chase took his first ferry ride.  It carried us from Jack London Square in Oakland to AT&T Park in San Francisco.  There Chase attended his first Giants game.

 

Chase did very well at the game.  He was polite and respectful of the other team's fans.  He ignored my encouragement to go after the foul balls hit near us.  He did not take offense when we talked about getting a couple of dogs for lunch.  But by the seventh inning, he did his own stretch.  He stood and looked at me, as if to say "Is this over yet?"  Thanks to our friends, Will and Gloria Davidson, for being willing to have a guide dog along for the game.  (And to Will for keeping me up to date on the count and the outs, as well as describing the action.)

Not everything is a first (especially the next time you do it.)  Chase attended his third wedding this past weekend.  Our niece, Leni, got married in Chico.  It was, as far as I know, Chase’s first visit to Chico.  It was also, as far as I know, his first night in a hotel room.

As usual, Chase was a great conversation starter at the wedding.  (I don’t mean he started the conversation. He really doesn’t like to talk in front of strangers.  I mean people had questions and comments about him.)   We got a lot of “He’s really handsome,” and “He’s really well-behaved.”

As the daylight grows shorter heading into fall, I’m beginning to use the flashing red LED strips I bought from Guide Dogs.  They make his harness handle light up like the top of a police car.  I have ordered similar arm bands and should be ready when winter comes and I’m following my black dog in my charcoal overcoat.

The rest of our lives is mostly routine.  Up, eat, relieve, BART, work, water, relieve, back to BARt, head home, eat, relieve and go to bed.  Chase also does all of those things.

How Patti Sees It

I asked my wife, Patti, to write a few words about how she views our new addition.  Here's what she wrote:

Craig asked me to write my thoughts about his getting a guide dog.  I agreed because, after all, it was my idea.  Well, almost my idea. 

Three years ago while attending Craig’s 35th Stanford Reunion weekend, I sat next to one of his classmates.  She is an ophthalmologist and noticing how much Craig did not see, she began asking me questions about his journey.  We continued to talk as we walked to the stadium for the football game, Craig being in front of us.  Watching Craig, she asked me if Craig knew how much he did not see.  I told her that he had long accommodated his lack of vision and that I did not think he realized just how little he actually saw.  Then she asked me the question that led to Craig’s guide dog adventure, why doesn’t Craig have a guide dog?  I couldn’t give her a reason, except to say that he doesn’t think he needs one.  I told her that I worried every day when he leaves the house for his trip to KTVU in Oakland.  The return trip in winter, in particular, was worrisome because he walks a good distance to BART along a busy street where at one point there is a freeway off ramp. 

Craig was nervous the Sunday afternoon I dropped him at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael.   I think he was fearful that he was not blind enough to deserve a guide, that somehow, he would be discovered as a fraud.  After living with his lack of vision for  more than 30 years, I knew, without a doubt, he needed this dog and I needed it too! 

We are now almost 2 months into having Chase as part of our family.  Craig has managed to add the needs of caring for his guide dog into his routine.  It took some work on his part to fold the chores of daily grooming, relieving, and feeding his black Lab into his getting ready for the day, but Craig’s methodical approach to life worked to his benefit for this adjustment.  He even accommodated my complaints about the shedding of dog hair, buying a grooming tool to help minimize my work.  After all, after having a yellow lab and shepherd mix for a dozen plus years, I chose a no shed poodle when I wanted another dog added to our household four years ago.  I was wearing black for the first time in years and liking it!

Chase is a gorgeous animal.  Square head, deep brown eyes, and the floppy lab lips which allow slobber to lovingly drip down your pant leg when he plops his head affectionately into your lap.  He is smart, mellow, and not dominant.  I had a dominant dog once, and it caused a lot of problems.  Cody, my standard poodle, is not dominant and I wanted him to be able to enjoy having another dog join our household.  Chase fits the bill and they play well together.  In fact, Cody who weighs 30 pounds less actually can intimidate Chase when in full play.

Chase, the guide dog, gives me peace of mind.  I can send Craig off to his day and know that he has someone watching out for him.  Chase is big and can look intimidating. I like that someone would think twice about approaching Craig on the street.  “Does your doggie bite?” should be the first thought to pass someone’s mind before approaching Craig.  That is just fine with me.  Oakland is one of the most violent cities in California and why not have a guide dog that intimidates?

The downside of having a guide dog is when Craig and I walk, I have to be behind them a few paces.  Not exactly the most intimate way to take a stroll, and don’t I like walking behind my fella like a subservient wife!  However, the upside is that I do not have to be responsible to lead Craig through crowds, which I find truly exhausting.  I look forward to our first traveling experience through airports, crowded streets, and sightseeing with Chase doing all the guiding.

So those are my thoughts at this point in our journey with a guide dog.  I appreciate the work Craig has to do in order to decrease my worry.  I hope Craig is able feel  that a guide dog is worth all of that work. 

Day by Day, Dog by Dog

Well, it’s been a bit since my last post.  I suppose that’s because the routine is settling in.  Walk to BART.  Ride BART.  Get off BART.  Walk to work.  Work (or sleep if you’re the dog.)  Reverse the process to come home.

I’ve discovered a new question people ask.  “Are you training him?”  I suppose that might be because I wear glasses and they can infer I’m not totally sightless.  I tried to think of some clever answer, but I’ve settled on, “No.  He’s my guide.  I’m legally blind.”  Not much style, but it does the job.

Cody and Chase are getting along.  As you can see from the video below, they play and they lie down in proximity to one another.

 

Chase has been having trouble getting distracted by other dogs.  We got to the top of the escalator at BART the other day and someone had a little dog on a leash.  (I’m guessing it was a pet, there in violation of the BART rules, but I don’t know.) Chase made a “let’s be friends” lunge for the dog.  I had to use a technique they taught us called a time out.  I didn’t say anything.  I just dropped the harness handle and used the leash to pull Chase against my left leg.  I silently counted to ten, and then gave him the forward command.  I have had to do that a couple of other times in the past few days. 

He knows a new trick.  When we come out of the BART station, I’ve been removing his shoes.  I have him find a bench, then jump up on it.  That lets me reach his back feet without killing my aging back.  It took only about two times for him to get the idea. 

Chase gets a few visitors every day at work.  Sometimes he just lies on his bed and eyes them until he’s sure they’re there for him.  Other times he greets them with a waggily butt and a curled body. He seems to enjoy the company.    

Into Our Second Month

This past week marked one month since Chase and I graduated from Guide Dogs for the Blind.  He had ten weeks training.  I had two.  I suppose that pretty much answers the question about who is better trained.

We have settled into that routine I told you earlier we needed to develop.  I get up at six and get ready for work.  Then I feed, water and relieve Chase.  He sits tied down to the table leg in the kitchen while I eat breakfast and make my lunch for work.  Then I brush his fur and his teeth (with different brushes). 

We spend a little time in the home office.  I check my email.  He checks the backs of his eyelids.  Then it’s booties on, harness on, lock the door and head to BART.  We ride to MacArthur station and changed to the Fremont train, and get off at Lake Merritt station.

A ride up the escalator, a rapid walk to the fare gate and another escalator ride follow.  Then it’s straight down Oak Street to the Embarcadero, in the gate at KTVU and a walk to the back door. 

At work, I put down my bag at my desk and take off Chase’s booties.  I grab his water bowl and take him into the restroom to water him.  I take paper towels and mop up the water he spreads all over when he drinks and take him outside to do what he does outside. 

On the way back in, I grab his bed from his locker.  (Yes, he has a locker.) I put it down next to my desk and take Chase’s harness off of him.  I tether him to the desk and he lies down.  I go and wash the dog saliva off my hands from giving him kibble at every up and down curb on the way to work. 

At mid-day we go out and walk along the Oakland Estuary.  At the end of the days we reverse much of the process.

Conversations on BART are also kind of routine now.

 “What a beautiful dog.”

“Thank you.”
“Is she a Labrador retriever?”
“Yes, he is a full bred Lab.”
“How old is he?”
“He’ll be two in November.”
“Oh look.  He has cute little tennis shoes!  What are those for?”
“They protect his back feet on the escalators.”
“He doesn’t need them for his front feet?”
“No.  They told me that because he can see his front feet, they’re not prone to injury the way his back feet are.”

I also initiate some interactions.  On the way home, I often get on crowded Pittsburg-Bay Point trains.  I have learned to say in a semi-loud voice, “Would there be a seat available for me and my guide dog?”  Someone will say, “Yes.  There’s a seat over there.”  We call this unclear on the concept.  Telling a visually impaired or blind person “Over there” is a little less than semi-helpful.

I have also had to call the toll-free help line at Guide Dogs a couple of times.  Once was for what you can see in the video below

 A Balking Dog

 

 Chase would just stop at one point along the sidewalk near our house.  And he did it in only one direction.  I would tell him "Forward" and he would back up.  I thought he might be afraid of something so I had Patti take video and emailed the YouTube URL to the helpline person.  She said, “No his tail’s wagging.  I think he just doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do.”  She suggested a couple things.  The first and most simple was just to take his leash and lead him forward at that point, while praising him a lot.  It worked.  He doesn’t stop there anymore.

Scaredy Dog

Do things come in threes?

Yesterday, Chase and I arrived at the Concord BART station, ready for our usual peaceful walk home.  It’s about three and a half blocks.  We walked on Oakland Avenue, past the entrance to the parking garage.  Inside the garage is a BART police substation.  Inside the substation was a police car. Inside the police car was a police dog.  Inside the dog was a very big bark that came out as we came near the entrance.  Apparently the police dog was issuing a warning citation to someone walking by.

As we stood at the curb to the driveway leading in and out of the garage, Chase’s head swung toward the direction of the bark and stuck there.  He could not hear anything except that bark.  I said, “Forward.”  He heard, “Bark.”  Finally, I gave a tug on his leash and convinced him to cross the driveway and continue down the sidewalk.  He walked about one and a half times normal speed, as if he just wanted to get out of there.  The whole time, his head turned left as he kept both eyes on the garage and listened to that bark.

We crossed the street and headed for home.  He was still wound a little tight.  We walked next to a big parking lot where vehicles park diagonally, some with their noses up against the sidewalk.  As we passed a truck, it started up, startling Chase.  He picked up even more speed.  His spring was wound even tighter.

 At the corner across the street from our development, a guy was on the opposite side wearing a baseball cap.  Chase spotted him and was not going to go forward.  Too many weird things had already happened.

So I took him by the leash, had him heel, and walked him about ten feet from the corner.  I had him sit and went to the Labrador retriever pacifier -- comfort kibble.  I fed him out of the treat bag on my waist for a few minutes (a bonus for a dog that gets his rewards one kibble bit at a time.)  It seemed to calm him down.

But he still had his usual urgency on the last block up to our front door.  I thought I heard him say, “There’s no place like home,” and click his red tennis shoes together.

What Dogs Do

Because I am legally blind and not completely sightless, I get to see things Chase does that entertain me, or at least engage my interest.

 

Number 1:  Day before yesterday, we crossed the street at the usual corner near our development.  Suddenly, we stopped dead in our tracks for a sunflower.  Well, actually it was a person dressed as a sunflower.  She had on a green onesie and a sunflower mask.   She was waving one of those big rectangular signs advertising a flower shop.  Chase was having none of that. (Truth be told, I myself am a little leery of people who dress as flowers in public.)  He stopped.  He looked up at me.  He backed up.  I gave him the “forward” command and he backed up some more.  She spoke to us, but I think that just confused him further.  Finally, I dropped the harness handle, took the leash and told him to heel.  As we walked past her, Chase’s head was on a swivel, making sure we weren’t going to get pistil whipped.

Number 2: Busy sidewalks seem to energize Chase.  He walks faster.  He tailgates.  And lately, I’ve noticed he seems to play chicken.  We can see someone coming toward us a half-block away.  Chase doesn’t veer off.  He walks right at them.  Sometimes, if they don’t adjust, they have to squeeze by us.  I just pretend I’m a jolly, sightless guy, completely unaware of what he’s doing.

Number 3:  Sometimes Chase does strange dog stuff.  We changed BART trains yesterday at 19^th Street station in Oakland.  The Pittsburg-Bay Point train was crowded.  I asked if there might be a seat for me and my guide dog.  While people were looking at each other and deciding if they would be the one to give up a seat (more precious than gold on a crowded BART train), Chase leaned over and licked the knee of the old (my age) guy sitting in the seat closest to us.  Interpret that as you will. We got a seat, but not from that guy. 

Graduation Day

A few moments from my Guide Dogs graduation three weeks ago.

First are the official portraits they take of each graduate. 

Me and Chase.  Me and Chase and Margaret, his puppy raiser.

And video of my part of the graduation.

 

 

Enjoy.

Dog, It's Been Two Weeks Already?

Two weeks ago today I graduated from Guide Dogs for the Blind, and Chase and I headed out into the world.

Any of you who know me know I am a person of routines.  And it has been a fortnight of adjustments to a new routine.  I now get up an hour earlier so that I can feed, water, relieve and groom Chase.  He and I both leave for work with freshly brushed hair and teeth. 

I get to work a half-hour early so that I can give Chase water and relieve him before the work day begins.  This week he got a bed next to my desk.  It looks just like this one that’s in my office at home.  (He also has a matching Kong at work.)  It made to the office thanks to my friend, Ellen Ellery, who brought Chase’s new bed to work on Thursday.  I would tell you I considered carrying it in on BART, but that would be a lie. 

 

 

At the end of the day, the bed fits into Chase's locker.  Yes, he has his own locker.  The bed goes next ot his biology book and his letterman's jacket.

Folks at work have been wonderfully respectful of Chase’s boundaries.  They do not engage him when he is in harness.  They ask before they pet him when he’s out of harness.  They do not feed him.  These are all things I hope will preserve Chase’s focus when he’s working and keep him from looking for food or love.  (Is there a difference to a Labrador retriever?) 

Friday evening, I had to tell a lady on BART no when she asked to pet Chase.  I explained I did not want him losing focus when he’s in his harness.  She understood.  The day before a lady petted him without asking as Chase and I stood on the BART platform.  I asked her not to, and explained why.  She was very understanding.

I am getting better at asking for a seat on BART.  My daughter will tell you that we introverts don’t like doing things like asking strangers for a seat (or being mentioned in our father’s blog).  But I’m finding that people seem less likely to offer a seat than they were when I used a blind cane.  Now my sample is only ten trips on BART with a dog, so in the long run that might not turn out to be the case. 

The three most common questions or comments I hear are:

·        “How old is he?”
·        “What kind of dog is that?” (Or “Is he a Labrador retriever?”  Sometimes they say “We had/have a Lab.  They’re wonderful dogs”   Chase nods in agreement.)
·        “I really like his shoes.”  Chase wears his stylish tennis shoes on his back feet for the BART commute.  They protect his back feet on the escalators.  I’m told dogs can see their front feet, so it’s not a problem, but the mechanism can injure their back feet.

Chase’s Furminator arrived today.  It’s a bladed comb that removes a lot of undercoat.  It promises to keep him from shedding so much.  Even though I brush him every day, Chase still leaves half a dog’s worth of hair at home and at work.  I used it on him tonight and the difference really was noticeable.  I hope it will cut down on his shedding.  (Cut down, get it?)

I think Chase is slowly becoming my dog.  We’ve been working together only about three weeks.  But as I feed him, groom him and play with him, he seems to be getting more attached to me. 

Doggone Good Organization

If you’ve been following this blog, you know what I’ve been doing the past three weeks.  First, I learned how to be a guide dog partner.  Then, the two of us ventured out into the world as a guide dog team.  Now, it’s time to thank the people who made that possible.

Guide Dogs for the Blind is an amazing organization.  Every year, at their California and Oregon campuses, they equip about 350 people such as me with well-bred, immaculately trained guide dogs.  All of us are blind or legally blind, sightless or significantly visually impaired.  Each of us receives intensive training, while living at Guide Dogs for the Blind.

In the course of those two weeks, they provide us with a dog, a harness, a leash, food for the dog, food for us, nursing care, veterinary care, professional instruction and transportation to and from places where we can put our newly learned skills to work.

And all of this cost us nothing.  Zip.  Zilch.  Nada.  Not one red cent.  It’s all paid for by donations from people like you.  Those donations not only fund the program, they helped build a brand new, state of the art residence hall where we stayed during our training.  We had private rooms with private baths, a door from the hall, and a door out to the patio where there is a relieving area for the dog and paddocks where they can play.  It has a dining hall where the chef (who was once the summer road tour chef for the Rolling Stones) not only offered us great meals, but offered to make anything else we might want.  If we hadn’t been walking so much during our training, I would have gained twenty pounds.  There is also a laundry room with washers and dryers, plus a student lounge and an exercise room. 

When we graduated, we left with dog food, an allowance for wellness checks for the dogs, a kong for our dog to play with, tie downs, a fleece mat, and a grooming kit with two brushes, a comb, a toothbrush and doggie toothpaste.  That’s in addition to all the other equipment I listed earlier.

We also have a toll-free number we can call with any questions we have about our dogs. 

Did I mention all of this is free?

I am extremely grateful to Guide Dogs for the Blind.  I especially appreciate my instructor, Angie Ruiz, the class supervisor, Kristin Lucas, the nurses (Paula, Helen and Laurie – sorry if I forgot anyone), the chef, Paul, and his assistant, Sean, and the serving staff. 

I want to thank also the Bakers of Bakersfield who volunteered to raise my guide, Chase, when he was a puppy.  Margaret is now on her 26^th guide dog puppy, and I’m not sure she and her family really appreciate how valuable they are to people such as me.  Thanks also to my friends, Carol Conway and Sean Drummond, who encouraged me to get a guide dog when I was reluctant.

My most heartfelt gratitude to all of you.  I am only now discovering the depths of the gift you’ve given me. 

Mad Dog Partner

Okay, I have to confess.  I was angry more than once on my trip home today with Chase.  I should say I was angry and I was with Chase at the time.  I was not angry with him, but with the knuckleheads we seemed to encounter along the way.

The first knucklehead was a guy who turned left in front of us as we stepped off the curb at Fourth and Oak Streets.  He actually came all the way from a parking spot along the curb across the street and cut in front of us.  I think Chase wanted to show him how he felt, but then remembered he doesn’t have fingers.  "Hey pal, you didn't notice the blind guy and his dog in the crosswalk?"

The second was a guy with a bike on BART.  We got into the crowded car, and a lady was nice enough to give up her seat.  As I sat and was trying to arrange me and Chase, the guy lost his grip on the bike and it fell on Chase.  I reminded him it wasn’t a good idea to bring his bike on BART when it’s crowded.  I think I used a tone that my children know very well.  For whatever reason, he and his bike got off at the next stop.

The third was a person coming out of the BART garage in Concord.  As Chase and I stepped off the curb at the garage exit, the person pulled his or her car half way into the crosswalk.  Chase is trained not to go near cars that are running.  So there we were stuck halfway across with a dog that balked.  He pushed me away from the car, and we got across.  But I did put the driver in the knucklehead category.

I’m trying to think generous and forgiving thoughts.  It helps to have a big dog to pet and scratch.  We played a little therapeutic tug of war tonight.  Chase assured me all will be well.

Day 16: Working Like A Dog

Chase and I now have two days under our belt as co-commuters.  We walked to BART, rode to Oakland, and walked to work yesterday and today.  And we reversed the process on the way home.

 

My co-workers have been exceedingly respectful of the guide dog guidelines.  They don’t engage Chase when he has his harness on.  They ask when they come over to my desk to pet him.  As you can see, Chase is pretty low key.  He mostly sleeps on the floor next to my desk. 

 

Every couple of hours, I take him to drink water and out to relieve.  We have a nice spot next to the station on the lawn of the condo complex next door.  It’s a beautiful location along the Oakland Estuary. 

 

 

Chase continues to do well on BART.  He wears his tennis shoes on his back feet to protect them when we use the escalator.  He’s also been clearing the fare gates with ease. 

It’s been a little stressful getting used to a new routine.  But I’m working on it.  I figure I’ll have lots of time to work it out. 

Days 14 & 15: Evey Dog Has His Day

And yesterday was Chase’s day.  He and I graduated from the two-week training course at Guide Dogs for the Blind.  It was a whirlwind, fun day. 

A huge crowd was there because of Fun Day for the volunteer puppy raisers.  And the volunteers who raised Chase – the Bakers from Bakersfield -- were there to see who his partner was going to be. 

 

Margaret Baker presented Chase to me at the ceremony.  Earlier, they had filled me in on what Chase was like during his first year, when he lived with them.  It seems Chase loves to swim. 

 

 

I was touched by the people who showed up for my graduation -- present and former co-workers and other friends.

We stopped by a wedding on the way home.  It was outside at St. Mary’s College.  Chase was calm throughout.  He slept at my feet while I sat and talked to people.

We brought him home and reintroduced him to our poodle, Cody.  Cody was stressed at first, but eventually calmed down.  Chase was calm throughout.  He spent a peaceful night in his container. 

Today, I took Chase on a walk to the BART station so he would kind of know the route tomorrow morning.  He also took a trip to the pet supply store.  There were several dogs there, and he did fine.  But at one point, I had to point out to a guy that Chase was a working guide dog and I needed him to get his sniffing dog away from mine.

We went to KTVU and put a few things in place for tomorrow.  Then we stopped at the grocery store on the way home.  Through it all, Chase was a great guide and perfect gentleman, er dog. 

Right now, Chase is sleeping on the floor of my office, tied down to the treadmill.  In a bit, he’ll go into his crate for the night, and we’ll take a big step tomorrow in our adventure when we go to work together.

Cody Chases Chase. Chase Chases Cody.

Things are winding down and gearing up at the same time here on the campus of Guide Dogs for the Blind.  On one hand, we had our last day of instruction and information today.  On the other, tomorrow is not only our graduation, but puppy raiser Fun Day. 

The number they’re anticipating is still 1,600 puppy raisers and breeder dog handlers.  But the new figure I heard for dogs here tomorrow (beyond the usual 300 in the kennels) is 500.  Workers were already setting up chairs and booths and blocking off parking lots today.  The gift shop was jammed.

My instructor, Angie, did a great thing for us today.  She allowed Patti to bring over our pet poodle, Cody, to meet Chase on neutral ground before we bring the Lab into Cody’s living room.  Here’s a little video of the two of them in one of GDB’s play yards.

In the afternoon, the GDB staff gave us binders with all sorts of information about our dogs and about services available to us.  We received laminated ID cards with a picture of us and our dog.  (it’s a photo of a photo in a laminated ID card. I’m the one sitting in the chair.)

Tonight, I begin to pack up to go home.  Although help is just a phone call away, I’m still a little nervous.  So far, when I mess up, there’s been a voice right behind me to correct and guide.  (On a short leash, so to speak.)  But after tomorrow, it’s just me and Chase.  I have a lot of confidence in him.  Me?  We’ll see.