 © 2020 Colin Norman By Olivia Norman  Stoney © 2020 Colin Norman I have been a dog guide handler for over 20 years and I want to take a moment to honor all the Guide Dogs who have worked so hard to enrich my life. All my dogs have taught me so much about life, about how to love, and about the things that are important. They’ve sat in hospitals with me, seen me through some wonderful times (and some difficult ones) and been by my side through the majority of my life. I remember my first time at The Seeing Eye, eagerly awaiting the knock on the door that would change my life forever. My trainer Dave finally came to my door and I could hear a dog panting. “This is Stoney,” he told me. “He is a male golden retriever.” Just like that, my journey with guide dogs began. Stoney was so funny with his antics, his pillow collection, and laid back personality. Stoney and I grew up together. He taught me how to care for another being. I had a lot to learn, but we did it together.  Yahtzee © 2020 Colin Norman Yahzee was my amazing smart beautiful German Shepherd. She could remember anything, no matter how many times we did it. She saw me through college graduation, comforted me when I lost all confidence in myself during a fruitless job search, learned with me during work toward a Master’s degree, which I ultimately dropped in favor of full-time employment. She saw me start my first job. She was a wonderful girl, but ultimately decided that she was ready to retire after 4 years of working and preferred to go live by the beach. Both Stoney and Yahzee enjoyed wonderful retirements with my parents and were loved and cherished members of our family until their deaths in 2008 and 2015 respectively. Not a day goes by when we don’t miss and think of them.
 Tofu on the left and Norah on the right © 2020 Colin Norman Next came my sweet and wonderful Norah. She saw me through three job changes, being hit by a car, and (after some extra practice) a significant increase in confidence as a traveler. We tackled Metro trains, planes and cars, noisy intersections - all part of busy city life in Washington, DC. Norah was my calm rock, my constant companion and my best friend. Retiring her after seven years was difficult, but I absolutely knew that it was the right thing to do. Now she is enjoying her life as a lady of leisure on the beach in Delaware with my parents. I am so glad that she is still a part of our family, and my life, and I hope that we can cherish her for many years to come.
In March of last year, I got my sweet wonderful Tofu. Before going to California to get her, I had my heart set on a male black lab. Mostly because I wanted something totally different from Norah so I would not compare the two. A few days before class, my trainer Lauren asked me if I would be open to working another yellow female assuming she was different from Norah. I said I would, because I wanted the right dog for me, which is exactly what I got. I am so glad Lauren wanted me to be open to working with this girl. She is just what I need at this stage in my life: calm, smart, intuitive and loving. She loves our walks, a rough game of tug, and more than anything a good cuddle session. She is young, but acts like a much more mature animal. She loves physical contact and she even knows when I am sick. She is always there. I can’t wait to walk many more miles together! My decision to partner with a guide dog is one of the best decisions I have made in my life. I want to thank my dogs for all they have taught me and my family and trainers for all they have done to make our partnership successful. Thank you to my friends who diligently helped me to pattern my dogs - especially Norah - when she decided she didn’t want to go up the escalators at Cleveland Park Metro station anymore. My life would not be as rich without these precious dogs and I want to celebrate my partnership with these amazing creatures today as part of International Guide Dog Day. Comments are closed.
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