Paws on the Street Part Twenty-Two – Chief Seeing Eye® Dog Blue Always on the Case

Told by Chief Seeing Eye® Dog Blue

Written by Patty L. Fletcher

February 12, 2022

Moon Phase Waxing Gibbous

My name is Chief Seeing Eye® Dog Blue and this is my report.

Monday, Early Morning.

According to the lady in the little round thingy on top of mommy’s table named Alexa, mommy didn’t wake up until 8:00. Usually, she snuggles with me a few minutes but when she heard what time it was, she jumped up out of bed, started putting on her clothes and when Prince Edward meowed at her to hurry with his breakfast, for he was surely starving to death she said, “You just wait, I have to call KATS.”

I must admit, I agreed with Prince Edward when he meowed back, “Why are you calling another cat? I’m the cat here.”

Anyhow, finally she got herself ready, fed me and the prince and then, when I thought I might burst she said, “OK Blue let’s get outside. WE have a van to catch later and we’ve a lot of chores to do before we can go.”

This excited me. I knew we would be putting on my harness, doing chores here and then going out town.

After we’d walked, mommy made her coffee, but she didn’t drink any of it. I nudged her with my doughnut ring, but she told me no.

“What is this word no?” I nearly barked, “We always play doughnut first thing. Mommy drinks her coffee; we play doughnut and then she gets onto the puter and talks to her ACB friends. I can’t see or smell them, but I can hear them talking and laughing, it makes mommy happy so it’s OK with me. But her telling me no made not one lick of sense.

Soon, she had cleaned out the prince’s litterbox, gathered up all kinds of junk and was taking down my harness from its hook on the door.

“Come On Blue! Let’s go take out the trash.”

I tell you, if Trainer Walt had told me I’d be taking out the trash, I’m not sure I’d have signed on for this gig. But I changed my tune after we’d carried out all the bags of trash and big, big boxes that had held mine and Prince Edward’s food cause mommy petted me all over right there in the big parking lot in front of our neighbors and told me I was the best dog ever in the whole wide world for helping her take those things out of our house. She told me, “Blue if I didn’t have you, I couldn’t live here by myself. I’d have to have a lot more help and it just cannot be done, and I am so so proud of you! You’re the best dog ever in the whole wide world.”

I got to say, it made my fur ripple all over when she said those things to me. I decided I wasn’t gonna complain about taking out the trash, checking the mail or running errands anymore I was gonna help my mommy do anything she needed help with.

Later, after mommy had finally had a little coffee and talked on the telebone and we went for another walk mommy said, “OK Blue, let’s harness up.”

She put away the tap whacker put on my harness, and we grabbed her backpack and headed out.

We were hitting the streets, and I knew from that moment forward it was work all the way.

I had to watch out for curbs, for people and for shopping carts left in the way when we got into the store.

Once inside, one of our shopper friends helped us and I followed politely behind him. I must admit, I did stop and sniff a few people and mommy got onto me saying, “Blue, leave it. You stop that right here and now!”

She didn’t have to tell me more than twice. After the second time when she said, “Pfui” I knew I best stop it. For that’s a word which makes even the toughest Seeing Eye® Dogs shiver right down to their four paws. I was good the rest of the time we were out.

I took mommy to get all the stuff she needed and to get her shot. Who knew humans had to get shots too? When they gave it to her, she didn’t even whimper. My mommy is so brave.

Finally, we went back outside, and I enjoyed laying in the sunshine waiting on our van. When it got there, I took mommy to it straight away making sure to stop at the curb so she could step from there up onto the big van monster without falling.

We got home and boy was I ever glad. I was starting to need a nap and how I did need to pee.

Mommy put away our groceries, fed the cat and walked me. I was glad to see my tree at the top of the hill, let me tell you.

After everything was done and Prince Edward and I had been fed our supper, we had some company. While mommy visited with our friend, I laid in the floor chewing a bone and Prince Edward purred in mommy’s lap. It was a fantastic way to end a super day.

Tuesday, Afternoon

Today has been a bit more like it. Mommy got up before the sun, but she took her time feeding us boys and walking me, made her coffee and drank it while we played doughnut and listened to the man in the speakers tell stories of news round the world.

Prince Edward was purring and MURRPING a lot and everything was right with our world.

Then, as suddenly as our world had been perfect, mommy put down her cup, pushed up onto her feet and said, “OK Blue, we’re going outside to train.”

“Train? What do you mean, train? Why, I’m one of the most well-trained dogs in the whole land. This is an outrage!”

Nevertheless, even though I protested and tried unsuccessfully to bring my doughnut ring I did as mommy asked and soon, I was harnessed up and we were headed out.

We were back on the streets; I was working and though I had no idea what mommy wanted I knew without a doubt I’d obey in every way.

As I bounced up the main drag mommy said, “OK Blue, today, we’re going to work on walking passed barking dogs, talking people and any other junk that might come along. You cannot stop for anything at all unless it is a danger to me. Understand? No more talking to dogs, people or sniffing things while you’re wearing your harness.”

“Sneeze! Shake! Yes Mam, work all the way.”

We traveled the circuit round the apartments. Up one hill, down the other side turn and go back the way we came.

I passed little yapping dogs at top-speed and never so much as took a sniff.

“Good Boy!” Mommy Boomed for all the world to hear, her voice echoing off the buildings as we flashed passed.

I zoomed by friends and didn’t twitch a whisker.

When a truck monster backed out of a parking space, I stopped on the dime, saying, “Stop mom, that way lies madness and possible death.”

Before I knew what was happening, we’d made it home. We were back inside, mommy was slipping off my harness saying, “Great Job Blue! I think you’re ready for Clay Building Class.”

I wasn’t quite sure what that meant but little did I know, I’d soon find out.

Wednesday, early morning

That cursed little round thingy on mommy’s table stated, “It’s 6 AM” when mommy asked “Alexa, what time is it?”

If I could’ve buried that thing in the deepest darkest hole, I’d have done it.

“What’s a dog gotta do to get a little extra shuteye round here?” I sighed loudly as I turned over to help keep mommy’s spot in the bed warm when she got up.

I snoozed while she was in the shower. Can’t for the life of me understand why humans get into a big water bowl and stand in the rain. Makes no sense to me but if it meant I could sleep a bit longer that’s all right then.

After some time, she was dried off and dressed and I had to admit I was starting to get hungry.

I saw right away, things were gonna be different again. Though mommy did play a little doughnut with me after me and the prince were fed and I was walked, she was also packing tings into her backpack and rushing around to get everything settled before the van monster arrived.

Too soon, I heard it beeping outside, mommy was putting on my harness and we were off again.

This time, we went to a big building and once off the van I saw where we were and quickly walked mommy inside and to the office to sign in.

This is a good place, big wide hallways, ramps instead of steps and though there are lots of rooms to find and people with walkers and canes to lookout for I like working here.

After a little chatter between humans, much of which I didn’t understand, we were off again. We went into a room filled with tables, shelves, and lots of strange looking tings mommy and the teacher Miss Linda said was equipment to be used when building with clay.

At first, I was a bit put out when mommy told me, “OK Blue, down. Rest. You’ll stay here, while Miss Linda and I explore the room. I won’t be able to work or even touch you with clay on my hands, so you must be exceptionally good. Let’s see if those hard obedience drills we have been doing will pay off.”

At once, I knew no matter how hard it was, I would lay still, and keep my eyes open for anything mommy might need from me.

At first, when Miss Linda brought the big bag of clay to the table we sat at, I thought, “Hmmm? Maybe they’re going to cook something to eat.”

But when the bag was opened the smell which came from it was not yummy at all. My hopes of some sort of special doggy treat were dashed to bits when mommy said, “Blue, if I drop a piece of this, you mustn’t taste even the littlest bit. It could make you extremely sick and you might even have to go to the vet.”

Sinking down to the floor with a disappointed sigh, I decided a nap was in order. But soon I realized sleeping might not be possible for every time mommy moved from one place of work to another, though I only stood once to stretch when mommy had washed her hands after working with a huge piece of that clay stuff for a while to pet, I still had to sit up or turn from side to side so I could see exactly where mommy was in that room. I mean, if she should need anything at all, I must know where she was every moment.

A stakeout was a boring job but every Seeing Eye® Dog knows it’s part of the work and is every bit as important as all the rest.

Soon, mommy and Miss Linda were cleaning up and it was time to go. I lumbered to my feet, gave a mighty wiggly waggly jingly shake, stomp, and sneeze, straightened my fur and skin, giving mommy a nudge to let her know I was ready whenever she was.

Following Miss Linda down the hall back the way we’d come, claws clicking quietly upon the floor, my fluffy tail waving hello to everyone we passed, I saw mommy wanted me to take her outside. So, I passed Miss Linda, walked to the door and when it opened, slid through without letting mommy hit the frame on either side.

Following the pointing of mommy’s finger and her words of instruction, “OK. Blue, find a seat.” I took her to the bench by the outer doors and after she had sat down and petted me to say I’d done well, I laid down and waited for the next thing to happen.

After Miss Linda had walked away, mommy got out her Telebone, called KATS that ought to be DOGS, told them we were ready to go, and we settled down to wait.

Before too long, a big Van Monster had roared beeping and puffing to the curb so, I stood and bravely led mommy aboard.

Finally, we were home, my harness was off, and I was allowed to run in big, loopy circles round our apartment while mommy gave Prince Edward loving and talked to him about what we’d done while we’d been out.

Looking down at me from mommy’s arms he meowed, “Hey Chief, you can give me the full report later.”

I agreed, then nudged mommy to remind her I needed to find my tree at the top of the hill.

The rest of our week was busy, but that’s going to have to wait for another time. For now, this is Chief Seeing Eye® Dog Blue signing off. But never fear, I’m always on the case.

More about the authors…

About Chief Seeing Eye® Dog Blue Fletcher…

Chief Seeing Eye® Dog Blue was born in Chester New Jersey, October 4, 2018.

After only 8 short weeks, he was taken from his dog mother and given to a puppy raiser family, where he would live and train for the next year.

When the year was over and he’d passed all his tests with flying colors, he went to live at The Seeing Eye® Guide Dog School and there he began to learn the rest of what he must know to become a Seeing Eye® Guide.

After a few months of arduous training, he was matched with his human mother as her second guide.

Now, he lives in the mountainous land of Kingsport Tennessee where whether working in harness guiding his mother safely from place to place or playing with his beloved doughnut ring he is always on the case.

To learn more about Chief Seeing Eye® Dog Blue’s Homeland visit: http://www.SeeingEye.org

About Patty L. Fletcher

Patty L. Fletcher lives in Kingsport Tennessee where she works full time as a Writer with the goal of bridging the great chasm which separates the disAbled from the non-disAbled. She is Also a Social Media Marketing Assistant.

To learn more visit: https://pattysworlds.com/