“Yeah. He’s unique. We brought him in when his mother unexpectedly passed away to have one of our breeder dogs nurse him. Ever since then, he’s acted like he’s waiting for someone. I’m hoping both of you find each other. If you decide to give him a try, we’ll hold lessons with you to learn how to command him. He already knows what to do. The lessons are more for you than him.”
“I’ve never owned a dog. I don’t know what to feed one or how much or anything, really.”
“It’s all right. Today’s an introductory day. If you decide you want to try, we’ll go over everything with you. There’s no pressure one way or the other,” Allie assured her.
A few minutes later, Lisa brought in Ice, who ran up to Scarlett, nuzzled his nose in her hand, and sat before her.
“Hello, Ice. I heard you’re special,” Scarlett greeted him. “What does he look like?”
“He’s a pure white German Shepard. Ice knows all his commands and manners, although he sometimes likes to push the edge. He loves playing ball and swimming. His intelligence tops the charts. Sometimes, Ice picks up commands within a day or two. We keep practicing to engrain it in him, and he never forgets,” Allie informed her.
Ice moved closer and sat by Scarlett’s leg. “He’s showing you his ready position. You’re right-handed, correct?”
Scarlett reached down and petted the soft fur, imagining the snowy coat. “Yeah.”
“Then, Ice will stay to your left. Keep your dominant hand free. We can take a few turns around the track, giving you an idea of how he works. We have several obstacles, noises, and various objects on the ground. Ican tell you’ve met the concrete from the scrapes on your face. Ice can protect you from such obstacles. Like everything else, he’s not a cure-all for everything. He’s a partner and tool for you to use,” Allie explained.
Ice nuzzled her hand as if trying to encourage her to give him a shot.
“What do you say, boy? Shall we give it a go?” she asked nervously. He gave a small bark as if telling her, ‘Hell yeah.’
Lisa handed her his harness. “First, you’ll need to learn how to put this on him. Ice can carry a pack vest for your medications if needed, or one saying, ‘do not touch.’ It’s essential you know your rights under the Disability Act. We’ll review those later. As much as Ice will protect you from oncoming cars and obstacles, it’s your job to ensure no one bothers him. He’s your eyes and you’re his voice.”
Lisa showed her how to attach it, then removed it and handed it to her. Ice stood perfectly still. It took her four tries to get it on correctly, and Ice stood and rubbed against her, signaling his approval.
“Let’s see how you do on the practice spaces,” Allie said, moving away from Scarlett. “Walk to your left until I tell you to stop, then walk straight ahead. Hold the harness like Lisa showed you and begin when you feel ready.”
Scarlett took a deep breath and leaned down to Ice. “I’m not ready for this and have no idea what I’m doing. I’m counting on you to keep me from making a fool out of myself.”
Ice whined, as if telling her to get on with it.
She took her first step, and Ice took the lead when she turned left.
“You’re doing wonderfully, Scarlett. You can stop and walk straight ahead,” Allie coached.
She began walking, and Ice came to a stop and refused to budge.
“Listen to Ice,” Allie called. “He’s stopping to prevent you from running into something. Follow his lead.”
“Ok, boy. Show me how to do this,” she whispered nervously. Ice took her around the object and continued to go slowly. When he halted again, Scarlett grinned. “You’re the leader,” she instructed. This time, he didn’t move, but rose on his front leg, using his paw.
“He’s telling you there’s a step there. Ice used his paw to indicate steps. When you meet with Doc today, he’ll provide you with some items to aid you in walking. Did they give you a cane?” Allie asked.
“Uh, yeah. I didn’t really like it. I left it at home. I don’t want people staring at me,” Scarlett admitted.
“It’s a useful tool for you to use to determine the height of a stair or curb. It also warns you of objects in your way,” Allie explained. “I’m sure Candy will teach you how to use it. People will stare at you more when you’re face-planting on the ground. Tell Ice to go around.”
“Go on, boy,” she encouraged. Ice continued to stand.
“He responds to left, right, forward, keep in, and over. Instruct him on what you want to do,” she informed her.
“Ice, right,” she commanded. The dog moved to the right, purposefully maneuvering her away from the steps. They walked again until he stopped. Scarlett gave him another order, and her heart felt lighter as they made it around the track with very few hiccups. Ice led her back to Allie.
“You did great. I used hand signals to have him return to me. He picked it up from my dog. It’s a nice way for you to give a command silently when needed. I’ll teach it to you once you master the basics. How do you feel?”
“I’m not sure. It’s the first time in a long time I haven’t depended on someone to get me from point A to point B,” Scarlett murmured.
“Some people don’t prefer using a guidedog. They use a cane instead, while others use both. It depends on their sight. Some people can see shapes in different lights. I’m sure Doc can go over the information with you when he sees you today. It appears our time has come to an end,” Allie announced.
