A STORY OF LEARNING TOGETHER

Don't feed the big

By NANCY WEATHERLEY

MAN'S BEST FRIEND

is more than just a
friend to Kathy
Duplissie. Besides
being her constant

companion, her black
lab, Novak, is her only
way of seeing.

Kathy found, about a year
apo, that her vision was
becoming so dim that just a
cane was not enough to
guide her from her North
Vancouver home through
the outside world.

She decided on a seeing
eye dog

Although puide dogs for
the blind are well publicised.
in reality Canada boasts very
few. There are no training
centres and in all of B.C.
Kathy estimates there are
not more than about 60 dogs

So. her tnp to San
Raphael in Cahforma was a
bit of a pioneering ad-
venture. San Raphael is one
one of the closest training
centres to Vancouver that is
recognized by the Canadian
National Institute for the
Blind.

Kathy and Novak have
only been together for a
couple of months and the
next few months will be
crucial in determining
whether the two can func-
bon effectively as a team or
whether they must give up tn
failure

The dog 1s already trained
to stop before curbs or
obstacles such as parked
cars, to recogmize changes in
pavement texture or colar
and to guide Kathy through
crowds, around constructon

sites and other potential

dangers that most of us don't
have to think twice about.

Novak has given her a new
freedom. “Its quite exciting
to feel now that whenever I
feel like poing for a walk I
can go without bothenng my
fnends.”

And since her favorite
time ‘to walk ts in the middle
of the night. perhaps it's not
only Kathy who 1s glad she
has the dog.

As her
Novak and her rehance on
him increase. Kathy thinks
things will be easier, but at
the moment she is. also
reinforcing his training and
the concentration this takes
can be a problem

“We're not a cohesive
team vet’ she says. “and |

have a heck of a ume
remembering where I'm
pong.

In many ways she has been
pleasantly surprised by the
posinve reaction she has had
with Novak in restaurants,
grocery stores. buses and
public facilites.

But she does have an
appeal to make to people not
to pet or feed a guide dog
when it is in harness and
working as this is confusing
to both dog and owner

“LT dont mind people
petting him” Kathy says. “if
they ask first.”

And both she and Novak
have been harassed by other
dogs running free without
supervision

Novak 1s trained not to
fight and when dogs try to
play with him of attack him
wocan be a frustrating and
fnghtening experience for
him and for Kathy

She is sall angry with the
man who said “CGrood dog”
alter his doy attacked

NEW
-FFICIENT METHOD BASED
IN 2 YEARS OF RESEARCH

only

IMPROVE:

o Sparel

WHEN:

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oC contaprrerbvarnemtenns

Saturday, March 135

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TIME:

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Yam to dpm

INFORMATION: 681 6421.1.... 945 BHOO.

fnendship with

March 7, 1982

SECTION

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TRAVEL

Tel. 985-2131

KATHY AND NOVAK share a quiet moment during

the rigors of training. Both the dog and the handler
have to adjust themselves to new situations requiring a

considerable learning experience and endless pa-

tience. For more photos see page C3.(Photos by lan
Smith)

Novak
Obstacles hike manholes
and sidewalks Kathy” cx

pected to run into. not all
nalured pedestrians
But) her

alOtude ous sul

—
u

UnUr tN

E’VE GOT THE CURE
FOR THE COMMON KITCHEN

Cuodur Howse

CABINE TS ttl
156 WEST THIRD ST N VAN

980-0222

very hopeful She has a
special relabonship with the
dog who iw her pet. her
fmend and her guardian and
Kathy is positive about their

future together

An,

Firee
ESTIMAles

black d

Cabo
FASNIONS |
DY WINASONG

‘‘Midnight Poppy’’

Various Pastel Colorations on Black Background

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