Watson's Potential Career Options

Heroes come in different forms, shapes and sizes.

SEGD dogs are bred to become heroes.

During Freshman Orientation the trainers and veterinarians will determine what career path is best for Watson.

They will assess her aptitude, abilities, personality, health, temperament and trainability.

Some of Watson's potential career paths could include:

Guide Dogs: trained in over 40 commands they help people with vision loss navigate independently. These are the top echelon of all service dogs. People's lives literally depend on the accuracy of their decisions. Only 1 in 3 of SEGD's dogs become Guide Dogs.

SEDG also supports veterans. With Watson's calm, sweet and steady personality she could help veterans in several ways, including:

Service Dog: help a veteran cope with PTSD

Facility Therapy Dog: work in a military medical facility providing comfort

Emotional Support Dog: offer comfort to a veteran with special needs.


SEDG also provides dogs for children and teens. Watson LOVES kids, so one of these careers could be a great career path for her:

Kid's Companion Dog: children with vision loss can receive a gentle dog to help them prepare for a future guide dog

Gold Star Family Dogs: these dogs are gifted to military family members that have lost a loved one in military service

Child Advocacy Dogs: calm dogs provide assistance to children in crisis.

Sometimes a dog could be well suited to a certain career, but, if a position is not available, another path is chosen.

Some of the dogs will be welcomed back into the home of their Puppy Raising family.

Some dogs change lives through public adoption. There is a long waiting list to adopt Career Changed dogs from SEGD.

I am excited to know where Watson's path will take her.

But for now, we have to patiently wait......

What Comes Next?

During the first 3 weeks at college the dogs will begin a new program called "Condition Training".

The program has been implemented by a SEGD vet. Through it, the dogs will get into tip-top shape before they begin their formal Guide Dog training program.

Condition Training involves building their core muscles using rubber balls, tilt surfaces and encouraging them to balance on different footings.

They will have the equivalent of a Personal Trainer working with them for 2 hours three times a week .

Learning to master these devices will not only make them stronger, but also build their confidence.

In addition, they will undergo extensive medical tests, including assessing their hips, elbows, hearts, eyes and overall health.

The cost of a Guide Dog is $50K to $60K, so it is important that they can enjoy a long career.


In conjunction, Animal Behaviour experts will evaluate their temperament and confidence.

Canine Care Technicians (CCT) and trained volunteers will be helping them with their transition to living in dorms with roommates.

The CCT's will continue working with them on the basic commands we taught them.

The freshmen pups will also be challenged with puzzles and treat dispensers.





They will experience relaxation strategies including soothing oil diffusers, canine calming music, petting and massages by volunteers.

I am thinking I want to go where Watson is going!

Blindfold Walk with a Guide Dog

After we watched our sweet puppies prance away to their new life, one of the SEGD IFT activities is a blindfold walk with a Guide Dog in harness.

Wearing their blackout sunglasses I could only see a thin sliver of light. That is unnerving!

The Guide Dog guided me around the curved path.

He then stopped me at the curb before I walked out into the road and potential traffic.

At the end of our walk I was able to tell him how good he was and love him to bits.


I have to say, it was an incredible relief to be able to take those blackout glasses off.

There are different degrees of blindness, but the need to trust the dog's decisions would be the same for every vision impaired Guide Dog Handler.

That trust with a Guide Dog is what creates an incredible bond between the vision impaired person and their Guide Dog.

They become a team.

As a Puppy Raiser we contribute to the start of that partnership, freedom and confidence.

Watson's Freshman Orientation to College

Taking Guide Dog puppies back is very tough for Puppy Raisers.

We know when we go into Puppy Raising that we have to give them back, but, it doesn't mean to say that it isn't hard.

Southeastern Guide Dogs know this is an emotional time and do a great job at IFT (In For Training).


The walkway leading up to the Assessment Centre, where the dogs will start their training, is lined with welcome signs.

Each dog also has their own sign and kindergarten photo greeting them.






Watson was so excited to be back.

She was on high alert watching everything.

There were so many dogs and so many smells to catch her attention.






It is a beautiful campus with gardens, fountains and paths for training and practice walks with the dogs.

There is a statue specifically in honour of Puppy Raisers and our contribution to the program.

The recognition is very touching.





Twenty-eight dogs went IFT the same day Watson went.

Four of Watson's siblings were also there. Brother Preston, brother Champ(agne), Watson, sister Ava and sister Cami all posed for a family group photo.

We also got to see the kennels where Watson will be living over the next 3 weeks while she has her initial assessments.

Boys dorm in one wing, girls dorm in the other wing.

Watson will be rooming with her sister Ava.

Cami will be several kennels away.

We were each given a large milkbone to write a note to our puppies.

I am sure Watson gobbled hers down quickly and didn't even hear our note to her.

The Orientation Yearbook had a kindergarten photo and a short bio for each puppy.

Each dog and Puppy Raiser was called forward while a commentary was read and Puppy Raiser pictures taken over the last year were on the Big Screen.

Someone always has to go first. I was warned that Watson would be called first.

GULP.

Watson was super excited.

A Canine Care Technician met us.

I took off our collar and they put on their collar.

I said my goodbyes.

Then Watson trotted off.

She did not look back.

Not one of the dogs looked back or hesitated.

It is bittersweet, but that is the way it should be. It means we did a good job raising a confident dog that is prepared to face the world, without us.

But it doesn't make it any easier.

Siiiiiiiiiiiiigh.

Preparing For IFT

We know she has to leave for her next journey, but, when the date looms closely overhead it makes it seem more real.

All of a sudden all the little things put aside for a later date seem so much more important and significant.

New exposures and experiences on our To Do List need to be done now and not later.

Training needs to be fine-tuned and tightened up.

Commands without treats need to be practiced.








More pictures need to be taken.

(Photos are difficult to take because she is so blonde. Plus she has no vanity and will not pose. She could probably take lessons from the Kardashians.)



There are a lot of reports and assessments to be filled in.

Vet visits are required to prepare her for her flight to return to Florida, college and living in a dorm with roommates.

Flights, car rentals and accommodation bookings need to be made.




Watson was oblivious to our preparations, angst and bittersweet sadness.

Excitement and Anxiety

As Watson's IFT (In For Training) date approaches, Watson is getting excited to go back to her school in Florida.

 At college she will be challenged to learn more, be reunited with her siblings and be training (and playing) with other dogs her age.





We know she has to go back to Florida and go to college. But, now that the date, and reality, is getting closer, John and I are getting anxious and melancholy.

Apparently Watson doesn't care about our feelings. 

PR Photo Shoot for Rienzi, Museum of Fine Arts

Watson has been very popular doing PR work with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

I am a docent at Rienzi, the MFA's home for European Decorative Arts.

The house contains precious works of art, including porcelain, silver, paintings and other rare objects from the 1600's to 1800's.

They know that I Puppy Raise a Guide Dog in Training, and, they asked if Watson and I could train docents what to do with a Service Dog in the house.

What a great opportunity for Watson and me!

Public Relations and educating people about Guide Dogs is one of our Puppy Raiser roles, so we were more than happy to help.




I had confidence that Watson would be able to handle the responsibility.

But, I would be lying if I didn't say that I was just a little nervous taking Watson, a 13-month old puppy, through a home that contains precious objects that I, nor anyone else, could ever replace should they get broken.

Guide Dogs Puppies need to learn that when they are not needed to safely guide their handlers, they need to patiently wait until they are needed.

Watson made me very proud. She was the perfect Guide Dog in Training!

While we stopped and talked, she did exactly what she is supposed to do, she took a load off her feet and relaxed.

She even laid down and tried to catch a few zzzzz's.

One definition of pride, and relief,  is taking a 13-month-old Guide Dog puppy through a home with priceless objects, and, leaving it exactly the way we found it!

Except maybe adding a few strands of Golden Hair Dust behind.