Jane’s Addiction

I struggle long and hard to come up with pop culture references for this blog.  Admittedly, sometimes it’s a stretch.

Today,  Jane, a trainer from Canadian Guide Dogs For the Blind in Manotick, Ontario came for our yearly aftercare visit. These visits ensure that guide dog and handler are still working efficiently and that nothing is amiss with the dog’s care or health. I am one of several clients from CGDB that Jane visited this week. My concern, as expressed in a past blog, is that I might be getting a little sloppy with the ‘rules’ regarding guide dog handling. I CHOOSE to allow Opal on the bed and sofa. I give her a ‘cookie’ when she gets home….  however, when it comes to the meat and potatoes of my relationship and handling of Opal? Tickety-boo!  The girl saves my life every other day. She also adds a dimension to my life that I never thought possible. To put it simply, my life is more enjoyable because Opal is in it.  I still value Jane’s expertise, so I was a little concerned about the impending visit.  Jane knows dogs. She loves, lives, and breathes guide dog training. I refer to it as,  ‘Jane’s Addiction’ , like the band of the same name. (see how I finally got to the pop-culture reference?!  Jane’s Addiction, by the way, is an alternative American rock band that plays hard rock, punk etc.  They’ve had a spotty past, but are reuniting this year for the third time in their ‘musical’ history)

Opal adores Jane. She did a BIG happy dance when Jane arrived. My concerns began to ease when Jane commented on how well Opal looks; healthy and cared for.  We chatted for a while about my experiences with Opal over the last year. Then, we went for a walk over to the post office in the mall.   Opal constantly spun her head back to look at  Jane (trailing and observing us). Other than that,  we were fine.   There is apparently nothing wrong with this Guide dog team! My girl even went off-curb to take me round an obstacle I could not see. We returned home victorious (and sweaty).  Jane showed me a better way to clean Opal’s ears. She checked Opal’s equipment and put a new reflective sleeve over part of Opal’s harness ( goes over the chest strap). We shared t-Touch tips (see Tellington Touch link on blogroll) and then, sadly it was time to say our goodbyes. Opal? She stared at the door for a minute after she left and seemed OK when I said, “Jane had to go home and train some more guide dogs”.

QUICK!!!! HIDE THE MILK BONES!!!!!

Good Gravy!!!! Hide the MilkBones!!! Jane is coming!!!! Who is Jane, you ask? Why am broaching hysteria? Jane M. is a trainer with Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind. She spent months using her expertise and years of experience as a trainer of dogs, to train my girl, Opal IV into a great Guide dog. Then, she trained ME (and what a sorry excuse for a trainee I was) WITH Opal and turned us into a TEAM. That was over two years ago, and now it’s time for our annual ‘after-care visit’. Here’s the thing… I’ve sort of tweaked some of the rules and introduced my own spin on my handling of Opal… and now, I have two and half weeks to get us sorted out!!! Hide the Milk Bones!!! (no treats, says Jane…hmm… I started giving the girl a cookie when we get home). Let’s see, what other ‘illegal activity’ am I guilty of? Dog on sofa? Check! Dog on bed? Check! (but not overnight). Commands to Opal all bunged up? Check! (I’ve invented some of my own). Forgotten to perform regular ‘near traffic’ exercises? Check! Sigh. Oh well, at least I have a happy, healthy dog who likes her job, does it well and saves my sorry ass on a regular basis, is kind to Lucy the cat, loves all mankind, is groomed everyday, is loved and cared for, and will always be…the girl of my dreams. Get over it Jane!

“Please Release Me…”

If you’re as old as I am, you will remember the song written by Eddie Miller in 1946 that was popularized by Englebert Humperdinck in the 60’s… “Release Me”. However, if you are older, you may be more familiar with songs bearing the same title performed by Wilson Phillips or the Swedish group, Oh Laura. No matter. For my purposes, the tortured lyrics of all of those tunes do not have much bearing on this blog. Here’s what happened this morning that had Opal singing her OWN version.

It was 5 am when Opal gave me my daily wake-up kiss. I stumbled out of bed as I do 365 days a year and proceeded to don my clothes like a robot. We then went outside to give her the opportunity to relieve. The routine drill when we return to our apartment is for me to plug in the coffeemaker and to begin the much-anticipated activity of feeding the girls. Perhaps my zombie-like stupor was more pronounced than usual this morning. I managed to pick up Opal’s dish, go to the cupboard where the rubber tote filled with dog food is located, scoop a mug full of her kibble into the dish, add the warm water, set the dish down on her place mat, and…. walk away in a daze to deal with Lucy’s dietary needs. I gave Lucy her kibble ration in one bowl, a spoon-full of soft cat food in her tiny saucer and fresh water in her dish (all lined up neatly on her Christmas-theme place mat that is identical to Opal’s). Then I thought to myself, ‘ something is wrong here’. Opal was thinking that too. In fact the thought bubble over her head was singing ” Please release me…” Yes, I had forgotten to ‘release’ Opal to her food. There she sat, undoubtedly salivating and praying for me to come to my senses! It might seem harsh to train dogs to wait for permission before approaching their food, however this type of discipline does have its positive results. Dogs, particularly Guide dogs must understand the hierarchy in their ‘pack’. I am the leader of my pack. Opal knows that above all, she can depend on me as her leader, to be in charge, to care for her and to take care of business. (oops, I just squeezed two more references to stale songs; ‘Leader of the Pack’ by The Shangri-Las and “Taking Care of Business” by BTO) The moment I came to my senses and realized that Opal was waiting for me to release her to her food ration, I spoke the words that are always music to her ears…”Good girl, eat your breakfast”. I occasionally use a feeding ‘whistle’ to do the job, but that’s a bit much for my neighbours so early in the morning. You can bet that it doesn’t matter to Opal what means I use to ‘release’ her, as long as I do so eventually.

Opal ‘Gets the Beat’

Opal’s life is dictated by my activities. Where I go, she goes. Lucky for her, I tend to go to varied and interesting places. Yesterday, for example, we attended the annual ILRC (Independent Living Resource Centre–now renamed ILC Independent Living Canada) picnic. It was held on the grounds behind the Natural History Museum; a perfectly lovely and fully accessible setting. She dodged wheel chairs and scooters like a pro. Once again, she shone when the guy with the nutty guide dog allowed his dog to wander (in harness) and attempt to pin Opal into, uuhmm… a compromising position. Actually it’s all about the handler, not the dog. It’s the handler’s responsibility to keep track of what their dog is up to. I yelled out, “John, sort your dog out!” while ensuring that his ‘boy’ did not get too carried away and that Opal maintained her cool. We were waiting in the food line at the time. My friend remarked that John had not noticed that his dog’s paws were stationary on the hot paved path. I had Opal on the grass beside it. It boggles my mind that handlers don’t think more about the comfort and safety of their guides. We eventually got our plates and settled at a table in the shade to enjoy our meal. The food was excellent; a Mediterranean feast of tabbouleh, humus, vegie cabbage rolls, pita, tomatoes and olives. Later, an excellent baklava was served. Numerous prizes were drawn, and my friend won a t-shirt. The after-food activities included visits from a face painter ( Opal and I passed), an offer to create a chef d’oeuvre from a balloon artist ( I passed on that too, given my irrational fear of balloons popping). However, when we were invited to join the drum circle, my interest peaked. A drum circle facilitator (Heather Pentz of Tidal Beat) passed out dozens of drums and shakers. SHE had a Djembe drum which I fell in love with. Djembe drums have a wonderful, rich sound that, in the right hands, can soothe, rouse, calm, or move (emotionally) whomever is in the circle. It brought back memories of Saturday mornings in Montreal where, on the slope of Mount Royal, upwards of 25 Djembe drummers would gather to play together. It was an intoxicating experience that I recall sharing with hundreds of other Montrealais who would gather to listen. I imagine they still do. The little drum circle at the picnic was not quite of that caliber, but I enjoyed it all the same, as well as the trip down memory lane. Opal appreciated it too. At the very least, she liked the smell of the goat skin drum cover stretched over a hand carved base of West African wood. I KNOW Opal ‘gets the beat’, like her mum. Hmm. I sense the purchase of a Djembe drum in our future! I think it’s my answer to my search for a ’stress-buster’.

Thanks to ILRC and it’s director, Lois Miller who always puts together a great event. Her dedicated work and unparalled commitment to the community is appreciated by so many. Her husband (sound guy) and staff are remarkable people who always help out and make it a fun event for some folks who don’t always have an opportunity to ’step out’.

D.A.W.G. nominee

Dear Wise Advice, we understand that you know the lady with the good looking black Lab Guide dog, Opal. We at the DAWG Committee would like to nominate Opal IV for her recent achievements. The DAWG’s (Dandy Award for Wonderful Guides) are handed out each September to deserving guide dogs who have been nominated by a group of their peers. It seems that a string of deeds performed by Opal of Halifax, has moved the community. First, Jaguar (the German Shepherd Guide and neighbour) claims that Opal has inspired him to behave like a gentlemen. Second, the yappy wiener dog (prefers to remain anonymous) is moved with gratitude that Opal (and her mum) have not yet reported him to ‘animal control’. Third, the bus driver on the #6 is very impressed that Opal saves her mum from getting hit in the crosswalk every day. Fourth, the drivers of the cars that pass the bus in the crosswalk and nearly kill Opal and her mum, are pleased that they are regularly spared the ‘hassle’ of a vehicular manslaughter charge. Finally, the Guide dog in the bus shelter at the terminal yesterday? The one who threw himself at the plexi-glass wall in the bus shelter and started barking so loudly when he spotted Opal working the sidewalk outside the shelter that his handler didn’t know what to do? He is VERY impressed. Opal was playing hard to get, he claims. More importantly, she totally ignored him… because she was doing her job so extraordinarily well. Please contact Opal and announce the good news; she is DANDY material. The award ceremonies will be held at the Halifax Service dog park/run (if and when it is ever approved by HRM for construction). The alternate venue is somewhere in Chicago, given that the Chicago Off Leash Dog Recreation Play Group is so fond of entertaining and particularly keen on Canadian attendance to all its events.

HEY!!! Wise Advice For the IDIOT with the Crazy Sausage Dog!

Hey! Yeah, I’m talking to you, babe… the idiot with the yappy wiener dog that jumped Opal today. I’ve had it with you. If you can’t control that nutty knackwurst, you had better stop walking the same sidewalks that  I’M  walking on with Opal. Maybe you think that you have some kind of god-given right to allow your fat, whiny bratwurst to do whatever the hell it pleases, but I’ve got news for you lady: Next time?, I’m tracking you and that jumbo sausage- on- legs down, and I PROMISE that I will report you to animal control. You are very lucky that I was too concerned about MY dog today, or else I would have whacked you upside-the-head on the spot! What were you thinking, allowing that horrible hot dog to attack Opal?????!!!!! You had to see us coming.  You’re the same pinhead who was at the Tim’s coffee shop last week, aren’t you? You left that little lump of liverwurst in the entry way, between the doors! … where it barked, frightened old ladies and would not allow ME AND MY REGISTERED GUIDE DOG to enter!! My wise advice? Keep that annoying and hazardous poor excuse for a pet dog out of our way!

A Good Distraction

I go on and on about  things that distract Guide dogs; smells, people patting and calling out, noises etc. Opal and  I visit schools and other venues instructing people on Guide dog etiquette. Distraction is a big issue for Guide dogs, sometimes interfering with the work and safety of both dog and handler. However, today I am here to tell you that there are moments when Guide dogs NEED distraction. In fact, I am giving food for thought that any dog owner can feast on.  This morning, Opal was fussing with her ear (again). Labs have drop ears (long and floppy) that cover the ear canal and other bits (which I don’t know the anatomically-correct names of).  This creates the perfect medium in which organisms and bacteria can grow… into infection, particularly in warm weather. It’s no big deal, IF you take care of your lab’s ears with regular cleaning and respond quickly when an infection takes hold. Smelling your dog’s ears will usually tell you what kind of shape they are in.  Of course, my girl tells me herself, in her own way.  I know the sound of a paw doing some furious scratching in an ear. I say firmly,  ”get your foot out of your head”.  If this does not stop the ear scratching, then I move on to plan ‘B’.   I bring out the ‘magic drops’ (Burrow’s solution), prescribed by our vet.  I  use  them on  a semi-regular basis in the summer. I keep them on hand, so I am not running to the vet (Kaching $$$$) every time she gets a funky ear.  The vet also gave me some dandy little plastic syringes with which to suck up the correct amount of liquid. I discovered long ago that it is impossible to tell how many drops you have squirted (or not) into the ear if you are squeezing drops directly from a bottle. What does this have to do with distraction? Opal, like most dogs, does not appreciate having drops shot into her ears. Who would?! They are cold and feel funny (initially). I know that fifteen minutes after she has them on board, she will feel the itch and discomfort go away. It’s getting through that fifteen minutes that is key. This is when I need to distract her. I want the drops to stay in, and not to get licked out (Opal will stick her foot in her ear and then lick whatever comes out… she has no fingers).  Fortunately, my dog is a busybody. If I start doing something interesting, she will forget about the ear and become engrossed in watching me. Kids operate pretty much the same way. Harping about NOT doing something (example: “stop picking your nose!”) will get you nowhere. In fact, there is a good chance your kid (or dog) will get even more obsessive about whatever it is you are trying to get them to stop doing,  (just to spite you–grin). Hmm.  So, this morning,  the first thing I thought of to distract Opal, was to whip out the exercise machine. I hadn’t used the sculling rower for weeks, so Opal was very keen on observing her fat, old mum gliding back and forth on a beam, arms flailing, sweat pouring off, making huffing and puffing noise, and commenting that she thought (or felt) she had rowed to the mid-Atlantic. In fact, Opal was so keen,  that she forgot all about the ear she had been so determined to fuss with. Mum? She got some disparately needed conditioning.  Don’t get into a futile and circuitous ‘don’t do that’ exchange with your dog (or kid) when all you need to do, is DISTRACT them. A little distraction can be a useful tool in many situations.

Bogus News Flash!!! Guide dog takes out old lady!

Now hear this! The following is a bogus blog. This COULD have happened… but DID NOT… well,  maybe not ALL of it is a hoax.

Guide dogs get to play just like pet dogs do. I take Opal out on her ‘Flexi’ (retractable leash) so that she can have an opportunity to run a bit and sniff a lot.  We use the grassy area just outside of our apartment building. It’s a large area, 200 X 30 feet situated between the building line and a little walkway leading to the main door. I put her play collar on (it has a tag, a bell and a ring to secure the flexi clasp onto) and stow her regular leash in my pocket. Out comes the squeaky rubber boomerang toy! It’s a dollar store purchase, remarkably resilient. Trouble is, it’s pink. Dog’s don’t see the pink/red/yellow colour spectrum much. These dog toys come in red and pink so that they appeal to humans. If you want your dog to really see his toy or ball,  pick a blue or green one. It’s usually fine locating it, just as long as the thing is moving. I fling it within Flexi range (30 feet). Opal takes off and grabs it, running the perimeter of the grassy area until she has “blown the stink off” , as we say in Nova Scotia. After that, it becomes more of an idle retieving game, interspersed with breaks to sniff and eat the grass. That’s the point at which she loses track of her toy. I’m pretty good at finding the thing myself, though sometimes we enlist sighted help to locate it. That was the case the other day. It was hot by Nova Scotia standards, so Opal quickly tired of running, and chose to sniff and graze instead.  The boomerang was out of sight and mind (both of our sights, and HER mind). I  heard footsteps on the pavement nearby.  ”Oooh, hello Helen”, says one of my neighbours in her old, shaky voice. Margaret is a very tiny old lady, at least 900 years old by the sound of her voice. She’s probably only 85 or so, and still quite spry for someone with such a shaky voice. “Margaret, do you see our toy?”, I ask. “Opal has lost it on the grass again”.  Margaret wandered onto the grass with us (this was her first mistake). “Oooh, there it is. I’ll get it for you, Helen”. (this was her second mistake).By now,   I am running the potential for disaster through my mind.  Opal is all excited with anticipation of a new play partner. Margaret picks up the boomerang and hands it to me. I’ve had Opal on a short length all the while (beauty of the flexi). I thought that Margaret was wandering back to the pavement (my first mistake).  She had not (her third mistake). I threw the pink toy in the opposite direction and Opal took off.  Opal picked up steam after she nabbed it (Opal’s first mistake) and moved like a runaway freight train towards Margaret (everyone’s mistake). I realized too late that Margaret was still on the lawn (my second or third mistake?). THIS IS THE BOGUS PART!!!– Opal knocked Margaret off her pins. After the paramedics left, I had a long talk with Opal… at the dog pound.. through the bars of the cage. THIS IS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED!!! I applied the flexi’s brake a nano-second before Opal made contact. Margaret, as usual had no idea how close she came to an emergency room visit. We all went inside. Margaret was fine. I was shaking. Opal had no clue… but I decided to start a social program with some friends. Opal needs more people (bedsides me) in her social and play life. Why does everyone want to fuss with her when she’s working?  She could really use some off-the-clock time with people. 

Sorry, Nothing Personal, But keep your hands off my dog!

There are times when one is forced to make decisions which might  not please one’s friends. I’ll be more specific. I have rapidly developed a good, friendly relationship with a number of people at my church. A recent article in the UU (Universalist Unitarian) newsletter generated many enthusiastic responses. It was a profile about me (and Opal).  As a result, people are talking to me, realizing that I am approachable, fetching coffee during fellowship time, AND PATTING MY GUIDE DOG!!!!  Worse, I am was allowing them to get away with it! Sorry, nothing personal, but keep your hands off my dog, please!!! Here’s the thing. Guide dogs are off limits when they are wearing their harness.  When Opal and I are not in motion, it does not mean that it’s OK to pat her. Just because you know me a little better (some of you actually becoming my friends), this does not mean that you have suddenly been granted an exemption from this rule. You may think it is harmless to come over and cosy up to Opal for a minute with or without my permission. It is not. Here’s why. Opal MUST know that when she is in harness, she is working. Socializing is out of the question. Consider that she is very fond of you (Opal is fond of EVERYONE) and you give her a little pat every now and again when we are at church when she is not actively guiding me.  Then, one day,  you meet us as we are crossing an intersection and she wants to greet you (because, hey, it was OK when I greeted you while wearing my harness last Sunday at church, she thinks)… get the picture? It’s not fair to bend the rules. Guide dogs need consistency in their lives. My error was not nipping this in the bud immediately. Mea culpa. Now hear this! Please do not pat my Guide dog when she is working (WEARING HER HARNESS) any more. Do not ask me if you can. I will refuse… and I don’t care if you are offended. If you ‘don’t get it’, too bad. You should. 

It’s Not Always Hunky-Dory

I write a great deal in these blogs extolling the virtues of my Guide dog, Opal. However, it is not always hunky-dory. Case in point? Yesterday went all wrong for us. Allow me to provide some background which might mitigate my sweet (GRRRR!) dog’s behaviour. At 3 am, I could hear a little monsoon going on outside. It was pretty much over by 5 am when Opal and I stepped out for her morning relief. But the GRASS WAS WET…and she has never liked walking on wet grass, especially to the backa-beyond area we have been relegated to since the cranky biddies upstairs complained about the “sight of that dog relieving”. I’ve already vented my feelings on THAT.  I have since encouraged Opal to enter the designated area (right in front of our window…at least Lucy doesn’t mind watching her sister poop). A battle of the minds and wills developed yesterday; Opal wanted no part of walking on wet grass. I was determined that she would walk across the lawn and relieve herself in front of our window. Sure, letting Opal relieve where she wanted to, probably would have gone unnoticed at 5 am.  My guess is that the whiny biddies are fast asleep and not parked in their windows. I was thinking about the ‘next time’. If I let Opal relieve where she wanted, there and then, she would expect (as dogs do) to repeat her performance later in the same place when the biddies WOULD be looking at her. Admittedly, my consternation over my original non-response to their crazy complaint had left me feeling cranky with the world…and Opal was my first contact of the day. We embarked on a power struggle extraordinaire. I took Opal out four times yesterday morning, knowing that she was in desperate need of relieving. Opal can be as strong-willed (IE. bullheaded and stubborn) as I am. “Opal, you’re going to explode if you don’t ‘do it’ soon”, I warned her. I sensed the thought bubble over her head….”you have no idea how long I can keep this up, mum”. And so the morning progressed as I did my four loads of laundry, interspersed with the unproductive trips outdoors. I made a tactical error by leaving a pair of sandals lying around the apartment. As I struggled through the door with my enormous sacs of clean laundry, I was greeted by Opal running around with one of my sandals. She approached me, just close enough to tease me and confirm that she had it ….and then took off. A chase ensued. Several minutes later, I collapsed on the sofa. Bits of rubber and leather littered the floor. Opal stood by and grinned. Petulantly, I tell her that they were not very comfortable sandals anyway. I should never have left them out in the first place! I had washed her soft toys and bedding. Her favourite plush puppy still needed some drying so I placed it in the open window for some sun and air. Opal did not ‘get it’. She slunk over to the window and nimbly rescued Regina…over and over. I tried putting Regina in a different window. Lucy did not approve of this. It was, after all, HER window and why should she tolerate Opal’s ’stuff’ being in her space? She did not.  Regina ended up on the floor (to Opal’s delight). My frame of mind was not the best yesterday; I was tired, my throat was sore and the news was all bad: CBC radio told me: Two Nova Scotian  lobster fishermen drowned–Nova Scotia Power wants to increase rates by 12%–a Calgary family was wiped out in a murder/suicide–the provincial legislature closed with all parties behaving idiotically, bickering about who supports what bill. A bill to protect battered women fell because of in-fighting.

 I spent my morning calling veterinarians in Halifax. All 36 of of them. It seems the city want a ‘needs assessment’ to move forward on my service dog run proposal. One of the things they want to know is the number of service dogs in HRM. There is no central organization keeping tabs, so my reasoning was that all service dog handlers go to a vet, so they should have an idea of how many they have within their client base. The numbers continue to roll in as veterinarian practices return my calls. 

The day ended (mercifully) without fanfare at 10 pm.  The great thing about having a bad day? It makes a good day seem even better (grin).

“Have You Got Your Mind Right Yet, Opal?”

One of my favourite movie lines is from the 1967 classic, ‘Cool Hand Luke’.  Boss Paul (played by Luke Askew) grinds away at Luke (Paul Newman) in the rural Southern USA prison, trying to break Luke by forcing him to dig a hole and fill it back up with dirt, over and over. Periodically, he snarls, “Have you got your mind right yet, Luke?”  Yes, I know. My pop culture references are a bit stale. Regardless, this one is useful today. Do not be alarmed. I am not culpable of forcing my dog to dig holes and fill them in, though I think she might enjoy the task.  I DO, however, perform obedience exercises on a semi-regular basis with Opal. We live in an apartment building which has long hallways and staircases galore. On quiet days and at quiet times, I take Opal on leash out in the halls and commence a rapid drill of  ”heel”, “sit”, “stay” and “come”.  She LOVES it. Opal is particularly fond when I ask her to  ”sit and stay”  and then I walk away slowly and summon her to the end of the hallway (75 feet away).   It thrills her to  ”come” when she is finally allowed to bolt to me. The ceramic tile does not offer much traction, so she skids several feet before she comes to a stop.  There are no objects to cause injury, so it’s a safe and exciting blast.  Why do I do this sort of obedience drill?  It ‘gets her mind right’, in a good sort of way. Dogs (especially Guide dogs) love to know who is in charge. They develop a sense of security and self-confidence by performing obedience exercise drills. It is important to keep the drills interesting, rapid, and occasional. If you do them too often, your dog will be bored and the drill ineffective. These dogs love to please their handlers.  I find that Opal becomes very focused with her guiding job  in the days following an obedience drill. We are going to Toronto next week. I want and need her to be sharp as well as relaxed in the knowledge that ‘mum knows what she’s doing, and where we’re going’, even if I don’t have a clue. Air travel, airports and the frenzy that comes with it, might be a breeze for the seasoned  Guide dog team who travel frequently, but we don’t have much experience with this. So, preparation is key, and that includes an obedience drill today….to ‘get her mind right’.