My Crunchy Life

I Knew This Would Happen Eventually

One of the biggest downsides to having a guide dog is the negative attitudes I have to endure from ignorant people. I don't mean those who are innocently unneducated, I write about those who are anti-dog.

First off, they don't understand the bond people can have with dogs. Yes, we can bond with all types of animals, but I'm specifically talking about dogs for this post. They've probably never owned a dog, and they think they're dirty, noisy, slobbery, stinky, and dangerous. And, like most stereotypes, some dogs portray some, if not all, of these characteristics. Then again, some people do, too.

I find that most, if not all, the tenants in a no-pet building (and keep in mind that "no pets" doesn't seem to exclude cats), really have a hate for dogs, and will say and do petty things to make a dog owner miserable. They seem to resent the fact that Deedee is allowed because she is a service dog. In the summer, I caught people on my lawn scrutenizing it to see if I was picking up after her. As soon as I opened the door and they realized I'd noticed them, they fled. They didn't even have the balls to say anything to me.

For months, everything seemed peaceful, and then Endora came for a visit. It was just a quick visit, though I know I was breaking the "no dog" rule. I don't break rules often, and this was the only time she'd come for a visit, but most unfortunately, my superintendent's husband noticed her and complained. Boy, did i hear it! Let's just say the superintendent of this building probably can't even spell professional let alone personify it. Even my sister was shocked by her attitude, and she teaches teenagers for a living.

Then, just the other day, Deedee had an accident in the building. She's always had trouble relieving in harness. I had a few issues with her when I first got her, but every one has long been resolved except this one. Unfortunately, the school has let me down on this one--they tell me not feed her less in the morning and more at night, or vice versa, but no matter if she's fed once or twice a day, she still relieves in harness. Her work is flawless, and i couldn't ask for a dog with better house manners. Fortunately, she doesn't go in buildings very often, and she probably wouldn't have had the accident if I had paid attention and let her go before we went inside.

Needless to say, my landlady was less than nice about the ordeal. To people who don't like dogs, cleaning up there feecies must be about the worst thing to clean up, unless it's their vomit. But there was no need for her to say my dog wasn't well trained. There was no need for her to keep repeating "she shouldn't do that", and "this won't happen again". I almost said, "or what? You'll kick me out because my dog pooped on your floor and one of your posse walked in it?" Yup, piss off the posse and you will unleash the uncouth wrath of the allmighty superintendent. I bet if it wasn't her friend who stepped in it, she wouldn't have taken it personally.

She showed up with said friend at my apartment, and when i spoke with the property manager, he informed me that the corporation that owns the building encourages their supers to seek the aide of friends and family members when confronting tenants. Did she think i was going to sick the dog on her? Deedee wouldn't hurt a fly, but even if she would attack someone on command, i doubt the presence of a second person would help much.

So basically, since she's a long-time employee with good standing, and I'm a new tenant who was a bad girl and broke the rules, I just have to suck it up. Not that I expected her to get fired--it's not that big a deal, but if these incidents continue, it will be. For the first three or four months I lived here, my super and her posse would deliberately stop their conversation and stare at me if I invaded their smoking territory while taking my garbage out. Tell me that isn't ignorant! But the property manager didn't even care about or acknowledge my concerns when I told him I felt uncomfortable. I guess my super is a saint with horns.

But what can I expect? i'm not living insubsidized housing, but it's low rental as far as market prices go, so the super isn't really required to impress anyone. It just gives me extra motivation to start looking for work as soon as Corbin's day care situation gets straightened out (he's on the waiting list but can't get in until he's at least 18 months). Then i'm outa here, and i'll comb the city looking for a building that is dog-friendly and that allows me to have my own washer and dryer.

Transition

Since Corbin has started crawling, I've decided it's in his best interests to transition him into sleeping in a crib. i never had any intention of bedsharing--I bought a crib and a bedding set but Corbin was never a good sleeper from day 1, and the only way to keep my sanity in tact was to let him sleep with me. I don't regret it, though i do wish I could have prolonged it. however, since I discovered him at the edge of the bed just centimetres away from taking a tumble onto the hard tile floor, I decided safety comes first.

His crib is in my room, and last night, the first night, was totally stressful. But, after a few hours of crying and soothing, he finally fell asleep. He awoke a few hours later to feed and then went back in the crib, but ended up in the bed with me when we were both awakened at 2:30 a.m by one of my friends who had the bright idea to phone me at that hour.

Corbin got his eight month immunizations today, and either they made him tired, or by a stroke of good fortune, he fell asleep relatively fast. This time, I relented and took him in bed and nursed him to sleep. I've never believed in the cry-it-out method, andthink doing that last night bothered me more than him.

I am going to get a mobile that plays music and moves. i want to make his crib a positive and fun place to be. He'll also start napping in there since he is really getting too big for his swing. He still loves to be in it and will nap in there for hours, but he does not look at all comfortable to me.

I'm sad that exclusive bedsharing has come to an end. I won't keep him out of my bed all the time. If I fall asleep during a night time feeding, or take him in with me in the mornings or for a nap, it will benefit both of us. But I do hope that the kitchen will be closed, so to speak, and that he will gradually nurse less during the night than he has been. Since he has always been a restless sleeper, and especially now that his top front teeth are coming through, I can't count the number of times he would nurse during the night.

The transition to solid foods is still as much of a challenge than ever. Corbin will eat the groosest smelling and tasting purees (chicken and vegetable, but he hates fruit), and he also enjoys feeding himself baby cookies. So I'm going to look up good ideas for finger foods and let him feed himself. Neither of us enjoy it when I try to feed him, because I almost feel as though i am forcefeeding him. i guess that's just his independent streak showing itself.

Corbin is getting better and better at crawling every day. He has discovered that there are more rooms in the apartment than just the living room, and he can motor along quite well when he wants to. he is in love with Deedee's toys, and Doodle herself. She has been very patient with him when he pulls on her tail and fur.

I have plug covers installed but have not yet locked the cupboards. I keep all the bedroom and bathroom doors shut so that Corbin does not get into any mischief, and so I can keep track of him easier. i was going to put bells on him, but i haven't yet figured out how I would do that--I am not very adept at sewing, and they have to be big enough that he won't choke on them should he get them in his mouth. For now, i'll rely on my hearing, and most likely wherever Deedee is Corbin isn't too far away.

Deedee turns three today. She shows no signs of calming down, though. I don't mind her being so hyper, though i do wish she wouldn't jump all over anyone who comes to the door. I guess some habits will never die, though as she ages she should calm down. In my experience, labs start to calm down by the time they are four. Her virtues far outweigh her vices, though. She is the only dog I've had who has impeccable house manners.

She will not eat food that isn't meant for her unless it is on her level. She does not get into the garbage, or chew any of my possessions, and she can be left alone without being tied down or restricted to a crate. Deedee is the first guide dog that i have considered keeping because she does have such good house manners. But I won't have to make that decision for a long time to come.

1-Year Anniversary

It's hard to believe that, one year ago on this day, Deedee and I were matched as a team when it was clear that Olena and I weren't working out. I can honestly say it's been an interesting year; Deedee has come into my life at one of the most stressful yet joyous times, and although we had many issues at the beginning, we managed to work them out and I think we've become a pretty good team. Many nights when I was pregnant, lonely and scared, she would lay with her head on my tummy and I would talk to her and the baby.

Deedee is by far the most hyper dog I've ever had. Endora and Aries were both pretty calm. I'm glad she has a lot of energy because she'll need it to keep up with Corbin.

Already I can see that they are starting to bond with each other. She likes to lick him senseless when he's in his jolly jumper, and if she stops he turns toward her and looks at her as if to say, "Hey, I like that warm, wet, pink thing". Sometimes I worry that Deedee will inadvertently injure Corbin when she's experiencing one of her manic enthusiastic phases where she leaps--she never runs, she leaps like a bunny rabbit--all over the place, but I know I'm just being overprotective and besides he'll get her back by pulling her tail and ears.

I'm very pleased that my parents have, for the most part, obeyed the no-feeding rule. Thus, even during the winter when she was very inactive, Deedee did not balloon out like Aries or Endora did. She's still as a trim 50 pounds, and I keep it that way by feeding her carrots, apples, and other healthy treats. She is eating Fromm Gold and is thriving on it, though occasionally she will manage to snatch a bit of Aries' food when Aries abandons it.

Aries retired early because she had emotional issues, the biggest of which was her fear of pretty much everything, and I don't believe she ever wanted to work though she certainly is smart enough. Endora retired at 7 due to the fast-paced life I led, and I don't believe carrying around that extra weight helped, either. Here's hoping that Doodles will be the longest worker yet; I'd like her to work until she's 8 or maybe 9, though of course I won't push it.

After-Grad Followup

Since I'm suffering from third-trimester insomnia, I though I'd do something i have't done in a while and post to my blog. Hopefully, doing something other than laying in bed and thinking that i have to be up in less than four hours will help me sleep.

Deedee and I saw a field rep from GDB on Saturday. We had a great visit; he gave me a few useful suggestions on how to negate some of the behaviours she has developed recently. She has gotten her confidence back, but withh it has come a feisty desire to test her limits with me. Sometimes, she will pull very hard while walking, which I would have welcomed back in July, but now that I'm getting bigger and my energy levels are waning, I fund I can't walk as suchh a brisk pace anymore. Deedee has also become very curious about her environment--she loves to sniff and especially to greet the buskers playing in the subway stations. I got a gentle leader, as she refuses to wear the newtrix. i think it's a little too restrictive for her, or she is not as tollerant as Endora was. At any rate, I know she will work with the gentle leader as we were all required to make our dogs wear them at least part of the time during trainig, and it should calm her down enough so that she can focus on the work at hand.

The other behaviour she is exhhibiting is that she loves to jum[ on people. She will not do it to anyone who is afraid of or doesn't particularly care for dogs, but she has picked several of my coworkers as her favourites and will literally jump off all four feet when she sees them. This is bad enough when awe are at our desk, but it's even worse when she's working. I'm going to install a tiedown at work; I'd like to use the clicker to negate this behaviour, but since I may or may not be on a call when she starts to jump, I can't use it consistently, and therefore I don't think it would be as effective.

Despite these little hurtles, I am very impressed. I am glad she is testing me, as it means our bond is establishing itself normally. Deedee will have another big change to adjust to when Corbin is born in January, but I believe she will do fine as long as I can find someone to help exercise her when i am not able to work her so that she burns off the seemingly inexhaustible amount of energy she possesses.

Deedee is still using the bathroom in harness, but I am hoping the gentle leader will help with this as well. I still haven't figured out why she is doing it, and i have switched her rations so that she is not getting as much in the mornig with little success. However, there was 1 month a while back where she didn't use the bathroom in harness. I wish I could remember what i did then, but I know it can be solved with time and patience.

Smoother Travel

Deedee has been doing remarkably well in the last few weeks. She hasn't relieved herself in harness once in two weeks! Her pace is starting to pick up, too. She still blows curbs sometimes, but I am not really complaining. i think we have made tremendous progress in such a short period of time. I'm very proud of my DoodleBug!

We haven't done much that is noteworthy. Deedee has met a number of other guide dogs and one puppy, but she seems to like the American dogs, particularly the GDB ones, the most. I guess GDB dogs are cliquish. One of my friends has a dog named Sandor, and him and Endora used to be so in love. Since he's 8, and very laid-back (even Endora used to piss him off and she calmed down a lot over the years), but he actually doesn't mind Deedee running and jumping at him. I wish I still lived in Etobicoke; Endora didn't really exercise much in the fenced-in backyard, except when there was a squirrel or cat around. I know Deedee would spend hours running around and it would be good for her. I won't take her to a dog park by myself because you just never know, especially since there have been recent poisonings in such areas in Toronto.

Growing Pains

I talked to my field representative from Guide Dogs on Friday. The problems with Deedee--slower than normal pace, refusing to work sometimes, and relieving in harness--are not getting any better. He suggested giving her a smaller portion of food in the morning, and a bigger one in the afternoon since the accidents seem to occur around noon and afterwards. There isn't much he can do for the other issues, but he will be down in about two weeks, and we can work on them then.

I really believe these are just some serious transitional issues that can be resolved. For one, Deedee usually works, and if I can't always get to her walk at the speed I desire,  she isn't always slow and pokey. I've also beeing going through a lot of stress since i returned, though thankfully my life has begun to settle down, and the stress is slowly abaiting. I believe she could be picking up on that stress as well, and it could be impacting her performance. not only that, but we came home and jumped into our daily routine feet first. I didn't want to do that, but no one from Guide Dogs wrote the letter they had promised me after i asked about it three times, so I had no choice but to go back to work.

I am currently a contract employee at the moment, and should have been made permanent in April, 2009 by default, or perhaps a bit sooner if there was a competition. But, much to my amazement and joy, a number of permanent positions are being created--enough to cover most of the higher-seniority employees, at least--and interviews will start in a few weeks. I probably won't know anything until September, though I was assured by the manager of the contact centre that anyone with high seniority--and I am one of the ones with the highest--and a good performance review wouldn't have any trouble. I'm not sure if I'll be given vacation right away, but I'd definitely take it if I could. i am suffering from burn-out; it's funny, almost a year ago, I had too much time on my hands and now I don't have enough.

Graduation

I would have written earlier, but the last few days have been very hectic. So, here is the belated graduation update.

Up until 11:00 a.m on Saturday, things were pretty mellow. I began packing, groomed Deedee, and rested before the ensuing chaos.

At 11:00, we had lunch, and the puppy raisers arrived at 11:30. I think they had some sort of presentation or something because we didn't meet up till after 12:00 p.m. They were very excited to see Deedee, oc fourse, and we had a very enjoyable time sitting and talking about her. They told me stories about her when she was a puppy. She went to Disney Land, attended middle school, and was socialized to a vast array of environments,  which is probably the reason why she is so easily adapted to new surroundings. They gave me a scrapbook of puppy pictures which was beautifully and lovingly assembled. Afterward, we all got our picture taken--they have a big family, so there are about seven or eight people in the picture, including the main raiser and myself.

At 1:20, I went outside into the sweltering heat to sit with my classmates on the graduation stage. Deedee stayed with the main puppy raiser and her mother inside the air conditioned dormitory. She stayed in there until we--Deedee, her raisers and myself--were announced by the instructor who was introducing the retrain class. Then they brought her out, handed her leash to me, and the three of us gave speeches.

But first, I sat through speeches given by people who raised breeder dogs and the  families they were be staying with during their breeding careers, as well as speeches by all of the regular class and their dogs' raisers, and a few speeches from higherups in the organization. The whole thing lasted about an hour and a half, and Deedee's raisers did not stay long afterward because they had a long drive ahead of them. I do hope we keep in touch.

I rested for a bit afterward, and then set to the task of comp0leting my packing for the journey home. Only three people left to go home that day, so there were quite a few of us left. We didn't do a lot of socializing, however, as we all had to be up bright and early Sunday morning.

I woke at 3 a.m the next morning, and left GDB by 3:30. By 6:00, I was on a plane heading to Dallas. i landed in Dallas at 11:00, and had to catch a connecting flight for Toronto. It didn't leave until 1:45, but the people at the gate I was supposed to be departing from didn't want me to stay there. They told the agent who was helping me, "We can't help her, take her to the office". So, I went to the office where they take custody of unaccompanied minors, which was rather embarrassing, but I did get to watch part of a movie.

The flight to Toronto was delayed for an hour because the aircraft that was to be used was taken out of service, so we had to wait for another plane to land, the passengers to deplane, etc. All in all, it could've been a much longer wait.

I landed in Torotno at 6:45, and arrived at my door at 7:30 p.m. I was so  tired, I didn't even bother unpacking. Deedee and I  played a game of fetch, I called a few people to let them know I had landed, then went to bed.

Friends of mine came to visit me from Guelph, and we spent the day running errands, and they also helped me install an air conditioner. Deedee deid beautifully--she was a little unsure of herself, but that is to be expected.

I went back to work yesterday. I was going to take the day off since Monday was spent in an exhausted haze, and i wasn't able to recover much from jet lag. However, I am in training because I am moving to a different area of the call centre, so this week will be pretty easy. Again, I have no complaints about Deedee's work, except that I know I have to be patient because she is not as confident as Endora, and she needs to become accustomed to my routine. So far, she is provig to be very smart--she already knows what side of the call centre I work on, and how to find my desk.

Last Day Of Training

Today was another fun day. In the morning, the regular and retrain classes went to Muir Woods. It is an old forest of redwood trees that has been actively preserved since 1908. I got a few pictures, I will upload them soon. We walked along some of the trails, but didn't nearly cover the breadth of the forest. Deedee did wonderfully; she was very excited to be in a new place, but she did very well by not allowing herself to be distracted by the myriad of smells, sights and sounds that were assaulting her senses.

The afternoon was ours to do with as we pleased. I went to the mall and got my nails done. i plan to pack tonight so I won't have much to do tomorrow. It'll be pretty chaotic with graduation, Deedee seeing her puppy raisers, etc.

I have enjoyed my time at GDB immensely. I get three square meals a day, get fresh towels each day, my room is swept, and I am active and surrounded by fun people. But I am terribly weary and am anxious to go home. I believe I will take a few days off work to recover from jetlag and introduce Deedee to the area.

Playing At The Beach

Today was a very easy, fun, and relaxed day. In the morning, we went to a neighborhood which is within walking distance from campus and did work on rounded corners. it was brutally hot out, and Deedee was not interested in working at all. Luckily, the route was only about a mile or so, so it wasn't that bad. I find she ets bored with nondestination routes though. Endora was the same way, which is fine with me, because I don't do a lot of pointless walking outside of class.

in the afternoon, we drove to China Camp Park and let the dogs swim in the bay. I was the only one who brought my swimsuit, though some of my classmates went in with shorts on and waded. But Deedee and I all out swamm together. She loves the water, and the instructors say she looks like a little seal. One of them took 11 minutes of video on my cell phone, and i had someone watch it, and they said it was very good quality. Unfortunately, I tried to upload it to youtube, but i got an error message saying it was too long. Maybe I have to have a paid account or something, because I've seen videos on there that are much longer. If that doesn't work, I'll upload it to my server and post the link here so if you feel like downloading 68 megabytes of footage, you are more than welcome to.

There is a night route but I am not going. i felt I should, since  I didn't actually complete Tuesday's route, but i was tired and not too familiar with the route they were doing, so i decided to avoid risking getting lost for a second time.

Tomorrow should be an easy day. We go to Muir Woods in the morning, and the afternoon is ours to shop or pack or rest. I want to get my nails done for graduation. I also have to stop in at the gift shop.

Airport Security and more Freelancing

most of the classes--retrain and newbie alike--went to the San Francisco International Airport this morning to teach the folks who process passengers through the security checkpoints how to deal with guide dogs. Boy, did they ever need it! In my work as a sensitivity trainer, i would teach orally first, or perhaps use a video, and then move onto live demos and hands-on practicum. however, it appears that at least one person who was processing us had no training whatsoever. he tried to convince one student to drop her dog's leash while going through the metal detector.

We were told we had two options when going through the metal detector. We could either put our dogs on a long leash and have them sit and stay, walk through the detector and then call them after us, or work them through with us and we would both we patted down. i opted for option B, since i have done extensive travelling with all my guides, and that is the way I've always done it. But, when i reached the checkpoint, the guy argued with me, and told me flat out I couldn't do it that way, and I had to make my dog sit and stay while i walked through. If this hadn't been a training exercise, I would have called for a supervisor, but I knew the training manager was going to ask for feedback from all of us, so I relented and went on through.

Other than that, it went smoothly, but peoples' experiences were varied. Some were left standing by nthe security agents, some were led away before they could retrieve their property, but still others had no glitches whatsoever. i just hope my flight on Sunday morning will go smoothly, as I will probably be tired and cranky to begin with, and I don't want to have to fight with airport officials.

in the afternoon, we had an optional freelance workout. i went to the pet store and bought Deedee some presents. I bought her a stuffed bear which she hasn't ripped apart yet. It's a refreshing change, since Endora would rip up any plush toy. I also bought her a soft rope tug toy. She likes to tug, but is not vocal at all, so it is much more fun to play fetch with her. I also bought her a furminator, which is a neat little grooming tool with a sheering blade in it, and it is supposed to aleviate a lot of the undercoat. i got some waterless shampoo for those days when she lies down on diry bus and subway floors, and tango mango coat spray to make her smell pretty.

Afterward, I went to the Baskin Robins store with the apprentice trainer and one of my classmates, and the apprentice told me stories of Deedee when she was in training. She has offered to send me some pictures of Deedee and her favourite toy--a giant, plastic egg--which she would carry around and chase around in the baby pool while in community run with the other dogs.

I think tomorrow will be another easy day; we are scheduled to do an easy route which involves rounded corners, and then another freelance workout in the afternoon. I may choose to stay in and rest, since I plan on doing the night route tomorrow evening.

I found out today that Deedee's puppy raisers will be attending graduation. i am anxious to meet them, and to discover what she was like as a puppy. Of course, I want pictures. I am still saddened by the loss of Endora's puppy pics to a computer crash. They were some real cute ones. I never did keep in touch with Aries' foster family.

Lost In San Rafael

This morning we went into the city again, this time to Union Square. We didn't do anything special there--that area of the city is so ritzy, I doubt i'd be able to afford much. I did a doubles route and went right into the plazza square where there were lots of children, people, dogs, and the occasional pigeon to do obedience. Deedee did beautifully, of course. We traversed some major hills, and I am glad I quit smoking because I'm not sure if I'd be able to climb them otherwise.

The afternoon's workout was optional, so I stayed in and rested. But first, I took Deedee to the grass paddock for a rousing game of fetch. Gods, she loves to play that game! I've never had a pet dog who would play fetch, and I have just as much fun as she does.

We had a night route this evening. We were stationed at Albert Park, and were to come out on A Street and walk to 5th between B and C streets. Everything went well for the first five yards or so, then Deedee got dog distracted. If I was in a familiar area, it wouldn't have been a problem. if i had gotten turned around, i would have been able to re-orient myself. But I wasn't, and I couldn't, so i started walking down a path, and once i reached a gurgling fountain, i realized I had gone astray. So I retraced my steps, and when I heard traffic, I surmised I was back on the right track. Unfortunately, I was not; i began walking south on B Street towards a residential area, but almost immediately, I knew there was something wrong. But, I thought, perhaps i'm just second-guessing myself, and so i crossed Albert Lane, and continued heading south. But my doubts grew, and eventually I think Deedee could pick up on them. She began veering, and I dropped the harness handle in frustration, and made her sit so that an instructor could find us. But no one did, and i didn't see any students pass by us. Eventually, I met a kind pedestrian, who had to deal with my distraught self. He gave me directions up north to 2nd Street and then east to A Street. I walked a little bit, and then an instructor found me, and i was picked up by one of the mini busses. I am going to do the optional night route on Thursday because I botched this one. Well, it wasn't really my fault, or Deedee's; dogs make mistakes, handlers make mistakes, and new teams especially are vulnerable.

Tomorrow we go to the San Francisco Airport in the morning. We are freelancing in the afternoon, and I think I will go to the pet store. I want to pick up some small toys for Deedee; we get a nylabone and a toy of our choosing--either a kong or tug ring--but I gave away all of Endora's toys that were good, so I need to start a new stash for Deedee.

Tourist Fun and Freelancing

This morning we all went to Fisherman's Wharf. It was a very interesting experience. I brought my cell phone with me, and got one of the instructors to take pictures with it, only to find out later that none of them took. (i'm pretty sure I told her to press the button that switches between camera and video mode, not the one that acutally captures the picture.) Other than that, it was a very enjoyable outing. i was able to do obedience with Deedee on the dock close to where all the sea lions hang out--there were probably about 200 moms and babies barking away only feet away from us. Deedee was really good around the seals; she was a little excited, but didn't get out of control. The lady i was doing a doubles route with and I also did some shopping. i think they should make Fisherman's Whard an all-day affair, as we did not get to shop nearly as much as we would have liked to. once everyone was done their routes, we were pretty late in getting back to the school. I did get to buy some famous clam chowder, which i ate with my Asian chicken salad for lunch.

There was an optional lecture in the afternoon about going on a trip with your guide dog. Since Endora and I took many trips on trains, busses, planes, etc, I did not attend.

We did do some freelancing later on, though. We went to Radioshack to get another memory card for my phone. it was a short route, so we sat outside in the shade for a bit enjoying the fresh, cool California air. Deedee was doddling during the route; I think she is getting bored of San Rafael. She never does this in the city, so I'm hoping she'll like Toronto a lot better.

We had a lecture at 5:00 given by Brian Francis, the head of Graduate Services about the service Guide Dogs offers to its graduates. in my humble opinion, no other school in North America compares. They offer routine followup visits once a year, and telephonic followup once it's been established that you and your guide are a solid, well-functioning team. They also offer emergency followup if a team is having issues that need to be resolved and can't wait. They offer a veterinary care program, which provides a stypend of up to $250 annually for routine, basic vet care, plus the cost of heart guard and flea preventative. They also offer emergency funding for procedures that are outisde of a handler's budget--of course, they expect you to pay as much as you can. They also offer a telephone service for grads who may need help on a variety of matters. Grads may calls graduate services or their field manager if they have one.

One thing I forgot to mention: there was a small epidemic of giardia going around last week. Giardia is a parasite, and it causes dogs to have diarrhea--sort of like a doggie influenza. Luckily, Deedee hadn't caught it, though some of her siblings had. To prevent it from spreading ufrther, all the dogs were put on metronidizol for the last week. Deedee just finished hers today and she's been fine, though the likelihood of her catching giardia while on it is very slim.

We are going back into the city tomorrow to union Square, and then i'm not sure what we're doing in the afternoon, perhaps more freelancing. We also have another night route this week as well.

Weekend Update

This weekend has been very mellow. Saturday morning, we travelled a few miles away from the school to do some more travel on country sidewalkless roads. Theese roads had a lot more traffic than the last one we travelled, and there were cars parked at close intervals along them.

The official technique that Guide Dogs teaches for such circumstances is that the dog should show its handler the car, and the handler is to direct the dog around the car and back to pick up the line of travel curbside. However, Miss Deedee is too smart for that--she wanted to take me around every car, which was fine with me, but i had to correct her on it. Thankfully, I won't be working too many roads without sidewalks. It shows how muchc initiative the D-dog has, which will be very good for the city.

in the afternoon, we had our optional independent route. We could take our dogs off-campus, unsupervised to the mall across the street, or to downtown San Rafael. I opted to rest, go to the gift shop, and take Deedee to play a rousing game of fetch in the grass paddock. Only two of my classmates opted to take advantage of the independent route. Everyone else was lounging poolside, reading, and resting.

After the last relief break last night, four of us, including my roommate, grabbed a taxi to downtown San Rafael to a little pub called the Broken Drum. They weren't very busy, but they had a live band there--just a few guitars and a harmonica, but they were okay. I watched as my roommate drank double white russians, and then they all did shots of tequila. The pub closed early which sucked because we were all having a spectastic time. We went for a little jaunt around the block, then caught a cab backc to the school and sat around chatting until 1 in the morning.

Today was the usual day of rest, and rest I did. As horrible as it sounds, i haven't gotten out of my pj's all day, though I did have a shower before supper. After supper, the five handlers of the D siblings went out on the graduation stage and took a few pictures of us and our dogs. I will post it once i get a copy.

Tomorrow, we are going to Fishermans Warf in San Francisco. I'm hoping to find a Father's Day souvenir for Dad. I know they sell excellent seafood chowder there, and i'm looking forward to having some of that, perhaps in a famous sour dough bread bowl. i think we are doing a freelance route in the afternoon, though i can't really remember.

Vet Consultation And Sidewalkless Travel

This morning, we went to a paved country road and did sidewalkless travel witht he dogs. Deedee was wonderful, of course! Not once did she veer into the middle of the road. I won't be using that method of travel where I live, for which i am thankful because it is rather unnerving when cars pass that close. But there's nothing wrong with learning it anyway just in case.

It was blisteringly hot by the time we were all done, and one of my classmates and I opted to stay inside the air conditioned bus while the others walked a dirt trail. Poor little Deedee is reluctant to travel in the hot weather. i must say i completely agree; hot weather is only good for lounging poolside sipping frozen margaritas.

In the afternoon, we had our vet consultations. Four out of the eight retrains gathered in the vet's cramped office eagerly awaiting to hear our dog's life history. Deedee's was fairly unremarkable, except for some cosmetic dentistry to aide in reducing the effects of her under bite--they did not totally irradicate it, but that would be very difficult to do considering there are no such things as doggie braces. She had one ear infection, and a puppy parasite which is pretty common. She did not gain a lot of weight quickly after she was born, but that quickly resolved itself, and she was actually overweight when she came in for training. She now weighs 54.8 pounds. Both of her eyelids rolled in at around five months of age, causing her lashes to rub up against the eyeball. Her puppy raisers' vet corrected it, and when Deedee was spayed at GDB's vet clinic, they put the finishing touches on it. Other than that, and her mild alergy to cats, of course, she is a very healthy girl.

We all decided not to go for a route this afternoon. It was just oo bloody hot. i had a nap and read for a bit. The pool was open, but since I got a bit of a sun burn this morning, I thought it best to stay indoors. Curse my pale skin!

Tomorrow, we go to the Embarcadero district in San Francisco, as we are doing subway work. We are also having our lunch out of the school, but we have to discuss that in the morning. In the afternoon we have a discussion about transitioning from the school to home with your guide dog, and we also have our transition meetings with the instructors to discuss our progress, and any concerns we may have. The evening is free, and i think the pool will be open and I may go for a dip since I haven't yet.

Happy Thursday!

Walking in The Dark

This morning we went into San Francisco again. This time, we went to Union Street, and did a long route which included a walk along Picksley Street, a long, narrow road with many obstacles for the dogs to navigate. Deedee was being a bit of a brat, but nothing too serious. A city has all kinds of interesting smells that her poor little nose just couldn't resist. She did very well navigating on the narrow sidewalk around all the trash bins, and crossing at streets and such.

The afternoon route was optional, since we did a night route in the evening, and it would have made for an exceptionally long day. I opted to stay in, and Deedee and I worked on some clicker training, and I took her down to the grass paddock for a run. She is so smart when we play the click and treat game, it still amazes me how willing and eager she is.

We loaded up the busses at 7:30 and headed downtown San Rafael. We worked from the library on 5th Street over to an ice cream shop on 4th and A.

When Deedee and I reached the corner of 4th and A, she blew the curb, and so i started to rework her when a man who was standing in the middle of the street said, "You're blocking my right of way". Completely baffled, I stared at him in bewilderment, so he repeated himself, and i gathered that, even though there was plenty of room for him to walk around me, he felt that i was blocking his way, and because he had started to cross the street before I stopped at the corner, I was invading his space. Disgusted, I began to turn away, resolutely prepared to ignore him, but nervous nonetheless. Then, he became irate and began yelling, and at that time an instructor showed up and tried to persuade him to go around me. He still insisted I move, and my blood pressure was rising rapidly, so the instructor led me across the street and accompanied me to the entrance of the driveway to the ice cream shop. After that, I spent an enjoyable time with two of my classmates as we sat outside, talked, and ate our ice creams. i had a hot fudge sundae with strawberry ice cream, bits of brownie, hot, chocolate fudge, and whipped cream on top.

i'm now thoroughly exhausted, and plan to hit the hay very soon. Tomorrow we are doing sidewalkless travel in the morning. I don't know what we'll do in the afternoon. It's been very, very hot out--I'm guessing the temperature has been in the high eighties to low nineties--and the black dogs especially hate it and become very sliggush.

City Excersion And More Clicker Training

We had grits, fried eggs, biscuits and gravy for this morning's breakfast. I could have eaten ten biscuits and gravy, but i like grits with bacon and eggs better, and I like to pour it on myself, not have it mixed in. Lunch was fish and chips with homemade tarter sauce, and I had a salad for dinner.

Today was our first trip into San Francisco. We went to Chestnut Street and those of us who were not working hung out in the spacious, airie Italian coffee shop which served delicious pastries and beverages. I went on a nice long route--it was probably almost 2 kilometers, but i'm just guessing--then rode the city bus back. Some of the busses in San Francisco are electric, and they talk just like the Toronto busses, though not as loud and succintly.

In the afternoon, we had our second clicker training workshop. i taught Deedee how to touch my hand with her nose, and then started to teach her to find an empty chair. I targeted one specific chair--the one i had vacated in order to work with her--but, throughout the next week, I'll be targetting all kinds of empty chairs in the building, from couches to single chairs, wingback, straightback, plush, wooden, etc, until she gets the idea and can generalize what an empty chair is. Eventually, i am hoping that, when we go into a room and I say, "Deedee, find a chair", she will guide me to an empty seat. It's not something that can be done in a day, but it is definitely a more fun and positive way to train a dog than the old method of forcing the dog to do what the handler wanted, for example sitting, and then rewarding them.

We did obedience down by the grass paddock, and there was a loose dog there playing with a ball which was supposed to serve as a distraction. Deedee did reasonably well, much better than when we did obedience at the park. But tomorrow we get to do obedience in the kennels, and that should be as much fun as making toddlers behave in the toy department at Walmart.

Today is Aries, my first gide dog's, birthday. She is 11 years old. i should put a picture of her on here, since even though she had a short working career, she was my first guide. She lives with my parents now and is a docile and content pet.

Traffic Checks And Escalators

This morning was the most stressful day of training. Even though it's my third time through it and I know what to expect, it still freaks me out. We had to do a route individually with our dogs, and an instructor of course, and a staff member would back out in front of Deedee and I, cut us off, or drive right at us. The dogs are trained to react in a specific manner in these situations. Usually, they just stop, even if a car were to cut us off in the middle of a street, but in the case of an emergenty, when the car is coming right at us, Deedee will back up and remove both of us from the danger. She did an excellent job, and got lots of praise and food rewards.

i had a salad for lunch, though the main entre was chicken tacos. Since i opted to have meatloaf and garlic mash potatoes for dinner, I wasn't sure if I could stomach two big hot meals.

After lunch, I put on Deedee's little doggie boots, and all the retrain class trooped a short way to a small grove of redwood trees on campus to have our group photo taken. The photography was hilarious trying to attract the dogs' attention by barking, growling, whistling, and all sorts of craziness. I don't know if all the dogs were looking in his direction, but for sure all the students were smiling.

This afternoon's workout was escalators in the mall across the street. Deedee did wonderfully, though it was odd for me to have a dog who walks calmly on and off the escalator, as Endora would leap on and off of it. The instructor noticed that Deedee had lost a boot when we boarded the escalator, but luckily she was not injured. All the comments and questions I got about the boots in such a short period of time was amazing, though a black dog with little red booties on all four of her paws is definitely bound to attract atention.

There was an optional lecture given by Michael Hingson, one of Guide Dogs main spokesmen/fundraisers, since he and his dog Roselle were in the Twin Towers on September 11, 201. Roselle guided him out safely, and he now flies all over the country and tells his story. I've attended all the optional workshops thus far, and felt i needed an evening off. So I grabbed some of the Mayo Clinic Health newsletters from the stock of braille magazines available in the dormitory's substiantial library, as well as a Sue Grafton book, and spent the evening reading.

Tomorrow will be our first trip into San Francisco. It should be fun, i think we're going subway travel. I'm sure the D-dog will have no problems with it.

By the way, pictures are coming, but i've been using a little keychain camera which doesn't come with a viewfinder. I'm still baffled as to the logic on that one. So I'll have to use my cell phone's camera for now, but until I can buy a micro sd chip for it, I have no way of transfering the pictures from the phone to the computer. So, unfortunately, the wait to see little Deedee continues.

First Week Is Over

This morning, we had scrambled eggs, sausage, and sweet rolls for breakfast, and I had a bowl of rice crispies, too. I slept in, and awoke when I was supposed to be out on the relieving circle. Luckily, I am a fast dresser, so Deedee and I were only a few minutes late. My roommate had slept in, too, but we are both pretty punctual--which is really saying something for me--so they didn't give us a hard time.

There was no lecture this morning. We went down town and did obedience in a park. Deedee was not very obedient. I had to do about fifteen sets of sits and downs before she began to listen, but this is about the time when I expect her to begin testing to see what she can and cannot get away with.

After obedience was over, I walked up to Starbucks and got a huge strawberries and cream frappucino, then continued on to the bus, which was parked about six good-sized blocks from the park. I really need to get a pedometer so I can measure how much I walk per day. I kept saying I was going to get one but didn't, and i wanted to measure how much i walked for the entire class.

This afternoon, we had our first clicker training workshop. For those who may be unfamiliar with it, clicker training is a method of training that uses positive reinforcement (i.e, click and treat), for desirable behaviors. If I dog is totally clicker trained, the trainer does not use any negative reinforcers, or physical punishment, but no reward is offered when the dog doesn't do what the trainer wants it to. Eventually, the need/want for food will win, and the dog can be trained to do some pretty amazing things. The trainer doesn't click and treat all the time, only while they are teaching the dog the desired behaviour. All the guide dogs that are being trained at GDB are clicker trained during a lot of their training. They use a combination of clicker training and negative reinforcement, but I can see this kind of training progressing, and perhaps one day they will be totally clicker trained and will not need to wear chain collars. Unfortunately, that is what I like to call the "fear method" of training, and it is not as effective as positive reinforcement and praise.

We didn't practice on our dogs today, just a rolled-up rug named Juno which we used at the beginning of training. We practiced the motions of click and treat; the clicking must be while the behaviour is taking place, not after it has happened, and the timing is crucial. We also talked about situations where you could use this method of training (e.g., teaching the dog to find an empty chair in a room). i'm very excited about this particular aspect of training, as I believe honey gets you further than vinegar--at least it does with me personally.

I had a little nap after that, and then went for supper which was baked ham and sweet potatoes and broccoli. Then I had to go to the nurse's office because my chin is raw and irritated. I wouldn't say it's a rash, but it is a bit pinker than the rest of my face. It's burning and irritated, so she put some cortezone cream on it which made it worse. We settled on zinc oxide cream, which isn't making it worse but isn't doing much to make it better. However, i'll stop using my face products and see what happens. I have a terrible time choosing creams for my face, but the rest of my body is fine.

At 7:00, we had a teeth brushing workshop. i've never been good at that, and didn't bother with Endora because she was such a power chewer that she kept her own teeth clean by chewing on bones and other toys. Deedee doesn't seem to like it, either, but they tell me I'm doing something wrong if she's fighting me. She's not as much of a power chewer, so I'd like to brush her teeth at least a few times a week. I'll keep trying till I get it right; I think we just need to become more comfortable with each other. Perhaps I'm not being as gentle as I should be, either.

Well, that's today's update. Tomorrows will be even less substantial, as it is the one day a week we have off. I plan on doing laundry and going in the pool for a swim. There is a t-touch workshop at 10:30, and i'll probably do that, too. I learned a bit in 2002 when I was here. T-touch is like doggie massage, and it is a great way to bond with ones new guide and help them relax. I think Deedee could use some relaxation, as I noticed she was licking her paw after supper, and she wouldn't stop. I had an instructor look at it, and all he could see was a tiny bit of redness, but it is not sore and she is not limping, so I think it is anxiety-related. He put some Bitter Apple on it--a spray that has a truly horrible taste, and it is used to deter dogs from chewing on objects or themselves--so we'll see what happens.

All Caught Up

Today started out like all the others; wake up around 6:30, get dressed, make the bed, feed and water the dog, and head out to the relief area for 6:45. This morning's breakfast consisted of fried eggs, hashbrowns, and cinnamon raisin toast. After that, it was class discussion/lecture at 8:15.

Today, it was more of a lecture, or information session, rather than a discussion. We were issued our dog booties today, and they are the cutest little things! They look rather like baby shoes, except they have velcro all around the top. The dog's paw fits into the boot right past their duclaw, and the velcro strap can be tightened to ensure that the dog's foot will fit snugly in the boot with  little chance of it being kicked off during travel. We are to use these pieces of equipment at our discretion; in extremes of heat and cold, and we are never to go on an escalator if the dog is NOT wearing their boots. Escalator injuries are quite common and can be very serious. I'm fortunate never to have experienced one, but I do realize it is a game of Russian roulette.

After lecture time, we did obedience on campus, which consists of a few sits and downs, some sit/stays, calling the dog to heel, and calling it to come while an instructor distracts it. The dogs are used to this and it usually goes smoothly. Deedee was wearing her gentle leader, a nylon device that fits around the dog's snout like a muzzle, and around the head behind the ears. It gives the handler control over the dog's head, and is used in cases where the dog may be highly distracted and the handler wishes to have extra control over the dog. I used it a lot with Endora, because she was distractable sometimes, but Deedee almost refuses to work with it on, and from what I've experienced of her so far, she doesn't really need it. However, we were asked to use it this morning, so Deedee's obedience session was perfect, even though I felt like i was cheating.

We drove downtown and worked in City Hall and the Albert building, which is a privately-owned old and majestic office building with marble floors and steep stairwells. We did elevator and stair work, and Deedee had no trouble with either of them.

On our way back, we encountered construction (surprise surprise, the town seems to be overrun with construction workers), and Deedee had to work off the sidewalk, on to the road between a parked car and the curb, and back on the sidewalk. She did an excellent job, and for once I won't complain about the construction, because it is nice to have a real life situation like that instead of setups all the time. It prepares you for when you get home with your new guide and will encounter surprises like that.

We had our weekly meetings in the afternoon, and mine went very well. The instructor and I discussed my progress, and we both agreed that Deedee and I were a wonderful match. She said I handled the switch very well, but I just took it with the grace and dignity I handle a lot of stress with. It was no one's fault, and I just went with my gut which told me it was for the best.

After Deedee was fed, watered and relieved, I went downtown alone with an instructor to do a short route to the grocery store and back to the van. I wanted to get one more short route in so I could feel like I was caught up with the rest of the class, though Deedee and I are doing so well that, by that time, I didn't think I needed it. Still, I have been having the worst craving in the world for blueberries, and so picked some up as well as some yogurt which I've also been craving. And, wouldn't you know it, they were both on sale!

The retrain and regular class had a discussion this evening about dealing with the general public (i.e, when to let people pet your dog, educating people about Guide Dogs the school, and the guides themselves, etc). We were also supposed to receive CD's with information on tomorrow's clicker training session, but there is a shortage, so i haver not gotten one. I've read a lot about it, though, and even listened to a few podcasts by blind trainers who use that technique, so I think I'll be okay.

For now, I'm exhausted. I'm waiting for the last relief break of the night, which is at 8:45, then i am snuggling into my haystack and calling it a night.

Day 1 With Deedee

This morning was my first working day with Deedee. We again were driven to downtown San Rafael and worked individually from the bus to a coffee shop on 4th Street. i was first to go, and pretty anxious. But I need not have worried; Deedee was fabtastic! Of course, she did slow down a few times, but would speed up her pace when encouraged. All new dogs will have some transitional issues, but they can be corrected with time, patience, lots of praise, and food rewards.

We did another route this afternoon, but I did not participate because i was not feeling well. There is a bug going around apparently, but i don't think that's it--i hope not, because between the beginning and ending of April I was sick twice and that is very unlike me--i had a headache and tried to sleep it off on the bus, but no go. I am not sleeping well because I rarely do in a strange place, even though I know there are no monsters under my bed or ghosts in my closet. That could have something to do with it, or I could just be stressed out. I did attend the ear cleaning workshop this afternoon, and the Dee-dog doesn't mind having her ears cleaned.

We had supper, which was a delicious pepper steak and rice, and then the swimming pool opened up at 7:30, but I am too tired to even think of swimming. i may go for a walk on the treadmill, and maybe for a little stint on the rowing machine. Some exercise may help me feel better, or at least give me a good night's sleep so i can work it off.

Tomorrow, we learn how to put on dog booties. I'm very excited about this, as Endora would never wear them, and they are a big improvement in the summer and winter when extreme heat or cold make walking difficult for the dogs. It is also now the policy of Guide Dogs that all guides who will use escalators must wear booties to avoid injury. I've been fortunate, as neither Aries nor Endora sustained any injuries while riding escalators, but i've known of guide dog owners who have had it happen, and the injuries can be quite serious.

We will work a route in the morning in a building--City Hall, I think--and we are supposed to practice working with our gentle leaders, or head collars. Which reminds me I didn't get one, so i'll have to ask my roommate if she did because i remember us discussing how and when and where to use them.

In the afternoon, we have some more lectures, and our weekly progress meetings, but I am going to work with an instructor and Deedee and do another route so i can catch up to the rest of the class.

Dee-dog got some toys today. She loves her nylabone, but i keep having to play fetch with her because she chews on it and slides it off her fleece bed onto the floor or under the bed, and can't reach it because she is on tiedown. (We must keep the dogs on tiedown or leash at all times while in class to avoid mass chaos and confusion, and probably relieving accidents that would result from a bunch of puppies running around the dormitory like fools. Plus, it also helps with the bonding process because they are always with us.) i gave her a kong and a tug ring, and she loves the kong but is not thrilled with the tug toy.

Right now, she is lying quietly on her bed, and my roommate is on the phone. I have pictures my aunt sent from Endora's reitrement party. I will upload them, but maybe not tonight.

The Switch

This morning started off well. We had a discussion about working your guide in a building, then did obedience, and went downtown to do a basic route.

The bus was parked in front of a library which had a huge grassy lawn. There was shade for those of us who come from hot states like Arizona and Florida, and sun for those of us who enjoy a natural source of vitamin D.

Olena, the instructor and I went on another basic route which consisted of walking a few short blocks. Olena started out beautifully, but then we were walking up a street and there was a little dog in a van, and it took her a while to stop thinking about that. Then, we encountered a guy collecting money from parking meters, and she became really nervous of him. She didn't get vocal or aggressive, but shied away and, by what the instructor observed of her body language, became very stressed out. Some people would say it's dog instinct, and perhaps that man was bad in some way, or something to that effect. I've seen both Aries and Endora react to strangers they instantly take a liking to and to those whom they dislike upon sight or smell. After the person is gone, they forget about them, even if they had a negative reaction. But, after encountering those two distractions, little Olena was very distraught. The instructor and I agreed to give it one more go and do the afternoon route.

So it was back to the school for watering, relieving and lunch, which consisted of chicken wings, blue cheese dressing, tater tots, vegetable sticks and cold slaw. i had seconds it was so good!

Unfortunately, the afternoon route with Olena was little better. She did not react to strange pedestrians on the street which was encouraging, but she did lose her confidence and become very stressed out about half way through the route. i was given the choice of doing some specific one-on-one confidence-boosting work with Olena and the instructor, or switching to another dog. Both the instructor and I felt it was best to switch, as the pattern of stress Olena was exhibiting was consistent throught the two days i'd worked with her, and even in the building she was hesitant to follow my commands and seemed unsure of herself.

When we returned from downtown to the dormitory, Olena was taken away back to the kennels. She will most likely be reissued in another class, once the trainers have worked on her stress issues. If not, she will undergo what is called a career change, which means she could be adopted by her puppy raisers or another family, or she could become a different kind of service dog where the work isn't as demanding.

The instructors were very supportive of me. Even though I knew I had done nothing wrong, I was still a little upset. A small bond had begun to develop within a few short days, but I knew it was the best thing for both of us. The instructors reiterated what a great handler I was and that I had done nothing wrong when handling Olena.

They brought up my replacement from the kennels. Her name is Deedee, and she is a teeny weeny black lab. She is twenty inches tall, about the same height as Endora, and 52 pounds. She is not thin, but neither is she as stocky as Endora. She is very loving and affectionate, and, oddly enough, mildly allergic to cats. The vet clinic on campus recommended that she be placed with someone who doesn't own a cat, and fortunately, I do not. I have friends who own cats, and it won't trouble her too much to go and visit for a few days, but she would become very itchy with watery eyes and the like if she were consistently exposed to cats.

We got our picture taken tonight. These will be used on our individual Guide Dogs ID cards, and we may also purchase extra pictures in various sizes as momentos for ourselves, friends and family. I have a few beautiful pictures of Aries and Endora, and I am going to have them printed and blown up and framed so I can put them on my desk at work.

Deedee and I are spending the night getting to know each other. It's a little weird having to start the process all over again, but at least this didn't happen half way through class. I'm not sure what would have happened then. Tomorrow we will work together for the first time. I am keeping my fingers crossed, though I highly doubt a situation like this would arise twice in the same class and to the same person. It is not very common--the instructors are very good at matching dogs and people, but occasionally something like this happens and it surprises everyone.

Day 1 with Olena

Today was mine and Olena's first working day together. In the morning, we did obedience and went downtown San Rafael to do our first route. Since the downtown lounge isn't available due to construction, we parked the mini bus outside a coffee shop and chilled until it was our turn to do the routes with an instructor.

We have two regular instructors in the class, and one who is finishing her masters in guide dog mobility, so she has co-trained some dogs and is helping teach the class.

When it came time for Olena and i to do our route, she was perfect for about a block, then she started angling to the right, which happened to be the curbside, so the instructor and I thought she might have to relieve herself. So we found a spot, but she would not go, and so we continued. The rest of the route was not what i would expect--her movements were very jerky, and she seemed very unsure of jerself, but it is after all our first working day. She does fine with obedience--well, most of the time, but I did ask for a dog with attitude, and it seems as though I got one.

In the afternoon, we again went downtown, but didn't park at a cafe or coffee shop this time. Those of us who were not working our dogs stayed in the bus and chatted.

It was decided that Olena and I would follow one of my other classmates and her dog, the theory being that Olena would be motivated by the other dog ahead of her. This seemed to work exceedingly well, and, on our way back, she did an excellent job.

Tonight, we had a grooming workshop. We all know how to groom our dogs, but they have to teach us this stuff as a refresher, and some people, like my roommate who was last here in 1996, may not be familiar with the grooming equipment that is issued. We are given a fanny pack with a slicker brush--a wire-bristled brush--a comb, a zoom groom--a rubber contraption with rubbery spikes, not sharp ones, that draw up the dog's under coat and act as a massager at the same time--a washcloth, toothbrush and toothpaste. We will also receive ear-cleaning solution and flea and heart worm preventatives in our vet packs.

There is yoga class tonight, but I am too exhausted to go. I am going to chill for an hour or so and then go to bed. Last relieving time for the dogs is at 8:45. Olena is a pretty good reliever--some dogs are nervous the first day or two. I have to coax her, but at least she is not like Aries and holds it for 48 hours!

And The Verdict Is...

It is late, so I will make this entry rather short. Unfortunately, since the downtown lounge where trainees and their guides would hang out when not working around down is inaccessible, i won't have access to a computer during the day, which means my entries may be a bit choppy and rushed since I'm wiped by the end of the day.

My new guide is a female yellow lab named Olena. She is 21 1/2" high, and weighs 61 pounds. She is 20 months old, and her birthday is September 29, just one day after mine! Endora's birthday is September 15. Olena is very fun, energetic and feisty--just what I asked for! We just practiced heeling (i.e, holding the leash with the handler's arm relaxed by her side and the dog walking with its head level with her leg). We will start working our guides tomorrow. I imagine they'll be supervised routes, and eventually, we'll be able to go around downtown San Rafael on our own with instructors watching from a distance.

We received some equipment today--our harness, leash, and "bait bag", which is a small nylon fanny pack which will hold a few handfuls of kibble to dole out as food rewards. We will receive the rest of our equipment--grooming kit, booties, clicker, gentle leader, and a supply of heart guard and Advantage--later on in the week.

Olena is laying quietly on tie-down on her fleece rug. I think I will turn in soon as I am going cross-eyed. Not that it really matters, but it does look awfully weird.

Today Is Doggie Day!

I have arrived at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California after some delay and drama. The flight i was supposed to be on yesterday was cancelled due to inclement weather, so I ended up leaving Halifax at 1:10pm, arriving in New York at 2:25, and then departing for San Francisco at 2:55. The upside was that i managed to get a few extra hours sleep, as i was originally scheduled to leave Halifax at 6:25am.

Upon arriving at the San Francisco International Airport, one of the class instructors and I discovered that my luggage was not on the carousel. Upond further investigation, we were told it was in Chicago, and hopefully it will be delivered sometime today. I picked up a few basic toiletries and some pajamas last night.

I was exhausted once I finally arrived at the school, and thus didn't do too much. Talked on the phone for a bit, and met my roommate N (to protect the identities of myclassmates, I will henceforth refer to them by the initial of their first names).

We had some discussion this morning about the food reward program, communicating with your guide dog, and managing your guide dog. We are responsible for listening to the lectures in full and then having class discussions. This saves time, and enables us to have more working time with our new guides.

We are just breaking for lunch and then we will receive our dogs in the afternoon. I am very anxious, but I know the few short hours will fly by.

I will write later on about Endora's last few working days and the retirement pary we had for her, and her transition to her new home. I've been so busy, and i haven't had internet access, so i have some catching up to do. For now, i will sign off and head to the dining room as I am famished!

Consultation

I received a telephone call from Katherine, a fulltime nurse who works at GDB. She wanted to do a followup to my medical report--not because there's anything wrong with it, but because she wanted to make sure I didn't have any medical conditions that weren't listed on my medical report. I guess in past years they've gotten some nasty surprises when students came to class. The interview lasted about ten minutes, and was a very pleasant experience. I should hear from one of the instructors before I leave for San Fran, but I don't know when.

I didn't go anywhere this weekend, just listened to more lectures and relaxed. Endora used to get bored if she was idle in the house for longer than a day, but now she is perfectly happy to lay around, play, and eat. This morning, however, she didn't mind going to work. She even showed me where the lineup for Tim Hortons was.

That's one thing I know I'm going to have to get used to is my new dog not knowning anything about me--the routes I travel, the places I visit, the way I communicate, etc. Endora is what I consider an atypical dog--not very many dogs would stop right in the Tim Hortons lineup...hell, she even knows my dating preferences! When I was single, she used to lead me right into the middle of a group of men and stop dead. It's her doing that my current man and I are together; she randomly approached him almost a year ago, we started talking, and the rest is history.

The bond between a guide and its handler is very profound, and I'm sure my next dog will be just as attentive, fun-loving, energetic, affectionate, amusing, and intelligent as Endora, but of course, she will never be Endora, and i must mourne the imminent loss of that bond, but rejoice in the prospect and challenge forming a new one. I will admit, it is not easy, but even though it's normal to grieve, it's also important to keep in mind the positive aspects of retiring an old guide and acquiring a new one. People who are not fond of dogs must think I'm crazy, but I think I'm just being human. When you put your life in the paws of a dog for so many years, you can't help but form a strong and powerful bond.

Training Materials

My package from Guide Dogs finally arrived today by FedEx. It contained six CD's of lecture materials in audio format, one CD with the materials in text format, an audio CD of a number of forms and policies (e.g., smoking policy, Guide Dogs contract, connumications policy, media relations agreement, etc), and print copies of everyting. There is also a brochure for family and friends, which I think i will see if I can acquire it in PDF format and circulate it around work.

Everyone was always very respectful of my rules with Endora--which is more than I could say for some coworkers i've worked with in the past--but our relationship and the relationship I will have with a new guide dog is drastically different. I'd like to give everyone a gentle reminder of the rules in order to make the transition smoother for everyone, and to cause less embarrassment all around.

I am going to spend the weekend listnening to the lectures. I doubt i'll go anywhere, as Endora's slow pace and frequent distractions make walking frustrating. As spring progresses, i find her more apt to sniff poles, grass, and passersby rather than concentrating on her guide work. Thankfully, Toronto is supposed to get nasty weather for most of the weekend.