[Wasagdu] Tim's town walk

Wed Aug 26 00:10:35 UTC 2015

Letting go: A first-time puppy-raiser for The Seeing Eye  watches from afar
in Morristown 

http://morristowngreen.com/2015/08/25/letting-go-a-first-time-puppy-raiser-f
or-the-seeing-eye-watches-from-afar-in-morristown/

August 25, 2015

by 

Morristown Green Contributor 

BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME: Tim got 'vested' by The Seeing Eye, enabling him
to go almost anywhere. Photo courtesy of Alison Deeb 

Editor's note: Anyone who has sent a child off to camp, college or Holy
Matrimony will grasp the mix of emotions experienced by Alison Deeb and her
husband Stan Olszewski, as they watch from afar as Tim, the Black Labrador
they raised for The Seeing Eye, takes his "Town Walk."  It's the first time
they have seen Tim  working in harness on the streets of Morristown - and
it's the last time they'll see him before he graduates and is matched with
his blind person. 

By Alison Deeb 

It's a cool, blue-sky August morning and I see Tim for the first time in
five months. When he first appears in the window with his instructor, I
gasp. He looks beautiful. His coat is all shiny. He is smiling and wagging
his tail, yet calm. He is happy to go to work today. And he looks all grown
up. 

There is a glass entrance way between us when he walks right by me the first
time. I am surprised at how close he is. I peer through the glass and snap a
close-up. I feel my heart skip a beat. As he passes, he turns to look, but
doesn't recognize me. I am out of context. He stays focused and the walk
begins. Good thing my smartphone is all charged up. 

Tim is like a rock star, and I am his number one fan. Screaming inside, I
want to give him a big shout-out. But, I can't. I wonder, will I get his
autograph when this walk is over? 

Morristown Councilwoman Alison Deeb and her Seeing Eye puppy-in-training,
Tim, at the Morris County 2015 St. Patrick's Parade. Photo by Berit Ollestad

Every day, and for the last 17 years that I've lived in Morristown, I gape
at the dozens of Seeing Eye service dogs that train on our streets daily. 

But today is different. I am watching Tim, the Seeing Eye puppy we raised,
from 7 weeks old and 6.9 pounds to 14 months and 56 pounds. This is his walk
now, his day. Tim is leading us. 

Established in 1929, 

The Seeing Eye 

 is the oldest guide dog school 

in the world

. The nonprofit provides specially bred and trained dogs to guide people who
are blind and offers lifetime assistance for each Seeing Eye team. 

Seeing Eye dog users live throughout the U.S. and Canada. As a pioneer in
the guide dog movement, The Seeing Eye has played an integral part in
shaping public policy guaranteeing access and accommodation to people who
use service animals. 

After Tim was vested, at the age of around six months, I took him
everywhere. I always asked permission first, because Tim was still a service
"puppy" in training and not an official working service dog; but I would try
to have an outing per day. 

I would take him on errands to stores, businesses, town halls, restaurants
(when permitted), cafes, pubs, church and libraries. 

When Tim was an older pup, we went to Congress Hall in Cape May, where we
rode the ferry to the Eastern shore and Ocean City, MD. 

We went to Great Adventure and to the Liberty Science Center. I introduced
him to the governor, mayors, dignitaries, medical doctors, physical
therapists, my family dentist and foot doctor. 

We used to joke because Tim steals socks so we wondered if it was because he
visited the family podiatrist? Seeing Eye club members would laugh. We
visited hospitals, nursing homes, funeral homes, the airport and even a New
York Rangers game at Madison Square Garden. Tim would perform swimmingly. 

I gave Tim this start and foundation. But Tim is a highly trained dog now.
He is stopping at curbs, avoiding clearances like telephone poles and
parking meters, and watching out for cars. With those glistening, brown
hawk-eyes, he is walking over metal grates, manholes and boards and is
keenly focused as if to say, "See me Mom, I can do this!"  What a pro. 

Video: Tim as demo dog at Seeing Eye Family Day 

'INTELLIGENT DISOBEDIENCE' 

Janet Keeler,

the volunteer escort, talks to me along the walk. I have always wanted to
meet her. She tells me she has raised 54 puppies and her daughter got her
first puppy in 1981 - a long time ago. That is the year I graduated from
high school, I think to myself. 

Stephanie, my niece who is with me, just graduated from Madison High School
this year. I hope she will be a puppy-raiser for The Seeing Eye someday. She
loves dogs. I am humbled as I am just a "first-time puppy raiser." I wish I
started sooner. 

My brother rescued 

Jason, our family coonhound mix, when I was 10. Jason was our family pet but
had no house manners. I wish I knew about The Seeing Eye when I was younger.
I would have liked to help or volunteer. I wonder, how does Janet remember
all the names of her puppies? 

Tim has been taught to stop at every curb and to look both ways before
crossing a street. I would teach him to "Sit" at street corners as we walked
this route often to give him this start. I hope I helped him prepare for his
formal training. 

Alison & Tim take a boat ride. Photo courtesy of Alison Deeb. 

Tim's instructor gives the command "Forward" but it is Tim who decides
whether to cross the busy street or not. This practice of 

"intelligence disobedience"

is what we witness today on our "Town Walk." 

It is amazing what they teach these dogs to do. To look both ways. To wait
at every corner. It's seamless, effortless, to me. The instructor is smooth.
The walk is going fast. 

We turn right on Market Street and walk along South Street, the main avenue
in town. We walk by Starbucks, Urban Table, Roots. Tim's pace is quickening,
and we are losing ground. 

Janet tells me that this part of the walk is challenging for the dogs
because of all the bars, restaurants and food smells. I just want to take it
all in and watch Tim. He is amazing. He is walking faster now as his legs
warm up. He was always a slow starter - not a morning dog. Our Town Walk
began at 9 am. It's 9:20 pm. We are half way. 

We walk down South Street from Market all the way to Swiss Chalet. I think
to myself, will he stop? We went to Swiss Chalet fairly often for breakfast.
He doesn't, and we turn right toward Maple Avenue and stop at the Assumption
Church. 

The volunteer is talking to me again, saying this is a good picture stop.
For the first time, I start to cry, thinking how beautiful Tim looks sitting
there in front of the church and knowing the walk will soon be over. I want
the walk to last forever! 

Stan snaps multiple pictures from his telephoto lens. Puppy raising, after
all, is a sacrifice. Tim smiles back. He was always such a poser. 

At this point, the volunteer tells me to cross Maple Avenue while Tim and
his instructor cross and walk on the northern side of the street as we head
west on Maple Avenue toward the training center. This way, we can get a
better view of Tim as we are on his side. I cross immediately. 

As we come to St. Peter's Episcopal Church, a small, unleashed terrier darts
in front of Tim. Tim keeps walking, doesn't flinch, and stays the course.
Tim is amazing. I thought he had a small dog distraction? Guess not. 

Soon the walk is over, and we take a bunch of photos. We are at the corner
of DeHart and Maple. I can't believe this experience! The volunteer grabs
Stan's camera and walks over to where Tim and the instructor are standing.
She takes real close-ups. And then, the walk is over and Tim's instructor
walks over to greet us. 

'ALL DOGS HAVE A HISTORY' 

Kaelin Coughlin,

a young woman, 

[no relation to Morristown Green editor Kevin Coughlin],

started working for The Seeing Eye in 2008. She is wonderful, and tells me
she's trained around 160 dogs. I am amazed at her mobility, grace and
talent. 

While Kaelin is talking to us, the volunteer escorts Tim back to the
training center and gives Tim water. I am absorbed with meeting Kaelin for
the first time I forget about Tim. It's as if Kaelin is speaking for Tim
now. 

Kaelin tells us she started training Tim around four months ago. They
started in quiet neighborhoods in Morristown and then moved to heavier
traffic and curb work. They practiced around the High School and the
Morristown train station. How could I not have bumped into him? I live and
work in town! 

They walked in and around Century 21, and rode up and down the escalator.
She says she didn't think Tim was a shopper and didn't like the metal
surface of the escalator at first but is fine with it now. 

"Neither Stan nor I are big shoppers," I tell her. "A trip to Costco, Sam's
Club or T.J.Maxx are big outings for us." 

SEEING EYE TO EYE: Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty, Seeing Eye puppy Tim, and
Morristown Councilwoman Alison Deeb, prior toMorris County 2015 St.
Patrick's Parade. Photo by Kevin Coughlin 

Morristown is an ideal setting for guide dog training. It's been The Seeing
Eye's outdoor classroom for 87 years. 

Kaelin tells us that Tim's blindfold test is tomorrow. Heavy rain is in the
forecast and Tim is stubborn about walking through puddles. He wants to walk
around them but will walk through them if he has to. 

I reflect back on when I raised Tim and hope I didn't teach him this quirk.
We marched in the St. Patrick's Day Parade this year, twice, and it was
raining sideways on Parade Day. But Tim showed no puddle issues to me, and
Stan has the video. 

"All dogs have a history," Kaelin says happily. 

When we started training, he'd stop at a lot of places in town. Did you go
to Swiss Chalet, The Dublin Pub, Provesi's, Guerriero's and the Morristown
Deli? 

"All the dogs stop at the bakery," Kaelin says amusingly. 

Stan and I laugh as we would frequent all of those places. We took Tim to
The Dublin Pub for his "first birthday party." Provesi's wine cellar was the
center for Tim's "Parting Party." Tim accompanied me to countless breakfast
meetings at the Swiss Chalet and Morristown Deli. One of the perks of being
a Seeing Eye puppy raiser. 

We hope Tim does well; we raised him to pass. But The Seeing Eye's success
rate is 60 percent. Forty percent of the dogs don't make the program. They
have to be eyes for someone who is blind, so accuracy and precision matter.
The list of criteria is a mile long, from behavior to medical to physical,
despite the extensive breeding program and veterinary testing. 

Kaelin tells me she doesn't see any significant weaknesses that will prevent
Tim from passing and being an official guide dog. 

I smile and think, "Can we go for another walk then?"  But I see another
family approach for their town walk, and I know we are nearing the end of
our visit today. 

BORN TO WALK 

As humans, we tend to humanize our dogs. But, working dogs want  - and need
- to work. They 

love

it! The Seeing Eye breeds dogs for a single purpose - to be guide dogs. 

When Tim left to go back to The Seeing Eye for formal training, he was an
un-neutered male, ready to work. He was bred especially for this. 

Tim wouldn't exist if it weren't for The Seeing Eye and its state-of-the-art
breeding and genetics program in Chester. 

Alison Deeb and her husband, Stan Olszewski, with Fenton, their second
Seeing Eye puppy, in July 2015. Photo by Kevin Coughlin 

He was never mine to keep. I knew what I was getting into and wanted to
raise a service dog to help someone in need. 

In the end, the happiness outweighs the sadness. Although I will never pet
or play with Tim again, what a feeling of accomplishment. And Tim looks so
happy. 

He is working, and doing what he was bred to do. In the 2015 Seeing Eye
puppy calendar, a gospel for us new raisers, someone wrote, "A Seeing Eye
dog handler-team is dignity and independence come to life. 

The relationship is nurtured with trust, patience and love from both
partners with the result being a single entity that embraces the promised
opportunity in every step." 

I couldn't have witnessed this more today. 

Tim's Town Walk is more special knowing the work involved, and knowing the
geographic area. First, genetics and breeding. Second, puppy raising -
housebreaking, weekly puppy meetings, daily training basic obedience and
socialization, exposure and outings. Finally, and most importantly, 15 weeks
of formal training. It's a well-orchestrated and scientific program. 

Kaelin gives Tim the hugs I can't. I know - and am fortunate to see - that
Tim is well-groomed, well-ready and tail-wagging to go to work. 

In many ways, it was our best walk ever, even from afar. And 

Fenton,

my second Seeing Eye puppy to raise, is waiting for me at home, making the
parting easier. I think Fenton will get his vest on Friday. 

I go home, take a sip of cold water from my "Black Dog" water bottle, put on
my puppy Grand Fondo bike jersey and go for a long, long bike ride. 

Go Tim! 

  Alison Deeb is a councilwoman in Morristown's Fourth Ward.

Becky Frankeberger

Butterfly Knitting

-           Ponchos

-           Afghans

-           Shawls

-           Custom Knitting

360-426-8389

becky at butterflyknitting.com

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