A Matter of Trust

When I first brought Ray home, I remember telling my dad "I don't know how well Ray is going to be able to bond. He's been in a shelter for so long; I'm just hoping to get him to trust me. It's probably the best I can hope for."

As the weeks and months went by and it was obvious that Ray was not a demonstrative dog (at least not to me, he was always happy to see everyone else though), I took comfort in knowing that at least his trust in me was growing.

Last week as I was walking around the block, I passed by Ralph (of the "Promised Land") who was mowing his lawn. He turned off his mower as I approached. "Hey," he said, "Would you like to let Ray in the backyard to see if he'll play with Rambo?"

"Sure," I replied, glancing through the chain link at Rambo who was putting up a ruckus on the other side. I led Ray to the fence and looked into the backyard. It was one big booby trap for a blind dog but I had been impressed with the way Ray had handled Ken's backyard a few weeks previously. So I followed Ralph into the yard, removed Ray's leash, and turned him loose.

Rambo was still barking but nervously skittered out of Ray's way as he started to pick his way down the graveled path. Ralph went to fetch Comet, who he attached to a long tether. "Comet jumps the fence," explained Ralph. I looked admiringly at the tall dog, it was a tall fence and I found myself wanting to see Comet in action.

The dogs sniffed interestedly at each other for a moment, then Ray took off to explore. He is an intrepid explorer and loves to go into other peoples' houses and yards. Every time he approached an obstacle I would yell "step up" or "be careful," two phrases that I use consistently to warn Ray of impending problems.

"Does he not see so well?" asked Ralph. (Guess I forgot to tell him. Ooops. My bad.)

Ralph had a retaining wall to the left of the path along which Ray was gingerly picking his way, the house was to the right. The path ended at a chain link fence which enclosed a 'patio' (for Comet?). Ray came to the end of the path at the chain link fence, he turned to the retaining wall, it was chest-high to him. "Step up, Ray," I urged. The backyard sloped up from the retaining wall, first a small stand of ivy and trees, then grass and open yard.

Ray muscled up to the retaining wall, stood on his hind legs to get a feel for where the ground was then jumped up into the ivy (I was so proud). He walked through the ivy, using the chain link as a guide until he reached the end of the yard (another fence in front of him). He turned to come back, got about half way back, and stopped dead.

"Come on, Ray," I called, "Come on."

Ray didn't move. Just stood and looked at me.

"What's wrong buddy? Are you lost?" I asked.

I jumped up in the ivy and went to lead him out. A long, whiplike stem of forsythia that was arching across the route that Ray had traveled, had caught the back of his collar and was holding him immobile. Ray didn't struggle, just waited for me to rescue him.

I thought of what I had told my dad almost two years (!) ago and realized that we were there, Ray and I. For someone who's never owned a dog before, it's been a rocky road full of pitfalls. But somehow I have gained the absolute trust of a blind dog.

The Three Month Anniversary - Things We've Learned

It's Ray's three month anniversary and I've been thinking all week about how much things have changed in all of our lives and the things we've learned. What follows is a list, from each of us, of the important things we've learned in the last three months.

Ray

• How to sit.
• How to stay (for almost a minute! As long as you say "stay" every 10 seconds or so).
• How to heel (sometimes).
• Sitting, staying, and heeling are HIGHLY overrated
• Cat food is delicious.
• Everything is a toy until it's taken away from you.
• Stairs are scary until you get used to them.
• Daycare is the funnest thing on the planet.
• You can never take too many walks or make too many friends.
• Cats are interesting but not very much fun and they can be very, very scary.
• Chairs and couches are more comfortable than a pile of leaf mulch, but not by much.
• Rawhide bones get flabby when they've been in the ground too long.
• A cuppa tea in the morning is very refreshing.
• Coffee is good too, especially with cream and sugar
• No matter how many times you bump your head you gotta keep on going.

Jean

• One month is not long enough to find out if a new dog is going to work in a household of beings that have never been around a dog. Neither is two months.
• Never turn your back on a blind dog when he's in a frisky mood.
• Never, ever, ever leave food on the counter if you ever want to see it again.
• You can never take too many walks.
• Meeting people is almost ridiculously easy with Ray around.
• A tidy household is HIGHLY overrated.
• Just because someone shares your passion for wool does not mean they should have access to it.
• Blind dogs can do anything, especially if it involves getting into trouble.
• Blogs can be fun but they sure do take a lot of time.
• Dogs make your life a lot more interesting.
• Rawhide bones and chews are indispensable.
• I now know the true meaning of "dog tired" and "wolf it down."
• In general, if it's too quiet in the house, it's not a good thing.
• Never put anything in the trash that smells like food to a dog.
• Everything smells like food to a dog.
• Never trust a sleeping dog.
• No matter how many times you run into obstacles you gotta keep on going.

Gregg

• Never leave paper towels or napkins lying around.
• In my opinion, the new, customized gate is the greatest invention since the wheel.
• Lash, lock, and strap down EVERYTHING.
• A blind dog that goes to sleep when the sun goes down is a good thing
• Dogs really do things you see in cartoons - - howling, burying bones, etc.
• Cats do not get enough credit for their adaptability - - it takes time, but they can adjust.
• Although it seems a paradox, a dog can be both stubborn and lazy.

Hugo

• No matter how much you wish it, the dog is not going to explode.
• If you hiss and/or growl, the dog will go away. Temporarily.
• Dogs are stupid

Moonie

• No matter how much you wish it, the dog is not going away.
• Dog feet smell bad.
• There's something not quite right about this dog.