Teacher's Pet (12 page)

Once Scout's condition is stabilized, we creep outside to give Scout and Mr. Carlson some privacy. Dr. Gabe wanders off to write up the surgery report, whistling happily. We walk to the kitchen, where Gran starts to make a pot of coffee. She pours in the water, measures out the coffee into the basket, and turns on the coffeemaker.

“He's going to pull through, isn't he?” I ask.

Gran shakes her head in amazement and chuckles softly. “Yes, Maggie, I think he is.”

“Will he be able to guide again?”

“I'd say the chances are pretty good. It will take a month or two for him to recover. I hope James will be able to get by with his cane.”

I hop up on the counter. “He can do that easily. But he'll miss Scout.”

“I'll call the guide-dog school and let them know what happened,” Gran says. “Once Scout's injuries have healed, they'll probably give him a little retraining. Scout has a very strong personality, and he really adores your teacher. They're going to be a team for a long time.”

I swing my legs. Everything has happened so fast. I need the world to slow down for a few minutes so that I can figure it all out.

“Something wrong, Maggie?”

“I thought he was dying, Gran. I know he was. I saw the monitors.”

She glances at the coffeemaker to make sure it is turned on, then turns to face me.

“Scout heard his companion's voice and decided to fight. Love is the strongest thing in the universe. It makes us do things we never thought possible.”

She stops. Gran doesn't talk like this very much. “Stupid machine,” she mutters, bending down to look at the coffeemaker again. “It's slower than molasses in January going uphill backwards.”

“Mr. Carlson realized that he loves Scout, too. He said he had been thinking of his guide dog as a tool, like his cane. The accident made him see things differently.”

“That makes sense,” Gran says.

“YES!” Dr. Gabe bursts through the kitchen door holding up something gleaming and gold in his hand. His other hand holds a leash attached to our friend Shelby, who looks mighty proud.

“Mrs. Donovan's wedding ring,” Gabe announces.

“It's about time,” Gran says, giving Shelby a quick pat. “Gabe, why don't you give Mrs. Donovan the call she's been waiting for.”

Gabe and Shelby leave, and Gran turns back to the coffeemaker. “Oh!” She smacks her forehead with the palm of her hand. “Talk about seeing things differently—it's unplugged!”

She shakes her head and reaches over to plug in the coffeemaker's electrical cord. “Get down from the counter,” she scolds mildly. “Why don't you make us some sandwiches. Then I'll drive you back to school.”

I open my mouth to whine and plead for the rest of the day off—but I stop.

I think about the promise I made to Mr. Carlson that day in the classroom. And I remember what John from the guide-dog school said: “Big changes are easier to handle if you know people love you.” I have Gran, Sherlock, my friends, even Zoe, plus Mr. Carlson and the other folks at school.

I look at Gran and simply say, “OK.”

By J.J. MACKENZIE, D.V.M.

Wild World News—Guide
dogs are loyal and dependable, but they start out as frisky, unpredictable pups. So the guide-dog schools rely on puppy raisers. These special families volunteer to take a puppy into their household and give her basic training, love, and care until she is old enough to learn the skills she needs to become a guide dog.

 

Special
delivery.
Most guide-dog schools breed puppies for their programs—usually German shepherds, Labrador retrievers, or golden retrievers. When a new litter of guide-dog puppies is born, the school contacts a family from its list of puppy raisers and places the pups in a home. Then it's up to the raisers to turn the eight- to twelve-week-old pups into mature, well-behaved dogs ready for guide-dog school.

 

Raise with praise.
Puppy raisers teach their dogs basic commands and good manners. A guide-dog puppy must be trained with love and affection. Praise, not punishment, is the way to a dog's heart. Her raisers always praise her with hugs and kisses. They don't reward her with food. A guide dog's favorite reward is making her companion happy. When she goes back to school, her instructors will focus on what she does right, not what she does wrong.

 

On the town.
The most important part of puppy raising is socializing the dog. That means exposing her to as many people and situations as possible. She needs to be comfortable wherever she goes. Her raisers walk her down busy sidewalks, past noisy construction sites, on city or school buses, up and down escalators, and through airports. Guide-dog puppies wear special vests to let people know they are in training. They are usually allowed to go places that other dogs can't. Some guide-dog puppies even accompany their raisers to school or work.

 

Check up.
The guide-dog school will have someone check on the puppy's progress every month or so to make sure she's on track. And puppy raisers are required to take their pups to the vet for frequent exams. Puppy raisers may also attend “puppy club” meetings to learn tips and talk to other raisers.

 

Saying good-bye.
This is the hard part. After a year of love and play, the raisers must return the dog to the guide-dog school. It is time to let her go. She's old enough now to learn the skills she needs for her job. On the turn-in day, the raisers drive back to the school and hand her over.

 

It can be very hard for raisers to give up the dog they love. She has become part of the family. But knowing that the dog will change a blind person's life by giving him independence and dignity helps ease the pain of good-bye.

 

Back to school.
At the school, the young dog goes through a number of medical tests. She'll also be tested to see if she can follow basic commands. If she passes her medical exam and obedience test, it's time to start special training to be a guide dog.

 

She'll spend four months learning how to guide a blind person safely through streets and buildings. At the end of the four months, she will be paired with her blind companion. They will spend another month at the school learning how to work together. Then they'll go home to start their new life.

 

Career change.
Not all trained puppies become guide dogs. The demands on a guide dog are heavy, and not all dogs can cope with them. Some dogs are trained for other kinds of work, such as drug detection for police departments or therapy visits to the elderly. If the school decides that the dog isn't right for any kind of work, she is adopted by a loving family. Her puppy-raising family is given the first chance to adopt her.

 

Retirement.
Guide dogs work with their blind companions for an average of ten years. They retire when they start to slow down and show signs of age. Sometimes the blind companion keeps his old dog as a pet. If not, the dog goes back to the school. There are long lists of families eager to share their homes with retired guide dogs.

1. Can someone stay home with the pup all day?

2. Can someone walk and socialize the pup every day?

3. Will the pup have time to sleep during the day?

4. Will the pup be allowed to spend time inside?

5. Will someone be able to take the pup to training classes and to the vet on a regular basis?

6. Returning the dog after raising her can be hard. Do you think your family could handle it well?