A day of firsts, part 2

The afternoon of May 18.

FIRST ROLLER RINK

FLD Scout and I have a busy day ahead of us after the 2nd-grade field trip to the high school pool. Next stop, The Skate Place in West Branch to cover a story for the Ogemaw County Voice. This is the day that Rose City Middle School students with good grades and citizenship are rewarded with an afternoon of free skating.

The parking lot is empty except for two buses, but when I open the entrance door the noise of a crowd rolls over us. The owner of the place sits in an office behind a high counter-top window, like he's taking bets on a horse race.

FLD Scout is a good ambassador when I'm out on assignment for the Voice. She puts my interviewees at ease; after a few minutes of explaining what puppy raising for Leader Dogs for the Blind means, they are relaxed and open to my questions. Scout is no different here. Before I know it, the owner introduces me to his wife and the three of us are chatting like we're long-lost friends.

As I'm taking notes (with FLD Scout sitting calmly next to me), a young teen rolls by on one skate, his other leg kicked up trying to counter balance his imminent butt plant. Scout doesn't break her sit. At the last moment, the boy grabs a counter and saves himself. "I've crashed seven times," he says, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Eventually I break away from the owners to interview Mr. Erickson, chaperone and science teacher. He sits near the opening to the maple-wood floor of the rink. The room is dark except for the flashes from the sparkling round strobe light hanging above the skating arena. His shirt collar glows neon white and when I glance at my notepad, it is glowing too. Everywhere, everything white is luminous. I doubt that FLD Scout even notices. Her nose is to the rainbow and black-carpeted floor.

I am pleasantly surprised that Scout is so calm with the racket of the teens surrounding us. I leave her with Erickson and two girls who fawn over her while I venture into the rink for photos. Scout never even notices I'm gone.

FLD Scout tolerates the attention of two Rose City middle-schoolers.

FIRST HORSE

Our day is not done. After The Skate Place, I have an interview with a Master Gardener for another story. FLD Scout curls up on the passenger side floor and snoozes for the short drive to her garden-ringed home not far out of town. Marlane is gracious and allows Scout to roam her house while we chat in the kitchen. She even fills a water dish. I suppose we talk too long--eventually Scout settles at my feet on the cool tile floor.

Outside, it's picture time. As we wander around raised vegetable gardens and winding flower beds, Scout notices a horse in a pen behind the barn. She strains against the leash with her nose wagging in the air. Marlane invites us to meet the brown and white dusty mare, but it takes Scout a while to realize she's not going anywhere pulling like that.

Finally we reach the fence. The mare ducks her head to get a sniff of this black dog. Scout has second thoughts and backs away. The horse does too. I hang out with Scout outside of the fence until she's comfy. Marlane enters the pen and asks us to follow.

What gets Scout over her trepidation is the horse smell on the gardener's hand. Horse and dog never get nose-to-nose, but close enough.

Marlane: Master Gardener, Master Mediator.

It's been an eventful day for FLD Scout!

Desensitization

April 26, 2012

Wherein FLD Scout returns to the scene of her discontent.

Mrs. Matthews emails me. Seems the second-graders at Surline Elementary have thank-you notes and pictures for Phyllis and me after our presentation about Leader Dogs for the Blind. (See my post "Overexposure" from Thursday.)

This note from Samantha was one of my favorites. Can you tell why?

"We will be sending the notes in the mail unless you can stop by and pick them up the next time you are in West Branch."

Not one to ignore a training opportunity, I quickly agree to a revisit. Controlled exposure to kids is just what FLD Scout needs to overcome her trepidation.

I park a few blocks away to give Scout a chance to settle into working mode before we enter the school at the start of the day. Mrs. Matthews isn't in her classroom yet when we arrive, so I put Scout in a SIT/STAY at my side just outside her door.

At first, FLD Scout pokes her nose toward the stream of kids rushing to class, "awwwwws" breaking in currents around us. I can tell the second-graders--they are the educated ones not reaching out to touch Scout's head. When Scout shrinks back, I step in to physically block the inquisitive and persistent hands. Please don't pet her, I gently admonish, she's working.

At last, Mrs. Matthews appears to save us, her tall, lean frame towering over the sea of bobbing heads. "Come on in," she says. FLD Scout shakes it off and does a nice "around" to go through the door.

Mrs. Matthews' class is polite and happy to see us, and eager to hand over a thick stack of colored pictures and notes. One little girl presents me with her pencil. "It needs sharpening," she says, "but you can have it." FLD Scout and I hang out long enough to learn how to figure out the perimeter and area of rectangles--in centimeters. (Did we even do this when we were in second grade?)

After the math lesson, I heel FLD Scout around to each student as they sit at their tables. Scout sniffs each one and waggles her body for petting.

My desensitization plan is working.

FLD Scout and I leave with an open invitation and a schedule of field trips through the end of the school year. I think we've been adopted!

Here are a few examples of the notes and pictures from the second-graders at Surline.

Lily titled her picture "Super Dog." So true.

On the back of Lily's picture is her note. I love how she drew all the kids in line to pet FLD Scout. Petting Scout and Autumn was the favorite part for most of the kids--can't say the same for Scout!

In each class I ask the kids to look through their tightly closed fists to demonstrate how a visually impaired person might see. I also ask for a volunteer for "juno" training. The volunteer closes his or her eyes and holds the handle of an actual Leader Dog harness; I am the "dog" and guide the volunteer around the room. Juno training is a big hit!

Megan likes the "juno" training!

Verbatim (and as spelled), some more letters...

Der bog Trainers, Thank you for you coming in to are classroom. And thank you for leting me be a blind person. Sicerely, Shaun

Dear dog trainers. Than you for teaching us about leader dogs. I think leader dogs are amazing. I can not beleve that they teach some dogs how to sign. But I think it would be sad to have a dog for one year ownly. I would be so sad. But someone blind would need the dog more. I think it would be hard work to train and be a leader dog. Thank you again for teaching me about leader dogs. Sicerely, Mason

Dear Leader Dog Ladies, Thank you for giving us the wonderful stuff. I love dog, exspesile Scout and Autumn. They look so cute and are well behaved. And remember don't say "park" to many times in front of the dogs. Love Charlie

Dear Leader dog Ladies, I would like my dog Rocky to be a leader dog. I will buy him a cape. I will show him how to help people who can't see. I will train him. Thank you for coming to school. I will tell my mother to send money. From Madison

Aren't these cool?!

Duckies and Baby and Bear, Oh My!

April 14, 2012

Andy and FLD Scout come with me

to the Spring Art & Wine Walk in downtown West Branch.

I'm on assignment for the Ogemaw County Voice to shoot photos.

Andy hangs with FLD Scout while I compose my shot. Can you see her tail just behind the bear?

We walk from business to business, tasting wine and hors d'oeuvres, perusing art. The gigantic metal polar bear standing guard in front of Morse Clark Furniture interests FLD Scout about as much as her bi-monthly nail-cutting. (Unlike other Labs I know, Scout could care less about getting her nails done. I rather think she enjoys the attention!)

 

In the offices of the Herald (our competitor paper), FLD Scout is interested in (but not afraid of) baby ducks that peep and scurry to the corner of a heated wooden pen. The box is lined with pages from their paper, not ours.

We stroll through crowds and stores with breakable nick-nacks. Andy holds a relaxed FLD Scout while I click away.

It is later, when the family of the happiest-baby-girl-in-pink stops us with questions about FLD Scout, that Scout reveals some trepidation. "She just loves dogs," they say. I seize the opportunity and bring a not-so-sure Scout near. With my ever-present bag of treats, I reward Scout for daring to get close enough for a sniff.

She is the same age as FLD Scout--9-months.

The baby wiggles a reach and Scout allows her to pat her snout. Scout wags her tail and the wag, as usual, ripples its way to her nose, which bumps against the baby's open palm. The baby giggles with her whole body like she is being filmed for Funniest Home Videos. That's enough for Scout--she backs away, but not too far.

PROGRESS!

The giggling baby causes FLD Scout to reassess the situation.

...still more later...