Focus is Key

You have all been through some sort of schooling in your lifetime, right? When you were going through your education did you ever find it hard to stay focused on the tasks at hand? I know I had a hard time while I was in my service dog training school. I began my schooling when I was just a young pup, full of spunk and energy. I found it to be exciting filled with praise and love when I finally learned some of the beginning commands and behaviors such as “sit, down, and stay”.  I admit it was boring, I couldn’t chase the toys or even go and say hello to the other dogs in my class, but somewhere deep inside I knew this was going to be a good thing for me. (Pauses to scratch my ear)

There are so many things to learn when service dogs go through obedience training and service dog training, some of it is boring but most of it is very interesting and more so very important to learn. Our jobs are very important, especially to our partners. Being able to say you graduated from obedience training is a very high ranking among my fellow service dogs, not everyone who enters the training will graduate.  

Gypsy....Down

When I entered my training I had a slight addiction….*lowers ears* to toys. The squeaky ones have always been my favorite if I can be honest here. So, to have to learn to leave the toys behind once in a while so I can focus on the job that I would soon be given was difficult, a challenge I suppose. I am proud to say I managed to stay focused on my training and I graduated from my school and became a service dog. During my training I thought being disciplined was boring but looking back now I can see how it was a very good thing. We all need to discipline ourselves enough to complete tasks that are important because they lead us to become better people, or dogs.  

Gypsy....Stay

I again, have to admit when I was first matched up with my partner “Simply D” and his wonderful family I have slipped a few times and have needed a gentle reminder that I am working, so that passing dog with their tail wagging so wildly is not to be played with, at least not at the moment when “Simply D” needs me to be working. That’s the great thing about my bond with “Simply D” he understands me and my natural desires and urges and he works with me gently if I need a reminder to stay on course.  

As I grow older I still do love a good toy but I know that those toys will forever be there, if I lose my focus while working it could be very bad for “Simply D.” I guess what I am trying to say is a little discipline can go a long way and can actually be a good trait to have..

Simply D and Gypsy

Stay focused and have a Dogtastic week!

VOTE for Guide Dog "GYPSY"

Guide Dog "Gypsy"

Have you heard? The voting for the Hero Dog Awards ends this Friday, May 15^th, yes only 3 days away! Service dogs, like myself are a very important part of daily living for someone who is disabled. We, service dogs are dedicated to our jobs as well as our partners; we are a team and cannot work separately.

You can still vote once per day until Friday so I encourage you to support service animals, like myself and our partners by going to the website once a day and putting a vote in. You can also share it with your friends, I would but my friends don’t have thumbs so the mouse might prove a little…difficult to maneuver.

'Simply D' and Guide Dog "Gypsy"

There are so many different jobs in the service field for animals like me, I personally fall under the category for “Guide/Hearing Dogs” but many of my friends and colleagues work as search and rescue dogs, arson dogs, therapy dogs and even military dogs. As a service animal it is our job to protect our partners and help them with daily tasks that may be difficult for them to complete alone. The training is intense but the reward is well worth the work.

When we finally finish our schooling and are matched with our partners it is vital that we can both work together, the bond “Simply D” and I share is like no other, I don’t know what I would do without him. Being able to work with “Simply D” brings so much joy and meaning to my life, I am not a pet but I am a partner. 

If you have some extra time you should read about the school I attended. If I may say so myself it is a fantastic school, I started when I was just a young pup with big dreams of being a service dog. Thanks to the Guide Dogs of America school I am now living the dream with my partner “Simply D.” I truly couldn’t be happier. http://www.guidedogsofamerica.org/1/2015/03/hero-dog-awards/ 

Ranking Up!

*Pauses to scratch my ear* Sorry about all that, you know how it goes when you get an itch you just have to scratch. So, now comes the most important bit of information. You need to know where you can vote for “Simply D & I” Well, you can vote for me by following this link: http://www.herodogawards.org/hda2015vote-gypsy 

Votes are fantastic and excite me so much that I can’t wag my tail enough to say thank you, but the most important thing is when you take the time to share my story and ask your friends to vote as well.  “Simply D” really wants everyone to have the opportunity to learn about the stories that make all of us Hero Dogs. For those of you who are willing, I'm asking that you would please put “Vote for Gypsy” on your daily schedule. Remember that you can vote starting today and voting ends May 15th 2015.  That will be the last day you are able to vote. 

Thanks Again, and Have a Dogtastic Day!

School Days

Happy Wednesday  everyone! This past week has been very exciting, as you can tell by the shake shake of my tail. “Simply D” and I went to visit the 3rd graders at an Elementary school, which also happens to be the school “Simply D”’s son attends. 

“D” and I did a presentation to educate the children about guide dogs. It still amazes me that so many people, both young and old, don’t really understand what my job is... My job is solely to protect “Simply D” and by protect I don’t mean like a body guard, although I would gladly do so. My job is to help “Simply D” preform his daily tasks, safely and proficiently. 

We educated the children on why they should not speak directly to me, it’s of up most importance that when I have my harness on I am on my A game and I can’t be distracted. Talking to me and trying to pet me is a big distraction for me, one I cannot have. 

You all know by now how much I love my job, I love being active and having a job, so if I were to be forced into retirement I would be devastated. If I get distracted from my job or start not preforming correctly, then “Simply D” will be forced to retire me, *sad puppy dog eyes* and that is something neither of us want, ever! 

The children were so excited to learn about how they can help ensure my job is done properly by not petting me, and not talking directly to me, and even by educating people they know about service dogs. They are a smart group of little leaders; I know they will be fabulous at educating! 

Oh dear, I almost forgot to tell you, “Simply D’s” little man was so excited we were going to visit his school, he did a presentation all on his own before we even arrived! That little man makes me so proud; he is such a smart kid, I am so glad to share the house with him.

Remember me telling you about the wonderful nomination I received for the Hero Dog Awards? Well, I wanted to remind you all to please pencil me in your calendars so that you can vote for me. As long as you are over the age of 18 years young you are able to vote for me once per day! This means that each day you vote brings me one step closer to being the winner. Guide Dogs of America is a fantastic school to attend to become a certified guide dog; I should know it’s my alma-mater! 

http://www.guidedogsofamerica.org/1/2015/03/hero-dog-awards/ 

I know what you're wondering…..How can I vote?  Well, you can vote for me by following this link: http://www.herodogawards.org/hda2015vote-gypsy 

For every vote I am appreciative.  What I would really like you to do, is take the time to share my story and ask your friends to vote as well.  Simply D really wants everyone to have the opportunity to learn about the stories that make all of us Hero Dogs. For those of you who are willing, I'm asking that you would please put “Vote for Gypsy” on your daily schedule. Remember that you can vote starting today and voting ends May 15th 2015.  That will be the last day you are able to vote. 

Have a Dogtastic day and don't forget to smile!

Good Days & Bad Days

Well, hello my dearest friends, *tail tucked* I must apologize for being gone for the past two weeks! “Simply D” and I have been so busy with things that I just forgot to turn on my laptop to write about it. You all can forgive me, right? *cocks my head a bit and gives those sweet puppy dog eyes* 


Everyone has their good days and bad days, it is simply a part of life, however, when your good days and bad days have a direct effect on your work like mine do it’s very important that my good days outweigh the bad ones. 
In my line of work, guiding and caring for my partner “Simply D”, I have to be on my “A” game, no getting distracted by squirrels or those delicious hot dogs from the vendor on the corner. I remember earlier this week I was having an off day and I got distracted, I was trying to be the Alpha and kept pulling “D” ahead while walking across the street. Poor “D” ended up running into a few other pedestrians in the crosswalk. He wasn’t very pleased. (Here comes the tail tuck part) “Simply D” was certainly a bit irritated with me at this precise moment, but he understood how like anyone I can become distracted as well.  

“Simply D” took a moment to help me, after all is that not what a partnership is about? We help each other. “Simply D” pulled me close to his side and helped me to regain my focus, so that we could continue on with our task. He is such an understanding and patient human, I just adore him. 

I have to admit my good days are more often than not, luckily so for “Simply D” because he depends on me so that he can do his daily routines, safely. I really enjoy my job; I guess you could say I was born to be a guide dog. “Simply D” just gets out my harness and I am all ready to go, doesn’t much matter where we go as long as I can work. *Sits down a moment to scratch* Pardon me, I had an itch. 

One main issue that I have when out in public with “Simply D” is most people do not understand the do’s and don’ts when around a guide dog, such as myself. These things are important because it’s very important that I do not lose my focus.  

Don’t get me wrong I love a good head rub as much as the next dog, however, please remember  I am a well-trained guide dog and I must stay focused, so please no touching, even though know we both know we would be content rolling in the Daisies getting belly rubs all day, we must refrain. 

*Ears perk up, nose sniffing the air* That is my cue to get back to work, “Simply D” is ready to go, stay tuned for our next entry and follow D and I on more adventures through our daily lives. Have a Dogtastic Day!!

Feeling Inspired

Happy Wednesday Everybody!! Today I have some incredible news, I'm so excited I can't stop smiling (and I think I've knocked over quite a few things with my tail, but if you don't say I did it I won't admit it either.). :-)

Before I dive into the incredible news, I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to share my story.  I found out that it is really touching the lives of so many incredible people. As a matter of fact "D" (Simply D) for those of you who are new... received a phone call this week from an 11 year old girl Kaylie, who recently lost her father and he was one of those incredible people who took the time out to work with wonderful four-legged friends like myself. :-)  Recently she and her mother had received the information about this blog, and from what I hear it made her smile and reminded her of the incredible work her dad did.  I wanted to take some time out to let her know that although I am not one of the gorgeous puppies her dad worked with, I feel that it would be okay to tell her that the people who spend so much time helping us become better for people like my partner, should be on it, not only by their employers, but by the community. As someone who has gone through the training, I know from first paw experience we are not always the easiest to work with. They make every effort to show us our full potential and we love them for that.

 

Now let me tell you what else has been happening. I found out not long ago that I have been nominated for a National Award called THE HERO DOG AWARDS. This is an award that honors service dogs throughout the United States. They have several different categories and you are allowed to vote for one dog in each category once a day. What that means is the more often you vote, the better my chances are of winning this incredible award. But that's not all, I'm excited to tell you that there are other dogs from the school I graduated from who are also in the competition. This goes to show that Guide Dogs of America is an incredible place to go to school :-) and they are an incredible organization dedicated to the work they do in the blind community.  I know "Simply D" and I are so glad for their hard work. Here’s what they had to say about us.

http://www.guidedogsofamerica.org/1/2015/03/hero-dog-awards/

I know what you're wondering…..How can I vote?  Well, you can vote for me by following this link: http://www.herodogawards.org/hda2015vote-gypsy 

For every vote I am appreciative.  What I would really like you to do, is take the time to share my story and ask your friends to vote as well.  Simply D really wants everyone to have the opportunity to learn about the stories that make all of us Hero Dogs. For those of you who are willing, I'm asking that you would please put “Vote for Gypsy” on your daily schedule. Remember that you can vote starting today, and voting ends May 15th 2015.  That will be the last day you are able to vote.

There are so many other things that I could tell you about that have happened to me this week that are super exciting, but I would love to share those adventures and opportunities with you separately on up coming posts.  Needless to say, I am NOT living a boring life, but one filled with joy and fulfillment that I believe comes from being partnered with someone who is super motivated for which I am grateful. 

Until next time, this is G-Q (Gypsy) reminding you to please remember to have a Dogtastic week and to keep smiling!  

How I Met "Simply D"

It was almost a year ago, or actually maybe a little over a year ago, being that I am a dog my concept of time tends to get a little warped. Yes it was last year January, many of us were gathering together because a new group of people were coming to train with us, and really they were coming to become our new partners.  We had gone through quite a bit of training making sure that we were ready to meet the people who would become our partners.  As you know, my friends and I had to receive a special kind of training not only to do cool pet tricks that make everyone smile :-), like "Sit, Stay and Down", which although are cute, are really a part of our formal training in obedience and self-control,  but our real purpose was to make sure that people could travel around safely without their sight.  We were going to lend them our eyes in a way.  I almost forgot to explain that when I say "my friends", I mean the group of us that were chosen to be part of this particular class at Guide Dogs of America; including two of my brothers. Now back to the story... We had to learn how to navigate around obstacles and make them aware of potential hazards while moving throughout the world around us. 

Gypsy & Simply D at Santa Monica, CA

Anyway, back to meeting "Simply D".  I remember one of the trainers (Brian) coming to get me and then taking me in to Simply D's room that he was going to be staying in for the next month, where we learn to build a bond that would allow us to travel safely while learning to depend on one another. Needless to say I was excited! The door opened and the first thing Brian did was lead me around the room so that I could get accustomed to Simply D's scent. You see, he had been there for 3 days before I had a chance to meet him, so therefore his scent was already throughout the room. This is a technique that the trainers use to help us become more familiar with who we are going to be spending time with as we become a team. After the sniffing was completed, I was led over to Simply D himself...my goodness I was excited! I made it a point to let him know how excited I was by pretty much tackling him; covering him with kisses and dazzling him with what I like to call the "Almighty Tail Wag". 

Cuddling with "D" (Our 1st Day)

Now I have to admit, at first I thought I was just visiting, but it turns out that I was there to stay. It took a little getting used to but "D" made me feel right at home. He spent a lot of time petting me and introducing me to Innermix's music, which I found to be soothing. Through the music I got to hear his voice constantly, which made me much more responsive to his commands. Not only that, I also got an early introduction to his partner Jules. D had a way of making sure that I was familiar and comfortable with all aspects of his life, knowing that he was going to make me part of his family. I even got to hear his wife on the phone every evening they talked. She would say my name and I would breath heavily with a smile and a tail wag. I knew we would be great friends.

As I look at our relationship today I would not trade him for anyone else. Truly we are a perfect match. :-)  One of these days I'm going to tell you why we are such a great match, but I feel like that in and of itself should be its own post. So until next time, have a Dogtastic week and remember to keep smiling!

WHO AM I?

Hi my name is G-Q, well that's not my real name. Because of the work I do, it is important for me not to get super distracted with people calling my name all the time. Like most girls, I do love attention; it kind of makes me feel like I have a secret identity and I don't know, I kind of like it. Anyway I want to tell you a little bit about myself because I know that we are going to be spending a lot of time together and you will see me from time to time in many different places. If I don't start at the beginning you won't know how to look at me, so here it goes! 

One of the first things you need to know about me is that I'm not just any old dog; I am a cute one! :-) I'm a 3 year old yellow lab/golden retriever mix, and as a profession I am a seeing-eye dog (Guide Dog); for those who did not know with this uniform I wear means. I'll be honest, I was born for the job. :-) I am energetic and I love to learn, but more than that I love to be helpful. My job is a rigorous one, but one that comes with many wonderful moments; the rewards are limitless.

My partner, as we are referred to as a guide-dog team, is "Simply D of Innermix". I would just like to say this matchup is perfect. I just wish they had of told me that he never stops moving! :-) Sometimes I think I should be giving him the “sit” command. LOL He works in the entertainment industry as well as a few others, and as you read my blog post you will see why I consider myself one of the hardest working “working dogs” around... But I wouldn't trade it for anything.

What else can I tell you about myself that won't be revealed in upcoming discussions? Not sure... But one thing I do know is I am looking forward to taking you on the journey with me as I move throughout this world working with "Simply D", his family and his friends. So as far as introductions go, I think this has been a good one, and if you agree with me please tell your friends about me; especially if your friends are good-looking high energy dogs like myself :-)

Oh, and before I forget this, this is not just a one way conversation type thing. I love it when people talk to me. It makes my ears stand up and I get really excited to hear from you. So if you have any questions for me, please leave them in the comments below, and the answers may show up in the forum of a new post.

Have a Dogtastic week & keep smiling!