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.

Day 12: Lookin' Good, Dog

This was a mixed bag day.  Actually, it was kind of a shopping bag day.  I picked up a couple items for Chase.

Today’s training took us to the El Cerrito BART station, where Chase learned that fare gates can be your friend.  With Angie’s guidance, I did some clicker training with Chase at the wide fare gate for the disabled. 

We clicked and fed meaty treats right in front of the gate.  Then we clicked and fed whenever he stuck his nose into the gate opening.  We backed up a few feet and repeated the click/feed inducement whenever he took me to the gate.  We took a few steps farther back and he began to pull me toward the gate, looking for his reward.  Finally, we went through the gate, and I click/fed on the other side.  I think he gets the idea that good things happen when he goes through the BART fare gate.

I then worked him over to a shopping area across the street from the BART station and stopped into Petco.  I bought him a big tug toy and he’s been in heaven playing with it.  (See the video below.)

When we came back to Guide Dogs’ campus in San Rafael, I went over to the gift shop and picked up some items I ordered online.  One was a rain coat for Chase.  

In the afternoon, we took a walk on a bike/walking trail and worked on some of the simple obedience commands such as heel, sit and down.  I’m nowhere near being a dog trainer, but I can get him to heel, sit and lie down.

I remarked tonight at dinner to some fellow students that I feel as if I’ve been here forever, while at the same time it feels as if it’s gone by very quickly.  Our graduation is Saturday at 2 p.m.   It’s open to the public.  However, it’s also Fun Day for puppy raisers (an event not open to the public).  There will be 1,600 people and 450 guide dog puppies here.

Puppy raisers are a key part of Guide Dogs’ program.  After the pups are born here in San Rafael, they are eventually put in the care of puppy raisers as far away as Texas, who have them for about a year, socializing the dogs and teaching them some of the basics.  Our puppy raisers will actually do the formal presentation of our dogs to us on Saturday.  I am told it can be a very emotional ceremony.  Bring your hanky.

Day 11: Does Your Doggie Bite?

Chase got to see the inside of KTVU today for the first time.  That meant a chance to check out the comfort of the carpet next to my desk and to meet a few of the folks with whom I work.

It was our second time to walk from BART to Channel 2 and back.  Chase is becoming a veteran BART rider  He now sleeps on the train floor between my feet.  But he’s still a little leery of the fare gates.  They bang open and closed.  It’s pretty intimidating if you’re nose-high with them.  Angie is guiding me through some techniques to help him overcome his apprehension.  Instead of working him on harness through the big, wide disabled gate, I had him heel and walked him through.  Then I fed him a whole bunch of kibble treats on the other side.  The message: if you walk through, good things are waiting for you.  I suppose there might be a sermon illustration or a metaphor of some sort in that.

People at work were great.  Everyone who petted Chase first asked if it was okay.  (Here are Guide Dogs for the Blind’s guidelines on what to do when you meet a guide team: http://www.guidedogs.com/site/PageServer?pagename=resources_access_meetguide ) 

A guy on BART also asked if he could pet Chase, and I said yes.  I affirmed him for knowing to ask first.  I find I’m enjoying the interactions that come with having a guide dog.  Last night, some girls in San Rafael asked how he knew when to lead me across the street.  I explained the dogs do not read the traffic lights at all.  They wait for a command from their handler, and that people with little or no vision listen to the sound of the traffic to know when it’s safe to cross.   The first time we rode on BART, a guy asked if he would bite.  I simply said, “He’s trained to do what I tell him to do.”

Late today, we had representatives from Guide Dogs explain to us the veterinary assistance program.  They give us an allowance for annual checkups, provide annual supplies of flee and heartworm medicine, and help with other veterinary costs.  They also told us about their toll-free support line where we can call to get help or to ask questions related to our dogs, including their care, their health and how to deal with any problems we run into.

It’s really a remarkable organization. 

Day 10: Chase, That Car!

A lot of dogs will chase a car.  Chase will stop a human when he sees a car coming.  As with all guide dogs, that’s what he’s trained to do.  And we put that training to the test today.

We went for a walk in downtown San Rafael this morning.  Lying in wait for us was an instructor driving a Prius.  First she pulled out of a driveway, right in front of us.  Chase stopped.  I stopped.  Then she parked in a driveway and blocked our way.  Chase stopped so I checked to see why.  There was a car in front of us.  So I worked him around the back of the car and back on the sidewalk.

She went ahead of us and came back to make a left turn in front of us as we crossed the street.  At one point, she pulled into a driveway in front of us and then pulled back and forth until Chase backed me away from the car.  In one last maneuver, she pulled out behind us and Chase sped up. 

For Chase and me, that training is more than theoretical.  It’s life and death sometimes in the real world.  From all appearances, he knew what to do, and I knew to do whatever he did.  Stop.  Backup.  Maneuver around total sidewalk barricades. 

By the way, they use a Prius so the dogs will learn to read visual cues and not just sounds.

Tonight, another student and I walked from GDB’s lounge in San Rafael about six blocks up Fourth Street to Cold Stone Creamery.  (For the uninitiated, that’s really good high-end ice cream.)  We had a cone and headed back.  Our instructor, Angie, hung back during the walk to see if we knew what we were doing.  We passed with a little constructive criticism here and there.

High Speed Chase is still living up to his nickname.  And the more crowded the sidewalk, the faster he seems to want to go.  He’s still looking left for the passing lane when someone’s too slow in front of us.  He also feels like he’s tailgating at times.  I occasionally have to give him the “steady” command which means to slow up just a bit.  But mostly, I just hang on and enjoy the ride.