Mondays with Mike: Goodbye again

Like you loyal readers, I was touched by Elisse’s guest blog last week—and I already knew the story!

Something about reading the blog made it all more real—I was at a work conference with very little time for contemplation. But when I got back last night, at some point, I felt how much I’m gonna miss Beth’s companion.

It’s not going to be a new experience—but it’s never easy. The thought of the joy she’s going to experience in her retirement and the joy Whitney will undoubtedly give makes it all good.

And, for all you good folks who are following along, everything is now official. Beth will arrive at the Seeing Eye on January 6, 2020. She’ll be matched to a new companion—her fifth dog—and they will train until January 23, when Beth will bring her new helper to his or her new home. And I’ll be waiting.

Before then, we will deliver Whitney to her new Pennsylvania home. And then Beth and I will head to New Orleans for her Birthday. Beth will be dogless for a few days before she heads to the Seeing Eye, but I’ll do my best.

A headsup: Although the training at the Seeing Eye is thorough and intensive, in a real way the training begins here at home. And Beth and her new friend and I have to pretty rigidly follow some prescriptions. In our house, the dog will be leashed to Beth constantly. If Beth gets up from her desk to get another cup of coffee, she’ll have company. For a good while we will not bring her out to places with lots of people. For awhile Beth cannot go anywhere without the dog—so if we’re a little less social than normal, that’s why.

The first few weeks home are also when the paws meet the road as the new dog learns Beth’s haunts. We’ll see how she behaves at the pool where Beth swims, for example. Hanni would sit leashed to a poolside table and patiently watch Beth do her laps. Beth would get out, put Hanni’s harness on, and head to the locker room. The other dogs couldn’t stand watching Beth in the water without them—they have stayed with the patient locker room attendants while Beth swims. Beth gives the attendant a time to come fetch her, she hooks Whitney up at the desk, and they head to the locker room.

In the city we use elevators a lot. Whitney acquired an uncanny ability to spot elevator button panels and get Beth to them. On the other hand, where other dogs were good at ignoring other dogs, Whitney needed a lot of work.

They’re all different and each is better at some things. And every one of them has been an incredible gift to Beth and to me. With that, if you’re making year-end decisions about what and where to send your support, I hope you’ll give The Seeing Eye a look.