Day Off?
Yara was determined that I not be allowed to sleep in today and so starting at about 6:00 A.M.¹ she began her normal routine of racing around at the end of her tie-down and tossing toys around. At 7:00 AM I gave in and finally got out of bed.
However, she seems quite convinced we should be going somewhere. She camps out by the front door for a few minutes and then paces around the house and then comes over and nudges me as if to say, “Get moving, we surely must be late.” Certainly the snow on the ground and falling from the sky is no indication to her that we have no plans to venture farther than the driveway for relief duties on this our first day off.²
1. My usual wake up time.
2. We shall call this Lesson #2.
Yara vs. the Fish!
I believe round one goes to the curious dog. I watched her as she sidled up to the aquarium and observed the goings-on of the tetras within. She sat there silently for a good ten minutes or so, until something required the need to stand up and bark vigorously.
The cutest part was when I tried to divert her attention to quiet her and she trotted off to the front door to give it an obligatory woof. I guess one could argue that there was possibly something outside she was barking at the entire time. But I have to say I’m thinking that once she realized she was caught in the act, she felt the need to hide the fact she was barking at something so beneath the necessity she had to cover it up!
Either way, I got a good giggle at her expense.
GDB Discontinues GSD Guide Dogs
Recently, a letter sent to Guide Dogs for the Blind graduates was made public on the National Association of Guide Dog Users email list:
After being part of our history for sixty-five years, we are regretfully nearing the end of the German Shepherd breed in our program. This foundation breed, first matched with veterans returning from World War II, has served our graduates well for many decades, but times have changed. The number of guide dog users that match well with a German Shepherd have diminished and our world has become faster, more congested, and distracting creating additional challenges for this generally alert, active breed.
Certainly, there are some German Shepherds who fill the bill admirably and are wonderful working guides. The issue we face is the majority of this breed does not fulfill the work they were bred for and the very issues which make them incompatible with the program make them difficult dogs to manage overall.
We are not alone on this issue. The decline of the German Shepherd breed for guide dog work has been recognized by other leading guide dog schools around the world. A poll of 70 international guide dog schools found that although 36 use the breed in their respective training programs, not a single one cited the German Shepherd Dog as the best suited for guide dog use in today’s busy environment.
Our breeding specialists, veterinarians, and instructors have been tracking this emerging trend for several years and have worked to reverse it through breeding exchanges within guide dog programs, outside purchases of breeders and puppies, donated dogs, and rescue organizations. Through all these efforts the success rate continues well below the colony average.
The large percentage that does not qualify for the program gives us strong reason for concern. These are dogs that are active, vocal and often have a hard time adjusting to a kennel environment. Staff resources must be focused on managing a small number of dogs to provide a quality of life that meets our high standards of care. General traits of the breed including high energy, tendencies toward protectiveness, and prey drive contribute to their complexities of success as a Guide Dog or as a pet. Guide Dogs for the Blind devotes tremendous effort into finding suitable adoptive homes for these dogs that will offer quality of life to both the dog and the adopter.
We have reviewed these combined factors from an ethical and humane standpoint and are adhering to our decision to only add breeding stock to our colony that meets our criteria. Thus, the anticipated decline of the German Shepherd breeding colony, as first reported last spring, has now materialized.
I’m truly appalled by this decision, especially given my current situation, albeit recent.
I don’t particularly like GDB’s insinuation that so few GSDs are suitably qualified for guide work as evidenced by the simple fact that there are schools who solely utilize the breed, such as Fidelco or Eye Dog Foundation for the Blind. Clearly, the independently conducted survey that is cited neglected to involve such schools. Which only heightens my curiosity at the reaction that would be received. I have to wonder what justification and rebuttal Fidelco, for instance, would have to the claims that being overly vocal or possessing a strong prey drive equal an inability to be an adequate or even exceptional guide dog.
Granted the one issue with maintaining a breed line is the inevitable decline that will potentially ensue. This is evident in not only the German Shepherd Dog, but other canine breeds and pretty much any commonly bred animal on the face of the planet.¹ In the end, it just saddens me that rather than strive for a stronger line, GDB has chosen to just abandon the breed altogether.
1. Though, extenuating circumstances clearly play a large part in the decline of any breeding and any reputable breeder (including guide dog schools) works to diminish such occurrences. Which, in point of fact, is basically the entire point of breeding in the first place.
Our Last Day
Yara’s started just ignoring her breakfast the last few days. Yesterday, she actually vomited while we were out, but she wouldn’t eat any of the treats we bought so I guess she’s fine enough. Last night I gave her two cups of food for dinner (rather than the standard cup and a half) and she ate it all up, albeit very slowly.
Anyway, we went to Crossgates Mall yesterday. Megan and I both were rather surprised that it wasn’t more crowded, but still we got a good share of pedestrian traffic to work around and a lot of strange obstacle work. Yara did excellent, as always. She walked me into a store front window that kind of jutted out, but all I did was drop the handle and she worked right around it. We did some escalator work (read: gave me heart failure). I loathe escalators with a fierce passion, but Yara didn’t mind them at all. In fact, she kept indicating them when we’d pass by another set and would bring me right up to them even when I’d try to work her passed. It was amusing. We also did our first elevator and I think this time Yara nearly had heart failure as it was a glass one and she seemed rather positive if she got too close to the edge she was going to fall off or die. Poor baby. She was fine once I moved over a bit so she could turn in the opposite direction and not be so preoccupied with her imminent death.
Later on, we went out to dinner at Pinhead Susan’s for our “Fidelco meal” and it was pretty packed. Yara was a total lazy bum and lounged out as much as she could under our table and my chair. Surprisingly, I’d never eaten there before! We’d had a slice of pizza at the mall, and I actually had some breakfast, but I was starving by the time we arrived and hardly could decide on what to get. I had some turkey artichoke dip sandwich thing and it was pretty yummy.
Today was our last official “day” of training and so we did all our paperwork and I signed my contract. Then, since it’s literally freezing out, we went to Wal-mart and did some laps while we shopped around. Nothing too strenuous and Yara was a total angel the entire time. She didn’t make even one mistake; I’m incredibly proud!
With the exception of a trip to NYC that will happen “sometime” that finished up everything we needed to do for our training. I can’t believe how fast it went! I’m kind of sad, to be honest, but I think it was really a very thorough ten days and I definitely learned a lot. As for Yara, I think it’ll be a wonderful match.
I leave you with more grainy cell phone photography (she was a brat and turned her head just as I snapped this).
And now, I am off, for I am quite hungry. More updates on my lovely girl to come.
Lesson #1 In Differences Between Dolly and Yara
I used to say that if Dolly could talk she would weave quite a tale of abuse and neglect by my hands just judging from some of the facial expressions she’d give me in response to commands or corrections.
I’m beginning to feel I really am abusing Yara. The poor girl is just so sensitive, as I’ve mentioned many times. She reacts to just the slightest stumble or slip when we work in harness. I’ve learned that I don’t need a firm hand with correcting her at all, I’ve had to force myself to not take the leash to prod her to get going but to rely only on my voice most times. Even the simple act of dropping the harness handle is enough to get her attention without saying a thing when she’s made a mistake like walking me into something.
Anyway, so I’ve already seen that she enjoys the snow. Sunday she was eating snowflakes while we waited for our taxi and yesterday she got to play in the park. When I took her out to relieve after dinner last night, she jumped right into a snowbank and started tossing snow all over. So I thought it would be just fine to get some shoveling done while she was out there playing.
Uhm. I was wrong.
I tossed a shovel full of snow onto the pile and some of it flew in her face and she literally went into a panic. She did the whole startle and duck and I’m sure anyone that saw us would have sworn I kicked her in the face. I felt so bad. I’m a bit used to Dolly, who literally lives for snow. She burrows under it, she digs through it, she tosses it in the air and shoves her head through it. She loves to be in the middle of snowball fights and she will actually chase snow being shoveled¹ if she’s around at the time.
I feel like a very poor canine mommy.
1. A lot like this dog.