What if you suddenly went blind? The world, as you knew it, disappeared. And, you recall that you had just been driving your car a few minutes before it happened.
Marlys Stevens, long time resident of the Cannon Falls area, recalled this episode in her life as she was showing how she trains a new guide dog to help her have some semblance of the independence she was used to when she was able to see.
Marlys has Type I Diabetes and was a college student almost ready to graduate when she lost her sight. Now she just wants to be able to get the exercise Diabetics need by walking around her neighborhood.
So she relies on her companion, a Seeing Eye Guide Dog. Her latest dog is a three year old German Shepherd-Golden Retriever mixed breed.
We can't print his name because only his owner needs to know it. You see, if he hears his real name from someone else he might be distracted.
And that might mean the difference between life and death. For him or his owner.
Marlys and her husband, Roger, recently moved into a house on the west side of Cannon Falls.
A trainer from Virginia had been here for three days getting Buddy ready to guide Marlys through the local streets. Now it was Marlys' turn to help her guide dog get the directions correct by patterning the new route.
I was to follow at a distance to get pictures as they went along. Although this could be distracting to the dog, he seemed to adapt and off we went.
Because these are working dogs, they have to pay extreme attention to their owner. So when they are in harness, no petting is allowed.
Buddy has to know how to differentiate between “country” streets – those with no curbs – and city sidewalks. I watched as he even avoided a muddy spot.
He is trained to walk against the traffic. Marlys also listens to the traffic and has memorized her route. She positions her shoulders to point in the direction she wants Buddy to go. Or she waves an arm in that direction.
Marlys explained that once Buddy gets used to the route she will not have to speak the directions.
But there are limits as to what Buddy can warn Marlys about. Probably because of his height, or lack of it, he couldn't warn Marlys about the low hanging branches hovering over the sidewalk. I yelled a warning but was a little late. Sorry! (She's going to get me for that!)
Another moment I jumped in to help was when Buddy and Marlys were crossing the intersection at Main and Fourth Streets. They were half way across when I noticed a bus turning into their lane. I had aimed my camera at them when I realized that neither the dog nor Marlys nor the bus driver might be seeing each other!
My lightning swift mind was already seeing the fantastic picture I would have of the crash until the next thought zapped me with “Oh 'crap'! Save your friend!”
So I yelled at Marlys to stop and waved my hands to attract the attention of the bus driver as I ran up to them. Everyone stopped and we proceeded across the intersection. Marlys informed me later that the dog is trained to stop and back up quickly if he perceives danger.
Whether she's headed to the bedroom or the bathroom, Buddy is there. What Marlys can't figure out is how he knows to go into the computer room before she gets there!
The loyalty of a guide dog is awesome, Marlys explained. “He's always there, ready to go, no matter how he might feel. They don't whine about their job.”
When she recalls the several guide dogs she has had over the years,
