Beginning the Journey with Guide Dog # 3

Dear readers,

ON June 27, I received a call from Shannon Walsh at Guiding Eyes for the Blind (GEB). She wanted to invite me to come to class for my next dog on July 10. I let her know that wouldn’t be feasible—too much going on with house repairs, work, etc. However, I would be able to come by August or after. She said she would get back to me after talking with Admissions. Later that same afternoon, she called back to give me an update but we played a little phone tag before we spoke the next day. She thought the August 14 class would work. It would be a three-week class, which I was glad for—most classes at GEB are now two weeks. I Like having the extra time to bond with my new dog, to fully focus on that process, away from the day-to-day routine, and to problem solve with the experts as needed. I let her know I could do that, but that I would need to travel out of state with my new dog only four days after getting home from class. She wanted to check in with others on the team about that, which is understandable. Ideally, a new team should come home and establish a routine right away. The dogs have been through a lot of change when we receive them, and more so as they are adjusting to us. It would be helpful to keep things as consistent and predictable for them as possible the first few months. However, this was something I had scheduled months ago and that I would not be able to change. It will take place at a large resort, but the gathering will be a group of about 50 people, and most of my time will be in the same conference area. Because I feel like the setting will be fairly low key for the most part, I would be comfortable going with a new dog. Going to, say, a large blindness convention, would be a different story, and I wouldn’t want to put a new dog under all that stress. I did assure Shannon that I would be tuned into my dog, and that if it seemed they were stressed or overwhelmed in any way, I would give them a break, using human guide, cane, or just letting them chill in the room for a while. I also think that guide dogs know when we are truly depending on them, and they often do their best work in these situations. I was asked if I would have the option of leaving my dog with someone when I traveled, and I said I wasn’t comfortable with that. After all, we will have been together for just about three weeks, still very much in that critical bonding period. On the afternoon of June 30, Shannon called to give me the good news that the team had agreed to allow me to come to the August 14 class. Thus began the next phase of my guide dog journey.

What a roller coaster of emotions I was feeling all at the same time—excitement about meeting my next guide dog partner and starting our adventures together, sadness at not continuing to work with Keats, my amazing partner of over nine years, and everything in between. Keats has the most amazing work ethic, and he would probably work forever if I let him. Oh, how I wish we could work forever! As much as a big part of me would want to let him, I know it’s not the right thing to do for him. Though his work is still spot on and he loves every minute of it, he is slowing down, though not when he is running around with his toys or doing zoomies around the living room/dining room. Lol Even at 11 years old, he still has and probably will always have some puppy in him. He deserves to retire when he can still enjoy just being a dog and relaxing. He’s earned it! I think one of the hardest things for me is the thought of not being able to explain to my boy why he is staying behind for three weeks without me, or why I will be walking out the door with another dog instead of him. I know they adapt, and perhaps I will have more trouble with it than he will. *smile* 😊 I will do my best to help him understand that he is still my boy, and I don’t love him any less. When I retired Sachet, my first dog, she went to live with my parents, where she lived a well-deserved spoiled retired life. So, our challenges were different. I know there will be adjustments for us all, but we will work through them and be all the better for it. Keats leaves very big paws to fill. Fortunately, we have enough room in our hearts to love them all.

The next five weeks seemed like a whirlwind. With so much going on, the fact that I would soon be retiring Keats and training with my next guide seemed like a distant reality. I surely wasn’t fully processing it, which was probably a good thing, since I would’ve undoubtedly been a hot mess if I had more time to think about it all. Last week, I started hearing from GEB. I had already heard from admissions a couple of weeks before with pre-class information and flight itineraries. In the span of three days, I got calls from the nurse, my class instructor, the chef, and the client experience team. It was getting real!

As our time working together was drawing to a close, I tried to take time to savor and enjoy those precious moments. Each time we went to a client’s home, an office, or any location where we went regularly, I kept thinking how it would be the last time we’d be there together. I thought about how Keats makes me look so good, as he remembers so well any place we’ve been to before, and beautifully targets what I need. For instance, at one of my client’s homes, we sometimes work at the dining room table, the living room couch, or the upstairs bedroom. I don’t have to remember exactly where that couch or table is located. I just have to direct Keats in the general direction and ask him to find the seat, and off we go. I need to keep reminding myself that it took time and hard work to build that kind of smooth working team, but I also know that Keats is one amazing boy! Why can’t we just clone them?!!! *smile* 😊 Our last day as a working guide dog team came and went, and I made it through with minimal emotional moments. A couple of highlights were going to Whataburger for the first time, where he expertly helped us locate the door, seat, and trashcan, finding our way back using a GPS and our amazing teamwork, and playing Hide and Seek at the office. I couldn’t believe it would probably be the last day he’d be going there with me!! ☹

On Monday at 6 AM, I was New York bound. I slept less than two hours the night before—not enough hours in the day/night to get everything done I wanted to before I left. One of the things I did was spend some time grooming Keats, just being together. I’m glad we had that quiet time when not much else was going on. The hour before I left the house was a complete contrast to that. Just before I walked out the door, I gave him a big hug and told him to be good for daddy, and that I’d miss him. I know he’ll be good—he always has been the type of dog who just does what he knows would please us. At one point, Casey texted me that he had gone to answer the door, and Keats ran over, wagging like mad, thinking it might have been me. My husband, who doesn’t like to show his feelings, was crying when I called him right after. If you ask him, he’ll deny it. He swore there was something in the coffee, but I know better. *smile* 😊 Keats has been a little mopey, not playing with his toys as usual, but at least he has not whined. In spite of the challenges we will face, I know he will be ok, we both will.

The trip to GEB was smooth. It was the first time I had traveled without Keats since 2014 when I got him, so it definitely felt strange. The only positive of that was not having to worry about the DOT service animal form, or where to sit on the plane. As is usually the case, God put a few angels in my path, like Michelle, who let me get in line with her at the coffee shop, helped me get my order, and walked with me to the customer service counter at my gate. There was also Jacob, the gentleman who sat next to me on the first leg of my trip and walked with me to my connecting gate. His gate happened to be just a few past mine so that worked out well. Then there was Raymen, the assistant at the LaGuardia airport who was so helpful and accommodating. As I was walking with him to baggage claim, I was also trying to order Dunkin’ Donuts for my husband on Uber Eats—he got up with me at 2 AM to see me off, and he had like 8 clients that day, so he definitely needed the pick-me-up from his favorite coffee place. At one point, the app was being ornery about customizing the coffee, and Raymen saw I was struggling. He said, “Would you like to stop for a minute?” I didn’t want to hold him up, but he insisted. I was so grateful for that extra minute to just focus on finishing the order. The fact that he noticed and was willing to take that extra minute might not seem like much, but it meant a lot to me.

Two training assistants met me at baggage claim, along with one of the other students. He happens to be the oldest member in the class—turned 71 years old today. The youngest member is 19, a college student. There are six of us in class, and three instructors, plus the class supervisor—they call it something else but I can’t remember her title at the moment. We have a first-time guide dog handler, several people who have had 3-4 dogs, and a couple of us who have also been to other schools. I heard there is a good mix of black and yellow labs. So, we are a very balanced group! *smile* 😊 After getting room orientation, I participated in a transition group, where we get to talk about our retired guides and reminisce together. I always find those groups valuable. Dinner was yummy, and I couldn’t believe one of the kitchen staff remembered me from back in 2014! What a memory!

Today is Tuesday, and we got to do a test walk with our potential dog. Our walk went well, and I got to spend some time with him afterward, just getting to know each other a little. He is a male black lab, a big boy. He is spunky and curious, and definitely food motivated. He had a nice pace and pull, and His curb approaches were pretty spot on. Calm praise is important for this boy, as he seems to get amped up easily. He also likes to jump up—he probably gives nice hugs. We’ll have to see how that works out if we do indeed get matched. I’ll probably limit that at first so as not to let the jumping get out of hand. He did have trouble with the “close” command, but a lot of them did today. That command is used to get them to sit between your knees facing away from you. I don’t know if it’s because we’re not using their names and they’re not cuing into us the same. They don’t tell us their names until we officially get them, since anything can happen, and the dog we did the test walk with may not be the dog they decide to give us. All I know is that his name starts with an L. I have a guessing game going with all my students, coworkers, family, and friends. We’ll see if anyone guessed it.

So, in less than 12 hours, I will know for sure who my next partner will be. I know God has a special one picked out for me. I have been praying for them at least for the last six weeks, that we will be ready for each other, that He will bless us with a long and wonderful partnership, that He will give us each patience and grace as we learn to work wit one another, and that we will become a fabulous team as it has been with both Sachet and Keats. Speaking of Keats, you’ve probably gathered this, but he will be staying with us in retirement, along with our newly adopted retired PTSD dog, Spike, a black lab golden cross. We will soon be a three-dog household!

Stay tuned for more on mystery dog # 3. I may not write as much as I’d like—class is intense in so many ways, but I will definitely let y’all know tomorrow what his name is and post a picture. If you’ve read this far, thanks for sticking with me. I can’t wait to see what the next two and a half weeks hold!