University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

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CURS FCR NCJWI RAISING PU PPIES FCR SERVICE about 18 months--when Trego is 2 years old-I'll drive two-and-a-half hours to the KSDS training facility in Washington, Kansas, and hand over her leash. But until A then, she'll live with me. My job is to keep her safe and happy and to teach her how to behave in public. That's why Trego goes everywhere with me-to the movies, the mall and even out to eat. She needs to be exposed to as many different situations as possible, so that when she works with someone who is blind or in a wheel- chair, she'll be comfortable doing her job in public. KSDS looks for people who love dogs and are willing to take the time, energy and money to raise these puppies. They also need to be emotionally able to give the puppy up when it is called back for formal training, says Debbie Tegethoff, KSDS puppy coordinator. As a puppy raiser, I am responsible for the first phase of Trego's training: growing up. When I take Trego back to KSDS, she will be health- and temperament-tested be- fore beginning advanced training. Then she will be paired with the person she will help and the two of them will go through team training to learn how to work together. The entire process takes about three years. Right now, about 100 volunteers are raising KSDS puppies, Tegethoff says and 5 0 of us are in Kansas. The rest are scattered around the country, mostly in the Midwest. College students considering committing to puppy raising need to understand that it isn't just something you can do on the weekends, says Dave Downing, professor of aerospace engineering and former puppy raiser. He says raising a puppy for service requires a lifestyle change simi- lar to that of having children, but just for a short time. I,ve had this puppy for five months and I can't think of a better analogy. When Trego and I walked into church on the Sunday before Christmas, I was armed with the Missouri law- puppies in training have access to all public places-and pamphlets about KSDS. I thought I was prepared for anything. But when the band started playing and my baby Trego joined in, I began to panic. just wait it out. She'll stop singing when they stop. I told myself it was going to be OK, that she would calm down when the service began. Then, the pastor released the children to go to their children's church activities. Oh no. But puppy raisers have to be careful about how they think about that bond, because when the puppies are between 18- and 24-months-old, KSDS sends each puppy raiser uthe letter. The letter tells the puppy raiser that it's time to bring the puppy back. uThe day they go back is the worst, but it's the best at the same time. You're so attached, and you donlt even know how attached you aref' Langdon says. Braddy doesn't know when he'll get the letter about Cinnamon, but hels guessing it will be sometime next month. Then Braddy will load Cinnamon into his car for the drive back to Washington, Kan., making sure to take along one of Cinnamonis favorite toys. After an exit interview, during which the puppy raiser answers questions about the puppyls progress and shares information that will help the dogis transition to living at the training facility go smoothly, the puppy is taken away. It's sad, Braddy says, but you want your dog to go off to doggie college to learn how to do its job. After the dogs are called back, they are sent to Kansas State University, where their eyes and hips are tested to make sure they don't have any problems that will keep them from having a long career. The dogs are also temperament-tested every day, Tegethoff of KSDS says. The trainers at KSDS watch the puppies closely. They de- cide which track the dog will take-assistance dog, guide dog or social dog-based on what tasks the dog is good at performing and what it seems to enjoy doing. Some dogs, Tegethoff says, arenit ready to begin advanced training as soon as they get back to the training facility. Some ofthe dogs are kind of like teenagers. They don't know what they want to dof' Tegethoff says. These dogs are sent to the Topeka Correctional Facility where they spend about 30 days with teams of female inmates who are able to spend more time with the dogs than puppy trainers are, Tegethoff says. The teams are usually made up of three women and the leaders of the teams have passed both written and practical rests to ensure that they are equipped to help train the dogs. After time at the Topeka Correctional Facility, the dogs return to KSDS for formal training, which lasts between six and nine months. When people ask how I will give Trego up, I tell them about when we attended a KSDS event intended to intro- duce children and their parents to the idea that a service dog could change their lives, but the children I met there changed mine. g'These dogs change people's livesj, Braddy says. GWhether itls you the puppy raiser, you the person who is paired with the dog or you the person who adopts a dog who doesn't make it, these dogs change peoplels livesf' SERVICE Docs l 58

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he stands are the pews, the light song and the alma niater are the hymns, the rans are the faithful congregants, and jayhawlt football is the religion. Be- fore ex ery home game SYLI- dents, families and alumni ioin in a mass exodus from their homes, through the student ghetto and toward Xleniorial Stadium. Theres no incense, but the aroma of fresh harhecue and hamburgers permeate the crisp Fall air as the voices ol thousands ofexcited fans mingle with the muted notes ofthe marching hand warm- ing, up in the distance. lt's 9 a.m., on Saturday, and it's time for the age-old pregame ritual oltailgating to hegin. like any religious ceremony, there are rules to he followed and principles to he adhered to. Something this important shouldn't he ta ken lightly, which is why x'i'c'i'e compiled the Ten Clomniandnients ofnfailgat- ing, detailing the do's and don'ts of pre-game partying. O8 O9 V JAYHAWKER O N I THOU mir. The Crori rcadi on Ni eriou mists TW' mol Ther slioii you l ated llipt gam T H TI-IO TAII. Wlit to ta part But and pets FC THC Che gat: