On speaking terms

Well, peeps. I know it’s been a hot minute since I last posted. This time of year, however, I pretty much go nowhere on my own for safety reasons. Call it my own form of hibernation, but once there’s snow and ice on the ground, I’ll only venture out somewhere if I can use my wheelchair and have someone else assisting me. And in those cases, since I have someone else there to help, it doesn’t really make sense to drag Gunther along. As do so many others, I really find myself struggling with the drearier days of the winter season and often feel too sluggish to do more physically. I’m essentially a giant lump. So, needless to say, you have not missed much excitement on this end with Gunther and me.

BUT last week, just a few days shy of our first anniversary together, Gunther and I were granted an amazing opportunity to go to PAWS With A Cause to meet with some potential donors. After the life-changing gift that this organization bestowed upon me by giving me this service dog, how could I pass on the chance to share our story? My only fear was that all the fabulous training Gunther and I had received would go out the window since we hadn’t had much practice going out as of late. And I really did not want to embarrass the organization. But I suppose that non-perfect canine behavior is always going to be a risk, and I really wanted to help out in any way that I could, so I accepted the invitation.

Not knowing what to expect in terms of logistics, I asked my son to join us so that I could get his help with the wheelchair. When we arrived inside the PAWS Canine Development Center, as you might expect, there were dogs hanging out in the various offices we went by. Gunther nearly lost his mind with excitement. I tried to get his attention with treats and calm him down, but it was almost as if his memories of this place and all the current smells he was encountering were flooding his senses to the point where he simply couldn’t contain himself. Carrie, the Advancement Director, who had reached out to me about this event, met us in the hallway. She quickly assured us that no PAWS canine graduate in the organization’s history had ever maintained their composure upon re-entering this familiar space. That gave me such a sense of relief because I really didn’t think Gunther was setting a very good example of all his excellent training.

We followed Carrie into a vast open space where all the training occurs. Along with several PAWS staff members, a few dogs were there with their PAWS vests on, ready to give demonstrations for the guests.  But the highlight of the event was a litter of 8-week-old golden retriever puppies that were getting ready to be given to their foster puppy raisers for the next part of their assistance dog journey. I couldn’t imagine any better way to a donor’s heart than by offering playtime and photo ops with these irresistibly cute puffballs.

While Gunther and I were waiting, we got to meet some of the PAWS staff members. I knew how much G dog loves people, but it was amazing to see his reaction when encountering someone he knew. Dr. Jeanne, the Staff Veterinarian, got the most exuberant greeting. Clearly, he remembered her well and was ecstatic to see her. She laughed at his response and said it was simply because he remembered that she would give him a piece of cheese every time she poked him for a vaccination or blood draw. But I could tell that his affection for her was more than just over cheese—her calming, friendly demeanor was an obvious draw.

Once the potential donors were seated (some still holding the puppies), the program began with various staff members talking about their roles in the dogs’ journeys from birth to getting placed with a client. In addition to veterinary care, we learned about the specialized breeding program PAWS has, the important role of the volunteer foster puppy raisers, and the in-depth training process that occurs for each client’s specific needs. One of the staff trainers then demonstrated several tasks that each of the dogs at the event were learning to do. One dog was learning how to pull a laundry basket up a set of stairs. Another dog retrieved various items off the floor and then gently placed each item on a table because the person they were being trained for did not have the dexterity in their hands to get the objects from the dog’s mouth. 

Luckily, by the time the more formal presentations started, Gunther had completely settled down and made himself comfortable by my side. Each time the trainer told a dog to “Take It,” Gunther would move to get up so that he could retrieve the item himself. It gave a few of us a chuckle but clearly demonstrated how eager these dogs are to perform these commands. 

The presentations were all fascinating. I hadn’t realized that PAWS was one of the largest assistance dog organizations in the United States. One of the most surprising things I learned was that each dog from PAWS spends at least 4 months in a special program that uses prison inmates to help with basic training and obedience skills. These are qualified and specially selected inmates who are housed separately from the general prison population and supervised by prison staff and PAWS trainers. It’s a mutually beneficial program where the dog receives 24/7 attention and training, and the participating inmates are given a sense of purpose and learn critical relational and employment skills, such as responsibility, empathy, leadership, and self-discipline. Anybody who’s ever watched an episode of Pitbulls and Parolees will know exactly what I’m talking about.

The event then came full circle with me sharing my experience as a client who has received a service dog from PAWS. I’ve never really feared public speaking, so this is not as stressful for me as it can be for some people. Plus, conveying all the ways that Gunther has brought joy and more independence to my life is something I can easily prattle on and on about. I felt honored that PAWS asked me to do this and was appreciative of the opportunity to show my gratitude. 

Listening to the various staff members share what they do for the organization really puts into perspective how it takes an enormous village to get just one of these dogs into the hands of a person with a disability or a child with autism. And just how expensive it is to pull this off. To raise and train just one dog costs over $35,000. And none of the client recipients have to pay to receive their assistance dogs. I really hoped that my personal story made a difference for the would-be donors who were there that evening.

After the program ended, I got a chance to snuggle with one of the puppies. Can you believe that I have been on this earth for more than half a century and have NEVER held a puppy before??!! What an absolute rush of pure joy. And as I cuddled with this yet-unnamed little guy on my lap, it was thrilling to know that—thanks to all the hard work and dedication from the staff and volunteers at PAWS—he was going to be changing someone’s life down the road just as my beautiful Gunther has for me.

So, for our one-year anniversary together, I decided to do a fundraiser for PAWS to help pay it forward for the next recipient. If you’re on Facebook and want to make a donation, here is a link to the page: https://www.facebook.com/donate/1393711891080119/10228059405297590/ . No gift is too small, so please consider supporting PAWS With A Cause’s work as they enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities through their amazing custom-trained assistance dogs.