Power of the Puppy

Back in Business!

2011-07-27T23:47:00.000-07:00

5/12/11

Meet Guide Dog puppy # 12, Jethro - AKA Deathrow, the prison pup.

After a year and a half at my "new" job, the day finally arrived that I received permission for my pup to join me at work (a youth correctional facility)! I have recently taken on an added responsibility as serving as the unit psychologist for our new mental health unit. With a greater focus on mental health services than traditional correctional programs, our treatment staff is open to a number of treatment interventions, and Jethro was welcomed by all as the unit's "therapy dog"!

Jethro's first day was a big one! As we walked across the parking lot and approached the towering chain-link fence ahead, Jethro quickened his pace to a march and began to wag his tail in beat. He knew he was somewhere special. As we entered the unit, the boys were sitting quietly waiting for lunch, and they certainly weren't expecting a puppy! They were all very excited and did their best to politely ask to pet the pup, hoping to not get in trouble for talking on silence... Though completely unintentional, it was a bit of a set-up, and quite the challenge for many of them. It wasn't really fair, and the staff understood that. I assured the boys they would have time to visit with Jethro throughout the day :)

Though Jethro is no Ross, I continue to be amazed at that incredible sixth sense these dogs have. Somehow, Jethro picked out the young man who is least liked by both staff and his peers as HIS favorite. Jethro climbed in his lap, gently placed his tiny paws on the boy's shoulders, and gave him one of his signature "hugs". He licked the boy's face enthusiastically with those "I love you!" puppy kisses that can't help but make one laugh. For the next 8 hours, the boy spent every free minute he had sitting on the floor, with Jethro in his lap.

The manager from another unit got wind that Jethro would be coming, and asked if we would be willing to go visit the boys on his unit. When the boys on our unit were busy with another activity, we snuck over to the other unit. The staff knew we were coming, but the boys didn't. I had never been to that unit, and as I opened the door to the main living area, I was surprised by about 30 young men right in front of me. And, they were surprised by a puppy right in front of them! They quickly gathered from all corners of the unit, surrounding Jethro in a circle, some sitting on the floor, others standing overhead. They took turns petting him and getting kisses. Somehow, Jethro was keeping track. He would look around for youth he hadn't greeted yet, and make a point to say hello to each one. The boys brought him a bowl of fresh water, and he lapped it up appreciatively. They asked me questions about him and his training, how often he would be on campus, and told me stories about their own dogs. One boy even brought out pictures of his yellow Lab :) They excitedly asked each other, "How long has it been since you've seen a dog?" Wow. I really hadn't thought about it that literally. Some of them hadn't seen a dog in months, some maybe years. A dog. ANY dog. They were locked behind walls within a giant fence. As one boy sat forlornly on the floor, another boy pointed out, "He's the first visitor you've had, huh?" Just a young teenager, no one had come to visit the boy in all the months that he had been there, except Jethro.

I should have been more prepared for the institutionalization these boys have already experienced, when youth after youth honestly misunderstood Jethro's name, seriously thinking I said his name was Deathrow. When your mind immediately jumps to such negative conclusions, you know you need some puppy hugs and kisses :)

Jazz Decides to be a Guide Dog!

2010-11-17T21:57:00.000-08:00

We weren't sure if he was going to do it... Before leaving home for formal training, it seemed that maybe he wanted to be a Dock Dog, not a Guide Dog. Once at Guide Dogs, they noticed that he was a bit body sensitive. Somehow, I hadn't ever noticed this. He wore his puppy coat without issue and even his winter full-length doggy coat with no more notice than the bright red flame print. But looking back, there were signs. He wasn't fond of the head collar. When I put it on, he flattened his ears, bulged his eyes and neck, and was temporarily paralyzed. It made for the stupidest face, and quite frankly cracked me up. But, he snapped out of it and worked no problem and I gave it no more thought. Turns out that his body sensitivity was severe enough that he was the demo dog at Fun Day (hence his handlers goofy outfit). The good news is that Jazz will do ANYTHING for food and it seems that he is even willing to work all day in a ticklish harness if it means kibble!

After 5 months, my gorgeous headed, skinny butt, boy is all grown up and proportionately huge! He has been matched and is already at his new home with his new partner. We got to go visit him before he left, which was great fun. My current puppy recognized him right away and they greeted each other enthusiastically as only dogs do. Jazz said "hi" to my husband and, as I held his leash, I asked Jazz if he was going to say "hi" to me. He immediately flung around at the sound of my voice, looked up, and soared into the air, his front paws landing on my shoulders and his tongue soaking my face with exuberant kisses! Ah, he remembered me :)

Blog Update

2010-02-13T21:45:00.000-08:00

In late 2009, I made the very difficult decision to change jobs, and leave the agency that Ross and Jazz had become such an important piece of. Professionally, it was the right choice, but the thought of my pups no longer being there for the kids was truly heartbreaking.

Currently, Jazz is focusing on his work as a Guide Dog puppy, rather than as a "therapy dog." We do drop by the previous job a few times a month for some consultation work, and Jazz is always excited to be back to visit his friends, and they are equally excited to see him :)

I hope that someday the blog will be back up and running with new adventures in my current employment setting - youth corrections. Until then, please enjoy the memoirs of all the children these two amazing dogs have helped in the last two years! And, thank you for caring enough to follow along with us in this incredible adventure we have had!

The Runaway

2010-02-13T21:10:00.000-08:00

11/13/09

As I glanced out my office door to see who was headed up the stairs, I saw a child followed by a woman from HR. Since children are rarely on the second floor, and never supervised by HR staff, I immediately knew something was awry. The woman from HR said that the child was looking for my boss, and then the boy asked for my previous boss. I let him know that she no longer worked there, and tried to get more information about what he needed. The boy was resistant to provide much information, but did offer his name, and I recalled that he had been a resident of ours previously. He had run away from his foster home, and wanted to readmit to residential.

The boy was anxious and appeared ready to bolt at any minute. Knowing that we needed time to track down his legal guardian, and an incentive to keep him around long enough for someone to arrive for the boy, I asked him if he had ever met Jazz. He hadn't, but he had known and loved Ross. As I spoke with the boy in the hall, Jazz peeked his head around the corner and looked inquisitively at the boy, as if inviting him in to come visit. I invited the boy into my office to visit with Jazz, and so he did.

The boy remained anxious, and wandered back out of my office and into the hallway. I was worried that he might try to run again, so I kept a close eye on him. So did Jazz. The boy hovered in the hallway, and eventually I let him know that Jazz was worried about him. Jazz never took his eyes off the boy. The boy came back in my office and began petting Jazz again. Eventually, he began to ask questions about where Ross was, and I explained the process of Guide Dog training and how Ross went to live with a family who needed him. The boy asked questions about Jazz, and got to know him too.

Eventually, people arrived to help the boy, and by that time he was calm and cooperative. With the great help of my coworkers, quietly making phone calls while I distracted the boy, we were able to keep him located and safe until someone arrived for him - thanks to Jazz!

And, I sent him off with a Ross replicate :)

Jazz the Q Dog

2010-02-13T20:51:00.000-08:00

11/9/09

Today I was covering the "Q" pager for my coworker. When kids are physically restrained, staff have to page the "Q" to receive authorization for the restraint and to ensure the safety of all involved. I learned early with Ross that having my puppy with me when I arrive on scene calms the children immediately, and typically results in an immediate deescalation. Today, as Jazz and I walked across campus to respond to a call, we passed one of my coworkers who greeted us with a smile, "Hi Q Dog."

Later we responded to a call from the hospital unit. As Jazz and I walked onto the unit, we saw a girl outside the door on the patio, yelling at and verbally threatening staff outside with her. Having worked with her many times before, I knew she would be immediately distracted and calmed by Jazz's presence. I knocked on the full-length plexi-glass door to get her attention, then pointed down towards Jazz. To my surprise, she responded by flipping me off and continued to yell at staff. I realized that she didn't see Jazz was there. I then cracked the door enough to tell her that he was. A look of surprise came across her face, and she immediately stopped yelling and stepped back from the door. Without me saying another word, she exclaimed, "I'll be on track!" and she backed away further from the door. True to her word, she followed directions, and calmly sat down and petted Jazz. Within minutes, she debriefed with staff and moved on with her day. Crisis diverted.

Halloween Happy

2009-11-02T23:02:00.000-08:00

10/31/09

I was called to assist with staffing on the hospital unit Halloween night. Holidays are often difficult for our kids. They are exciting and anxiety provoking. Sometimes it's just too much stimulation. Sometimes it's the change in routine. Other times, it's the reminder that these kids are in residential treatment, and not at home with their families.

Fortunately, things calmed quickly and I was able to enjoy some time with the kids in non-crisis. Prepared with back-up, I had Jazz with me, just in case ;) We entered the family room to join a quiet girl I had only met once before. She was sitting silently, waiting to watch Mary Poppins, which was just starting on the DVD player. I sat down next to her, positioning Jazz on the floor away from most of the debris other kids had left behind. The girl watched curiously as Jazz sneakily scoured the floor for goodies. I corrected him, repositioned him, and attempted to watch Mary Poppins. This routine continued for some time, the girl watching Jazz more than she watched the movie. After some time, I heard a quiet voice say, "He just ate a piece of paper." I looked down, and sure he enough, he sucked up a tiny piece of scrap paper I had been keeping my eye on. I pretended to scold Jazz, knowing well that he had taken opportunity of me losing focus. The girl laughed quietly and had a huge grin on her face.

After a bit, another girl, who knows Jazz, joined us as well. She attempted some obedience with him, snapping her fingers at him with every command she gave. Jazz ignored her completely. I kindly instructed the girl as to correctly giving commands, and attempted to model it for her. The quiet girl continued to watch in fascination, chuckling at the live show we were putting on for her: Jazz naughtily trying to vacuum every crumb off the floor, the other girl awkwardly trying to "train" him, and me trying to manage both of them.

Eventually, Jazz gave up on cleaning the floor, and rolled over for some tummy rubs. The two girls took turns scratching his belly, amused at how he kicked his legs in response. The girl who had been attempting to command him became fascinated by his lips and gums, playing with his face as he laid on his back and stared at her upside down with those mischievous puppy eyes. It was Halloween at the facility, and at least 3 kids were happy (2 human, one puppy).

Jazzy Greetings

2009-11-02T22:35:00.000-08:00

Despite my lack of updating the blog, Jazz has been busy at work... mostly practicing his greetings.

Unlike Uncle Ross, Jazz is truly a puppy. He gets excited easily, and sometimes forgets his manners. He often fools me by his calm demeanor in the office, and I forget that he's still just a puppy :)

Early in the month, Jazz met a cute little girl in foster care, whose head is shaved and wears a scarf to cover it. We met her in the lobby, and Jazz was so happy to make a new friend. The next week, we saw her and her mother as we entered another building. The girl excitedly told her mother, "There's the puppy again!" Her mother kindly told her that she hadn't met the puppy before, and I kindly informed her mother that she had. She happily greeted Jazz, and he happily greeted her back. The following week, as we rounded the corner in the hall of the same building, I saw Jazz's head pop up and he started to lunge on the leash. I corrected him, and had him sit to calm. Around the corner I saw the girl with the scarf. Jazz had sighted her first, and he was so excited to see his friend again! After he calmed, I allowed him to say hello. He laid down on the floor next to her and enjoyed a belly rub.

On the hospital unit, Jazz has a favorite little boy he has befriended, who is just his size. They both get so excited when they see each other. The boy exclaims "Jazzy!" and Jazz attempts to bound on him with love. Of course, bounding isn't allowed, so I try hard to keep all of Jazz's feet on the ground while he greets. He's been known to pop his front feet off the ground though, just quick enough to cover the boy's face in slobbery kisses. Every greeting is an opportunity to practice "four on the floor."

This past week, Jazz and I were called to the unit to assist with a blood draw. I must admit, with all the blood draws Ross and Jazz have helped with, I'm slowly developing a desensitization to my needle phobia. If nothing else, I suppose it's therapeutically beneficial to me in that way... On Friday, we entered a small office where the boy was waiting with the phlebotomist, nurse, and manager, refusing his blood draw. As we entered the room, Jazz immediately spotted the boy, ignored all of the adults, and climbed into the boy's lap, covering his face with kisses. The blood draw was ultimately unsuccessful, but there was a brief smile on the boy's face in a moment of stress and fear.

The puppy raiser in me knows that Jazz needs to keep working on appropriate greetings, but the psychologist in me knows that sometimes there is nothing better than the pure joy between a puppy and a child. Two happy kids in different bodies :)

Jazz's Unit Debut

2009-10-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

9/23/09

Now that Jazz is 6 months old, and suddenly matured, I decided that it was time for him to make his debut on the residential units. Today was the perfect opportunity, as I had the crisis pager and Ross was always my saving grace in instantly calming the kids. I hoped Jazz could follow in his paw prints.

When we arrived on the state hospital unit, one of the little boys who we were going to check on was in the hallway. He was SO excited to see Jazz, and exclaimed in joy! I had put Jazz's Halti on, as he sulks in it, I figured it would subdue him some and prevent him from jumping on the kids in excitement when they scream with excitement at his presence. Jazz was very good. He greeted the boy happily, then laid down... and instantly pulled his Halti off with his dew claw. He proceeded to cover the boy in kisses, and he remained on the floor as the boy enjoyed his company. I took the Halti off, and put it in my pocket.

As I entered the unit, we were greeted by more excited children, who were all very well mannered with Jazz. Jazz acted as if he had been on the unit a million times. He sat with the kids, took in all of the attention, and wasn't at all distracted or overwhelmed by the activity on the unit. The girl who used to be largely nonverbal approached Jazz and began asking me questions about him. She then reached down, wrapped her arms around him, and picked him up. Just like she loved to do with Ross. Jazz, just like Ross, took it in stride and wasn't concerned at all, though the staff member who was supervising the kids became very worried and insisted she put Jazz down. I explained the history of this behavior, assured the staff that she wasn't hurting Jazz, and asked her to put him back down, which she did.

Jazz was officially initiated!

A Little Jazz Time

2009-08-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

Today, we scheduled a little private "Jazz time" for one of the boys at work. This boy has been in one or another of our programs for years, nearly as long as I've worked there. Unfortunately, his story hasn't changed much. He's a sweet boy, and he works hard to pretend that everything is OK, and most of the time, he's pretty convincing. But the truth is, it isn't OK. He has a lifetime of family problems that have resulted in multiple out-of-the-home placements. The one thing that has been consistent for him in all of these years is us. It saddens me that a treatment program is the one constant in his life, the one place that he feels secure and a success. And it saddens me that after all of these years of attempting to help him and his family so that they can be happy together, he was permanently removed from the home.

And, while he continues to present as a happy kid who is just rolling with the punches, we know differently. We know him.

Staff thought that it would be helpful for him to have some private Jazz time during this difficult transition, so his therapist brought him to my office this morning to visit.

Jazz was thrilled to have a visitor! He loves the kids, and loves it when someone will play with him (since mostly he just sleeps while I work - like a good Guide Dog). They played tug, and Jazz showed off all of his bones. He happily reared and gently planted his paws on the boy. I had to remind both of them that Jazz needed to keep his paws on the floor. But they were both so happy. Jazz pranced around and was as cute as can be, and the boy grinned from ear to ear as he played with the puppy.

If for only a few moments, Jazz helped him to truly forget his problems today, and to smile for real.

Jazz to the Rescue

2009-08-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

8/20/09

Two hours after I had intended to leave the office, as I prepared to finish the last document I had to complete before I left for the day, a call came over the intercom: the hospital unit needed all the staff assistance they could get. This meant one thing: the kids were out of control.

As I headed to the unit, I saw kids running back and forth, one child bolt out of his bedroom in his underwear, and staff working hard to calm and separate the kids. Straight ahead, I saw one of the older girls sitting in a chair, clients and staff surrounding her, and she had that look in her eyes that told me she was barely holding it together. She's a big kid and, when she loses control, others get hurt. She's also one of my favorite kids.

Her story is one that makes me smile... When she arrived on our unit last year, she was so depressed and angry, that I litterally didn't see her face until weeks after her admission. She isolated a lot, and when she out and about, her head was always hung, her hair in her face, and the only time she lifted it was to swear at, threaten, or spit on you. Any attempts to speak to her instantly resulted in one, if not more, of these responses.

Because of her size and assaultiveness, staff were sincerely afraid of her. When she wanted something, her way of telling you was to start swinging her fists. She was assaultive towards other kids, and she was assaultive towards staff.

She was one of Ross' many success stories. She is the child who he sat and guarded, when everyone else was afraid to approach her. She was guarded and slow to warm up to him, but Ross taught her one thing that she didn't have with humans: trust.

Over the months, she has made incredible improvements in her treatment. She walks tall now, and I can always see her face, often smiling. She approaches me on her own, and always asks eagerly about the dogs. Her aggression and depression have decreased significantly, she has built positive relationships with family members, and she works hard to make good decisions.

Today, she transitioned to a lower level of care, a positive outcome of her treatment progress. Today was a landmark in her life. And I saw it getting ready to crumble as she was pulled in by the negativity around her.

I checked in with staff to see how she was doing, and upon hearing that she was doing pretty well not feeding into the chaos, I asked her if she wanted to go visit Jazz. She jumped up instantly, exclaiming "yes!" (Actually, I asked her if she wanted to go visit Ross (I accidentally call Jazz "Ross" all the time), and after exclaiming, she flatly told me that she can't go visit Ross because he's at his new home, but she wanted to visit Jazz. Did I mention that she has also developed a sense of humor?)

We headed back to my office, where Jazz was laying down. His ears perked as he heard us approaching, and he bounced up in excitement when he saw her. She spent the next half hour playing with him in my office, talking the entire time, and laughing at his antics. She had a million questions about the Guide Dog puppies. I couldn't get any work done, while answering all of her questions, but I was so proud of this child who hardly used to speak, and had no one who was excited to see her.

Nirvana

2009-08-10T22:40:00.000-07:00

8/7/09

I received the call today, that after flying through all 10 phases of training in a mere 8 weeks, Ross was career changed for traffic sensitivity. I wasn't surprised. Disappointed, but not surprised. I had actually expected the call weeks prior, and was relieved each week to see Ross climb on the phase report and not receive the dreaded call I know so well.

I knew that the decision had not been an easy one. I knew that the staff were putting every effort into helping Ross succeed as a Guide. Had they not, he would have been CC'd weeks prior, like I anticipated. I had no doubts that Ross would excel in training, but he had developed a fear reaction to traffic when he was about 9 months old, and he never quite fully recovered. I was grateful to the training staff for all of their hard work, but I also knew that whatever Ross' career would be, it would be the right one, guide dog or not.

I was honored by the kind training report they wrote about Ross:

"Ross" is an average sized well behaved dog that is affectionate and a willing worker. He adjusted well to the kennel environment and quickly bonded with his primary instructor. He also enjoyed community run and played well with roommates. During community run "Ross" frequently will "talk" with a bone in his mouth to the staff.

"Ross" is highly food motivated and especially enjoyed learning through our clicker training techniques. He appeared very well prepared for training and was a pleasure to work. He consistently required minimal handling around distractions and is eager to please. His guidework and obedience responses progressed at an above average rate and he seemed to thoroughly enjoy learning new behaviors.

Unfortunately, "Ross" has displayed sensitivity to traffic throughout training. This was identified at the beginning of training and "Ross" was put on a traffic socialization program using high value food reward. Despite seeing some improvements when loud or heavy traffic approach him from behind, he continued to startle and show significant sensitivity. "Ross" is being career changed due to his traffic sensitivity.
"Ross" has many exceptional qualities and has an extensive puppy history of working with special needs children. He would make a wonderful Canine Buddy candidate.

I think the most difficult part about the news was that I had to make a decision. If Ross graduated as a guide dog, I wouldn't have any say in his future. But, as a career change, his future was suddenly in my hands. I knew two things: 1) I couldn't adopt him myself. I would love to have Ross for the rest of his life, but he was born to do greater things in this world than keep me company; and 2) Ross needed a kid. Unfortunately, there weren't any Canine Buddy applicants waiting for dogs.

8/8/09: Fun Day

Today was Fun Day, an appreciation day of sorts that Guide Dogs hosts for puppy raisers. Fun Day is usually just that, but today I was preoccupied by Ross' career change.

After more difficult decisions for my club members, it seemed that this year we were at Not-So-Fun Day. I was lucky to have the opportunity to "spy" on Ross while there. He was out in community run with his friends, and his big ol' head and the way he followed his trainers around and eagerly demonstrated his tricks to earn a treat or two, were a dead giveaway that it was him. I hid where he couldn't spot me, and was careful to be very quiet. As much as I wanted to see him, I knew he would be distraught if he knew I was there and couldn't be with me. And so, I watched silently and soaked in the pride of how much he had bonded with his trainers, and how happy he was at Guide Dogs.

During the day, I was informed that there might be a placement option for him, and so I went to speak with the person who knew more information. She informed me that there was a boy, who had applied for a Canine Buddy, but who did not qualify for the program due to logistics regarding his visual impairment. With the exception of the official Canine Buddy title, the home was in every way a Canine Buddy placement - Ross would be the boy's beloved pet and companion, and show the boy how wonderful a guide dog can be to have in your life. I didn't hesitate. I knew that this is who Ross was destined to spend the rest of his life with! And so, I asked about the details of making it happen. It was simple: Ross would load on the puppy truck that afternoon and make the drive to San Rafael, where he would be transported to his new home. It was very sudden, and I was expecting more time before he left me forever, but I think this was for the best. I didn't have any time to second guess my decision, and Ross would get to his little boy that much faster!

I walked back to the kennel and informed his caretakers that they should say their goodbyes, as he was leaving that afternoon. As they informed their boss, I was given permission to visit with Ross. As the conversation ensued, Ross turned his attention towards us and looked at me. I asked, "Since he's looking right at me, can I go say hi now?" The caretakers kindly let me enter the kennel area, where they moved Ross from the group to a separate area where we could visit. Ross walked towards me without hesitation, and began to sniff the kibble bag hanging from the back of my waist. He must have caught my scent in his kibble sniffing, because all of a sudden he jumped on my back in excitement! He proceeded to turn and jump on my front, erupting into great WOOFs as he repeatedly slammed his body against mine with love. A greeting usually undesired, this is the reunion that every puppy raiser secretly hopes for.

Suddenly, everything was good again. My boy was happy, I got my unforgettable reunion and time to say goodbye, and he was going to spend his life with a child. I was truly happy.

I took some pictures of Ross, and my husband arrived to say hello to Ross and take more pictures. I smiled from ear to ear, and it was genuine.

We left temporarily to finish our Fun Day activities and to let Ross' trainer have some individual time to say goodbye as well. He had captured her heart just as much as he had captured mine, and I knew it would difficult for her to let him go as well. I put Ross back in the run with his friends, and as I walked out of the kennel, he jumped on the fence and let out another great WOOF!

At the end of the day, I went back for my final goodbye. I was able to take Ross out of the kennel for a while, and he got to visit with my puppy raisers and we took more pictures of him with nephew Jazz. Jazz was so happy to see uncle Ross again!

As I was getting ready to take Ross back to the kennel, his trainer arrived to let me know it was time. As we walked back to the kennel together, Ross pulled towards his trainer. I handed her the leash, and as we walked down the sidewalk together, Ross walked between us, turning his head from side to side to make sure both of his moms were still there. He was a happy boy.

I was fortunate to be able to stay with Ross until he boarded the puppy truck. As we sat and waited, he climbed into my lap, his hind legs still on the floor, and gave me a big kiss, just like he used to always do! He had grown in size and maturity, but he was still my big "Baby Woss."

I watched as he eagerly boarded the puppy truck, joined by many of his puppy club friends. As the truck was loaded, I learned more about the home Ross was going to. It turns out that the boy has a sister, and the sister is in dire need of a friend. Ross has two kids. And he will change their lives in ways they could never imagine.

The Little Things (Continued)

2009-08-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

Today I received a handful more of hand made thank you notes from the kids for our presentation last week. Some of the younger kids drew pictures for me. Jazz sitting near a fire hydrant appears to be a common theme ;)

The notes read:

Dear Whitney,

I loved Jazz.

He was so cute.

Thank you for bringing him.

From,

To Whitney and Jazz

Thank you for comeing!

Made by

And the one that captures my heart the most:

(On the cover) Thanks for bringing light into our dark day.

(Inside) Dear Whitney,

Thank you for showing us the dog. I really appreciate it. I'll probably will see you around sometime. Bye!

(On the back) thanks! (with a smiley face)

The kids also made cards for Mei and Sarah & Wayne. I don't know what they say, but I don't need to.

The Little Things

2009-08-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

Today I received a hand made thank you card from two of the girls at work, for the Guide Dog presentation last week. The sincerity and gratitude for such a simple thing makes me choke up with tears of pride. The note reads:

Whitney & Jazz,

Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to visit us at the [agency name], Your information was interesting and educational. I hope you continue to visit us. You brightened alot of kids days. I am confident that Jazz will be a excellent guide dog. Thanks for show us Jazz's tricks. He's sooo cute.

Thanks again!

M & N

Growing Up Guide Dog

2009-08-04T18:38:00.000-07:00

7/30/09

Today was a monumental day at work, in the Guide Dog world. Just over a year ago, the Guide Dog puppies weren't welcome on campus. Today, we had my Guide Dog puppy Jazz, a guide dog in formal training - Darcelle, and a working guide dog - Rosie, all on campus together, with the kids!

With school out, we hold a summer program for all of our residential and day treatment clients. The program is intended to be educational, therapeutic, and fun. We try to do as much hands-on learning as possible, and provide opportunities for activities that we might not be able to do during the school year.

To keep it interesting, we have educational themes each week, and complete the week with fun activities that coincide with the theme. This year, we had a therapy/service dog week, and I invited my friend Mei and her German Shepherd guide Rosie to join us. At the last minute, I thought to see if anyone from the Guide Dog campus could help us out, and was grateful to have GDB volunteers Sarah and Wayne bring yellow Lab Darcelle, who is currently in phase 10 of formal training (the same phase Ross is currently in). The mix of dogs provided the kids with an opportunity to see the evolution of a Guide Dog.

We provided an impromptu presentation to groups of 10-20 kids at a time, for a total of 3 groups. With kids ranging in chronological age from 6-17, and even a greater span of developmental levels, we adapted each presentation to fit our audience.

Mei spoke about her blindness, how she functions in the community and at home, and how her Guide Dogs help her. I spoke about how Jazz and Ross have very specific rules that they follow so that they can be prepared to grow up and be great guide dogs like Rosie. Sarah and Wayne provided additional information about the formal training process, and the life of a guide dog in training.

The kids made peanut butter treats for the dogs, which we used to show how we train the dogs to not take food other than their designated kibble or treats. One kid asked blatantly, "So, we wasted our time making the dog treats?" I assured him my pet dogs at home would enjoy them thoroughly and be very appreciative! We spent lots of time explaining why the dogs could not have the treats...

The experience was wonderful! It was so great to live the progression of acceptance and appreciation for the dogs that has occurred at my work. The dogs, of course, were extremely well behaved! Jazz even outsmarted me when I tried to demonstrate how he didn't know something that Rosie did! The kids had excellent questions and demonstrated great compassion for the dogs and for my friend Mei. And most of all, I was so proud of how the kids behaved! They all sat calmly and quietly, raised their hands, and waited patiently to be called on. They were polite and appropriate, and followed directions to ask to pet the dogs. It was incredible! Most of our kids have difficulties completing any one of those behaviors on a regular basis, and they ALL did it for 45 consecutive minutes! I cannot express in words how proud I am. Our staff worked hard to prepare the kids for a positive experience, and it paid off! The kids pulled out every skill they have and shown like stars. It may not sound like much, but for these kids, it was a moment of complete success, something they don't experience often. And what a better reward than dog kisses at the end :)

Today will be a moment in time I will never forget!

Therapy Dog in the Making

2009-07-20T23:04:00.001-07:00

This afternoon, as I took Jazz out to relieve him, we heard children screaming from the yard. Jazz's ears perked up inquisitively. As he is typically nestled away in our quiet office, he had yet to hear the sound of unhappy children. I decided this was the perfect opportunity to introduce him to his job of "therapy dog."

Jazz and I walked over to the yard, where two children, each in separate areas, were highly escalated, crying and screaming. Multiple staff were trying to calm the children. As we approached, Jazz continued to demonstrate curiosity at the situation. He maintained full confidence, and cocked his ears as if he were trying to figure out what this new sound was. The child closest to us caught sight of Jazz, and was instantly distracted, running towards us, excitedly yelling, "A puppy!" Jazz stepped his front paws up on the rail of the fence and stuck his nose between the links, giving the girl a big kiss on the face as she greeted him through the fence.

He got it right.

The girl sat down and began to pet Jazz through the fence, begging for kisses. She remained calm and safe, and followed directions. After a few minutes, I felt comfortable taking Jazz inside the yard with her, and so, we ventured in. We sat in the grass for a while, Jazz rolling around, kicking his legs wildly as she scratched his belly, and watching her intently as she made funny noises at him. The girl, who normally requires constant staff attention and redirection for her unsafe and inappropriate behaviors, sat on the grass next to Jazz, playing appropriately with him, smiling, and following directions beautifully.

As I walked Jazz back to the office to recoup from the heat and finish my work, I couldn't help but be proud. The kids have a therapy dog again :)

Sleeping...and Growing

2009-07-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

Since Jazz has a bit more pizazz than Ross, he's spent more time just hanging out in the office learning how to be a good Guide Dog than hanging out with the kids. Jazz is a good puppy, he's just... a puppy. He sleeps a lot, plays hard, and gets overstimulated easily. The kids (and staff) still love him, and the biggest problem right now is that he is SO cute, and they feel so special when he greets them excitedly, that I have to be able to focus on training the people while I'm trying to train the puppy to not do what the people encourage him to do :)

Jazz is gradually learning that work means more than just sleeping on his fluffy bed in the office. He has attended some meetings, and is finally starting to settle down on his own (never mind that it's usually about 1 minute before the meeting ends). He sometimes accompanies me to therapy sessions, and keeps the mood light by rolling around, and attempting to eat any spot on the floor. He served as emotional support for an adolescent girl getting her blood drawn a couple of weeks ago. And although all he did was hang out, she was so highly amused by my stories of him eating my slippers and flip flops that she temporarily forgot about the needle in her arm.

The other day, one of the girls at work asked if she could earn to come visit Jazz in the office, since he isn't ready to visit on the units yet (it's way too much stimulation for him at this point). We discussed a plan, and as I walked back to my office, she shouted after me, "You know what a good excuse is?" Not understanding what she was talking about, I replied, "What?" "He's sleeping," she replied back in a sarcastic tone :) (Referring to the fact that whenever I don't have my dog with me and the kids ask where he is, I tell them that he's in the office sleeping - which is true. Jazz sleeps his days away while he's growing, Ross was just plain lazy.) This is the same girl who, when Ross and I met her just a few months ago, would hang her head and refuse to speak; the same girl who he sat next to and guarded as she decompressed from an aggressive episode; the same girl who now initiates conversations, jokes with staff, and seeks out rewards for making progress in her treatment.

Jazz is a different spirit than Ross. Ross had an amazing natural talent for understanding people and knowing exactly what they needed. With Jazz, it's all about him. He loves people, mostly because he thinks it's cool that everyone is there to see HIM. He doesn't know the difference between a scared, depressed, girl and an impulsive, aggressive, boy. He only knows that they all love him and want to play with him. It's a naivety that can only make you smile.

Jazz It Up!

2009-06-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

6/24/09

When the kids first met Jazz, they were really interested to learn what his middle and last names were. Not having either, I didn't have a very good response for them... Evidently, my honest answer was unacceptable for 7-10 year olds. So, they decided to name him themselves. One little boy decided that his full name should be Jazz It Up. This was a hit with his cohorts, and so, Jazz It Up it is!

As Jazz and I were leaving work this evening, we ran into this little boy with his visitor. They had been playing ball in the gym, and the boy was so excited to see Jazz (It Up) as they walked out of the gym. Jazz (It Up), still developing his sit-to-be-pet skills, jumped excitedly at the boy. The boy set his large beach ball down on the ground so that he could pet Jazz (It Up), and Jazz (It Up) pounced on the ball, straddling it with his entire body, high centered on the large ball. He clumsily rolled off the ball as I pulled back with his leash, explaining to the boy that Jazz (It Up) isn't allowed to play with balls. As the boy continued to try to pet Jazz (It Up), I was able to quickly get him in a sit, which he popped out of just as quickly. We continued this game of Jack-in-the-Box as the boy attempted to pet him. Jazz eventually sat his bottom on the ground, but proceeded to climb up the boy with his front paws, attempt to grab the ball, and otherwise act like a puppy. Eventually he settled and laid down on his own. Then he started to chew on the boy's shoe lace. As I constantly resituated Jazz (It Up), the boy smiled and laughed, appreciatively stating, "I'm so glad I saw Jazz today." As I asked the boy to say good-bye for the night, Jazz (It Up) popped his head up and gave the boy a big kiss on the face.

Learning Curve

2009-06-21T22:22:00.000-07:00

For a 15-week-old puppy, Jazz is doing very well at work! He spends most of the day sleeping on his bed in the office, occasionally waking to play with his toys and take potty breaks.

I have gradually been taking him out and about more - attending meetings, therapy sessions, and visiting the kids. He LOVES the kids (as most Labs do), and the kids love him! Problem is, he's such a puppy ;) He thinks kids (and pretty much anyone he sees in the hallway) are for pouncing on. After all, they are all there to see him, right? Visualize multiple children excitedly running towards a cute little puppy, exclaiming his name as they approach with hands extended. Ack! So..., the kids (and adults) and Jazz are having to learn appropriate greetings together. My multitasking skills are in overdrive as I put Jazz in a sit (and keep him there) while verbally reminding the kids to stop, wait, ask nicely, approach calmly, and keep their voices and bodies calm, only petting Jazz while he's sitting calmly. I keep reminding Jazz that he's a Guide Dog. He keeps reminding me that he's a puppy :) Inevitably, the kids squat down to pet him, and he reaches up to kiss them, and smiles erupt. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it.

Professional Puppy?

2009-06-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

6/12/09

Arriving late to an early morning meeting, I didn't have time to put Jazz in the office first, so I decided he could just go to the meeting with me. As I entered the meeting room, I found the only open chair to be between the CEO and VP. I sat Jazz down next to me, and the CEO reached down and gently started petting him. I gave Jazz a quiet toy to play with, and asked him to settle on the floor. Within minutes he was bored. He began his favorite game of chewing on his leash, followed by the game of rolling around biting at it when I tried to correct him for it. While being sure to continue to pay attention to the meeting, I reached down and rearranged Jazz, removing the leash from his mouth, putting him back in an appropriate down, and placing his toy back in front of him. Within minutes he was rolling around again, crawling under my chair, chewing at his leash, grabbing at my hand, and attempting to chew on the VP's leather purse handle. Fortunately, I caught that one before he was successful!

After a while, I decided enough is enough! I pulled Jazz up into my lap and placed him in the "calming puppy position," careful to stroke his belly very gently, as he is rather ticklish and starts kicking with all four legs, which would have had the opposite effect. As I gently stroked his big puppy belly, he calmed and relaxed. Within minutes, he was sound asleep. He adjusted himself slightly, curling up in my arms like a baby. Then, he began to snore. Loudly. And he continued to snore, loudly.

As I pretended to not notice that there was a snoring puppy in the room, my coworkers smiled at him and chuckled with amusement. As our consultant (on videoconference) wrapped up on something we were all done listening to, the CFO teased him that he had bored the puppy to sleep.

Jazz may need to work on his professionalism a bit, but he kept us all sane through that meeting!

Jazz's First Assignment

2009-05-28T01:55:00.000-07:00

As a 10-week-old puppy, the expectations for Jazz at work have been limited: potty outside, sleep or play quietly in the office, look cute, and give the kids kisses. So far, he's been doing a pretty darn good job!

But, it didn't take long for Jazz to start filling Ross' shoes. The dreaded blood draws struck again this week! One of the girls has been refusing her blood draws, as she is afraid of needles. The draws are critical to ensuring her health, given the medication she is on. So, a request was made for Jazz to help her out.

I wasn't sure how it would go. Jazz is a more active pup than Ross, and he pretty much is only still when he's sleeping. But, his adorable face is pretty much all that anyone needs right now. So, I figured we would give it a shot.

As I entered the unit to find the girl who was getting her blood draw, she yelled with excitement as she saw Jazz come through the door in my arms. After some calm greeting time, we headed to the nurse's office for the blood draw. The girl was scared, but climbed into the chair without much fuss. I sat next to her, Jazz in my arms, and set his paw in her lap. She gently held his paw while crying, more from fear than pain, and Jazz sat quietly in my arms.

We're off to a good start!

The Next Generation

2009-05-28T01:33:00.000-07:00

5/13/09

There's only one cure for the broken heart that results from turning your Guide Dog puppy in for formal training: a new puppy.

Welcome Jazz :) A spunky little fellow with a white star on his chest. Though I have historically raised mostly yellow Labs, everyone at work wanted me to get another black Lab, as they were so in love with Ross. I worried that they would compare the new pup to Ross if he were to look similar, and equally worried that they would be disappointed when the new pup wasn't like Ross. I've raised enough puppies to know each one has their own personality, with qualities and quirks that makes you love them for the individuals that they are. But, Ross was all the kids and staff knew at work. And, it seemed that there was no where to go but downhill after him. So, I was excited when I saw Jazz's adorable star - his mark of individuality.

Fortunately, no one can resist an adorable puppy! Jazz was an instant hit as soon as I walked on campus with him. The kids and staff are in love with him, and Ross is yesterday's news. How quickly people move on :)

Ross' Discharge Party

2009-05-28T01:09:00.000-07:00

5/15/09

When the kids at work finish their treatment and move on, we hold a discharge party for them, to celebrate the hard work they have done, their accomplishments and growth, and their future. When it came time for Ross to complete his puppy training and duties as a "therapy" dog, as he prepared to enter the next phase in his life - formal guide work training - I thought, what better way to help the kids understand his departure than to have a discharge party for him?

In true discharge party fashion, I ordered a cake from our kitchen, and invited everyone from Ross' "treatment team" to attend. Literally, I invited the entire campus - kids and adults alike.

At the end of Ross' last day at work, we gathered in the cafeteria to celebrate his transition to "puppy college." The kids who knew Ross well excitedly educated the newer kids about Ross' work as a guide dog, and his upcoming adventures at "puppy college." Ross laid on the floor as kids huddled around him, petting, hugging, and kissing him. A little boy who tends to be loud and aggressive quietly apologized for almost accidently stepping on Ross' tail. As the party ended, one of his long time fans pouted because Ross had not given her any kisses. As she sat down to say one last good-bye to him, he gently put his paws on her lap, stood up, and smothered her face in kisses.

As I loaded Ross into the car that night, tears came to my eyes as the finality of it all hit me. In one year, Ross incredibly changed the lives of many children, brightened the days of stressed staff, and singlehandedly changed the culture of a large mental health agency - all with his big brown eyes and sloppy tongue. Residential treatment will never be the same.

In Good Times and In Bad

2009-05-14T23:41:00.000-07:00

Tonight I had the crisis pager, and, as usual, decided to take my trusty side kick with me. As I entered the building, Ross sat down with the first girl I checked in with. He then laid down, gazing at her as she gently stroked him. He was the ultimate of calm, allowing the girl to remain calm while she talked to me. We then walked through the state hospital unit, on the way to check-in with another child outside. As we entered the unit, the generally quiet, highly anxious, and sometimes aggressive, girl was so happy to see Ross. She chatted with me excitedly as she petted him. She noticed that he balked when she approached his face directly, and worried that she had scared him. She listened attentively as I explained how he doesn't like people approaching the front or top of his head directly, then she started petting his back, gradually approaching his face from the side.

As we walked outside, we were greeted individually by a group of kids playing ball. Ross remained focused, only interacting when the children approached him, and completely ignoring the ball. We headed to the lower part of the yard, where the boy I was going to check-in with was calming. We had never met this boy before. He watched with curiosity as a woman and a dog approached him. As I introduced us, the boy instantly took interest, placing his hand through the fence for Ross to lick. He asked me questions about Ross, and I asked him questions about his unsafe behavior. He didn't seem worried about having to talk to a stranger about his negative behavior, it just came out as he interacted with Ross.

While in the yard, a little boy came to visit Ross. He was so excited to see Ross, exclaiming his name, wrapping him in hugs, and stroking his coat as Ross covered his face in kisses.

We then went back inside to check-in with more kids. As we walked back through the state hospital unit, Ross was greeted by more of his fans. Initially, just a child or two came to see him. They sat on the floor with him, giggling as he licked the food spills off their clothes and hands and covered their faces with kisses. As the other children realized Ross was there, they too joined us, and soon more children came in from outside, excited to find Ross inside. Before I knew it, a group of approximately 10 children, the most mentally ill children in the state, were sitting in a circle on the floor, side by side, loving Ross, who laid in the middle and loved them back. The girl who suffers from extreme psychosis spoke to him in a comprehensible manner. The other children reminded her to pet him nicely when she began to pull on his collar and poke his ears. They spoke to her in a calm and supportive manner, showing her how to pet him. Children who don't get along sat next to each other, closer than they would otherwise be allowed, due to their aggressive tendencies. They shared, they laughed together, and they helped each other out. It was a moment that I will never forget: the epitome of the difference Ross has made with these children - children who are there because humans have not been able to help them enough in the past.

As we walked onto the little kids' unit, we were greeted by a young boy who was flipping furniture. This boy suffers from Tourette's - he has frequent facial tics and swears uncontrollably. When we had entered the building earlier, I could hear his explicit ranting from the hallway. But, as soon as he saw us, he dropped the large chair he was flipping, and came over to greet Ross. I asked him if he wanted to visit with Ross, and suggested we move to another space. He wanted to show us how he could flip the chairs, but I let him know that he could only visit with Ross if he was being safe, and flipping chairs wasn't safe for Ross. The boy calmly suggested we move to another area away from the chairs. He then sat down on the floor with Ross, and stroked him gently. He was calm and polite, followed directions, and only swore once.

Ross then took turns visiting with the other young children on the unit. One of the girls had his stunt double in her room, and brought it out to visit with him. Ross was SO excited to see his friend! He licked his nose, nuzzled his ears, and nudged him gently, encouraging him to play. He hadn't forgotten his life-sized stuffed friend!

Ross and I then went back outside to check on a child in a restraint. As we entered the yard, staff saw Ross and released the boy. He instantly walked away from the staff he had been targeting with aggression, and approached Ross. I reminded him that he needed to be calm and safe to visit with Ross. The boy instantly agreed to be safe, and sat down on the patio to prove it. He visited with Ross briefly, then became agitated again about staff and acted as if he didn't care about Ross. As soon as Ross and I left, he began hitting staff again.

As we were getting ready to leave, the young boy in the yard was out in the hallway, blocking the door and seconds from being restrained due to his aggressive behavior. He had also been asking for Ross. As I approached the door, I peeked through the window and reminded staff that I needed him to be safe for Ross to come visit. The boy instantly started to calm, moved away from the door, and followed staff directions. Ross sat in front of him and instantly smothered his face with kisses. The boy laughed and rolled around, encouraging Ross to lick him more. Ross began licking his head, and the boy laughed about his saliva being hair gel. Soon, all of his worries were gone, and the boy said goodnight to Ross and rejoined the group on the unit.

Ross and I headed back to the office, where he ate dinner and sacked out for his evening nap, a hard year's work done.

Work: A Vacation from Vacation

2009-05-14T23:32:00.000-07:00

In mid-April, we took Ross on vacation with us, touring National Parks. He joined us on many hikes, some of which are quite strenuous. Ross was a great traveler and demonstrated footwork demonstrative of a confident guide! But, he thought vacation was way too much work, and he needed to go back to his lazy days at work to get a vacation from his vacation!

Upon returning to work, Ross got right back into the swing of things, not missing a beat transitioning back to "therapy dog." Over the past few weeks, Ross has spent his days visiting children on the units, where he gets smothered in hugs while he smothers the kids in kisses, as well as taking "office calls." Since I'm not always available to take him to the kids, the kids have started coming to him. They (usually) politely ask to visit with him, then sit on the floor and laugh as they stroke him and he prances around them, his ears back and his body wiggling, or sitting on them, attempting to be a 65 lb lap dog. Of course, big sloppy kisses are a regular bonus.

Soulful Eyes

2009-04-12T00:04:00.000-07:00

Words of Wisdom

2009-04-11T23:57:00.000-07:00

4/7/09

As Ross and I headed out towards the parking lot, leaving work for our Guide Dog meeting, we were bombarded by a group of children on bicycles. As soon as the kids saw Ross, they began to shout his name excitedly and pedal quickly towards us. The kids jumped off their bikes to pet and hug Ross as we briefly stopped. One child asked about when Ross will go to formal training, and she was relieved to hear that it was over a month away. They were excited about the thought of a new young puppy, though caveated by the girl's words of wisdom: "No puppy will be just like Ross."

Back to Work!

2009-04-11T23:44:00.001-07:00

3/31/09

As we crossed the parking lot and headed up the main path towards my office, Ross and I heard the screams of a child. As we approached, we saw a child standing on the path with a staff member, screaming at the staff. Ross' ears perked and he made a bee-line for the child.

When we approached the girl, I asked, "What's going on? Ross heard you and he's worried about you." Ross stood, gently sniffing the child. As she reached down to pet Ross, she instantly began to calm, stopped screaming, and quietly answered my questions. Ross continued at attention, and the girl continued to calmly pet him. Within minutes, she was able to identify her concern, identify other's concerns about her behavior, and problem solve the next steps to turn her morning around and make amends. The girl then calmly returned to school with the staff member she had been screaming at just minutes earlier.

Running late for our meeting, I decided to take Ross directly with me, instead of dropping him off at my office first. As I headed into the residential building, I was greeted by the girl who rarely speaks. She immediately leaned down and began to pet Ross. She then attempted to pick him up and clumsily dropped him in her lap as she sat down. Ross remained unfazed and curled up next to her, resting his head in her lap. She sat quietly, gently stroking his head and, at one point, leaning over and nearly falling asleep as she cuddled with him.

That day, I secured a new job at the agency, and Ross has been able to continue his work uninterrupted, the kids unaware of the previous possibility that Ross may not have been there to help them with their mornings.

When the Going Gets Tough

2009-03-24T23:46:00.000-07:00

Today I received notice that my, and many of my colleagues', positions were cut. Hard economic times require employee restructuring.

As I sat in my office, worried of what the future may hold, Ross approached me with big eyes. He sat back on his haunches and gently placed his front paws on my lap. He looked at me with a knowing, caring, gaze that required no words. As I gazed back at him, telling him I knew, he climbed up into my lap, laid his upper body against mine, and gently licked my face.

When a colleague of mine, in the same situation, arrived, and sat down on the floor with Ross, Ross climbed into his lap, standing on his legs and leaning his body against my friend's chest, wiggling and refusing to move. As my friend chuckled at Ross' antics, Ross slumped into his lap, curling up and cuddling on my friend's legs, refusing to move. As my friend attempted to wiggle out from underneath Ross, Ross remained in his position, remaining loyal and present.

Just What You Need

2009-03-24T23:27:00.000-07:00

3/23/09

I continue to be amazed by Ross' change in demeanor for each child he interacts with.

One very quiet, but aggressive, girl has visits with Ross on her list of coping skills to utilize when she feels herself start to become upset. When she senses it, or staff notice it, they call or page me to see if I am available to bring Ross for a visit. Ross is much more sedate with this girl than with any other child. She startles easily and reacts severely, and he must sense her need for calmness. He simply sits with her. Sometimes he will give her a kiss, but it is rare. Mostly, he just sits.

On Monday, he sat with her while we chatted. For the most part, he sat next to her, or laid on the floor nearby as we talked about his eat tattoos, lack of armpit hair, dew claws, and foot pads. She found it all very interesting, though Ross was not impressed, as he's heard it all before. At one point, Ross scooted onto her lap, sitting like a person in a chair on her kneeling legs. After a while, he slumped to the floor, and eventually laid next to her, snoring as he rested his head on her leg.

When one of the boys came to say "hi" to him, he rolled over on his back, and licked the boy wildly - instantly changing his demeanor when the boy arrived. The boy laughed and Ross continued licking him playfully.

When the boy left, Ross returned to his post next to the girl. Sitting, calmly, one single small kiss offered as a goodbye.

On Tuesday, we went to visit the girl again. This time, a number of other clients wanted to visit with Ross as well. Again, Ross sat quietly next to the girl, his tongue securely in his mouth. A new girl timidly approached, having never met Ross before. Ross sniffed her and sat, gazing at her calmly, offering himself if she chose.

When the boys arrived, he rolled on his back, lavishing the belly rubs and covering their faces in kisses. When they left, he returned to the first girl, sitting quietly.

As we left the kids for the evening, Ross walked calmly past the group, in true Guide Dog fashion, ignoring every distraction present. As we neared the door, the girl who rarely speaks ran up and began stroking Ross' coat heavily. Ross is a sensitive dog, and doesn't like people approaching his head. But, when I expected him to duck and avoid her prey-like hand motions, he stood calmly, holding his head high for her. He remained motionless as she tried to pick him up and continued to pet him forcefully. When asked what she thinks of Ross, she replied, "Cute!"

Update: Project Replicate Ross

2009-03-10T23:27:00.000-07:00

With the help of many kind and generous people, I now have a very sufficient collection of Ross replicas, of various sizes, to distribute to the kids. The distribution process has already started, with stuffed Rosses being given to kids as discharge gifts, coping skills, rewards, and napping partners. With the great variety of Rosses, staff and therapists have picked out just the right dog for each child.

Thank you everyone for your support! Every stuffed dog is making a difference in the life of a child in need of a smile :)

Ross Likes Me

2009-03-10T23:11:00.000-07:00

When responding to a page today, I checked in with a very forlorn boy. He was calm by the time I arrived, but appeared heartbreakingly sad. The boy told me about how he thinks no one likes him, and he feels lonely. He stated that he runs, hits, and kicks when he feels lonely. As we talked about his feelings and what he can do when he feels lonely, I asked him, "Who does like you?" His first response: Ross. He was able to identify why Ross likes him: he pets him, gives him kisses, and speaks nicely to him. And, he stated that I like him because he treats Ross well :) When it seemed that the whole world hates him, he knew there was at least one exception: Ross. And he was right, without a doubt. Ross licks and kisses him, cleaning him from head to toe and making him smile and laugh.

He reported that he uses his Ross replica to help him feel better at home, and that talking to Ross makes him feel better, but Ross can't talk back. His idea: write notes to Ross when he's feeling down, and have Ross write back (with my help, of course), and sign the note with his paw stamped in ink :)

Walk With Me

2009-03-10T22:51:00.000-07:00

3/5/09

As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed one of the kids, an adolescent girl, wandering outside the school building. I kept a close eye on her, and soon noticed that staff were nearby. The girl circled the building, trying to stay a step ahead and out of sight of the staff who were supervising her. She startled when she heard my car door. As she turned to look at me, I called out to ask her what she was up to. Despite attempting to elude staff, she began to approach me.

As I pretended to not be concerned about her elusive behavior, she walked to my car and asked if I had Ross with me. As I continued to speak casually with her, she walked with me to the back of my car, greeted Ross, and continued to walk with me as I went about my normal arrival routine, continuing to ask her questions about what was going on. As she stood petting Ross, she answered my questions, as if this was our normal interaction. Staff arrived, and I filled them in. The girl continued to stand with Ross, no longer concerned about getting away from staff. I invited her to walk with me as I headed towards the office, passing through the school building as it was "on the way." The girl walked next to Ross, staff within arm's reach. I continued the casual conversation about what was bothering her, and she cooperatively identified her classroom. As we stood at the door, problem-solving the situation, Ross served as a distraction, keeping the girl calm enough to continue talking and to think clearly. Without a hitch, she calmly made a plan to return to class. Ross and I parted ways, off to our office, the girl and staff checking in with the teacher.

It Takes a Ross

2009-02-17T22:49:00.001-08:00

2/16/09

I had the day off - sort of. Even though it was a work holiday, I had the pager. Which meant that eventually, I had to work.

When the pager went off, Ross and I headed in. I knew Ross was my only hope of keeping the work day short. Little did I know just how much work Ross had to do that day.

Things had settled down when we arrived. As I walked onto the unit to check in with a boy, he was in good spirits and excited to meet Ross, whom he had heard about. The rest of the teens and preteens were so exited to see Ross, and they took turns swarming him in groups of 3 and 4, each trying to get in some pets and kisses. The boy, who had just arrived a few days before, but who has been with us before, asked excitedly about getting a stuffed Ross. Evidently, his therapist had clued him in to Project Replicate Ross.

Just when we were about to head home, the pager went off again. Ross and I headed over to the most acute unit, where a young adolescent girl was being aggressive towards staff and had disrobed. The past few weeks have been especially difficult for her, and no human intervention appears to be improving the situation at this time. Fortunately, Ross can do things no human can.

As we walked onto the unit, staff informed the girl that Ross was there. She quickly redressed and came out to the hall, where she sat on the floor and pet Ross. He licked her face and hands, and she giggled with glee. After a few minutes, some of the other kids, passing by, took the opportunity to visit with Ross. Ross licked the face and head of his favorite boy, spiking his hair like only dog slobber can. After a few more minutes, the girl who is largely nonverbal walked by. She caught a glimpse of Ross out of the corner of her eye, and stopped suddenly, exclaiming with excitement. She cheerfully approached Ross, where she sat down on the floor with him, stroking him and trying to pull him into her lap to cuddle. Ross laid there without concern as she tugged on his collar and neck scruff, trying to pull his 60-plus pound lying body into her lap.

After a while, another page came. Ross and I had heard the screams and scuffles on the unit, and Ross appeared concerned. Not for his own safety, but for the children from whom he knew the sounds came. Ross and I entered the unit, where a boy was standing on the other side of the room, visibly upset, but currently not a danger. He declined visiting with Ross, and I reassured him that Ross was there if he wanted to visit with him, and Ross was concerned about him, but he didn't have to visit with Ross if he didn't want to. Ross stood, patiently waiting, as the humans attempted to help the boy with our words. Eventually, the boy calmed and walked over to Ross. Ross did something strange - he turned his back to the boy and ignored him. In an effort to prevent the boys' feelings from being hurt, I had Ross sit, so as to prevent him from moving further away from the boy. Ross sat, then laid down. The boy stated calmly, and with concern, that Ross was probably worried because of how he had been acting. Ross laid perfectly still, and the boy stroked him. As the boy stroked Ross and asked questions about his Guide Dog training, Ross began to perk up, and eventually leaned in for a kiss. The boy then calmly and happily moved on to eat lunch, a transition that had him very upset just a few minutes prior. I had no idea what Ross was doing when he turned his back to this boy. But Ross knew. Ross knew that this boy needed a different approach than the other kids. He needed to reach out to Ross and to prove to himself that he could make the choices that showed others he was safe. Ross was ready, waiting, and he knew.

And despite how much I was amazed by Ross' intuition and ability with this boy, I was not prepared for what came next.

On the other side of the door, a large pre-teen girl was still escalated. She was desperately attempting to pull the plexiglass covers off the windows, from the outside. Ross has been a relatively new intervention for this girl. It took her a long time to even notice his presence, but once she became aware, she became a fan. She rarely speaks around him, and instead just sits and soaks up his love. I spoke to her through the door, informing her that Ross was there to see her when she was ready and could be safe. She ignored me, moved away, and began to sob. Just when I thought she might be ready, she got up and again began to pry at the windows. Ross and I visited with the now calm boy, while we waited for the girl outside to calm. After a few minutes, I saw her sitting motionless on the other side of the yard, her back against the building. As Ross and I prepared to go outside, a concerned staff member asked if we wanted him to go out too. This girl has a history of being very aggressive towards others. But I wasn't concerned. I knew she wouldn't do anything to hurt Ross, or me (the person who brings Ross).

As we crossed the yard, I told her Ross was worried about her. And, as we approached her, her eyes lifted slightly. I saw Ross zone in, and I warned her that she was probably going to get a big kiss. Sure enough, Ross stepped in and gave her one big lick up her face. For just the briefest moment, I saw a glimmer in her eye. And then, it changed. She hung her head and sat motionless again. And Ross knew. He sat next to her, perched as if on guard, watching their surrounds, aware of everything going on outside around them. He sat, and watched, and guarded. I'm not sure what he was guarding her from, but he knew. I stood nearby, simply holding the leash and observing. Watching, but not so much knowing. Ross did not lean in for any more kisses. He did not lay down or turn his back on her. He sat and guarded. As long as she sat, he sat right next to her. Confident, when she was not. Every once in a while, she slowly reached out and gently stroked his back. He turned to glance at her, assuring her it was OK, and quickly returned to his position. Another boy, outside the fence, threw a large stick inside the yard, calling to her to use the stick for unsafe reasons. With her guardian at her side, she ignored the boy, sitting, her head hung, reaching out to gently touch the dog that understood - the dog who knew that she didn't have the strength to do it on her own. This time he didn't turn. He didn't need to. She knew. (This girl's therapist has already picked out a Ross replica for her.)

As we headed out of the building, I checked with staff to see if the little kids could visit with Ross. They had been singing his name from inside the building as he had been on guard outside. It wasn't a good time for the whole group to visit Ross, but one little boy, the boy who dubbed him "Rossy" and who falls asleep with his stunt double every night, was so eager to see him! Staff brought him out to the hall, where he wrapped his arms around Ross. Ross covered his face in kisses, and the boy slid to the floor, giggling and encouraging more. Ross paused, then stepped in to smother him with more kisses. The more he kissed, the more the boy giggled, and the more Ross kissed. The true, wholehearted, laughter that Ross brings out in these kids is more heartwarming than words can describe. It's a laughter that is rarely heard when Ross isn't around.

And, just when I thought it was time to go home, the pager went off again. The day had come full circle - the page had come for the same boy who we started with that morning. This time, Ross stayed on his bed, where he was exhausted from the days' work. When I arrived, the boy eagerly asked again about the stuffed Ross. He was able to tell me exactly how the Ross replica would help him: When he feels sad, it makes him mad (very common for our kids). And when he gets mad, he starts acting unsafe. But squeezing something really hard helps him. Something that he can squeeze as hard as he wants without having to worry about hurting or breaking it. Something like a stuffed Ross :) (Thank you to all of our Project Replicate Ross donors, I was able to immediately go pick out a stuffed Ross to his liking.)

Not-So Honorable Guest

2009-02-17T22:33:00.000-08:00

2/11/09

Ross and I were invited to attend the Guild Meeting for our campus - an event in which the Guild and Auxilary members receive updates from employees as to the services we are providing, campus improvements, and agency updates. Initially I thought, Wow! I must be someone big now - I was invited to attend the Guild Meeting! Then, I realized that it was really Ross who was invited, but since he can't speak or drive, the invitation came to me ;) And, it turns out, Ross was not only invited, but the guest of honor!

Ross was not feeling very honorable though... The meeting was hosted at the very lovely home of one of the guild members, and a request was made that her hardwood floors be protected from Ross' nails. Having hardwood floors and dogs myself, I understood her concern. Unfortunately, Ross is going through a nail clipping phobia, so that option was not an option. Which only left one other option: dog boots. Fortunately, I have a very nice pair of Vibram soled boots for my dog who hikes and snow shoes. And, on this night, he was kind enough to lend his very cool boots to Ross, who did not think they were cool at all, much less honorable.

In an effort to provide some desensitization prior to the meeting, Ross practiced wearing the boots at home, where he could be humiliated in the privacy of his own house, with the curtains drawn, and only his family to laugh at him (with love, of course). By the time he had to wear them for the Guild Meeting, he did not walk quite so funny, but he hung his head in shame. Eventually, he laid at my feet and slept through the meeting.

Ross, of course, was a perfect guest. My coworkers and I spoke of the amazing work Ross does with the kids, and the importance of Project Replicate Ross, given that Ross is not available at all hours of the day and night. Two days later, a box of Ross replicas arrived, with an anonymous note from "a friend."

Looking Out for Number One

2009-02-04T23:10:00.000-08:00

2/3/09

Today, Ross and I got up early and arrived at work first thing in the morning to be available for a girl who has been refusing her blood draws due to a needle phobia. Ross can be very soothing in such situations, assisting the kids in remaining calm increasing compliance in the process, while I, also needle phobic, turn and close my eyes :) When we arrived, I was informed that the girl was still refusing her blood draw, despite knowing Ross was coming. But, her reason shocked us all: she told the nurse that she always yells, screams, and grabs things when she has to have her blood drawn, and she didn't want to scare or hurt Ross. Even though he was there for her, she was looking out for him!

Keep Those Puppies Coming!

2009-02-04T23:06:00.001-08:00

2/2/09

To date, I have received donations of 25 stuffed puppies, the majority of which are black Lab "Ross replicas"! 22 of these donations came from one single person!

Thank you to everyone who has spread the word, is searching for Ross replicas, and who has donated so far! While I have not yet started the distribution process, one of our staff found a donated pup to be very soothing when Ross was assisting a child and wasn't available for him :)

A Good Bye

2009-01-27T22:27:00.000-08:00

As Ross and I walked across the parking lot this morning to the office, I heard a honking from behind me. I turned around to see one of Ross' kids in his dad's truck, waving excitedly. The boy was discharging and heading home.

Knowing he would want to say good-bye to Ross, I turned around and headed to the truck. Unable to reach Ross from the window, I had him open the truck door so he could say good-bye to Ross. As soon as the door opened, Ross stepped up into the truck, his hind feet remaining on the sidewalk, his front paws in the boy's lap. Ross gave the boy big kisses across his face, then, as quickly as he had climbed up, he climbed down and turned towards the office, as if to say, "My work here is done. Good Bye my friend."

Rossy!!!!!

2009-01-27T22:16:00.000-08:00

1/21/09

As we were headed out of the office for the night, Ross and I stopped by one of the units to drop some papers off. When we arrived on the unit, the girl who is largely non-verbal immediately came over to pet Ross. She was quickly surrounded by other kids, all of them petting Ross and leaning in for kisses. After a few minutes, two of the kids ran across the unit, calling for Ross' biggest fan, exclaiming, "Ross is here! Ross is here!" His friend came out of his room and joined the group. Ross immediately covered his face and head in big sloppy kisses. As the kids swarmed around Ross, lavishing him with love, the girl (now sitting on the floor) pulled him into her lap and wrapped her arms around him. Ross took the opportunity to stand in her lap, his paws on her chest, covering her face in kisses as she slid to the floor laughing.

As we left the building, we were greeted just outside by the little kids, walking back to the building in a nice single-file row. Shouts of joy filled the cold night air as they sang Ross' name, one little guy exclaiming, "Rossy!!!!" Ross greeted each child as they passed, and when he reached the young boy, hardly taller than he, he slapped a big wet kiss right across the boy's face!

Project Replicate Ross

2009-01-06T22:50:00.000-08:00

Last night, I sent the following email to friends and family:

Many of you have either heard me tell stories, or have read Ross' blog,

about the amazing effect that Ross has on the kids at my work. Today, I was thinking about how much even the stuffed "Fake Ross" helps the the kids at work when he's not available. Currently, we have an entire unit of little kids who use "Fake Ross" to calm them or to help them fall asleep at night. It got me thinking: wouldn't it be wonderful if we had more than one stuffed Ross to go around?

We typically have about 50-60 kids in our residential and day treatment programs. The residential kids live there. Away from their homes and families, and even their own pets.

Unfortunately, as a non-profit organization, our funds are limited for buying "extras" such as stuffed animals for the kids. It got me thinking about how I might be able to get more stuffed Black Labs donated for the kids, and I finally thought to start with the people who I know, and who

know Ross :)

So, I'm dubbing it "Project Replicate Ross." I would LOVE to fill our attic (where we store donated supplies) with stuffed Black Labs of varying sizes for any kid who wants one. Then, those children will have their own stuffed dog that can go with them when they discharge.

The responses were overwhelming! Friends have searched their own homes, stores, and websites looking for Ross replicates, as well as spreading the word with others. I am so excited about the possibilities of donations we may receive. It is truly incredible the effect that Ross has had on the kids, so much so that even a stuffed look-alike makes them feel better!

If you would like to participate in Project Replicate Ross, please contact me privately. All donations are tax deductible.

Happy New Year

2009-01-05T20:49:00.000-08:00

1/2/09

I decided Ross needed to start the new year off doing something other than sleeping, so we decided to head to the little kids' unit to visit. When we entered the building, Ross was immediately greeted by the girl who rarely speaks. She stroked Ross, then wrapped her arms around his belly and picked him up (one of her favorite tricks). Ross hung limply, just waiting patiently. She set him down when reminded that he's too big for that now :) Ross laid down on the floor, and she sat down with him, gently stroking him most of the time, and every once in a while tugging on his fur. Ross laid motionless, unbothered by her investigation. She spit on the floor (her meds make her over-salivate). I gave her a paper towel, and she wiped up her spit on the floor, then gently wiped Ross' leg, making sure he didn't have any spit on him.

We then entered the little kid's unit, and Ross was loved on by one of the older girls on the unit. The rest of the group then transitioned back inside from playing. Each little kid sat in front of his/her bedroom door, and waited patiently for Ross to visit. Ross and I walked around the unit, greeting each kid individually. Ross sat for each kid, washing their hands and covering their faces with kisses until they laughed so hard they could barely squeak out, "Enough!"

Christmas Kisses

2009-01-05T20:03:00.000-08:00

12/25/08

I received a page on Christmas night that one of the kids at work had been in a restraint. She was upset that she was unable to visit with her family on Christmas as scheduled, and escalated to the point of endangering others.

When Ross and I entered the building, we were immediately greeted by a staff member. I then heard the familiar, "Buddy!" as one of Ross' biggest fans realized he was there. Kids poured out of every room, huddling around Ross, preventing either of us from being able to move from the entry. Ross covered the kids' faces with kisses, making them laugh and smile on Christmas night, despite being separated from their families.

Even the young girl who rarely speaks stood over Ross, gently stroking him, and stated, "He's sweet." It was the first time I had ever heard her verbalize emotion regarding him.

As we entered the unit, Ross came upon a quiet girl sitting on the couch. They hadn't met before. Ross immediately walked over to her, sat at her feet, and rested his head in her lap. She asked questions about him while gently stroking his head. It didn't take long for Ross to start licking her hands and face, and a smile to appear.

Ross reluctantly left his new friend to visit the girl I had received the page for. She was sitting in front of her bedroom door, trying not to think about the things that had gone wrong that day. Ross gently stepped into her lap and covered her face with kisses. He sat with her, gently licking her, as she told me about how she missed her family, what had happened that day, and all the things she was worried about.

Pocket Ross

2008-12-21T18:33:00.000-08:00

One of Ross' kids responds so well to him, that we have a plan for staff to call or page me when he is escalated, to see if Ross (and I) are available. When we have been, this plan has worked incredibly! Unfortunately, we aren't always available, so the team was brainstorming back-up plans. Since Ross' Double is pretty much life size, his accessibility is limited by the activity, and we really needed something that this boy might be able to implement at school, etc. We decided to get a pocket sized version of Ross, and I later remembered that Guide Dogs sells them with jackets! So, along came Pocket Ross.

The other day, the boy and his parents stopped by my office, and the boy asked to come in and visit Ross. As he was visiting, I noticed that he had Pocket Ross with him. He set the stuffed dog on a chair, where Ross rested his head and gazed at the miniature version of himself, as if he were coaching Pocket Ross as to how to care for this boy.

Ross' Double Takes the Swing Shift

2008-12-11T23:33:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, the child we purchased Ross' stunt double for did not take to the stuffed dog as we had hoped. The double has since been moved from space to space, startling staff along the way ;)

Fortunately, the double has found a new purpose: A young boy on one of the units has difficulties falling asleep. (This isn't uncommon, as our kids are away from their families and homes, living in a facility without parents. Additionally, some of our children have experienced abuse and neglect, and bedtime can be very anxiety provoking for kids who have nightmares and other sleep difficulties.) Each evening, staff take this boy out to a quiet spot in the entry with Ross' double and a blanket. The boy cuddles up with the double and falls sound asleep, as staff read him a story then safely take him to bed.

Crisis Diverted

2008-12-11T23:18:00.000-08:00

12/9/08

I received a call in my office from staff on the unit, asking if Ross was available. One of his kids was having a rough time, and they hoped Ross could prevent further escalation. I assured staff we would be over in a few minutes.

When we arrived in the building, the door to one of our friend's office was open. Ross immediately stepped inside to say hello. Just as my coworker began to excitedly greet Ross, Ross instantly turned and left the office, guiding me around the corner. As I followed at the end of the leash, I saw a child step from behind the corner and exclaim, "Buddy!" Ross had somehow known he was there, and his mission was to see the child, not his adult friend.

As the boy began to pet and coo at Ross, another boy approached Ross as well. The second boy had never shown an interest in Ross before, but suddenly was drawn to Ross. The boys sat on the floor, where Ross covered their faces, ears, necks, heads, and hands in kisses. They laughed as his tongue tickled them, only encouraging Ross more. The boys rolled on the floor, petting and talking to Ross, and laughing uncontrollably. Crisis diverted.

As the clock neared 5:00pm, Ross began to disengage. Staff cued the boys that it was time to move on to dinner, and Ross began moving towards the outer door. He had done his job, and it was time for everyone to move on. Ross gave each boy one last kiss, and each boy gave me a side hug, as we said goodbye for the day.

Radio Ross

2008-12-05T23:27:00.000-08:00

Every December, a local radio station hosts a fundraiser for our agency, called "Rock-a-Thon." Employees record heartwarming tidbits about the services we provide, to air during the show. This year, when members of our marketing department met with the radio station employees to arrange the show, they told stories about Ross. The radio employees were so impacted by Ross, without having even met him, that we decided to include Ross in the show.

Today we took him to the radio station to record our bit. As we walked through the building, people exclaimed, "Ross!" Ross too was excited, as there were many dog smells. As we were led to the recording studio, a tiny four-legged hairball chased Ross down the hall. Ross turned to see what was chasing him, never quite catching the little guy who was nearly too small to see!

Being as Ross doesn't speak, I had to represent him on the radio. Confident in my abilities to share his stories once again, I decided to do it improv style. Unfortunately, I wasn't prepared for the emotion that overcame me as I thought of all the stories I could tell, and feared that I wouldn't be able to capture the magnitude of his effect in one short sound byte. Fortunately, it wasn't a live show, and technology allowed for fixing my many mishaps. In an effort to prove Ross' presence, we shook his collar, recording the jingling of his rabies tag.

On 12/12/08, thousands of people will hear about the wonderful work that Ross does, in his moonlighting job of "therapy dog."

Not Just for Kids

2008-12-05T23:20:00.000-08:00

Ross isn't just "therapy" for kids, but for adults too! He has many regular visitors to the office - hard working adults who just need some puppy kisses to get through the day :)

Photo Shoot

2008-11-28T16:31:00.001-08:00

Ross poses for the camera at work. His photo will be featured on our agency website, advertising our "canine therapy" programs.

Good Morning

2008-11-25T23:26:00.000-08:00

This morning, we arrived to work early, so that Ross could again assist a boy in completing his blood draw. The boy had been successfully completing his blood draws on his own for the last two months, after just one time of Ross helping. For some reason, he refused again last week, so I agreed to bring Ross to help again this week. Not being a morning person, we were running late. As we hurried onto the unit, the nurse caught us at the door, anxiously exclaiming, "Just in time!" The boy was with another nurse, sitting in a chair, sucking on the lollipop he was given as a consolation prize of sorts for completing his blood draw without Ross. But, we were just in time. I sat down behind the boy, and Ross sat next to him. The boy gently laid his hand on Ross' back, and sat calmly watching the nurse complete her task.

Just before getting ready to leave, I heard another client and staff enter the hall, the child escalated and staff trying to calm him down. I entered one hall, waiting for clearance to leave the building. As I stood in the hall, I heard quite the racket of the boy who was upset. Staff moved to block the hallway I was in, trying to keep me safe. The staff member then saw that it was me and Ross, paused, and said to the boy, "Ross is here, would it help to say "hi" to him?" From around the corner, I heard all commotion stop instantly, and the boy exclaimed, "Buddy?!" He then walked around the corner, calmly approached, and asked if he could pet Ross. I told him that as long as he was safe he could visit Ross. The boy smiled, caressed Ross' face, and knelt down to Ross' level. Ross covered his face in kisses and licked the remnants of breakfast off his hands. The boy smiled and cooed over Ross. Ross, tired from our early awakening, slowly slid to the floor and rolled on his side, pawing at his Halti in slow motion. The boy rolled onto the floor and laid facing Ross. Ross gently pawed at him, placing a paw on the boy's face, then laying perfectly still. While the boy and puppy exchanged affection, staff inquired as to whether Ross might be available to walk the boy to school. I let her know that we just happened to be heading that way :) The boy happily put his shoes and jacket on, and walked to school with us. He stopped at the front door, turned and bent down, exchanging a final kiss with Ross before heading inside to start his day the right way.

Coping Skill: Dog Walks

2008-11-25T22:57:00.000-08:00

11/21/08

It had been a rough couple of days on our highest acuity unit. Sometimes children with severe mental illness do not mesh well with other children with severe mental illness. It's difficult to take care of yourself when others are aggravating you and you lack skills to handle stress in a healthy manner. In the average world, when a child states, "I'm going to blow out if I can't get out of here," people worry about that child causing trouble. In my world, when I hear that, I'm impressed by the child's ability to verbalize his/her frustration, concerns about needing help, and desire to have control over oneself.

As staff and I worked to keep as many children calm and safe as possible, I watched as one child paced the unit, telling staff as calmly as she could that she wasn't feeling like she could stay calm much longer. I watched as staff urged her to continue to be patient until they could do something more for her. I watched as she desperately tried to verbalize her need for help to the next person, before it was too late.

I was surprised to see her sit down on a couch, frustrated and disappointed, but still trying desperately to keep her cool. I approached and commented to the child and staff member what an awesome job she had been doing for many days, remaining safe under great measures of distress. Staff commented that she was trying to find someone to take the child out to play basketball, one of her "coping skills" (a healthy distress management tool), but that no one was available at the time due to the other kids needing their help to stay safe.

Assessing that the unit was beginning to calm and staff were managing it appropriately, I asked the girl if she would like to go see Ross, who was soundly sleeping in my office. Her face lit up immediately, and she excitedly took me up on the offer. We walked over to my office, where Ross got up from his bed to greet her. We then went into a meeting room, where Ross cuddled in her lap and kissed her face. After a few minutes, she requested to take Ross for a walk. We spent the next hour walking the perimeter of the large campus, as she spewed about things that she was anxious, upset, and happy about.

After passing the outdoor basketball court for the third or fourth time, she requested to go shoot some hoops. Upon entering the fenced area, I latched the gate behind us, took Ross' Halti and puppy coat off, and released him to "be a dog." Puppy scooties ensued, with Ross nearly spinning in place as his legs moved faster than his compressed body could follow. The girl laughed as she watched Ross race around the court, so excited to be a free puppy in the crisp fall air. As she practiced shooting hoops, she called for Ross to move, as he dumbly stood under the hoop just watching the ball. For Ross, it was a training opportunity for possible ball distractions (he wasn't at all distracted, more dumb founded), for the child, it was an opportunity to be a normal kid, playing outside with a ball and a dog.

Ross is Awesome!

2008-11-19T18:34:00.000-08:00

Today, while checking in with a child who had been in a physical restraint, Ross and I were intercepted by another client. An above-average-sized adolescent girl, known for her ability to be highly aggressive towards others, stood just inside the door. As I entered, she exclaimed "Ross!" and proceeded to kneel down on the floor and pet him. She smiled widely as she told Ross, and the staff around the room, how "awesome" he is. Soon she was sitting on the floor with him, turning her head as he covered her in kisses, so that he would lick the side of her neck. She laughed and turned her head the other way so that he would lick the other side. Soon, the two of them were laying on the floor together, exchanging mutual affection. She continued to exclaim how awesome Ross is, as she excitedly engaged staff in dog conversation and casually mentioned some upcoming situations that she is anxious about.

She and I have known each other for years, and despite her difficulties in trusting adults, we've always had a good working relationship. But it will never compare to the honest, nonjudgmental, all encompassing, love and compassion of a silent black puppy.

The Board Meeting

2008-11-17T23:24:00.000-08:00

11/13/08

Today was a monumental day. Ross and I were invited by our CEO to be the guest speakers at the Board of Directors' meeting this morning. Well, I was the guest speaker, Ross was the guest sleeper.

The meeting was earlier than we usually arrive to work, and Ross was feeling it. When I sat down at the table, he sat in front of me, rested his head in my lap, and looked at me as if to say "It's too early to socialize." His act was received in turn with "oohs" about how sweet and engaging he is. It took no more than those heavy eyes to win The Board over instantly!

Ross presented as a perfect Guide Dog puppy, sleeping silently at my feet as I told the many incredible stories of the work he does and his effect on the kids. Frequently, The Board members leaned and bent to sneak a view of Ross sleeping peacefully, and I was politely interrupted with comments about how well behaved he was. It was a perfect opportunity to tell The Board about Ross' primary job as a Guide Dog puppy, and how he knows the difference between his work as a Guide Dog (sleeping through meetings and ignoring adults) and as a "therapy dog" (cuddling with and covering kids with kisses).

Ross and I then assisted with taking The Board members on a tour of the campus. Ross of course was on his best Guide Dog behavior, walking calmly next to me, ignoring the bustle of people around him who were now bombarding me with questions about Ross and telling me of their experiences with caring dogs.

When we entered the second residential unit, Ross stood calmly next to me in the hallway as The Board members listened patiently to the tour speech. After a few minutes, Ross turned to his right, then pulled eagerly towards the family room door. Inside sat a group of kids and staff. Ross immediately approached the children on the floor, saying "hi" to each one, and covering their hands and faces with kisses. These were kids we hadn't met before, but Ross recognized the moment. His ability to distinguish between his two jobs is amazing. For it is in this particular room that Ross has soothed many children in distress.

Like a good Guide Dog, Ross easily redirected his attention to the tour upon my command of "Let's go." He again stood quietly with the adults. As we entered the main living space of one of the units, Ross waited until the touring adults moved on, then with permission, visited with more children. These kids he knows, and they are old enough to remember to ask permission to visit with him and to wait for my OK, and Ross knows the routine as well. As they approached to visit, Ross licked them lovingly. One boy sat on the floor, and Ross stood in his lap, covering his face in slobbery kisses.

We continued on the tour, and Ross continued to present as a model Guide Dog, waiting patiently and ignoring the distractions around him. As children he knew passed, he watched them as if a protector, ever the while maintaining focus on me. Frequently, shouts of "Hi Ross!" were heard across the campus, and occasionally a child stopped for a quick visit. With only an ounce of understanding of the work that has occurred for Ross to become the incredible dog that he is, the board members smiled as they watched Ross carefully balance his two very important jobs - presenting as if nothing less could be expected.

Birthday Ross

2008-11-17T23:15:00.000-08:00

11/12/08

Ross turned 1 today! It seems just a few weeks ago when I met the oversized lump of a puppy who sat at my feet, too scared to move, at 10 weeks olds. He is still a baby at heart, but it won't be long until he enters the adult world of Guide Dog training.

Bumblebee Ross

2008-11-01T23:16:00.000-07:00

Personally, I am not typically one to advocate for dogs being dressed in clothing or costumes, and despite the fact that my puppy at the time did win the costume contest at a puppy raising Halloween party about 5 years ago, I haven't felt the need to make it a habit.

But, this year I couldn't resist! The kids get to celebrate Halloween at work, and I KNEW they would get a hit out of Ross being dressed up. I picked a costume that I thought a black Lab could pull off, and boy was he a trooper! The costume is actually a human bumblebee costume, but it worked perfectly! I attached the wings to his puppy coat, so the elastic straps wouldn't bother him. I attempted to make stripes with yellow crepe paper, but Ross kept turning around and licking his stripes, causing the crepe paper to instantly dissolve and the stripes to fall off. So, instead Ross was left with his glittery wings and bobbing antennae.

He was SO good about the costume! He frequently pouted and often looked ashamed, but put on a happy face for the kids and trotted around campus, showing off his costume to all. He managed to get his antennae off a time or two, but really didn't make much of a fuss and eventually just put himself to bed with his full costume on, antennae and all!

Community Connection

2008-11-01T23:09:00.000-07:00

Check out the October issue of Guide Dog's Community Connection newsletter - Ross is the cover story!

http://www.guidedogs.com/site/DocServer/community-connection-oct-2008.pdf

The story is a summary of Ross' work as a "therapy dog" and refers to stories told in more detail in early postings of this blog. In fact, it was writing the story for the Community Connection that inspired me to start the blog. Initially, I sent an email to a puppy raising list serve with some of the stories of Ross' work, as I wanted to share them with others. After sending the email, I thought to send it to Guide Dogs to consider for the Community Connection. I am so honored that they included the story, and even more honored that it made the front page!

The Drill

2008-10-24T18:14:00.000-07:00

Last week, I took Ross with me to respond to a page. When we entered the building, Ross' favorite girl (the one who suffers from severe psychosis) greeted him at the door of the family room. She immediately came up to Ross and began petting him, and firmly stated, "My dog!" Ross laid down on the floor, and she sat and petted him calmly. At one point, she laid down on the floor with him, closely inspecting his ears (she is fascinated with all of the folds inside his ears and requires reminders to be gentle as she pokes inquisitively) and cuddling with him. Later, she sat down, and Ross laid his head in her lap. She gently stroked his head, and appeared to be falling asleep. Another staff member commented on this, and she responded by yelling and swearing at him nonsensically. Ross just sat there, with his head in her lap, not minding her yelling. She then pretended like she was crying, only we didn't realize she was crying. Ross lifted his head, and looked at her with concern. When the staff member asked her why she was crying, she stared at him with wide eyes and cackled that she wasn't crying. After she settled back down, Ross laid back down and started snoring, his eyes still wide open, as she gently stroked his head some more.

Needing to go to a meeting, I cued her to tell Ross "goodbye" and told her we would be back to visit later. Ross looked at me with frustration as he was just getting ready to nap, but like a good Guide Dog puppy, popped right up and off we went.

About a half hour later, we reentered the building for another meeting. Shortly after entering the building, the fire alarm went off. Ross' girl was now hanging out with a different staff member in the family room. The staff member asked what we should do, as the girl tends to bolt towards the street when outside the building, and requires a great deal of supervision. I directed two staff to walk her out, giving directions to follow Ross, as this works really well to get her to cooperatively go where we need her to. As we walked out the building, she calmly followed Ross, staff on each side, Ross and me in the lead. As we walked away from the building, Ross lagged on the leash, waiting for her and continuously looking behind him to make sure she was following. He was very concerned about ensuring her safety, never phased by the high pitched sound of the fire alarm, only by a sense that she needed someone to watch over her. As we sat down on a bench outside, Ross again laid his head in her lap, and she gently stroked it as we waited to reenter the building. Upon the "all clear" we headed back inside, Ross again leading. This time he didn't lag. He confidently led her back into the building and said goodbye at the family room door, where he knew she was safe.

A Hard Day's Work

2008-10-24T18:09:00.000-07:00

Ross rests up on his new bed between "therapy" sessions.

Watch Dog

2008-10-21T22:27:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful sunny fall day. When I received the page that one of Ross' kids was in a restraint, I woke him from his nap, put his Halti on, and took him to do his magic. The boy was having a very difficult time calming down and being safe around other people, so staff assisted him to the yard, where he could run around and get out his frustration without hurting anyone. We supervised from the other side of the fence, waiting for him to be ready for us to come talk with him. As I gathered information from staff about what was going on, Ross sat at the gate, watching the boy, patiently waiting until the time was right.

As other kids walked by, during school recess, family visits, or crossing campus to go to appointments, they shouted "Hello!" to Ross. I looked and waved, but Ross sat, carefully watching his kid. A couple of kids calmly approached us and politely asked to pet Ross. Ross continued to sit, acknowledging his visitors with a rub of the Halti and a kiss on the face, politely saying "hello." When the kids moved on to continue with their activities, Ross remained sitting, watching his kid in the yard.

When the child in the yard calmed and sat down, I told him that Ross was waiting to visit him. For many minutes he didn't respond. After a while, he shook his head that he wasn't ready for anyone to come in. Finally, he said, "Ross and his owner can come in." As we approached him, sitting on the patio with his back to the door, I remembered the last time Ross smothered his face with kisses and his ambivalence to Ross' demonstration of affection. I asked him if he would like me to put Ross in a down so that he wouldn't lick his face, and the boy nodded "yes." I moved Ross into position next to the boy and told him to down. Like a good Guide Dog puppy, Ross obeyed. Then, faster than I could catch him, Ross popped up and gave the boy one good lick up his face, wiping the tears away. The boy turned his face away, and I caught a glimpse of the smile he was trying hard to hide.

Third Time's a Charm

2008-10-13T23:22:00.000-07:00

Ross has had schedule "pet therapy" sessions with a boy at work for 3 weeks now. The first session, Ross appeared pretty disinterested, and cuddled up with me instead. The boy was a good sport about it, but really wanted Ross to cuddle with him. The second session, Ross was a little more interested, and sat next to the boy while watching the ants crawl around the brick in the courtyard. It was strange, as Ross is typically so drawn to the kids. This boy is very sweet, and he loves animals, there was nothing to indicate Ross wouldn't be just as excited to see him as all of the other kids. The only thing I could think of is that he doesn't seem to NEED Ross as much as many of the other kids do...

Today was our third session. When the boy came out of his room and sat down, Ross immediately jumped in his lap and covered his face with kisses. The boy laughed hysterically, paralyzed under Ross' wet tongue as Ross sat on him, pinning him in place. I though, "Finally!" as I watched with a grin. Third time's a charm, I guess :)

A Polite Request

2008-10-07T21:43:00.000-07:00

Today I received a message from the therapist of one of Ross' biggest fans. The boy's parents were unable to attend his visit due to an accident. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the boy was naturally upset and anxious. Under the best of circumstances, he is anxious about his visits, and worries when his parents are even a minute late. Today, he did well managing his anxiety, and he politely requested to visit with Ross, if we had the time, because he thought Ross would help him manage his anxiety even more. I also had a picture waiting for me, which he drew.

Unfortunately, today's schedule did not permit such a visit. :( I requested staff pass a message on to him that Ross had to go to Guide Dog class, and would visit later in the week.

Paying it Forward

2008-10-07T21:38:00.000-07:00

Last week, Ross helped a boy through the anxiety of his blood draw. Today, that boy not only completed his blood draw on his own, but he helped another child through anxiety about his blood draw!

Time In Time Out

2008-10-07T21:19:00.000-07:00

Having just walked one boy back to school with Ross, I decided to "kill two birds with one stone," that stone being Ross, and the birds being the boys' anxiety. I was covering the Clinical Responder pager, a duty in which I respond to incidents of children in physical restraints and assess to make sure everyone is safe. As I entered the school building, I heard a very upset boy in the time out room, and was surprised to hear who it was. I didn't know the boy well, but I knew that I had never seen him upset, and that he liked Ross. As we approached, Ross moved towards the screaming, and sat in the doorway of the time out room, carefully watching with concern. I informed the boy that Ross was worried about him, and encouraged him to sit down calmly so that Ross could cuddle with him. He approached Ross and grabbed his head, standing over him, crying, and screaming. Ross sat calmly, licking the tears off the boys' face and sweat off his head. The boy moved away and continued to flail about, screaming and crying. He body slammed staff, wrapping his arms around them, virtually demanding hugs. I continued to encourage him to sit so that Ross could cuddle, and Ross continued to sit and watch the boy in concern. He moved back to Ross, again grabbing his head, and began to pet him. He moved away, and came back again. Continuing to cry and scream intermittently. Ross waited patiently as the boy eventually calmed enough to walk to the back of the room and sit down. Ross and I followed, and I directed Ross to lay down. Ross stepped into the boys' lap, and flopped his body down, attempting to cuddle in his lap. Only problem was that only his head and shoulder fit, the rest of his body laid on the floor. As I explained that Ross thought he was still a small puppy who fit in laps, the boy gently stroked Ross' coat, and allowed Ross to lick the rest of the tears off his face. He sat and stroked Ross, talking to staff about what upset him, and problem solving how to prevent it in the future. Ross laid motionless in his lap until the boy was ready to go back to class, absorbing the tears and worries.

The Most Important Member of the Meeting

2008-10-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

Last week, one of the kids at work had a screening for possible foster home placements. About 20 adults were at the meeting, only 4 of whom the child knew (his family, therapist, and me). As we went around and did introductions, he leaned back in his chair, looked down the room, and said, "I know you! Where's the dog?" I asked him if he wanted Ross to join us, and he said "yes" with an added silent "duh." After asking if anyone else in the room objected to "the dog" being present, I went to my office and brought Ross back. I took him over to where the boy was sitting, put him in a down stay, and had the boy hold the leash. Ross laid quietly at his feet throughout the meeting.

When it was time to take the boy back to school, he wanted to walk Ross. I walked next to him and directed him how to handle Ross. As we left, I instructed, "Tell him 'Ross, let's go!'" All the way down to school, the boy kept commanding "Roscoe!"

No Use Crying Over Spilled Water

2008-09-30T22:19:00.000-07:00

There is a girl at work who is very special to Ross, and to whom Ross is very special (see Ross' Stunt Double). As an adolescent, she suffers from extreme psychosis and is virtually nonverbal. When she does speak, it is frequently incomprehensible. She is often agitated by her internal stimuli, and it can be difficult to calm her with all of the tricks up our professional sleeves. The one consistent magic trick: Ross! She loves Ross, follows directions about treating him nicely, and is so soothed by him, that she frequently falls asleep while cuddling with and petting him.

Today's visit started off as usual: Ross made a bee-line straight for her. She immediately approached him and began to pet him gently. She then tried to pick him up (which she used to be able to do when he wasn't quite so big), but set him down when reminded that he had grown and was too big to be picked up. When asked if she wanted him to sit with her, she replied, "yes." And so, she sat down and Ross curled around her, resting his head next to her lap. She silently pet him and sipped on a cup of ice water. I watched as she ignored staff as they asked her questions, dropped her head, and closed her eyes, while cuddling with Ross' head in her lap (which she made a point of positioning there).

As she napped with Ross in her lap on my left, I began talking to another girl, sitting on my right side. As I asked the girl on my right why she was pouring water on the floor, I saw something out of the corner of my left eye: the girl on my left (who had just been asleep) was pouring her water on Ross' head! Ross bounced up, startled by the sudden drench of water all over his head. We got up, and moved to another area. The girl who had been on my right moved with us, and asked to cuddle with Ross. Ross cuddled up with her as staff got a towel for us. She then helped me dry Ross' head, and he quickly settled into her lap as if nothing had happened. The first girl then came over and started petting Ross again. He accepted her without issue.

It's unclear whether she poured the water on him on purpose, but what was clear was how resilient and forgiving Ross is. I have no doubts that he will be just as happy to see her next time, but I might advise that the water be elsewhere...

The Blood Draw

2008-09-30T22:03:00.001-07:00

Due to the side effects of some of the medications that our kids at work take, a number of the kids have to have regular blood draws to check how the meds are affecting their organs and such (forgive me for the lack of clarity - I'm not a medical doctor). Last week, I heard that the boy who Ross consoled when he didn't get to go to his foster home refused his blood draw, as he was anxious about it. Knowing how well he responds to Ross' presence, I made a plan with the psychiatrist and nurse to bring Ross in today to try the blood draw again. Ross and I waited in the family room, and Ross sat calmly next to me. As soon as the boy came in the room, Ross immediately got up and wrapped himself around the boy, laying next to him. The boy calmly pet Ross to sleep, and Ross began snoring quietly. When the nurse arrived, I tried to make a game plan with the boy: I informed him that I don't like blood draws either (an understatement), and that I find that if I focus on something else it helps me get through it. I asked the boy, "What part of Ross should we focus on? Should we pet his ears?" The boy started to pet Ross' ear while the nurse prepped his arm. He then became fascinated by the fact that his vein was sticking out, and watched in fascination as the nurse inserted the needle. I, on the other hand, immediately shifted my focus back to Ross until the needle was gone! Having Ross present to calm the boy before the procedure clearly did the trick, but I think Ross was there to help ME more than anyone during the blood draw!

Can't Help But Laugh

2008-09-29T23:54:00.000-07:00

After Ross' late afternoon potty break, we were headed back to the office when we passed a boy and a staff member sitting out in the courtyard. The boy yelled across the courtyard at me, "Can you train him to bite someone?" I answered, "no." He then yelled, "Can you take him inside to bite ____?" I answered, "no." As I continued to walk past him, he jumped up and sheepishly asked if he could pet Ross. I told him he couldn't visit Ross if he was going to talk about him biting people. As he promised he wouldn't, Ross stopped as if to say he needed to visit. The boy knelt down and pet Ross. Before I knew it, he was sitting on the ground, his back to the bench he had been sitting on with staff, and Ross was licking every part of his face. He laughed, and Ross licked more. Ross licked his nose, his mouth, his eyes, his ears. The boy laughed hysterically and encouraged more. Finally, he was able to laugh out, "that's enough," and I gave a gentle tug on Ross' collar to back him off. Ross stepped back, and the boy continued to pet Ross. As he loved Ross up some more, Ross stepped up in his lap, sat down, and covered his face in more kisses. As the boy continued to laugh, the staff member commented that Ross came by at a good time...

Ross laid down in the boys' lap, and rolled over on his side, soaking up the love. As I commented to the boy that Ross and I needed to get back to work, and he needed to eat his dinner that was waiting for him, Ross looked up at me as if to say, "Speak for yourself, I am working. This is my job."

Lunch in the Courtyard

2008-09-29T23:43:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful summer day - with a high near 90 degrees, despite the fact that it is actually autumn now. With the great weather, many of the kids ate lunch outside today. As we passed by the kids, headed back to the office to eat at my desk, one of Ross' biggest fans asked to say "hi" to him. We stopped to visit, and as that child sat and loved up Ross, more kids kept asking to say "hi." They did a great job waiting their turns, and not totally hogging Ross so that other kids could visit him too :) One boy, who has only visited Ross once before, forgot to ask his turn. Staff, and the other kids, reminded him. He then stood off to the side, patiently waiting. When it was his turn, Ross (now laying down) rolled onto his side. The boy laid down on the courtyard patio, facing Ross, in nearly the same position Ross was in, legs stretched out on the warm concrete. As the boy pet Ross, Ross reached out and put his paw on the boy's arm. The boy, in return, reached out and scratched Ross' shoulder. There they lay, two boys on the patio, arm-in-arm, gazing peacefully at each other under the shade of the flowering plum.

Thank You Note

2008-09-26T21:02:00.001-07:00

Today I received an email from a staff member, sent for the boy who Ross visited in the school hallway yesterday. It read:

(Child) would like to thank you and the black Lab from yesterday. Later that evening he said that the dog really helped him get out of his funk and work on his goals.

(Staff)

P.S. He also said that you were; ‘pretty cool too’

One of Ross' Biggest Fans & the Miracle Intervention

2008-09-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

Shortly after Ross first started going to work as a "therapy dog," I had an idea. It was a stretch, but an idea. There was a boy at work who had a history of animal abuse towards small animals (but not large animals). The boy had seen Ross and was really interested in him, and had asked if he could have pet therapy too. After discussing with his team, we agreed that it was worth a shot, as he would always be closely supervised and was motivated for the time with Ross. My schedule limited me from scheduled appointments with him, but instead he got to visit Ross when we walked by during activity times or I stopped by the unit. From the first interaction, he was very good with Ross! He was calm and followed directions, and talked about how much he loves dogs. It didn't take long for him to talk about how much he loved Ross! He would sit on the floor, petting and cuddling Ross, smiling from ear to ear, and laughing as Ross licked his face.

The same day that Ross helped the boy who didn't get to go to his foster home (see "A Little More Bearable"), Ross was a miracle intervention for this boy! As I was outside the building speaking with the other boy's DHS caseworker, I heard screaming from inside the building. After about 10 minutes, the screaming had not stopped. I excused myself to check on the situation. When I walked inside, I saw four male staff standing around the boy, providing him with a fair amount of personal space, while trying to verbally calm him down. The boy was standing at the end of the hallway, screaming and crying. His eyes were wide, and he looked like a cornered animal. The staff members tried hard to give him space and talk to him calmly, but the boy was in flight mode, with no where to run. I took the chance to try a new approach. I stepped in front of the men and approached the boy. I knew he trusted me because I was Ross' mom. As I approached him, he began to mumble, but continued to be too upset to think clearly. He thrust his head into the wall, leaving a hole, then began to pace, clawing aggressively at his own eyes. I continued to speak to him softly, and asked him if he would feel better if he got to visit with Ross. At the sound of Ross' name, his body began to relax immediately. He paused, and mumbled, "I love Ross." I reminded him that he needed to be safe to visit Ross. He continued to calm, drank the cup of water one of the male staff had offered him quite some time before, and sat down and talked to me about why he was upset. I informed him that I had many meetings that afternoon, and it would be a number of hours before Ross could come visit, but that I needed him to be safe the whole time. He agreed that he could do this, and developed a plan with staff to stay safe while he waited for Ross' visit. As he walked back to the unit with staff, I knew that I hadn't saved the day - Ross had, even though he wasn't there. Just the mere thought of Ross was enough to make him feel better.

As I promised (and after Ross helped save the day with the other boy), we went to visit this boy on the unit that evening. He had calmly been waiting for me for many hours. As I entered the unit, I heard staff telling him that I had probably gone home for the day. He hadn't forgotten. And neither had I. I entered the unit with Ross, and the boy came over, smiling. He proudly told me about how he had been safe all afternoon, and had used his skills to stay calm and safe. As usual, he sat on the floor, cuddling with Ross, petting him, and cooing, "I love Ross."

Ross Goes to School

2008-09-25T19:28:00.000-07:00

Today, I received a page at 11:45am that one of Ross' biggest fans was in a physical restraint. Normally, when I receive such a page, it is one of my job duties to check on the child to make sure that staff are performing the restraint correctly, that the child is not hurt, and that the restraint was necessary to ensure safety to the child and/or others. But when I heard who it was today, I had another plan (in addition to the regular plan). I woke Ross from his nap (snoring and dreaming), and we headed down to the school building where the child was. I walked directly to the time out room, where I heard the child screaming, and saw staff restraining him (correctly and safely). I calmly told him that he had a visitor, but he needed to be safe. Staff turned so that the boy could see Ross sitting in the doorway. I heard a faint "Ross" and the boy began to cry a little. He quickly calmed, and staff released him from the restraint. He sat down as staff had asked him to, and I walked Ross over to him. Ross immediately crawled in his lap and began to lick the tears off his face. The boy cooed about how much he loves Ross, while I checked in with the staff about the incident. Within seconds, the boy was smiling and laughing as Ross continued to lick his face and hands. His arms were wrapped tightly around Ross.

After a few minutes, the boy was calm enough to walk back to the unit with staff for lunch. As I prepared to leave as well, I saw another one of Ross' fans sitting in the hallway. His head was down, and he looked sad. He did not acknowledge either of the two staff in the hallway with him. I asked him if he wanted to say "hi" to Ross before we left the school building, and he quietly said, "Yes." I walked Ross over to him, and Ross immediately laid down in front of him. He quietly pet Ross and answered some of my questions, but continued to refuse to acknowledge the other staff. As we hung out in the hallway, the teachers started to come out of their classrooms and admire Ross and ask questions about his Guide Dog training. At one point, Ross sat up, put his paw on the child's lap, and gave him a big kiss on the face. The boy laughed, temporarily forgetting that he was upset.

Ross Goes to Recess

2008-09-12T20:49:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, a couple of the kids had asked me when Ross could come to visit. I told them that I would try to bring him by later in the afternoon. It turned out to be a very busy day, and I had to leave without having a chance to take Ross to visit. On Wednesday, I had the same great intentions, with the same disappointing result. On Thursday, Ross and I were at our other campus. So, today (Friday) I was on the same unit, and one of the kids asked when Ross was going to come visit. I told him that I was going to try to bring him by this afternoon. He replied, "You said that the other day." In turn, I replied, "You're right, and I'm still trying." :) Darn smart kids keeping track!

So, I made a plan with the kids and staff that if they did well at dinner, Ross would join them down on the playground afterwards. One girl wanted to know if he could chase them, when I told her he wasn't allowed to play chase, she asked if he could climb on the play set with them. Of course, I told her that he wasn't allowed to do that either.

Keeping my end of the deal this time, I got down to the playground just in time! The kids were all playing a game, but came running when they saw Ross had arrived. I put him in a sit in the grass, and they huddled around him, all trying to hug and pet him at the same time. Ross started licking their faces, and the next thing I knew, there were 5 heads surrounding his, laughing as he licked their faces and hair. The boy who kept track of Ross' lack of visits loves it when Ross licks the back of his head, resulting in a hair style resembling bed head. Ross laid in the grass with the mob of happy kids until it was time for them to go back to the unit. We walked back with them, where they chorused goodbyes to Ross as we headed back to my office. It was a great end to an otherwise stressful week!

Ross' New Office

2008-09-11T00:23:00.000-07:00

Today, we moved offices. Ross and I had a very small office to ourselves, but now we share a larger office with a coworker. Fortunately, he's a dog person :) Fortunately, he doesn't mind that I have so much stuff it takes up every spot in the office, leaving only his desk for him. Or, he minds, but he kindly keeps it to himself :) But, he gets to share an office with an awesome dog, so who can complain?!

During the moving process, I had given Ross a Nylabone to chew on while I was at a meeting. While I was at the meeting, the maintenance man thought Ross didn't have any toys, so he took one of my therapy puppets out and gave it to Ross. I wondered how that puppet had jumped out of its box onto the floor by Ross' bed! Fortunately, it appeared that Ross never touched the puppet :) What a good Guide Dog puppy!

Ross and the CEO

2008-09-11T00:16:00.000-07:00

At the end of last week, I had taken Ross out for a potty break at work. We have a couple of usual spots, out of the way of most people's view, and far from any place that they children will play. As Ross was doing his potty circle, an employee, two men in suits, and the CEO walked around the corner on a path that is rarely used. The employee requested to say "hi" to Ross. Fortunately, he had not started to potty yet! As she pet Ross, the others gently approached him and said "hi" as well. Then, the CEO requested that I bring Ross to a board meeting to tell the board about all the great work Ross is doing with the kids! I assured him that we would be delighted to attend any meeting he would like us to!

A Little More Bearable

2008-09-10T23:27:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, there was a child at work who was supposed to discharge to a therapeutic foster home. He was very excited about it, and when the day came, was literally all packed up and ready to go, with his shoes and jacket on, bags at his side, and discharge gift in his hand. For multiple complicated reasons, during this moment, it was decided that he would not be leaving that day after all. In fact, we weren't sure if he was going to leave any time soon. Understandably, we knew that this was going to break his heart, and I had to tell him...

I managed to buy some time while we worked out a few details, but the time came when I had to tell him he wasn't leaving that day, and I wasn't sure when he would be leaving. How do you tell a child that he can't leave residential treatment after all, because the adults messed up? Of course, there were appropriate clinical reasons that he was not leaving, but for a child who has been told that he gets to go, it doesn't make sense, and it's not fair. Nothing I could say was going to make it OK, or even better.

I had planned to break the news to him after Ross had a visit with another child. When I walked onto the unit to visit the other child, the child who wasn't leaving was sitting in the hall, talking with a staff member. When he saw me walk by with Ross, he jumped up and ran towards us, excitedly pleading, "Can I pet the dog?!"

I asked him to please sit down quietly, so that Ross could come over to visit him. He quickly sat back down and waited anxiously for us to walk the 10 feet back to him. Ross approached, and with permission climbed into the child's lap. Ross laid his head in the child's lap, and licked his hands and face. The boy petted Ross, while examining him and his equipment. I showed him the tatoos in his ears, and he noticed that the tatoo had the same letters and numbers as the ID plate on his collar. He tried to tickle Ross' feet, and was amazed at how Ross laid there perfectly still, not at all bothered by the tickling. As he examined his feet, I showed him Ross' dew claw and explained how it is his "thumb."

While he was petting Ross, I broke the news to him. I informed him that the adults still had to figure some things out, and that we would let him know when we had more information, but for now, he was staying. I told him that I understood that he was angry, and that I would have been too.

As I tried my hardest to say anything reassuring that I could, he interrupted me to calmly state, "Ross makes me feel relaxed." I knew then that Ross had just saved the day! The child's calm demeanor had nothing to do with my attempts to break the news softly, it had everything to do with Ross' gentle touch. (So much for those 10 years of higher education...)

A few days later, we had a meeting to decide this child's treatment plan. It was decided that he would stay, and enter a new program. He was anxiously awaiting the decision that the adults were making about his life. We decided that we would tell him as a group, including two different therapists, his father, and care coordinator. We also decided that Ross should be there, hopefully to save the day once again.

The rest of the group arrived to meet with him before I got there with Ross. They had started to tell him, and he got up and left the room. As I entered the building, he was on his way out of the room. I told him that Ross was there to visit with him, and without any hesitation, he turned around and went back in the room with the group. He sat down, and Ross cuddled up next to him, laying his head in his lap, as if to say, "I know you hurt." The boy sat and listened to the adults as they told him he had to stay and work on his behavior some more. He calmly sat and stroked Ross, and made no more attempts to leave.

A few days ago, a couple of professionals came to interview this child for his new program. Not usually being the one to make these arrangements, I forgot to prepare him for the visitors. Once they arrived, I had to go get him from school. I knew that he would not want to go talk to strangers, so I took Ross with me. The boy was outside with staff, as he had been having a difficult day at school. When he saw us, he excitedly asked if Ross was there for him. I informed him that he had some visitors, and that Ross came to take him to the visitors. Without looking back at the staff, he immediately began walking with me. Although we were not part of the meeting, we stuck around for a while so that Ross could ease him into the interview. Ross cuddled with him, and after a few minutes began to snore loudly (he sometimes does this even while awake). I took the snoring as an opportunity to excuse myself and Ross, telling the child that Ross needed to go back to the office for his nap. He was compliant with us leaving. I later found out that he basically quit talking after Ross left the room.

The other day, the psychiatrist and I had to interview this boy for the new program that he was entering. He has a history of yelling and swearing at the psychiatrist who was part of the interview. I requested to bring Ross, and he was gladly welcomed. Staff brought the child to the office, and he was very resistant to being there. I informed him that Ross came to visit him while we ask him some questions, and he compliantly followed Ross into the office. They resumed their usual position: child sitting, dog's head in his lap. The boy was very quiet, and avoided answering questions as much as possible. He spent the entire time looking at Ross as he gently stroked his soft black fur, sometimes mumbling answers so quietly I could not hear them. Ignoring the psychiatrist's questions, he whispered and signaled to me, "Are his eyes closed?" After a very short interview, instead of leaving the room, he moved out from under Ross and kneeled in front of him, trying to tickle his feet. I had him show the psychiatrist Ross' tattoo and tell him about his dew claws (or "thumbs"). The boy perked up immediately. He started to make eye contact, and his voice was suddenly audible. He told the psychiatrist all about Ross.

First thing the next morning, before either Ross or I were even really awake, he asked when he could see Ross :)

Ross Meets his Stunt Double

2008-09-08T23:36:00.000-07:00

I waited anxiously for Ross' stunt double to arrive in the mail. I had searched the internet high and low to find JUST the right dog - one that was life-size, realistic, and looked just like Ross, and I found him! I was so excited!

When he finally arrived, I tore the large box open like a child at Christmas! Under a wad of packing paper, I found a large stuffed dog sealed in a large plastic bag. As I started to tear the bag open and pull him out, I noticed Ross watching from the doorway. Watching in horror as I pulled a dog out of a bag, out of a box! Watching in horror as the dog stood staring intently at him, not moving a muscle! Ross growled, barked, and scurried away. He slowly stalked back, only to retreat again! He was sure that the dog was real! (Wow, I did find a good one!)

I coaxed Ross closer, using my confident "there's nothing to be afraid of" voice, while gently petting the stunt double. Ross gradually inched closer, staying back on his hocks for a quick retreat. Eventually, he inched his way close enough to sniff the dog. Evidently he smelled OK, because Ross decided that the stunt double wasn't going to attack, but he must not have smelled stuffed...

I took the stunt double to work, where I sat him outside my office while he waited to be presented to his child, as my office is way too small for two large dogs (even if one is stuffed). I spent the day mostly behind a closed door, frequently overhearing gasps, screams, and comments about how people thought the dog was real! (Wow, I did find a good one!) I must admit, it was rather amusing :)

The next day, I drove to our other campus. During a call later in the day, I found that people had continued to be startled by the stunt double in the hallway, and the medical director kindly asked that I put him somewhere else until he was to be delivered to his child. The following day, I found him in a meeting room, where he had evidently been startling people as well :)

Despite many professionals being scared by a stuffed dog, Ross decided that his stunt double wasn't so bad after all, and might actually be his friend. Ross began to lay in the doorway of my office, gazing at his friend just outside the door. When he was off duty in the evening, he decided that it would be a great opportunity to play with his friend, while mom continued to work for free after 5:00. Ross got his tug ring for his stunt double. He sniffed his stunt double in the rear, and invited him to play, prancing around him with his tug ring. Ross pawed at his friend, and nudged him with the ring, continuing the invitation. Initially, his friend ignored him, just as his brothers do at home, but after a couple of minutes, his friend actually grabbed the tug ring as he lay on the floor (Ross accidently looped the ring over the stunt double's muzzle after knocking him to the ground). Ross was SO excited! His new friend wanted to play! He pulled hard, and low and behold, he won the game of tug it pulled loose from his friend's mouth! Ross was so proud of himself, and he continued to prance around his friend, nudging and poking him to play some more.

I was actually sad to take the stunt double to his child - I knew Ross would miss his friend (whom he still had not figured out wasn't real), and I would miss Ross' sweet naivety as he smelled his stuffed cotton rear and poked him to play :)

Ross' Stunt Double

2008-09-08T23:12:00.000-07:00

One of Ross' first "pet therapy" clients was a child who suffers from psychosis. Her functioning is very low, and there are few activities that she can effectively participate in throughout the day. While she appears to comprehend much of what she hears, her speech is very difficult to comprehend, and her behavior appears very impulsive. She reportedly loved her family dog, so we decided to give it a shot and see how she would respond to Ross.

Initially, I wasn't sure how effective it would be for her, or how positive it would be for Ross. During her initial session, she picked Ross up completely off the ground, and plopped him in her lap, sometimes poking and pulling at him. What I was amazed by was Ross' response. He held completely still - not scared still, but calm still. He flopped in her arms as she fumbled to get him in her lap, he allowed her to mold him like a clay figure as she got him in just the right position, and he ignored her as she poked and prodded. It was truly incredible! I knew then that Ross had a special sense for kids with needs, and if any dog could serve these kids, he was the one!

What was even more amazing is the effect that Ross has had on this child. Despite her disorganized behavior the rest of the day, she is a completely different child in Ross' presence. She quickly learned to follow directions to be more gentle with him, responding to reminders about him needing to be "safe" or to not "hurt" him. Clearly, she cares about him, even if she doesn't have the words to tell anyone. When she is having a difficult time focusing, she responds to requests to show Ross something, or for Ross to walk her back to where she needs to be. When Ross is around, she more frequently answers questions with logical responses, typically one word, but comprehensible and calm. The shift in her behavioral presentation and cognitive functioning is incredible. But what leaves me in awe more than anything else, are the many moments when she has cuddled up with him, stroked his fur gently, and fallen asleep with him in her lap. The moments are short, but they are some of the only moments of peace in her otherwise chaotic and confusing life.

It is because of Ross' incredible affect on this child's life, that he has been welcomed back to the office on a daily basis.

Despite Ross' leisurely work schedule, mine is not quite so flexible. So, we purchased a stunt double for this child to cuddle with when Ross is not available. We do not pretend that the life-size, real looking, dog is Ross or any other breathing creature. He's just a reminder that Ross is around for her, and will be back soon.

A Day in the Moonlighting Life of a Guide Dog Puppy

2008-09-08T22:25:00.000-07:00

April 28, 2008: Ross' first day at the office. In anticipation, I had already prepared my tiny office with a dog bed, tie down, water bowl, and basket of supplies including Febreeze, a brush, towels, wash cloths, poop bags, kibble bag, and toys.

At just 5 1/2 months old, Ross was a perfect office dog from Day 1. He started his day off on the dog bed, where he laid for about 8 or more hours, occasionally getting up to stretch out on the carpet or say "hi" to a visitor stopped by. He never made a peep, had an accident, or bothered anyone. People had to stop by and look around my file cabinet to know he was there.

Now, at 9 1/2 months, his days don't look much different. We arrive in the office, I take his leash off, and he goes directly to his bed, where he sleeps for the next 8+ hours. I wake him to visit kids, and visitors wake him to say "hi" in the office. Sometimes he opens his eyes for them. When visitors come in for appointments, he sometimes gives them a sniff and flops at their feet, not minding the fact that they can't move their chair or get up without having to step over him. He doesn't care. From 9-5 it's sleep time. It's a good thing he works for free - or he would definitely get fired for sleeping on the job!

Recently, Ross has decided that the work day ends at 5:00pm sharp. I'm not sure why - it has never ended at 5:00. Sometimes 6:00 if we're lucky, often closer to 7:00, even 8:00, 9:00, or later. That's the joy of a salary middle management job in a non-profit organization. The work day ends when the work is done, which it never is. If you're human, you eventually give up and go home, hoping you'll have time to finish it tomorrow. If you're a Guide Dog puppy, you have brothers to go home and play with, and it's important! After all, no one is paying either of you to stick around past 5:00!

And so, 5:00 is met with a nudge, a dance, and more frequently these days - a "talk." All of this is met with a tie-down. Which, in turn, receives a glare, or terribly sad puppy eyes that actually appear to have tears coming from them (the glare is for me, the sad puppy eyes are for any sap that might stop by), but shortly thereafter - a snooze. More than once Ross' sleep time has been made evident by the loud snoring apparently coming from the file cabinet.

The Puppy Who Started it All

2008-09-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

On January 27, 2008, I received my 9th Guide Dog puppy: Ross. Ross is special for many reasons, which have become even more apparent every day. Initially, Ross was deemed special because he was in the first group of puppies at Guide Dogs for the Blind to participate in the clicker training trial. Guide Dogs has been using clicker training with dogs in formal training for a while, but up until now, had not permitted puppy raisers to utilize this training method. I was eager to participate in this trial, as my many years of graduate school in psychology convinced me of the power of positive reinforcement in shaping behaviors. Ross was one of an elite few (30 in total) to participate in this trial.

I later learned that Ross was special for another reason. Ross received his name as part of the grand prize for a fundraiser raffle at the Oregon Fall Luncheon. The winner got to name a puppy and fly to San Rafael, CA to meet the puppy that was named. Ross was named by a member of the Lake Oswego Lions Club, after a prominent and well respected Lions Club member whom had recently passed away. Ross had big shoes to fill, and a lot of people eager to watch him grow and succeed as a guide.

Along the way, I also quickly realized that Ross is very special because of his personality. He is a very "soft" or sensitive dog. He is generally calm and unsure about the world. He wants to please, but is sometimes unsure how to do so, and will choose to do nothing instead. Most of all, he really worries about doing something wrong, and punishment is devastating for him. Fortunately, this made clicker training a great technique for him, as he learned through positive reinforcement, instead of punishment.

Along with Ross' "soft" personality, he is incredibly sweet and lovable. He sometimes lacks the confidence to explore the word on his own, and he is comforted by the presence of people, primarily me (his "mommy"). Ross is often by my side, and he loves to cuddle. Ross' personality deems him special because it lends him to be better behaved than the average puppy, even the average Guide Dog puppy. Ross is calm, quiet, and unlikely to cause any trouble. Instead, he'll loyally lay by your side and give you kisses when he gets the chance.

Another special attribute about Ross is that he has been the first of my puppies to be allowed at my work. (see Introduction) Ross' behavior at my work is critical, not just in his representation of Guide Dogs, but in paving the way for future Guide Dog puppies to be permitted, and in the level of welcoming and acceptance they receive. The pressure is on!

Introduction

2008-09-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

I work at a residential treatment facility for children with severe mental illness, and our agency has a policy that permits certified Therapy Dogs on campus. Unfortunately, my dogs aren't certified as Therapy Dogs, but I do raise puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

For four years, I sought permission to bring my well behaved Guide Dog puppies to work, only to be repeatedly told that only certified Therapy Dogs were permitted. I attempted to educate the powers that be as to the difference between a service dog and therapy dog, including the greater expectations, rules, and training oversight that Guide Dog puppies have over Therapy Dogs. Unfortunately, my efforts remained futile, and I had to make other arrangements for my puppies during the work day.

I was fortunate, a few months ago, to receive assistance from some colleagues in changing the policy at my agency to include service dogs in training as permitted on campus, with the same rules and expectations that Therapy Dogs would have. Upon the change in policy, I followed the policy to request permission for my Guide Dog puppy to attend work with me.

I was thrilled to initially receive permission for my puppy to attend regularly. However, after a week or two, I was informed that I was only to bring my puppy two days a week for scheduled "pet therapy" sessions. In an effort to work collaboratively with my employer, I followed their directions. Needless to say, I was very disappointed. I hoped that it would just be a matter of time for them to realize just how well mannered my Guide Dog puppies are, and to embrace their presence on a daily basis. I was not alone in my disappointment - many of my colleagues were as well.

While I regard 8 of the 9 Guide Dog puppies I have raised thus far to have been excellent representatives of the high standards that Guide Dogs for the Blind has for their puppies and puppy raisers, I was especially fortunate in the timing of the policy change to be raising one of the most incredible puppies ever: a large black Lab named Ross. Ross is the ideal puppy to warm people's hearts to the presence of a dog in the work place. Especially in a therapeutic work place.

Due to Ross' incredible presence as both a Guide Dog puppy, and "therapy dog" (I use the term loosely, as he serves as a therapy dog through the nature of my job, and he is not certified through any animal assisted therapy program), he has started making big changes at my place of employment, demonstrating the "power of the puppy" that no human can duplicate. I am pleased to report that due to Ross' incredible work, he is now permitted daily on campus, so that he can be available to the children when they need him, not necessarily when it's convenient.