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.
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