It was 4 years ago. We had finally moved in to a place that would allow us to have a dog - so many places that rent do not want dogs, but this place said ok.

 

We looked all over, for weeks. The kids were hoping we would get a big dog, and we were looking for a larger breed dog, because with our 4 rough and tumble kids, we were hoping to find a dog that wouldn't be as 'fragile' as some little dogs could be.

 

The only one who was anxious was Chris, my hubby.

"What if we get a dog and it goes potty in the house?"

Well, we will have to train it, and it will learn eventually, but it will take some time, so we will have to have a little patience.

 

"What if the dog chews on my leather shoes?"

Well, Chris, we will teach it to not eat clothes and stuff, but it will take some time for it to learn, so we will have to have a little patience.

 

"What if the dog gets into my work stuff in my office?"

Well, Chris, we will teach the dog to behave and go to obedience class, but it will take some time for it to learn, so we will have to have a little patience.

 

One day, we were at a petstore (I know, I know - if I knew then what I know now, I would never have been in there) and we saw the cutest little bundle of black fur. It was a little girl, with 4 white feet, and the cutest floppy ears and a nubbin for a tail. She was a lab/shorthair pointer mix, so she would have some size when she grew up. I told the lady that we wanted to see her, and while we waited Chris had one more question - "what if she pees on me or bites me while I am holding her?" I told him that she might, cuz she was very little, but because he is blind, he would have to hold her to 'see' her, and that if she peed, I would wash his shirt so he shouldn't get upset.

Just as I handed her to him, I told him to "Have a little patience"

 

The lady, mistaking what I was saying, thought that we had agreed to take the dog, and had named her Patience, and she laughed and said "What a great name!"

It stuck.

 

By day 3, you could tell that Chris and Patience were 'in love' - she slept on him for naps, she sought refuge in his shoes from the 4 kids. She climbed all over daddy whenever he was home - she would leave the kids and run to him. The only thing she hated was bed time - it meant getting into the kennel and being away from daddy. But she figured out very very quickly that daddy could not see her, so when he would call her, she would stand right behind him so he could not find her, or she would hide under the end tables in the living room and not move. If daddy couldn't see her, then he couldn't put her in the kennel and she wouldn't have to be alone at night.

We figured out that if she was smart enough to know daddy could not see - after 3 days - that she just might be smart enough to learn to see for him. We had her evaluated, and we sought training. 18 months later, it was official. She was certified, and now we tease him all the time about his 'little Patience' - his eyes - his guide dog.

 

Wendy Jo / HelperDog-USA