Breaking new ground.
- Firstly, you should read this so you know what these posts are all about.
- The first day with Ike
- Day 2 of training.
- Day 3 of training.
- Day 4 of training.
- Day 5 and 6 of training.
- Day 7 of training.
- Day 8 of training.
- Day 9 of training.
- Day 10 of training.
- Day 11 of training.
- Day 12 of training.
- Day 13 of training.
- Day 14 of training.
- Day 15 of training
- Day 16 of training
- Day 17 of training
- Settling in at home
Today we did our first major walks in Drogheda as we were under the supervision of the trainer. By major I don’t mean particularly difficult, I am mainly talking about routes that are longer than Ike would have been use to while he was in training in Cork. The routes we did were from the house to the train station and from the train station back again. I have to say he did particularly well. The trainer fortunately agrees and has in fact said that he seems to be settling in over all very nicely.
Again, and believe me, I’m as tired of writing about it as you probably are of reading about it, Ike’s spending routine is still all over the place. He seems to find it impossible to relieve himself before he starts working. This has become so frustrating that I have consulted a local vet. The spending routine seemed to become harder to manage from the trainer’s perspective when the organization changed Ike’s food at the start of class. This was done because he suddenly decided to stop eating the food he had been on prior to that. The trainer and the vet seem to agree that Ike could be finding it a little hard to relieve himself with this new food. Hopefully the issue is just temporary so for tonight he is on a different food that should help him flush out his system. This problem won’t be solved in one night or even one week but I’m hopeful that with the more defined routine and the assistance of the vet he will become more reliable in time for me returning to work in a few days. Even a small improvement would be enough to allow me to get back into my own routine.
You may remember when I wrote about a conversation I had with the trainer where he insisted that if I do not find a way to see Ike as a companion or pet as well as being a guide dog then I would find it difficult to create that bond with him. I completely agree with this assessment. It has been difficult to create the bond with Ike and it’s continuing to be particularly difficult. As I said before, it will be very difficult for me to change this mind-set and again, to be straight with you all, I’m not sure it is in my best interest however for the sake of building a lasting working relationship I’m certainly trying. When I say it is difficult to create that bond I am speaking from my perspective only. It is very challenging to have a dog that is as stubborn as a mule, as sensitive as a three year old girl and with a major lack of confidence. It is making it particularly hard to reinforce obedience and to show the dog what I expect from him. I personally think that these combined attributes of stubbornness, sensitivity with a lack of confidence are crippling and not entirely suited to me as a handler. Again, being more honest than I possibly should be, I have regularly wondered if Ike is the right dog for me in the past few weeks. Please do not see this is a call for reassurance. This is far from what I am looking for. Nora should you see it as a message that I am giving up. This couldn’t be further from reality. What I am saying is Ike has potential. He’s really going to push me to the limits of what I can tolerate. At the moment, this isn’t what I want. I need to hit the ground running on Thursday and if the spending issue isn’t better by then I’m going to have some problems. Again, being brutally straight and honest with you all, If I wasn’t very conscious of the hard work, dedication and money that goes into training these dogs and from my personal perspective the time I need to take off work in order to train with a new dog, I don’t think I would put up with Ike for much longer. It’s possibly good then that I have given myself no choice. Ike has to work out. There just isn’t any other option. I have to work. I have to get around independently. The Cain doesn’t give me the confidence, speed or efficiency that I need to get where I need to go to. A Guide dog is therefore my chosen mobility aid. I knew this process was going to be very difficult and more than anyone else I know that I need to remember that there were problems when I got my previous guide dog. With that in mind though I know there weren’t as many problems in building up his obedience and even just simply getting to know him. It’s a pity that things are continuing to be so frustrating with Ike.
So, because I know there was a lot to take in in that last paragraph, I’m not giving up but Ike certainly isn’t making it easy on me.
Just to finish, I wouldn’t like you to see this is a negative post. I try to be very practical when I’m thinking back on things and when I’m attempting to plan ahead. When I am objective when I write about Ike I am simply ensuring that I see things from every angle. I have always said that if the reasons for not having a guide dog outweigh the reasons for having a guide dog then my decision will be easy. I will not continue to have a guide dog. For me it’s as simple as that. Now, again, I should clarify. At the moment, my reasons for having a guide dog far outweigh the reasons for not having one and it is for this reason most of all that I remain objective. This may sound completely heartless and as I have said before. It may not necessarily be the right way of looking at it. For the moment though, it’s what is driving me to ensure my working partnership with Ike is as effective as it possibly can be.
Another great post Darragh. Very honest, and not heartless at all. No point in pretending everythings easy when it isn’t.
Why do you think they gave you a retriever? Just curious!
Could you not take a bit longer off work? Obviously I don’t know your situation and maybe that isn’t an option, but maybe a more sensitive dog like Ike needs a bit more time to familiarise himself with things. You wouldn’t want to do too much with him too soon to make sure his progress goes forward instead of back. Not saying that will happen if you go to work. Maybe the routine would be good for him. It will probably all just take time, and maybe a bit more time than you’d hoped, but you’ll get there.