[nagdu] Meeting the dog

[Wayne Merritt]

I don't remember much from the meeting with my first dog,a  yellow Lab
named Tony. I don't remember the trainer bringing him to me, but I do
recall clipping the leash on and walking with him and the trainer back
to my room at Seeing Eye. With Tony at least, I remember it taking
awhile for me to win him over since we were both trained by the same
trainer. I recall being so serious in the first two weeks of training,
wanting to take everything in, and not even realizing what Tony was
going to do for me. It wasn't until we went on a freelance route to a
drugstore and Tony and I went in the store, found something to buy,
paid for it, and left that it dawned on me. Though the rest of
training flew by, I enjoyed it a lot more.

I remember a lot more from the meeting with my current guide, but
mainly because I recorded it on my Victor reader Stream. Sometimes I
listen to that recording to remind myself of what took place. The
current guide though was a lot more affectionate in those early days
and hours than Tony was. In fact, when my trainer brought Gucci to me,
she immediately put her front paws on my lap and before I knew it or
could take in what was happening, Gucci gave me a kiss. Then I heard
the trainer saying, "That's a good sign," and then describing what she
looked like. It did seem like I waited for a long time in the small
lounge area for the trainer to return with Gucci. I thought of pausing
the recording, but didn't want to be caught by surprise when they came
back in the room and run the risk of forgetting to start it again.
Anyway, the experience is special and something you'll never forget. I
can't think of anything to compare it to, except perhaps what happens
to new parents when their children are born. Though people never
forget that, some can act a little crazy, like a husband I heard of
once that ran out to call his wife after the event, to tell her about
the birth. He then said that she wasn't home.

Wayne

On 2/27/10, Steve Johnson <stevencjohnson at centurytel.net> wrote:
> Likewise, Leader Dog issues the new guide on the Wednesday following the
> Sunday when the student arrives.  We all know when issue day is, as we
> patiently, or sometimes impatiently await in our dorm suites for that
> inevitable knock.  Just prior to the introduction, the trainer comes in
> briefly, and tells us what to do and what not to do so something like
> ...Steve, your dog's name is Misha, and she is a 53 pound black Labrador and
> some other info about the dog.  Don't try to give her any commands, but
> spend the next x-amount of time just beginning that bond.  Well, I can tell
> you that after three black lab guides now, all I think I remembered
> initially was the dog's name!  Indeed, it is a very personal experience that
> is so incredibly different with every dog that can never be duplicated.
>
> Steve
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Tracy Carcione
> Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 7:06 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: [nagdu] Meeting the dog
>
> In my class at TSE, they didn't tell us anything about our new dogs.  We
> just had to go to our rooms and wait to be called down to the lounge for the
> big moment.  So all us gals in the women's wing sat next to our doors and
> stuck our heads out so we could hear the instructors tell other students
> what they'd got, and listen to our classmates bring their new dogs back down
> the hall to their rooms.  It was great fun!
> I don't remember my actual meeting with Ben all that well.  My instructor
> told me he was a black lab named Ben, and he came over to give me a sniff.
>  I hooked his leash on his collar, and noticed he's a very handsome dog, and
> then we went back to my room.  We didn't know what to think of each other
> for weeks after that.  Ben is interested in new people for a couple minutes,
> then they're old hat.  It took him a good while to warm up to me, in his
> catlike way.  So it was really nice, when they took him away for a minute
> near the end of class for his solo picture, and he jumped on me when he got
> back.  He missed me!
>
> Jonathan is quite right.  Every dog meeting is different and special.  You
> can't figure what it'll be like, because you don't know what kind of dog
> you'll get, personality-wise. Some dogs are really excited; some are just
> interested, and some are "Who the heck are you?"
> Tracy
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/stevencjohnson%40cent
> urytel.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/wcmerritt%40gmail.com
>


-- 
Follow me on Twitter at:
www.twitter.com/wcmerritt
My blog:
http://wayneism.blogspot.com
My websites:
www.wayneism.com
www.whitecaneday.org