From the Editor - Doug-Kazu

Pauline was placed with a service dog from Canine Companions for Independence.  CCI is a wonderful organization headquartered in Santa Rosa, California.  Pauline and Kazu went through extensive training and passed their public access testing in August.  Kazu was born in California; he is a mixed lab and golden retriever.  A wonderful family from California cares for Kazu’s Mom; the breeder caretakers are volunteers.  When the puppies are old enough, they are sent across the country to another group of amazing volunteers, the puppy raisers.  The puppy raisers care for the puppies until they are old enough for advanced training, which is done at one of CCI’s five regional centers.  The puppy raisers carry out a regimented program with the dogs which includes socialization, teaching the dogs more than 30 different commands and offering lots of care and love.  There is a regional center located in Delaware, Ohio.  Through the efforts of a compassionate and remarkable woman who works for the Ross Correctional Institution, there are inmates at the prison who have the opportunity to be puppy raisers for CCI.  Kazu was raised at RCI.  I wrote to Kazu’s puppy raiser just before Christmas and we received a letter from Doug shortly thereafter.      

December 12, 2007

Dear Doug:

My wife, Pauline, was placed with Kazu, a service dog from CCI.  We live in Columbus, Ohio.  Pauline began the application process in 2006.  Pauline was placed with a truly astounding dog and Kazu has been placed with a person who has significant need and will provide Kazu with the home he so much deserves.  Pauline and I met your Mom and Dad at the graduation in August; and we met Denise.  It was a thrill and very emotional for us to meet them.  There were lots of hugs and tears.  We have talked about writing to you from that Saturday afternoon when we graduated and met your family.  I am glad that I waited until now to write to you.  In August, I would have been able to say thank you.  After watching Kazu and Pauline work together over the past four months, I can say so much more about the incredible foundation you provided for this really wonderful, loving and sweet dog.  Pauline and I think of you often, Doug, because we know that what Kazu is today derives in very large part from the love, care, devotion and training that you provided to this truly remarkable creature.    

Pauline was totally paralyzed from the waist down on Sunday, July 29th 1994 at 5:30 in the evening.  Pauline was a healthy 35 year old woman.  That instant was the last time Pauline was able to feel normal sensation in her lower body and the last moment she was able to move her muscles in a normal way below her waist.  Pauline was given a diagnosis of transverse myelitis. 

Over a period of two years, Pauline had some recovery.  She lost most of the muscle function down her lower back and down through the back of her legs.  So, Pauline can bend over, but she can’t get back up.  Pauline is able to walk with canes, and if we go to a mall or museum or some other place that involves a lot of walking, she uses her wheelchair.  Pauline has adjusted to her physical limitations and manages to lead a very good and productive life. 

But there is much that Pauline can’t do, and she had pretty much accepted that these limitations were just a fact of life.  We never even thought about a service dog.  We had a dog for many years that died when she was 16 years old.  Losing her was so difficult for us that we really didn’t give much thought to having another dog.  Then one of our friends got a service dog.  It was really fascinating to see what these dogs were able to do.     

I urged Pauline to think about applying to CCI for a service dog.  She thought about it for almost a year before she decided that she would look into applying.  We made an appointment with one of the trainers in Delaware and I went with Pauline to meet her and to discuss the process.  It was a great meeting, and Pauline decided to begin the application process.  After many months of filling out applications, getting physicians to provide medical information, after a phone interview and an in-person interview at CCI that included working with some of the dogs along with other prospective candidates, Pauline began the months of waiting to hear back from CCI as to whether she was accepted into the program.  CCI wants to ensure that they are making the right placement – that the service dog can enhance a person’s quality of life, and that the person will be able to provide proper care for the dog.  Finally, last October, Pauline received the wonderful letter from CCI notifying her that she had been accepted and that she would be placed on the waiting list.  We were very excited, but we also knew that the wait for a dog could be up to two years.  So, we dried our tears of happiness and went into the wait mode. 

There are four training classes during the year.  One of those classes is in August.  The CCI folks knew that Pauline was a school teacher and that she wouldn’t have to take off from work if they had her in this class.  The people at CCI are just the most sensitive, kind, compassionate people.  I just had a sense that they weren’t going to ignore Pauline’s teaching schedule and that they would do what they could to accommodate her, if it was possible.  Sure enough, at the end of the school year, Pauline received notice from CCI that she was going to be accepted into the training class that would begin on August 6th.  Pauline told me that she wanted for me to attend the class with her – to support her efforts and also so that I would know how to behave with or care for the dog, should the need arise.  I was more than glad to do this.  CCI sent Pauline a large packet of materials.  She spent the entire summer learning this material and memorizing much of it.

Finally, August 6th arrived.  Pauline was very excited and very nervous.  The training classes are Monday through Saturday for two weeks and the classes last from about 8:00 in the morning until late in the afternoon.  There is a great deal of lecturing, covering a lot of information about behavior, training, and health and care issues.  And then there is a lot of working with the dogs.  There were ten people in the class who were being placed with service dogs.  A few of the people were receiving successor dogs.  There were children and adults.  It was a wonderful group of people, and everyone became very close over the two week period.  There is a lot of mutual support during the team training.  And the instructors are just amazing.  They are such caring people.  They are totally committed to everyone succeeding – the people and the dogs.  All of the service dogs in the class were lab-golden mixes except for one who was a pure bred lab.  All of the dogs were males and they were all black.  It was very difficult to tell them apart except for Kazu!  You could always identify Kazu from the scar on his nose. 

Monday started with a lecture and then later that day we were introduced to the training room.  When we arrived, the dogs were in the down command in the middle of the floor.  The students made a large circle around the room and the dogs were “handed out” one at a time to the students.  For the first two days of training all of the students worked with all of the dogs.  The CCI trainers spent the first two days observing everything and marking comments on a clip board.  There were four trainers involved in this process.  They were keeping track to ensure that every student was working with every dog and they were also making close observations about how each student was working with a particular dog.  We didn’t know this at the time, but they have an idea about placements before the class begins.  The trainers know the dogs intimately from the many months of advanced training.  They know students well from the application and interview process.  They are totally committed to making the right match.   

The first dog Pauline was given to work with on that Monday morning was Kazu!  The first thing they did with the dogs was to say their names and make sure that the dogs gave them their full attention.  Once they got the hang of this, they started giving them the “let’s go” command.  The students moved in a circle around the room with the dogs.  Pauline walked with her canes.  The rest of the students were in manual and motorized chairs.  The dogs walked along side each person.  Some people worked alone and some people had a spouse or a parent working with them.  Pauline was working alone – I always observed and stayed away from the dogs.  Every once in a while, they would have the dogs go into the “sit” command or the “down” command.  Kazu listened to Pauline so obediently from the very first time they were together.  He looked at her when she said his name, and he complied in every way.  He never forged ahead of her and Pauline moves very slowly with her canes.  His head was always on her hip.  On those very first trips around the circle, Pauline looked at me and mouthed, “I want this one.”  I just smiled and thought, “Yikes; they are going to place Pauline with any one of these ten dogs and she’s getting emotionally attached to the dog she’s just spent five minutes with.” 

The next thing they did was to teach the students how to do a correction.  That was difficult for Pauline, but she learned when and how to use it.  On Tuesday there were lectures, they introduced the students to a new set of commands and then the students worked with the dogs.  Each student would work with a dog for about 15 minutes or so and then they would switch all of the dogs.  This must have been an incredibly stressful experience for the dogs.  Some people spoke very softly, some people weren’t giving the commands – a parent was doing this.  Some dogs had two sets of leashes on them (for a parent or spouse).  Pauline walked with canes very slowly, the people in manual chairs were a little faster, and the motorized chairs were faster still.  Each student had their own way to correct and their own way to praise.  And yet the dogs did their thing.  It was just amazing to watch these incredible animals totally adjust to their new circumstances every 15 minutes. 

We were told that the placements were going to be made at a ceremony on Wednesday morning.  Before we went home on Tuesday night, the trainers gave each student a piece of paper and were asked to write down the names of three dogs – their first, second and third choice.  During the course of the first two days, Pauline had worked with Kazu many times; probably more than any of the other dogs.  I think Kazu might have actually been the last dog Pauline worked with on Tuesday before she was given this assignment.  She sat with the paper in front of her, looked at me, and said, “My first choice would be Kazu.”  She then wrote down two other choices.  There would have been no bad placements from this group.  I had no doubt at all why Pauline put Kazu at the top of her list.  In addition to doing everything she ever asked of him, he was such a sweet animal.  He was so eager to please and he did everything he was told as he was taught to do it.  If he wasn’t doing it, it had much more to do with being confused than with being obstinate.  He was a great dog and he would have been a perfect match for Pauline. 

We went to training on Wednesday morning and the room was filled with anticipation.  After going through so much effort to apply and the long waiting period, it was going to be only a matter of minutes before being placed with the companion with whom each person would form the most intimate and emotional relationship.  There was a lecture to start the day, and then we were told to go into the training room.  Everyone filed in and formed a circle around the room.  The dogs were lying down in the middle of the floor.  The placement ceremony was conducted by the two primary trainers in our session.  The other trainers stood behind the circle of students and joined in the proceedings.  One of the trainers started the process.  She went over to the first dog and took the leash.  She made a short statement about who the dog was and where he was going to be placed.  She walked the dog over to the person and handed them the leash.  One by one, each of the dogs was led over to the person in the circle and was handed the leash.  Each placement was announced and followed by lots of applause and hugs.  About midway through the ceremony, the trainer went over to Kazu and picked up his leash from the floor.  He walked out of the circle, said that this was Kazu, and that he would be staying in central Ohio with Pauline Siegel.  Pauline was sitting in a chair, and he handed her the leash.  She immediately burst into tears and hugged Kazu around his thick neck.  She held onto him and cried through at least one of the next placements.  I went over to Pauline and gave her a big hug; and then I gave Kazu a big hug. 

The rest of the week continued using the same structure of training.  There were lectures, new commands would be introduced and then the students would go into the training room with the dogs and practice the new series of commands, as well as work with ones previously learned.  Sit, down, heal, side, jump, up, get, hold, give, under, dress, get the leash, tug, kennel ….  It is amazing how much these dogs know how to do and how well they do each of their commands.  The light and switch command is totally amazing.  I don’t know if you were involved in teaching these commands.  If you weren’t, the dogs turn on the light by jumping up on the wall and straddling the switch plate with their paws.  Then they turn the light on by moving it up with their nose or mouth.  That is the light command.  The switch command is done with their paws; they paw down the light switch.  Kazu is a champ at this. 

During the two week session, they also spent a lot of time making sure that when the dogs were with their person, they would not be distracted by anything.  There is a rabbit in the training facility and the dogs have to ignore it.  Then they sprinkle food all over the place and the dogs have to ignore the food.  Can you imagine Kazu ignoring food?  He does!  They ran all sorts of toys and noise makers around the dogs and they had to ignore all of it! 

On the Friday at the end of the first week, they sent us home with the dogs for the first time.  Each person would take their dog home each evening and on the weekends for the rest of team training.  That morning, they worked on the “car” command; getting the dogs in and out of the cars and getting their leashes tethered onto the seat belts.  So, we borrowed a crate from CCI and went home with Kazu.  Over the weekend, we went to a pet store and we got Kazu two nice crates; one for home and one for Pauline at work.  Pauline also bought him great beds. She spent more money on Kazu’s bedding than we spent on our mattress and box springs.  He has one of these beds in the bottom of his crate and he also has a very large bed in our living room.   

He loves his crate and he sleeps in it every night.  CCI told us to have Kazu sleeping in his crate with the door closed when we first brought him home.  Pauline follows all of the CCI instructions carefully.  After about a month, when Pauline was certain that Kazu was acclimated, she decided to leave Kazu’s crate door open and to let him come and go as he wished.  He sleeps every night in his crate.  It is in a very safe and warm place in the winter and cool in the summer.  It is enclosed in the corner of two walls, so he feels very much like he is in a den which must make him very comfortable.  While he could go anywhere, almost every morning when I come to get him, he is in his crate and he doesn’t leave it until I am tying my shoes and he knows he’s going out.  He gets up, shakes out, stretches and puts his head into my lap.  Even during the day, if he is really tired and wants to sleep and be left alone (and Pauline doesn’t need him for something), he goes into the crate.  When he was living at CCI during advanced training, he was in a kennel with a cement floor and he was fine.  So the bedding Pauline got him was a very serious upgrade in sleep surface. 

It was really interesting how Kazu handled being in the house for the first time.  He didn’t seem interested in the second floor and he’s never been in the basement.  He didn’t check out the house.  Kazu has never chewed on anything that didn’t belong to him.  He has been absolutely wonderful from day one.   
There were more commands and more field trips the second week.  On Thursday of the second week, they took everyone to the mall for a public access test.  Pauline was so nervous.  She and Kazu were great and they passed the test.  It was amazing how well Kazu responded for as stressed out as Pauline was.  You would have been so proud of him, Doug.  He did all of his commands so well.

During the second week of training, we observed something amazing.  We had just heard a lecture about dominance, submissiveness and the natural order in a pack.  They brought us into the training room and all of the dogs were lying on the floor in the middle of the room – there were no leashes on the dogs.  They told us they were going to let the dogs play and they wanted for us to observe their play behavior and how the dogs related to each other.  They told the dogs “release.”  What happened next was absolutely astounding to us.  This collection of totally well behaved, docile, responsive dogs went totally berserk.  It was sheer mayhem and they all ran wild with each other – except for Kazu.  Kazu backed his way out of this mayhem and stood behind the trainers who were outside of the circle.  A trainer would find Kazu and would try to coax him into the play.  Kazu would just move his way behind another trainer.  Pauline and I felt horrible.  We were so concerned that Kazu wasn’t interested in playing.    

On the last day of class, Pauline was told that she passed the public access test with Kazu and was given a temporary license.  Pauline has a liaison with CCI who she is in regular contact with; this person is there to help Pauline, to answer questions, to assist with training new behaviors.  She does follow up interviews with Pauline and checks on Kazu’s weight, general health, and any behavioral or routine issues.  The support Pauline receives from this person and from CCI is outstanding!    

Pauline and Kazu graduated from CCI on Saturday, August 18th.  The graduation was at a community recreation center.  We brought Kazu to the center early Saturday morning.  They had a really nice breakfast and it was arranged so that we could spend this time with the puppy raisers.  But before the breakfast, they took Kazu from Pauline out to your Mom and Dad and to Denise to spend time with him before the breakfast and the graduation ceremony.  After your Mom and Dad and Denise had their special visit with Kazu, they met us for the breakfast.  There was a photograph of Pauline and Kazu on the table.  I hope you have this, Doug, or have seen it.  Pauline and I both hugged your Mom and we all cried … a lot.  We have a sense about how emotional this moment was for her and it was for us, as well.  Denise shared some photographs of you and Kazu with us – it was really great to see you with Kazu!  We spent about an hour with your Mom and Dad and Denise during breakfast.  We talked about you and we talked about your experiences with Kazu and thanked your Mom and Dad for the miracle that you brought into our lives, Doug.  We tried to share with your Mom and Dad as best we could how grateful we were for your selfless gift of Kazu to Pauline!

After breakfast, we went into the auditorium.  The ceremony started with the next group of puppy raisers bringing their dogs to CCI to be given over to the trainers to begin their advanced training.  The CCI staff presented each of the puppy raisers with a bouquet of flowers and a big hug and the dogs were handed over to the staff.  I just cried my eyes out during this entire part of the ceremony.  I’m sitting here crying while I write about this.  It just so totally blows me away what a selfless and incredible act of kindness people such as you participate in to make a better life for someone else. 

After the puppy raiser ceremony was completed, they began the graduation of the August training class.  One at a time, the person (who is receiving the service dog) was introduced and then the puppy raiser brought their dog down from the audience and presented their dog to them.  When it came time for Pauline’s turn, she walked her way to the middle of the stage while the trainer introduced her.  Then they announced his puppy raiser and your Mom and Denise walked Kazu down from the audience onto the stage.  Your Mom handed Kazu’s leash to Pauline and she gave Pauline a big hug.  Denise also hugged Pauline and they went back to their seats.  After all of the people were matched with their companions, Pauline came up to the podium to give a speech.  Her classmates selected her to talk about their experience in team training, which she did.  She gave a wonderful and very emotional speech while Kazu lay by her side.

When the ceremony was over, your Mom and Dad and Denise came down onto the stage and we took some photographs together.  It was really wonderful to meet your parents, Doug.  Pauline and I were so grateful to be able to share this incredible moment with them.  And we were most grateful that in your absence they were able to bring a part of you into this experience.

We did not walk out of the ceremony and take Kazu home to live happily ever after.  We walked out of the recreation center and handed Kazu to one of the CCI staff for them to take Kazu back to the training center in Delaware.  After spending two weeks bonding with him, it was really difficult for Pauline to say good-bye.  But there wasn’t much choice.  Pauline and I headed to the airport to fly to Victory Junction Gang Camp.  We had a family camp beginning on Sunday that would last the entire next week.  We had families with kids with TM come from all over the world.  By the end of the week, from the combination of our experience with team training and then our week at camp with the families, we were emotionally spent.  We were more than ready to be home and start our new life with Kazu.

Pauline picked up Kazu from CCI on Monday after we came back from North Carolina.  He was very happy to see Pauline.  I was instructed by CCI to totally ignore Kazu.  Their instruction was for me to stay away from him for 3 months to a year so that he and Pauline could thoroughly bond.  For the first month Kazu was at our house, I totally ignored him.  I never said a word to him, I never made eye contact with him, and I never touched him.  It was so hard, but I understood why I was doing it, and it was working really well, because Pauline was getting his undivided attention.  I was certain that Kazu thought that I had some kind of personality disorder.

Over time I have developed a relationship with Kazu.  I try to keep it fairly structured and I try not to give him too much affection (which isn’t easy) so that he gets most of his loving from Pauline.  I take him out for a walk first thing in the morning and then I walk him again when I get home in the evening.  If the weather allows, I try to make this a long walk so that he is getting some exercise.  He doesn’t get much exercise with Pauline.  He loves these walks.  I had never seen a dog empty their bladder all at one time.  The hurry command still totally blows my mind.  And I never feed Kazu; only Pauline gives him his food.  So, I’m basically the maid – for Pauline and Kazu.

I do give Kazu affection – he loves to lie under my feet while I am working at my desk on Saturday and Sunday mornings while Pauline is sleeping.  I love this quiet time with Kazu.  I’m not asking him to do anything, he has a full belly, an empty bladder and bowel, and he can just sleep – which is one of his favorite activities, after eating.  They just don’t come any sweeter than Kazu.

Pauline’s school began the same week we returned from camp.  CCI gave Pauline a video presentation and some materials to help her “teach” the children and the teachers and staff about service dogs and their responsibility to Pauline and Kazu, which can pretty much be summarized as “ignore the dog.”  So, from the very beginning, Pauline taught her second graders to not say his name, don’t make eye contact with him and don’t touch him.  It is an amazing proposition, but her students totally ignore Kazu and Kazu ignores them!  The teachers and staff are also great.  The teachers have all worked with their students to ignore Kazu, since Pauline has lunch and recess duty and is around all of the students in the school throughout the day.  Kazu is awesome; he does what Pauline tells him to do and he remains focused on Pauline in school (when he isn’t sleeping).  We set up a crate in her classroom and he spends a lot of time in his crate.  Pauline also put a bed under her desk and Kazu will lie on this bed, as well.  He spends the day with Pauline carrying things for her and I got a small wagon for him to use at school to “tug” things around the room.  Pauline taught Kazu to tug this wagon for her all the way to the library to return books.  Pauline’s class photo came back and Kazu is in the class picture sitting next to Pauline.  It is wonderful for Pauline to have Kazu with her all day long in her classroom.  The other teachers and staff love having him in the school. 

Kazu also picks things up off of the floor for Pauline.  This is probably the most important thing he does.  She is incapable of bending down to pick something up that falls.  He can pick up anything!  He is able to pick up a credit card!  He can pick up paper.  While this is the most important thing he does for Pauline, Kazu is rather particular about what goes into his mouth.  I’ve owned dogs all of my life and I’ve seen dogs eat just about everything.  The idea that Kazu might find some objects as too yucky to go into his mouth was a puzzling concept.  So, we are working to both accommodate Kazu’s issues with Pauline’s needs.  When she drops something, Pauline expects Kazu to follow the “get” and “hold” command immediately and then the “give” command.  We’ve also figured out that he specifically dislikes metal in his mouth.  Pauline’s canes are metal and that is probably the number one item that falls and needs to be picked up during the day.  I went to the hardware store and bought insulation material and duct tape.  We wrapped Pauline’s canes so that Kazu has something to grab that was not metal and was soft in his mouth.  He seems more comfortable getting the canes.  And Pauline is working with Kazu to be more responsive to picking things up ... without hesitating.

Obviously, we figured out that Kazu knows how to play and has a very fun personality!  Pauline first saw his playfulness and excitement around food.  She feeds Kazu first thing in the morning.  She would excitedly announce to Kazu that he was going to eat, and he would immediately go into a play bow and then spin around in circles and then would take off running like a crazed maniac.  He would go sliding down the hallway until he got to his food bowl.  We’ve seen this crazed and frenetic behavior in other situations.  He loves to play; he loves to run and to fetch his toys.  We found a football field near our house that is totally fenced in.  I throw a Frisbee for him and a ball and he goes wildly chasing after it.  He loves to pick it up on a dead run and then to run around the field.  Kazu just gets this crazed look in his eye when he is running like this, and his ears and legs go flopping around in every direction at once.  He is so big and fast.  And, Doug, he walks in such a regal way – he prances.  When we are out on a walk, I have had more than one person remark at what a beautiful dog he is.

We have tied ropes onto all of the drawers and doors that Pauline uses for Kazu to tug.  Kazu opens and closes the doors in the bedroom every night for Pauline.  She washed all of the throw rugs in the house yesterday, and Kazu tugged all of them for Pauline to the washer.  Kazu is great at getting the laundry.  I got them a plastic wagon for them to use at home like the one I got them for school.  He tugs the laundry from the dryer into the living room so that Pauline can sit on the couch and fold it.  If she drops any of the laundry onto the floor, Kazu is right there to pick it up.  He also very quickly learned to retrieve Pauline’s shoes.  That was amazing.  She gave him the command a couple of times and he seemed to know exactly what she wanted and brought her the shoes. 

We have season’s tickets with our sons for the Cleveland Browns.  Pauline and I go to one game together.    They have accessible seating in the stadium.  Before the game, we went into a restaurant for breakfast.  Kazu is awesome in restaurants.  He lies under the table by Pauline’s feet and he doesn’t move or make any noise at all.  He is so incredibly well behaved when we have him out everywhere!  When he gets out from under the table, he always shakes and Pauline tries to get him to do this in a discrete way away from people.  When we got to the stadium, they took us up an elevator to our seats which are out on a platform.  We brought a blanket for Kazu to lie on and that was a good thing, because the floor was metal and it was cold.  We also brought a bowl for water.  The ushers were great; they brought Kazu his water and they kept asking us if we needed anything.  People came down and wanted to pet Kazu and the ushers kept telling them that the dog was working and he needed to be left alone.  Pauline and I just smiled at each other.  Kazu ignored everything.  70,000 fans were screaming and going nuts.  There was a speaker behind us that blasted incredibly loud rock music.  The dog pound was directly below us; Kazu was definitely much better behaved than any of those dogs!  And there was a football game being played directly in front of his face.  Kazu totally ignored all of it.  It was our first major adventure with Kazu and he made it so easy for Pauline. 

Our next big adventure with Kazu was a trip to Boston.  We went to a meeting the weekend before Thanksgiving.  We booked the flight and told them we were flying with a service dog.  They reserved bulkhead seating for us.  I have to say that I was nervous about doing this travel.  Our flight to Boston was at 7 am on Saturday.  We got up at 3:30 and Pauline gave Kazu his breakfast.  At 4:30 I took him outside to “hurry.”  We got to the airport and made our way to the ticket counter.  Then Pauline got into a wheelchair and we headed to the gate.  Going through security was interesting as they wanted everything off of Kazu – his service jacket, his collar and his leash.  He listened to everything Pauline told him to do and he helped her by picking up her things and bringing them to her.  The airline botched our getting onto the plane and didn’t have us pre-board.  We were in line with all of the other passengers; that was chaos.  It was a small jet and there was no jet ramp, so we had to get Pauline up a flight of stairs to the plane – and Kazu.  The stairs were horrible because they were steep and narrow – more like a ladder.  Kazu was reticent to go up and the engines were on so it was very loud and he was confused.  We finally got him up.  Then when we got into the bulkhead, it was only two seats wide and the outer wall of the plane was angled in so there was not very much room for Kazu to lie down at Pauline’s feet.   

We got settled in and the jet taxied to the runway.  Kazu was fine until the jet accelerated down the runway; the floor shook and then when the floor began to tilt at more than a 45 degree angle, Kazu sat up.  He put his head in Pauline’s lap and she reassured Kazu.  He was fine.  The landing also went fine, but Kazu was most definitely stressed.  We let everyone get off of the plane before we left.  He was fine getting down off of the plane, but the woman who had Pauline’s wheelchair (who did not speak English) communicated that she was afraid of the dog and that if she was going to push Pauline in the chair, I was going to have to take the dog and not walk next to Pauline.  So, I took Kazu’s leash and walked in front of Pauline in the wheelchair.  Kazu was so excited to be off of the airplane and on the ground that his entire back end wagged up in the air back and forth.  One short flight, many important travel lessons.

Our event in Boston was at the faculty club at MIT.  Kazu was awesome.  There were many automatic doors and the push pads were located everywhere; some were high and some were low.  Kazu opened all of them for Pauline; he either pushed with his nose or he would jump up on the wall and push with his paw or nose.  Doug, it is so impressive to see Kazu do this.  There was a reception with more than 200 people and there was a lot of activity around him.  Kazu ignored everyone and really listened to Pauline or he slept on the floor because it was way past his bedtime.  We go to bed really early and Kazu is often in his crate and sleeping by 7:30 pm. 

Our flight home was much better than our flight to Boston.  The Boston airport was a great deal more crowded and more chaotic than Columbus had been; this was Sunday afternoon and the weekend before Thanksgiving.  When Pauline got into her wheelchair after leaving the ticket counter, she dropped everything she had in her hands, including her canes.  She told Kazu to pick everything up, one item at a time and to bring it to her.  He went about doing his tasks.  The entire line at the airport stood by and watched Kazu and Pauline do their thing.  I could tell that people were astounded by what they were watching.  I thought they were going to applaud.  Finally, the guy standing closest to Pauline said, “Wow, now that was really impressive.”  Pauline thanked him. 

When we got to the security area, they asked Pauline to get out of her chair and to take Kazu’s service jacket, collar and leash off.  Then the guard standing at the security screening called for Kazu to come through.  Pauline stopped the guard and said to her, “I give the dog his commands.”  I was really impressed that Pauline did this; and it was definitely the right thing to do.  So, Pauline said “front” and Kazu got in front of her, facing Pauline.  Then she said “back” and Kazu backed up through the machine in front of Pauline while Pauline also walked through.  The guard watched this incredulously and then said to Pauline, “I see dogs in here all of the time, and I have never seen a dog do that!”  Kazu then helped Pauline gather all of her things.  He was awesome.

We told an airline employee at the gate what our experience had been coming to Boston and she was very sympathetic.  When our plane arrived at the gate, she took us down to the plane before any other passengers.  We had plenty of time to get Kazu onto the plane and situated before the first passenger arrived.  It was a very tight fit for Kazu, but he did find a way to lie down in front of Pauline.  We also asked that they block the seat next to her so that Kazu had more room.  I sat across the aisle from them.  The take off, the flight and the landing were much easier for Kazu.  He seemed a great deal less stressed.  After going to the Browns game and after traveling with him, Pauline got the confidence that she could manage Kazu in about any situation.  He is just wonderful.  He pays attention, he does what he is told, and he’s bonded with Pauline really well in just four months. 

It is so important that Pauline manage Kazu well; there is little room for error in a school classroom.  Pauline wants having Kazu at work (school) to be a totally positive experience for her and also for the children.  She wants for the parents to be supportive.  It is hard to describe just how well it has all worked out for Pauline and Kazu.  The children ignore Kazu unless Pauline is doing some work with Kazu, and then the children are totally fascinated, just like everyone else who is watching him work. 

We have heard Kazu bark twice, and both times were from Pauline giving the “speak” command and both times were during training at CCI.  The only time we hear anything from Kazu is when he yawns or when he “quietly” complains about something (and we’re certain he’s not complaining about his bedding).

On the Thursday of the second week of advanced training, a veterinarian came to class to do a presentation about canine health and caring for the dogs.  This vet was on the CCI board and cares for all of the dogs while they are at the advanced training center.  When he came into the room, Pauline and I were so surprised; this was the vet who cared for our dog for most of her 16 years.  He also takes care of our children’s dog and cats.  The vet looked over and saw Pauline and gave her a great big smile and was coming over to say hello.  And then he saw Kazu.  And now it was his turn to be shocked.  This is the vet that did the surgery on Kazu for the infection on his nose.  He absolutely adores Kazu!  When he saw that Pauline was placed with Kazu, he was excited beyond words.  So, now Kazu’s vet has a long history with Pauline and with Kazu.  He takes such good care of him.   

And through this relationship and because of Kazu’s surgery, we were let in on a wonderful set of circumstances.  Kazu was supposed to be placed in the spring class at CCI.  Then he had the troubles with the infection healing and they decided to do the surgery.  CCI did not want to place Kazu until his infection had completely resolved.  As soon as Kazu’s trainer knew that he was being held back, perhaps until the summer class, she thought that he would be an excellent placement with Pauline.  She knew that Pauline was going to be in the summer team training, because she was out of school (as I had suspected they would do for her).  This trainer had been involved with Pauline’s application process and she knew Pauline’s personality very well.  She also knew Kazu’s personality really well, because she was the person primarily responsible for Kazu’s advanced training.  As we learned through the team training experience, the dogs work best when they are working for the leader of their pack – the alpha.  They are reassured by their leader, they are directed by their leader, the world is defined for them by their leader.  So, Pauline has to be the alpha.  Pauline is very mild mannered, very soft spoken and doesn’t do alpha very easily (except with me).  Kazu doesn’t need much alpha out of Pauline to get the point; he’s fine with Pauline’s level of alpha.  And Kazu does really well with responding to “no.” Pauline’s physical corrections are delivered infrequently.  He responds well to her commands.  He responds really well to the praise he gets from Pauline.  Pauline is the perfect leader for Kazu – and it is hard to imagine a better follower than Kazu.  If they needed to find a dog to be responsive to a very gentle and quiet leader, Kazu was most definitely the guy!  They so got this placement right – and they knew that they did many months even before the class began.  Kazu and Pauline were just meant to be together.

Pauline works on her commands with Kazu to be sure that he is doing everything as he should.  She has been teaching him the “go to” command so that she can send him to me if she has an emergency (e.g., she falls) and needs for Kazu to bring me to her.  So, we are practicing “go to Sandy” and “go to Pauline.”  Pauline has been teaching Kazu to carry things to the recycling bin for her and then drop it.  He definitely picks up patterning really fast.  He is really smart and so eager to please.  His tail wags the fastest and the hardest when he is doing something for Pauline.  It is just so amazing to watch. 

If I have used the words amazing and incredible 500 times in this letter, it is only because Kazu is so amazing and incredible.  Pauline had her permanent public access testing a few weeks ago.  It was a Saturday and the CCI staff asked Pauline to bring Kazu to the shopping mall at 11:00 in the morning.  They observed Pauline go through all of the commands with Kazu in the middle of Saturday morning chaos in the mall.  They did great.  In fact, they were perfect!  Kazu and Pauline passed their permanent public access test with flying colors.  I was so proud of both Pauline and Kazu. 

Kazu has totally transformed Pauline’s life.  There is absolutely nothing else in her life that has caused this kind of positive change – nothing – not the accessible home, not any of her medications, not all of her favorite foods, not me!  This incredible dog has brought more smiles to her face than I have seen in many years.  He gives Pauline a reason to get out of bed every day.  He has really given Pauline’s life meaning and purpose.  Kazu’s reason for being is to take care of Pauline – we see this in him.  And it is, in part, this purpose that provides so much positive response from Pauline.  She feels the responsibility she has for Kazu and she is totally immersed in the emotional connection she has to this dog.  When she hugs Kazu or strokes his belly, the pleasure and contentment on his face can only be matched by the pleasure, contentment and peace that I see on Pauline’s face.  When Kazu goes into his play bow and gets ready to speed down the hallway to his food bowl, his excitement and enthusiasm are only matched by the squeals of laughter that are coming from Pauline.  They feed off of each other in so many ways – after just four months!!!!  And this exchange of energy and emotions is all positive.

And none of what I am describing to you has anything to do with what he does for Pauline to improve the physical aspects to her quality of life.  Every step Kazu takes for Pauline is one additional step she will be able to take later in life.  Every time he retrieves something for her or picks something up off of the floor is one more avoided reminder of what she is no longer able to do for herself or the reminder that she is dependent on others for the most routine of activities.  Every time Kazu opens a door for Pauline is one less chance of stumbling or falling.  For all of the physical help he provides, it does not reach the level of positive impact Kazu has had on her mood, her attitude about life, and her self-esteem.  Kazu’s companionship with Pauline has completely changed her life.  I couldn’t get Pauline out of bed on a Saturday or Sunday morning at 6:00 with a stick of dynamite.  She gets out of bed seven days a week to feed Kazu.  And what Kazu hears out of her at 6:00 am while she is dragging herself out of bed (which is so difficult for her because what muscles that still work take some time to get moving) is not – geeeeze, I need to feed the dog.  What he hears is, “I love my Kazu.”  It all totally blows my mind, Doug.  You would have to see all of this to believe it, and you would have had to know Pauline before this big, beautiful, black dog appeared in her life.

And a day does not go by that I do not think of you!  I don’t pet Kazu without thinking about you.  I don’t watch his interactions with Pauline without thinking about you.  For me, you are a part of everything that is this incredible dog.  I raised two kids – I know what impact we have on our children – I completely understand what parenting and education and modeling are about.  While socializing children is not exactly like raising an animal – there is much about it that is the same.  What Kazu learned from you has made this dog such a special creature.  What personality influence you had on Kazu made him one of the kindest, sweetest, gentlest creatures I have ever seen.  What modeling you did with Kazu made him into one of the most responsive and disciplined creatures one could imagine.  I don’t ever separate what you did from who Kazu is; they are one in the same for me. 

I have a sense of the meaning and purpose that Kazu brought to your life, because I see what he has brought into Pauline’s life.  In the same way that my tears flow so intensely from thinking about the sacrifice puppy raisers experience from having to say good-bye to their dogs, I am saddened for you, Doug.  I know there must be an incredible sense of pride and accomplishment in what you have done.  How could there not be.  But there must also be a sense of sadness from having said good-bye to Kazu.  Words will never be able to describe our gratitude to you and our sense of your personal sacrifice in having had to say good-bye.  What you did for Pauline – for us – was both a miracle and a blessing.  You have given Pauline the miracle and blessing of independence.  You have given Pauline the miracle and blessing of a positive spirit. 

I want for you to know that Kazu is happy and he has a great home.  Kazu is so loved and receives wonderful care.  He is the focus of Pauline’s attention.  And Kazu is doing the work he was trained so well to do.  He delivers independence to Pauline 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  And he brings her independence packaged in warmth, kindness, companionship, devotion, loyalty and love!

We are forever grateful for your hard work with Kazu.  We are forever grateful for the affection and care you gave to Kazu.  And we are so grateful for your willingness to offer such a generous and kind effort to someone in need.  This was such an amazing and wonderful gesture, Doug.  Thank you.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Take care and be well,
Pauline and Sandy

January 20th 2008

Dear Pauline and Sandy,

Let me start by saying thank you so much for the wonderful letter and pictures.  To receive that really meant a lot to me.  I would have written sooner, but to be honest, I really didn’t know where to start.  So much information and so many thoughts of my own about each and every thing you wrote.  I just had to mentally sort it all out. 

I would like to share with you how I got started in this program at RCI.  I arrived here in October of 1999.  At that time the dog program had just started and there were only a couple of inmates with dogs.  They weren’t CCI dogs, but a “pound puppy” program.  Needless to say, I was immediately interested.  I couldn’t believe that inmates had dogs that lived with them in their cells.  I took every opportunity to interact with the dogs that I could.  The thing is, so did 1000 other inmates; so my interest didn’t stand out in the least.

In 2000 they started raising CCI puppies here; three or four of the cutest little bundles of fur romping around out in the yard.  I found out that they weren’t planning on getting any more puppies, so I knew my chances were slim.  I chose to only watch it from a distance.  In 2001 I noticed that there was a high turnover rate of the inmates that were raising the puppies.  I saw this as an opportunity to get a dog.  I started sending in request after request to be accepted into the program and I never got one reply. 

In 2003 I moved into the merit housing for “honor” inmates.  This is the unit that Denise works in, so I knew I was getting closer.  I continued to show interest and I was accepted into the program in September of 2004.  At that time I was only a secondary which is another name for babysitter.  I would get a dog when one of the primaries had a visit, doctor’s appointment or was sick.  That was fine though.  My foot was finally in the door.

On December 2nd one of the primaries got an early release and went home.  His dog’s name was Lockett.  Denise asked me if I wanted him.  I don’t even think I let her finish the question.  She knew I wanted him.  Lockett was already six months old, and to put it mildly, he was a challenge.  He was very head strong and responded poorly to any type of correction.  I had my work cut out for me.  It turned out to be a blessing.  Lockett taught me as much as I taught him.  I kept Lockett until July of 2005.  I’d learned that those first six months of a dog’s life are the most important and if they don’t know what’s expected of them by then that it’s almost too late.  We sent five dogs to CCI that July and all five did not graduate for various reasons.  Lockett didn’t graduate because he refused to respond to correction.  I was still confident that the work I did with Lockett gave him a good chance to succeed.

Here is the good part.  On July 18, 2005, the day we turned Lockett in, I received Kazu.  He was exactly two months old that day and he was so cute.  We got four puppies that day: Kazu, Kashi, Lilac and Lassen.  Lilac and Kashi were female breeders and were already spoken for.  So, it was down to the two males.  Being the low man on the totem pole, so to speak, I deferred and let the other guy choose which one he wanted.  He had just turned in a yellow lab and wanted another, so he chose Lassen.  That left me with Kazu.  To be honest, I didn’t know how his name should be pronounced.  I wanted it to sound as far away from Kashi to avoid confusion.

I was so happy to have this sweet little puppy to love, teach and spend time with.  For the first three or four days, I spent one on one time with him.  I talked and talked to him so he could identify my voice.  I said his name to him hundreds of times and introduced him to the “hurry” command.  The best I can remember, he only had a few accidents inside, but only when he was that young.  He did so well with that.  We take them out at 8:00 PM and they have to hold it until 6:00 AM.  Also, it was the middle of July and all he wanted to do is drink and drink.   

The next big hurdle was to leash break him.  Here he was only nine weeks old and I put this little halter on him and tried to get him to walk where I wanted to walk and not let him go anywhere he wanted to go.  He fought it for about two weeks and then he gave in.  I strongly believe that early leash breaking is the foundation for everything else.  It definitely establishes who is the alpha.  It was when he gave up trying to fight the leash that he started walking so proudly.  He was twelve weeks old and prancing and walking perfectly with me step for step.  How you described him walking is how he walked then.  Next, through the endless miles, we walked.  I taught him to walk with his head next to my knee no matter how fast or slow I walked.  I would start out walking about as slow as possible and then would take off walking as fast as I could; then almost stopped once again.  He was so focused that he would never pull the leash tight in either direction.  He was perfect. 

Throughout this time, I was introducing commands to him.  I had this great idea to try to teach him one a week or so.  That is when I discovered how smart Kazu was.  I would show him something once or twice, and he would know it proficiently.  I was blown away.  By the time he was four and a half months old, he knew all 32 commands.  I was so scared that I had pushed him too hard, but there was really no “pushing” involved.  I really was waiting for something negative to arise, but it never did. 

Kazu was always trained and treated with love.  Sandy, I agree with you 100% on the similarities between dogs and children.  I praise the positives rather than punish and focus on the negatives.  Kazu was trained letting him know what I expected from him and rewarding when he did it.  When he would do something wrong (eating grass, sniffing garbage cans), I would redirect him to something positive and praise and reward when he did it.  He caught on really quickly; especially when treats were involved.  Kazu really wasn’t treat-driven as some of the other dogs here are.  He loved the pets, hugs and kisses.  And he got plenty.  Everyone here loved him so much.  He amazed people when he was here, so I know he is amazing people now.

I cried so many times through reading your letter.  It was so pleasing to see that every single thing he and I worked so hard on is being used to help Pauline.  I can’t deny it.  I am so proud.  Not because of what I did, but because of what Kazu is doing.  It feels like I’ve turned my son out into the world and he is doing great things. 

One of Kazu’s innate strengths was retrieving.  He loved to pick things up and bring them to me.  We really aren’t supposed to teach them this.  I never really did; I only encouraged it.  We are told specifically to never use the words “get” “give” or “hold.”  We are told that these are advanced commands.  We use the words “find” and “bring.”  We would say, “find the toy; bring it here.”  He was so good at it that I would say, “find my shoes” and he would bring them and place them right in my hands.  He would specifically bring boots, shoes or slippers and knew what each item was by name.  He amazed me by how quickly he learned all of this.  I’d show him once or twice and he’d know. 

I also taught and made Kazu perform the switch command while he was here.  It was mainly for my benefit.  Our cell doors here are regular hinged doors.  If I’m outside of the cell and I push the door shut, the door locks and I have to wait for an officer to come and open my door with a key, which they are not too enthused about.  If I’m in my cell and pull the door shut, there is a button that I can push and the door will unlock and I can get out.  I made an apparatus that I put over the switch that ended up being a square of about the same size as an automatic handicap door push plate.  That way if I was locked out of the cell and Kazu was in it, I would simply tell him “switch” through the door window, and he would come over, reach up, and push the button with his two front paws and let me in.  This saved me countless hours of waiting outside for an officer to come over to let me in.  No wonder he is so proficient at this.  He’s had plenty of practice. 

Kazu was always so eager to please.  Kazu seems to be going to bed at night about the same as he did here.  Around 8:30 or so, he was in his crate and fast asleep.  His crate was set up so that the back of it was right next to the head of my bed.  I elevated the frame of my bed up to about 3 ½ feet high so my dogs could crawl up under my bed and lay down, if they wanted; just to have more room to move around.  One night I was up pretty late watching tv and doing crossword puzzles.  It was about 11:30 so he had been asleep for a good three hours.  About that time, my tired eyes told me that I’d had enough.  I reached over and turned off my bed lamp, put my pen on my clipboard, and reached over to put it on the shelf.  When I did this, the pen rolled off and hit the floor.  I decided I’d get it when I was going to get up in a few minutes and finish getting ready for bed.  I laid there for about 30 seconds or so with my eyes closed resting them.  I opened my eyes to get up and there was Kazu about eight inches from my facing doing an “up” on the side of the bed with my pen in his mouth and his tail wagging.  I was blown away.  I never heard him leave his crate or felt him do an up on my bed.  But for him to be lying there asleep and hear the pen hit the floor and feel as though it was his job to bring it to me, I’m still amazed.  I praised him and got down on the floor and gave him a bunch of lov’n and he just laid there and took it all. 

There is an elderly man here that walks with a cane.  Every once in a while, he would come over while Kazu was out and drop his cane on the floor.  He would tell Kazu to bring it to him and Kazu would go over and pick it up for him.  The man really liked that.  It was a wooden cane and for some reason, Kazu wasn’t too thrilled about that either.  So we took a piece of denim cloth towards the upper part of the cane.  After that, there was no hesitation from Kazu.  To this day, this man still has that strip of cloth tied to his cane and asks about Kazu all the time.

I am so proud of my boy and I miss him so much.

The day I had to say good-bye to Kazu was so rough.  I have a hard time thinking about it as I write this.  We spend the whole year with them knowing that day will come, but there is really no way to prepare for it.  Our biggest wish is that we will never see them again.  That means that they have succeeded.  Only when they don’t graduate do they come back to be given to one of the staff members here.  The day they leave, Denise has us bring them up to the front gate at 8:00 AM.  She waits out in the parking lot with the van and has another staff member to come and get the dogs from us.  She doesn’t even want to see us on that day, because she knows what we are going through.  She gets as attached and emotional about everything as we do.  The way I like to do it is to say all of my goodbyes before I go up to the front gate.  That way when they come and take the leash from my hand, I can just turn around and walk as quickly as possible before the flood gates open.  Well, with Kazu I almost made it back to my cell which is about a half mile walk.  I got to the front door of my housing unit and I realized that I’d never be walking in and out with Kazu and then the levee broke.  I went in my cell and pulled the door shut and had a real good cry for about 15 minutes.  As I was sitting there drying my eyes and blowing my nose, I was struck with a great feeling.  After all of those years of being in this cold and hard place, I was so happy that I could still have all of those feelings and emotions.  And all of this began with this little romping ball of black fur.  Kazu made me better in so many ways. 

After he left here, CCI did a really good job of keeping me abreast of his progress.  I knew everything about his surgery and his training.  Everyone who turns a dog in gets a monthly progress report at the least.  With his nose, they called here a lot more often to let us know what was happening.  I could tell that they really loved him up there.  The monthly reports usually are filled with various problems that the dogs are showing.  With Kazu, they were always about how good he was.  I was thrilled.  Adrena, one of the trainers, would call and say, “Kazu is being Kazu.  Everything’s fine.”  I was happy.

The day before team training was to start in May, they called to say that he was being pulled out of training but would be kept for the August class.  I was a little worried.  I didn’t like the idea that he would be up there for nine months on that hard concrete.  He had a mattress cut down to fit his crate while he was here.  I just had to have faith that there was something great waiting for Kazu.  I was so happy that such a wonderful match was made between Pauline and Kazu.  It’s perfect.  I don’t think that the staff of CCI could have done a better job with the match.  I have to say that I shed a tear or two when I read in your letter that Pauline wanted Kazu after five minutes with him.  I really see G-d’s hand in all of this. 

Pauline, I am so happy that Kazu has helped you in so many ways.  It was definitely an answered prayer that he was matched with the perfect person that could love him like you do.  No words could ever be spoken to explain how grateful I am that he has you and that you have him.  In the sixteen months that I had Kazu, I knew that he changed me in ways that would last the rest of my life.  I know that he has already made a difference in your life and I can’t wait to see what waits for the two of you in the years to come. 

When I turned in Kazu in November 2006 and I started receiving his first couple of progress reports, I had a pretty good idea that he might graduate.  At that time, I asked my parents if they would like to attend the May graduation ceremonies.  They were very excited to go.  Then he got held out of the May class, because of his nose.  So, I told them that it would be some time in August.  I wanted for them to share in the graduation; and to see firsthand why I was participating in this program.  Then Denise asked my Mom to help her since we had three dogs from RCI graduating that day.  I called Mom Saturday evening after the ceremony to see how everything went.  Through tears over the phone, she told me all about it.  She spoke so highly about the both of you.  I was so pleased with everything.  After a long pause, Mom said, “You know, that was one of the best experiences of my life.”  If nothing else good came out of all of this, just to hear my Mom say that made it all worth it.  Kazu is such a special boy.

Kazu has already been able to do something I’ve always wanted to do.  He got to fly in a plane.  I love the stories about him going through security.  I can visualize every step you described.  We do a little work here with wheelchairs just to introduce them.  I would always approach doorways with Kazu while I was sitting in the chair.  I would tell him “front” and then have him “back” up through the door.  He’s an old pro at that stuff. 

The story you shared with me about Kazu not playing with the other dogs when they were “released” at CCI let me know that Kazu was the same old Kazu.  He played so much here and so vigorously and he was so used to playing with a bunch of dogs that it probably just wasn’t that exciting for him anymore.  I’ve always thought that Kazu thought he was a person.  When he was here and all of the other dogs started getting over excited, he would come over and sit next to me and just watch the other dogs.  When they would settle down, he’d go back and pick a toy up and play.  He was here beyond his year.  Also the fact that he had already been up there for nine months probably was getting old for him. 

Kazu has always been excited at feeding time.  We are let out of our cells at 6:00 am every morning.  Before the doors unlocked, I would pour his cup and a half of food in his bowl and set it on the edge of the sink.  Then when the doors opened, I’d take him outside to do all of his hurry business.  He knew his food was waiting, so he did it quickly.  All the way back in I would say, “din din, din din, din din.”  He would be high stepping the whole way.  Then I’d take his collar off and he would put himself into a sit.  He’d watch me set the bowl on the floor and then as I straightened up, his eyes would lock on mine.  He’d wait, and then I’d say, “Release!”  He’d pounce on the floor to his bowl and got busy.  Sometimes just to test him, I’d make him sit there for about a minute before I’d release him.  He would be perfectly still, but the drool would start dripping from the corners of his mouth.  He was great.

The whole time Kazu was here, he never barked without being told to speak.  The way I always worked on it with Kazu was to have his butt firmly planted in a sit position and tell him to “speak.”  I’d tell him once and expected the command to be followed by many barks until I said “quiet,” which he always did perfectly.  I had always imagined that this could be used by someone who had fallen down or fell ill.  Believe me, if this happened in your house, it would definitely bring others running.  I just thought that this might be useful to try, if the “go to Sandy” or “go to Pauline” isn’t working well.   

Denise got a DVD of the CCI graduation ceremony.  It was as good as I imagined it to be.  Pauline, your speech was great.  I tried to hide the fact that I was tearing up while watching it.  The thing is, I wasn’t the only one.  You might not be able to imagine it; ten guys in prison, sitting in a small tv room watching a DVD and crying like babies.  All of us in this dog program know exactly why we do this.  I have shared your letter with everyone else in this program and it has made an impact.  One of the guys that has been a puppy raiser since early 2003 said that he was “re-inspired and re-motivated” after reading your letter.

I truly appreciate your taking the time to write me such a wonderful letter to let me know all about how Kazu is doing.  More than that, I thank you very much for opening your hearts and your home and letting Kazu in.  I could have never dreamed that such a perfect match could be made.  Thank you so much for loving Kazu the way you do.  I know he can’t say it, but I know Kazu, and I know he loves you unconditionally. 

I look forward to receiving updates in the future and I hope to get to meet both of you one day.

Sincerely,
With love and caring,
Doug

Doug has a gift.  The more I learn about Kazu, the more I appreciate the discipline, focus, and nurturing that goes into the work that Doug does with these dogs.  I greatly respect and admire Doug as I do all of the people who work and volunteer in the CCI program.  Only 40% of the dogs in the CCI program are able to graduate.  Having the right temperament, being physically able to do the work, learning all of the commands, adhering to the correct behaviors, and being able to bond with and serve as a companion for a person represents an incredibly high level of expectations.  To achieve these goals requires the expertise and experience surrounding the breeding program, the devotion and selflessness of all of the breeder caretakers, the legions of exceptional puppy raisers, like Doug, and the skills, dedication, experience, knowledge and sensitivity of the advanced trainers who work at the five regional CCI centers.  Underlying all of these efforts are the many volunteers who support this program and help to raise the resources that make all of these miracles possible.  CCI estimates that their investment in each of these dogs is about $40,000.  There was no cost for Pauline to be placed with Kazu.  As a president of a not-for-profit organization who has a very clear understanding of the resources and leadership that are required to possess a vision and a mission and to construct it into a reality, I can only be in awe of the quality of this program and the incredible achievements of Canine Companions for Independence.  

We have stayed in touch with some of our fellow graduates, with the breeder caretakers who care for Kazu’s Mom and Dad, and, of course, with the wonderful CCI folks from the North Central Regional Center in Ohio.  And we are in regular contact with Doug.  Pauline, Kazu and I will be making a trip early this summer to the Ross Correctional Institution for a visit with Doug and Denise.  We are so looking forward to meeting Doug and to sharing in the Doug and Kazu reunion!