"Pacino's been making some good progress"
"He's come a long way So we'll just have to see how he does"
Welcome to Guide Dogs This is going to be a fun two weeks
"I'm really looking forward to a whole different chapter in my life"
"Hi, Eva It's Jessie"
- Hello - Hi, how are you?
Oh, my God!
I love you
Thank you
- This is Tartan - Hi, Tartan!
"If you've never had a guide dog before just developing a relationship"
"and a trust in another animal to lead you safely down the sidewalk"
"You're giving up some level of control as a human"
"and trusting in your guide now"
- Remember, you got to tell her - Turn right
Go with her, she's right Go with her
"Sometimes, we are surprised"
Tartan, heel
Going out the double doors they're open
And then why don't you face towards me
- You keep your feet planted - Okay
It's hard for me but I'm gonna overcome that
Yeah, I know I know
I have always struggled with finding locations in space
So... Is this the left hand or the right hand?
So, why don't you press it and you tell me?
"I was also struggling to keep my left and right straight"
- Where are you going? - Nowhere
- So, you're gonna stay by her side - Tartan, forward
Let her step out in front you remember?
Keep up with her back feet
It's hard
"Chelsea said, Darren and I want to sit down with you"
"to discuss an action plan going forward"
"'cause we see that you're struggling"
- Find that wall again - Tartan
Put your body in front of her head so you're facing her
All the way
"When we first started matching Kendal with Tartan"
and she was working the dog we noticed some orientation
and mobility limitations
And that ultimately led to the point where we had to make
a decision about ending the relationship with her and Tartan
I was very sad That day was hard for both of us
"I called my family that night and said I was going to go home"
"When I got home I was very driven to work as hard"
"as I possibly could to get a dog"
"I definitely had a lot more work to do than I even thought"
"It was such a great wake-up call for me"
I really do need to get some more orientation and mobility
if I wanna be successful keeping me and the dog safe
"She handled it like a champ"
And we've been through enough in our lives
to know that you just keep going forward
"It's a very emotional decision"
"to dissolve a match that's just starting to bond"
"This is not the end for her but just another chapter in her story"
We're committed to serving her with a guide
We really wanna see her back when her skills are ready
"Tartan, she's still gonna be considered a class-ready dog"
"She was a little bit confused but she'll just pop back"
"She's a pretty resilient little dog"
Wanna play? Do you wanna play?
Come on Come on
Good
Week one's been great
Lots of work, lots of roots with Miss Tulane here
Yeah!
"She just has a very, like fun, spunky personality"
What if I run at you?
"And I call her Tutu, or Tulaney Laney, Laney Girl"
"I'm the type of person who has a million nicknames for my dog"
Look-it Oh, yes
"Paco is very fun to work with"
"He loves to just get out there and start walking"
Paco, forward
- Beautiful - Nice, Paco, nice
"Paco loves his naps"
"I think both of just like to lay down and just snore after a long workout"
That's my ear That's disgusting
"The first we ever worked together I went, Oh, my gosh"
"'cause she's really, really bouncy"
"when she walks, and my last guide was not like that"
Good girl
"After so many years of not having a dog and then having to trust him"
"that's the big one for me just trusting him"
But as the days go by, I realize I'm trusting him more and more
Way to go, Paco
"It's just like my dancing class"
"because I have to relax and just follow his lead"
We're gonna tango all the way home, right, Paco?
Excuse us
No
So this is that ramp
Pacino Hup up
Come on, buddy I don't wanna go up the ramp
You know better
This week with Pacino we've been at his confidence
and his initiative and this particular behavior
"where he isn't willing to move forward"
Hup up
- Has he been doing that? - On occasion
Okay
So stop, he's trying to take you to the BMA steps
Hup up
No Pacino, hup up
We're looking for that willingness to do these things in tough situations
over and over again and be reliable
"When we give a command"
"we expect the dog to execute that command unless it's unsafe"
"Ultimately, that refusal to go forward was unacceptable"
"Pacino, you know we had high hopes"
"but we decided that it was best that"
"you know, he not become a guide dog"
You know, it's a tough decision for us to, you know
make the decision to career-change a dog
"Knowing the type of dog Pacino is"
I think it is the right decision for him to be career-changed
"Jeff really cracked him out of his shell"
"and they had a nice little bromance going on"
"but I think it just wasn't in the cards for Pacino to be a guide"
"I'm really happy for Pacino"
"I'm excited for the life that he's gonna live"
"and all the playtime he's gonna have, and all that good stuff"
Hello?
"Hi, Keil"
"This is Sarah calling from puppy raising at Guide Dogs for the Blind"
"I'm afraid I'm calling you with some disappointing news today"
"Pacino has been career-changed"
"He did learn all the skills that he needed to be a guide dog"
"but, unfortunately, he just didn't have the confidence"
"when he was faced with new situations, so..."
"Obviously, you did a really nice job and I know it's disappointing for you"
Yeah, It's all right I understand that
- "All right, we'll talk to you soon" - All right
- "Thank you, buh-bye" - Bye
So close
- That was so close - Yeah
It was... Kind of not surprised
He needed things on his terms occasionally
so I kind of wanted to see how that would play out
and I'm not super shocked
We'll have to figure where he's gonna end up
We do have a lot of animals and... Yeah
I think "a lot" is an understatement
"We have two dogs A hamster"
"Five cats Two cats that aren't really ours"
"Two goats"
"A lot of chickens"
"Five rabbits Two guinea birds"
"A rat, two leopard geckos and a corn snake"
Yeah So I don't know
"We have to think about whether we can adopt Pacino back"
"I learnt a lot about myself through not getting a dog"
"I learned that I needed to work on some orientation"
"and mobility skills in order for me to be successful with the guide dog"
I'm super determined to start as soon as possible
so I set up some orientation and mobility with my own, instructor
Good
So now take ninety degrees to your left and face the couch
Where are you facing now based on where I am?
The kitchen is on my left and the pool is on my right
Correct Very good
Okay Now, face the television
Very good Have you been practicing?
- That was very good - Thank you
Yeah
"I teach people who are blind or visually impaired"
how to develop orientation techniques and how to develop auditory skills
"so that she can use her hearing for orientation"
"and she'll know where she's going"
"so she can give her dog the right commands to get there"
Let's go ahead and put the street on your left
"The transition from using a cane to a dog is a big step"
"and I did not think that it was going to be, and it totally was"
"So what side of your body do you want that car to be on?"
- I want it to be on my right - Correct
- Where is the sun? - It is on my left cheek
Point to where you're going to walk
"I have to know where I am in space to orient my dog"
"so that we can be a successful team together"
"She came home so determined"
and it's been the best disappointment that I've ever known for her
"For us, it always have been about her independence"
"because that's how she's gonna fulfill her own life"
"We could take care of them forever"
but that's not what they want so it's not what we want
"I'm a big believer in that everything works out"
"just the way it's supposed to"
To the left
Yes
"I know that that happened"
"So that I could get great orientation and mobility"
All right
Puppy goes right up to the door handle
And I just want everybody at Guide Dogs for the Blind
to know that I have been working extremely hard
I am ready to go to the O&M Immersion Program
Upon completion of that program I am gonna come back
and I'm going to get a dog and I can't wait
I could honestly see myself with another lab
- I could, too - Tartan's size, but just a different...
You know, I could see either a boy or a girl
It doesn't matter to me what I get, as long as...
as long as it's a good match That's all I care about
Absolutely
- It'll be perfect - Perfect
"When we first got the call from GDB that he was being career-changed"
"we kind of started thinking like, logically about Pacino"
"Like, Oh, we already have so many animals"
"What if we, like, take a trip?"
"Like, we're gonna have to find someone to watch him"
But after all, we're like
"We just want our dog back if we get the chance"
'cause he's our baby
Hey, Pacino You ready to meet your boy?
Let's go There we go
- Pacino! - Do you see him?
There he is
Hi, bud
- Hi, babies - Hello
- Hi - Hi, Pacino
He's like, "What? What?"
- He's like, "Hello" - Hello, bud
He's a happy little boy when he's home
Hi, honies How are you?
Hi, bud
"He definitely tried his hardest in training"
"but I think he kind of knew that it wasn't meant to be"
"and he was supposed to be back with us"
Pacino Pacino!
"I'm so happy to have Pacino back"
"and I'm really excited to bring him back home"
"and let him be part of the family again"
"Let's go"
Good girl
"Today, I'll be passing Tartan back to another instructor"
Her name is Gina
And Gina will be issuing Tartan in class to her next match
- Hi, Gina - Hey
- Here you are - Oh, thanks
- Hi, baby doll, come here - Yeah
Sounds like you guys have really great match in your class
- so I'm excited to... - Yeah
hear more about what happens
Give me a kiss Good girl
"I'm super excited for Tartan for her to continue down her career path"
"and, find a, you know lifetime partnership"
Good girl
I've wanted a guide dog for a really long time
From sixteen to now, I've been like "Okay, I want one"
but I was like, I'm not sure if they'd accept a sixteen-year-old
So I was like, "I'm just gonna wait"
"And now being away at college and being independent"
"it's kind of like, Okay, now I'm ready for that next step"
"I was born with glaucoma I was diagnosed by the age of two"
"And with the vision I do have left, it's very different every day"
"It's never the same"
Hi, little lady
Okay Good job, sweetie
All right, little miss You ready?
Now it's kind of, like, hitting me that in about, you know
a couple of minutes my life is very different
It's very strange to me
I have gone a long time without feeling very independent
Here we go
Olivia, it's Gina I have a friend for you
All right This is Tartan
Hi!
I'm gonna let you go ahead and put your leash on her collar there
and I'm gonna take mine off
Got it? Okay I'll let you say hi to her
So she's gonna be two in October and she's very affectionate
- Hi - And she wiggles a lot
Hi!
All right, Olivia, I'm gonna give you guys a few minutes
to kind of hang out together and I'll be back in a little bit, okay?
- Okay - All right
Can you sit? Tartan, sit
Hi!
What a good girl Hi!
Sweet girl
Good, Tartan
Hi
Tartan, forward There we go
That was a good forward
"I didn't know what to expect going into my match"
"The first thing I told to my instructor"
"was just I haven't been able to look up confidently"
"and walk in I can't tell you how many years"
"Beautiful"
Good girl, Miss Tart Good girl
"I'm looking forward to going into my junior year of college"
"With Tartan I think it's just gonna feel"
"so much more confident around campus"
You're being so good, Tart
"Also just having that companion now"
"and really feeling like someone is there to help me"
That was so good I'm so proud
"The match that they've done... is just to a T"
"I couldn't have asked for anything more"
Olivia, nice! Good girl
We're here!
I think we have to go over there, sweetie
Okay
"The new puppy that we're raising is called Olivia"
and the client that is graduating with Tartan is called Olivia
"We thought that was one of the most crazy coincidences"
"When I see him wearing that harness with the little handle"
"I'm just gonna lose it"
This way, turn left
Hello, welcome You're here for graduation?
- Yes - Yes
"I'm so thankful for Puppy Raisers"
"'cause they've put in so much of the hard work"
They were with our dogs for the first year-ish plus
So they really, you know nurtured these dogs from the very beginning
"and played a huge role in shaping who they are"
- You a little nervous? - Yes
She's gonna be so happy to see you guys
- Hey, Claire, we're coming - Okay
- Hi Claire - Hi
- I'm Sangeeta - Nice to meet you
Nice to meet you Oh, my goodness!
- Oh, my goodness, Tulane! - Tulane!
Oh, my God!
Who is that, Tulane?
Yes, Tulane Yes, yes
- Yes, I know! - Tulane!
- I know - Oh, my goodness!
- Who is that? - I'm sorry, Claire!
- Do you wanna hold the leash? - Yes, please
If I can
You are a crazy girl that I remember
Okay Good girl
Oh, my goodness!
So what do you like most about Tulane?
Yeah, She's just such a great worker She's funny
If, like, I'm hanging out for too long and she wants to work
she'll stand up and she'll kind of start pulling herself away from me
Like... "Where are we going? I wanna do something"
- "Let's go" - Yeah, yeah
It looks like you guys are gonna do amazing
You are just perfect together I'm so happy
I'm really excited
- Thank you - Thank you for such an amazing dog
I'm so happy
Who's my pretty girl?
Are you ready to see your Puppy Raisers?
All right Come on in
- Tartan! - Hi, mama
Hi, you mama
I miss you so much
We're so proud of you, girl Yeah
You did it, Tartan
So when did she come to you guys?
- She was almost 10 weeks - Oh, my gosh!
Yes
I saw that it was, like the first puppy, and I was, like
"Oh, I'm so happy for you guys to have that"
Little tiny little girl, right?
I remember your energy level, yes
Yeah It's something else
She's pretty calm, and then one person she sees
and she's like, "I know them! Let me say hi"
Just seeing Tartan with her new client, my heart's blown into pieces
I'm just... We're very happy
Good girl
The gangs all here, Eva Come on in, everyone
- Hello - Hi
Hi
- May I pet your dog? - Yes, you may
- You want me to say hi - Hi, Paco
Hi, Taco
That's what I call him too Paco Taco
Yeah? Oh, that's perfect!
- Paco Taco - Yes
- My name is Sue - Hi, Sue
- Hi! - I'm the mom
Yes
- Very nice to meet you - Thank you
He just tried to sit on me
It feels really wonderful that you are receiving Paco
He's bonded with you really well and that makes us so happy to see
Yes
And, like, I can tell he really cares about you because...
- He's staring right at you - he's staring right at you
He's sitting with us but he's staring right at you
He's just saying "Don't worry, Mom I love you"
- 'Cause he's so loving - Oh, good
- Can we pray with you? - Yes
Thank for bringing Paco all the way
through despite all the mistakes that we probably made with him
And thank you, God for allowing us to see Paco again
It's a joy for us, God and I thank you for that
- Amen - Amen
- Are you all ready to take photos? - Yes!
- Sure - Sure
- Eva are you ready for photo time? - Yes
- Okay - What about you Paco?
Tartan
Bit of a sensory overload for him
- Okay, Paco - Paco
Good, good
Good
Kitty, kitty, kitty!
- I think we got it - Thank you
Thanks, guys
"Folks, we'll be starting graduation in just a moment"
And our first graduate today is Ms. Claire Stanley of Washington DC
who received Tulane, a female yellow Labrador Retriever
raised by Sangeeta Joshi of Pleasanton, California
Thank you, Mandy
I'm so excited to be here today getting my third guide
First and foremost, I just wanna say thank you to our pup...
the Puppy Raisers who raised Tulane, the Joshi Family
Just over these last two weeks of getting to know Tulane
I've just learned what an amazing and awesome dog she is
I also want to thank all the instructors here at GDB
Thank you, Chelsea
You've made her into a great great, guide dog
I'm really excited to go back home with her
We're gonna be up on the Hill a lot, doing work
and I have no doubt that Miss Tulane
is going to charm quite a few politicians
So I'm very excited
The moment I've been dreaming about is finally here
Our pretty princess is graduating This is my first guide
I was amazed how soon she started figuring out
how to manipulate me
Tulane, we are so very grateful that you came into our lives
and brightened our days
Claire, I wish you both happy healthy, and independent lives
Okay, Ms. Olivia Merz of Chico California received Tartan
Olivia attends Chico State and is majoring in Child Development
Tartan is her first guide dog
and she is excited to introduce her to the campus and her friends
First off, thank you to Claudia and Martina for raising her
She is just... a ball of energy, and...
just has such a great work ethic
And I just couldn't imagine a better... better first dog
We are thrilled that Tartan is going home with Olivia
She's an amazing girl We just love her already
and we cannot wait to hear things in their, new life together
I would just wanna say thank you, Tartan
From the day I first got you to the day I gave you away
for official training
that she's always just been a loving little handful
Even through all my ups and downs
through eighth grade and everything
she's just always made my heart just fill up every single day
I love you
Our next grad is Ms. Eva Velez of Seal Beach, California
She received Paco, a male black Labrador Retriever raised
by Roger and Sue Dupoy of Irvine, California
I'm so thankful to be here in the midst of all of you
I'm really looking forward to going different places with Paco
that I hadn't gone before, and walking a lot faster than a cane
It's a new start for me
These last two weeks have been really... an eye-opener
And learning how to trust Paco...
He's wonderful
And I trust him to be my eyes and to take me down to the beach
Dreams do come true and here's my little dream
Thank you
During our raising of Paco
I would often say that I'm raising five puppies
four human puppies and one canine
And oftentimes, my canine puppy was my best behaved child
Paco, serve and guide Ms. Velez well
We believe in you, and wish you both health and happiness
and many years together
So, ever since Paco was like a little puppy
he's been subjected to a lot of music
and probably a lot off-key singing
We brought a ukulele to sing a song
that we always used to sing to him to make him fall asleep
It's a very short song
"My name is Paco Nice to meet me"
"Puppies are real And I'm a puppy"
"I'm working very hard for someone who cannot see"
"I'm a GDB puppy I'm a GDB puppy"
"I'm a GDB puppy"
Oh, my goodness!
Come, Paco How are you?
Do the happy dance the happy dance
Raffi, give it to me
Come on
Give me my hugs
"Tartan has taken me from a very dark place"
"that I was in to a really happy place now"
I love Tartan I always will
"Finding out what happened to Tartan after saying goodbye"
"it gave me full closure"
I think it's just more than just a guide dog
She's my life
- High five, yeah! - Yeah!
There's a good girl!
Hi
You're a good boy Yes, you are
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