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The power of unshakable belief

If you’ve ever housetrained a puppy, you know that they go through a couple of troublesome seasons called “fear impression stages.” When the fear stage arrives, things that never bothered the dog until yesterday are suddenly a source of terror. As a dog owner and trainer, he simply has to help them get through it.

But imagine being me, and on the other end of the leash is the pup who will become your guide dog, if he makes it. There is much more at stake than a typical pet that is afraid of something you can control. As a tenant, I was allowed to have a service dog in training under the law, however, if she “dropped out” for not doing her job well, I would not be able to keep her.

We had spent every waking and sleeping moment together since I picked up the squirming 9-week-old puppy from his mother’s side. She just HAD to stand out. Period. No other options. And in particular, she needed to be able to ride public transportation with me while I spent the day working and running errands.

We had our challenges from the beginning, because from our first car ride together, she got seasick. She kept believing that she would get over it in time. When we first boarded a city bus together, she made a 3-foot puddle of slime on the floor, which was thankfully already wet from her snow-covered boots. “I believe in you,” I told him. She could get over that, too, once we’d gotten a few wrinkles out.

One spring day, I was at a bus stop with baby Thunder. She had finally gotten over dizziness every time we were in a car and drooling on every bus. Having conquered these tendencies, I felt that we had achieved a lot. She had become a champion biker who would get on any vehicle by wagging her tail.

Except for that fateful day, everything fell apart.

Thinking that today was just like any other day, Thunder and I went to the bus stop. The bus came and my champion pup, my future guide dog, turned into a coward. He cowered under the bench of the bus, shaking violently. I literally had to drag her by her guide dog in training vest and force her up the steps.

One of the other passengers made a sarcastic comment about what a great guide dog he would be if he had to guide her to a bus. “She’s in training,” I told him. “I’m sure you don’t do everything right the first few times either.”

That was a critical moment for her and me. I realized that she was in a phase of fear, and it was up to ME to help her get through it properly. The handler’s emotions are transmitted through the leash to the dog. If you are anxious, the dog will feel it. If you’re upset, the dog will know. If you don’t believe in the dog, he won’t believe in himself.

What would be your natural thoughts at a time like this? Remember, I had raised and trained the dog for several months at this point, and she was well on her way to becoming my guide dog. As my guide dog, she helped me navigate obstacles, find doors, and stay out of harm’s way as we traveled together. If she failed, he couldn’t hold her. Maybe he’d be running “brain television” scenarios about the dog failing and you have to give him up after months of bonding and training. Perhaps you would have doubts about your dog every time you approached a bus stop.

I needed to have unshakable faith in my dog’s ability to overcome her fear. I couldn’t harbor a moment of doubt in her, and I couldn’t hide behind a feigned display of faith either. He had to feel my confidence through the leash. He had to believe with every fiber of her being that everything was okay.

What did I do? I spent time every day watching the two of them travel competently and safely on buses, planes, cars, trains, moving walkways, and even escalators. I assured Thunder that she is a safe and competent guide who keeps me safe.

It took her a couple of weeks to get over her new fear of buses. I kept my faith strong and told her every day how much I believe in her. Thunder actually got over her fear. She learned how to guide me safely through obstacles, how to find bus stops, doors, and mailboxes, and how to keep me safe when traveling.

Thunder became the champion guide dog she knew herself to be. All she had to do was believe.