Christmas Holidays 2007

April 15, 2008

This past Christmas was the first time I spent with Tammy's extended family - whoooeeee! Let me just say that no two humans are exactly alike... but human kids are not unlike puppies - slobbery, stinky, and perpetually chewing on something!
Because there were always people around, I spent a lot of time off from my usual routine. Tammy's dad clearly enjoyed my company, and so did her siblings and nieces and nephews. I love kids - and they love me, too!
What I liked most was all the extra attention I got during our walks to the local park with Tammy and her family. Back at home everybody knows me, and knows what's expected of me, but here - well, let's just say I got away with a couple of what I like to call 'table-scrap moments'. Tammy thinks she caught me every time, but strictly between us, I manage to nab a perk or two along the way, if you know what I mean!
I liked Tammy's dad as much as he liked me, so I said 'yes' when he asked if he could share his impressions of our meeting.

Some Dogs Are...

Some dogs look like grouches with attitude, some look merely odd, some fit in oven mitts, and some only in the back of pick-up trucks. But say “Golden Retriever” and everybody thinks of long silken hair and feathered legs, kindness, intelligence, attentiveness, loyalty, an easy lope and the best nose in the business, and envies the owner.

Some time ago our daughter Tammy applied to have a PADS dog. We didn’t think she had much of a chance. After all, cerebral palsy didn’t keep her from independence, a busy life of advocacy and referral services, committee work and speaking engagements, so what could a dog do for her? Besides, she had a black male cat who ruled her apartment with tooth and claw.

But the unlikely happened. She was elected to try it out, and word came back that she was to be trained with and by – wait for it – a Golden Retriever. As part of the training all Tammy’s family members received stern warnings. This is a working dog, a dog in uniform, a highly and expensively trained animal. Do not, repeat, do not meet the kind gaze of this dog with kindness in return. Do not simper over her in uniform. Do not surreptitiously let fingers slide over silken head or encourage black wet nose to snuffle palm of hand. And never, repeat never act on the knowledge that you are the original dog whisperer and so can interpret a slightly lifted eyebrow from a head on front paws as an invitation to come and cuddle.

You can’t say that we weren’t properly warned. It didn’t make any difference, though. One look at this gorgeous young animal with impeccable manners and we all felt the need to make clear to her our admiration. Tammy was adamant, however. “Breeze, heel,” and the poor dog’s ears drooped as she took her place.

Well, suffice it to say that we managed to sneak a caress or two. And of course the reality of a PADS dog isn’t all silk and gold. Excrement happens, as do frustrations with lapses in training, with people’s lack of understanding on the street, with other dogs that can’t decipher PADS, with the daily routines as time consuming as a child’s. But Service Dog Breeze has also added a new dimension to her mistress’s life, whether it’s yanking off a coat sleeve or opening a door, or loping along beside the wheelchair in her airy way, or just waiting patiently, head on Tammy’s shoe, for the next assignment.

So thank you to the family that made the young Puppy-In-Training Breeze feel secure and valued and then had to give her up, and thank you to the trainers who can think dog thoughts. Thank you to the citizens of this great country who agree together that providing such a service is the right thing to do. And thank you, I guess, to the cat. Even he couldn’t resist being nice to a Golden Retriever.