Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Nothing Maniacal on Maple

One of the routes we begin with in Seeing Eye dog training is the Maple Street route here in Morristown. This is a residential area which has been converted into offices, etc. Streets are quiet, traffic is minimal, sidewalks are obvious.

Expectations for the Maple Street route are low. After all, these dogs have only been with us a little more than 24 hours. Training this morning consisted of the route (about six blocks in total) with a trainer close at hand. Attached, actually. Because we're trying to develop bonds with our dog, the corrections have to come from the trainer. However, in the two different times I did the Maple route today, Garrett needed no corrections. Even if he DID need corrections, there's lots and lots of grace involved. He's just a newbie to working with me. However, not a single punitive word, not a leash correction-nothing. Will this be the same tomorrow? One day at a time, but if today is any indication, he'll fall into step nicely.

Plus, winter weather has arrived to Jersey. The second route was in the middle of a cold drizzle. Not exactly fun, and in inclement weather, we expect the dogs to make more mistakes. Surprisingly, though, other than a little extra sniffing of the air, Garrett didn't falter. This, as I'm well aware, could just be beginner's luck.

More tomorrow from the dog world! Thanks again to everyone for all the Facebook messages and support of this new working team!

Waggin' That Tail

Park time is the term we use to refer to the dog, er, doin' his bidness. We take the dogs to the park area and recite "Park time, park time" over and over until the dog relieves him/herself. Instead of regaling you with tales of doggy duty, just know it's called park time.

After park time last night, Garrett turned into a bit of a different dog. Not good, not bad, just different. Earlier during our bonding time, he was always keeping his eyes on the door. He'd let me pet him, but didn't really want to play or wag his tail. But after park time last night? Play time was on!

Garrett started wagging his tail, using his paws like boxing gloves and, just in general, started being more sociable. This morning, he proved that he'll definitely be a morning person. He woke up and his tail was flopping against the amoir and was just begging to be petted. This seems a side of his personality coming out that I'm glad is coming through!

Off to Morristown routes...

Monday, November 29, 2010

The O.G.

Heard one of my presentations? You may recall how, in my misspent youth, I was enamorede with gangsta rap. So much so that I thought I was an O.G. (That's original gangsta for you posers out there who don't know the lingo. Word.)

Well, now, the O.G. is my new dog. His name? Garrett. Yellow lab. Male. Very docile and sweet. Tomorrow, we'll find out how well his working behavior stacks up to his predecessors. But for now? Just know the O.G. is the original Garrett...one darned fine dog.

I've been requesting (and crossing my fingers) for a lab of some sort. With such great luck with my last two labs, it was a no brainer for me. And Garrett fits the bill!

When he was handed over to me today, we had a couple hours to come back to my room for bonding. He's still pretty attached to his trainer, but seems to be coming around. His crying was minimal, but he kept his eye on the door all the while we were getting to know each other, waiting for his trainer to return. This all tells me that once he's bonded with me, it'll be strong as what he's leaving behind.

Tomorrow will be some short routes of travel. Reports to come on how the O.G. handles the hoods of Morristown!

Thanks to everyone for welcoming Garret with all the Facebook posts, too. Makes me feel like he's coming into the Marcus community with a lotta love!

The Waiting Game

This morning found me walking the neighborhoods of Morristown on the last Juno walk. After a lecture session from Seeing Eye president, Jim Kuch, we went to lunch. This is when the waiting game really begins. I think I speak for all students when I say it feels like Christmas Eve. Within the hour, I should have my Seeing Eye dog #3. Hardly seems possible I'm back here after Dasher and Carson. Lots of memories in this old building.

And so....I wait. And cross my fingers. And maybe pray. And wait some more.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Dog Days

Yesterday, I arrived in Morristown, NJ to begin training with my third Seeing Eye dog. Nervous? Yes. Apprehensive? Yes. Excited? Yes.

Over the next three weeks of training, I'm going to be writing about the training process. If you come to EE for tons of insights and motivation and stuff, well, hopefully you'll still draw something from these experiences. However, chronicling this journey is going to be my primary purpose. So, here goes...

For the next three weeks, I'll be training with 18 other students. Florida to Washington State, Maine to California-we're from all over. We're all re-trains, meaning we've all already had at least one Seeing Eye dog.

We settled in yesterday afternoon, but won't get to meet our new four legged guides until Monday afternoon. The first 48 is spent with trainers, evaluating walking speed, strength of correction, lifestyle, physical stature, etc. to make a good match. We've also now gone on two Juno walks; evals where a trainer plays as the Seeing Eye dog in order to get an idea of the preferred walking speed and pull. And no, there were no scratches behind the ear nor "accidents" on the street!

This afternoon, three dogs were passed around in my small group of four; myself, another speaker/author from Chicago, a tech expert from right here in Jersey and a policy analyst for the USDA from D.C. The dogs? A golden retriever/lab cross, a yellow lab and a German shepherd. Their personalities were high, medium and low. The cross was a total wild man, but kinda fun to have such an energettic pup to play with. Shepherd female was still plenty hyper, but the yellow lab epitomized the "Whatever..." personality.

We students will not know if one of these dogs is ours. We did not learn the dogs' names. We will not know anything other than the short time we had with these pups. The exercise was designed to evaluate our handling of each dog...these dogs may not even have gone through full training yet.

A few common questions:

How does the training work? After being weaned from their mothers, each dog is placed with a puppy raiser for around a year. The raiser teaches basic obedience, socializes the dog and does some minor evaluations of the dog's capacity to learn and adapt. After that year, the dog is around 18 months old and is returned to the Seeing Eye. A trainer then begins to work with each dog, starting out with routes around Morristown and progressing to more complicated streets and intersections, etc. to develop their skills. After four, sometimes five, months, the students arrive to begin training.

Can I pick what kind of dog I want? Not really. The Seeing Eye takes all requests seriously, but in the end, they reserve the right to place you with the best dog for you. Er, me.

Do I get to name the dog? Nope. Again, the dogs are trained before we arrive, and we have no real input into naming. However, at the beginning of the year, the first litter of pups all have names that begin with A. Then the next litter all have B names. Then C. On down through the alphabet.

This evening is the calm before the storm. It's good for us to all connect before we begin training with our dogs, so tonight is a wine and cheese reception for students. Social time!

Tomorrow? I'll probably blog before getting the new pup, and I'll definitely blog afterward to let everyone know my new companion. Until then...

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Retiring Carson

For those who might not have heard, my Seeing Eye dog, Carson, went into retirement on October 31. After 8 plus years of faithful service, Carson's working style had begun to suffer. When I ended up in the hospital for around a month back in May, it accelerated this decline.

One thing I truly value about the Seeing Eye, Inc., Carson's alma mater, is their stance on retirement. The Seeing Eye allows dog handlers to make the decision when to retire, how to retire and to whom the dog will go when he/she retires. This gave me the freedom to pick Carson's adoptive family. Could I have kept him as a pet? Yes, I have that option. Why is this not the best option for me? Simply because I'm not home enough to take care of a pet. So, we did the next best thing.

Back in September of 2002, right after I returned home with Carson from Morristown, NJ, I went to happy hour with my good friends, Jim and Alice. Jim and I have been buds ever since we were in middle school together, and right around the time Carson was coming into my life, I was getting to know his then girlfriend, Alice. Alice and I soon became good friends, too, and over drinks she asked, "How long will Carson work?" The easy answer is seven to nine years, simply because it's the average working life of a Seeing Eye dog. Alice did the math and said, "So, I'm calling dibs right now. When it's time for him to retire, we want him." I agreed, but with the knowledge that, over time, people change and promises aren't always kept. Not so with Jim and Alice.

For years, we've always joked about Carson's "Shady Pines" home when he retires. I've always given Jim and Alice the out that, if they don't want to take on a dog in his later years, there are no hard feelings. Again, not so. They have loved Carson from the moment he came into my life and have kept their promise.

On Oct. 31, I took off Carson' harness for the last time. It was in Jim and Alice's living room and Carson couldn't have been more excited. His new doggy buddy, Gutter, and Jim and Alice's two year old immediately were playing with him and he was in hog heaven.

It's impossible to explain to a dog that this is permanent. That harness isn't going back on. That leash and collar aren't going back on. When I walk out this door, this is your life; new owners, new environment, new adventures, but I'm no longer the consistent master he's known for the last eight years. He simply thought this was vacationy playtime.

As Marvelyne and I cried, I hugged him one last time and we walked out the door, leaving Carson to his new retired life. I'd like to answer some consistent questions:

Will I get to visit him? Yes. Every time we're in St. Louis, we see Jim and Alice. Many of those friendships are nurtured in their back yard. Carson now lives there and the next time we're in The Lou, I'm sure we'll be able to see him.

Will that be hard for him to adjust? I'm sure there's some adjustment, but Carson's got such a happy go lucky personality, I don't think it'll be too rough on him.

So, now that he's not working, what does he do? The same thing all pet dogs do; eats, plays, sleeps and gets lovin'.

Will you get another dog? Yes, I'm set to return to the Seeing Eye on November 27. I'll be in training for three weeks in New Jersey and then home with my new Seeing Eye dog.

Do you know what kind of dog you'll get? No. I've requested a lab or a lab mix, preferably a male, but the Seeing Eye reserves the right to place the dog handler with the best dog for him/her.

How am I doing? Really, I'm good. I miss Carson every day; just the little things show me his absence. When it's around 6:30, I'll start thinking it's time to feed Carson his dinner...only to realize Carson's dinner time is no longer set by me. I'll pick up something off the floor so Carson doesn't chew on it, only to realize he's not here to do any chewing. I purposefully took a month off between dogs to fully understand and realize these absences. I think it's been good for me.

And now? A quick vacation before going back to NJ. My stepson's 21st birthday. Thanksgiving. Then? I get on an airliner and head north for our next adventure! More to come...