Gail Fisher, All Dogs Gym & Inn - The perfect place for pets and their people

I was recently invited to spend a day at The Seeing Eye (www.seeingeye.org) in Morristown, New Jersey to learn about their training program, offer some feedback, and present a workshop to their trainers. It was an amazing experience. What I got out of the day far exceeds anything I might have been able to share with the wonderful people I met.

Established in 1929, The Seeing Eye is the oldest guide dog school in the world, and a more dedicated, caring, positive, upbeat group of people would be hard to find. From the beautifully kept, immaculate training kennel filled with lovely, bright-eyed, eager and friendly dogs, to the bright, airy, cheerful, administration building, loaded with historical photographs and fascinating history, to the well-appointed dormitory where over the years hundreds of sightless people have lived for a month while being matched with dogs, the entire day was filled with new experiences—something I delight in and treasure. At the end of the day, my human guide, Lukas, asked me if it was what I had expected. I honestly hadn’t had expectations, which was fortunate as I think they would have been blown out of the water.

During the nearly three years I spent teaching inmates to train assistance (or service) dogs, our focus was on training a wide variety of possible tasks and functions the dogs might be needed for, such as to retrieve or carry, stand firm and steady as a balance dog, pull a wheelchair or function as ears for a hearing impaired person. Ultimately, an assistance dog’s duties are determined by the needs of the person he or she is matched with.

Seeing Eye dogs, on the other hand, are specifically trained to provide independence and mobility for a blind or visually impaired person. Their jobs are generally performed in public, negotiating streets and public places as they guide their person through the vastly variable environments and situations sighted people take for granted—all of which was part of my learning curve.

We shadowed Barbara, one of 23 trainers on staff, as she worked with Lamar, a beautiful black Lab, one of the eight dogs she is currently training. Following her around the streets of Morristown, little did I know what was in store. The things we sighted people pay little or no attention to must all be trained: curbs and crosswalks, changes in sidewalk elevations, watching for and stopping for cars rolling out of a driveway or turning right on red; posts and poles, trees and holes, doorknob locations and crosswalk buttons—everything we unconsciously recognize and adjust to as we go through our lives, the sightless person relies on his or her dog. Just as importantly, the dogs learn “intelligent disobedience” using their judgment in perceived hazardous situations.

The most profound experience of the day was when I walked “blind” with Lamar. Lukas handed me a blindfold unlike anything I’ve ever had over my eyes. Specifically designed to eliminate any light or peeking (cheating), I experienced blackness—true blackness. No clock radio LED lights shining in the middle of the night. No sunlight passing through closed eyelids—it was total blackness—disorienting and not unfrightening. Barbara walked beside me, instructing me how to hold my arm, how to communicate properly with Lamar, and to keep me from messing him up. While I wanted to think she was there to make sure I was OK, I know her main focus was Lamar. And so was mine! I was totally reliant on him, and while it took a bit before I was able to relax my arm and start breathing normally, I eventually relaxed as we booked it down the street—and I mean booked it. At first, my brain was screaming, “Take it slow . . . I can’t see!” but as we negotiated stops and starts, turns and weaving around unseen (to me) obstacles, I put my confidence in Lamar.

When we arrived back at the training center, I felt vaguely disappointed it was over—and I could well-understand how this phenomenal group of dedicated trainers (some training for The Seeing Eye for more than 20 years) could spend eight hours a day, day after day, regardless of weather, oppressive heat or freezing cold walking the streets of Morristown training these wonderful dogs for their incredible partnerships.

On this Thanksgiving Day weekend, I have much to be grateful for. New on my list are the Seeing Eye and the incredible people who dedicate their lives to provide “independence and dignity” to others.

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Copyright © Gail T. Fisher, 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.alldogsgym.com For permission to reprint this article or suggestions for future topics, please contact us.

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