Moving On!

The great thing about going through a tough time is that you realize how wonderful friends can be. Thanks to all the friends and family who've been so sympathetic about Dakota's situation. You're the greatest!

Meanwhile, life moves on, and we're happy to move on too! I have to say that the more I learn about Dakota's prospective new service dog job, the more excited I am about it. I really think his temperament and training make him very well suited to the new work. And while some of his guide-dog-specific skills won't be needed, all the obedience training will really pay off. He already knows so much about being a service dog, and working in public in all sorts of situations. He'll have to adapt to a new handler and new skills, but I'm sure he'll enjoy the challenge.

Since we've still got Dakota for the time being, we're keeping up with his training and our routine is pretty much the same as usual. He still goes just about everywhere with us, and enjoys it immensely. He's matured a lot. This is the fun part of puppy raising, and it goes by way too fast...getting to enjoy the nice, well-behaved dog you've worked for all this time!

Okay, everyone loves a funny story, so here's one from this week. Saturday morning, we headed to the airport to pick Tim up from a business trip. I saw him walking out of the terminal from a distance, but Duckie's view was obstructed by a low wall. Motioning "shh!," Tim sat down on the wall, very still, back to Dakota, so that we'd walk right past him. When we got up by him, Duckie was being so good at paying attention to me that at first he didn't notice Tim at all. Fighting back a chuckle, I told Dakota to "sit," and all of a sudden his little nose started twitching overtime! He jumped up and started wagging his tail in circles (that's what he does when he's really happy), still not looking up, just sniffing. I let him turn around and he followed his nose until he ran--bam!--right into Tim's legs. Ooh, he was excited! It was pretty funny to watch!

Not sure if they were laughing with me or at me...but, hey, who cares?

Heartbreak...and Hope

Absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the news we received on Saturday.

Michelle came over and tried her best to break it to us gently;

but there is really no way to soften the blow delivered by the
news that your wonderful puppy has just completely failed his

hip x-rays. There was nothing borderline about it; Dakota's

hip scores were way beyond the acceptable tolerance, putting

him at high risk for developing dysplasia. Guide work in harness

is a physically demanding job and it would not be fair to expect

him to do this.

Utter disbelief was my first reaction. I had to be assured that there had been no mistake -- in fact, multiple opinions had already been obtained from specialists around the country on his results, and no, the lab didn't mix up his films with someone else's. But it still seemed implausible to me. After all, Dakota has never exhibited any of the lameness or stiffness associated with hip problems. He runs like a deer and is one of the most agile and athletic dogs I've seen! His breeder goes above and beyond what many breeders consider the standard requirements, thoroughly testing all breeding dogs for a variety of inheritable disorders -- hip problems included. But sadly, human knowledge can only go so far. Despite everything we've done to stack the genetic "cards" in his favor, Dakota just chanced to draw a poor hand. It can happen, and it's really nobody's fault. Now it's up to us to help him make the most of what he's got.

It really is, for me, a kind of grieving process -- a sense of loss. There just aren't words to express how I feel! Dakota is such an exceptional dog and a real joy to train. He's quite good at what we've trained him to do, and so of course it's sad that he can't do it. But the main thing, to me, is just that I don't want anything bad to happen to him.

As it happens, however, this exceptional nature may be the ticket to his future -- a very different one than what we had planned and prepared for, yet a good future all the same. Dakota's natural abilities combined with his extremely easy-going, people-centered personality make him a prime candidate for different, less physical, service dog jobs. He is currently under consideration for this type of "career change" and, since everything's still in the very beginning stages, I can't say any more than that right now. But it's pretty safe to share that, should he succeed in his new task, he would be at least as highly valued and indispensable to his new family as a guide dog is to its partner. With proper veterinary care, a loving home, and a job to do, I think Dakota's future can still be a bright one. Who knows, perhaps he is the answer to someone's prayers!

In the meantime, someone forgot to forward to Dakota the memo that he has bad hips. After working very hard to cheer me up Saturday afternoon (I'm sure he wondered what all the tears were about!), he blew off some steam by going on one of his high-spirited racing sprees, tearing around in giant circles, leaping over obstacles in a single bound, coming back for a quick pat, and then charging off again.

"Do I look like this is gonna stop me?"

At the Garden Center

With an afternoon cool enough to contemplate an outdoor walk, I thought it would be fun to take Dakota to a nearby garden center. Here are some lessons we went over...

No matter how good things smell, I'm still expected to focus.

Wind chimes are annoying, but okay.

Not every container with water in it is for me to drink out of.

Trying to walk faster than Mom is pointless because she never seems to get tired of making me "heel"!

I may be the guide dog, but she still gets to decide where we go.

No matter how big a noise it makes falling over, a potted plant can't hurt you.

Work is fun!

And, to finish up, here's one Dakota has really mastered:

At the end of a day's work, the best place to relax is with a friend.

It Takes All Kinds

Just like people, dogs have such interesting personalities. That's a big part of what makes puppy raising fun. And, just like with raising kids, you find that one size definitely does not fit all when it comes to training methods and motivation.

Dakota enjoyed having his friend Twist over last weekend, but stayed very busy making sure that she understood he's the one in charge around here! Dakota is quite submissive to people but likes to be top of the pecking order when other dogs come to visit. This is the opposite of the lab puppy we raised, Willie. He didn't care who was top dog as long as they would play with him! Duckie doesn't let his smaller size bother him, and in fact, sometimes he uses it to his advantage when playing with someone bigger. Twist didn't know what to do about this clever little tactic:

The picture below is cute, but the funny thing is that Dakota really didn't want to share Tim's lap with another puppy. He's accustomed to posing for the camera so all was sweet and quiet until the picture was taken...but as soon as the camera was put away he chased Twist off!

We got a new box of dog treats last week, the kind with a bunch of different flavors. Dakota is very funny with them. He'll take one from your hand ever so politely and delicately, then retire to a quiet spot where he can sniff it and lick it. You really wonder what he's thinking: Hmmm...bacon again? And here I was hoping for chicken! If we have another dog visiting, he'll eat the treat right up. But on his own, he's much more leisurely about it. He'll carry it around the house and play with it as if it were a toy for quite some time before finally eating it. The one below lasted from 8:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Pretty amazing! Twist, on the other hand, has been known to swallow these treats whole. So again, it takes all kinds!

Well, yes, we have done more this week than lie around the house eating milk bones and playing! One of our more interesting outings was downtown. We worked on all kinds of things: going up and down stairs...

...practicing "finds"...

"Do I get bonus points for finding you the shady seat?"

...not to mention all the quirky little unforeseen obstacles, like this steep ramp that dumped us right into a crosswalk. It was a good place to practice "steady," and was tricky to negotiate even without having a visual impairment!

Distractions ran amok. The sound of sirens, brakes, and engines filled the air. Pigeons flapped around. Enticing smells poured out of the shops we passed. But, as usual, Dakota's biggest distraction was all the passersby. Although many people understand that he's working and leave him alone, many others try to talk to him or pet him. We just have to work through it as best we can. Practice makes perfect, or at least, that's what I'm counting on!

Keep up the good work, buddy!

On the Road Again

Yep, Thursday's training walk involved a road trip. We drove down to meet Michelle for some work at a San Antonio mall. Dakota was very happy to get going...perhaps too happy! When excited, Duckie tends to get ahead and also go "wide." Once he's settled down he does better. Here, he's gotten ahead of me and I'm bringing him back into position with a "heel."

That's better!

Nice job on the stairs, buddy! Dakota indicates a "down" step by sitting.

Next stop: a little tour of Build-A-Bear. This is a great place for Dakota to practice manners and self-control around crowds of kids. There's a birthday party in progress, as well as several families shopping, so it's crowded.

Whatever they're doing over there, it looks like fun!

After hanging out for a while, it was time to go. Nice work, Dakota!

Moving on, we reach some "up" stairs. Dakota's demonstrating good form by stopping with his toes on the edge. His partner will be able to feel from the harness how high to step. Way to go!

Coming around the corner, we had a little surprise planned. Guide dog puppy Jethro (Twist's brother) was relaxing at Starbucks with his handler.

All the excitement was a bit much for Jethro, who gave in to a little barking fit. After all, he's only 16 weeks old! Michelle settled him down, then settled down the security guard who had come to investigate. After that we carried on with the walk, taking turns leading and following. Dakota much preferred leading.

Open stairs like these can be intimidating, but Dakota took them in stride.

He's also quite calm about walking near the edge of a 2nd floor overlooking ground level, like in this photo. He seems to know that he's safe and doesn't have an undue fear of heights.

I saw the sign for the restrooms and wondered if Dakota could "find the girls'" for me in a strange mall. Sure enough, he went straight to it, even though it was around a corner and down the hall. Scent finds seem to be the easiest for dogs. I don't know about you, but I'm sure glad I can't smell the restrooms that far away!

Jethro sits calmly just a few feet away. Isn't he a handsome boy?

Finally, with both dogs tuckered out, we headed outside. Dakota and Jethro got to sniff noses but by this time they were so worn out they didn't even try to play.

Dakota talked his new friend into giving him a little tummy rub. Funny how he always manages to do that...

But there was more in store for the Duck today. Before getting back on the road to Austin, we had to stop off for an appointment with Dr. Bonney, an ophthalmologist for dogs. He had to dilate Dakota's eyes and screen him for any eye problems. Of course, Dakota took the opportunity to make several more friends. I promise, you could never hope to meet a more friendly dog than this one!

The receptionist wondered what color she should call Dakota on his records. His original puppy chart says "red," but the color has really lightened up since then. I suggested "caramel," but I'm not really an expert. What do you think? At any rate, the appointment went well, and Dr. Bonney gave him the "all clear." Cool!

Nothing wrong with these eyes!

A New Twist

It's been an eventful week. Wednesday evening, Michelle came to pick Dakota up and take him down to San Antonio. He had an x-ray screening scheduled for the next morning, one of several tests all guide dogs must pass to ensure they are physically sound enough for their career. As the test involves some pretty serious joint manipulation, dogs get an IV with anesthesia for their own comfort. Remembering how sore our last puppy was afterward, I was naturally concerned for Duckie -- but I needn't have worried! When he bounced back into the house on Thursday afternoon, he was as spunky and lively as if he'd just had a day at the spa. What a guy! Official results won't come back for quite a while on the x-rays, but I don't anticipate any problems. Now Dakota sports a funky new 'do on his right foreleg where the IV went in.

Thank goodness hair grows back, right?

He brought back a new pal with him too..."Twist," a beautiful 16-week old German Shepherd. Her puppy raisers needed a sitter, so Tracy and I are splitting puppysitting duties between us. Twist will be in and out of our house a couple of times in the near future. She's sweet and bouncy, with the most adorable little "worry wrinkles" on her forehead.

Everything's more fun with a friend!

Life With Dakota

Dakota's loving work, as usual. He's never been a big fan of the jacket, but he loves what it stands for: a walk! He used to roll around on the floor when we put it on, but now he kind of does a happy dance interspersed with...well...what would you call this?

Pretty funny! I don't know if we're actually supposed to let him do this or not. But usually he stops in a couple of minutes and runs to sit nicely by the door and wait for me. If I don't get ready soon enough, he gets a bit depressed, like in the picture below.

"Aren't we ever going to leave?"

In other news, Duckie got another haircut. Poor puppy was just way too hot. I'm not the best doodle trimmer but his jacket covers the little mistakes!

"I don't need much fur to be cute!"

I had a proud moment this week when we had to go downtown to wait in line at the passport office and Dakota accompanied us. Actually it was more than a moment...more like an hour and a half or so! It was a teeny little room jam-packed with people and Dakota was a trooper through the boredom of the wait, resisting the urge to lick toes or play with kids. We had the chance to chat with quite a few interested (and no doubt bored!) people. The presence of a well-behaved dog seemed to distract folks from the frustration of the wait and I actually think he had a bit of a calming effect on the room! Comments were interesting. "He looks just like a teddy bear!" seemed to be the consensus.

Hope everyone had a great 4th. With it being Independence Day, it makes me happy to think of the increased independence and mobility Dakota will one day bring to his new partner!

Happy Birthday, America!

P.S. When I posted this blog, Duckie must've been eavesdropping. He heard the "ready to go for a walk?" from the video clip and rushed up in great excitement. Poor guy, he's a bit disappointed now!