Kambo - week two class

Week two of training with Kambo, and things are becoming more complex. The basics of learning how each other move, following Kambo safely and the various cues needed were covered in week one, week two brings opportunities to practise and develop those new skills. Of course, the best place to practice is in the real environment that Kambo and I will be sharing. Off to the shops we go – a simple task one might think, however for a blind person, shops present a whole list of challenges. Finding the correct shop is the first issue, I need to be aware of where I am and where the required shop is. It is not possible to step out of the door and ask Kambo to ‘find Tesco’! Whenever we go out, wherever we go, we work as a team. It is vital I know where I am, where I want to go, and how I am going to get there: Kambo will ensure the route we are following is safe and accessible, avoiding narrow gaps, obstructions and other obstacles that might impede our safe passage.

      

Once we find the shop, Kambo will locate the door for us, be that an automatic door or a fixed door that I need to open. Once in, it’s a challenge to find what we went in for (ever noticed how supermarkets ‘refresh’ every few months, moving everything around, so you struggle to find things?). Some stores are very good, and will assist blind customers to complete their shopping.
One place many of us like to spend a few minutes to relax is a café or coffee shop. I know I love my coffee – and a bun, but don’t tell anyone! Kambo will take me to the counter, where I can place an order, and then locate a vacant seat for me – very useful when doing so without sight is a challenging in the least! Staff will assist to take the hot drink to the table for me, not safe to carry a hot drink and ask Kambo to find a seat; Kambo’s welfare and safety always come first. Kambo will locate and indicate a vacant seat, showing that we are at a suitable place. Once seated, Kambo has an opportunity to relax, too; his harness comes off and he will lie close to me, away from feet that may not realise he is there. Many places will offer a welcome bowl of water for him, a chance for him to refresh and replace moisture lost.
Other things we need to locate are lifts or steps (NEVER escalators, they are simply not safe for a dog’s feet; the risk of serious injury is too great). Steps present no problem to us: Kambo will locate the bottom step going up, and stand with his front feet on the first step – now I know we are at the steps, we are square to them, and where the first one is. Equally, when we are going to down steps, Kambo will stop at the top (ever noticed the funny raised lines at the top of some steps? They are an indicator for blind people, as are the bumpy areas at crossings and path corners). Aware that we are at a set of steps going down, I can then locate the edge of the first step with my foot, and then we can safely descend. It’s very technical, but very safe, too! For blind people, steps can present a serious, and potentially very dangerous, challenge. Having a well-trained guide like Kambo removes the danger.

Kambo and I live in a small town, about 15 miles from Belfast. Whilst we have a good choice of shops etc., there are times when we need to go into Belfast. The train is our preferred choice of transport – driving stopped being an option for me years ago! We are very fortunate that we have very new trains, introduced in the last few years. These trains have been thoughtfully designed, with ample space for a disabled person including a blind person with a dog. Equally fortunately, the trains in Northern Ireland do not suffer the over loading so familiar to users of other UK rail services. Kambo has been taught to locate the button that opens the doors to the train carriage, and to find the doors once open. On locating the door, he will stand with his front paws on the step of the carriage, indicating where we need to go and how far it is to the step. This is actually a difficult task, as a dog – like us – will instinctively be wary of the gap between platform and carriage step. Gentle encouragement and lots of praise are needed, with positive actions from me to minimise the delay in boarding after the step is located.
Once boarded, Kambo will again seek out a suitable seat for us, and ‘tuck in’ between my feet once I am seated – this way, he is safe from being accidentally stood on by other passengers passing by. If he can, he will go under the seat in front, completely safe from being stood on. People often do not realise he is there until we are ready to leave the train, and he pops back out! Leaving the train is a reverse of boarding it – finding the door, the button to open it, waiting for the door to open fully and then indicate the step. We will step off together, and then pick up the route away. Whilst I might expect to go in one direction, a change of platform will throw that out, so I have to trust Kambo if he says we need to go another way!

      

Of course, options for travel are not always limited to trains – buses, taxis and private cars are options we will use.
Kambo will locate a bus stop, the bus door once it arrives, the step up and wait for me to obtain a ticket once boarded, then find us a seat. He then quite happily enjoys the opportunity to watch the world go by.

         

Of course, the vast majority of our training takes place during the normal day, reflective of what we will do once class is completed.  But what about when we need to go out and it is dark – winter nights, or we want to socialise (always get funny looks when we go to the cinema, blind people enjoy films too).
One evening, we complete a ‘night walk’: our chosen route is to our local pub – might as well make our destination worthwhile, after all, the shops are closed (my excuse and I am sticking to it!). No problem to me, it is the same day or night, but for Kambo the world is a VERY different place!
Distractions that are not visible, for instance the many smells left behind by other dogs (or cats) – the equivalent of ‘doggie news’! Car headlights coming towards us and shadows or silhouettes that may look a bit strange at first to him. Concentration can be easily broken, it is important for me to be aware of where we are, what is happening around us, where we need to go, and to encourage Kambo to remain focused.  As always, concentration and team work are essential for our combined safety, and are always paramount.
Two weeks into our training, and we are working well. My confidence has grown and Kambo and I are developing an understanding of each other, encouraged by play time in the evenings, grooming (an opportunity to develop the bond we share), and just being with each other. I often hear comments such as ‘they must make a big difference’; our dogs certainly do. They become almost as one with us, sharing so much of our lives, close to us, understanding us, trusting us. Equally, we share those same emotions with our dogs. It’s a two way process, built on love and respect for each other. Yes, having a Pathfinder Dog does make a big difference to us – we have a very special companion, a friend and sometime confidante (we all share our secrets with our dogs, you know!).
One more week to go – wow, we have come so far already! These are exciting times indeed!