[bksvol-discuss] Re: O_T A Tribute to Judson
- From: "Martha Rafter" <mlhr@xxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:11:18 -0400
Hi Shelley,
This is a beautiful and touching tribute to your Judson. It brought tears
to my eyes, and brought back wonderful memories of my first and only guide dog,
Capri. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
Marty
From: Shelley L. Rhodes
Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2011 2:43 PM
To: GDUI-Friends@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; gdblounge@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; dpservicedogs ;
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Subject: [bksvol-discuss] O_T A Tribute to Judson
Hi everyone,
I needed to share this, it is something I wrote about my first Guide Dog
Judson, who passed away yesterday. I am warning you it is long, but it makes
me feel better to explain what Judson did mean to me.
A Tribute to Judson
Born: November 12, 1998
Died: July 23, 2011
Judson, was first and foremost my Guide dog, my first Guide dog, but he
was also my friend my protector, my confidant, my comforter and space heater on
cold nights in college. Judson taught me me things while I was working with
him, while we were partners, things I still remember and use till this day.
I remember like it was yesterday, though now is eleven years ago, when I
went into the library at Guide Dogs for the Blind, with the empty leash hoping
to meet this mysterious dog that they wanted me to work with. I couldn?t wrap
my mind around the name Judson, what kind of a dog name is that, and how am I
going to handle a Golden Retriever and all that hair. Is this guide dog thing
really for me. Mark came in leading Judson, a large, beautiful, reddish gold
dog, who promptly walked up to me, held out a paw, gave a huge sigh and then
layed down at my feet. I was kind of surprised, and asked if this was normal,
Mark said it was for this dog. And that was when I got my first lesson from
Judson, whenever possible take a nap, or as we called it in later years the ?We
stop, he drops off to sleep? procedure. Smile.
Judson taught me about trust, patience and persistence when he and I would
work together. On our first night route, a trip from the bus through San
Rafael to the lounge, something I had never liked doing since I was a small
girl, as I couldn?t see after dark, I had to for the first time put my full and
complete trust in him as a guide. And he didn?t let me down. He walked
confidently guided me to the curves, guided me to the street crossings and we
made it to the lounge. He only made one mistake, he knew where we needed to
go, but I wasn?t quite sure and thought he was wrong, but he was right (usually
the case) and when I got to the lounge I gave him a huge hug. That started our
partnership that lasted for seven years. In that time, Judson gave me the
courage to go away to college eight hours from home, for me to get the courage
to volunteer for and get paid for a job I truly loved being a tour guide at
campus, with Judson of course as secondary tour guide, O.k. so the customers
liked him better, smile. And even to travel to big cities, and places that I
would never dream of doing coming from small town Corry. With Judson by my
side, we traveled to New York City to see several broadway plays including
Beauty and the Beast (he didn?t like the fireworks), Chichago, Rent (where he
defended me against a homeless guy who wanted to knew who had the guide dog),
and Les Miserab, (Where Judson thought the cannon fire was real, and the bells
they used in the opening song were going to attack him.) We walked through
Central Park, went to Ground Zero, and walked in the Macey?s Thanksgiving Day
Parade (where of course he thought all the cheering and clapping was for him
alone, not that guy called Kenny G. on our float or that guy called the Mayor,
but for beautiful Judson, and pranced down that route with pride). He went to
Washington D.C. with me, toured the White House, and didn?t get arrested for
peeing on the lawn, he did have to go, after all. We traveled to Seattle to a
conference where I presented my first time, and he discovered that sea otters
are in his mind strange water dogs, I think the sea otters were thinking he was
a strange otter. We went to New Orleans, and went to Bourbon Street, nope the
dog did not drink anything and we avoided the puddles. I never dreamed I would
live or work in a large city. My dad says that Judson traveled and flew more
miles than most people dog in their life time and I know I wouldn?t have done
all that traveling without my guide. I knew if we got lost or stranded I
wasn?t alone, there were two of us to figure things out.
Judson lived with me through a lot of changes in my life, from my first
time away from home for a long period of time, when I went to Kutztown
University, an eight hour drive from my home, to my adventures in graduate
school in Kalamazoo Michigan, using buses on a regular basis, and my internship
in Ohio. From loosing my grandfather, finding out what my visual impairment
was and the other medicaland health problems I had in college. And finally my
first job, in Boston, Massachusetts, where thankfully although I had never
learned to use subways, Judson knew exactly what to do and waswilling to teach
me. My mom and dad were confident I would be o.k. in all of these adventures
because I had Judson beside me. He was a truly good judge of character. If he
didn?t like someone he would give that person dirty looks and would growl under
his breath, just enough to let me know what he thought. He also wouldn?t let
someone he didn?t think was good or safe pet him. So if you were allowed to
pet him you were a good person in his book.
Judson also took fame in stride. He was one of the canine stars on a
Nature program called Dogs the Early Years, ended up on Fox Philadelphia as a
canine Tour Guide Dog, and CNN for the same, and he appeared in the Kutztown
University passbook, advertising the College of Education. He also received an
Certificate of Service from the College of Education for his efforts recruiting
new students, volunteer work and therapy morale in hard times such as during
September 11, and when one of our classmates died in a car accident my senior
year. He also wore his own cap made especially for him by the College of
Education on graduation day in 2004.
Judson also was my assistant in my teaching. With my fifth graders he
was a willing ice breaker to get the students talking, students would come
approach him if they had problems. With my sixth graders he helped me teach
them science concepts such as physics (heavy dog will exurt pressure down on
human attempting to hold him up, while human struggles to exer equal amount of
pressure to keep dog up in air), English, we did an essay called ?What would
Judson do?? and patience in hard times. With my visually impaired kids, he
taught them, that dogs can be friendly, and safe and good friends. He taught
one young e lady who was away from home for the first time that it was o.k. to
be scared that there were always friends in strange places, and to properly
throw a Frisbee. He taught another girl from Haitie that dogs are friendly and
they don?t have sharp claws like cats do. He taught another student that
perhaps a guide dog might be partner for her someday, and that trust is
allowing a new person to brush your teeth with the handler?s supervision of
course.
He also taught me persistence. He was usually correct in the route we
should take but would be patient while I figured it out. He would try to get
me to play ball with me instead of doing my homework, after all all work and no
play made Judson a dull dog. And he taught me unconditional love, working I
think several more months after he no longer truly enjoyed the work, but
because I dependend on him.
Judson retired on August 12, 2007, and has enjoyed a long and happy and
well deserved retirement as a pet with my parents. He tolerated my second dog
Guinevere and welcomed my third guide Ludden into our home. He tolerated and
understood me when I was on crutches after breaking my ankle, was willing to go
for slow and careful walks with me to rebuild my strength and flexibility in my
foot. He loved his fetch and retrieving games. And every morning as Judden my
current dog, and I went off to work, I sewar he thought, ?have fun you sucker,
you have to go to work, while I sleep in, ah, the life.?
But the years of work took their toll. Judson?s left hip could not
support him anymore, and his right wasn?t any better. He was getting tired,
wasn?t playing anymore, showing interest in food (he was a alarm clock you
could rely on when he was younger) and he couldn?t get up and do the things he
wanted to. On Thursday, he was not able to get up to get water, and tried very
hard to. We knew it was time. Yesterday, he slipped away peacefully to
Rainbow Bridge, where I know he is swimming in the clean clear river under the
bridge, playing fetch with the children there and rolling in the grass with his
pals Shadow, Lindy and all the dogs who have gone before him. I know he is
free from paink, allergies, aches and pains and I know he will be waiting for
me at the Bridge when I come there someday. I miss you Judson, there is a
whole in my heart where you used to be, but I know you have left me in good
paws with Ludden. I love you dog, my partner, my guide and my friend. You are
a reflection of God?s love, after all dog backward is God. Be free.
Shelley L. Rhodes, M.A. CVRT
and Ludden black Labrador Guide Dog.
Diamonds may be a woman's best friend, but a dog is mine.
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