Dewey News! Cautiously Optimistic

Dewey Gets Matched

We got the call last week.  Dewey had been matched with someone in this month's class of graduates currently down at Southeastern Guide Dogs.  We knew it was a possibility, but we thought it was another class or two away.

He had been chosen to do blind fold walks at the last open house. He had also been chosen to do the AC conference and lead one of the ACs around for her blindfold morning.  So. we knew he was getting close.

But we were really surprised to hear that he had actually been matched.  I think after having Coach be matched and then unmatched we are cautiously optimistic.  Every dog is different.  

Dewey is very calm.  He has a nice settle.  And as indicated by this photo from Friday, he can sleep through a noisy food court with no problem. He was the ultimate napper.

Dewey napping in a food court while out during class.

We will be attending Puppy Raiser Day on March 7th.  We are excited, but trying to be calm.  Like Dewey.  Hopefully, we will have some fun photos to show you all.

Keep your fingers crossed.

And perhaps your toes too.

Puppy Raiser Day for Coach

Thursday I went to the dentist.  I arrived an hour early because I had the time wrong.  Silly me.  So, I went out and did some browsing, lost track of time and and was almost late for my appointment.  Now, generally, I don't think of myself as a person who fears the dentist, but the dental hygienist took my blood pressure and said:

"Oh. Your blood pressure is 159 over 95. Is it usually that high?"

"No."

"Let's take it again." The machine shows 147/97. Not better. Tonya starts to tell me how this is heart attack range and did my prescriptions list have blood pressure medication on it?

"No, that was Crestor for cholesterol," I say.  "Couldn't it be that I'm just stressed about being at the dentist?"

"Or that you need to buy a blood pressure machine and have this checked out." She points at the machine.  "This brand is really good.  You can get it at Walgreens."

Great.  I start trying to do deep breaths.  In two days I will be going to puppy raiser day and the last thing I need is to have a heart attack and miss it.  Tonya starts to clean my teeth.

Are my arms going numb? I shake them surreptitiously.  Is that tingling? She is spraying water into my mouth and dragging a sharp pick over my teeth.  Deep breaths, deep breaths.  I try think about how long someone stays in the hospital if they have a heart attack.  Would I get out by Saturday? Would they just give me some blood thinners and send me home or could I check myself out by Saturday morning to go to puppy raiser day?

I'm pretty sure it's just stress. Deep breaths. I went to the doctor's last week and it wasn't that high. I am NOT missing puppy raiser day.

I made it through the appointment without a medical incident and made it to Saturday morning. We
got up early to get ready to make sure we were on the road to make it to Melisa's on time.

We picked up Melisa, dropped Jam at Larry and Gabrielle's (who were nice enough to baby sit for us!), Dewey was safe with Rita and Al, and we headed on down to Southeastern.

Yes. We arrived early.

Then we waited.  But it was a good thing because we had an opportunity to meet Steve Dunn and his wife Laurie.  They were the volunteers who took Coach home when he developed severe kennel stress.

Fred, Steve, Laurie and Cheryl at Southeastern Guide Dogs.

Coach was able to relax and rejuvenate at their house, which allowed him to remain in the program. We are so grateful for their kindness to Coach and willingness to take him back and forth.

Then it was outside to wait to see the graduates practice their route with their guide dogs.  It was just amazing.  I don't think I have ever seen anything so awe-inspiring or something that makes me happier.  Those dogs were so happy.  Every tail was sky high.

Kristen coming down the sidewalk with Coach.

You can tell Coach is intent on working because his tail is up and curly. Kristen was the smallest of the graduates and Coach was the largest dog.  Yet they made an amazing team.

Close up of Kristen and Coach photo by Durga Garcia.

She needed a dog who got along with horses and who had a fast pace and trust me, this team can move!

 Marisa was the head trainer for the group and she did an amazing job with Coach and we can't thank her enough for giving him all the skills he needed to get to the point he where he could do this amazing job for Kristen.

After the route, they brought Kristen and Coach out to see us.  It was so sweet.  Coach was sniffing around and knew something was up, but not quite what.  Then he saw us.  He did several tiny butt tucks, circles as fast as he could.  He was so sweet.  Then I bent down to kiss him and Coach jumped up and to kiss me.

Fred and Cheryl meeting Kristen.  Trainer Caitlyn brought her to us. Photo by Durga Garcia.

We met in the middle.  Hard.  I heard my tooth make contact with his tooth.

We went into brunch and had a great time talking and learning more about Kristen and Coach and how they are working together. And then it came time to leave.  We gathered together for one more photo.

Marisa, Coach's trainer, Fred, Cheryl and Kristen and Coach

It had been a completely happy and lovely morning.  When I was using the restroom to leave, I checked my tooth out.  There was a small chip off my front tooth.  A permanent reminder that we had had a hand in make a guide dog, for it takes a village: puppy raising services, the kennel staff, trainers, the Dunns, puppy raisers and the people they interact with all combined to create a confident, well mannered dog who will be someone's partner for life. It's not one thing, it is many things.  It's not one person, it is many people working together for the benefit of that one dog and they all get to say: Coach is my guide dog. Coach is our fourth puppy to raise and our first puppy to make it as a guide dog, so for all of you puppy raisers out there who haven't had one make it yet: don't give up.  

As for me, I won't be going back to the dentist. I'll just live with the chip.  It gives me good memories.

Coach Got Matched!

Last Friday was my birthday.  I turned 50. I know a lot of people can get very angsty about turning 50, but I was pretty happy and calm about the whole thing.  Just a new chapter.  It had been a very pleasant day filled with pastries.

Photo of Coach smiling.

It had also been an amazingly busy day and it wasn't until 3:35 when I was in my last meeting of the day that I had an opportunity to glance at my phone.  My meeting was with Austin, who was Coach's sponsor (he raised the $3500 needed to name Coach) and another teacher.  We were going to be talking about the upcoming Southeastern Guide Dogs Walkathon (which if you want to donate to Dewey's walkathon, you can at http://guidedogswalkathon.org/dewey).  I was telling Austin about Coach's progress and how well he was doing.  Sort of giving him the last report card update.

Then I glanced at my phone.  Now, usually, I'm not the sort of person who is constantly looking at my phone.  I hadn't looked at it all day.  But the other teacher hadn't arrived and we were still waiting, so I grabbed the phone and looked to see if there were any messages.  

Stephanie, our AC had called.

Then she had texted.

Coach had been matched.

Oh my God! I read it, I said it in my head and then I said it out loud to Austin. "I can't believe it.  Coach got matched. He has a partner." Then I jumped up and gave Austin a hug and ran out in the library and yelled at Mrs. Connors, "Coach got matched!"

"What?" Jan was helping a student check a book out.

"Ms. Arcuri, Coach got matched with a blind person.  He's going to be a guide dog!" I'm still yelling mind you, but it is after hours and there are maybe three kids in the library and they are all smiling. Now Jan is yelling and Christina is hopping around and there is general merriment in the library.

What a good boy.  You gave me the best birthday present ever! You worked hard for your trainer and I know your trainer worked hard for you. We are so proud of you. See you soon.