14-year-old girl trains guide dog for Indianapolis woman

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) - When Alaina Rudin was 14 years old, her parents granted her permission to adopt her first dog, a 7-week-old yellow Labrador retriever named Satchmo. A mere year later, she had to give him back.

But this all was part of the plan.

"I was heartbroken. He was my baby," Rudin said. "I fell in love with him before I even met him, and giving him back was the hardest thing I ever did, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. That is what he's meant to do."

Before even obtaining her driver's license, Rudin spent a year training Satchmo to be a guide dog through Leader Dogs for the Blind, a national organization in Rochester Hills, Mich., helping those who are blind, deaf-blind and visually impaired.

Her parents' veterinarians Dave and Lisa Grasso notified her of the organization's puppy raiser program, with which the Grassos had trained dogs before and adopted their retired guide dog, Lola. The program involves volunteers socializing guide dogs during their early months so they're ready for guide dog training when they're returned to the headquarters.

Rudin's parents had intended to wait until Rudin turned 16, but on Christmas three years ago, they made a surprise announcement. The 14-year-old dog lover would be getting a puppy of her own, one that would later be given to Pauline Ulrey, an Indianapolis resident who needed his assistance.

After a year of training, it was a grueling, five-month wait before Satchmo and Ulrey connected. Blind at 2 years old from a lightning strike, Ulrey had been through nine leader dogs in 55 years. All were German shepherds. Satchmo was her first labrador retriever.

Ulrey noticed differences in the breeds. Her German shepherds were more reserved and focused, whereas Satchmo is outgoing and doesn't have as intimidating of an appearance. More people come up to pet him and distract him from his duties. But Ulrey said that's the breed's nature, and not the fault of Rudin's training. "I wouldn't trade this guy in for nothing," Ulrey said, adding that Rudin was great in preparing her dog for the job.

Rudin taught Satchmo approximately 25 different words such as "forward," ''left," ''bus and car." She also made him familiar with pedestrians through walks in the neighborhood and trips to the mall and library.

Satchmo sported a vest with warnings indicating he was a piece of medical equipment. It didn't stop young kids from approaching him.

Rudin recalled the first time she brought Satchmo to church with her. Instantly, all children in the room swarmed them. At first, Rudin played referee between the two parties, but later, she taught kids they had to ask permission to pet him. When Satchmo was seated, they could. If he stood up, they snatched their hands away. That training helped Satchmo learn to dodge distractions. Within a year, he went from walking zig-zag patterns while sniffing the sidewalks to clearing a popcorn-littered fairgrounds lawn without the slightest dip for a quick snack.

And little did Rudin know, while she was helping her dog socialize, her dog would, in return, help her blossom into an extrovert.

"I started out as a 14-year-old kid, and I was shy and scared, and every time you bring a puppy with you somewhere, everyone wants to talk to you. You're immediately the coolest person in the room."

She paused.

"Well, really you're not. The dog is the coolest person in the room."

Rudin, now 17, still loves dogs, proven by the denim purse she carries with a paw print stitched into the side and her preference for the Snoopy comic strip over Muncie-born Garfield. The background on her iPad displays a picture of a black labrador retriever, Trinket, her second leader dog. Trinket didn't pass guide dog training and was "career changed" to a breeding stock dog with possibility to have puppies that could be raised as guide dogs.

Rudin currently works part-time at the Albany Veterinary Clinic. She isn't training her third leader dog at the moment, but she hopes to after she graduates high school.

And Ulrey is getting used to her new breed of dog. A couple of weeks ago, she took Satchmo to PetSmart to get his picture taken with Santa, which will hang next to Christmas portraits of her other guide dogs. Today, Ulrey works as an advocate for Leader Dogs for the Blind and has shared her story with numerous Lions Clubs across the country.

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Source: The (Muncie) Star Press, http://tspne.ws/2iep70Z

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Information from: The Star Press, http://www.thestarpress.com