WE'RE HOME AT LAST

It’s time to let all of you know that we made it home safely and are beginning our life together.

Thursday was a very long day. The wake-up call came for me at 3:30 EDT. This time I showered first and Trinity’s food was brought at 4:00. After relieving and grooming her, I had a hasty breakfast in the common lounge and quickly finished packing those last-minute details. My suitcase with all the new things I had been given topped the scale at about 49.5 pounds with a 50 pound limit.

My instructor took two of us to the airport together and we moved quickly through security and to our gate. She was heading home to Florida and I to Washington State. In Security, I had trinity sit as I went through the metal detector first and then, once I was clear and still holding the end of the long leash, I called her to me. She was then checked for having set off the security alarm with her metal collar and harness.

The first leg of my flight was from 7:10 EDT to 10:10 PDT. It was uneventful. Trinity rode at my feet under the seat in front of me. When I went to the bathroom, I took her with me there. We are both small and she, like all of my previous dogs, can fit in there. I did open the door and let her out before flushing the noisy toilet. There is something that I had never known about before. Some, if not all, planes have curtains that can be drawn outside the bathroom to give a larger area for people with mobility issues who may need more room. I suggested that the attendant might hold her leash, but she offered the curtain instead. I chose to take Trinity in and close the door.

My nephew met us at SeaTac and took us to lunch to help pass the time of the 3.5 hour delay before my smaller plane took us to our local area.

It was 3:00 when we arrived home. I took Trinity to explore the house on leash, going to each room in turn. Our Basset was spending the afternoon at doggie day care to give us some time alone.

We had 4 places to go that afternoon. We visited pet Co and purchased a new bed that Trinity loves. It is a 3-inch thick egg crate pad with a fleece cover on the top. Next we went to Haute Daug to let Trinity and EZ meet in the lobby, neutral territory.

After taking EZ home, we set out again for a quick stop at Home Depot and then went out for a fast dinner at Jack in the Box.

Still 97 degrees at 8:30, it was just too hot for the initial walk on the day of arrival. Most of the time during all the errands I went sighted guide with Trinity.

My suitcase had been tagged for the evening flight and Clif went to retrieve it later. Thankfully, I had obtained an extra serving of food to put in my carry-on.

Friday, after the morning routine starting at 6:15, I walked with Trinity partly around two blocks and then made my decision to continue on to church. She was doing well and there was little traffic. There was one signal intersection and most of the walk was along residential streets. On arrival we visited with a few people and visited the various rooms where we sat briefly before walking home. We spent the rest of the day doing as little as possible and resting from our trip.

Yesterday, we walked down town, just over a mile, to a restaurant where we met my husband for breakfast and then walked home. We did little else that day. There was relatively little traffic. She did well with a few work errors to be expected.

Today we walked to church where we spent about 3 hours. We were called up front at the beginning of the service and Trinity was introduced and I had a minute to review the basic rules about not engaging her.

We are still resting lots and trying to recover from jet lag and the heat that has followed us home. I plan to keep Trinity on leash for the two weeks that is recommended to minimize any problems with her adjusting from kennel life to home life again. I must admit that this is somewhat tedious work, always having the leash in one hand.

It seems as if this is a very good match. She works differently from Sydney, but she is doing well. There is less pull in the harness and that is good for my shoulder. She was calm in church and when out. She and EZ are both on leash when they are in the same room. EZ wants to be friends, but Trinity is somewhat put off by her advances. We have two cats. The white one went nose to nose with her immediately when they saw each other. The black one is keeping her distance for now, but is narrowing the gap between them. The other animals do not have the run of the house, so they are not always with us.

Thanks much for following this adventure. I will be watching it for any comments and answering any questions that are posted.

ON OUR OWN

I am packing now in anticipation of a 3:30 wake-up call and a ride to the airport at 5:00.

For me Independence Day comes a few days late. I am eager to get home and get going, yet I am a bit nostalgic about leaving. This is a bit like camp. There are friendships forged out of our common goal of success with a first or replacement guide that is difficult to describe to those who have never experienced it. It gets me thinking of my future and where I will be in about 8 years when retirement and replacement comes again. I think, too, of the many hopes and dreams that have been realized over the 80+ years that this school has been partnering blind men and women with Seeing Eye dogs. There has been both joy and sorrow mingled here throughout the years.

As for me, this one has been a relatively easy ride. Trinity and I have the beginning of a great partnership. There are some things that those who will be meeting and greeting us in the near future can do to help us achieve this goal. Please remember that we are a new team and our work together will not look like the work that Sydney did after her 8+ years as my partner. In the days to come, this dog will be introduced to a whole new world full of people and places she has never seen or dreamed of before. All that she has known, she is about to leave behind. I am the only person that is familiar to her.

Everyone will want to watch her work and admire her because she is a very cute girl (No Bias here). Dogs can feel threatened if people “stare” at them.

I can feel disappointed if her short comings are compared with Sydney. Most of you did not know Sydney when she first came home.

Trinity is a friendly girl and I will need to establish boundaries that will include separation of work and play. Work is happening whenever her harness is on--even if she is sleeping or sitting quietly. This means no engaging with her in any way when the harness is on. No petting, no feeding, no talking to her in a way that she is engaged. It can mean my safety.

Having said this, please know that I really enjoy talking about her and my experience in training. Questions are very welcome in person, by e-mail, or by commenting to posts on this blog. I will likely continue it for a short while to let you all know how the transition to home will be going.

I hear that our heat wave is making news across the country. It is truly very hot. My partner and I walked this morning to a coffee shop for a visit with our trainer. Even then it was uncomfortably warm and humid, but the sun hadn’t had a chance to bake the pavement when we were out.

This afternoon, a group of six of us and two trainers went to a different mall. The instructors worked on negotiation of narrow aisles, escalators, stairs, and a glass elevator. Some worked on patterning the dog to go to a certain location within the mall that the person might frequent. In this way, we learn transferrable techniques that we can apply to our situations when returning home.

Thanks so much for your interest in the training process. It means a great deal to me to know that you are reading and praying for me throughout this experience.

Following is the text of a letter that The Seeing Eye sends to families and friends at the request of each student. I am pasting it below with permission for your information.

Copied material follows:




July 2010




Dear Friends:

We are writing to you because you play a significant role in the success of the new working partnership of your friend and/or neighbor and her Seeing Eye dog. We cannot emphasize to you enough the importance of the first few weeks and months at home in the development of the relationship between them. In that time, the success of the two as a working team will be determined. Good teamwork develops when the owner follows three rules in dog handling: consistency, praise when earned and correction when necessary.

Family, friends and co-workers can help by observing a few simple rules of their own:

1. When owner and dog arrive, greet them in a relaxed manner. Do not rush up to them.

2. Avoid inviting family and friends over to meet the dog during the first few days. Give the dog a chance to adjust to its new surroundings gradually.

3. Let the dog make the first advance to greet you. Don't stare at the dog; it's
Unnerving.

4. Never follow the team when it is working. The dog will recognize you and look back at you rather than paying attention to its work. This is a serious distraction and will prevent the team from working safely and effectively.

5. The owner should insist upon good manners in the home - this means, for example, no tidbits at the table at mealtime, no barking at the doorbell, no lying on furniture.


6. The owner has been taught to correct the dog by using the leash. A leash correction does not hurt the dog; coupled with affection, it results in efficient guide work and good behavior.

7. The owner has learned how to groom and care for the dog completely. It is the owner's responsibility to feed, groom and take the dog out 3 or 4 times a day to meet its needs.

8. A Seeing Eye dog is not a pet, but the family need not ignore it. The important thing to remember is that the greatest amount of affection and care must come from its owner.

9. Even though the owner has a wealth of experience gained from working and living with a previous dog, a new dog means a new relationship. The owner needs to help the dog adjust to new working conditions away from The Seeing Eye and the instructor. Each dog has a unique personality and will be quite different from its owner's previous dog.

We hope this has helped you become more familiar with The Seeing Eye program and more confident in your role of helping to strengthen a wonderful working partnership.

Sincerely yours,



David Johnson
Director of Instruction & Training

DJ:pca

HEAT!

Another student and I left campus at 8:45 to work our dogs individually in town. The instructor took me first and reviewed the Elm Street Loop backwards. With that I set out on a solo without a partner. It wasn’t stellar as I needed some help along the way, but we did well over all. I got mixed up at the first crossing (Dehart and South) because I could not hear the locator tone for the signal button. She had taken me to the Dehart crossing rather than the South crossing. Off we went again and I made the next turn. Later, a citizen took it upon himself or herself to do a great traffic check driving into a parking lot. Thinking it was a corner; I told Trinity to turn right and ended up in a church parking lot. That seems fitting for my Trinity. This was incorrect because there was to be no right turn for several blocks. It is not a perfect route that “wins” the prize; it is the way in which such problems are resolved. Mistakes will happen on both our parts. Well, the heat was rising and my Instructor cut the walk short as a result. The other student did a shorter walk because of the climbing temperature.

We went to a mall this afternoon and worked on stairs, escalators, and an elevator with a glass wall where the dogs can see the floor dropping away. Trinity did well with this. I have had quite a bit of practice with escalators and feel much more comfortable with them than ever before. There is the slight possibility that a dog may get a pad caught as the stairs fold away at the end. This has kept me from wanting to use an escalator, but Trinity seems to be very aware of the approaching edge and takes it upon herself to get moving at the end of the ride.

One student left last Friday and some are leaving tomorrow. Several are going on Thursday, and those who are training with their first dogs have one additional week.

I had my exit interview this afternoon and there was a lecture after dinner on dealing with loose dogs and dog attacks.

The packing starts for me tomorrow. I plan to be home in less than 48 hours now. They tell me that the temperatures are rising at home in time for my arrival. Wonderful!

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

This was a confidence-building day. After the usual morning routine, two trainers and three of us students drove to New York City. As the song says “If You Can Make It There, You’ll Make It Anywhere.” There were actually two vans each with the same ratio of students to instructors. We drove 35 miles from campus to the Lincoln Tunnel that opens in Manhattan. We parked at the Port Authority and took three separate escalators down to catch the subway. Trinity was excited and eager to go. There was lots of noise in the subway station, but she was good with it. We had also negotiated two turn styles before getting to the appropriate platform. The trains don’t give much time to get on and get seated before they are off again. Our stop was at the Columbus Circle, a traffic circle at Central Park. We walked in the park for a while giving distractions of horses and pigeons. The dogs did very well. Then we walked along 6th Avenue from 59th to 42nd. We turned right on 42nd and went to 8th, crossing Time Square in the process. After turning left on 8th, we walked another block and a half to the Port Authority where we had lunch before driving back to Seeing Eye. There were lots of pedestrians, and lots of traffic, but it didn’t seem as crowded to me as when I was there while training with Angie in 2000. There were some work errors, but all in all, the dogs did very well. We all were certainly hot and tired by the end of the trip. We left at about 9:00 and were back at campus by about 1:45. Thankfully, much of the walk was shaded by buildings and trees.

We did not have an afternoon workout but rested, much deserved.

After the evening meal, we who are retrains had a “Going Home” lecture at 6:30 and it ended about 7:45. There was the usual last park time at 8:00.

Now, at 8:45, Trinity and I are going with another student and the night instructor on a night walk. Things can look different to the dogs after dark. All their training until now has been done during the day. In fact, they have not been out after dark since they came in for training.

We are back now after the night walk. It was very humid and 84 degrees. It felt like a sauna. It was a relatively short walk from the training lounge north to Market and to the Morris and Buddy statue. My partner wanted to check it out again and we took night pictures of it as well as of the plaques nearby. We walked through the park and back to the car by way of Dehart Street.

It was a very good day.

OUR LAST SUNDAY HERE

Today we were able to attend church with our dogs. 10 of us chose to go: 4 Catholic, 1 Baptist, and 5 nondenominational. I joined the latter group as I have attended that church during both of my prior two classes. Even in Church there are lessons for the dogs. The sitting and standing routines are new to them and they want to get up and get ready to go when we move. Soon, though, they will become familiar with the order of a church service and lie quietly throughout. They all did very well today. We left right after breakfast and traveled the 12 miles to the town of Chester.

The instructor who went with us said that she saw a black bear running across the road in front of her car last week and says she has seen deer, coyotes, possums, and other animals. It is very wooded along the route to the church.

We returned about 11:15 and parked the dogs quickly. My instructor took two of us to town where we practiced escalator work again. We then visited the Morris Frank statue in the Green in the center of town. I thought it was fitting to have Trinity’s picture taken along side the first team that started the guide dog movement in the United States and the Seeing Eye school itself 81 years ago.

It was lunch time when we returned to campus, 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. After lunch, I worked on clicker training teaching Trinity to target my new location in the dining room. This was under the watchful eye of the instructor. She targeted my chair much better when we went to the evening meal than she had done previously.

There were no visitors for me this week and I spent the rest of the afternoon resting, reading, and talking on the phone. Before long, it was time to feed and park the dogs again. This was followed by dinner. The other half of the class had massage training and the rest of us had free time until the last park of the day at 8:00.

Tomorrow it is forecast to be very hot again. We’ll see what things they have in store for us on our last Monday of training.

A QUIET DAY

The instructors take turns having a day off while others spend the night with us in the dorm. My instructor was off today meaning that our small group did not have any work sessions today. This does not mean that we slept in, though. The dog food still appeared at our door at about 5:30 this morning.

After the usual morning activities, one of my team members and I took a walk on the leisure path. I now understand that it is about .3 miles long with to gazebos to sit and visit. We did that for a while.

I then found some people to visit with in the lobby and Trinity had her picture taken by one of the other trainers. She is wearing her new harness and hoping for a trip out the main door that is right across from the fireplace.

After the 10:30 park time, I played the piano until time to get ready for lunch.

After lunch it was nap time for me and time to read a book and make phone calls. Before I knew it, they were calling us to ready our dogs to receive their evening meal. This means that we were to have them loose in the rooms so we could work on “Go to your place” When they knocked with the food pans.

This evening we had a barbecue outside that included corn on the cob, vegetables, baby back ribs, corn bread, and root beer floats and watermelon for dessert.

At 6:15 we met in the common lounge for a birthday party—ice cream cake. The cake was purchased by another student for this occasion. One of our class mates turns 50 today.

Following this there was instructions on giving our dogs a massage. We were hands-on with the dogs on the floor. It was hard for Trinity to settle. She wanted to lie on her back and wiggle and sit up alternately.

I am currently waiting for my laundry to get out of the drier. I left Trinity in the room while I went to tend to it. She apparently was very quiet while I was gone. She seems to be tired in the evenings and sleeps on her bed without difficulty.

Tomorrow being Sunday, we will be able to sleep in until 6:30. I have signed up to attend church as did half our class. We can take our dogs with us tomorrow. I believe our trainer will be here and we will have workouts with him as well.

NEW CHALLENGES DAILY

It was almost cool at park this morning at 5:45. It did warm up by this afternoon, but trinity and I have enjoyed the cooler weather. They say it is short lived though.

My partner and I had some extra time after breakfast while our trainer took the other two students on the bus to Madison and back on the train. When it was our turn to go, 10:00, we worked on country roads.

These are tedious for me. In this case, there were curbs to easily locate the edge of the road. The idea is for the dogs to keep us close to the left edge. We check this by stopping every twenty steps or so (the tedious part) and using either our right foot in front of the dog or the left foot behind the dog to probe for the curb or edge of the road. The dog is to follow the edge of the road around each corner so that we don’t just blow past it. As we feel the change in direction, and sense that we are past the turn, we stop, check the edge as described, turn 90 degrees to the right and line our heels up with the curb or edge. We then give the dog the “Forward” command to cross the side street we have indented. Once we find the other side. We direct the dog to turn right again and resume following the turn in the road until we are passed the corner and continuing along the original direction. If, for example we were to want to turn right, we would indent each leg of the intersection (another tedious part) until we are going in the direction we want to travel. I try to avoid places where there are no sidewalks in my daily activities.

This afternoon, the four of us all went to the lounge down town with our instructor. Two of us waited with our dogs as the other two went on another mini solo. When it was our turn, our instructor gave us verbal instructions to the coffee place where we have gone before, but the directions to it involved a somewhat different route. Each team of two could discuss matters along the way, but our trainer tried not to give input. My partner and I did have to ask passers by to locate the entrance.

After dinner, those of us who chose to do clicker training had a lecture on the technique we have been doing one-on-one as an optional addition to the regular class work. The plan is to use this to teach the dogs to locate specific things that we will want the dog to target once we are home. Now, we are working on having them target our chair in the dining room. Our seating arrangement was changed again for the evening meal today. Trinity learned last evening to take me to the previous place. Now we will work on going to the new place tomorrow.

During park after feeding the dogs, my trainer reviewed application of the topical flea control. I must say that, with his instructions, I was able to do it without the mess on her hair. Good for me.

JUST ONE WEEK LEFT

Just one week left. The time seems to be going by very quickly. By this time next Thursday, I expect to be home.

Trinity and I worked doubles with another student for the famed Elm Street Solo this morning. We completed the circuit managing to resolve any issues that came up along the way.

This afternoon another member of our small group and I went with our trainer to Madison, a town near here on the bus and returned on the train. While waiting for the connection back, we shopped at a grocery store under the watchful eye of our instructor so that the dogs could work through it with all the food distractions. While waiting for the train, we worked the dogs on platform refusal. They have been trained to avoid the platform edge and they refused to get us near it. If we give them the forward command when facing the edge, they turn and walk along it. Yet, when the train comes, they are not spooked by the noise and easily walk us to the entrance. This is a full size train.

Each of us has a visit with the vet toward the end of class. My afternoon partner and I had our visits just before dinner today. Trinity has had no real medical issues. She was treated last October for an ear infection, but she has been healthy. She was micro chipped today at reduced cost to me and we were given a six month supply of heart worm preventative and flea protection. I now have her vet records to take to my vet at home.

After dinner, I had a continuation of the optional clicker training. I learned how to teach her to target my chair in the dining room using auditory cues. Very innovative. .

At 6:30 we had another lecture on harness care. We were familiarized with all parts of the harness. We have been using training harnesses, but we now have the new ones that we will take home. In the past, we have been responsible for oiling them ourselves, but now this has been done for us.

We were also instructed in how to begin giving freedom in the room. We have been given the bell that clips to the collar and this helps us to know what the dog is doing. We discussed all aspects including how to give measured amounts of water initially building up to free water with no accidents on route or in the rooms. We are also to begin to leave our dogs alone on tie down for a few minutes at a time and gradually build up to leave them for 30 minutes on tie down in the room with no whimpering or barking. Our dogs are with us most of the time, but there are circumstances where it is not advisable for them to go. Such a list might include a rock concert, a fire works display, a hot day at the beach, or a zoo. They must be able to stay alone without separation anxiety causing them to be destructive. Complete freedom at home is the ultimate goal.
From all indications so far, Trinity has excellent behavior in the room. There are two criteria for freedom. She must come when called and she must be able to go to her place and stay there when told. She does come immediately when called and goes easily to her place and stays when told if I walk with her there. As she does this more, she will soon be able to go there alone. She definitely did so this evening at feeding time in anticipation of getting her food delivered there. She can be playful, but she is not wild when free and does not pick up things that are not her toys. She does not offer to get on the bed. She is a very good girl.

COMING TOGETHER

It was actually cool this morning shortly after 5:30 when we all went out to park. We are all doing better at locating the things that need to be picked up with less coaching from instructors.

I did grooming after park and cleaned up for breakfast. I did obedience in the main lobby today to have the distractions of people coming and going. Trinity and I went at 7:45 with the trainer into town and we worked alone with him. . We left the down town lounge and walked to the court house where we had two opportunities to work through metal detectors and negotiate narrow halls with lots of people and several sets of stairs. We then went to check out the life size statue of Morris Frank and his German shepherd Seeing Eye dog. It is so very life like that the police are sometimes called to rescue the blind man and his dog. For additional information about Morris Frank, Google him. In short, he was instrumental in founding this school and in leading the way for all future guide dog teams in this country.

The trainer and I stopped at a coffee place and had a chance to visit before returning to the lounge.

Upon our return to campus, we went again to park before having instructions in teeth cleaning, ear cleaning, and giving pills, liquid medication, and topical flea control.

After lunch, I went with the 2:00 shuttle to town. Here my partner and I did our practice Elm Street Loop walk. There were at least three staged dog distractions, another traffic check, and our fifth encounter with a barricade. My partner and I could discuss the details of the route together as we went along. One team leads from a corner and throughout the block, the dog in the rear may find safe passage to take the lead. This is acceptable. At the next corner, the other team member begins the block.

I feel that this dog is easy to work, but I need to be on her better with dog distractions. She is responsive to voice commands, but I still need to use the leash as well for certain kinds of distractions. She has been very good with traffic checks. She was walking faster today in the cooler weather, and I am glad for this.

It was nearly park time again when we returned and then it was dinner. We had a lecture this evening given by the vet. Then there was the last park of the day.

Since we have had our dogs, we have been teaching them the “Go to your place.” Command by taking them there with the command each time we return to our rooms. Later we would take them there with the command and stand with them there on leash when the trainer prearranged to come and knock. This afternoon, we had them off leash in the room with a bell on their collar. When the food pans were brought, we told them to go to their place and “Rest” (our term for ‘stay’) and if they moved from their place as the door was opened, the door went closed again. Trinity needed one door closing to learn to stay put. “Good Girl!”

TRAFFIC

My trainer mixed us up differently this week so that I have a different partner. I have always gone on the first trip, but today, I went on the shuttle to the down town lounge at 9:00 instead of 7:45. Instructor assistants shuttle us from the campus to the training center so that we don’t have as much time sitting and waiting.

During that first hour, I had some additional exposure to clicker training one-on-one. There are some very clever techniques developed to make best use of this training method without needing to see what the dog is doing.

We did the Elm Street loop again today, morning and afternoon. Since we are now encountering such different intersection configurations and continuing to have traffic checks on every session, I thought I would describe how dogs work in traffic. I have now listened to the lecture in class and listened to the mp3 files on this topic. Here is a sketch of what I have reviewed.

The initial decision to enter a street is made by the handler based on the traffic flow. By hearing the cars respond to changes in the lights at signalized intersections, we can tell when the light is in our favor. This is usually at the surge of the parallel traffic. However, computerization of traffic signals and quiet cars have made this whole process much more difficult in many instances.

What does the dog do? The dog waits for the handler to give a verbal command to go into the intersection. It is trained to watch for traffic and disobey the command if it is not safe to do so. This has limitations, though. The dog can judge traffic traveling up to 30 mph from a distance of 20 feet. Outside of these parameters, the dog is not reliable. The reason for this is that the dog does not understand the danger of traffic as potentially deadly as we do. Its nervous system was developed to judge the speed of other animals and this is at slower speeds. If a car is traveling 30mph, it travels 20ft in about ½ second. The dog is taught to stop, slow, or even back up if a car is heading its way. The dog must not fear traffic or it would not be able to cross in front of cars that are stopped at a light. It would not be able to travel on a sidewalk along a busy street or approach a bus to board it.

We need to be mindful not to push the harness forward as we prepare to cross or hurry the dog or it will go based on our body language and without checking to see if it is safe. It is a common tendency of a handler to want to hurry across the street, but we need to slow down and keep a pressure on the harness handle and let the dog do its work. There is extensive work done with the dogs throughout the training process with traffic. A supervisor is out in the Prius cutting us off in driveways and during street crossings. They must not do too much of this to make the dog anxious, but enough to make it vigilant. This varies; I’m sure with each dog. This is why we cannot practice traffic checks on our own. If, after graduation, we feel that our dogs are becoming to bold in traffic to be safe, we must call the school and they will work with each situation individually, and this may include a visit to the graduate’s home area.

Sometimes we will want an idling car to go through the intersection so as not to block the sounds of other traffic in the area. Oddly enough, well-meaning drivers or sighted pedestrians have told us to cross when they have been so taken by the dog that they have neglected to check for safety themselves. This makes us cautious about going on the advice of others.

There were no lectures today or this evening. Those who chose to do so watched a movie “Love In the Lead”. I took the opportunity to sit on the floor by Trinity and listen to more of the mp3 files they provided in the beginning of class.

LOTS OF NEW THINGS

There were lots of new things to do today. Our morning trip involved a new route that was about 1.3 miles. There were more difficult crossings and more traffic. There were stores and more pedestrians out. It also includes sidewalk cafes and lots of driveways where traffic can cut us off. There is the ever-present supervisor who does his best to run us over with the Prius, or so it seems. Then there are the unplanned traffic checks from drivers at large to contend with.
It was to hot this afternoon to go out, but we will eventually do our next solo on this route.

This afternoon, each group went to a different store. Our trainer took the four of us to a department store to work on going up and down an escalator with our dogs. They are trained to walk onto the platform. We take the railing in our right hand and reach far in front of us so that we can tell when the stairs are beginning to flatten out. We hold the dog’s harness to keep it from going ahead of us. At the end, we let the harness go and heel the dog off. If the dog is not moving at the end of the ride, their toes can more easily get caught on the lip where the stairs end. I try to avoid escalators, but this is not always possible. This lab will not have the issues of long hair on the toes to get caught that Sydney had. It is important to keep the hair of a golden foot short for escalator work.

Following this, we went to a coffee shop for a drink and to visit.

Lectures today included one on how our dogs are trained to work in traffic and one on feeding, treats, and appropriate toys. We heard all the terrible things that can happen if the guidelines are not followed.

Over the weekend, we moved from the outer dining room to the one in the back. This means that we now have to work our dogs past other diners during the noon meal. Here, we can work on manners for the dogs in restaurants. No fraternizing with the customers. In this case, it is the kennel staff.

In and among everything else, I did my laundry today. It was time.

I woke very tired this morning and did not seem to have the emotional reserves for no good reason. Trinity is working well and there are no issues, still… I feel better this evening, but I do hope to get to bed earlier tonight.

A DAY OF REST

It was a day of rest for us, or at least it should have been. There were no formal workouts. Those who wanted to do so could go to church leaving their dogs on tie down in their rooms.

I chose to stay here and took a walk with Trinity on the leisure path and spent some time in personal worship, playing the piano and reading scripture. I also took two naps and am still very tired. My plan is to get to bed earlier this evening.

The most frustrating thing about my day is that I chose to take this extended down time to call tech support for my e-mail. I have been unable to send messages from my computer since I have been here. I could send and receive from my phone until tech support for my e-mail account changed my password in their efforts to help me. I spent too much time trying to reset the cell phone password, but was finally successful. Now I am back where I started. I can receive e-mail from both my computer and phone, but can only send from my phone. This is a very slow process and I am sending few messages for this reason.

Tomorrow will be a better day. My focus will be back on my work with Trinity. There will be little time to think about computers and cell phones.

We previewed a DVD this evening that will be sent to two different addresses of our choice. It gives people some tips about how best to welcome a new Seeing Eye dog into a family, work place or other group setting. There is also a letter that we can have sent giving a shorter version of the same information.

JOY! JOY! JOY!

We had our first solo walks today and all are accounted for. They tell us that they have never lost anyone. My partner and I worked doubles for it and we could consult each other about details of the route. It was a good walk. There were some errors, but we could rework them without the help of our trailing instructor. These solo experiences give me the sense that Trinity and I are beginning to become a team.

There are two times each week when we can have visitors. These are Saturday and Sunday afternoon between 2:00 and 4:00. It was a treat for me to visit with friends in the Morris Frank lounge. They pointed out the huge door displayed there. It was brought from the old training center when this building was built. It is very massive with a width of about 5 feet and a height of 8 or more feet by our estimations.

The dogs are more comfortable about their routines and we started touching them in the park area last evening to determine for ourselves if they are doing a one or a two. Once they quit walking and are in position, we work our way along the leash and stroke down the back. If it is straight and slanted down to the tail area, it is a one. If it is rounded, it is a two. Once we determine that a two is coming, we place one foot so that the toes point at the base of the tail. Then we ready our plastic bag over one hand. Once the dog vacates the position, we will find the “treasure” right where the tail was before the dog moved away. If the dog walks, we attempt to place our other foot so that it points at the second spot without moving the other foot. This evening was the first time we actually picked up anything. This is also the first time Trinity has had a two after her afternoon meal and the first time she has not put it all in the same spot. Joy! I am always glad when we can pick up after our dogs. It is then that I can tell for myself how much and of what consistency. Any change and I am aware of it.

We get to sleep in tomorrow morning until 6:30. There will be no walks in town. We could go to church, but we would need to leave our dogs behind at this point. Next Sunday, we will be able to take them with us.

We learned more information about our dogs today. Trinity was born April 9, 2008. She is 19 inches high and weighed 55 pounds when she came into class on Monday. This makes her my smallest dog so far.

ONE WEEK

It was, perhaps, a few degrees cooler today, but we did the morning and the afternoon route as we did yesterday afternoon (two blocks short). My partner and I did it today with very little help from our instructor. We took turns leading the blocks and both managed to get back to the lounge. Tomorrow morning, we will do it solo. This means that we can still work together with each of us leading successive blocks, but the instructor will not give any input unless there is a safety issue involved. In other words, if our dogs take us into a parking lot and get us totally turned around, we will have to figure out our own way out by asking someone or just using our wits. The trainer will be following in silence. I don’t believe they have ever lost anyone on these.

Next week we will be presented with a longer walk, learn it as we did this one, and then go solo on it. I believe there are three successively harder routes to accomplish before we do free lance work.

Some students really stress about these solo walks, but I like to do them. They give me confidence that this new dog and I can work together. The purpose is for the trainers to see what we need to work on in the future.

We had an interesting talk about senses of our dogs. There sense of smell is so very much better than we have as is their hearing. They have about 250 degrees vision whereas we have 180 degrees meaning that they can see farther behind them on either side. The sense of touch is also very important in their world.

I haven’t mentioned the food. It is delicious. There is always a main dish and a salad option. The salad fixin’s could also be made into a sandwich. If all else fails, they can make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

We are responsible for our own laundry, but the dorm staff takes care of cleaning our rooms and changing and making the beds. We must keep our stuff picked up. Our dogs need to have the rooms puppy proof as they are still very young and we have yet to see how well behaved they are in a house. They have been kenneled for the past 4 months, and we are dependent on the good work of the puppy raisers for their house manners among other things. That is why they don’t yet have freedom in the room but are either on leash or on tie down at this stage.

I have been thinking about all those dogs that were in the basement in their vans and how very quiet they were. The trainer said that the van doors were open and they could se us coming and going. Each trainer takes half his or her string into town in the morning and works with them. Then in the afternoon, the other half go into town. As I understand it, there is lots of supervised group play time for those that are back in the kennels on campus--not in town. There are instructor assistants and other kennel staff who also care for the dogs besides the trainers.

There are some people working through the training process and are considered apprentices. They observe other trainers as they work with us something like student teaching. Gradually, they take increased responsibility for the dog training and class process under the watchful eye of an experienced trainer.

Trinity was due for a shot at the vet and the trainer took her thair during the lecture. I really missed her in those few minutes away. I think she was glad to have a little time with him again.

Not All Work

The basic daily framework stays the same. Today, we worked a bit longer route. Instead of going up one side of the street and down the other, we did a rectangular pattern with one long leg being on a busier street with businesses along it and increased traffic. They increase the challenges each day. Today, along the route, we had three cones setting up a barricade for the dogs to work around. A training supervisor did a traffic check with each dog. For Trinity and me, he turned into a driveway we were approaching and we had to stop for him as he blocked our path. There were two instructor assistants stationed along the route with dogs on leashes and bells on their collar so that we could hear them as we approached. Trinity did well with all these challenges. She started to take interest in the first dog, but needed only a verbal command to get her attention back on her work. She was great with the cones and the traffic check except that she wanted to take the opportunity to relieve herself on the grass this afternoon. Her plan was thwarted.

Our afternoon walk was shortened by two blocks due to the heat. The thermometer read 90 degrees. Some of the other dogs wore the boots given yesterday, but our trainer felt it was not too hot yet. Most of our work was in the shade. Our trainer took the two of us who had worked doubles again to the basement of the lounge following our afternoon walk. There was a wading pool set up there for the dogs in various stages of training to enjoy after a work out during hot weather. Our guides liked splashing in the few inches of water. This helped to cool them down, but there wasn’t enough to wet their tummies. The trainer explained that there is space for more than twenty vans to park in the basement of the lounge with each one having space for 10 dogs. Here the dogs rest in air-conditioning while waiting for their turn to go out with the trainers. These are the dogs that are not yet class ready. With all those dogs down there, we heard no barking.

When we got up stairs, we learned that the teams that went out after us got caught in a down pour. We had not heard the thunder that went with that. On the way back to the campus, though, the driver said the streets had steam rising from them due to the heat and the rain.

Besides the fun of splashing in the pool today, each of the dogs was given a cong this evening. Trinity really likes it. She was bouncing it all around in our room after the last park. She still is on leash all the time when not on tie down in the room, so her play is somewhat restricted for now.

It is nice to be able to work the dogs in the dorm. It makes getting around much easier than healing them. The trainers did not have to walk with us tonight. They station themselves along the hall to see that all goes well and there are no traffic jams.

BUILDING DAILY

This morning started at 5:30 as previously described. On our morning work in town, another student in our small group and I walked doubles with our instructor. This means that he takes us both out at the same time and we take turns leading for a block. Some dogs are very competitive and don’t like following. They try to charge ahead. Others don’t like to lead. Both our dogs were patient when following and were able to take the lead. Good news. At this stage it is still easy for them to not stop for curbs. Trinity wants to relieve herself in harness and we need to work on this.

They chose against going out this afternoon as it promised to be in the 90’s. Instead, we had a lecture on the history of the school and the new things that have been happening in recent years that are new since some of us have been here.

This is the day that they showed us how to use the laundry facilities. It was the day for me because I was running low on things to wear. I did my first load of clothes before dinner.

After those instructions, the trainers came around to show us how to do the basic obedience routine that will become our daily practice. There are times in the working of our dogs that they must disobey us for our safety. Doing daily obedience establishes that we are the pack leader. This has a direct effect on their guide work.

We were also issued dog boots to wear when sidewalks are hot or in icy weather where salt may be hard on their pads. We will be ready tomorrow if it is hot.

After the afternoon feeding and park, the trainers came to each of our rooms to walk with us to the dining room. Our dogs were in harness in the dorm for the first time and they worked down there. They are now familiar with the dorm and the routine. They are a little more settled. I think Trinity was very proud of herself. Her tail was wagging enthusiastically as we returned to our room after dinner. Once she turned and looked back at me and ran herself into something along the way. Oops!

After dinner there was an optional session for those of us who are returning for new dogs. It was to talk specifically about transitioning between dogs and the grief that comes with it. It lasted for about an hour and a half.

Still there is daily grooming and listening to those mp3 articles, lots of them. We are busy here.

OFF TO WORK WE GO

I woke at 5:20, just before we were wakened by the trainers. Trinity seemed to have a good night. She was tail-wagging ready whenever she thought I might be ready to get up during the night though.

You need to know that the schedule here is very rigidly prescribed and with good reason. It is difficult to describe, but they have been doing it long enough that they certainly know what works. Things run very smoothly.

After they present us with the food pans, for example, and the dogs finish eating, we all give two measured cups of water and then go out to park. As we leave our rooms, we are careful to keep our distance from other teams. At the stairs, for example, one person has their dog sit at the top of the flight. The next cannot take that position until the first has reached the next landing and has their dog at sit. Once the first person starts down the second flight, the first can give the heel command to go down the first flight to the landing. Once at the relief area, the trainers are stationed to give verbal instructions so that we each can carve out a space far enough from other dogs to avoid initiation of any canine games. Then we hear various names being called: “Joleen you have a one!” Their voices ring out until all canines have done what they have come to do or until they have made it clear that it will not happen on that park time. There is also the sound of shovels as trainers scoop the solid leavings.

The same care is taken when we go to meals or out for trips. We wait until our team is called so that there are not traffic jams in the hall. The dogs have begun working in harness when in town, but not in the dorm at this time. We heal them, and we don’t use our canes.

We began working with the gentle leader when going to meals today. Trinity heals rather well with or without the Gentle Leader. My left shoulder likes this very much.

On our first walk in town, the trainer snapped a long leash to her collar much like the extra controls of a driver training car. She did well enough, though, that by this afternoon, we no longer needed it. The trainer was directly behind my right shoulder this afternoon and tapped me on the shoulder if he saw that she would not stop for the upcoming curb. She knows what to do with him, but I am much shorter and my pace is different. She needs to generalize what he has taught her to when I am holding the harness. It was a very quiet route today going up one side of Maple and back on the other.

As we sit and wait in the lounge, it is the time when we work on having our dogs lie quietly at our feet. There are different types of seating and this gives us practice for different settings.

The three lectures today were on various topics. The first was an enactment of corrections; the second centered on dog fears and how to work with them; and an this evening there was an optional lecture on clicker training.

It was another busy day. Trinity is calmer at rest this evening at her place as I write. It seems that I am adjusting to the time difference and to the humidity as well.

Trinity in Grooming Room

TRINITY

She is a three in one dog—wags, wiggles, and licks. We will learn her age and weight later, but for today, she is a bundle of energy, very affectionate and very responsive. She is almost white with her ears and back and tip of her tail being light gold.

Our afternoon was taken with waiting to be called out one by one to meet our new partners. We each went back to our rooms and started the bonding process. Whereas my three first dogs had eyes only for the door of the room and ears for the beloved trainer, Sydney and this one busied themselves getting to know the new person at the other end of the leash. That is not to say that she ignores her trainer when she sees him. Nothing of the kind, she tries to get to him, but this is totally normal at this stage.

After all dogs were distributed to their new people, we were taken out to the leisure path, one by one with our trainers for our first work in harness. It is a half mile walk. Trinity was eager to go. Her pace is very different from Sydney. It was very hot and humid but a good walk for our first time together.

There was another short meeting about feeding and relieving routines and then they brought food pans around to our rooms. The dogs ate and we took them out to park. Trinity in true lab fashion wasted no time in polishing her dish.

There was then dinner for us and then we went down in two groups to the grooming room. The dogs are really shedding due in part to the baths each had this morning.

The last water and park time each night is 8:00. There, Trinity showed us her stuff. That is how I spell relief. 5:30 comes very early tomorrow.

WAITING--WAITING--WAITING

We were able to sleep in until 7:00 this morning. I had not slept well and was up at 6:00. There are intercoms in each room and they use them to play music to wake us up before coming around to each of us to be sure it was successful.

8:00 Breakfast
8:50 Gather to load into the vans for the new training lounge down town.

Each of the five trainers is responsible for four students. We ride together in separate vans and it is like five small classes within the larger class of twenty when we all gather for lectures and meetings.

Once we were established in the lounge, I was first to go out with my trainer and was back in the lounge by 9:30. New since my last training is the rectangle used to act as the Juno harness. The trainer holds one end and the student the other. The trainer can stand erect and walk judging pace and pull of each of us. He knows his string of dogs and is calculating our needs. He also checks to see how we each judge traffic to cross streets. It was very hot and humid already when I went out. Once I was back at the lounge, I visited with others there until my trainer had taken each of us for the prescribed walk. Streets were quiet this morning. Once all were back, we then returned to the vans and back to the campus.

There was a talk about seeing this experience from the perspective of the dog. Although we are waiting with eager anticipation, the dogs have no thought of changing their allegiance. Not only are we different, we are less adept at giving commands and following their body language. We are more apt to step on feet and tails.

We were each given an MP3 player with many interesting audio files, articles about the History of dogs used as guides, research being done in genetics and behavior, and much more. I have only scratched the surface of this information. The player is slightly larger than a thumb drive and fits easily into a pocket for easy reference in down times. It is for our use while in class and available for purchase at a very reasonable price.

We went to lunch at 1:00 today and at 2:00 we gathered in various places with our small groups. The trainers brought sample dogs for us to practice having them lie quietly at our feet. They were glad to be out of their kennels and more willing to play than to stay. We had turns with a German shepherd, a yellow lab, and a large golden. This activity took much of the afternoon. It also included instructions in proper fit of the Gentle Leader, a head halter for the dog.

Then there was free time until dinner. I took the opportunity to begin listening to some of the mp3 files.

Dinner was at 5:15 and the lecture this evening was at 7:30. We were given an overview of the schedule for the next few days and general instructions in feeding, watering, and parking our new charges. We were given additional items including a mutt mat for the dog to lie on and a large Nylabone. These also came with instructions for proper introduction and use with the dogs. Next there was an optional social time to help us get better acquainted.

There is a gradual build up to the big event tomorrow. After another Juno walk in the morning, and some additional lecture time before lunch, we will gather in our rooms in the afternoon to wait to be called out one by one to meat our new partners and to return to our room to begin the bonding process. No phone calls! Once the dogs are given to each of us, we are taken out on the leisure path one on one here on campus for our initial working experience with our new guides. This is a quiet place to begin.

They tell us that we can sleep in again tomorrow morning, this time they will wake us at 6:00.

THE GATHERING PLACE

Within the past few days, 20 of us packed our bags and set out on a journey. Coming from Canada, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Ohio, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, and Washington; we all gathered at the common lounge at 7:30.

Meanwhile, some 50 dogs expect everything to stay the same as it has for the past four months or more. Each of them had come from the homes of their puppy raisers and the loss and separation from their beloved families has dissipated and they have come to love and trust their trainers and kennel staff. Whereas we people, who left our busy lives to join in this adventure, are excited about this 3-4 week experience, the dogs have no excitement or anticipation of how their lives will soon change again for ever. They may be wondering why their trainers have been absent for the past few days. There will soon be baths to be given for twenty of them by kennel staff, and this will cause a flurry of new activity in the kennel area.

Five trainers, turned instructors, have been reviewing their notes, pondering their canine pupils, and studying each student. This is certain to be a busy month for them. As students arrived today, there were introductions all round, there were tours of the dorm, and lots of questions to be asked and answered on all sides. Each student got busy unpacking and learning or reviewing the floor plan of the dorm. There were Juno Walks with instructors acting as dogs. Trainers took each student in turn to assess pace and pull needs of each one to be matched with the available string of dogs. The nurse on duty was also asking questions and getting to know each of us before the dinner hour.

Then there was the first group meeting in the Common Lounge. There are high school graduates heading for college, some are employed, and others are retired. It is a diverse group from a wide cross section of society. It is a unique mix that is very common as a similar theme replays itself monthly with different comers, different instructors, and different dogs. So it has gone for 80 years at the Seeing Eye.

This evening we were informed of the house rules and given a rundown of the schedule for the next few days. We were each issued the first of a steady stream of equipment: dog comb, dog brush, tie down, and leash. We were given instructions in the various ways to configure the leash for three different lengths depending on the situation we will encounter with our dogs.

As was described to us this evening, this promises to be a roller costar ride as we learn the individual characteristics of our specific partners. Some days things will go very well. Other days will bring challenges and each of us will be on our own schedule for these emotional highs and lows. Check back often for updates.

NEW BEGINNINGS

When a guide vacates a harness, it brings floods of emotion weather by retirement or by death. In my case, Sydney retired somewhat arbitrarily on March 28, 2010. She was slowing down for sure, but there was still a lot of enthusiasm in that little golden tornado. At age ten, I wanted her to have some retirement time before she was too old to enjoy it. I also wanted to plan for my own transition to a new dog. It was my hope to go into class for my fifth partner on April 25, but I learned when Sydney was already gone, that there was not a match for me until the class starting June 19.

I have gone to NJ to train in February where wind chill temperatures dipped into the sub zero temperatures, sometimes 15 below 0.

Now, I anticipate the very hot days of June and July.

Many have asked me what happened to Sydney. She has gone to live with a new family in Denver, CO. All reports are that she is having a wonderful time with her new people and with her golden friend Cleo. She and Cleo knew each other in their years of guiding because her person and I were friends. The two greeted each other in a way that it was clear that they remembered and loved each other upon their Colorado reunion. Now we are all related as she and Cleo are living with the brother-in-law of my friend.

The next thing that people want to know is about my new dog. The fact is that they have told me nothing. They train Goldens, Labs, and Shepherds and some golden lab crosses. There are few shepherds in the June class, so it is unlikely that I will be partnered with that breed. They likely have more than one potential match for me because one never knows when something could happen to any dog that would cause it to be career changed at any stage of the training process. Males and females are equally suited for guide work.

Many have suggested that I am going to pick up my new dog. The fact is that the training process for me is three weeks as I have had dogs from this school before. First-time students complete four weeks of training. This is after the dogs have already trained with professional trainers for four months. Even from earliest puppyhood, though, they were raised differently from most other dogs. The puppy raisers work at exposing their charges to as many life experiences as possible. They teach them good house manners and actually attend classes with other raisers and plan group events to include the puppies. Prospective guides learn to rest quietly at the feet of their people and on the floor of the car. They learn to sleep by the bed of the raiser. Great care is taken with the puppies from birth onward. When they reach about 16-18 months of age, they return to the school for formal training with professional trainers. Then we go into class and the trainers, turned instructors, choose from their 4-footed pupils the dog best suited for each of us including life style, city or rural living, children or other pets, and on it goes. Pace and pull are important factors to be considered.

I would be very glad for you to follow me on this journey. Some important dates to watch for include the following:

June 19 Class begins

June 21 Dog Day. That is if their schedule has not changed from my last class in September of 2001

July 8 Return Home with my new partner

We will begin our work together on the quiet, residential streets of Morris Town and, before coming home, we will hit the streets of New York City. We will have traveled on busses and subways, trains, vans and cars. We will have walked on routes with sidewalks and on rural roads without curbs or sidewalks. We will work in buildings and shopping centers.

I plan to give you as much information as seems appropriate without taking lots of time writing as my primary focus must be on my dog and not on a computer. If you ask questions, I may choose to answer them in my next post so that others who may be wondering about the same thing can benefit by your questions.

I want to thank Vivian and her friend Danielle for setting up this blog site for me. Vivian will also be supporting me by posting my messages if I am having difficulty with this unfamiliar process.