Day 7 - checking Boxes

The first Saturday of class can be considered the divide between basic and advanced guide techniques. Instructors and clients continue to re-enforce the basic techniques throughout the rest of class, but the foundation is now laid. The Saturday sessions are somewhat more relaxed, with teams checking boxes on basic skills that they have not yet encountered.

In my case, this included two items. First, we closed the gap on obstacles. Second, we started to learn more about the personality of my dog.

In Day 4’s obstacle discussion, I described moving and vertical obstructions. I also introduced the concept that curbs are considered obstacles. While I mentioned that another form of obstacle (horizontal) exists, I didn’t talk to much about handling them or the impact they have on travel. The reality is that they are extremely difficult to work, particularly for me.

When walking, how often do you look above your head to see what is passing? I don’t mean the sky, I mean the tree branch that overhangs? I would bet that if it’s over a foot above, you don’t pay it much attention (aesthetics aside). Now, think about a dog who travels with its head at about twenty-four inches from the ground. Pair that perspective up with a creature that walks on its hind legs. Let’s put our tree branch at average human head height of sixty-seven inches. You might start to see the perspective problem.

I am not average height. In fact, I have to worry about anything under seventy-six inches, more than four feet above my dog’s head. Yet they are expected to identify risks that I might encounter. It should be no surprise at this point that I have never had good experiences with dogs working “overhead” or “horizontal” obstacles. What typically happens is I encounter the obstruction, bleed, and then teach my dog that this is something to avoid. It’s generally not a happy time.

In previous experience, the result is that the dog starts finding a point in space, and then pauses. It is not so much that the dog is seeing the obstacle, but they have learned that at this certain point they should be extremely careful. Being careful is exactly what we want, but we need to translate that into a continuous effort. The dog needs to not just know that this one horizontal exists, but change its perspective to the head height of the handler. I can’t say whether this new dog will be any different, but I can say that he was almost perfect on the overhead obstacle course. Here’s to spilling less blood over the next ten years.

Friends and Benefits

If you’ve read this deep into my experience, you are either really interested in the guide dog lifestyle, or you truly have nothing to do. You have read pages upon pages about building a working relationship with a dog, and how the team operates while the dog is in harness. I have tried to cover the work aspect of the team relationship in detail, as it is an obvious emphasis during class. At this point, the dog and the handler have a budding coworker-like relationship. They have proven that they can work together successfully using a core set of skills. Yet we don’t know each other yet.

Think about your own relationships. How many people that you work with have ever become true friends? Do you intentionally seek them out in off-work time? Do you know them well enough to say that you understand their beliefs and motivations? In my entire professional career, I think I could say this about less than two handfuls of coworkers.

A dog, of course, is not going to have political or religious viewpoints. The dog will realize that he often sees two people together, but probably can’t comprehend that they have an emotional bond. The dog builds his own relationships, but probably thinks very little about the fact that others have those bonds as well. His relationships, though probably less complex than those between humans, is still definable.

For the guide dog, the relationship starts with work. As handlers, we build trust, confidence, and pleasure in the relationship through a process of rewarding and discouraging behaviors. Each dog is as different in their work as your own coworkers. This means that all guide dogs can be expected to know a certain skill (i.e., the “right” command), but each may implement that skill in a different way. One may be more forceful in turning the team to the right. Another may be more tentative. Yet another may refuse to turn right if the resultant line of travel would get its paws wet in a puddle. It is this particular point, by the way, that makes training with a successor dog so difficult. The new dog will perform the commands that the previous dog did, but undoubtedly in a different way.

The personal part of the team relationship is hardly begun during the two weeks of class. The dog may, like your coworkers, choose to spend its personal time always within reach of the handler. When the harness is off, the dog still likes to be in the handler’s presence. Others (I’m looking at you, dogs number 1 and 2) may choose another person with whom to spend its personal time. Some dogs even display some level of introversion. These dogs, when out of harness, will quietly take themselves off to a quiet corner where they can relax.

Changes in the GDB philosophy will undoubtedly result in more dogs intentionally seeking off-work time with their handlers. After all, these dogs have learned that their primary motivational goal (food) is provided by the handler. It’s likely that the dog will attempt to build a non-working relationship with the handler simply because it is still seeking that reward it receives when the harness is on. This is not to say that one's dog won’t appreciate some time off, but the idea is that they will always return to the handler as their default.

GDB intentionally holds back access to dog free time to help this personal relationship take root. Will a dog recall to a new handler if allowed to roam off leash? Maybe, but more likely they will allow distractions to override the command. Instructors in my current class refer to the concept of building a bank with the dog. This means that the dog, through identification that the handler provides the primary goal (food!), is an anchor that the dog wants to use. They may, if presented with the opportunity to roam free, wander and explore. However, they will (with a properly started bank account) return to the handler both upon command and at will.

Both GDB campuses include a fully fenced safe off-leash area. Students are introduced to, and allowed to use this area late in the first week of class. The area allows a dog to run and play in a controlled environment. The area is available to one team at a time. The idea is not to build a relationship with the other dogs in class.

After a week of class, dogs are usually very cautious about the off-leash area. They will usually stay very calm for a few minutes after being introduced to the area. And then, as if the switch has been flipped, they realize that they are completely off-duty. Usually with an explosion of movement, the dog will finally release the stress of the week. It is at this point that the handler starts to learn just who their dog is in normal life.

At the end of the day, a dog needs its doggie time. It is not a robot. It experiences emotional, mental, and physical stress just like humans. Dogs need to decompress just like us. Cementing the personal relationship begins when both parties can relax.

Day 6 - Building Day

The first time I worked a dog into a building was in 1994. It was some kind of grocery supermarket in San Rafael California. My dog made a bee-line for a display of pies and stopped.

When you work with dogs, it’s important to realize two things. First, they each have an individual personality. Though I don’t want to completely humanize them, dogs are definitely people too.

The second is that they are dogs. This may seem contrary, but pointing it out allows us to investigate our reactions to what dogs do, and examine why they do it.

A dog will, no matter how much training it’s had, always be a dog. That means that they never lose the instincts and motivations of dogs. My first grocery store experience highlights this. It’s possible that the dog had worked that store previously, and he was just working to where he had success. It’s also possible that he was just hungry, and those pies smelled the best of anything short of the butcher counter.

Yet we, as humans, try to anthropomorphize the dog. We put our own perspective into their bodies to try to understand motivations and instinct. Here’s a tip: Just because humans do a task one way doesn’t mean that way will make the most sense to a dog. Just as no two people are the same, the two species in question have deep differences that we still struggle to understand. Of course dogs, being long-term domesticated animals, don’t make this easy. They have adapted to show the behaviors that we expect.

This series of blog posts is supposed to be about a specific guide dog training experience, so I will set aside the psychology discussion. Instead, we’ll talk more about working in buildings.

The first significant work that a team performs is related to travel on the street. Block by block, intersection by intersection, they learn about each other’s methods, abilities, and technique. Think about that. Instead of working first in a comparatively safe environment (say, a building), the team kicks off with work that includes two-ton vehicles traveling at thirty miles-per-hour. Remember the previous discussion about obstacles? The next time you walk a city block, take a look at the different obstructions to your line of travel. Next, walk through a building. Are there more or less obstacles on the street? Four words: “Malls at Christmas time”.

But what about those cars? When you reach the corner, and prepare to cross the road, remember that the human in the guide team has previously used a cane or other mobility aid. This means that s/he is capable of managing traffic, walking in a relatively straight line, etc. Independent travel is a crucial pre-requisite to adding a guide dog as a mobility aid.

The standard city block is three-hundred feet. This gives ample space between intersections for the team to establish a line while coping with any obstructions. In addition, the team can work contiguous blocks without a turn, thus allowing staging of different handling tools.

The typical building doesn’t exist. Hallways may branch at any moment. An aisle is probably only thirty feet in length. There may not be an actual line to travel (think of a clothing boutique’s typical layout). And of course, there are a lot of distractions (pies) at the dog’s level. Buildings, to a dog, contain nothing but surprises that can impact guide performance.

To reduce risk to the team (not to mention other building occupants) some changes are implemented when a dog walks through a door. First, everything slows down. This reduces “closing time”, which means that an oncoming moving obstruction (person) will take longer to reach the team. There is no substitute for providing the dog and handler time to make a decision. Next, the handler will undoubtedly start using something called a moving turn.

In standard travel, a dog will be “halted” before making a turn. This is done most often at street corners, or when particular emphasis is needed to direct a dog in a particular direction. Once the team is stopped, the dog can assess where the new line of travel will be once the turn command is given. Again, time is on the team’s side.

A “moving turn” does not require the halt. In this case, the handler starts directing the dog into the turn before the desired opening is present. It allows the team to move more fluidly, but it requires good handling and environmental understanding to achieve. For example, if a handler wants to turn into aisle 6, s/he may start asking the dog to turn at the endcap between aisles 5 and 6. Any earlier and the dog is likely to turn down aisle 5. Later and there is probably not enough room to make the turn before the endcap between 6 and 7 becomes an obstruction. Timing and pace are everything, and the new team is simply not coordinated enough to pull off the maneuver with much hope of success.

The moving turn is important in buildings for a few reasons. First, it helps flow. The team continues to work without impeding travel, which can be handy in highly populated areas. It allows the dog to bear some more of the navigational load. Remember that the handler most likely can tell that their turn is coming, but not exactly where. It focuses the team on travel, while slowing pace. And finally, it opens the door to following another person, which is common in buildings, while preserving the integrity of the guide experience.

All of that is a really long way of saying that streets come before buildings. It could also be noted that one must navigate some level of street travel to reach a building, but we’ll leave our excuses behind now.

Once a handler has gotten a taste for building travel, s/he rarely wants to do anything else. Walking alone, with a cane, or even while heeling the dog in anything but the best known building environments pales in comparison. Suddenly the person can move with some confidence of not bumping into things. Doorways in seemingly continuous walls are findable with ease. The entire experience changes.

However, the handler, either new or retraining, has to build up to buildings. Instructors will emphasize that dogs should not be worked inside until expressly permitted. For those that have done this before, the intervening days between Dog Day and first being allowed to work inside can seem like an eternity, but it’s all for good reasons.

And then the second most glorious day of class…The day when building travel is introduced and teams are permitted to work inside. This typically happens after a short lecture and some practical experience in…a grocery store.

For this latest class experience, the building was a Fred Meyer on Thanksgiving afternoon. Yes, it was more busy than I expected. My dog walked right past the butcher counter and the bakery with no problems.

Day 5 - The Low

The fourth day after Dog Day is tough. Dogs and humans alike are losing the excitement of the first meeting and routes. Meanwhile expectations continue to rise. Minor health issues may crop up. Everyone feels a bit low.

In my class’s case, day 5 included a change in the weather, with the threat of worse to come. The Pacific Northwest isn’t exactly inclement, but no one likes to learn in the rain. We may even get some measurable snowfall before the class is done.

The key is to look for ways to break up the low. This is the point where the handlers need to learn that their dogs are fun, as well as mobility aids. Much like a human-to-human relationship, both partners need to give when the times get tough. In many ways, this re-enforcement when your partner needs it is where the team’s foundation is truly formed. It will definitely pay dividends later.

Staying consistent, however, is essential. Dogs, like humans, like to receive the same feedback every time they look for it. It’s now that the dog starts to comprehend that the new handler isn’t just another trainer that will be on for a week then gone. Instead, this person seems to be staying with them for a while. All the changes experienced earlier in the first week are sinking in. They are tired and not yet feeling fulfilled by the relationship, but we keep asking them to work.

For my class, an added struggle with the end of the first week is Thanksgiving Day. Everyone wants to be home with family and friends, but we made a decision to be here training with a new dog. We are tired and homesick, but we have to push through for ourselves and for the dogs.

At least the food was excellent!

And now, my dog and I are exhausted. I’ll leave this entry a bit short. It’s time for some much-deserved rest.

Day 4 - In the City

City travel provides fantastic training opportunities for budding guide dog teams. Extra traffic, strange and often loud noises, lots of sidewalk obstructions, and the bane of the guide dog…pedestrians.

In general, any kind of obstacle requires a “clearance”. Obstacles, or obstructions, can be categorized into three general groups. Standard vertical clearances are unmovable objects rooted on the ground. With the dog on your left side, these will commonly hit the right side of your body. Next, horizontal obstructions extend across the “line of travel”, but may not be directly rooted, such as tree limbs, hanging signs, and the like. Finally, we have the moving obstacles such as people and cars. By far, they are the worst!

A guide dog will try to find the straightest line from point A (usually a street corner) to point B (the next street corner). The problem is, that line is rarely perfectly straight. Let’s walk through the typical block:

The team has just finished crossing a street. They are lined up and ready to walk down the block. The magic begins with a forward request from the handler. The dog assesses the first steps of their chosen line down the block. They start walking.

The first obstacle, on the right, is a light post. The dog can easily avoid the post as the rest of the sidewalk is clear. Vertical obstructions with plenty of room to maneuver are easy for the on-track dog. With the slightest jog to the left, the team avoids the post at their usual traveling speed.

Next, the team passes a café on the left with outdoor seating. Tables and chairs obstruct a significant percentage of the sidewalk, but there’s still some room along the street. The team heads slightly back to the right to avoid the first of the tables, but the dog slows as the narrower walkway requires greater care and attention.

Before leaving the café, the team meets a pedestrian coming the opposite direction. The fun is about to begin. The dog has to judge where the moving obstacle will go, and how s/he will impact the line of travel. The person could turn right into the door of the café before reaching the team. In that case, the obstruction is cleared by default, and the dog had to take no action. Instead, however, our friendly pedestrian continues to walk down the block toward the team. Now, the dog has to make a decision. It most likely slows further to provide processing time. The dog is hoping that the obstruction goes away, so that a further move to the right is not necessary. The dog does not want to approach the curb, which is now only about two feet from the right side of the handler. Unfortunately, our moving obstruction doesn't go away, and the dog makes a decision to trade space to make the clearance. The team moves further toward the street on the right. The pedestrian, not realizing that s/he has been reduced to something mentally equivalent to a moving garbage can, passes by the dog’s left side.

Once clear, the dog moves back to the left to regain the safe distance from the curb. The handler, who heard the pedestrian pass, provides praise for the excellent work. The dog still knows, however, that the line of travel has not been re-achieved. That won’t happen until the team passes the café’s seating. Once the line is available, the team speeds up to its normal pace and drives for the next intersection.

The light pole, tables, pedestrian, and curb to the right of the team count as an obstacle, as neither member of the guide team wants to come into contact with them. In fact, guide dogs require special training exercises to find a particular obstacle. For example, a bus stop (commonly marked with a post) counts as an obstacle. The dog will avoid it, unless otherwise directed. The handler uses special techniques to say, “Yes, all those posts are not happy places for us, but this particular one is this block’s version of Disneyland.”

My example may lead one to believe that a guide team swerves and dodges its way down a block. In reality, the dog will try everything possible to maintain the line for as much of a block as it can. Dogs love consistency. They will attempt to generate it by maintaining a behavior that they know gets them to a reward. A consistent block with a reward at the end makes the dog feel comfortable, while giving them a form of fulfillment (food, praise, etc.) when the goal is achieved. The handler, through attentiveness, provides contextual rewards such as praise when an obstacle is successfully bypassed, which supplies immediate re-enforcement for a behavior. Then, with the major goal (walking down the block, in this case) achieved, the handler provides additional re-enforcement.

Of course a primary objective could be the up-curb after crossing a street, our previously-designated “happy place” bus stop, or any number of other concrete spots. The trick is to get from where I am now to that point. The dog needs to successfully navigate obstructions, while dealing with distractions (more on those another day), to achieve the primary goal.

And cities provide lots of opportunities for the new guide team to practice this very point. It was a focus today, and will continue to be throughout the rest of class; not to mention the rest of the dog’s career.

Day 3 - Juno Wants Food Rewards

On the second day of class we started some actual in-town guide work. This is truly where the newcomer and retrain experience deviates. For example, I received only pointers on how to better position, command, and gesture to make the dog comfortable and responsive. Others received deeper instruction based on their previous knowledge, ability, and aptitude. The point is that everyone receives what they need, instead of trying to force all clients through the same process.

The Client

Another notable difference from previous classes (or perhaps gap in my memory) is the term used for class members. Classes are now made up of instructors, clients, dogs, and a class supervisor. The difference between the terms “student” and “client” may be subtle, but they continue to emphasize how GDB now views student involvement and interaction. “Client” sets a tone of customer service, instead of teaching. It changes the mindset of all involved.

Clients are paired with dogs to make teams. Teams are assisted by instructors, who are monitored and assisted by a supervisor. (Note: The term “instructor” is used in legal certification of an individual trained to train guide dog service animals. I don’t expect that particular term to change until the certification changes.)

I hope to see more of this concept of servicing clients as my time here progresses.

Juno, Where’d You Go?

Another way that GDB can compress the schedule is through the use of “Juno” guidework and handling practice. Juno is an instructor that holds the harness (guidework) or uses a rolled up carpet with a collar (handling) to simulate the actions and reactions of a real dog. In other words, Juno is an empty harness held in proper fashion by the client and by the back-strap by the instructor. Using Juno, GDB can give clients experiences that either happen to infrequently, or only under extreme circumstances.

Today, for example, Juno was prone to “going off line” in street crossings. This means that, somewhere in the middle of a street crossing, Juno decided it was time to take a sharp left. This is a reaction that a dog will have at least once in their working life…Guaranteed. However, there is no certainty that it will happen in class. Juno allows the client to gain practical experience with this situation in preparation for the time when it occurs at home.

Juno has been a part of class since I received my first dog. Now, however, Juno and actual dog work happens throughout the day. Both are extremely valuable experience-gathering tools, and each offers different opportunities for on-the-fly instructions and spot improvements.

That being said, Juno is not a real guide experience. Besides the fact that my Juno is much taller than my real dog, he also does not get confused by my fumbling for the right course of action in response to a situation. Juno, despite his gaseous or rug-like form, does not have the same psychology as a normal dog, which means I can make mistakes without impact to the bonding and trust-building process.

Some classmates are already reporting growing levels of mental fatigue. If anything, the saturation of experience and information may be the greatest detriment I’ve so-far identified with the latest GDB methodology. I, as a retrain, am no exception. In many areas I can skate through, as I can rely on my previous experience. Yet in other ways I am trying to break down old habits and build up confidence and competence with new methods and philosophies. For the dogs, we are just another handler at the end of the leash and harness. They have seen this all before. It’s up to the human side of the team to ramp-up as quickly as possible.

Tomorrow is Portland. The big city, on just the third day after receiving our dogs.

Day 2 - The Dog Days of November

Dog Day. The reason we all come to class. We want to see what dogs are issued, how they are matched, and…oh yeah…we want our own dog.

Mystique is key to the Dog Day experience. The one thing that I haven’t seen any change in over the past twenty years is the restriction of any dog information prior to issuing. This means that students know nothing about their own dog, or any other in the training pool, until they receive their own. This is frustrating, but is founded in good practice.

As mentioned earlier, an admitted student will have more than one possible partner in a training string. Instructors may have a pretty firm idea of which dog will be issued to a particular student, but the final decision is not made until class. The instructors use an ever-shrinking period to form their final judgments. This is mostly attributable to the improved admissions process. All those interviews and mobility examinations pay off by bringing Dog Day earlier in the class cycle. For example, when I first attended a GDB class in 1994, Dog Day was four days after student arrival.

Today I received my dog in the early afternoon, and after only one instructor workout.

We’ll examine other methods for compressing the class schedule as the days progress. In short, it certainly seems that the time of the four-week first-dog classes are gone. This is undoubtedly better for everyone involved!

Issuing Time

The private bedroom pays off again on Dog Day. Imagine the awkwardness if an instructor dropped off your dog, but your roommate has to wait for another fifteen minutes. The first impression is so very important in making the bond quickly. Being concerned about a waiting roommate is not where ones mind should be.

To mitigate this, GDB used to issue dogs elsewhere in the building. This caused all kinds of logistical problems as new teams walked past each other in the halls with a minimum of bonding and skill. Add to this the fact that a large amount of equipment is issued with the dogs. Holding everything and handling an excited dog…Yeah, it was difficult.

Excited? Of course. The dogs are just as interested in you as you are in them. They like being in a building, they like you, they like to sniff EVERYTHING! How excited is your pet dog when they get to go in the car? Take it from someone with three guides-worth of experience; a ten-year-old guide dog is still excited to go somewhere new. Always remember, underneath all that training they are still dogs, and they never lose their personalities.

Let’s get back to Dog Day.

The private room concept wins again! In my case, my dog was issued in the privacy of my own room. Having the transfer in a place where I was one-on-one with an instructor and where I was comfortable made a huge difference. My dog and I had uninterrupted bonding time, until it was our turn for our first bit of guide work. This relaxation combined with immediate work started solidifying our relationship immediately.

The rest of the day was a blur of practical experience and information sessions. For the first-dog students, this was probably quite overwhelming. Enough of the tidbits from these lectures were unchanged that I wasn’t terribly lost. If you are preparing for a class, read and re-read your pre-class materials. They have most of the key points, which allows you to focus on detail during the actual sessions.

One more comment before signing off for the night. An instructor-to-student ratio of 2:1 like I am experiencing means that GDB can implement another philosophy change. Previous classes included the idea of paired teams, where two like-paced teams would, at times, work with a single instructor. Now, I and another student are bonded as a team. We have a single assigned primary instructor. I am interested to see how this consistency changes the experience.

Tomorrow we get off campus for the first time…Is it really only day 2?

Day 1 - We're Here!

Your personal GDB first day is going to be highly dependent on your travel situation. I am lucky enough that my family was able to drive me to the campus. This is highly recommended, if you can swing it. You can pack more, experience less stress, and the return home is so much better.

Regarding packing, remember that this isn’t going to be like a normal vacation. You need clothing that you will be comfortable walking and working in. You will want layers (especially in the Pacific Northwest). You will want good, broken-in shoes meant for walking. Think about creature comforts, technology, etc. This is a two-week experience, so plan accordingly. And remember, you are coming home with extra equipment. You’ll somehow need to get all this new stuff home.

And Soon Enough, You’re Here

When I started with GDB in 1994, students shared rooms. Classes had anywhere from twelve to twenty-four members. Arrival day was chaotic, busy, and a bit confusing for the newcomer.

Now things seem remarkably quiet. The dining hall, meant to feed up-to three dozen, had six students. The place feels big and more solitary. In particular, the individual bedrooms mean that one has plenty of personal space (which was at a bit of a premium previously).

Remember your well-packed personal effects? The now single-person rooms have an almost insane amount of space. What formerly worked for two is now all yours. Go nuts, but remember that you’ll be packing it all back up after two weeks.

In my case, check-in started at about 2:00 PM. Our first lecture (mostly introductory material and equipment handout) was at 4:30. If you are arriving on via your own travel arrangements, plan to be at the campus by 3:30 so you can acclimate to the dormitory. If you normally need extra time to relax in a new place, arrive earlier. Families are, of course, welcome into the dorm for drop-off. Just try to be respectful of your fellow students who might be homesick already and/or are trying to deal with an abrupt and possibly dramatic change.

Of course, if GDB arranges your travel, all this will be taken care of. Relax, they have everything planned out. Be aware that you may need to pay for any luggage check fees. In my class, these costs were reimbursed.

Unpack, Unwind?

After dinner the group finished off the lecture with a brief dormitory tour. You are going to live here for the next two weeks. Pay attention to the tour, and ask questions or for more detail. Especially those that are receiving a first dog may feel overwhelmed with information. Rely on the resident assistant and the nursing staff. These people are there to help make your time successful.

With all lectures done I…returned to the room to work for a couple of hours. This combination of GDB and employer focus is going to be my personal cross for the next couple of weeks. The new class sizes and structure will help this significantly, as I will have far fewer distractions. Others, on the other hand, might feel more comfortable unpacking, getting to know other students, or reviewing the lecture material for the next day.

Previous experience says that class life can be categorized into three buckets. Hurry-up, wait, and eat. I’m interested to see if the same applies in this new class philosophy.

Tomorrow is a very important day. Getting a guide dog is not an easy commitment. Coming back for a successor dog allows you to settle in more quickly, but you are probably still coping with the transition away from your previous partner. I know I am. In fact, the habits and assumptions made with one dog probably won't work with another. The class instruction helps to restore your technique and understanding, while giving you time to accept that this new person is in your life.

And that all starts....tomorrow.

Day -2 - The Prologue

Well hello blog...We haven't communicated in a while. I'm still around and kicking. I'm surprised to see that you are as well. I would have thought that my words of 2010-2011 would have been wiped away due to inattentiveness, but here we both are.

So why am I writing again?

In short, because it's time.

Goodbye, Berta

My faithful guide of more than 6 years passed away in late August. In a series of remarkably intense and rapid events, we found that she had liver cancer, and the prognosis was not at all pleasant. It was a difficult, heart-rending, and personally enlightening day. I know that those days are inevitable for any dog handler, but this was my first time experiencing the process first-hand.

I started using a cane the very next day, returning to my daily schedule as a coping mechanism. But it didn't make the next decision any easier.

Commitment to Admission

After several weeks, I finally made the decision that I would be seeking another guide dog. Besides field labeling issues (ironic) the application process was easy until I reached the "submit" button. Could I click it? Would it diminish Berta's memory if I took steps to get a new dog? Did I really want to have another dog in my life? The cane travel was going alright, perhaps it was enough?

I clicked the button.

Lead-Up to Leading

The GDB application process includes multiple interviews, a medical questionnaire, possible updates to inoculations, and an in-person visit with a GDB field manager or trainer. The intention is to confirm that you are physically able to work a guide dog successfully while providing the school with valuable information about your lifestyle. Accommodations are made for individuals that have disabilities in addition to vision loss.

Examining your lifestyle, pace, gait, environment, and other factors allows GDB to identify potential new partners. In most cases, class instructors have at least a couple of potential dogs in mind for each new student. Final decisions are made when the students arrive...More on that later. In my case, there are two potential options being examined. In general, students have no information about the potentials. Name, breed, personality, these are all held back for a very special day.

As I sit writing this, the dog that I will be partnered with is finishing his/her training in preparation for next week.

Blog Revival

Training with a new dog is an emotional rollercoaster. Many students come to class with baggage related to previous guides, recent changes in vision, or other personal concerns. The faster that the student becomes comfortable with the class environment and schedule, the sooner they will be able to focus on the real work of building a new relationship. This is the primary goal of the two weeks one spends in class.

The process doesn't get easier with successor dogs. Much like wearing a pair of broken-in shoes, a guide dog user becomes familiar with their partner's quirks and capabilities. Receiving a new dog means learning about a new person; one that will spend a significant amount of their and your lives in near proximity. Think about the last time you thought about going on a first date. To improve the analogy, imagine that it's a blind date...You have no idea who this other person is. Remember, you can't easily turn around and leave the restaurant when you see what the new person looks like. A very high percentage of guide dog pairings work successfully. This, despite an admittedly small sample of your life being investigated during the admissions process. I’d rank GDB’s success rate higher than any match-maker website.

I last trained with a new dog in 2008. Since then, the class philosophy, structure, and makeup have significantly changed. No more roommates. A class of six, instead of my accustomed twelve-to-twenty-four. An emphasis on redirection instead of correction. The process will look very different from my last experience.

Which leads us to the next two weeks. Today is, hopefully, the last time that I primarily commute using a cane for several years. On Sunday I will head to the GDB Oregon campus to meet my new partner. I will receive, and hope to graduate with, my fourth guide dog.

In preparation, I looked to the Internet to find accounts of others who have gone through the process recently. I found very little, and what I did find is mostly outdated. Therefore, I plan to spend the next two weeks blogging about my experience. I hope these words will help someone learn more about the guide dog lifestyle, but my primary goal is to help future students feel less anxious when walking into this life-changing experience.

And Now, a Disclaimer

I am not writing on behalf of Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB), Inc. My experience and opinions are my own, and only reflect my personal experience. Changes in GDB policy, execution, and mission can occur at any time, and may invalidate part or all of my opinions and conclusions.

It should be noted that I have twenty years of working dogs provided by GDB. My personal background undoubtedly biases my words. Additionally, I can't reiterate enough the physical and emotional impact that guide dog training can have. This means that over the next two weeks this blog will be full of puppy pictures, descriptions of moments of awe, and apprehensive excitement. On the other hand, there will be low days with posts about failed clearances and stressing about the team's success.

It's going to be a wild ride. Come along with me and we'll see how it all works out.