Splash! an Aerial View

The fragility of life and enjoying the moments...

2011-12-08T05:30:00.000-08:00

It has been quite a transition going back to work, emotions, catching up, letting little things go, triage the big stuff, and some big life lessons... A co-worker had a bike accident a few weeks ago that has resulted in the final decision of following her medical directive and she is now on comfort care. Another friend whose daughter had major open heart surgery, the second in her very young life..... This is the 4th major life altering event that has occurred in the past few months to people close to me. A lesson I learned 23 years ago when I lost my sight.... I just read a book with the title "Enjoy Every Sandwich" So thats what I am doing.....

Yesterday was the Guide Dogs for the Blind annual Holiday Luncheon at the St. Francis in San Francisco. It was an exhausting, and marvelous day of connecting with friends, old and new, and renewing the spirit of appreciation for all those donors and volunteers that make having a Guide Dog possible. I got to meet our new CEO Paul Lopez and his wife Deirdre, and visit with former CEO Dick Bobb. Splash came home smelling of many layers of perfume, it was all good.

Return to GDB

2011-11-24T05:25:00.000-08:00

It was wonderful and exhausting to return to work at Guide Dogs this week. Emails, phone calls, catching up with co-workers and all the things that need attending to after 3 months..... Splash was very happy to be back, and share the office with 3 of her favorite co-workers Fernando, Cody and Dario. Cody is the one with the puzzle ball that looks a little like our old friend Hedda. Lots to be thankful for, including a short week!

Splash and I head back to work tomorrow!

2011-11-20T08:50:00.000-08:00

I can't believe what an adventure we have been on. March 1, I donated my kidney to my good friend Ken Altenburger. He is doing fantastic. It turned back the hands of time for him. I had a complication from one of the meds that I received post operatively and ended up with a disease, nephrotic syndrome that has been difficult to cure. But finally I will be released from my house bound shackles and return to work. Not cured yet, but have the energy to return to work. Still have limited exercise, but have done some technical rows, water aerobics walks and swimming.

Splash will also be happy to return to work and her 4 and 2 legged friends. It has been a tough road but we have persevered! Thanks to all my great friends and family, the support has really made it possible for me to get through this ordeal.

Post Kidney Donation (a total success)

2011-04-25T02:28:00.000-07:00

Its been a while since I posted. The kidney transplant was a total success. It is now just over 6 weeks since surgery, and my friend Ken is doing phenomenally well, and has even returned to work. His new kidney was working immediately post op, and he walked to my room the day after surgery to visit me. Everyone said he instantly looked 15 years younger! Ken and His wife Dana and I share a special bond now that's hard to describe. I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to do this, and that the transplant team at UCSF was so highly skilled and that this was an option.

Unfortunately I did run into some complications not long after surgery where my remaining kidney began failing. After an additional 11 days at UCSf, tests, and finally returning to surgery for a biopsy of my remaining kidney they discovered that a a drug they give routinely immediately post-op from the nephrectomy, Toradol (to help with pain) caused a kidney disease in my remaining kidney. It is curable,and with high doses of steroids for 4 months, this will all be behind me. This has never occurred in the 30 years of kidney transplants, but they diagnosed it quickly, and I will have a complete recovery. I will get to return to all of my rowing endeavours and work in a few months. In the mean time I am learning patience!

Being a kidney donor is an amazing opportunity, and with the quality of the new anti-rejection drugs available the matches don't need to be as close as they use to. Even if this isn't an option for you, think about filling out the form to include on your drivers license to donate after you are deceased. You can really make a difference!

http://www.petaluma360.com/article/20110321/COMMUNITY/110319560/1362/community?Title=Sight-impaired-friend-donates-the-gift-of-a-lifetimeIts

The day is finally here!

2011-03-01T05:47:00.000-08:00

Barbara, Justin and Shannon drove down yesterday from Auburn to pick Splash up for the week. She was wiggling with glee when they arrived and happily went off with them after we had a little snuggle. She will enjoy being with her puppy raising family, and I have heard she has blended right in with the routine. I am clean inside and out, and will head to UCSF at 6:30. I am ready for this, and have really been overwhelmed with the love and support I have received the past few days. I know that will carry both Ken and I through for a successful transplant and recovery. Some things in life you just know when they are right. This is one of those times. Will be writing more on the other side of the surgery.

Aerial (missing Splash)

Tomorrow is the day!

2011-02-28T03:25:00.000-08:00

I am packed and ready for tomorrow. Barbara will pick Splash up today and take her home with her for the week. She will have lots of fun being with the family who raised her as a puppy. I am mentally and physically ready. I have been fortunate to have a teemmate of mine who recently donated a kidney to her father in August, 2010. Erin has helped me through all of the pre-testing, and letting me know what to expect in the hospital and post-op. All the good wishes and messages have really been wonderful. I won't be posting until I return home unless I can figure out how to email an entry from my iPhone. Yes, the phone will be with me (grin)

Two days and counting - The adventure that began in September...

2011-02-27T11:59:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share with you an amazing journey that began in September of 2010. I found out that a good friend of mine needed to have a kidney transplant in order to avoid dialysis from the effects of type 1 diabetes. My friend Ken is also blind and has a Guide Dog. We met in March of 1996, when he attended Guide Dog school and received his first dog Honcho. I had received my 4th Guide Dog, Deanne in January of 1996 so our dogs were the same age. I was working at Guide Dogs as the director of volunteers. At lunch Ken asked me about volunteering on the campus, and when he got home, he called to see if there were any positions available. As he lived in LA at the time, I told him it would be a long commute. He moved to the North Bay and began volunteering, giving tours, and helping in the office. He has been an employee of Guide Dogs since 1997, first in the Kennel department and now in the Training Dept. We have always enjoyed a healthy competition as athletes (fortunately we don't compete in the same sports) and we commute together to work.

Since I went blind in 1988, I have made many friends over the years whose blindness was a result of diabetes. Many of those friends have passed away. Ken is a friend I wouldn't want to lose. When Ken told me his brother wasn't a match, I knew immediately that I wanted to give him one of my kidneys. It has been a lengthy process without a certainty that we would get to go to surgery. First there was the cross matching of blood/tissue, then testing Ken had to go through in order to be eligible to receive a kidney, waiting for insurance approval, testing I had to go through in order to determine if I am healthy enough, and physically qualify to donate. Three weeks ago we found out we had a surgery date. That was the first time since October when the process began that we knew for sure that I could give my kidney to Ken. Tuesday Ken and I are scheduled for surgery on March 1st at 12:00 at UCSF. Friends and family have made it possible for me to achieve this goal, I couldn't have done it alone!

Aerial and Splash

Splash on national TV The American Spirit

2009-11-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

KPIX 5, "Good Question"

2009-03-08T08:32:00.001-07:00

Splash update

2008-09-30T04:37:00.000-07:00

I realize it has been a while since I posted about my adventures with Splash. We have had some action packed time since the Alumni Reunion in Portland. On Saturday Sept 20th, Splash and I went to a small scrimmage regatta down the peninsula. I brought her canvas portable crate, and had her stay upstairs in the BIAC boathouse at 6:30am. She gladly slipped into the crate, and slept while our boat (the four that will be going to the Head of the Charles regatta in Oct) made our way out into the bay about 3 miles, and raced back. The water got rough, and the wind picked up the further out into the bay we got. When I returned, Jeanine had checked in on Splash multiple times and she was very happy in her crate. I think she was the smarter one of the 2 of us. Then we rushed back to GDB to get changed in time to attend the annual Volunteer Recognition luncheon. This was Splash’s’ debut with many of the volunteers (I was the director of the volunteer program for 11 years) and she was a huge hit. She got to meet lots of the volunteers, and many remembered her liter from puppy socialization. It was also a hard day as Deanne’s passing was known and recent.

When we returned home I quickly packed, and Larry and I were off for a weekend in Sea Ranch. One of his customers has a house there and generously offered to let us stay there for the weekend. It is a 2 hour drive, and it was incredibly relaxing… no cell reception or internet connection, just the sound of the ocean, and the smells of sea air. Splash, Larry and I took lots of walks by the ocean, and relaxed….

We returned on Monday evening, and I had to pack to get ready for a trip to Phoenix the next morning. Splash and I were off for our second trip together to visit the Foundation for Blind Children. It was hot in Phoenix, but Splash handled it well. She was a wonderful ambassador as she sat for a couple hours under the board room table at FBC. The flights, again were uneventful, and I feel completely relaxed again going through airports.

Saturday Sept 27 was an action packed day, beginning with rowing practice. Splash assumed her position in the back seat of mom’s car and slept while our Head of the Charles boat trained with the rest of the boats and did a long practice piece (about 2 hours). A quick clothes change, and up to Guide Dogs for a picnic we hosted with the Blind Babies Foundation. There were about 60 people on campus, and lots of little ones. Splash was wonderful with all of the attention, and even though there were 3 lab breeder dogs there for the kids to pet, Splash was a big hit with her long soft coat. That got wrapped up at 2:30, and Jeanine and I quickly made our way to Etta’s ranch in Glen Ellen to pick her up, and head over to Napa for the annual Guide Dogs Wine Gala. Splash had many more introductions and lots of admiration throughout the evening. Fortunately the tables are located inside a tent on the lawn, so Splash sprawled out for a nap when we were seated for dinner. We spent the night at the ranch, and had a wonderfully relaxing day; Splash and I got to enjoy a little nap under the palm tree that was Deanne’s favorite place to hang out.

Monday Sept 29th, Splash and I accompanied my sister in law to the hospital for a procedure. We were allowed to stay in the room while it was being done because the physician was a dog lover, and was enthralled with Splash. Splash was curled up under my chair, and never made a move for the 2 hours in the small room. What a great girl!

Well now we are up to date…. No travel this week.

Thank You Deanne

2008-09-25T03:32:00.000-07:00

Deanne
Born April 23, 1994 at Guide Dogs for the Blind, her parents were Heather and Hampton, and her siblings Dedre, Datona, Dauber and Dietrich. Deanne and Dedre became active Guide Dogs and both worked more than 7 years. Deanne and her buddy Honcho, a black lab, followed a similar path. They were born 6 days apart, and after they were socialized by loving staff and volunteers they were transported to Colorado to be placed with puppy raisers for a year, and then returned to Guide Dogs for their formal training. I received Deanne in January of 1996, and graduated February 2nd, and my friend Ken, who also works at Guide Dogs, received Honcho in March.

When I was matched with Deanne, she was my dream dog. I had always wanted to be matched with a German shepherd (my previous 3 guides had been Labradors), and she was no ordinary dog. I recognized her intelligence, grace and wisdom from the first meeting. Our training was smooth, and the bond developed quickly. Her trainer Stephanie clearly loved Deanne, and I could tell when she gave her to me it was a special gift.

Deanne and I quickly became a strong team. Just a short six months after graduating we experienced a near miss with a bulldozer on the Guide Dogs campus. Over the next week her confidence quickly eroded, and I was told she would need to be retired. Kris Kroner offered to see if she could restore her confidence and keep her working as my guide, no guarantees. I would do anything to keep working with Deanne, and was happy to wait through this process which took over a month. The wait and trust in her was worth it, and we were able to work for another 7 years! I feel forever indebted to Kris.

During the ensuing 7 years, the depth and strength of our love for each other, and our working relationship expanded so vast that it can’t be described with words. Deanne loved her friends, both human and canine, enjoyed being in charge, solving problems and figuring out situations. She never forgot a person, dog or place. She loved to say hi to babies, much to the utter horror to the mothers. The babies always shrilled and giggled with excitement to see her. She loved soft fleece toys, and never damaged any of them, collecting 2 large sacks by the time she retired. She loved to make them squeak or make noise, frequently biting them so they would repeat the noise.

Deanne gave hundreds of tours, speaking engagements, and interviewed every volunteer that walked through the doors at Guide Dogs. She told me when she liked or distrusted people. She saved my life on many occasions, at intersections, open manholes, cliff edges, train platforms and once when someone meant me harm in Little Rock, Arkansas. We were together 24/7 for 7.5 years, through adventures too numerous to document. Deanne was the bridesmaid for my wedding, waited and consoled my mom when I was lost in the Pacific Ocean for 7 hours crossing from Catalina to Marina Del Rey in a rowboat. She sailed around Catalina Island following our rowboat as we circumnavigated the 50 miles, sleeping with me in the bow of the boat overnight before sailing back to the mainland. Deanne traveled through countless airports, and made several trips to Canada along with many states in the US. One of her last great feats was to guide me down the streets of San Francisco on January 18th 2002 as I carried the Olympic torch. She knew what her job was that night, as she did every time I picked up her harness handle, with a crowd of hundreds, police and motorcycles escorting us down the middle of the street with a 12-inch flame above our heads.

A sad milestone for me was the day I realized that Deanne needed to retire. She collapsed in pain as she got out of the car, and the diagnosis was degenerative disc disease. I wouldn’t contribute to future problems, and stopped working her that day. I always thought that Stephanie, her instructor, would adopt her at retirement. Leaving her home 8 hours a day wasn’t an option, not for Deanne. Stephanie was thrilled to have the opportunity to adopt Deanne, and needed to think about it. She always said Deanne was the best shepherd she had ever trained, and would love to have her. Stephanie realized this was not the right time in her life to adopt Deanne to give her the attention she deserved. As I was walking away from the kennels from this news, I was distressed, and thinking, who could possibly be good enough to adopt Deanne. It would have to be someone who would appreciate, understand her, and provide a life she deserved in retirement.

Distracted in thought, Deanne and I walked back toward the Volunteer Center. Deanne greeted Etta Allen on the path; I had a revelation at that moment -- Etta loves shepherds, she had recently lost a foster shepherd, Jenet -- she would be the perfect fit. I asked Etta to think about it, and she came back with “I don’t need to think about it, I would love to adopt her”. I was overwhelmed with relief, and knew at that moment it was Deanne that had decided on Etta…

Over the next couple months while I was waiting for a new shepherd guide, I heeled Deanne and used my cane. Etta came to Guide Dogs twice a week to build her relationship with Deanne, taking her for walks, and then outings to the places that would be part of her new life with Etta. She took her to her place of business, board meetings at Marin General, West America and the State Board of Equalization. Then for overnights at her homes in Marin and Sonoma counties.

On the day I packed up her belongings, as my mom waited in the living room, Deanne began bringing out some toys and formed a lineup of only the toys that my mom had given her over the years. Deanne’s way of saying thank you! Then the day came to make the transfer. I couldn’t be there to hand her the leash (it was too difficult to do), so I let Etta know that Deanne would be on tie-down at my desk with all of her toys, food and equipment. I would let Deanne get settled in with Etta, as I went off to Spain to compete in the World Rowing Championships, and then return for 3 weeks of training in Oregon with my new Guide Dog Hedda.

I missed Deanne terribly, and was scared and excited all at the same time to see her again. I didn’t know how she would greet me, would she be happy to see me again? I met Etta and Deanne using my cane without Hedda, by the pond at the Guide Dogs campus. We were both unsure how to greet each other, and then she came up to me and pressed her head against my leg, I knew it was ok, and we hugged and enjoyed our reunion. After a while I knew it was time to part, Etta and Deanne turned and walked away. Deanne stopped, sat down, threw her head back like a coyote, and howled, a sound that was so wolf-like, and body piercing both Etta and I were stunned and frozen in place. After a few minutes, Deanne got up and walked willingly to the car. I can recall the sound to this day, Deanne was letting us know a period of her life had ended, and a new one began.

Our life together didn’t end. Deanne and Hedda met, and my fears that Deanne would be jealous of Hedda were exactly the opposite of what happened. It was Hedda that was jealous of Deanne, and the way she looked at me. That quickly faded as they developed their friendship through frequent visits at Guide Dogs and up at the Ranch. Deanne taught Hedda that she wouldn’t greet her unless she was behaving herself. Sitting just out of Hedda’s reach, with her head turned away. Then kissing her when she was under control.

Deanne, Hedda, Etta and I shared many visits, and stories about Deanne over the next 6 years. The people Etta met because they were friends with Deanne before she knew her. As with my relationship with Deanne, Etta’s relationship with her grew in depth as the months passed. Deanne’s wisdom and connection with people was displayed over and over through the work she continued to do. At the hospital in Santa Rosa, and Marin General, she had a way of knowing what people needed in order to heal. She helped a child who was deathly afraid of dogs learn to interact and love her. She attended board meetings, reigned over the vineyards at the ranch, and continue to delight her friends, canine and human.

When her rear end began to fail, she never gave up walking; she persevered when any other dog would have given up. She remained in charge until the end. The last time I remember seeing her, Hedda found an old bone of hers buried in the dirt. Hedda had been enjoying the bone for at least an hour while Deanne slept under her palm tree. Deanne barked for Etta to come help her to the house, and had been carefully planning her route, to walk by Hedda, and at just the right moment, grab the bone. She walked several feet out of Hedda’s reach, dropped to the ground, and began to chew the bone. She was still in charge!

Hedda is now retired after 6 years of working, and I just received my new German shepherd Guide Dog Splash. I never got to see Deanne again after the day she took the bone from Hedda. But I have that as my last memory of her. Hedda has now passed the torch to Splash, and Deanne’s flame has been extinguished. The loss is an open wound now, but her memories will remain bright in my memories forever.

Deanne brought Etta and me together. I know Etta loved her as much as I did, and I know Deanne made the perfect choice in Etta to adopt her. She must have known that Etta would care for and appreciate her in a way no one else could. Deanne lived almost 14.5 years, and if it hadn’t been for Etta’s excellent care we wouldn’t have been graced with Deanne’s presence as long as we did. Thank you Etta. Thank you Deanne!

Splash flies like a seasoned veteran!

2008-09-18T03:21:00.000-07:00

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We have had a busy week and a half since I last posted. The most significant event was flying to Portland last Thursday for the the 2nd Guide Dogs for the Blind Alumni Reunion. Jeanine and I left last Thursday afternoon for the reunion, flying out of the Oakland Airport for Portland. The airport was very quiet, no lines, so we were able to take our time through the security area. Splash was very relaxed as she got her pat-down after alarming the machine. She just thought it was another admirorer wanting to pet her. We flew Alaska Airlines, and now they are using the smaller Horizion jets for this trip. They are four seats across, 2 on each side. We got the bulkhead, Splash, scooted right over to the window seat, curled up, and that was the end of the story. It was very uneventful, as she didn't even respond to take-off or landing. We made our way through the airport to the garage for our rental car and drove out to Gresham.

We stayed at the Guide Dogs apartment over the student lounge in Gresham. When we arrived the students from the current Oregon class where there to do a night route. It was fun to introduce Splash to the instructors.

When I travel, I have always had the rule that my guides get to sleep on the bed with me, this is not the case at home. Splash willingly jumped up on the bed with me, and settled right into snuggle mode.

On Friday morning (at 5am) Splash stayed at the apartment with Jeanine, and I got picked up by a friend, Molly, who I had been emailing with about their new adaptive program. We went to the Lake Oswego Community rowing boathouse on the Willamet River. I got to row in an 8 for some very nice pieces. It was a lot of fun, and a good workout.

We spent a few hours relaxing after that, and then got in some shopping at the Colombia sportswear outlet (you know there is no sales tax in Oregon) Splash was a great shopper dog, and it turned out the person who helped us was a puppy raiser for GDB, and was thrilled to meet Splash (of course).

Then to the Doubletree in downtown Portland for the Reunion. There were about 150 people and about 100 Guide Dogs. Splash was amazing in the huge hotel, locating my room like a heat seaking missle every time, the elevators, the rooms where we met and the relieving area. She acted like an old seasoned dog, not the newest graduate in the bunch. It was great catching up with old friends, and the only dog that Splash reacted to (with excitement) was her sister Sarah Lee. She did enjoy meeting the only other shepherd besides Sarah Lee, Wila, Kim Samco's guide. Those shepherds sure like their own kind.

The agenda was packed, and included speeches, a banquet dinner, and a trip out to the Oregon campus. I made sure that we took a spin on the Oregon Trail at campus so she could stretch her legs and we could enjoy the woods.

The flight home was as anti-climatic as the flight out, and I am thrilled to be able to travel again with a Guide Dog by my side!

We got Monday off to recover, and Splash and I stayed close to home, did laundry, and I caught up on some work. I got to have lunch with the current class, and sat next to the new student who received her brother, Sanders. The siblings enjoyed saying hi to each other. Sanders aparently looks a lot like Splash, but it huge!

Saturday is the annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon, which we will attend, and Splash will make her debut with the volunteers.

Visit from the Spauldings!

2008-09-08T04:09:00.001-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, the Spauldings came for a visit. Splash recognized the sound of their desel truck when it came up the hill and got very excited. She was thrilled that they came to visit her, and she couldn't wait to show them around. They got to see all of her favorite places in the house, and of course her toys. It was a lot of fun getting to spend time with the family one on one, as last weekend was a mob scene, and there wasn't much opportunity to talk. I got to hear more baby Splash stories, and splash intermittently wiggled her way around the room to say hi to everyone, but especially Justin. After the visit, Splash listened to the car drive away, and then wanted to go back out to the pool, and splash some more. I was glad to see that she didn't want to leave with them, but was very happy for their visit.

Last week Kirk sent me an email, and he gave me permission to print it here. It was dear to my heart, and I wanted to find just the right words to respond.,... I was at a loss... you will see why

Aerial:
Regarding your gold medal, Splash:
In December on 2006, GDB gave us a small bundle of fluff named Splash. GDB also gave us an outline of what they would like to hav e as an end result. Well,we went to work and began molding this precious material. Barb, Justin, Dana and I started the process of forming this hairy ball into something more desirable.
Shannon, as well as all of the young members of our club, eagerly jumped into the foundry to be a part of forging something so extraordinarily unique.
We all pushed, pulled, pounded and coaxed our undertaking into a well-rounded and stable configuration. It then came time to pass her on to the next artist to work their magic and apply their adept talents. Adam and the kennel staff took our product and began refining and adding a more elegant shape. They used all of their tools to carve and burnish a fledging work in progress. Obviously they took their task seriously as they continued the operation. When Adam finished with his charge, he too had to pass on his culmination to another. Marc joined this dedicated society and took everything we had accomplished and began the job of polishing and cleaning any flaws left behind. Clearly, he was as committed to this process as all of those before him. When he finished sharpening, etching and buffing, the outcome was something exceptionally special.
And yet after all of our work, dreams and the dedication of many, something was clearly missing. While our outcome was undoubtedly beautiful, it was still not what we had pictured in our imagination. A very important element was still lacking. Our result was missing the glow need to complete the task. On
August 30th, that all changed when Splash walked out on that stage, stood by your side and looked up at you with total dedication and a brilliant luminescence. She is now complete.
While Splash may be your Gold Medal, you are the one who makes her shine. So, don’t be surprised if the next time we meet, I’m wearing sunglasses.
Your friends – Kirk, Barb, Justin and Dana

Its been a week since graduation

2008-09-07T05:03:00.000-07:00

I cant believe its been a week since Splash and I graduated. It has been a busy week for sure. Sunday we attended the wedding of my rowing coach at the Berkeley Botanical Gardens, followed by a reception at the Cal boathouse. Erin, the bow of the womens gold medal winning 8 in Beijing was there and she brought the medal! That was very cool and heavy too. Splash did a great job avoiding the food on the floor, and getting to meet a whole new group of people. The daughter of the Guide Dogs board president in 1989 when I graduated with my first dog Webster was there, and we had a great talk about Guide Dogs. There was another woman there who was a puppy raiser.

Monday we enjoyed a little R and R, walked to town and back early in the morning when it was still cool. Splash did an excellent job, and is very comfortable with the route now.

Tuesday and Wednesday were intense work days, lots of meetings, and catch up from being away from my desk for 3 weeks. We slipped in a couple walks to Starbucks, and play sessions in the grass paddock.

Thursday we held a Guide Dog Lifestyles workshop in the dorm for people considering getting a Guide Dog. The workshops are about 6 hours and include an opportunity to work a dog in San Rafael. The group was very attentive and entheusiastic. Splash enjoyed meeting everyone.

Friday we went to San Francisco to the Lighthouse for the Blind on Van Ness St. I spoke on a panel on a broadcast webinar about access technology. My portion was on fitness equipment. There were three of us, the moderator was Mary Alice from CSB, a O&M specialist LisaMaria who is a Judo athlete who also tried out for the Paralympics, and myself. We spoke about accessable heart monitors, the rowing machine with speech sofware, and how to make those flat screens accessable on treadmills etc. There were about 50 people in attendance, and the rest were on the phone/ computer.

Afterwards Tony, LisaMaria, Mary Alice, Jeanine and I went out to Chilis so we could socialize a little. Splash did a great job working me down Van Ness (a very busy main thoroughfair in SF. We walked in front of City Hall where they had literally run the red carpet down the stairs and across the sidewalk (not for us however) and several blocks to the restaurant. On the way back she had a momentary lapse of control as she lept with 4 feet off the ground after a pigeon. She then realized what she did, and was shagrinned! She turned back to me as if to say, "I am so sorry"

Saturday... Rowing (we have done this routine now Wed, Thurs, Friday and Sat, and she has this down. She jumps into the back seat of mom's car and takes a nap, and gets admired by her friends as they pass by. Saturdays practices are longer, and an hour later, so it was 9 when we drove north to Petaluma. It was already hot (high 80's) and will probably get into the 100's today. I got to watch the US Paralympic team enter the Birds Nest at the opening ceremonies for the Paralympics. They are being broadcast on Paralympicsport.tv Splash went for a romp in the pool, while I hung the laundry. Then it was hair cut day and nail day, so Larry dropped us off downtown. Everyone admired Splash, and I get 2 comments consistantly, "she is so beautiful" and "she is so calm". Thats my girl! Tomorrow the Spauldings are going to come by for a visit. Splash will be so excited to see them I am sure (me too!)

Graduation Day Aug 30 2008

2008-09-01T07:35:00.000-07:00

Three weeks went by quickly, and at the same time we came a long way in a short amount of time. I really feel ready to travel together with Splash. What to say at graduation… I was still working on that even while I was on the stage getting ready to get reunited with Splash again.

On Saturday morning I went to the boathouse with Splash to get in a practice before the big day began. Splash already knew the routine, and jumped into the back seat of mom’s car with a waggy tail. We got our line-ups and went out on the water for seat racing. I knew it would probably be my turn, I had only been on the water once in 3 weeks, I had a big day ahead, but that is when these things always happen… Sure enough, we got out to San Quentin, and coach told our boat and another to pull together and Christina and I switched seats. Oh, boy now the fun begins 4 three minute pieces all out. We did the first 2, and then we pulled boats together again, and Terry and I switched seats, 2 more pieces. Then we finished up the practice with rowing on the square at full pressure (meaning that instead of feathering the blades when they are out of the water, we had to keep them perpendicular and not bang against the water) Well this certainly took my mind off of graduation… After getting the boats cleaned and put away, I went to the car.

Now its time for all the festivities to start. I went back to moms and got showered and changed, and we drove up to Guide Dogs to be there at 11:30. Splash and I went to the Dormitory where we met up with the puppy raisers. As I came down the hall toward the Day Room, Barb called out my name. I had Splash sit, and she did immediately. Her focus was on me, but after about 30 seconds, she recognized Barb’s voice, and then exploded with joy into her arms. Then the Splash fan club came around the corner to re-unite with her. The whole Spalding family, Lindsay and a very special raiser, Shannon, who had taken Splash on many weekends and outings, joined the festivities. Splash was very excited to see all of her friends again, and so I handed off the leash and let her have her reunion. It was obvious that Justin and Shannon were very high on Splash’s special list….. I don’t think I could have gotten her attention back at that point, nor would I have wanted to.

I got to learn a few special tricks that Splash knew and lots of fun stories about how perfect and smart she has always been. I knew she was now, but I guess she came out of the womb that way. At 12:30 Todd escorted all of us over to the visitors center for a reception for the sponsored teams. I was very lucky as my best friend from second grade, Sue and her husband Chet were sponsoring us, and in addition another friend from Oregon also added to the sponsorship to make it a Lifetime Sponsorship. Sue and Chet have sponsored all my shepherds, Deanne, Hedda and now Splash! It means a lot to me!

Howard wasn’t able to come (or at least that was what I was lead to believe) and he had even sent flowers and good wishes on Friday, but he totally caught me off guard when he gave me a big hug, and didn’t say anything. It was Howard, and he had come to surprise me! He even brought his friend Hans, daughter, granddaughter, and another friend Ginger. Wow, what a great surprise!!

Everyone got to meet Splash, and she took it all in stride. This was a taste of what was to come for the rest of the day, and I was glad she was totally unaffected by the attention. My mom and Roni was also at the reception as well as Nancy Gardner the CEO at Guide Dogs and several other development staff. They played the DVD Soul Mates, which I have heard hundreds of time, but at that moment, the waterworks started for me when the words I had heard some many times took on a personal meaning for me with Splash by my side. I won’t do a bunch of naming otherwise I would be doing a lot of names for the day, and I am sure to forget some too.,..,

Todd returned to bring the whole group, puppy raisers, sponsors, family back to the dorm for photos. Ed Smith does the photos, and he had a lot more to do when I walked in, Puppy raiser group shot, Splash/Aerial ID photo, and sponsor shots. After that I had to hand the leash over to Justin, for graduation. I felt funny walking away with Darcy with no dog by my side. She escorted me on to the stage and I sat between the last student from the regular class and the first student from the retrain class as I was the lone in-home trained student. It was hot up on the stage and Dan came by and gave us all a bottle of water. Then the graduation began. Nancy Gardner came out on stage with a puppy in hand, and started things off. The new breeder dogs were presented and then Wendy began presenting the minor and regular classes. Graduation is always unique, the students are different, dogs and raisers each time and because I knew each of the students, it was even more meaningful and profound.

I continued honing my speech, and the emotions were high, deeply personal and genuine expressions of appreciation and life changing experiences were expressed, and some tears were shed. No one in the audience was immune to joining in the emotions of the day. It was my turn, and I thought, this is my 6th time doing this; surely I can make it without crying…… Alison escorted me to the stage, and Justin handed me Splash’s leash, I thought she was going to jump up on me when we were reunited but she managed to keep her feet on the ground. I was handed the microphone and barely got out: “When one door closes, another door opens. I had the goal for the past 6 years to compete in the Paralympics in 08, having competed in 6 world championships in rowing, and I lost my seat and didn’t make the team (tears….), however Splash is my gold medal.” Well I don’t know how much of that anyone could understand…. I had more to say but decided I should cut my losses and do some thank yous… So was able to regain my composure and get most of the thank yous out that I could remember. Justin, Kirk and Shannon were going to speak as well, however, Justin and Shannon were both feeling emotional too, and Kirk had to represent the group. He did a great job, and I feel so lucky to have new friends that will be part of our lives!

The graduation then continued with the retrain class, and it was no less emotional and heart felt. The tone shifted from how a first Guide Dog changed their life to how someone like me is affected by the opportunity to train with multiple dogs in their lifetime.

After graduation we went into the dining room where everyone, friends, family and raisers… all congregated to celebrate together. From there we took the party to mom’s house in Tiburon and the celebration continued. It was a huge bash, with lots of family, friends both old and new and of course food and drink! Cheryl and Jeff arrived with Hedda, and we had a moment of hugging and kissing, as only Hedda can do. I cry now as I write this as I miss my Hedda bug. It was very special to have my new Guide Splash and my retired Guide Hedda together at this celebration, though I am not sure how much Splash appreciated how Hedda relates to me, after all, I belong to Splash now…. They will work it out in time, just as Hedda and Deanne did. Deanne stayed up on the ranch Etta, where I am sure that old soul knew what was happening in Tiburon. Splash got to spend more time with her puppy raiser family and friends, and she was enjoying the event as much as I was. We didn’t get home until about 9:30pm and we were both exhausted!

This is just the beginning of a long journey and partnership with Splash; we have just crossed the starting line of a long relationship of sharing our lives together. I will continue to post to this blog (not daily) with our adventures together, and some photos along the way. Thank you for the supportive comments and emails I have received throughout training.

Graduation Day

2008-08-30T04:09:00.000-07:00

Its 4am, and I am getting my things together first to go to rowing practice, then to get ready for graduation. Splash has no idea what is in store for her today! She will get to see her puppy raisers, the Spaldings, who raised her for the first year of her life. She hasn't seen them since March, and with her memory, she should get very excited! Got to run and finish getting ready for the big day.

Muir Woods, the final workout....

2008-08-29T16:25:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is graduation, and the excitement level as we boarded the bus and caravans was palpable. The entire class, regulars, retrains and minors all went to Muir Woods. Splash and I rode in the class bus, with the minors, and a couple retrains, and the rest of the students rode in caravans and the Prius. It was fun to listen to conversations about going home with their new dogs, anticipation of meeting puppy raisers, plans for the future, and wanting to stay in touch with their classmates that they have all grown close to for the past 28 days.

The ride took about 25 minutes and the dogs slid around on the floor a little on the winding road. We all gathered at the entrance of the park and were given the option of a walk to the gift shop/ café, a medium length walk (about 1 mile in total) and the long walk about 2 miles total. There were 6 of us who chose the long route, and we had 2 instructors with us to make sure all went well and we stayed on the path. The dogs were excited to be in an area that was out in the woods, easy guiding (no street crossings) and it smelled great! We flew like six bomber pilots downthe pathway, at a speed that felt like flying (but under control) We passed the busloads of tourists walking on the same path, never bumping anyone, but hearing lots of different languages as we passed them by. We were like children feeling the freedom of getting released for recess. One of the students said “I never would have imagined being able to do something like this a month ago”

Its not new to me, but the thrill is just as fresh as the first time I experienced hiking on a trail at Muir woods in 1989 with Webster my first Guide Dog. We gathered on a foot bridge one mile from the parking lot, and enjoyed sharing our experiences, of hearing tourists making comments about our dogs, and how many people we startled as we passed them by and left them in the dust.

The whole class gathered at the café, and enjoyed a cold drink, basking in the sun and reveling in our excitement. We loaded up the busses and rode back to campus. The bus was buzzing with excitement.

I had lunch with the class, and the intensity of the conversation never wayned. One of the students was celebrating her birthday, so an ice-cream cake was served after the traditional birthday song. None of the dogs chimed in.

After lunch I returned to the office, and started thinking about what I will say tomorrow at graduation. I have done this 5 times before, and it is still just as exciting, the dog is new, the students and instructors are different, and the sense of accomplishment in 3 short weeks is as monumental as the previous dogs. Though I admit that Webster will always be the dog that changed my life for ever, he was the first and I had nothing to compare the experience to….

A taste of a “regular” work day...…

2008-08-29T04:10:00.001-07:00

A taste of a “regular” work day…

Today was our first day back at the boathouse for practice. Arlene came to pick us up at 5 am for the ½ hour commute to Marin Rowing. Mom was at the boathouse in her regular parking spot, with the clean fleece blankets on the back seat ready and waiting for her new grand-dog. Splash jumped right up and settled in, with a little greeting for her Nana first. Some of my teammates came over to meet the new girl and get a peek at her. We got off the water at 7:30 and another group came over to meet Splash. She will have a big following of fans from the team. Coach thought we could see how Splash does on the coaches launch, and if that goes well she could accompany the coach for practices. Her dogs ride the launch, and I think she would find it fun…

From there mom drove us to work. Splash was happy to get to GDB, and immediately knows where we are going to get to our office, which was relocated on Monday from the Puppy Raising office to the opposite end of the building in the Lunch Room. This will be our temporary digs until all of the reconstruction of Admin is finished (about a year). Today I won’t have time to join the class, meetings in the morning and afternoon take precedence.

She did get a lot of opportunities to work the campus, which we did quite a bit of with the comings and goings of meetings. At 10:30 we went to the grass paddock for a little play time. Denise with her breeder dog Crumpet came by and we let the 2 dogs play, and then Sierra and a foster dog came by (can’t remember his name) and he joined in the fun. Actually what happened is that the 2 labs paired off, and Splash ran along side, not really involved in the play. She had a good time though.

I did get to join the class for lunch, it was burger day! MMMM good. In the afternoon, we got to our meetings, and spent some time at the computer, and the next thing we knew it was time to go home. We commuted with Cyndi from the Accounting Dept. It was 103 degrees on the thermometer in San Rafael when we left, so you know where Splash headed when she got home…. Right for the back door, waiting to go out to the pool. It was too hot to go for a walk, so we hung out in the backyard by the wading pool. Tomorrow we will join the class for a final outing to Muir Woods in the morning.

SFO and Splash’s first office meeting

2008-08-28T03:58:00.000-07:00

Airports were Hedda’s undoing. When the Puffer machine or Trace Portal Machines were put in airports at security areas to detect traces of explosive particles about 2.5 years ago, the sound caused a big fear reaction. She never had to go in the machine (no Guide Dogs have to go in them) but just the sound in the area scared her. She was one of a very small number of dogs that had this reaction. Today I joined the class on a trip to SFO where we met with 4 staff from TSA at the International Terminal, and they went over the process for their staff and for us to be processed through the security areas at airports.

There were 14 of us there with our dogs, and they split the group in half. The minor class (6 students aged 16-17 year olds) and I walked over to the Domestic Terminal and the other 8 stayed in the International Terminal. We all worked as a group through the airport, in a line following each other. Splash wanted to be in front, so we worked at a pretty good clip where there weren’t many other people, and then when there were crowds waiting at the ticket counters, she slowed to a reasonable pace as to not knock over the suit cases, and little children who were reaching out to touch the dogs.

We made it to the long security line, and they brought us over to the far right hand line which was then directed by TSA agents to be just for our group. We then were directed individually to remove backpacks, bait bags, and jackets (though it was already pretty warm and most of us left those in the bus) Splash patiently waited while I removed things as directed, and then it was our turn at the medal detector. I had her sit, made a long leash, directed her to stay, and I moved through the machine first with the aid of the TSA agent, and then I called her through. She came sauntering through and sat by my side. Her harness and collar triggered the machine and I didn’t, so we were escorted sighted guide to an area with chairs and asked to sit while an agent inspects the dog. The area had other passengers being inspected, and as each of us was processed we filled the entire area with dogs. Eventually there were 7 students and dogs seated in the area. We were quite the spectacle. I heard from the instructors that there was a crowd watching us like we were street performers. I hadn’t spent much time with the minor class, and they were very curious about Splash the only shepherd. I ended up with four of the students on the floor with Splash, all were petting her, and investigating the differences between Labradors and shepherds. They were fascinated with her long coat and pointy ears. Splash fell sound a sleep as though she was getting a massage, and the whole time I could hear the Puffer Machine sending out its familiar jets of air in the area right next to us. I was thrilled to know Splash was completely unaffected by the machine as were all the other dogs.

We finally got all of our belongings back and made our way in the long train of dogs back through the crowds to the International Terminal and met up with the rest of the group. The TSA agents asked us how our experience was, and if there was anything their staff could improve upon. This is a great experience for us as students to go through before we have to do it for real, and that they use it as a training opportunity for their employees to be more adept at processing people with Guide Dogs. Win –Win!

We then went back as at big group of 14, outside to the busses that we came on. There were lots of lookie-loos at the parade of beautiful dogs. Splash stood out as the only shepherd, and many people including the TSA staff were thrilled by her, and commented on her beauty. I hope her head doest get too big to get through doorways with all this attention!

When we returned to campus, I headed right to the Board Room for a meeting I was 30 minutes late for. Splash and I entered, and she quickly settled next to me and was very calm and well behaved. We broke for lunch at 12:30, and I joined the class for another great meal. This time I sat with the only table I hadn’t sat at yet, and we all rehashed the airport experience.

After lunch I had to return for another couple hours of meetings, where Splash again had exemplary meeting behavior! I rode home with the Petaluma Carpool, and the temperature in Petaluma was 100 degrees, so I knew what I would be doing when I got home. Larry and I drove to the feed store so I could get a big floating egg for Splash to play with in her pool. The big egg was her favorite ingredient in the pool at Guide Dogs. Unfortunately the were out of them, and I will have to order one on line, but in the mean time there was a smaller floating jolly ball about 8 inches in diameter that would have to do . I also found a brush and comb I liked better for her coat which I got for her.

We returned home and she immediately went to the back door to tell me we should go fill the pool! I got the hose out, and she stood in the pool waiting for it to have the precious ingredient added to make the fun begin. WATER! The ball was a great addition, and I pulled up a chair because I knew I would be here for a while. I brought out my cell phone, and had a long chat with Cheryl about Hedda, and Etta about Deanne, my 2 retired girls!

All was good with Deanne and Hedda, and it was a great relief for me to be able to go through the airport again with a happy comfortable dog. A very successful day! Larry went to Costco today and bought a Roomba, the computerized vacuum robot, the answer to the increased amount of dog hair in the house, he is happy now too.

It wasn’t a fluke; we had another great day…

2008-08-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

The retrain class started the day with obedience next to the grass paddack where Luke the ball crazed dog was going postal over the jolly ball. Hedda is the only other dog who can rival Luke. We all lined up around the play yard, and did obedience with the tempting thrill and allure of Luke's fun going on in front of the crowd. All the dogs, including Splash stayed focused on their job of following the routine sits, downs, stay, heel and come. It was incredible, a sure winner for America's Funniest Home Videos!

I joined the retrain class for a trip into Union Square in
San Francisco. This is a busy area with a lot of foot traffic, stores, businesses, and a large central square that is open with lots of people and pigeons. There were 3 instructors, and the students worked in pairs, so I was #7 and waited on the bus with Splash for our turn. It was sunny and warm, unusual at 9:30 in the morning for SF. I peeled off my jacket, and took in the warmth of the sun coming in the bus windows while Splash took a nap on the floor. I could hear store owners talking on the sidewalk about the current news, tourists walking by talking about their plans for sightseeing, and the occasional passer-by who read the sign on the side of our bus “Guide Dogs for the Blind”, and wanted to see the dogs (well in this case, dog) Splash did well when the strangers peered into the bus at her.

I think I fell asleep for a few minutes, and then Darcy and 2 of the students were returned. It was our turn to thread the needle through the crowd. I had the option of Macy’s, Borders or Nike Town to get the experience of working through a large store and another trip on escalators. Well anyone who knows me, would know what I picked… Nike of course. We made our way down Bush St. to Powell which runs down to Union Square. Splash had her nice purposeful trot and I could feel her make her moves around people walking down the street, slower that she wanted to go. It was a perfectly navigated slalom course through the crowd. We crossed Post St. cutting through the island in the middle, and directly to the other side. I could hear the familiar sound of the cable car running next to us, which didn’t faze her at all. From there we worked through the middle of the square, a wide open space where they were setting up for a concert, testing the sound system. We cut through an open air restaurant, and out the other side, walking up Stockton St, and made the crossing again over Post St and Stockton to Nike Town which was on the opposite corner.

I put her boots on for the long escalator ride up to the store. I could hear music as we were rising up, which was to get us in the mood to shop for sporting clothes I guess. We walked through the high tech building with tables of shoes (that is when I had the idea of Nike Dog Boots, can you picture the little boots with the swoosh on the side) we walked by manikins with clothing from the countries that had just competed in the Olympics, and lots of Olympic gear. I was attracted to a jacket that Darcy pointed out that was red and white, with USA on the back and the 08 Olympic symbol on the front. I am hoping to find it on sale on ebay soon….

We made our way back to the escalator and back down and out of the building. We walked up Post Street several blocks to Mason St., and then back to Bush where the bus was parked. Splash kept her speedy pace throughout the route, weaving and bobbing around the tourists. I talked to her a lot and gave her lots of praise. She was rocking through the city like a pro!

The Embarcadero and downtown San Rafael

2008-08-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

Splash and I joined the retrain class for an outing to the Embarcadero in San Francisco. We rode on the class bus, and there were a total of 6 of us with our dogs on the bus and 3 instructors. It was fun getting to know the class better and their new dogs. We parked, and 2 of us waited while the rest of the group went out for their workout. We were parked in front of a café, so we went in and got a cup of coffee, no latte available. Todd came by after about 40 minutes and took Splash and I on our workout.

We worked three blocks to the Muni/ Bart entry. Splash worked at a wonderful pace, we were flying along, and she loved the city work. We stopped so I could put her boots on for the escalators, and she drew a crowd of admirers, enjoying the beautiful dog with the shoes. We then worked to the down stairway into the subway. Then we had to work to the turnstile to enter Bart. She slipped right through with me. Then the escalator down to the subway platform. Todd me work her towards the platform edge before there was a train, and she moved me away from the edge, atta girl Splash! Then we did the same on the other platform, and she did the same thing. Wow, that was amazing. Then the train arrived, we boarded, like she had done it a hundred times, she found me a bench, and we were on our way. We went one stop, got off, and worked our way out of the station, and back through a small park where there were hundreds of pigeons. We stopped and did obedience there. Splash didn’t want to lie down with her boots on, so I took them off of her. She didn’t pay any attention to the birds, and even when she had to do the recall, she flew right back to me.

From there we worked several blocks back to the bus. At one of the crossings and man yelled out to me (ok Splash), “nice shoes”. I wanted to think he was complementing my shoes, but I was wearing ordinary running shoes… It was an excellent route, where she performed like we were a seasoned team. I can’t believe how well she did, and how we have moved to a new level in our relationship.

We drove back to the campus, and Darcy (one of the instructors) gave us a tour of San Francisco, pointing out the important landmarks, like “the best Chinese restaurant”, “the best Italian restaurant”, a great Irish pub with Indian food, and some historical landmarks too… I made sure that I got the names of the restaurants so I can try them…

I got to join the class for lunch, mmm, Asian chicken salad, and home made banana bread. Hey, this is one of the down-sides to in-home training, I had to do my own cooking (grin).

After lunch I joined the retrain class for a freelance in downtown San Rafael. I wanted to re-do our not-so-successful route that we had done last week. Well, this one went perfectly. The street crossings at E- street were back to normal (well for the most part, it was gravel instead of paved, but it was passable) and there was no flour truck or leaf blower, and it was only 80 degrees. Splash worked San Rafael just like we had done a few hours earlier in San Francisco. It was beautiful, and I was flying with her! Today was outstanding, and when we got back to campus it was time to feed her. She had totally earned her dinner tonight!

Tonight we will kick back and relax, and bask in the successes of the day.

Dinner at the local Mexican restaurant

2008-08-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

Larry and I walked down to Petaluma Blvd. to our local Mexican restaurant. I went sighted guide and let Splash just heel. This way Larry and I could talk, otherwise he would be running behind me trying to keep up. Splash enjoyed doing the route without any responsibility, and just enjoy the view. I was thrilled when we got to the restaurant and she immediately placed herself neatly under the table. This is my first dog that would voluntarily go under the table instead of sitting to my side. This is going to be so much easier in busy restaurants, and prevent accidents where people step on the dog, or trip on it because they aren't looking down. Now its time for the Volley Ball game. Go USA!

Solo to downtown Petaluma, the paws are better!

2008-08-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

Oh, it’s the last day of the Summer Olympics, I will go through withdrawals! I will always remember this Olympics with Splash. The rowing and swimming of course were amazing, and fit with her name.

It was cool and overcast this morning, so I thought I would take advantage of getting a walk in early on a Sunday morning with little traffic, and cool conditions. Splash and I did the obedience routine on the driveway, and she performed it perfectly. We then walked down the familiar route to Petaluma Blvd, crossing to the east side where she can see the traffic coming toward her, and has a clearer path to town. She did a great job, no hesitancy, so her paws must be feeling good (I had the boots in my backpack just in case) We walked to Peets Coffee, and she showed me the turns to the Bistro and the 24 hour fitness on the way. She was thrilled when she figured out that we were going to Peets, another destination that she was familiar with. She took me up to the counter (hopefully there wasn’t a line that we crashed), and I ordered my nonfat latte, and while I was waiting Milli, my sister-in-law came through the door. Splash recognized her right away. We found a table and Splash sprawled out on the floor.

We drove to Longs Drugs to pick up a few necessities, and then Milli dropped me off at home. It was a good workout, and 1 direction was enough. The sun was out now, and the temperature rising. I worked out for an hour on the rowing machine, and Splash settled in on the fleece at the top of the stairs that go into the garage where the rowing machine lives. Then it was Splash’s turn for some fun. We went to the backyard, and filled the kiddy pool and all the ingredients for fun were aligned. Splash, the pool and some water…. We hung out in the back yard for a couple hours; I listened to a book while she entertained herself in the water.

After a good time in the water and her dinner, Splash is conked out on the floor, sound asleep. Tonight we will watch the mens final of the volleyball game against Brazil, and the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. Tomorrow we will begin mixing in work and some final routes with the class. I will have lots of work to catch up with, and am also looking forward to doing some final routes before we totally fly solo. Though I know I can always get help from Marc if I need it.

The Gym, and the wonders of the clicker

2008-08-23T15:36:00.000-07:00

Since we can’t do a long walk, I thought today would be a good day to work on learning the gym. Larry drove us down to the 24 Hour Fitness where I work out. Splash and I worked from the parking lot into the building which she had been to before, and immediately recognize it, and took me right to the front door. I worked her into the front desk, and gave her a little food reward and lots of praise for locating the desk. She was pleased with herself! From there I directed her toward the dressing room. We had to work by the basketball court where there was a game going on, and she thought that looked interesting, but kept working with purpose. We also had to work by the spin class, which has a glass wall so she could see what was happening in there too. We found our way to the dressing room, and again I rewarded her with praise and food, and she got wiggly and happy.

We worked back out, and I had her find the stairs, which lead up to the weight rooms. It was still early enough that it was pretty quiet, so I used my cane to find a machine with a bench. I used the clicker to get her to target the bench, like a chair. She figured out the game immediately before I could even get my hand on the harness handle, so I clicked her for doing the right thing! Wow, she is so smart, and quick, much faster than I am! We repeated it several times and I added the word “bench” since many of the machines have benches attached. She got it right away, and I was able to work to several machines with benches. This clicker stuff is amazing. I can’t wait to keep adding to our repertoire.

From there we went back to the stairs, and into the spin class. I sat on the floor with her so I could see how she would do with the loud music, and the instructor yelling directions to the class. The instructor knows me, and recognized right away that I had a new dog, so she announced to the class Splash’s name. Splash curled up in my lap and fell asleep. Don’t think this will be a problem. I will come back tomorrow and take a class.

We then worked to the room with all of the aerobic machines, treadmills, ellipticals, and rowing machines. Again she seemed unphased by all the noise. I got the cane out again, located an elliptical machine, and used the clicker to teach her to find the machine. Well again, she didn’t need to work through that more than twice, and she already was leading right for it. Lots of praise! I gave it the name of “machine” which I will use to find any of the aerobic machines. I will eventually have her learn rowing machine, since I spend many hours on those. I jumped on the elliptical for a few minutes after settling her behind the machine, and she stayed down, and was relaxed. That was a good mornings work, and very successful for our first gym tour.

We exited the gym and went 1 block to Peets coffee to celebrate our gym success. I ran into my friends Joan and Nancy from spin class, and we had coffee together, and had a chance to socialize. Joan gave us a ride back home afterwards.

My sister-in-law called and invited us to take a tour of the Nina, a replica of Christopher Columbus’ ship, which was visiting Petaluma for a few days. We drove down to the boat basin, and Splash stayed on the dock with my brother-in-law since the ramp into the boat was too steep and slippery for both Splash and Phil. The ship was small and hard to believe it could have sailed across the Atlantic. It was a fun tour, where I got to touch everything, and feel the amazing woodwork that went into building the ship. We drove back to town, and had lunch at the Waterstreet Bistro, where Splash demonstrated her perfect restaurant behavior. She attracted a lot of attention, with her beauty, cute booties, and her good behavior. Many people in town know Hedda, and are recognizing right away that Splash isn’t Hedda, and asking lots of questions. She is a real show stopper with her striking looks and long hair.

We then drove down to GDB for the clicker workshop; I thought I would work on “find the pole” which I will use to find the button to make street crossings. Well I should have called ahead, the whole class ended up going out to the mall, and I was the only one who showed up. Oh, well, I called Larry and he came and picked me up and we headed back up to Petaluma.

We had a pretty full day and she is not favoring any of her feet. We will hang out with the final day of the Olympics now.

Health History, and paws on the mend

2008-08-22T17:38:00.000-07:00

Marc and I met with Doc for a review of Splash’s health history. This is done with every student before graduating with their new dog. Splash had a very clean history. He checked her weight and since she was down a little we will keep an eye on it, and re-weigh her in a couple weeks. She is now enjoying 4 cups of food a day, and I am getting no argument from her about that. He checked her feet, and she still showed a little sensitivity, but the pads looked good, a little thin in a couple spots. So I won’t work her again until Sunday. We can do the clicker class tomorrow, but I just won’t work her on rough surfaces, and will use her boots. While we were on campus Splash met Ruby, miniature dachound from the Accounting Dept. The 2 germans hit it off right away.

Splash got her GDB id and her rabies tag, which Marc attached to her collar, a beautiful red heart, the perfect jewels for her collar. We practiced finding the chair again, she remembered exactly what to do and pulled me right to the chair. Wow, she is amazing!

I got an update about Hedda, she is enjoying her retirement, and playing with her 2 dog buddies, Ecuador and Devine. Happy Hedda! I miss my little black bug, but am happy she is doing so well.

Sore pads.... time for a break

2008-08-22T04:44:00.000-07:00

Marc arrived at 9:30. Yesterday we discussed a dog behavior book, which I had found and downloaded last night, The Dogs Mind. We talked about the book for a while, and then decided that we would work to downtown Petaluma by exploring a back street off of Petaluma Blvd. Giving Splash a chance to work a good stretch that is quiet after yesterday. We traveled to Petaluma Blvd, and worked 1 block south to Magnolia. It turned out to have some construction on it, so it wasn’t so easy. Marc walked us around it, since the traffic would have been too close. We walked to Keokuk and started up the street going south. Splash was a little tentative, and her gait was a little rough. We checked her feet, and 2 of the pads were thin and sensitive (not worn through, just thinner than the rest). Marc felt that with all the workouts we have done (a lot more than she was use to in training) and the hot pavement yesterday caused her to have sore feet. Even with the boots it was obvious that she wasn’t comfortable, not putting all of her weight on her right front foot. I stopped working her taking the pressure off of her harness, and Marc took us sighted guide a few more blocks to the Tea Shop. I called Larry and he came and got us.

Tomorrow we have an appointment with the Vet Clinic to go over her health history, and can have her feet checked. We will see how much time she needs for a break so her feet can feel better. Meanwhile, we took the rest of the day off. We can get a night route in another time.

I worked on the clicker with her for locating an empty chair (on the carpet in the livingroom) She immediately remembered our practice from yesterday, and connected the word with finding a chair. She showed me a chair from a distance of 10 feet away. We repeated that a few times, then I turned around and she showed me another chair on the opposite side of the room. She has got it!! Wow she is so smart and quick to learn new things!

Fishermans Wharf/ San Rafael

2008-08-21T06:04:00.000-07:00

It was clear and warm in Petaluma at 9:30 am when Marc picked us up for our excursion to San Francisco. By the time we got to Sausalito there was fog, which was the case in SF too. Marc found a parking spot on North Point, and we worked a route through heavy pedestrian traffic, and lots of distractions, food, bay smells, tourist attractions, delivery trucks and gift shops. Splash worked her way through everything with caution, and we cleared every obstacle both moving and stationary! We passed outdoor restaurants, with heavy food smells and she kept her nose in check. We walked through the Cannery building to an escalator, I put Splash’s boots on and she very willingly boarded the escalator, and exited when we got to the top. The use of booties for escalators is new, and I think a good way to go, preventing the possibility of accidents with pads and toenails. We then took the elevator down to the ground level again, and worked our way back to the van. As soon as we rounded the corner she spotted the GDB van, and picked up her pace right to the front door. She is like a homing pigeon.

We drove back to San Rafael, and Marc dropped me off on Northgate Dr. so Splash and I could walk back to campus on this long stretch that we had done yesterday, giving us a chance to work by ourselves and kick it out. We cruised along the sidewalk at a nice clip, and effortlessly found our way back to campus. That was fun!

Marc and I both got some email/voice mail done, grabbed a bite of lunch and then joined the retrain class for a freelance route in downtown San Rafael. The town is going through a lot of re-construction of sidewalks, and the corner of E and 4th streets, 2 of the corners were undergoing replacement of the sidewalk, the SW and NE corners, which meant that from the lounge, working east on 4th, the only direction we could work was north on E and 4th up to 5th. It was about 85 degrees, noisy from the construction, and to add to the excitement, the flour truck was delivering to Bordenaves sour dough bread store. That meant that there was a 1 ft diameter pipe lying across the sidewalk where they were pumping the flour into the bakery and across the street a leaf blower was blasting. My plan was to walk to the tea shop on 4th street (near Court) I took off with 2 other retrains, and we all were a little challenged by the sounds, commotion and the pipe. Splash stopped to show me the pipe, and worked willingly through all this chaos. We made it up to 5th and E and turned east. I worked down to C and turned right back to 4th. All was going well and it was nice and quiet. At fourth I turned left and Splash got pokey, I couldn’t figure out what was going on, she sat at the corner, and was hesitant to get up. Marc and up to me and told me that the ground (especially the brick patches) were VERY HOT. I got out her booties, and everything was fine again. I ended up stopping at Royal Ground Coffee to cool off with her and give her some water. I felt terrible as I didn’t pick up on how hot the ground was. All my other dogs would do a little hot foot dance to let me know. Once we both had a chance to cool down, I worked back up to 5th staying on the shaded side of the street, and back to the lounge. That was a tough route!

Marc drove me back to Petaluma after that at 3pm. When we got home, I filled the wading pool with water, and we did a real cool-off, Splish Splash for an hour! After she ate, she crashed and fell sound asleep. That was a big day. Tomorrow we will do a route in Petaluma in the morning, have a break in the afternoon, and Marc will come back at 8:30pm for a night route.

Tuesday continued...

2008-08-20T04:39:00.000-07:00

We worked our way through the dorm, down the main hallway to the east end doors, down the back stairs, and around the front of the Admin building, Splash already knows and indicated the stairs down to Puppy Raising, and the front door to Admin. We crossed the street, and went to the Visitors Center. It is obvious that she had been there before too. We then followed the back path out to Los Ranchitos Rd., and walked the ½ mile to Northgate II to Starbucks. Splash did great on the long stretch. The day wouldn’t have been complete without a latte. This also gave us a chance to talk about what we want to accomplish the rest of the week. We worked back around the back side of Northgate I, on Northgate Dr. back to campus, and Splash hit her stride. She felt so smooth like she was gliding down the sidewalk. We passed several people, and I could hear them comment about how beautiful she is…. That’s my girl!

I got to have lunch with the class, and really enjoyed getting to know some of the students, and we all shared stories about our dogs. After lunch I had a few minutes before the workshop started, and went back to my desk to do a little email, on the way out we ran into Adam, Splash's trainer, this time she wagged her tail but didn't react much, I loved it! Adam was a little insulted, but I am thrilled that her allegence is to me now!

I then attended the clicker workshop. It was great to learn more about the clicker training and how we can use it to teach our dogs customized things we want them to show us. I can use it to have her find a chair (always a tough thing to do on your own) the pole on a street corner that has the button for crossing the street, and ATM machine etc. It is such a positive way to teach the dogs, and they love to learn with this technique, like a game. Well Splash LOVED it. She was enthusiastically pressing her chest into the chair, and stretching her nose across it. We will continue practicing at home to reinforce this skill, as it is very handy. Now I have to get creative about things I want her to show me.

Marc brought me back to Petaluma after we were done at 4pm. It was a good day for Splash and I. Tomorrow Marc will pick me up at 9:30am to go to San Francisco.

Guide Dogs Campus, Starbucks and Clicker workshop

2008-08-19T17:37:00.000-07:00

Marc came by around 9:00 and we mapped out a plan for working around campus. It started with a trip to the relieving circle which is used 5-6 times a day by the students in class, and some staff grads use this cement area for reliving their dogs as well. Splash got right to "doing her business" and then the class joined us. She was a little distracted and forgot about the job at hand. So the next stop with the play yard, which is something I will be using with Splash for fun play time in the future. She finished doing her business, did a bunch of sniffing, and then a little running around. We ended with a successful off leash recall. Atta girl Splash!

From there we walked down the main kennel hallway, where she had to show me Kennel 3 which is where she lived when she was in training. From there we went to the vet clinic. She took me right to the door, we went in and did a little celebrating of her wonderful job of locating the destination.

From there we worked through the Admin building, passed a few people I know and had to do a little introduction, and off we went through the gift shop and out the back door through the middle of campus. We discovered a new water element that is just outside of the gift shop that was added to give students an auditory clue where the entrance to the building is located. Very nice addition. From there we made our way to the Dormitory, and ran into Sierra with her camera. (the above photos were from Sierra Fish)

The Petaluma Express - the GDB Carpool

2008-08-19T07:12:00.000-07:00

Splash and I joined the Petaluma Express this morning. Cindy,and Sammy, Ken and Bristol, Brenda and Jackson and Aerial and Splash. It was very exciting, Splash's first encounter with the new commute partners. She got very excited about Jackson (male GSD) and Bristol (male cross) who she had had a chance to meet prior to getting into the van, and forgot what she was doing for a moment. It was the first big (big for Splash) correction I had to give her. She pulled herself together immediately, and then pouted for a few minutes. She settled into the floor of the front seat of the van with me, and then was happy and quiet for the rest of the ride to GDB. When we worked from the van to the Admin building, she kicked right into gear, and brought me right to the front door. Then she made her way down the hall and took me right to the stairs leading down to the Puppy Raising office, where my desk is located. She settled right down under my desk, where she is lying quietly.

Today Marc and I will work on the GDB campus, through the kennels, Admin building, Dormitory Visitors Center, and around the grounds. Then we will join the Clicker Training workshop in the afternoon.

Traffic Route and the Boathouse

2008-08-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

Cindy (who works in Accounting at GDB) came by to give me a ride down to Guide Dogs. we introduced her dog Sammy and Splash outside the car first , and then Splash and I got in the front seat, and Sammy on her own seat in the back. The commute partners did great. It was fun to catch up on GDB news and we shared stories about the Olympics. We got to campus at 7am, so I had some time to work with Splash in the Admin building to our desk. She knew the building already from training, and she seemed very comfortable under my desk on a fleece pad. She got a special visit from Betsy from the kennels, the CWT that took care of her. Splash was very happy to see her, and had to show her the toy basket on my desk (I didn't know she knew it was there yet) I got a chance to catch up with email and voice mail.

Marc and I headed downtown San Rafael for our traffic experience with the new Prius hybrid car that is being used to get students and dogs comfortable with the quiet cars. Adam who had trained Splash came by to say hi, and see how we were doing. Splash was very happy to see him too!

The traffic route was more extensive than the last time I was in class, and we had around 10-12 occurrences with the vehicle, pulling in front of us in driveways and parking lots, coming toward us, blocking driveways, turning into us in intersections, and pulling up behind us. Splash knew her job and did it well, and could see it all coming, but I couldn't predict when it was going to happen because I couldn't hear the car. It was a real confidence builder! I gave her lots of praise and petting and was very proud of my new girl!

From there we drove to Greenbrae to the Marin Rowing Boathouse. I wanted to give her a chance to work through the boathouse and the docks when there weren't a lot of people around. We parked in the lot in front of the boathouse, and she worked her way to the front door, negotiating her way around a boat that was blocking most of the entrance. From there we went upstairs to the workout room, where there are around 50 rowing machines, weights, and stationary bikes. I worked her to the end of the building where there was someone working out on the rowing machine, and another person on the stationary bike. She was totally fine with both, and was very relaxed. From there we worked back downstairs through one of the boat bays, and she did a great job keeping me clear of all the riggers that stick out from the sides of the boats on the racks, which go from floor to ceiling. Then we made our way down to the docks, she was VERY excited but focused to take me down near the water. She was controlled but at the same time I could tell she was thoroughly enjoying the experience. Well that was all good for one day, and a very positive exposure to her new world of rowing. Splash is ready to row! (not really in the boat)

Marc drove us back to Petaluma, and Splash is sprawled out on the floor taking a nap. Job well done!

Sunday, a day of rest and visitors...

2008-08-17T17:42:00.000-07:00

Splash and I got up early and she ate at her new regular time of 5am, she told me exactly when it was time to eat. She loves her groceries. Then she took a snooze while I did stuff on the computer and checked to see what the results of the Men's and Women's 8's at the Olympics were. The US women won Gold!! And the men won Bronze! Both amazing outcomes for the US in rowing... Then I found a good place for Splash to settle in out in the garage with me while I got a workout in on the rowing machine for an hour. She was fantastic, settled right in, and never had a problem staying settled while I got my workout in. I found a place in the dining room which is connected to the kitchen and put a fleece on the floor, so that I could teach her that when I am cooking that she is to stay in the dining room. She got it right away, and only came over to me once. I took her back, praised her, and she stayed there the rest of the time. My brother and sister-in-law Phil and Milagros, came over at noon and stayed until 4:30. They wanted to meet the new dog, and it was instantaneous attraction! They couldn't get over how beautiful, sweet and calm she is. They were remembering when Hedda first came home... a little more energetic... They have loved all my dogs, and Splash is no exception. It has been good to have some relaxing time together, and I am ready to get back to training together tomorrow. Marc and I are going to go to do traffic work in San Rafael, always exciting (for both the person and dog), and we will discuss what will be in store for the rest of the week. We will have nylabone play time, cuddling and grooming tonight.

Bonding day...

2008-08-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

Marc won't be working with me this weekend, so we stayed home, and focused on play, grooming and t-touch. Well I did do a lot of this in front of the TV with the Olympics on. I also had a chance to catch up on some email, phone calls and housework. I think Larry will be doing more vacuuming with the amount of hair coming off of Splash compared to Hedda.

I can really tell all the time we are spending together has already formed a wonderful foundation. Splash follows me everywhere, and wags her tail when I talk to her. She loves to be groomed and get massaged, becoming extremely relaxed, where she will even allow me to flip her over to get the other side. She is very trusting. She loves her nylabones, but has no interest in tug. I am hoping to find more toys and things we can do that give her pleasure. Oh, I cant forget the pool, that is a big hit! More of the same tomorrow.

San Rafael

2008-08-16T05:51:00.000-07:00

Splash is a little itchy girl, so when Marc arrived we called down to the GDB Clinic to see if someone was available to take a peek at her. We got an appointment for 9am with Doc. We made use of the ½ hour before we needed to head down to campus, and drove to Copeland St., the new Petaluma bus terminal. We parked on D St. and Copeland, and walked the block between D St. and Washington St. on the east side of the street where all of the buses arrive and depart from. There are 4 stops, the first nearest D, has no scheduled stops yet, the second and third are for the local Petaluma buses, and the fourth, and closest to Washington is for Golden Gate Transit and Sonoma Transit buses. Marc oriented me to the crossings and approach which was all very straight forward.

We then headed down to campus where Doc weighed Splash in at 68 lbs (5 more than Hedda and 5 smaller than Deanne) Splash had evidence of having some bites from fleas, even though she had Frontline on, so Doc gave her something for the itchiness, and some Advantage which may work better for her.

Since we were already in San Rafael, we made our way downtown. We parked on Fifth St. between B St. and C St. on the North side of the street, and I worked down to E St. Splash knew this territory, and enjoyed seeing some of her old kennel mates as we passed other teams in training from the current class. At E St. I turned south and walked 1 block to Fourth St. and west to the downtown lounge. I had an opportunity to meet some of the students in the current class, and introduce myself and Splash, and then Marc and I worked back down Fourth St. to B. St. to the Royal Ground coffee house, for our morning latte, and found ourselves in a rendezvous with a big group of students from the class and their dogs. It was fun to meet and socialize with the class. From there I worked north on B st. and then west to our van. Splash spotted the van from a half a block away, and headed right for it. What a memory!!

We headed north to Petaluma, and talked about the weekend plans. Marc and I will pick up work again on Monday, so in the mean time I will keep up her relieving schedule, and hang at home. A nice opportunity to have a few visitors, and relax together.

Splish-Splash...

2008-08-15T05:39:00.000-07:00

Splash and I were on our own for the afternoon and evening. I got the OK to go out for a meal from Marc, so mom came by and we went to Lilly Kai Chinese restaurant here in town. When we were being seated, the owner of the restaurant asked me if this was a different dog. I am glad that Splash won't be mistaken for Hedda. I had that problem when I got Hedda, everyone thought she was Deanne. Though if you looked at the 2 they really didn't look anything alike, as Deanne was considerably bigger and bi-colored. Splash, was a perfect girl at the restaurant. When we returned home, it was very hot, and I thought it would be a good time to play in the wading pool in the back yard with some floating toys. Sure enough, that was the perfect, cool, entertainment for all of us. Splash had a blast, and we laughed at her for about an hour. After drying off, both Splash and I fell asleep on the floor. That wasn't my intention, as I don't like to nap during the day. During the evening Larry did some pruning on the route near our house where the vines come down over the sidewalk, to give Splash and I a direct access down the sidewalk. Marc and I have discovered we should keep pruning sheers in the backpack for those stray branches that get in the way. More Olympics and lots of brushing. Splash flopped out in my lap and went to sleep while I was brushing, oh so cute! Mom and Splash's puppy raiser, Barb Spalding, have been corresponding, and I have included a Splash baby photo that she sent. Even Larry, non-dog-person that he is was exclaiming how adorable she was as a pup!

Downtown take III, elevators and obedience

2008-08-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

Marc arrived at the usual time, and we headed right out to Petaluma Blvd. There was some road work being done at the intersection of Sycamore and Petaluma Blvd. So I stayed on the north side of Sycamore, and crossed the Blvd to the east side. This was a familiar route to her now, and we worked with ease to the downtown area (the 1 mile walk). Marc crossed to the west side of the street and let us work alone. Splash has a wonderful memory, and great clearance work. Marc noted an overhanging tree branch that she took me around, and it was the first time she had encountered it. I met Marc at the Bistro, and we had our lattes. Splash did a great job of ignoring a little dog that came up to her, and the waiter who pet her without asking first. The waiter then addressed her as "3L2", and then I realized what he was referring to, he could read her tatoos in her ears. I have never had a dog where the tatoos were visible to the public before. I told him that 3L2 was a code name for Splash... Marc and I had a great discussion about dogs and how they think, and interpret situations. I am learning allot. I wanted to use the restroom, which is in the new building complex next to the restaurant. It gave me a good opportunity and a large open space in the lobby to do obedience with Splash. It was a tile floor, which was a little slippery for her, but she did a fantastic job. Marc noticed that there was an elevator, so we took the opportunity to do some elevator work. It was no big deal to her, she was very relaxed with it. From there we crossed Petaluma Blvd at Western, walked up to Kentucky St. and turned right. She indicated Mi Pueblo Mexican restaurant, the knife shop and Copperfield Books. Marc thought that she may have picked up on an old lingering scent that Hedda and I had left from a few weeks back (I guess I should shower more often). It was extremely impressive. She didn't stop at every door, just the 3 that I had been in. I was blown away! We continued across Washington on Kentucky, and enjoyed the quiet neighborhood to work through, as we paralleled Petaluma Blvd going north. We passed wonderful fragrances of different varieties of lavender, roses and jasmine. I think Splash picked up on some special scents of her own. A girl with a good nose! We took a right on West, and headed back down to the Blvd. From there we headed home. She knew where she was and picked up her pace as we rounded the corner on to Sycamore Ln. It was a long and involved route, which she did a great job with. I am thoroughly enjoying our work together. It is suppose to get into the triple digits this afternoon, so that will be it for today. As Marc pointed out to me, we have been getting out for about 3 hour workouts in the morning, that have been complicated, and integrated many things into each route. We both had a big drink of water, and she is flopped out next to me sound asleep. Job well done!

I haven't had any exciting news to write about relieving, she is on a great schedule, a good eater, and we have had absolutely no problems! Cant ask for anything more than that...

Afternoon Workout

2008-08-14T03:53:00.000-07:00

3pm - Marc arrived, and the thermometer on Petaluma Blvd said 99 degrees. Good thing we did our street work this morning. I did the obedience routine with Splash, and she performed it perfectly, and with lots of enthusiasm! Marc and I discussed the plan for the next couple days, and he will return at 9am.

The little pool, and couple toys were awaiting our interaction in the backyard. Splash showed me why she is so well named! We had good water fun for about an hour, and an evening of the Olympics...

Downtown Petaluma take II

2008-08-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

Marc arrived at 9 and we headed right out since the temperature was already hotter than yesterday morning at the same time. This time we worked right from the front door, out to Sycamore Lane, and had to work the side-walkless section for about a block until we came to the parking lot for the toy store which is located on the corner of Sycamore and Petaluma Blvd. From there is familiar territory for Splash, and we made our way south toward town, like we did yesterday. With the traffic coming up from behind us, and a poorly-distinguishable sidewalk, we crossed Petaluma Blvd, and worked on the east side of the road. This was much easier to figure out, and smooth sailing to town. She remembered the turn to the Bistro, so we let her take me there so she had a destination she was familiar with. While praising her up for a job well done, my good buddy and training partner Holly came out to meet the new girl!

From there we continued down the block and worked to the gym, which will be a place that we will soon be frequenting. She gladly took me to the door, and she got lots of lavish praise for that. Then it was off to Peet’s Coffee for a latte. I know she will get to make many trips there too. After a leisurely coffee, and discussion, where Splash rested quietly on her side avoiding the crumbs on the floor, we headed back into the heat. Crossing Petaluma Blvd to the west side of the street. Our next destination was Holly’s store Athletic Soles on the corner of Western and Petaluma Blvd. Splash enjoyed the cool floor while Holly and I chatted a little about the Olympic results.

The temperature it now pretty warm, I would guess in the high 80’s low 90’s, and we headed north, on the 1 mile trek back home. It was obvious by her enthusiasm; she knew we were headed home on familiar territory. She had a nice gait. When we rounded the corner at Sycamore to head towards the final leg of our journey, she was moving out nicely, remembering every subtle curb, pole and overhang from the day before. We had a big celebration when we made it to the front door! A bowl of water, and she is now sprawled out on the floor, sound asleep. Its now noon, so Marc will return at 3pm for the obedience routine. Too hot for an afternoon workout today.

2008-08-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

Splashs' Nana begins her photographic chronicle!

Hot (94 degrees) again this afternoon

2008-08-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

Marc arrived at 3:15, and since it was very hot, we had had such a successful workout (out for almost 3 hours) he decided to stay in, and we focused on the obedience routine. It has changed a little since I was in class in 2002. There are 3 sits, 3 downs, followed by a stay, 2 recalls to a heel, and then after releasing the dog, another recall. Splash was fantastic, very animated and attentive. That was all good for one day, so Marc will return at 9am tomorrow morning.

We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon doing some grooming, and t-touch, and just hanging out together. She is so soft, I just cant keep my hands off of her. More Olympics tonight.

Home to downtown Petaluma and back

2008-08-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

This morning Marc arrived at 9am. It was clear, but still cool. The plan for the first city type workout was to work from Petaluma Blvd near my house, and walk the 1 mile walk down the blvd to downtown, and stop for coffee, and then work all they way back to my house. The route went very well, with some street crossings along the way. Her work was beautiful, and she was very careful and thoughtful when we worked around obstacles. There were a few things to sniff along the way, but nothing that was a big deal, and she easily and quickly regained her focus. I get distracted by smells sometimes too, like the Lombardi sour dough French bread company. We went to the Tea Shop, and enjoyed a leisurely latte and talked training. Splash was very relaxed, lying quietly on her side taking a little snooze. I had a chance encounter with friends Robin and Patricia, and thoroughly enjoyed introducing them to my new girl! Its really fun working in my home town.

After coffee we headed back home. Splash quickly picked up on the reverse direction that we had originally come from, and worked enthusiastically. When we got to Sycamore Rd. (the road that leads to home) she did a great job figuring out we were headed home. When the house was in sight, she recognized it right away, and picked up her pace for a grand celebration when we arrived at the front door!

Marc will return this afternoon at 3

We did our first workout! 94 degrees!

2008-08-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

We had a restfull morning, grooming, t-touch massage, and the Olympics. Marc came by at 1pm for us to do our first workout. We went over Splashs' first day with me, relieving and house behavior. She was perfect, and no problems to work out. He wanted our first route to just be stress free, and fun, so we went to Schollenburger Park in Petaluma, a 2 mile loop that is flat, and 1/3 of it is paved and the other 2/3 is hard packed dirt. a quarter of the route follows right along the Petaluma River. When we arrived it was hot, and about 1:30pm. Since the pavement was hot, I got her new Ruffwear boots out and she accepted them without any problem. I put her harness on her, and Marc guided me to the beginning of the trail. I picked up the harness handle and gave the command "Splash forward", I had to think for a minute, because Hedda almost slipped out. She immediately pulled into the harness and off we went. Her gait is smooth, and the pull is firm. It felt good to be working her. When we got to the the first place there was a trail off in another direction she indicated it to me. I love that shepherd initiative! When we arrived at the river, there is a fishing platform that extends out over the river, she showed that to me. It was a good time to stop and have a drink of water, and she enjoyed the view of the water. Then off we went following the river. As we rounded the corner that heads back in the direction of the parking lot, the temperature increased, and she slowed down in the heat (so did I). The last leg of the trip she was looking forward to getting back to the van, and a drink of water. She was so willing and solid in her work, I am in love already! When we were driving home, I had heard that Splash enjoys playing in water, so I asked if it would be ok if I set up the kiddy pool in the back yard, and we splashed around together. I got the go-ahead, and after Marc and I discussed tomorrows plan, Splash and I went for a splashing good time! This girl certainly does like the water. Now I know she is MY dog. Hedda and Splash are going to be best buddies, and I will have to get a bigger pool!

Tomorrow Marc will arrive at 9am and we will work from my house to Petaluma Blvd, to down-town Petaluma, about a 1 mile walk, stop and rest at a coffee joint, and then do a route back home. I am really liking this in-home training.

After Splash and I had a thorough cool-down in the pool, I dried her off, not a small job, I fed her dinner, and then out to relieve. She is sound asleep by my side now, after she let out a big sigh. Happy dog, happy person...

We both slept well!

2008-08-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

Splash settled right in on her fleece next to the bed, after one quick attempt to jump up on the bed with me. She slept all night, and so did I. She is a good eater, and eagerly consumed her food, a few laps of water, and we went out for a successful relieving session, I warned you there will be many relieving conversations.... She did all her numbers, and everything is healthy! We will spend this morning doing more bonding around the house. The Olympic coverage starts at 10am, so will check the rowing results on line to see what is happening there. Have receive lots of wonderful emails of congratulations, which I am thoroughly enjoying, Thanks! Will also check in with Cheryl today to see how Hedda is doing with her 2 play toys.

SPLASH-DOWN!

2008-08-10T17:58:00.000-07:00

Well it is hard to fathom 2 extremes of emotions all in one day. I dropped Hedda off with Cheryl and Jeff Douglas at 10 am. Hedda was thrilled to see them again, and will have 2 playmates to entertain herself with. She went off with her crate, food toys and the big jolly ball. Larry and I were both silent on the ride home. We stopped at my brother and sister-in-laws house were I distracted myself by watching the Olympic rowing events. That brought up emotions for me as well...

When I returned home, Marc was parked in front of the house, with my new female black and tan long haired German shepherd, Splash! She came into the house and I gave her a tour, showing her all the rooms, she was checking out all of the Hedda smells. Then Marc went over the relieving, watering and feeding schedule with me. We went through all the equipment for Splash, where she would be sleeping, and off he went, to return tomorrow at 1pm. He wants me to spend quiet quality time with her, just getting to know her.

He supplied me with food for 3 days, measuring cup, grooming kit, tooth brush and tooth paste, booties (black), leash, collar, harness, ring, nylabone, kong, tie-down, fleece pad and bait bag.

She settled in quickly relaxing on the floor next to me after I fed her and took her out to relieve. Always a big topic of conversation, just like a new baby, eating and relieving.

The journey has begun!
With a name like Splash, it was meant to be.

8/10 Long Sleepless Night, Good thing the Olympics are on!

2008-08-10T05:52:00.000-07:00

My stomach is full of butterflies, the Transition Day is finally here... Hedda and I will make the hand-off to Cheryl at 10am this morning at the Guide Dogs campus. At 2:00 PM Marc will arrive to give me Splash! I didn't get much sleep last night. I spent a lot of time hugging and petting on my Hedda girl, and watching the Olympics.

Aug 9, Hedda's Retirement Party

2008-08-10T05:46:00.000-07:00

After rowing practice, the team went up stairs to the classroom where I let Hedda off leash/harness, and I gave the team a bag with treats. Hedda had a fabulous time running around greeting all her friends and getting treats. The team enjoyed coffee and bagels from Noah's and Hedda got to have fun with her friends.

splash update

2008-08-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

2 days and counting!

Four Days and Counting

2008-08-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

So many lasts with Hedda, I keep telling myself not to focus on those things, but I find the thoughts infiltrating as I do thing with Hedda for the last time... I know that I will still have a relationship with her, but it will never be what it has been for the past 6 years. She knows something is happening, we snuggle a lot, and she presses her head into my chest as she has so many times before.

The transition from Hedda to Splash!

2008-08-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

Hedda and I have had many wonderful local and international adventures together, and a couple of years ago the addition of the Puffer Machine (Trace Portal Machine) in the security area at airports became a scary place for her (she never had to go in one, just the sound in the area scared her). Our Graduate Services, Training Dept and Vet clinic all made gallant attempts to help both Hedda and I through this problem, and in January of this year it became very evident that this was just too stressful for her. Knowing that Guide Dogs for the Blind will always be there to provide my preferred choice for travel, is reassuring, as I discovered over the past 6 months when I had to do air travel without a Guide Dog, I had a renewed deep appreciation for just how wonderful it is to travel my Guide Dog by my side.

Hedda avoids obstacles, and I quickly was quickly and frequently reminded how many obstacles exist out there in the world. Recently I traveled 2 blocks in Louisville after having traveled the same route via human guide, only to discover the maze of garbage cans at one corner, and a wooden sign that tried to remove my right shoulder, and off-set side walk, that landed me in the street with traffic moving on both sides of me. These were all things my dog would have stealthily guided me through without any awareness that they exist.

A week from today I will receive my new Guide Dog, Splash!, and begin our adventure of learning to work in concert with each other. I will share my daily experiences, trials and tribulations, and best of all the unfolding of the new personality who I will be partnered with.

The decision to retire a guide is an agonizing one, and took a lot of careful deliberation, and supportive assistance from Graduate Services. This is always a bitter sweet time, counting down the days until I have to retire Hedda, and our relationship as it has been, will change forever, and the excitement and anticipation of training with a new dog also awaits.

Hedda will be going into a temporary home until Etta Allen is able to adopt Hedda. Deanne, my previous exceptional GSD female Guide Dog, at almost 14.5 years old has difficulty walking, but is otherwise in good health and doing well because of Etta's extraordinary care. Next weekend I will transition Hedda to her Foster Care home with Cheryl Douglas, and stay in close touch with her about how Hedda is doing. Sunday Splash will arrive, and the postings will begin and I will make this blog available. In the mean time I will share my feeling about Hedda's last week with me as a Guide Dog.