NOW THERE IS SADNESS

This is a post that I have tried several times to compose over a period of nearly a month.  There is so very much to say and my emotions run the gamut.  How can I express everything in a message short enough that you can read in one sitting?

 

When last I posted here, I had just returned home with Trinity, a wonderful new guide and companion.  I fully expected to spend the next eight or more years with this beautiful, loving, enthusiastic, and energetic girl. 

 

It is a good thing that we cannot foresee the future as it often takes some unexpected turns.  This was the case for Trinity.  There were two things that were reoccurring over the first several months that seemed more to be pondered than things to be concerned about. There were the partially loose stools that several food switches (all quality foods) did not seem to help.  Then there was the intermittent barfing.  Sometimes, she barfed so very hard that it seemed as is she would choke.  After a night of 1-2 episodes, she seemed fine in the morning and for several weeks or months.  Her appetite was not faltering.  At first, we felt that it was just something that dogs do from time to time. 

 

When we were together a year, we attended the American Council of the Blind in Sparks, NV.  We traveled each way by train, two very long but interesting trips.  There were no problems.  Trinity tolerated them well.

 

I had taken her to the vet as a precautionary measure the day before we left because she had had one of her vomiting episodes the previous day (July 4).  I thought it might be related to the fire works although there were no other outward signs of stress.  At the convention, she was vomiting several nights in the hotel room or in one case, at a meeting.  Still, I attributed it to stress of the convention. 

 

A few weeks after our return home, I decided to make another food switch and this was a particularly bad one.  She had diarrhea that I first attributed to the new food.  Once we had completed the gradual change, I added pumpkin in an effort to firm her stools with no luck.  Off we went to the vet with a stool sample.  It was negative for bacterial infection.

 

A week later, she had a terrible night of vomiting and diarrhea several times and this necessitated another vet visit.  First there was a blood sample and urine specimen.  Then another food switch prompted by the vet.  Within a few days, there was more vomiting and the vet did x-rays and a barium swallow.  He then recommended we go to the vet school some 150 miles away.  We spent parts of 3 days there and they did many tests—more x-rays, blood work, abdominal ultrasound, and then endoscopy and multiple biopsies of her stomach and intestines. 

 

They found that she has a very small liver that they did not consider to be problematic as her liver function tests were normal.  She did have diffuse inflammation of her stomach and intestines.  Another trial of different antibiotics and probiotics did not resolve her symptoms.  Then the vet suggested that I do another food switch that would contain no grain or corn and would contain a protein source that she had not been exposed to previously.  I went to the pet food store and found a food as different as I could that met the requirements and began feeding it.  Within a few days her stools were firm.  Whereas she had been having loose stools but only one every other day, she began having 2-3 a day with good consistency. 

 

The vet thought I should be able to continue to work her, but it was not to be so.  She had been refusing to work after breakfast preferring to go back to the house and to her bed.  At times she would want to quit working during an afternoon walk.  We went out of town again and she barfed in the hotel room after ingesting some inappropriate leavings she had found under the restaurant table. 

 

Finally, I had no choice but to contact the school and let them know that I would need to retire her.  This was a very sad day.  It was late October when I began the steps to apply for a new dog.  I also needed to make a decision for Trinity’s future. 

 

Knowing that she is an active dog and only three and a half, I realized we could not give her the time and exercise she would need.  I made another painful choice to return her to Seeing Eye for placement with a family. 

 

It is a hard thing to relinquish any dog to the care of another person, but when that dog has been an extension of your left arm and has served as your eyes—has saved your life and has been a constant friend, it is very hard indeed.  She was with me during all that I did including church, symphonies, operas, visits to friends, classes, meetings, daily long walks and so much more…Now, add the concerns and special care that her digestive problems have required.  It is very difficult not to know the details about decisions being made for her or what her day is like.  I do know that she is currently in the kennels at the school and they have made another positive food switch.  She has a kennel mate and is happy.  I know they get the best possible care and I know that they have play time, but a kennel is not a home.  Now, I hope that someone on the long list of potential adoptive families will be willing to take her with her medical problems that will have to be managed with appropriate food for the rest of her life.  

 

With this sadness comes the promise of a new partnership.  Just days before she went back to the kennel, I received word that I have a match for the class beginning January 2 and will fly across the country on New Years Day to begin training with a new dog. 

 

Now, there is sadness, but joy comes in the morning. 

 

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.