One Career Change Dog's life story
Hi There!! My name is Georgie and I am a 5 year old Golden Retriever! Why does a DOG have a homepage you ask?? Well, let me tell you a little about my life and the lives of some of my friends!
You see, I was bred at Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. in San Rafael, California! In other words, I was bred by the school to become a guide dog for the blind! After my siblings and I were weaned from our mother, we were allowed out in the "big dog" kennels at the school. Our litter was assigned the letter "G' for our names to begin with (hence my name being Georgie).From there all 8 of us went through puppy testing, to see if we were good prospective working guide dogs!
When I was 8 weeks old, I
was put on a truck and taken to Fresno, California with my
sister, Gina. Our other brothers and sisters went to other homes.
I don't remember all their names, but I had brothers named
Gerard, Golfer and Geraldo. and In Fresno Gina and I went to live
in the homes of 2 4-H puppy raisers! I was taken home by Cassie
and her family! Cassie had raised 4 other guide dog puppies
before she got me! (But I'll tell you more about them later!)
While I was living with Cassie, I got to learn all sorts of things that "normal" dogs don't get to! I went through something called "socialization" for the next 13 months of my life! During this time, Cassie and her family took me most places that they went; we went shopping, and to Fresno's First Baptist Church, into restraunts, to Cassie's highschool, the school in which Cassie's mom teaches, and just about everywhere else that people go in the course of a year! (Well, except the zoo!! Not even guide dogs are allowed there!)
Then, when I was 15 months
old, Cassie and her parents took me to a HUGE guide dog event,
called a Fun Day, at the school in San Rafael! While I was there,
I got to see my brothers and sisters again! Boy, had they grown!!
Cassie took me through an obstacle course set up around the
school to simulate real life situations a guide dog might
encounter. We had to ignore popcorn on the cafateria floor, walk
up and down stairs and a whole lot more! Wow! What a fun day!!
After taking a ferry into San Francisco and spending the day at Pier 39, Cassie and her parents headed back to the guide dog school, where we had to say our good-byes. It was very hard for us, there were lots of tears. I'm glad that I didn't understand what was happening, because I would have been very upset! One of the kennel workers took Cassie and I back to a dog run, right next to one of my sisters! Cassie and I spent some special cuddling time there, before she had to go. I wasn't happy that they were leaving, but how was I to know that I wouldn't see my family again for a loooong time?!?!
Actually, my
stay away from my family wasn't very long. My first week and the
guide dog school was spent in and out of the vet clinic, where
they did lots of tests to make sure that I was healthy enough to
be someone's eyes! (They let us run with lots of other dogs every
day too! What fun!! But where were my toys?? Take a dog's toys
away overnight... the nerve!)
Late in my first week, Cassie's friend Brenda, who worked at the school, came to talk to me. As it turned out, I have something called Hip Dysplasia, which means my hip sockets are not formed correctly. It's a genetic condition, so its not something that could have been prevented in me! Because I had this, they weren't going to let me become a working guide. You see, those working dogs spend LOTS of time walking, which can be hard on a dog with bad hips! So, I became what they call a Career Change Dog, which basically means that I was allowed to turn into a pet! Since Cassie's family loved me sooo much (what can I say...I'm a pretty special dog!) they decided that I could come back to live with them again! Don't worry, if they hadn't taken me back, the guide dog school has a looooooong waiting list of people waiting to adopt dogs like me!
Since the time
I changed careers, I have been living it up! I'm told that I am
quite the spoiled dog now! For the first two years, I lived with
Cassie's parents, because she was living in the dorms at UC
Davis, where she had started college! But in July 1997, Cassie
moved into a house where I would have room to live it up!! We've
been back together ever since and I'm one happy dog!!
For the past six months or so, I had heard a lo
tmore talk of the guide dog program again. Cassie even puppysat
some other dog named Wrangler. He and I didn't get along too well
that weekend -I didn't like sharing my house and my girl with
him! While Wrangler was with us, we went to another fun day. I
was pretty nervous while we were there -I didn't want to get left
again! I'm MUCH too used to the easy life now!
Then, on December 19th, 1998 Cassie's mom came up to Davis for a
visit and the three of us drove to Guide Dogs For the Blind,
INC's campus in San Rafael. I was a bit confused when they took
me into the kennel, but I knew they weren't going to leave
without me this time -I will *always* have bad hips! Instead of
dropping me off, this time they picked a new puppy up! His name
is Pele (pronounced Pay-Lay) and he was born October 20, 1998. He
wasn't my favorite thing at first, but we are getting alone MUCH
better! ( I was a bit of a brat at first -I don't like not being
the only dog anymore! But...having a little brother to pick on is
kinda fun!)
This Puppyraiser/Service Dog Ring site is owned by Cassie R.
Sullivan (and Georgie).
Want to join the Puppyraiser/Service Dog Ring?
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