The Joys of Airport Security

The other day, Mason and I went to the airport to pick up my friend, Nimer, and his dog, Abbie. Since Nimer and I are both blind, I decided it would be easiest for me to meet him at his gate instead of waiting at baggage claim. Getting a pass to do so was no problem. However, this meant Mason and I got to deal with the new airport security. In the past, I would walk through the mettal detector, have Mason sit behind me, and call him once I was done. His harness would set the detector off, which would result in a pat down. However, since they have new body scanners that are too small for both of us to fit in, we went straight to the pat down. Now, the thing to remember durring this is to keep calm, and keep your dog under control. Although the airport security officer conducting the search may try to get you to have your dog do stuff you wouldn't normally have him or her do, just go along with it. It will make the whole process go by much more smoothly and quickly. Seeing as your dog may be uncomfortable with someone touching you, and him or her, keeping control will put your dog at ease and will let him or her know that everything is okay. Seeing as the security staff is usually in a rush, they usually do not have the gentlest of hands. Therefore, it's not unlikely that they could make dogs feel a little anxious. So to sum everything up, keeping your dog calm and letting the airport security officers do their jobs will make your airport travel much more pleasant.

The Joys of Visual Learning

Lately, I've had to have a talk with 2 of my professors involving different assignments that I needed to complete, but that were too visual for me to do so independently. My history professor wanted us to do an on line geography assignment that involved identifying countries on a map based on a number system. I have news for you people. Yes, my screen reader can read text on my computer screen, but no, my screen reader cannot describe pictures. Therefore, there is no way I could do this assignment on my own. Even if someone helped me with it, they would basically be doing it for me. So, even though I don't reccomend making this a habit, (being blind doesn't make you unable to work) I had to ask for an exhimption. Luckily, my professor was able to grasp the situation, and understood completely. I was planning to offer to do an alternative assignment, but he just told me not to worry about it. Not because of blindness, but because of tipical college laziness, I was happy to hear this.
The other professor was not as easy. This was a psychology class, where we had to learn how to enterpret different graphs and make statistical calculations from them. In this case, I get to spend some extra time in her office before the test going over how to do them. As much as I'm not thrilled with the idea, I'm not going to try to get out of it. Blindness should not give me a right to not put forth an efort. Therefore, I guess I know what I'll be working on for the next couple of weeks.

As Told By Mason (The Trip To Albany)

This weekend, Sam and I went on a road trip. I'm not exactly sure where, but I heard Sam refer to the place as Albany. Anyway, we left on Friday, and arrived at an apartment I'd never been too before. However, Sam seemed to know what we should be doing since he got out a key and let us in. I sniffed around for a while, and recognized the smells. They belonged to Sam's friend Sean, and his black lab, Franklin. We hadnt seen them in a few months, and I spent a while looking for them. After all, if their scents were here, then they must have been here at some point. Finally, Sam took me outside, and there they were! Franklin and I were thrilled to see each other, and got a little too excited.
After a while, Sam and Sean put Franklin and I in our work harnesses, and we went out to enjoy a night on the town. First, we went out to dinner. Unlike the dining hall experiense I described in last week's poast, I was a verry good golden. I lay down next to Sam's chair and slept. However, Franklin was horrible. I guess only a lab would never learn that standing up, laying your head in laps, and drooling will not help you get any food. Later, we went to a few stores, and Sam got me some toys and treats. However, I wanted to take a few extra bags with me. Too bad Sam caught me trying to sneaque them off the shelf. That night, I was delighted to discover a soft sided crate kind of like the one I have at Sam's mom's house. I'm a good dog, and never have to be crated, but I like sleeping in an open one anyway. So, since it seemed more portable then the one I keep at Sam's mom's, and since Franklin doesn't use it, Sam let me bring it home. Basically, the night was perfect accept for one thing. I had to share Sam's attention with Franklin. Basically, that involved having to share my late night and early morning park times with him and Sam gave him his breakfast the same time he gave me mine. Sam claims it's because Sean goes to bed earlier and sleeps later, so he figured he might as well take Franklin out with me since Franklin and I like to start playing in the middle of the night and he wanted to make sure that wouldnt mean we had to go out. However, I still wasn't happy about it. Oh well, I guess I'll forgive him. After all, isn't that part of the duty for us loyal canines?
Yesterday, we went to Sam's baseball game. I had to be tied up next to Sam's dad the whole time. It was hot out, so I used that as an excuse to be far away from him, under the bleachers. The game was pretty uneventful for me, and we went home afterwards. I've spent today napping and thinking about what a fun weekend I had. Of course, I allways have fun with Sam, but I enjoyed getting to see a new town where I had never been before. I wonder where we'll get to go next!

Baseball Tournament

Yesterday, my beep baseball team went to play against a team a few hours from here in Albany Georgia. For those who are unfamiliar with the game, beep baseball is a modified version of baseball for the blind. In the game, the pitcher is sighted, and there is no catcher. The ball beeps so the batter and fielders can hear it at all times. The whole pitcher pitching the ball and batter swinging is the same, accept there are 4 strikes instead of 23. However, there is only 1 base, which means that you are either out or score a home run when you run for it. Also, the base makes a buzzing sound so we can know where to run too. The fielders are not what you would tipically see on a ball field. Because of the size of the ball and the lack of sight, they don't have to catch it in mid air with a glove. Instead, they wait for the ball to hit the ground and find it. Instead of positions, each fielder has a number. When the ball hits the ground, the number it is closest too is called, and that person along with the two people on either side go for the ball while the member of the opposing team runs for the base. Obviously, all the players are blind folded. That's basically how the game works.
Anyway, since my team was playing there yesterday, and I have a friend who lives there, I decided to make a weekend out of it. My friend, Sean, and I went to a few different stores Friday night after he got home from work just to have something to do. Yesterday, we went to the ball field, where I met up with the rest of the team. We didnt winn the game, but I did get the first run for my team, which is what mattered most to me. After the game, I rode back with my dad, (and Mason of course) back to Atlanta. Not a bad way to spend a weekend if I do say so myself. My only regret is that it had to end so soon.

As Told By Mason (Dining Hall Troubles)

Tonight, Sam and I went to my favorite place on campus, the dining hall. We used to go there a lot, but now that we have an apartment, Sam does a lot more cooking at home. So, going to the dining hall has turned in to a real treat for me. However, that also means that I have a little trouble behaving myself. When we got there, I patroled the floor for any forgotten food. I dstill don't know why I got a corection for it. I was just trying to keep perfectly good food from going to waste. That's the problem with humans. They're too wasteful. Anyway, once we got to our table, I did pretty good. However, I wasn't exactly thrilled about staying in a down position next to Sam's chair. You see, our friend, Renee, was there and we absolutely love each other. So, I had to make sure she knew I was there so she could give me all her undivided attention. (This usually works because she's not that great about respecting the rules of the harness.) But other than that, and an incident involving me trying to eat some food off a plate that was sitting on the table next to ours, I was a verry good golden. However, I still don't know why I got in trouble for trying to eat that food. There weren't any humans around it, and us dogs like to have a good meal too. So, because of that, and because Sam hadn't fed me my dinner yet, I was entitled to it. Anyway, Sam says it would be good for us to start going back there more often. I would be excited, but I have a feeling it's only because he wants me to work on my mmanners. Oh well, what do you expect from ignorant humans. I guess I'll just have to improve, (and maybe sneaque a couple bites of food when he's not paying attention. Don't tell.) Untill next time, Mason

Dog Guide Edikit Reminders

The stuff I'm about to write should be common knowledge to the general public. However, it seems to have been slipping the minds of people here at KSU lately. This has to do with how you should act when you happen to run across a dog guide, or any service dog for that matter. It's simple. Don't call out too, reach out and pet, offer food too, block the path of, whistle at, or distract the dog in any way, shape or form. I know what you are thinking. This is common sense. However, people seem to forget that when they see that adoorable face looking at them. However, for the safety of the dog and handler, it is vital that you remember this. So, just consider this to be a friendly little reminder.

Who's the Teacher

Last week, I had a situation with a professor that reminded me that noone is perfect, and some people aren't as aware as others that being blind doesn't make you unable to function as well as anyone else in the world. I was taking a history test, and I found out that we were allowed to use our notes for it. The prof had never mentioned it in class, but I figured he had forgotten. This was kind of annoying since I didnt bring my notes with me. Why would I have? Anyway, I found out later that noone else had been allowed to use them. At first, I was pretty insulted. It seemed kind of messed up that even after meeting me, someone would feel that I didn't have the intelligense it takes to properly prepare and study for a test that everyone else had to take with no extra advantages. However, after thinking it over, I realized this was an oppurtunity to show him that I am just as capable as my classmates. I don't know for sure if he realizes it yet, but I guess we'll find out when the time for our second exam roles around.

Roommates, How To Survive With Them

Well, I guess it's been a while since I've updated this thing. It's been crazy lately with moving to my new apartment, school starting, and everything else that comes along with that. Anyway, there have been some changes with the arrival of my sophomore year of college. The main and most interesting one is the addition of roommates to my life. Last school year, Mason and I lived in a single dorm in the freshmen building. However, once you are no longer a freshmen, the housing options consist of on campus apartments. The nice thing is I went from a small room with an atached bathroom, lofted bed, and microwave, to a living room, full kitchen, laundry room, and a bedroom with a full bath and full sized bed. I guess you could say I moved up in the world. However, my apartment also contains 3 other bedrooms, which each contain another person. So, I've had to learn sever things.
1. First impressions definitely arent everything. I should know this already, but it really shows when you're actually living with a person.
2. Dogs and unexpected house guests make lives interesting. There have been a few times when I've had to rescue a surprised victim from Mason's exhuberent greetings.
3. Expect the unexpected. This ranges from visiters, roommates needing to be let in the apartment at odd hours becaus their key broke (this is where I learned wearing nothing but a bath towle is an interesting fashion statement.) Or, it could be dishes left in the sink or laundry left in the washer.
4. Roommates can be useful. Ask me about the computer that allmost got killed and it will make a lot of sense. Lol.
There are a lot more useful things to learn, but some would take too long to explain on here, and others I'm still learning about. There are many different situations people with roommates find themselves in, but that pretty much sums it up from my prospective so far.

Harness Confusion

Last weekend, just like many other summer nights, I decided to take Mason to the dog park for some much needed exercise. Usually, I walk him in on leash, with just his training collar. I never worked him in since he was there for fun, and all the distractions would have set him up for failure. Anyway, the problem with the training collar is he pulls untill he chokes himself and allmost rips my arm off. So, last weekend, I decided to put him in one of those harnesses you can find at any petstore. It worked since he couldn't pull me or choke himself, but once we got in the park, it had the wrong affect.
I'd left the harness on him since I figured it would be fine, and there wouldnt be something else for me to hang on too. However, since it fits around him in a similar way, I guess he thought it was his working harness. So, instead of running around like he usually does, he spent most of his time sitting by the bench. I guess this is one of those occasions where I need to be careful about sending mixed messages.

Selective Obediense

Last week, the camp I was working at put together a scavenger hunt for the kids. The catch was instead of finding items, they had to find sounds. The goal was to listen for the sounds on a list they were given, and put them on a tape rechorder. Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong.
One of the sounds they had to find was a dog barking. When I heard this one, I figured I'd easily be able to help my group out since Mason loves being vocal every chance he gets. However, when we got outside, I took his harness off, did all the usual things that get him excited, and got no results. We tried it 3 different times, but got nothing. I guessn he enjoys doing the opposite of what he's told. Therefore, since I wanted him to bark for a change, he decided that it wasnt happening. I guess this dog has a mind of his own. Lol.

BELL Camp

For the past 2 weeks, I've been volunteering at a summer camp. I know what you're probably thinking. Big deal, people work at camps all the time. However, what made this camp uneaque was its purpose. In the public school system, if a child is visually impared, and they can manage to get by with print, then they are not taught braille. This is a major problem since some eye conditions are not stable, and straining to read print can be too hard on some people's eyes. So, they should be learning braille. This camp was put together so we could make this possible for them. The camp was named BELL, or Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning. We taught the kids their braille alphebet with a variety of activities and games. Not only did they have fun, but they learned something in the process. I think the most rewarding thing for me was knowing I was helping them to learn things that I was privilaged enough to learn early in life, and they had to wait longer for. Hopefully, if school officials realize how beneficial this is for visually impared students, changes will be made, and camps like this won't be needed. In the meantime, I've enjoyed working there, and am allready looking forward to doing it again next year.

More Fun Gajets

Earlier, I posted some information about some of the gajets I get to play with at my job. Today, I have two more for you, the intell reader and the I-talk. Let's start with the intell reader. The intell reader is a device that has the ability to take a picture of text on a page, and read it back to you. Also, it's possible to store several pages on it, and go back and forth through them. I thought the coolest part was the handy docking station. Sure, it makes it less portable, but it makes it much more simple to scan stuff. I'd say that the best use for this device would be for reading text books, or something you need read to you in a hurry.
The I-talk is a colck that runs off voice commands. The word, "talk" comes in to play not because of the voice control, but because you can rechord voice reminders to use for certain times of the day. I find this handy since it's easy for us to lose track of time, and forget we have something to do or somewhere to be. With the I-talk, you get out of having to constantly keep track of what time it is. All you have to do is rechord your reminder, and chose when you want it to go off. The I-talk will take care of the rest.

The Ins and Outs of Dog Parks

Recently, I've began visiting the dog park with Mason. I figured it would be a good way for him to get some socialization and exercise at the same time. Plus, bringing their dogs to the park creates social oppurtunities for people. Some people are completely against the idea. They say that normally calm and friendly dogs can start fights when put in a large group, and some owners will say that their dog is nice and plays well with others when nothing can be farther from the truth. So, these people feel that it's much safer to keep their dogs far away from those types of settings. However, there is another group of people, which I happen to agree with, that feels that bringing dogs to the park is fine as long as you are responsible, and as long as all the dogs are being closely supervised. This way, if a fight were to break out, you could break it up before anything serious happened. Here is a list of things that will make the park more enjoyable for both you and your dog.
1. Make sure your dog responds to his or her name. This way, if there is an altercation between others in the area, you can get him or her to come to you before he or she gets involved and possibly injurred.
2. Don't bring any toys with you. For one thing, some dogs can become protective over them, and it's allways good to prevent a fight. For another, you probably wont get them back. So, it's better to just leave them at home.
3. Pick up after your dog. Noone wants to step in or have to clean up after your dog. For a blind person, this could be difficult, which is why I allways have someone with me.
4. Watch your dog, and pay attention to what is going on around you. This way, you can prevent a possible fight between your dog and others at the park.
5. If your dog has any issue with other dogs, leave him or her at home. It makes things a lot easier on you and everyone else.
6. Make sure your dog has all its shots. Even with the best intentions, having a large group of dogs together can spread disease if your dog isn't fully vacsinated.
If all of the tips above are followed, then the park can be enjoyable for both you and your dog.

Out to the Moovies

Last night, Mason went to his first moovie theater. Taking dog guides to the moovies has allways been a debated topic. On one hand, some handlers don't have a problem with it. They feel that if their dogs go everywhere else with them, then they might as well go see a moovie too. However, there are a couple of things to consider. For one thing, due to the fact that us humans aren't allways the cleanest creatures, the floor could be sticky, or there could be food that a dog might find to snack on. Also, the loud sounds are a concern for some dog human teams.
Dispite all of this, I decided that it wouldnt hurt to give the moovies with Mason a try. At first, he was a little excited. I think it was all the food smells and people that got his attention. However, after I got him in the rowe by my feet, made sure the floor was clean enough for him to lay on, and petted him for a while, he went right to sleep. So, even though I know some dogs may not do well in a setting like that, I'd say it was a success for us.

The Art of Determination

Last night, Mom and I took both the dogs for a walk around the neighborhood. I decided to let Mason have a break, and walk with just a leash and no harness since I know the route well. About half way through the walk, he tried to go in to the grass. I knew what he was going to do, and even though he wasnt working, I didnt want him to do it. I was trying to avoid having to carry the smelly bag for the rest of the walk. However, Mason decided that he was going to go whether I liked it or not. He made one last pull towards the grass. Once he was there, he lay down, stuck his tail up, and went. I had no idea that a dog could go in that position, but apparently he can. I guess he was trying to show me that he has enough determination to do what he wants when he chooses to do so.

Dogs and Dating

Something I've been thinking about lately is whether your love life and your dog life should mix. There are several different answers to this. For the dog handlers, some would say that yes, their dog would definitely accompany them on dates. Others meanwhile might feel that certain things, such as holding hands when walking, would be hendered by bringing doggie along. As for the other half of the couple, the answer may be just as difficult. Some may be real dog lovers and would love having a dog along, while others might feel that their dates are focusing on the dog and not them. Here's how I like to do things. On a first date with a person, Mason would probably stay behind. This way, I can focus all my attention on her, and scope out what kind of person she is when it comes to things such as how me having Mason along would be for her. After the first date, I'd allow him to come. By then, any person who actually cares about who I am will realize that there may be times when I need to stop and address a situation with him, and realize that I'm not ignoring her on purpose. Everyone is different. Some may never bring a dog on a date, while others would allways bring their 4 legged friends. In the end, it's up to the handler to decide. If your date really cares about you, then he or she will respect whatever decision you make in this department.

At Home Grooming

For most of the time I've had him, I've been taking Mason to a groomer once every month or two to get a bath, get his nails trimmed, and get whatever other hygeen needs he has taken care of. However, last month, that all changed. I started thinking about it, and after much deliberation, I decided to start grooming him myself.
There are several pros and cons to going to a groomer, all of which I considered when I made this decision. The pros are, it's convenient for the owner since you just drop them off and pick them up and the groomer handles everything, so you dont have to make sure you clean their ears or trim their nails often enough. However, when going to the groomer, dogs can become fearful and exhibit signs such as shaking, whining, an unwillingness to leave their master, or in some cases, aggression. The aggression is usually a last resort, but some dogs learn that it gets strange people away from them rather quickly. Also, professional groomers can be expensive, and your dog can't allways get bathed at your conveeniense.
However, there are pros and cons to doing it yourself too. When bathing your dog at home, you can do it whenever you want, you save money, and your dog is less stressed out. However, it can be time consuming, you have to remember not to neglect things such as ears and nails, and it creates more work for you.
However, after thinking through all of this, I decided that I'd rather have more money in my pocket, and a happy dog. Sure, I know there is a little more work involved, but once you get used to it, it's not that bad. Luckily, Mason's nails aren't a problem since he grinds them down on the sidewalk. However, since he is a golden, his ears do need some extra attention. However, I think he still prefers me to unexpectedly corner him and quickly squirt the cleaner in to them over sitting for hours in a cage in a strange place with strange people, waiting his turn to get groomed. But in the end, each person's situation is different, and it's up to you to decide what works best for you and your dog.

Everyone's Favorite Gadgets

First off, I want to dedicate this poste to Anneliese. She's the one who enspired me to write it, so she deserves all the credit. Anhyway, last week, I started working downtown at the store operated by the Center for the Visually Impaired. I've been working with the different technical devices they sell. Let me tell you, with their selection, you will never suffer from boardum. When it comes to devices for totals, they mainly work with companies like Humanware and Levelstar. When it comes to some of their devices for people with low vision, they work with a few other businesses. However, since I don't work with those items, I have no clue who they are.
Let me start off with the stuff I was working with. I got to play around with the Victor Reader Stream, the Trekker Breeze, the Idee Mate, and the Icon. The Stream is a tiny machine about the size as a deck of cards. Basically, it's a book-mp3 player for the blind. The coolest part is it holds all its data on an SD card, like the one you would use for a camera. The 2 great things about this are, you have an unlimited amount of memory, and the cards are easy to find. The trekker breeze is a type of GPS. However, it doesn't lay out the whole route for you. Basically, it just tells you when you've reached a landmark that you've previously rechorded in to it. I don't know why people find it useful, but I guess some do. The Idee Mate is a device used for scanning bar codes on different foods, books, and games. It reads all of the information to you, and allows you to rechord additional information about the item. Also, it comes with lables with bar codes that you can attach to your clothes and file folders. This way, you can tell what color shirt you're wearing, or what file you just put a paper in. The Icon is basically a PDA. You can either write in it by texting, or you can get a docking station for it. It has a calendar, a journal, and a voice rechorder. Also, you can use it to play digital books.
Along with the items above, the Center sells a variety of CC TV's and magnifiers. As you may havde allready figured out, we're coming out with more and more technical devices for the blind every day. Who knows what people will think of next.

First Day On the Job

Today, I started some volunteer work at the Center for the Visually Impaired in downtown Atlanta. Basically, I work with the technology they sell in their store. A lot of people who buy the stuff either don't have the time or patients to read the instruction manuals that come with the things they buy, or they may simply learn better from an actual person instead of a book. So, when people like that buy something from the center, I'm one of the people who will be working with them. Anyway, for today, they wanted me to just take a look at the devices they have, and get familiar with the ones I don't normally use. The trick was that I was sitting at a long table that didnt have room to fit a dog under it, or a corner to tie him too. Therefore, I was wondering how my social retriever would handle this arrangement. It turned out that I had nothing to worry about. Instead of constantly looking for people the way he normally does, he spent most of the time sleeping. I guess he figured that since he was in plain sight, everyone who wanted to could admire him without him having to make his presence known. Hopefully, this behavior will continue when I start showing customers around the store. I'll keep you posted.

The Art of Bonding

I got the idea for this poste from my fellow TSE classmate, fellow blogger, and good friend, Anneliese. Thanks for the great idea. Anyway, a year ago yesterday, I met Mason for the first time. I must say that he is a completely different dog from the withdrawn, unaffectionate, and stubbern monster I met that day at TSE. When I first got him, he decided right off that I was not his master, and was therefore not important enough to listen too. He demonstrated this by trying to yank my arm off with the leash, deliberately making noise at night since he knew that would make me get up and not sleep, and leading me off every curb we came in contact with that first week. However, I also noticed a lack of trust. This was noticeable because of the way he ignored my presence when we were just hanging out. But, the most interesting behavior he had was making absolutely no noise and showing absolutely no excitement whenever the other dogs would do so. It was allmost as if he was in his own little world, and noone else was a part of it. However, he is completely transformed from the dog he used to be. Now, he is completely attentive, traveling with absolute obediense, which keeps us both safe. Also, he sleeps through the night without a problem, sometimes not getting up untill he hears me get the leash for his morning park time, and I find myself receving countless kisses. But, the most interesting transformation took place when he went from the quiet dog that would ignore everything around him, to the constantly curious dog who is constantly finding something to be vocal about. Whether it be someone walking in the front door, someone walking in the room, or just because it seems like a fun random thing to do, he allways approaches someone with a toy or bone in his mouth and makes a noise between a bark, a growel, and a whine. Durring all of this, his tail is going a million miles a minute as if he's saying, "Okay people, I'm here. You can stop whatever you're doing and give me all your attention.
However, I'd have to say that the most satisfying feeling came when we were at my beep baseball games. I realized how much we'd bonded when I was out in the field, and he turned in to that monster I remember from the first day at TSE. However, once I was back with him in the bleachers, he lay by my feet contentedly as if he'd been behaving like that the whole time. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that the most rewarding things in life usually take time. No matter how hopeless things may seem, they can turn around with plenty of patients and persistance.

The Ignoranse Of Humans

Yesterday, I went to church, just like any other Sunday. When we got there, Mason and I spent the first few minutes socializing in the lobby. At one point, a woman came over and started talking to Mason, something you should absolutely never do when a dog is working. However, just like any other social animal, Mason pulled toward her, and soon receved a quick leash corection. "Don't do that," the woman scolded.
Now, I can be pretty patient with people when it comes to not knowing to leave Mason alone when he's working, or when it comes to asking questions. However, one thing I refuse to put up with is people who don't know anything about how to properly train a dog, and have the knerve to tell me how to take care of mine. Anyway, I began to explain that Mason wheres a martingale collar, which is made to give a firm but harmless corection. However, she had no interest in listening. Instead, she interrupted me and said, "I have a friend who trains dogs, and I don't think people should treat them like that."
By now, I was pretty confused. I mean, any person who has been around someone who trains dogs should know that giving a leash corection is far from being abusive. However, she still wasn't interested in hearing what I had to say, and ended up just walking off in a huff. Anyway, my point by posting this is that the public should be willing to listen and allow themselves to be educated if they're going to confront handlers about how they handle their dogs. However, we as handlers should also be willing to listen and remain calm. Getting angry and yelling back at people won't do anything to improve the situation. I think there is a lesson for everyone in this.

Escape Artist

Lately, Mason has been perfecting his skills as an escape artist. I first noticed this yesterday. We were in Petsmart getting him a new collar. I had put it over his head, and was adjusting it to see if it fit him. Then, I hooked his leash to it, to make sure the weight of the leash didnt affect its ability to give a good corection. I've learned in the past that if a collar is light weight, the leash can sometimes make it tighten before you give a corection. Anyway, once I was done adjusting it, I unclipped Mason's leash and took the collar off. However, I'd neglected to reclip the leash to his old collar, and he made a break for it. Luckily, I caught him before he got too far.
His second try took place this morning at my beep baseball game. I'd leashed him to the bench, and was out on the field batting. I came back to discover that Mason had managed to break his leash. I guess he figured he would get to play ball with us, but all he got was more close supervision from the people sitting in the stands. However, he didnt seem to mind. I guess he's been going through this phase lately to remind me how unpredictable and exciting life with a dog guide can be, and how careful I need to be about not making a slip up. After all, if that were to happen in a certain setting, it could make things pretty dangerous for everyone involved.

Don't Let Your Guard Down

Yesterday, nothing much was happening when the UPS truck came by our house. I was up in my room when the woman delivering the packages left one on our doorstep. When I went down to get it, I made sure the door was mostly shut, but I didn't shut it enough for it to actually click in to place. I figured that since I was just going to get the box off the porch, and Mason was good about not door dashing, it would be fine. However, right as I was getting the box, that's exactly what he did.
He pushed the door open, and was off the porch before I realized what happened. Luckily, I managed to get the door shut before our other dog, Scout, who loves to door dash, followed Mason's lead. At this point, Mason found the UPS worker, who was in the process of getting back in to her truck. He proceeded to give her the greeting he gives to all of our house guests. This consists of jumping on the person, grabbing his or her shirt sleve in his mouth like it's a toy, and getting verry vocal. Also, if it happens to be a woman with a purse, he'll usually attempt to take it from her shoulder.
Anyway, I went down the driveway, and got him off her before he got too excited, and I managed to get both him and the package I'd just gone through all that trouble for in to the house. Luckily, this person was extremely understanding. However, that's not allways the case. Sometimes, if people see a dog racing towards them, they may panic and end up injurring the dog before putting any thought in to it. Also, there are plenty of other dangers involved with our 4 legged friends escaping from our homes. Therefore, I'd have to say that the lesson I learned from this is to never let your guard down. You could regret it in the end.

Behaviors to Ignore

Recently, I joined a beep baseball league. It's basically like regular baseball, but the ball and the bases make sounds. Anyway, durring the games, I usually leave Mason tied to the bleachers. The problem was he didnt like the fact I was running after a ball and doing everything else you do in a game. He showed this by whining, barking, and basically being as loud as he could be. A friend of mine said she usually interrupts whatever she's doing, and corrects her dog for this type of behavior. However, I couldnt exactly stop in the middle of batting or catching the ball, or running the bases to correct what Mason was doing. Besides, I figured that going to him would be like a reward. So, I decided to just ignore him. After a while, Mason realized that all his barking was doing was making him hot and tired, and not getting him any of the attention he wanted. So, he quit. I guess that goes to show that there is more than one way to train a dog. Just like us, they all have different ways of learning that work better for them as individuals.

Dog Distractions

The other day, Mason and I were walking across campus, on our way back from the dining hall, when we got an unexpected surprise. At first, everything was going normally. Then, a woman walked by with her dog. Some staff members, I forget their actuual titles, have to live in the dorms. They're not R.A.s but the people above them. Anyway, since they have to live there, they are allowed to have their pets. Therefore, a couple of small dogs reside on our campus. Anyway, one of these people walked by with her dog feeling pretty secure in her arms. The first clue I got that a dog was there was when he decided to lunge at Mason. Surprisingly, he didn't react. In training, he was easily distracted by other dogs, and that's an issue we've still been working on. Therefore, you can imagine how pleased I was when he completely ignored this one. It's nice to know that even when some people don't control their animals, yours can be depended on to behave.

The Annoying Yet Important Details People Leave Out

Recently, I found out some troubling news concerning my lease. When I first decided to rent the dorm, I was told that I had to sign a full 12 month lease, and there were no other options. I wasn't totally thrilled about it, but I figured that at least that meant I would have access to it all year, and could move my stuff out at a slow pace over the summer. I guess their goal with this is to encourage people to take summer classes. However, that was never an option for me due to finantial issues and not having the desire to spend my last summers as a student on a deserted campus with no public transportation and classes only 2 days a week. Anyway, I recently discovered that if students are not taking summer classes, and if they are not staying in the same room next year, they have to vacate their dorms by the end of spring semester. The stupid part here is that I'm paying to have the room all summer, and they're not going to be renting them out again untill next fall. Therefore, you wouldn't think it would matter if we moved out right away or not. What really gets me is that I would not have found any of this out if it wasn't for a chance encounter with someone who happened to mention it. If that hadn't happened, I definitely would have found myself in an interesting situation in May, especially since none of this was mentioned in the paper work.

Respecting Boundaries

This week, my friend, Sean, and his guide dog, Franklin, have been visiting me and Mason. Since my dorm is extremely tiny, we decided to do obediense and play with the dogs in the hallway. I have a friend who does this with her dog, and I figured there wouldn't be any issues. However, I was just informed that we have to stop. My RA was verry nice about it, but hhe said that service animals who were out in the hall had to be on some type of leash or harness at all times. The annoying thing is that this suveerly limits the obediense you can do with a dog. Sure, you can get the dog to sit, lay down, and heal, but you can't get the dog to stay in a certain spot, come when called, or heal off leash. Therefore, since the on leash commands are used constantly anyway, obediense is completely pointless. I realize that there are people who are not confortable around dogs, but we live here too and should have the same rights to the building as everyone else does. Besides, if approaching people is the issue for why service animals can't run free, how are they supposed to learn not to do it if they're nog given a chance to learn?

Update On the Dining Hall Situation

You may have read the poste I made earlier about how difficult it can be to navigate around the dining hall. Well, it turns out that I wasn't completely right. Our dining hall has a to go station. I'd never thought to use it before, so I thought I'd give it a try tonight. It turns out that the people working there are more able to help us out than the ones who work in the regular area. The lady behind the counter explained what food was offered, and helped me get everything together. True, it isn't total independense and I cant sit down and eat there. But, at least it's a step in the right direction.

Scout Meeting

Last night, I took Mason to a cub scout troop to show him off to the kids and explain what it is like to be a blind person using a dog guide. Everyone, including Mason, had a great time. The kids had a lot of interesting questions for me, and were as about as atentive as fourth graders could be. Not only was it a good time to make people aware of what dog guides do, but it was also a great oppurtunity to work on Mason's obediense in a real life situation. At the end of our presentation, I removed his harness so everyone could have a chance to pet him. The trick was that he had to sit for it. This is quite a challenge for an excitable retriever, but he managed to pull it off. I'm hoping to do more of these types of activities in the future. After all, the more we make people aware of the importanse of service dogs and the respect they need, the less access deneyle and personal space issues we as service dog handlers will have.

The Importanse of Technology

Last week, I realized once again how much technology really means to a college student. For some reason, we've been getting snow, which allmost never happens in Georgia. Anyway, that was happening on Tuesday, and I really didnt feel like going to class in it. However, thanks to email, I found out that class had been canseled since my prof was sick. You see, without email, there would have been no way to tell us that. This would have a bunch of annoyed students to make a trip through the snow for nothing. However, a lot of blind people think that technology isn't necesary, and I used to be one of them.
Back in highschool, I didn't have much use for the internet. We had the occasional research paper, but I usually just got someone to look stuff up for me so I could do the assignment. However, I sooned figured out that this would not fly in college. So, I had to buckle down and learn how to use it. Now, I've opened upn a whole new world for myself. Not only have I mastered email and research, but I've been able to access other social networks such as facebook and this blog sight. I say this because I know there are a lot of blind people like me who have never had a desire to master technology. If anything, I hope this poste reaches at least one person and helps him or her realize the necesity of it before it's too late. Believe me, trying to juggle a full load of courses plus mastering the computer at the same time is something you want to avoid if at all possible.

Eat Your Vegetables

One of the things the vet told me to do was to supliment some of Mason's food with greenbeans. He said that it would fill him up without giving him the extra calories. At first, I wasnt sure if he would eat them. After all, dogs and vegetables don't exactly mix. However, I was soon proven wrong.
When I gave Mason his dinner, I usually make him lay down acroos the room untill I tell him to take it. Usually, this isn't a problem. However, now that greenbeans are part of the meal, it's a bit more of a struggle. One time, I got his dinner together, and was putting it down for him. When I told him he could take it, he ran across the dorm so fast that he knocked his harness off of the bathroom door. I guess the differense between him and most little kids is that I don't have to worry about reminding him to eat his vegetables. Lol.

Dining Hall Dependense

There are 2 problems with our dining hall. First off, the serving lines are not blind friendly. The food is set out on racks, and we are supposed to just grabb plates and serve ourselves. Even if I could get a staff member to help me get food, they're not allways right behind the counter, and it's not their job. Also, instead of being able to get a trey, you have to get several plates. This is a problem if you are a blind person eating alone. For one thing, you cant carry more than one plate with one hand. I know most people can carry several at once, but Mason allready occupies my left arm. You could just go back and get more food, but a plate doesn't hold verry much. So, you would spend most of your meal at the food counters.
Most people might ask why I bother to write about this. It may not seem like a big deal, but to an independent blind person who wishes to live like any other college student, it is. Sure, I have friends who are more than willing to help out, but it's the principle of the thing. For one thing, if they have to get their own food, then there should be a way for me to do the same. As things are now, it's difficult to go to the dining hall alone, and that's is something I've had to do in the past. If anything, I hope that if someone is reading this blog that has a job involving designing these types of facilities, I'd urge you to keep things like this in mind.

New Blog Ideas

So today, I got to thinking about something Mom said. I know what you're probably thinking. Me thinking is definitely something to worry about. Anyway, Mom mentioned that it might be interesting to create another blog and write every day about how it is to be a blind person in college. So, because of that and because of all the questions I get from people, I decided to give it a try. However, I decided that creating a whole new blog was necesary. I have a perfectly good one right. I know I originally created it to educate people on life with a dog guide. However, there's nothing wrong with killing 2 birds with 1 stone. Besides, most of the people I created this blog to reach were people close to my age who could probably relate to me, and this would also be a big part of their lives. So, get ready for some more interesting posts that will hopefully capture your interest because here they come.

Expect the Unexpected

Tonight, Mason and I went to see a presentation for one of my classes. For a while, everything was fine. I was enjoying the presentation, and Mason was asleep by my feet. Then, I heard that all too familiar noise. That gagging noise dogs make just as they are about to, you guessed it, throw up. Up came Mason's dinner along witnh some grass he must have eaten earlier. Needless to say, it was a little embarrasing. Luckily, I had a plastic bag on me, and the mess was pretty easy to get up without many people noticing. If anything can be learned from this experiense, it's to expect the unexpected. Even though you might think your dog would do something like that in a public place, he probably will. Trust me, I've learned this from experiense. It's just another one of those things in life that you deal with and latter forget about. Though it can be embarrasing, there are much worse things that could happen. So, you just let life go on and don't allow incidents like that get to you. It definitely won't be the last time something like that happens.

Vet Visit

Today, I took Mason for his first vet visit since I brought him home from TSE. Over all, he did good. Of course, he was interested in all the interesting smells, and the other patients he saw. But, at least hhe seemed to be fine with being poked by needles and examined. However, we have some work to do. I was shocked to discover that he has gained 18 pounds since coming home. So, I guess that means more walks, less treats, and a more closely watched diet. Also, I think things will improve next year when I have an apartment instead of just a single dorm room. Then, we'll have a lot more room for him to play games and burn off some of that energy and weight. However, his health is good, and the vet said that other than needing to lose some weight, he is perfect.
One thing people dont think about when taking a service dog to the vet is discounts. Some hospitals have discounts for service or rescue animals. It definitely never hurts to ask. You'd be surprised about how much you can save.

Mason the Snowdog

This weekend, we've been getting some snow. It's rare for Georgia, so we've all been enjoying it. However, I found out that noone loves it as much as Mason. On Friday, I let him out in the snow for the first time. I wasn't sure how he would react, and for a second, he didn't seem to know what to do. However, once he knew what it was, he was off. For about 5 or 10 minutes, Mason ran and slid through the yard, snacked on some snow, and had a great time. It was allmost like he was at some sort of doggie amusement park. I hadn't seen him so excited about our yard since the first week I brought him home from TSE. Ever since that Friday afternoon, this has been his ritual whenever I let him outside. In fact, he has been going out even if he doesn't have to park just so he can play in the snow. I have a feeling that when it all melts, I will have a sad puppy on my hands.

Undesired Behaviors

Yesterday, I went to a GDUI or Guide Dog Users Incorperated, meeting. Basically, it's a group of dog guide handlers and puppy raisers who meet from time to time and discuss things such as access laws and the issues they bring about, training for our 4 legged friends, and health tips. We had a room full of dog guides along with some cute puppies in training. Mason did well with all the distractions. However, some of the other dogs had some issues I'm glad we don't have to ddeal with. Some of these included, jumping, whining, refusing to sit or lay down, begging at meal times, and many others. The interesting thing was that the puppies behaved better than some of the adult dogs. This reminded me of how important it is to be consistant with Mason, and the great results I get from doing so. For those who let their dogs do whatever they please, it will come back to get them in the end. In fact, certain behaviors stemming from this could affect the length of the dog's career. So, no matter how hard it can be, be consistant and set boundaries for your furry friends. In the end, you'll be glad you did.

The Truth About Choke Chains

Yesterday, some friends and I were eating lunch in the dining hall at school. When we were leaving, Mason went for some food on the ground, and I had to give him a leash correction. "You're being mean to him," my friend, Erica, said.
No matter how hard I tried to explain, she still thought that correctijng Mason was cruel. However, what we might think is painful isn't that noticable to a dog. Dogs have 7 times the muscle strength in their necks than we do. So, what might look like a harmful jerk of the choke chain only feels like someone flicking your shirt sleve to them. It's just enough to get their attention, but not enough to hurt them. Nevertheless, people still think it is cruel to give a dog a leash correction. However, if you see this happening, remember that it's not cruel, it's just a harmless but effective form of training.

A Lesson On Stubbernness

This week, Mason moved back to the dorm. I brought his peg dish, mentioned in an earlier poste, with us. Yesterday, I poured his food and put it down for him. However, he wasn't interested. Since it is on a stand with his water, his old dish is still here. So, I moved the food to it. This way, I'd know if Mason didn't like the new dish, or if he just wasn't hungry. It turned out that he just didn't like the dish.
Later, I was on the phone with my friend, Anneliese, and we were discussing Mason's eating situation. She reminded me of the fact that just because our dogs want something doesn't mean we should just give in to them. If we did, then they would end up walking up walking all over us. So, when I got up this morning, I decided that I was in charge, not Mason.
This morning, I put Mason's breakfast in the new dish, and put it down for him. Like yesterday, he didn't touch it. So, I left it as it was. Before we left for class, I dumped it out so I could keep track of whether or not he had eaten. So, he got no breakfast, and that seemed surprisingly all right with him.
This afternoon, I served Mason his dinner. At first, I thought we were going to have the same result. However, after a few minutes, he began eating. In the end, he finished every bite. It just goes to show you that persistence pays off every time.

Too Much Attention

Today, Mason and I started our second semester of college. When we went to our first class, sciense, everything seemed pretty routeen. Then, I got a shock. The profesor came up to the front of the class, introduced himself, and said, "We have someone special in our class. His name is Mason and he is a guide dog."
I'm sure many people following this blog wouldn't think that's such a big deal. However, it is. One of the worst things you can do to a dog guide team is draw attention to its members. The less attention they get from people, the easier it is for them to function officiently. For example, after the profesor made it known that Mason was in the room, I got several requests to pet him. When it comes to that, I can politely tell them that he is working. However, some people will just try to pet a service dog without permission, which can cause major problems. Basically, the lesson here is that if you see someone with a service animal, ignore the dog. As cute as the dogs are, it just makes life easier for them if they are left alone.

Too Many Choices

Today, I was at work, and nothing much was going on. I work at my dad's office, so I see a lot of him and his girl friend when I'm there. Today, Dad's girl friend had been out running errands, and I guess one of her stops on the way to the office was the pet store. She came in with 2 stuffed animals. Both were hedgehogs. One of them was pink with a boe, and the other was blue with a tie. She was going to give 1 to Mason, and let a coworker take the other 1 home to her dofg. Since he was there, she decided it would be funny to let Mason pick his out. When she held them both down in front of him, he looked at both of them, and turned his gaze towards her. It was allmost as if he were saying, "Let me have both. Please, please, please.
In the end, she ended up only getting the pink one, which he seemed happy with. However, I think he still would not have minded bringing them both home with him. Like a lot of little kids, I guess Mason is still learning the concept of sharing.

No Breakfast Today

This morning, when I went to take a shower, I had to put Mason on my aunt's enclosed pateo. Since a lot of people were sleeping in the living room, and he is extremely social, I figured it would be better if he ate his breakfast out there. Normally, he can't inhale the food fast enough. However, he decided that since I wasn't watching him eat, he wasn't interested in doing it. Then, once I was done with my shower and came out, he decided to pout. Since I hadn't watched him eat in the first place, he wasn't going to do it at all. It just goes to show you that a dog is allways full of surprises.

Doughnut Feast

This week, I've been visiting family in North Carolina. The other day, we went to run some erands. Since it involved a lot of just sitting in the car, I decided to leave Mason at home with my cousins' boxer, Gabbie. When we returned, there was a surprise waiting for us. Betwen the 2 of them, the dogs had eaten half a box of doughnuts. I guess you could say Mason is an oppurtunist. If the food is sitting out and noone is watching, then it must be for him.