Day 21-23 – Settling in

Faye and I had a good flight home on Sunday.  We were on time and the staff at PDX are excellent.  They asked me if I wanted to relieve my dog before boarding and I gave Faye a chance to relieve, but she wasn’t interested.  Our flight was on time and was smooth.  Since we were on a smaller plane it was noisy, but Faye was calm and mostly sleep the whole flight.  I look forward to doing some more travelling with her in the future.

On Sunday, I stayed awake till after lunch when Faye and I enjoyed a good and much needed nap.  Mini-me (my 14-yr-old daughter) had a dance recital, so we all piled into the car after I fed Faye her dinner.  Mini-me’s dance recital was a very short walk to Burnaby Lake, so left early to drop her off to chance and their quick runthrough before the show started.  Since we had lots of time on our hands, we purchased our tickets then headed down to the lake boardwalk to take a stroll.  We walked for a while.  I was proud of Faye she was walking on the mesh grating that is over the boardwalk for grip on rainy days.  When we were in training she was very hesitant about walking on grating (even very small ones with tiny spaces between the grating)  and we were working on her to work on them instead of stopping or trying to go around it.  During the recital, Faye was a very good girl.  She slept through the beginning half and groaned at the funniest moments.  The second half Faye decided to watch the dancers and for one performance at the end before the clapping she sat straight up and made another funny sound.  We decided that this meant she liked the performance.  My guide is so amusing!

On Monday, we headed out to Vancouver Children’s Hospital to take Mini-me to her ophthalmologist appt. I took a picture of Faye and one of the painted bears that you can find around Vancouver.  I’ll post a picture and description later when I get some more time.  After the appt. we ended up heading to the mall in Burnaby called Metropolis at Metrotown.  Due to construction the elevator and stairs on the south enterance to the Broadway SkyTrain Station was out of service, so I had to put on Faye’s booties to work up the escalator.  Mini-me and I decided to keep Faye’s booties on and go to the mall.  Faye did pretty good in the mall, I did have to put on her gentle leader (aka head collar) since was has a tendency of trying to run as fast as she can in booties or leap instead of walking.  She did great with all the distractions in the mall.  Faye did get a little tired near the end of our trip and tried to curl up on my feet while we were looking at clothes and when I was paying for our purchases.  Mini-me and I are all set with new summer clothes.  I was surprised to come home and see that Mini-me had sprouted up a few inches so now she is taller than me!

Faye in harness sitting in front of the painted bear at BC Children's Hospital

I almost forgot Monday morning we took Faye to our vet’s office to drop off her files and get her weighed.  On the scale at my vet’s office she is 54 pounds!  So there is an approx. 2 lbs difference between the scales.  She is such a small little girl compared to my last dog.  She was calm and well-behaved at the vets and listen very well to instructions I gave her to sit on the mat to get weighted.

This was our first two days at home.  It was a mixture of relaxing and some working in the city on the second day.  Faye is such a good girl and had no problems dealing with the stresses of the big city.

Today we plan to veg a little then head off for a 2 mile walk to my doctor’s office and back.  I need to drop off my allergy shot serums and pick up some packages.  We might not work the while walk since it’s pretty hot out.  I think that I’m going to continue to blog here once a week unless I have a really good story to share about our adventures and it might be more.

Congrats to all the teams in class OR160, to the puppy raisers for doing a fine job of raising our guides and the training staff at GDB Oregon campus for their knowledge, patience and positive energy during our training.  I hope that all of our first days home went well.

Day 20 – Part 2 Looking Back then going forward

I had the pleasure of having Maylee’s puppy raiser, Nate and Faye’s puppy raiser, Jenny and Jenny’s father Jere join me for graduation.  Also my fantablous knitting friend and puppy raiser Martha came to our graduation as well.  I’m sorry I didn’t get to spend a lot of time with everyone and say goodbye to a lot of my classmates who left today.

There was lots of stories to be told about Maylee and Faye.  It was great to have someone besides the retrains to talk to about my retired guide.  Despite her allergies, she is very happy in the kennels and GDB will find her a great home, since they screen the potential retired guide owners as throughly as they screen us guide dog user and they use the same match process.  The great thing about GDB is they will wait till they have the perfect home for Maylee.  As for stories of Faye, many verified what I’ve noticed in her personality and temperment.  My Faye is a bit of a goodie-goodie as well as sweet cuddly and funny dog.  Jenny brought me pictures of both of my girls and they were able to visit Maylee in the kennels.  I’m so happy to have such great young puppy raisers as well as their co-raisers, whom were their fathers.  You both do such an excellent job and I appreciate what you do for us in bringing up the guide dog puppies, so they have a chance of being guides.

It’s getting late and I need to pack my laptop I could go on and on about my graduation experience, but we are leaving for the airport at 6 am tomorrow to fly home.  Thank you to everyone who has helped in the process of molding our guides as well as us as a team.  You help bring us, guide dog users, a new life with increased Independence, mobility and self confidence that our guides give to us and help it it possible to have these incredible companions that understand us like no other can and stick by us in hard times as well as good.  Some people think it is cheesy when GDB graduates call their guides their soulmates, but once you create a strong bond with your guide you realize that they are the ray of sunshine that keeps you going.

Day 20 – Pomp and Circumstance (Graduation Day!)

Faye and I are sitting here in my room awaiting the instructors to come get us to meet Faye’s puppy raisers Jenny and her father Jere.  I am very excited and Faye feels this so she is excited as well.  In a few hours we will become a graduated team.   As a guide dog user, I really appreciate everything the puppy raisers have done for our guides.  They shaped and molded them with love, encouragement, attention and their time.  I know it is hard to give up a dog that you have spent a lot of time with to someone else.  I felt that way when I retired Maylee and brought her back to campus to be evaluated then placed in a good home.  I will miss her, but I know that she will become a loving addition to someones family and till the GDB staff will take care of her and give her lots of love and attention.  Thank you for everyone who has followed the beginning of our journey together and I plan on updating this blog with our adventures when we get home.  Take care and we will update later

Hugs and Wags,

Chelle and Faye

Day 19 – Work me round, round

I can’t believe today was our last day of training!  We had a busy day today.  In the morning we did formal obedience in the Vistor’s Centre with a dog distraction (one of our trainer’s standard poodle) and we had our last lecture, Transitioning from GDB campus to home.  Then we headed to a mall to do some independent shopping.  I was able to pick up a pair of crocs for the flight home since it’s easy to slip them on and off for security.  I had a cute little boy ask me to pet Faye and once we were done paying for my purchase at Bath & Body Works I let him pet Faye and she was calm as well as a very good girl.  The little boy also pet her back, which was awesome.  A lot of younger kids smack dogs on the head.  I’m noticing it’s easier to let people pet Faye then it was to pet Maylee.  Maylee would get way too excited and Faye patiently lets them pet then looks at me to stop the visit or she will turn around ready to go work!  What a good girl she is.

I almost forgot that before the mall, Faye and I went out in the caravan and worked on rounded curbs.  I have a lot of rounded curbs in my home area and I wanted to see how Faye will do with them.  There has been a slight change in the way we work rounded curbs from when I was in class, so it was really me learning from Faye and our supervisor.

In the afternoon, we got our take home packets (aka grad binder) it has our vet package, id card, puppy raiser info and some other stuff.  Then we did a walkthrough of graduation tomorrow.  After that we presented our training staff with the present our class pulled together to purchase for them.  We got a hammock for them to put up between the trees just outside of their office.   I hope they enjoy their present in the sun with some cold drinks and their dogs if their dogs will come on the hammock.  We even joked about the fact that they can charge other trainers and staff to use it!  This has been a wonderful experience training here at the Oregon Campus.  I’ve had a truly remarkable time and even though I can’t wait to go home, I’m really going to miss all my classmates (OR160/OR160R) and staff.  Well time to go eat, yum!  I have actually gained weight here due to the tasty food!

day 18 – Airports and Hiking Trails

Today was really hot!  In the morning, we took the buses to the airport to do a practice run through the security screening.  The TSA staff that we had today were excellent!  Faye and I went through the screening smoothly and only Faye got a secondary screening.  Normally they will a secondary screen of me and my dog, but it doesn’t always happen.  This is a fun experience and we talked to the TSA agents afterwards to give the praise and constructive criticism.  There wasn’t any thing that they could have improved on during my screening the agent was clear with instructions as well as directions (using to your left, two paces in front of you etc…) and even asked me how I wanted to go through the metal detector if I want to use a long leach or work through it.  Wow we are going to no problems going through the security checks in PDX on Sunday

In the afternoon, we worked our dogs on a hiking at Wildwood Recreational Site Faye and I had a short walk off the trail to see how she would be on a forest floor trail and then we turned back to the cement trail.  We walked to a lookout in the marsh area where poor Faye vomited some bile, so I heeled her back with my trainer to the parking lot and let her rest a bit.  I did try to offer her a little water, but she didn’t take it.  After Faye had a little nap, we went for another walk on another trail path and our trainer took a picture of Faye and I at the cool art exhibit on the Cascade Streamwatch Trail.  Our second time out went without any issues and we enjoyed walking in the beautiful shade created by the canopy of trees.

Faye and I, picture taken on the Cascade Streamwatch Trail stream lookout is behing us

I can’t believe we have one more training day and then graduation!  Time has flown so fast and we are definitely ready to go home.  I’m going to really miss all of my classmates and hope that we are able to keep in touch for years to come.  I’ve really enjoyed getting to know all of them.  Thank you everyone who has cheered us during class and I plan to update here every once in a while to let all of you know how Faye and I are transitioning when we go home to BC.  Well time to get my laundry and finish my packing.  I’m making sure I’m prepared this time around.

Day 17 – Almost there!

So today was another fabulous day, weather as well as our guidework.  I’m getting into a comfortable groove with Faye and while doing doubles I’m having to halt her a few times so we don’t go past the person who is in front.  This is a great lesson in patience for Faye, who loves to go, go, go.

In the morning we had a lecture on caring of your guide dogs then we went to the Hawthorne district in Portland We worked in doubles and walked a bit of residential and business.  It was a good walk, Faye wasn’t distracted by all the smells and worked well while I was holding a iced coffee I picked up on the way back to the bus.  It was a nice longer walk then we’ve been taking so far and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The afternoon we had an admin. & graduate services lecture.  After the lecture we headed back to the Gresham downtown lounge for the last time to work with our trainers on using clicker training.  Faye and I worked on pedestrian buttons and Faye was a quick learner that we were able to walk from around the corner and she still would target the pole that we were simulating was a ped. button.  I love that GDB gives us guide dog users the skills to customize our dogs by using clicker training as well as work with us out in the streets to ensure we get it right.  Well it’s late and we have another long day ahead of us tomorrow so it’s off to bed for me.  Yay almost two more days till graduation.  I better do some laundry and more packing tomorrow before it’s too late!

After lunch

Day 16 – Click n’ Kibble

Today we are learning how to teach our dogs new things like targeting chairs, ped. buttons etc.. as well as enhancing a behavior we want like good downs or ignoring distractions using clicker training.  There are other uses that we can apply clicker training to with our guides; however for the sake of time I’m just going to include these.  This morning we had a lecture on clicker training with Juno and this afternoon we will be working one-on-one with our trainers and our dogs using clicker training to have our dogs locate a chair or bus stop etc…

We did have a morning workout in a nice residential area with a elementary school.  There was lots of obstacles, overheads and noise friom gardeners, children and other dogs.  Faye did great, we did rework an obstacle and an overhead.  I have noticed Faye is getting more confident in getting me around obstacles and we are just having to rework some once in a while.  I know it might take a little time for her to get used to my size and height (lol or lack of it!)

This afternoon we also have our vet consultations and tonight a lecture given by the head vet here on campus.  I’m looking forward to meeting Dr. P since she has dealt with a lot of the paperwork for Maylee and we have talked on the phone in regards to May’s allergies a few times as well.

This is a jammed pack day since we have an optional night route tonight, which will be a bus to lounge.  Yay one of my favourites!  I’ll post an update how the days goes later on today or tomorrow.

Updated: at 10:33pm pst

So the vet consuls went well.  Faye is at a good weight of 56.4 pounds.  Her medical history is pretty straight forward only unusual thing was her breaking a tooth on a nyla bone and having to have a root canal. Before our vet consul we worked on locating a chair using clicker training with our trainers.  Both Faye and I are vets in clicker training so that went smoothly and quite quickly as well.  Tomorrow afternoon we are going to go to Gresham to use clicker training on our route.  I think I’ll work on ped buttons first because we can deal with bus stop poles when we get home.

The night route was great.  I had purchased a blinker for Faye at the giftshop and meant to test it out today, but I forgot to turn it on before our route!  I did turn it on when we were working to the buees and it works well.  It changes colours and I think I should start charging for the cool laser light show it creates in the dark!  Wow four more days till graduation, I can’t believe how fast time when by this time around.  I recall the time really dragging when I trained in SR with Maylee.  Well off to sleep for me I have lectures to listen to before I go to bed.  I’m loving my Victor Reader Stream and being her in class I am learning how to use it a lot faster than when I was playing with it before class.  I had purchased mine around Christmas last year, I hadn’t seriously thought of retiring Maylee at the time.  Oh well I paid full price, but it was well worth it!

Day 15 – The days are blurring together

Today was the last day at the Portland lounge and we had two great routes!  The first one was a trip to on the MAX to work on platforms, both single and double-sided platforms.  Faye did great, we have a little to work on; however we are a safe team and just need some more time to get things smooth on platforms.  The afternoon was fantastic!  The sun was out and we walked to the walkway on the river.  In order to get to the river we had to work through a busy carnival for the Rose Festival  with rides, people and lots of dogs!  Faye did wonderful and I was happy that she did especially since I had forgotten her gentle leader.  We worked to the stairs up to the bridge then back to the lounge.  It was very enjoyable.

After that we got to go to Petco and I picked up some special toys for Faye and some mint toothpaste.  Due to Faye’s dental issue and the fact that she is not a heavy chewer she can have toys that normally are discouraged, but she still needs to be supervised.  I can’t wait to try out the mint toothpaste, the chicken isn’t the most eppleasing smell for us humans!

Day 14 – Flea and Tick med day!

Sunday here at GDB is our day off of training.  I find Saturday is much more relaxing then it was when I was training with my first dog 2 years ago as well.  I can’t believe that we have approx. 6 more days till graduation.  I’m so excited that my first guide’s puppy raiser and Faye’s puppy raiser and her father are going to be here for graduation!  I had received this comment on one of my blog posts from Faye’s puppy raiser and she gave me permission to post the comment minus some contact info.  For those of you who may have missed it here is the comment

Hello! Congratulations on getting Faye! My name is Jenny. I was Faye’s puppy raiser. She was my fourth Guide dog puppy in training. I got this website from Nate, Maylee’s puppy trainer and my best friend. Maylee and my 2nd puppy in training Hoss (Career changed due to allergies in phase 8 or 9) grew up together and went to school together so I know her very well. I’m glad you like Faye, she is a sweet baby and a very very good girl,and she does love to play! Her favorite thing to do is definitly cuddling though. And she loves Ice cubes. I’m supprised about her teeth she was never a huge chewer. She always liked the stuffed animal baby puppy toys that we are allowed to use when they are very young the most! She has always loved to work. One time just before she left we were at a guide dog puppy party and all the dogs were playing and she was in stay with all the dogs running and playing around her and into her and all the people out of sight for about 15 min and didn’t get up until I went back and released her! She is such a good girl. She is also very loyal. She gets very attatched to her people and I’m sure you will quickly form a great bond! Good luck and hopefully I will be able to come see you at graduation! I would love to hear from you if you get a chance! Congratulations again! Jenny

Wow what a small world!  I can’t wait to meet Jenny and her father as well as see Nate, Maylee’s puppy raiser at graduation on Saturday. 

Today we had an outing to Gresham Station (minus dogs) and got to meet some awesome volunteers, who helped us shop and drove us to a restaurant where the others where hanging out after we had finished shopping.  We also gave our dogs their Frontline (flea & tick meds).  So overall a pretty laid back day off.  Tomorrow is our last day in Portland and I know that we are going on the MAX (the rapid transits light rail system) to work on double edge platforms and single edge raised platforms.  It will be the same kind of concept for travelling on the Lower Mainland’s rapid transit system known as the SkyTrain; however the skytrain cars are much different.  I’m sure we won’t have any problems when we get home with dealing with the SkyTrain, and if we do have an issues it can be cured with time, patience, some more training on our system and repetition.  Time fo bed, Faye is already snoring in her bed.  Here is a picture of her sleeping.

Faye sleeping, curled up in a tight ball in the corner on her fleece bed on tie-down

Day 13 – Transition meeting and independant outing!

Today we had a meeting with our trainer to discuss transitioning home with our new guide.  We have the option to have a conference call with friends, family or co-workers so they can ask questions and the trainers can help answer them.  Since it has only been two years since I came home with Maylee, there was no need to do the conference call.  The only questions I had was to do with toys that would be good for Faye.  The approved toy list is very limiting for Faye because she is not allowed hard toys, so they helped me figure out what toys that normally weren’t advised for our guides would be good for Faye.  I’ve noticed she is not a heavy chewer, so this makes it easier since lot of soft toys are not recommended due to most labs are heavy chewers and might ingest parts of the toy very quickly.  The supervisor told me that she is very happy that we are a very solid team already and both Faye and I look great as a team.  I was happy to hear this because I thought the same but wasn’t sure if I was just being over confident in my skills with working with a guide.

The afternoon was fantastic!  We had the option to take our dogs into Gresham for the afternoon without any trainers!  It ended up that only us four retrains jumped at this opportunity and we meet up with a fellow graduate and her guide.  We enjoyed a beautiful day on the patio of an lovely Italian restaurant having a few glasses of wine and excellent conversation.  This group is a fantastic bunch and I’m so happy to have met them here at GDB.  We talked about having a little retrain get-together in the next year or so and I’m excited about the prospects of this!  We had a lovely afternoon and all the dogs were great dealing with some of the attention they got.  What a beautiful start to a relaxing weekend.