Day 14 - Graduation

You just want to go home. You may be worried, but reaching this point means that you have the basic skills that will help this new guide team be successful. You have one thing left to do in class.

Doggie Grad

Graduation has very little to do with you. In fact, for you, this is more of a beginning. For the dog, however, this is a ceremony that celebrates all that they have done in the short year-and-a-half since their birth. In addition, graduation recognizes the hard work of the puppy raisers.

Graduation is emotional. Graduation is (for those that don’t like to speak into a microphone) stressful. Graduation is controlled chaos. Graduation is fun!

If your puppy raiser is attending graduation, you can expect them to arrive shortly after lunch. You may be asked if you want to have an after-graduation meal with them. Assuming that you are going home on Saturday, you will be packed and ready before the raisers arrive. Trust me on this, you WILL BE PACKED BEFORE THE RAISERS ARRIVE!

When you meet your raiser, you can expect your dog to break just about every rule. They will be very excited to see the raisers. The best option is to keep them out of harness, and immediately hand your leash to the raiser. Let them have their time.

Also, take some time Saturday morning to let your dog burn off some energy. Let them play a bit so that they have a better chance at being manageable through the afternoon.

Brush your dog’s teeth at least twenty-four hours ahead of graduation. Groom your dog on Saturday morning. Relieve your dog before lunch, then again before the graduation ceremony begins. Ask the resident assistant to help find lost items.

Most people will dress in business casual or better for graduation. True formal wear is not necessary. You will be taking professional pictures with your dog and, assuming that they attend, your puppy raisers.

I will not write to much about the graduation ceremony itself, but I will make a few recommendations:

First, think about what you are going to say. You will have a short amount of time to speak to the audience. Keep it short, keep it focused on the dog, the friends and family that helped you get to GDB, the GDB staff, and the puppy raiser. Remember, this ceremony is for them, not you. You’ve already said what needs to be said to your class, and no one else is going to get the inside jokes. Relax.

Second, carry tissues or handkerchiefs. Graduation is an emotional event. Even if it isn’t for you, it might be for your raiser or someone nearby.

Let people help you. This is not a situation where you will be working your dog, nor will you use a cane. Sighted guides are abundantly available.

Relax.

The End

As I finish documenting this two week experience, I want to thank my family, friends, and coworkers for allowing me this time away to train. The compressed class experience affords less down time in which to stay in touch. Your understanding has been great!

Thanks to the other clients in my class. May you all have long and successful travels with your new companions.

To the support staff and volunteers at GDB, you have my deepest thanks. You make a home base for us to work out of during a very difficult time. My particular thanks to those that worked over the Thanksgiving holiday during this class experience.

To the instructors of our class, thank you. You successfully showed me a new way of working a dog. My travels will be safer and more successful because of how you broke down my old habits and raised me up in the new psychology of dog handling. Here’s to positive re-enforcement.

And finally, to my puppy raiser family. Kincaid would not be here in the place where I need him without your time, dedication, and effort. I know from firsthand experience how sending off a dog for training can feel. Know now that your work was worth it and that you have changed at least one life.

And to Kincaid: Let’s kick ass, little man. Forward!

Day 13 - Wrap It Up

It is the last Friday of class. One last formal route and some “wrap it up” lectures. We have almost arrived. I will use this entry to provide some wrap-up information as well.

Packing Up

Early on I referred to saving luggage space for extra equipment. The list varies somewhat with each class that I attend, but what follows is a list of the new items that I can take home with me this time. Again, this may change.

1. Food – GDB provides food for the trip home and an extra few days. If you haven’t already ordered food, this can be a good bridge. 2. An approximately three-foot-by-three-foot rug that acts as your dog’s bed. 3. A fanny pack with grooming and tooth brushing equipment. 4. A pouch with dog booties intended for use with escalators or extreme weather. 5. A handful of pick-up bags for the trip and to bridge until you have your own supply at home. 6. A food measuring cup. 7. A one-year supply of flea/tick and heartworm preventative. 8. A travel cup with lid. (Always have a lid on hot beverages when around your dog.) 9. Three dog toys. 10. An approximately two-foot long cable with clips at each end that acts as a dog tie-down. 11. Training aids such as a clicker and head collar, in addition to your dog’s harness and leash. 12. A binder with various pieces of information.

Much of this will need to be packed. If you run out of space, you can arrange to ship clothing to your home. You can arrange this with GDB staff.

You may also have purchased items while on routes or at the on-campus GDB gift shop. The gift shop in particular is a great source of dog equipment. My special favorite being a small pouch that keeps your dog’s tags from clicking with every step. You can also purchase GDB-logoed clothing and other items. The gift shop prices are quite competitive, and they do accept credit card payments. (The gift shop is also available on www.guidedogs.com.) Remember to make room in your luggage for these items.

Friday afternoon and evening, as well as a significant portion of Saturday morning is open for you to pack, prepare, and say goodbyes to your classmates. Once puppy raisers arrive and graduation starts, time gets very chaotic. Expect that you will not have much of an opportunity to relax after lunch on Saturday.

At this point you have only one thing left to do.

Day 12 - Who Are You?

Assuming that there are no extenuating circumstances, you will have most or all of your training checklist complete by the last Thursday of class. Thursday is about polishing and overflow.

In this class everything has gone well. We have lost a minimum of time due to client illness or injury (yes, both chronic and acute problems should be expected). In addition, we had no dog changes. A mid-class dog change is uncommon, but can happen. This doesn’t mean that you should lessen bonding with the initially assigned dog. In fact, you can prevent some reasons for dog changes simply by quickly developing a relationship. In my four class sessions, I have had one mid-class dog change.

You should now be thinking about graduation, and what the first few days at home will be like. You might pre-order a bag of food to be delivered before or shortly after you arrive. Ask housemates to start dog-proofing. How will you introduce your new dog to friends and family? In many ways, you can equate this homecoming to leaving the hospital with a newborn baby. Plan it appropriately.

Puppy Raisers

My favorite part of the last few days of class is the introduction to the puppy raiser(s). GDB uses a large community of volunteers to start the training and socializing of puppies. Without these amazingly giving people formal guide training would not be possible. In most cases, this is the first opportunity you will have to learn about your dog outside of their formal guide training experience.

You will receive the formal recall report from the puppy raiser(s). This will give some basic information about your dog’s experience in the raiser home. In addition, most puppy raisers provide a “Fun Things About My Puppy” form that gives more detailed or entertaining information about the dog’s early life. (Note: If you are a reading this as a puppy raiser, please know that the FTAMP report is greatly appreciated in class. You filling it out makes for some good entertainment and an otherwise impossible glimpse into the dog’s personality.)

Understand, however, that the puppy reports do not necessarily reflect your dog’s current behaviors. Dogs in the first two years of life mature rapidly. Behaviors they showed in the raiser home may now be gone.

You will also learn a bit about the puppy raiser. Where do they live? Did they have or encounter children or other animals? These can all be helpful in understanding how your dog may fit into its new life. Most importantly, however, you will learn if your puppy raiser(s) will be attending graduation. Raisers will often travel unexpectedly long distances just to spend a few short hours with their successful puppy. This is often the last time that they will see the dog. Remember this over the next few days.

Early in class you are asked if GDB can release your contact information to the primary raiser. I highly recommend this, as raisers usually have entertaining or heart-warming stories, and can be an invaluable source of behavioral information. It is in these last few days of class that you can expect a phone call from most raisers, even if they will not be attending graduation. Take the opportunity to ask questions, listen to stories, and generally get a feel for the kind of people that had such an impact on the formative time in your dog’s life.

Several years ago, my wife and I raised a puppy for GDB. I was given a fantastic glimpse into the other end of the training experience. I learned how the dogs grow and develop, but best of all I learned just how much work goes into that first year of the dog’s life. I also learned how difficult it can be to watch a dog go back to school, and how tense one can feel with every new puppy progress report. These raisers poured their heart and soul into your dog. You’ve seen the benefits of their work with every success over the past two weeks. Remember to thank them.

The Vet

Not surprisingly, GDB has veterinarians on staff. You will meet with a vet late in class. You will learn about your dog’s medical history, and will receive a final checkup. The output of this is a packet of information that you should take to your home vet, and a health certificate. If you are travelling to a home outside the United States, your dog may receive additional inoculations at this time. Listen well to the vet talk, as they provide invaluable advice on how to keep your dog in top condition so as to provide years of service.

Day 11 - Getting in the Groove

There is a point in class where each new team starts to feel comfortable. They understand the flow and pace that works best. They know the cadence of commands and motion that best communicates desired action. They start to understand what each other tolerates. They are not yet thinking together, but they have at least taken steps toward coordinated performance. And it feels good.

This is the primary purpose of the “standard route”. Back on the third day of class, a basic or standard route was introduced by the instructor. This route is meant to provide the team an opportunity to practice while working toward a purpose. We call it a standard route because the team will work it throughout class.

This is very similar to many at-home situations. I, for example, will walk a standard route to-and-from work every week day. My dog will become so good at this route that he will be able to do it with only minimal direction. Through walking this route, we will continue to build confidence in each other.

Building the standard route is fairly easy. The key is to keep the route positive and directed. There should be a goal (usually a destination). The dog will, like finding a down-curb after a block, feel a sense of accomplishment when the goal is achieved. The dog may not think of the goal throughout the route, but will be able to easily target it at an ever increasing distance.

We start learning the standard route by walking it ourselves. This is done to provide the dog the greatest level of confidence when s/he first walks the path. Walking a block, then trying to determine which way to go will cause the dog to lose confidence and a sense of purpose. Remember, the idea is to make the dog succeed. Dithering does not help.

Now that the handler knows the route, s/he walks the dog, with a cane or a sighted guide, along the path. The dog is not guiding at this point, and may not even be in harness. Yet we treat the trip as if the dog were working. We walk from corner to corner with purpose. We reward at proper points. We press toward the goal. The dog is learning that this is a path, not a social visit with friends along the way.

This patterning walk can happen one or more times. Once the handler is confident, the team works the route. This time it is real. The dog is guiding in harness. The handler provides an abundance of food rewards to impress upon the dog that each little piece of the route is a positive experience. The dog is learning that the route can be accomplished with him/her at the wheel. Confidence rises.

After a few times through the standard route (which may take several days), the handler starts to vary the food rewards. A down-curb that warranted a reward yesterday may only receive praise today, but tomorrow it gets a reward again. The dog learns that food rewards can happen at any time, so s/he attempts to do the best job possible each time. Meanwhile, the handler progressively reduces the amount of food rewarded. Praise is free, so is always offered for a job well done.

The general concept of establishing the standard route is learned in class. The handler learns the method, and quickly implements the theory with a route that means nothing except in the class environment. With the theory and some practical experience under their belts, the team can go home and establish routes in their own community. These routes, however, will have much longer impact on the team, and should be taught with care. They will show dividends in the future.

Again, it is on these standard routes that the team builds flow and coordination. Like learning to play an instrument, working through a basic practice regiment helps build muscle memory and confidence. After only a few weeks the team will work the most common standard routes with ease. This comfort will allow them to develop their own style and pace. They will be presented with problems in a known environment, which reduces confusion.

Should the team work outside the standard route during the formative early months? Most definitely yes. Stretching the team’s newly found abilities is the only way to keep them improving. Early on, however, they should expect that they will not have the same level of confidence in a new area.

Today, for example, my dog and I worked our standard route in the morning. We executed very well, with only a few small problems. I, and I assume he, felt like a functioning team. In the afternoon we visited a new location with heavy traffic and some difficult crossings. The change was apparent from the start, as we looked to the instructor for guidance and support. Our cadence was off. Though he performed very well considering the conditions, I did not feel that same sense of being part of a team. It was, in a word, more awkward. Could we eventually turn this new location into a standard route? Certainly, but it would take time just like any other route.

That sense of awkwardness never fully goes away in my case. I always try to push the bounds of my own abilities, and look to the dog to do the same. However, we will eventually build enough trust that we will overcome much of this difficulty in working new routes. Instead, we will seek out new paths to wander. For now, though, we are still learning just how to walk together.

It takes time.

Day 10 - Stress Test

In case I haven’t mentioned it previously, the class schedule is quite variable. Though today (the second Tuesday) reflects several testing scenarios, the next class may have today’s events broken up across multiple days, or they may be on a different day altogether.

Class instructors and supervisors appear to maintain a checklist for each client. In addition to some mandatory items, the client can request optional training opportunities that suit their particular needs. Mandatory items are intended to provide the client information about how their dog works, or provide essential skills that are necessary for all teams. For example, teaching your dog a standard route is a mandatory item, while working escalators is optional. The entire class will work some mandatory items as a whole, while others are worked with only a few at a time.

One of the most common reasons that people seek the assistance of a guide dog relates to traffic. The handler is expected to read his/her own traffic while standing at a street corner. However, automobiles may, like pedestrians, threaten to impede the team’s line of travel at unexpected times. These are called traffic checks.

The team’s first traffic check can happen any time after they first hit the streets. My earliest traffic check with a particular dog involved a delivery truck that overran a corner on my first ever route with my second dog. It should be no surprise that he and I started bonding fairly early in the class experience.

Traffic checks exhibit a trained behavior called “intelligent disobedience”. The dog, who we normally expect to obey commands, may refuse or even perform a completely opposite action as to the one asked. For example, telling a dog to step into the path of an oncoming vehicle should result in no reaction from the dog. The dog recognizes the safety hazard, and waits for the handler to acknowledge that the correct decision was made.

Again, we don’t always encounter traffic checks at street corners. . They can occur at any time, and do not always involve a moving vehicle. With my current guide, we encountered a running vehicle blocking our line of travel on our second route on the streets. The driver was attempting to turn left out of a parking lot, and my dog, properly, refused to closely approach or circumnavigate the vehicle. Why is this a good reaction? Because I can’t see the driver. I have no idea if the driver has seen me, and I don’t know when they might start moving. Why not just travel behind the car?...Which end is the front, and which is the back? We did the safe thing and waited until the obstruction was out of the way, then continued with heaps of praise.

GDB does not expect that we will encounter all forms of traffic checks during class. In fact, I expect that they hope that we don’t, as some of them, such as the overrun curb, could be quite dangerous if encountered “in the wild”. Therefore, a route is planned during which the handler gets to see how their dog reacts to a variety of traffic incidents. This route is not intended to frighten or disrupt either the dog or the handler, although I can admit that it can be stressful to all involved. It features a number and variety of traffic checks, each of which exhibits a different behavior.

If You Can Dodge A Wrench…

One of the primary objectives of class is to gain the dog’s attention. This means that, if presented with a distracting situation, the dog will turn to the handler for guidance and support. The end goal is to have the dog work past a distraction in order to reach the destination. We do this through the use of positive re-enforcers like food and praise. If a dog is truly distracted (and it is safe to do so) we can use a negative re-enforcer called a “time out”. Finally, there are situations where a traditional leash correction may be appropriate.

Yet the first option is the positive re-enforcers. Over the days since receiving the dog, the handler has been developing the dog’s recognition that the handler will, if a distraction is ignored, provide the positive re-enforcers. Again stealing a phrase from the instruction staff, we have “built a bank” of trust with the dog. And today it’s time to test that out.

Pet stores in general are extremely distracting for dogs. A normally well-trained dog may have trouble maintaining composure when exposed to so many distracting opportunities. A guide dog must overcome these distractions to safely move his/her handler through the store. Although we are not at the end of class and we do expect to continue learning and bonding, we can view the pet store as a major test of our abilities and time. I should specify that this is an internal test. GDB expects that working in a pet store, at this point in the process, should have some level of success. In other words, this is a kind of proof to the handler that the re-enforcement techniques and concepts work. Not to mention the fact that it displays the level to which the relationship between dog and handler has already grown.

With the growth of Internet shopping, it is now possible that a guide team will not have to work a pet store outside of class. On the other hand, how many stores could possibly pose as many distractions as a pet store? Perhaps a butcher that is nearing a health code-related shut down. In other words, if the guide team can work successfully in a pet store, we can expect that they will be able to work in just about any other building.

Shake It Off

Teams could be excused from feeling a bit stressed after a morning of traffic and an afternoon trip to the pet store. The reality is that this kind of day might not be uncommon for some teams. And so we find ways to blow that stress away. Dogs, like humans, like a bit of stretching and relaxation to decompress.

In my experience, we stretched it off with our first real long blocks and a quick trip through a suburban trail. For me, and hopefully for my new dog, this opportunity to get some speed and distance was exactly what was needed.

And then the harness comes off and we play. Because at the end of the day, he’s still a dog.

Day 9 - Night Moves

So you are now a week into the guide dog experience. You think you know what commands the dog will perform for, how it reacts in many situations, and how it is going to fit into your life. And then the night route happens.

Everything changes for a dog at night, just like it does for us. A route the team has followed successfully for months may cause the dog to react completely differently if run at night. Lighting and shadows, different traffic flows (both pedestrian and wheeled), ambient sounds, and other key markers will most likely change when the sun goes down. Dogs react to these changes in a variety of ways. One dog will speed up through the route, while another slows down. They may be more jumpy, less able to focus, or hypersensitive. You may even find something new that the dog fears.

Yet your handling can not change. It is the one anchor that the dog has when exploring this similar, but not same, environment. In many ways, the night route is the point in the class experience where the dog starts to depend on the handler for solace and the constancy that they crave.

Add to this the fact that many handlers with low-vision are uncomfortable working at night. They depend on residual sight during the day, and build up coping mechanisms that fail in the dark. The night route can be scary for the handler as well. For me, on the other hand, it’s usually just something else that needs to be done at the end of a long day.

When you encounter the night route, I recommend that you try to relax. Close your eyes if possible. Before starting the route, mentally review all the great travel the dog has enabled over the past few days. Remember how, just a few hours ago, you started to feel that you were finally becoming a team. Depend on the trust and skill that you have developed.

In short, having a guide dog means retaking the night. Throw on some reflective clothing and get out there.

Day 8 - Starting Life with a Dog

The second Sunday of class features no scheduled guide work. The intention is to give the instructors something of a weekend, and allow the clients time to relax and maintain. That being said, Sunday is a good introduction to the guide dog lifestyle.

Many people refuse to get a guide dog because they don’t want to handle the extra responsibility. Working as a member of a guide team brings many benefits, not least of which is safer travel. However, as the handler you put many things back into the relationship.

First, you help the dog with its basic needs. Dogs are typically on a twice-a-day feeding cycle. They are usually offered water four to five times a day. And, of course, all that food and water has to come out eventually. Dogs will usually be offered a bathroom break at least four times a day. While none of these are particularly difficult tasks, they do take time and dedication. You can expect that all of these tasks combined will take approximately thirty to forty-five minutes a day to complete. Every dog is different, and an experienced team may be faster than these projections.

Beyond the basic needs, dogs need other kinds of care. Keeping your dog happy means dedicating time to play, either with a toy or in a safe off-leash area. Additionally, you will need to keep your dog clean through grooming, teeth brushing, nail trimming, ear cleaning, and very infrequent (at most monthly) baths. Some of these tasks count toward relaxation for the dog as well, particularly grooming.

And, of course, the dog is not a machine. They will have health issues that need both preventatives to maintain wellness and emergent care for real problems. That being said, a well-cared-for dog will have very few emergency health problems throughout their working life. Keep the dog on weight, give it flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives, monitor its behaviors and environment, and you can expect your dog to stay healthy.

All of this, by the way, does not come without a very real monitary cost. You will be buying food, preventative medicines, toothpaste, nail trimming services, pick-up bags, and potentially other items on a reoccurring basis. You will also be buying durable items such as bowls, a food bin, toys, beds or crates, and replacements for most failed or lost equipment. Many of these count as tax deductions, but in the end they are real money coming out of your bank account.

There is no doubt that you dedicate resources, time, and energy into the animal that is now both a mobility aid and a companion. Only you can decide whether the improvements in your life are worth the added responsibility. I can tell you that all these tasks, seemingly extremely complicated in the beginning, become second nature. Will you have the occasional morning when you don’t want to get out of bed to feed and relieve your dog? Most certainly yes. And yet you do, because of two things. First, because everything that the dog gives into the relationship without fail is more than you will ever give. And second, because most dogs (particularly Labradors) won’t let you get away with not feeding on time.