Going Home for the Holidays

Traveling at the holidays means lots of kids are in the airport and I love to hear the education that happens when they encounter Morey. Some of them will say “I see a working dog!” and know they can’t pet him. Younger kids often don’t know why a dog is in the airport and as we go by we hear the start of a conversation about service dogs. Adults often recognize that they aren’t supposed to pet service dogs, but many of them still ask. I have gotten more strict about Morey’s petting rules, especially when he is wearing his pulling harness. There are so many distractions in the airport and I want his attention focused on me. I always notice lots of smiles as we go by.

There are also more dogs traveling around the holidays. Leaving Austin we encountered 3 dogs out in the relief area and then in D.C. we walked past several in the terminal-two of them were other service dogs or service dogs in training. Morey got a little excited and let out some small whines and woofs, but I was able to redirect him and keep going. Maybe he was just wishing his canine colleagues a very Merry Christmas!

 

Airport Adventures Part 2

Getting on our second plan to Indy was an adventure in itself! There was no jetbridge to get on the plane, only a staircase. That obviously doesn’t work too well for me so they brought over a giant ramp to push me up. Imagine a ramp that goes high enough to reach a plane. It was narrow and very steep so I had to sit on the aisle chair (a narrow chair with small wheels on the bottom that they strap you to and then can push you down the narrow plane aisle) and have one man push from the front and another pull up backwards all the way up the ramp. Not the most enjoyable experience, especially considering that it was 30 degrees and windy outside. One of the men helping me asked how Morey was going to come up. I explained that he could walk up behind the man pushing me, following us up to the plane. Not my favorite option, but better than leaving him on a down stay at the bottom while planes and carts are driving all around.

Morey tends to get concerned when I am on the aisle chair with people moving me around. He eagerly followed me up the ramp, although he caused a little confusion when he wanted to walk directly in front of me which didn’t leave the man pushing me much work to move. With every step Morey took he realized we were getting higher and higher and he kept looking down. I was very thankful when we all reached the top safely and were settled in our seats. Traveling is always an adventure and from now on I will be more thankful for jet bridges!

Airport Adventures

On our way home for Christmas, we flew through Washington Dulles Airport in Washington D.C. This was the first time we had flown through this airport and Morey and I were very excited to learn they had a service animal relief area inside the secured area. Airports are now required to offer these areas, but so far all of them I have found require you to go out of security to get to them. Most of the time my layovers aren’t long enough to go out and then back through security. This area was a small room with astroturf on the floor, complete with a fake fire hydrant. Morey eagerly “hurried” on the astroturf and then enjoyed sniffing around the rest of the area. I then felt much better on the remainder of our trip because I knew Morey was more comfortable and not being asked to “hold it” for our almost 10 hour trip.

 

In a separate area there was an open litterbox for cats (I can’t imagine a cat actually using it, but I suppose canine/feline equality is important).

Helping Around the House

The other day I was sorting mail on the kitchen table when an empty envelope fell on the floor. I wasn’t too concerned about it and just left it there as I continued to read the contents. Morey happened to be walking by as it fell and without any instruction, he picked it up and handed it to me.

 I gratefully accepted the paper and he wagged his tail and then went about his business (which turned out to be looking for his bone that had gotten pushed under a coffe table).  Normally I don’t encourage him to retrieve objects without being asked-there may be times when it is dangerous for him to pick up theobject and I always want him to wait for instruction before deciding to set out to help on his own. Even when technically “off duty”, Morey is always willing to lend a helping paw (or maybe mouth is more accurate). I think I’ll keep him around! J

Morey goes to the Opthamologist

I know Morey almost as well as I know myself. I know his quirks, his habits, likes and dislikes, what is normal and what is not normal. As my partner, it is my job and responsibility to make sure he is happy and healthy and to notice when he is not.

In September I noticed a small spot on his right eye. It looked reflective and a little cloudy and at first I thought nothing of it, but I made a note to keep an eye on it. It didn’t seem to affect his vision or cause any pain but after a few months it was still there. Because my first service dog, Jessie, had to retire early because of medical issue, I may be a little more attuned to Morey's health. When we were home for Thanksgiving I asked if Jamie Young, Morey’s breeder, would be willing to look at it. She graciously agreed and then encouraged me to have him checked by a canine opthamologist. She gave me a referral for one in Austin and I called to set up an appointment, hoping to find out it is nothing to worry about.

Morey was all wags and “doggie smiles” at the clinic until the vet tech put her rubber gloves on. Then he came and tried to retreat behind my chair. It was clear he wasn’t happy about what was happening, but he allowed the vet tech to maneuver him into position while she put drops in to dilate his eyes so the vet could examine them. She also put in drops to test his duct passage ways and warned me it would start coming out green around his eyes and nose. I was glad she warned me because it was a very unnatural color to be coming out of my dog! She also stuck small plastic strips inside his eyelid to measure his tear duct production. It looked horribly uncomfortable and Morey kept blinking and squinting his eyes but remained calm and still the entire time.

 

When it was time for the vet to examine him, she turned off the lights and put on her headgear with all her lights and scopes and mirrors. It is always a little unsettling for me when I go to the eye dr and have all that equipment right in my face and I can only imagine what that experience is like for a dog. A vet tech was holding Morey and she expressed appreciation for how accepting and calm Morey is. She related stories of having to hold small dogs who are squirming all around-made especially difficult in the dark because you can’t see the teeth or claws coming! Yikes! Morey was a model patient and was a gentleman throughout the entire exam.

 

The diagnosis is corneal dystrophy, which thankfully sounds worse than it is. The spot, as best I can understand it, is a lipid/fat deposit. It is doesn’t affect his vision and doesn’t cause pain. There isn’t really any treatment and the vet just advised me to keep an eye on it to make sure it isn’t growing/changing. She recommended a low-fat diet if it seems to be getting worse. I was very relieved to have this news and glad it is nothing that will cause pain or affect his working life.

The vet commended me for noticing the spot, because it is fairly small. For me, it was an example of how connected I am to Morey-enough to recognize even the smallest change.

When we were checking out, the receptionist asked if we needed to schedule a follow up visit. The vet tech who was standing nearby said “no, unfortunately not”. I laughed and said “I consider that a good thing!” She explained that she wanted a chance to see Morey again and I assured her that we would be happy to stop by for a visit sometime. He charmed everyone on the clinic and even I don’t think I have ever been more proud of Morey.

Every time Morey experiences something new and strange and reacts with poise and acceptance, I am thankful for all the handlers and volunteers who played a role in socializing him into a confident and calm working dog no matter what unique circumstances he encounters. He truly is one amazing dog!

When we left the clinic, Morey was squinting because his eyes were dilated. I forgot to bring him sunglasses to wear, so just let him rest quietly at home the rest of the day. By the next day he was fully recovered and ready to get back to work.

Morey, Get the Bags!

One task I have been using more often is having Morey carry bags for me. He does it very proudly and will carry for long distances. I can only carry so much on my lap and his help means I can make fewer trips in and out, or means that I don’t need help carrying my things. I was recently Christmas shopping and left the store with a bag that was bulky, but not heavy. It would stay on my lap and I kept having to stop and readjust before it fell. After several times of this I realized that Morey could help me out. I gave him the bag and he willingly carried it the 3 blocks back to my Mazda.

He has also carried my food bag when I travel. I carry my suitcase on my lap and if I buy food that comes in a bag it tends to slide around and fall off if I try to balance it on top of my suitcase. Faced with this dilemma, I simply handed Morey the paperbag and off we went through the airport. The only problem was that his wet mouth dissolved the paper bag and so it ripped and dropped out of his mouth. Without needing a cue, he picked it up with a better grip and we were on the way again. Even though I didn’t share the food inside, I did make sure that he got a treat of his own for his effort!

Airplane Argument

On one of our recent flights, Morey and I had an interesting encounter with a flight attendant. I was sitting in a bulkhead seat and Morey was laying at my feet and also taking up part of the foot space of the seat next to me. My seatmate came and acknowledged us, I gave my spiel about please letting me know if I needed to ask Morey to move and we settled down for the flight. Before we took off the flight attendance came over and told me I needed to move my dog. “Where do you want me to move him? I asked, not sure what the concern was. “He is taking up this passenger’s space and that is not acceptable. You are only entitled to the space at your feet.” The only possible way to make that happen was to have Morey sit for the duration of the flight; something not likely to happen. I looked at the flight attendant and replied (with perhaps a touch of sarcasm-it had been a long day already) “Well, I can’t exactly make him shrink so what am I supposed to do?”

He turned to my seatmate and said “We will try to re-seat you. Just a minute”. My seatmate said it wasn’t a problem but the flight attendance insisted that it wasn’t acceptable. We were delaying the flight at this point while the flight attendant bustled around indignantly trying to find another available seat. He found one on a window and came back to inform my seatmate, who was currently in an aisle seat. To the chagrin of the flight attendant, my seatmate declined the offered seat change, saying he preferred to stay in his aisle seat and that sharing his space with the dog was not a problem. The flight attendant was obviously not happy that his efforts were not appreciated, but I guess he was finally convinced that we were both fine with the current arrangements.

I understand people not wanting to sit next to a dog or not wanting to share their foot space with a large dog. I’ve only ever had one person adamantly protest and ask for a seat change and I was very understanding about that. However, this flight attendant got a bee in his bonnet for no reason, even when both of us were saying it wasn’t a problem. After he had finally left, my seatmate turned to me and said, “Did he not believe me the first time I said it was fine?” I guess not!

Rugby, rugby, and more rugby!

Morey and I have been on the road a lot for rugby. We are still figuring out how to fit Morey and all my gear into my Mazda and by the look on Morey's face, this arrangement does not meet his approval! Sorry, boy!

Deck the Halls!

Morey thought dressing up was limited to Halloween. Unfortunately, I burst his bubble when I bought him a set of reindeer antlers. He must have been in this Christmas spirit because he put up with them and even helped me hang up his stocking. "tis the season to be jolly!

Good Bye!

When I travel and leave my faithful pooch behind, he sometimes stays with my boss and her family. Unfortunately, she is moving this month and so Morey recently had his last visit with the Wolfes. I got a full report that he and their dog Lucy immediately recognized each other and that they spent a lot of time over the weekend romping outside after their antics got a little crazy for inside. Their two year old daughter liked Morey and he was more interactive with her than the last time he had visited (he seems more comfortable with kids once they get a little older). Our office made a scrapbook for my boss to take with her and of course Morey had to contribute. And, as his sign says, he is going to miss being part of the Wolfe pack!

...Or Hardly Working

Morey faithfully attends my graduate school classes each week. At the end of this semester our class had a potluck and social time after our final exam. From the first day of class I had strictly enforced a "no petting" rule for my classmates and they very obediently (if reluctantly) obeyed. For the final class, I decided to give Morey the evening off and it was funny to watch all the pent-up dog lovers finally get to express their feelings for Morey. A lot of them were surprised by how interactive and "normal" Morey is when he isn't working (as evidenced by his sniffing, requests for belly rubs, and general doggie silliness). When I brought out his tennis ball they got to see how the real dog underneath the service dog vest. It was fun to share Morey with the class and allow him to get to have some social time. We have both earned some time off!

Working Hard...

I drop a lot of pens at work. Because I have so many of them at my desk, I just pick up another one and keep working (no sense in interrupting my sleeping service dog!). Then, at the end of  the day, I have Morey "clean up" everything that ends up under my desk at the end of the day. He has learned to sleep peacefully even when there are pens falling all around him. : )

Thankful

Morey and I were fortunate to get to go home for a whole week at Thanksgiving. We kept it low key week with lots of hanging out with family and cuddling with the pooches. As always, one of the things I am most thankful for when I go home is the opportunity to spend time with my favorite golden girl, Jessie. I think Morey enjoys that as well!