Update on the last couple days.

I finally have some time when I am not totally worn out so I thought that I would give an update on the last couple days. On Wednesday we fed, watered, and relieved the dogs then had breakfast as usual. After this routine we went for a discussion and training on what to do if your guide runs you into an obstacle. They took us over to a building with different obstacles set up and they would use simulate the dog with our dog's harness and leash.

After this exercise we took the dogs to Portland to do our rout from Tuesday. We have done the same route for the last few days so that we could focus on our handling technique. Joel would try to anticipate what I was going to do which was not necessarily a good thing and he still was very timid at going right. He was not bad but the route was not as smooth on Wednesday as it was on Tuesday. After working our route in Portland for in the morning and afternoon we went back to campus.

We took care of the dogs and went to dinner. We had black bean chillie with pork chunks and cheese along with tortillas. They make their own Tortillas and they warm and not dry. Delicious. Afterwards we were given the toys for our dogs. I got a tug-a-war toy and a Nila-bone(Not sure how to spell it). The Tug toy is a ring and he took to it instantly. He is usually calm but he became very enthusiastic and excited when playing. He is really strong and when he snaps his head around to try and pull the tug ring free he does it so hard that his giant ears whip around. It sounds like it would be very painful but he doesn't seem to mind.

We learned how to use the "High Collar Technique" Thursday morning. This means that the user puts the collar up near the back of the dog's ears instead of low on the neck. This technique is used when the dog is not responding to all other forms of chastisement. Since this area is very sensitive the user can much easier draw their attention away from whatever they are doing. After this we returned to Portland. We actually went into the starbux this time and hung out there for a while. . Before we would do our rout and then return to the GDB Portland lounge without going into the starbux. Joel was much better about going to the right and I could actually feel it for the most part. Before, I could not actually feel what he was doing. What helped this was that the instru7ctors gave me an offset harness handle. The harnesses have a detachable handle that is made of PVC pipe like material with a GDB logo plate connecting the two shafts of the handle. In an offset handle, the two shafts are not strait but suddenly go diagonally before straitening out again. This places me a bit further to the right of Joel when guiding which for some reason gives him more confidence to push me right. We did our route several times and the other student working with my instructor went on a doubles route with me. There are six stud3ents and three instructors with two students assigned to each. So Usually we would do our routes individually but Thursday we both went together. Working two dogs is interesting and it makes it a bit more hectic but not considerably. Thursday evening we had roasted chicken for dinner and it was pretty good but not my favorite. Next we learned how to put on our dog's head collars. The head collar goes around their ears and muzzle
so that the user has complete control of the dog's head. Joel is a very good dog when putting the collar on. He just sits there and lets me manhandle his head. If I ever tried to put a head collar on Josie She'd take my hand off.


On Friday we had breakfast quesadillas for breakfast. They had egg, cheese, bacon and Sausage in them and they were really good. When in Portland we went on a doubles rout again. We were able to go a longer way to the starbux since both of use were with the trainer so we weren't pressed for time. In the afternoon we went to another city that I cannot spell and rode the Metro Area Express (MAX) and the bus. The max is a Light Rail train. Joel knew what to do and went strait onto the bus and MAX. Besides the other student who I usually work with there were was another instructor and their two students with us as well. Four dogs on a crowded bus is not fun in the least but Joel made it much better by being very calm and doing whatever he was told without a fuss. The max was the best since Joel had ridden it as a puppy so he went right on as soon as the doors opened. I wish Huntington had something like the MAX it seems to be a great mode of public transport.

When we came back to campus we worked on our clicker training. The clicker is used to indicate to the dog that whatever they are doing right when the click occurs is something worthy of a food reward. They call it a bridge since it is a very distinct sound and the dog has associated the click with the food so the reward is not as delayed since they have Click=food implanted in their brains. Using a clicker whenever Joel found a certain chair made it only take around30 to 45 minutes to train him to take me strait to the chair. That evening we had steamed cod which was absolutely amazing. It was really tender and the sauce that it was lathered in was delicious as well. We did not do anything else of note that night.

Saturday was escalator day. I was really nervous for these since at the top of the escalator where the teeth lock together to make a flat surface they can catch the dog's back paws and mangle them. To prevent this the dogs wear booties. These look like little water shoes with a tenisshoe sole on the bottom. They just slip over the dog's feet and tighten around the ankle. Joel has bigger front feet than back feet. We just put on the back shoes and Joel was very compliant and did not fight the shoes. The escalators themselves were not very bad since Joel knew what to do already. The only pain was putting on the shoes and since he is so cooperative this is not nearly difficult as it could be.

That afternoon we worked in sidewalkless areas. They are a bit more challenging on the handler's part since there are a lot of going to the curb to make sure you are on the correct side of the street. I move my feet quite a bit when trying to get orientated and this confuses Joel. It is one of the major things that I need to focus on improving. Again Joel knew what to do which helped matters. After this route we returned to campus and learned our way around the outside portion of campus. For the most part we have been in the dorm building where all the classes and other work is done. The campus is very large with several other buildings including the kennel where the other dogs that are either awaiting a handler in the next class or being trained are kept. This route will be excellent practic3e for dog distractions and there are many obstacles on the left and right so I will be able to practice my obstacle avoidance with Joel. He is good at it but I still have trouble sometimes knowing when he is turning. We also learned how to let our dogs free run. They have a grassy in fenced in area where the dogs can run off of their leashes. I let Joel off here and threw the tug ring that I have for him. He leaps all the way off of the ground to get it but he will not bring it back always. When you call the dogs they advise that you do not put your head near the dog's level since they run so hard to get back to you they can give you a black eye or knock you over.

Saturday evening we cleaned the dogs ears and teeth. Joel was very calm and easy when cleaning his ears but when I tried to brush his teeth he tried to move his head away. This is somewhat strange since all the other dogs wanted to eat the toothpaste where Joel tried to avoid it at all costs. This is something that I will need to figure out how to make a better experience for him so he won't always be so reticent to when brushing his teeth.

Today we have the day off so I slept in. We had amazing omelets for breakfast (Mine had egg, cheese, and bacon in it. Fantastic._) After this we went to the gift shop where I purchased rain coat for Joel as well as an extra leash and collapsible travel water bowl. The reason that I bought an extra leash was because at some point Joel got ahold of the leash and nibbled on it a bit. Now there are a couple of cracks in the leather and I figured that it would be a good idea to get an extra just in case he eventually chews through this one. I am going to take a walk after finishing this post. If anything else interesting happens today I will post about it either tomorrow or tonight.

Hitting the town for the first time.

Last night was my first with Joel and he did very well. The fan did not seem to bother him he just slept on his fleece rug. He woke up a couple of times though but he went back to sleep so this was not an issue. This morning I fed, watered and relieved him after getting ready. We went to breakfast and he laid quietly by my chair the entire time. After breakfast we went over a couple of lectures about street crossings and guidework. Afterward, We relieved again and loaded up to head to Portland. Getting Joel into a car will take some getting used to. I should make him wait while I enter the vehicle and then call him up to sit at my feet. I have to be sure to tuck his tail in so it will not get closed in the door. Joel wanted to get into the van first but after a slight correction and a "Sit" and a "Wait" he stayed outside until I was situated in the van. When I called him into the van I did not give him enough room in front of my feet so he leapt into my lap. I have to say he is pretty heavy. I got him into the floor where he stretched out, taking up most of the back seat floor. After we arrived in Portland we went to the GDB lounge that they keep as the center of operations there. It is a large suite in an office building with two floors and several rooms. This is where we start our routes and rest between routes.

Joel stands perfectly still and calm while I slide his harness over his head. I was afraid that he might shy away but he did not. We walked about the downtown area crossing several streets and encountering various obstacles like fountains, planters, and people. Joel guides me around smaller obstacles such as poles and people very smoothly and it is barely noticeable that we have moved over to go around something. Joel will push me over to go around something but because he does not know me well he is hesitant to use very much pressure. The instructor said that he will become more familiar with me and be more adamant in his pushes. At the moment I am having some trouble recognizing when he wants me to move over. I took some time to loosen up and get into a comfortable stride but eventually we both found a good smooth pace for traveling. Portland has many flower boxes and fountains as well as light poles and bike racks. The streets are similar to Huntington but the streets are all one way (Think all like fifth AVE. and Third AVE.) and some lights are triggered by a pressure plate so they are only active when needed.

Joel also handled distractions very well. Several times we would pass dogs who were barking madly at Joel but he ignored them and kept on his path. A little kid asked to pet Joel but luckily he didn't run up to him while doing so. Joel ignored him as well. I would give Joel food rewards when he would find a down curb before a street crossing and again when he found the up curb on the other side. This makes him want to find curbs which will be very important when traveling through Huntington and the reward on the up curb conditions him to quickly cross the street in anticipation for a treat.

We did an interesting exercise that will help Joel remember places that I wish to visit. We find a door to a building that I will want to visit and when there I will find the handle of the door, praise Joel and give him a treat. Next I will take a couple of steps back from the door and return to it and again find the door handle, praise Joel and give him a treat. We repeated this process several times eventually backing further away and allowing Joel to move to the door on his own. Since Joel knows that he will be given a treat for finding the door hopefully the next time we pass that door on the sidewalk he will go over to it on his own initiative.

We went on two routes today and we had lunch in the downtown lounge. After we finished in Portland we returned to Campus and learned about grooming our dogs. We have a regular brush but we also have a special brush called a Zoomgroom. This is a rubber brush looking tool with what look like cones sticking out of one side. As it is used to groom the dog it causes static which picks up dead hair out of their coat. Joel is very clean looking and I went over him with both a Zoomgroom and a regular brush today. I just hope that regular grooming will keep the signature Lab oiliness from his coat.

This evening I attended a optional lecture where I learned more about the area of downtown Portland and I was able to look over a raised map so I could better understand how the streets are laid out. The streets are numbered and they are one way. The even numbers go north and the odd numbers go south. What in Huntington are numbered Avenues Portland has named streets that serve the same function. The city also has a aboveground light rail train that serves as easy transport throughout the city from What I can tell. With the lecture finished I went back down to the music room and played the guitar for a while. Joel sleeps straight through it which is good since he likes to sleep and I was afraid that my plunking would keep him awake. We are back in the room now and I need to go finish the other lectures that I need to read for tomorrow. Joel is lying quietly on his rug on Tiedown and we both are going to bed soon. I get toys tomorrow so I will be able to play with Joel like a regular dog. He has tried to platy play fight with me like Maggie does but They advise against it so he won't try to fight other people. He needs to be well behaved so he will not cause problems in public places but I am so used to rough housing with Maggie it has taken some restraint to keep from fighting with him.

Dog Day!

I got my dog today! This morning after breakfast we met our instructors and worked on basic guidework and handling. Each instructor is assigned to two students so I was able to have a lot of individual instruction. The instructors simulate a guide dog using a roll of carpet with a leash on it. This fake dog is called Juno. I gave it commands, corrections and praise just like a real dog. After lunch We were given our dogs! They brought each person's dog to their room introducing them and giving the handler their health info; Weight, height, etc. My dog's name is Joel and He is a tall yellow lab. You should see a picture of us together along with this post. He has been a fantastic dog. He responds to commands without a problem and he is well minded and quiet. I haven't had to give him a major correction thus far. After we hung out in my room for a while and got to know each other we went out with an instructor to practice guidework and handling. Joel pulls a bit when I am heeling him at my side but with a bit of gentle correction he slowed his pace and kept at my side. He guided very well leading me at a brisk pace and going around obstacles without a hitch. He responds to turns very quickly, He turns and starts walking before I can finish the command. He can tell by my movements what way I want to go so even if I say the wrong word, if I make the correct body turn He will respond correctly.

After this training we fed and watered the dogs. They eat an exact amount of food and it varies dog to dog. They take a different amount of water depending on the dog as well. Joel didn't bowl me over trying to get to the food. Since labs are so enthused about their food this was a pleasant surprise. Josie my pet Chocolate lab will just take you out if you don't make her lie down first. After we fed and watered the dogs we took them outside to do their business. Joel is quick and does not wander around forever before doing his business.

After this we hung out with our dogs before going to dinner. Dinner was chicken Curry and it was the first time I have had curry. It was very good and I will be eating it in future. After dinner I went and found the music room. They have a classical guitar so it is somewhat different from what I have at home but I was able to hammer out a tune on it. Joel was very good the entire time he just slept the while I was playing. He is a very calm and laid back dog but he can be energetic as well. He is the perfect midground between being dead calm and bouncing off of the walls. We relieved the dogs again and gave them another bowl of water. Overall a great and somewhat relaxing day. We go to Portland tomorrow for actual routes and guidework so I will post how that goes tomorrow night.

Finally Arived!c

Note: I could not get on the Wireless last night so this post is for Sunday the 22nd. I get my dog around 4:30 EST and I will probablly do the post about monday later this evening (After 12:00 EST). I will try to get some pictures to post also.

Today was long but ultimately very exciting and interesting. I had to leave Huntington today at 7:17 so I have been up from 5:30 until now (1:00 EST). I flew to Charlotte and from there to Phoenix AZ. The airport attendants were very friendly and accommodating, in Phoenix the man even lead me to a restaurant. The flight from NC to AZ was very long and the time change didn't help matters. I flew on a large jet from Charlotte to phoenix and from Phoenix to Portland. I was just behind the bulkhead between first class and coach so I had plenty of leg room. I was met in Portland by a GDB volunteer who drives students to the campus in Boring Or. (Yes that is the name of the town, I have no idea why someone thought that would be a good idea). Boring is a good 30 miles or so from Portland so we had a decently long drive to the GDB campus. As soon as we arrived we were quickly shown to our rooms to deposit our baggage and then we were swept down to dinner. I had always heard that the cooks at the Oregon campus were excellent and I was pleasantly surprised to find this true. No cafeteria here it is more like a sit down restaurant where servers bring your drinks and food. The food was superb, we had a roasted chicken with some sort of stuffing, Delicious. There were also roasted potatoes. After dinner we went down to the instruction room for basic orientation to the guide equipment. The resident advisor who taught us and who will be around throughout the week is also blind and has a dog from GDB. She taught us about the leash, harness and collars and their uses as well as other miscellaneous basic info. We were given our leash and a food pouch that we can keep treats in to reward the dog while guiding to reinforce good guide behaviors. In the past the dog was never given treats but over the years they discovered that food rewards for good guidework is a much better reinforcer than just verbal praise. While at this session we were also introduced to our other classmates. There are only 6 of us total so we will receive more individual work with the instructors.

After this session I and another student who arrived at the same time went on a tour of the campus building. There were several rooms worth mentioning in detail. The grooming room has a grooming table which is a slight distance from the ground and you have your guide stand on it while grooming. This puts the guide at about chest level for most guides and allows the groomer to brush the dog without having to hunch over to brush etc. Another is the library which has a great number of talking books on cassette and in braille. I really liked this room, Everything is labeled and I have been a bit braille deprived lately since I do so much with audio and getting braille is such a hassle. To actually be able to read something instead of just listening to it is a great feeling. The entire building is labeled in braille it is just amazing. I even have my name in braille on a little tag on my dorm room.

The dorm room is amazing here. It is like living in a presidential suite in a hotel. I have two giant rooms, with a flat screen TV looking over my bed in my bedroom. I have my own bathroom and sink as well as refrigerator. I also have a recliner!! I really love my recliners so that just blew my mind. I also was given my dog's food, a food cup to feed it, a grooming kit and a fluffy fleece rug for the dog to lay on when on tiedown. I am very excited but totally worn out from the long day.

Heading to GDB Tomorrow!

I am heading to Guide Dogs for the Blind's Oregon campus at around 7 tomorrow. I can't wait! I applied to the school last year but I chose to wait to get my dog since I would have had to miss a week at the beginning of the school year so I figured it would be better to wait until I had nothing happening to go to get my dog. After I walked with the instructor on my home visit where she simulated the movement and guiding of a dog using a harness I knew that it would be much better to travel with a dog than a cane. I plan to chronicle my training day by day detailing the training process at the Oregon campus. In my fervor to learn about GDB I searched for a blog where someone did this but I was unable to find one. I hope that creating such a blog it will hopefully help someone else who is going to training at the Oregon campus and who wants to know what to expect in training.

I will also post various other things on this blog from random stories to my thoughts on different issues. If I ever do work on any digital creative projects I will post the results here as well. 5:30 is going to come early so I'm going to rap this up for now.

Aaron.