A Tribute to Hawk

On November 22 2009 Hawk came into this world for a very special reason: to become my guide. He was one of six puppies born in the H litter that day. Hawk met his puppy raisers John and Amy at the end of January 2010.

Hawk learned so much from them over the next year and a few months. One very special thing he learned from them was you could tell him to sit and stay and he would as long as you wanted him to stay. He returned to GDB for his formal training at the end of April 2011.

I met my black Hawk on August 31 2011 at 10:00am and knew he was very special.

We had a hard time in the first few walks figuring out each other. Thanks to my class supervisor, Kelly Martin, who used helped us figure it out. We are all trained to use words to help us become a team. It turns out Hawk needed me to not say anything walking down a sidewalk - that would distract him. But I will share that Hawk loved praise at each corner! As soon as we started bonding in training we became a wonderful team that walked at Hawk’s speed until he retired.

We graduated from GDB on September 17, 2011, and yes, his puppy raisers came and he fully enjoyed seeing them.

Hawk enjoyed playing tug from the very first day I received a tug toy. He played tug with many people. Hawk would figured out your strength and played with you at your level.

Hawk always took his time and made sure I was safe when we were out working together as a team. Hawk went to many meetings with me over the years. Hawk made many friends everywhere he went, including other guide dogs.

Hawk settled into our home and from the very first visit from my brother Donald Hawk bonded with him. My brother early the next year started redoing floors in our home and Hawk became known as "Traffic Jam." He would always be where the tools were and most times laying on the next tool my brother was going to use.

In early summer of 2014 Hawk couldn’t cross a street so he semi-retired. On November 1, 2014, he guided me for the last time. He went to live with my brother as a beloved pet.

Two weeks ago we found out that Hawk had spleen cancer. We were hoping for a longer time with him to be able to spoil him, but he took a turn for the worse and we agreed to let him go. When he crossed the rainbow bridge, Hawk was with a small group of people who loved him to the very end.

Love you always my special black Hawk.

- Louise Johnson

Beautiful Spunky Sparkly Gretchy Girl!

Gretch, lovingly raised by Kristina and Judy Logan and Kathy Hawkins, was according to them,  “the perfect puppy!” So who am I to argue. My first memory of Gretch is sitting on the floor in my room at GDB with my new little yellow labby girl curiously nibbling at the rhinestones on my jeans. I kept that pair forever, but the Gretchy Girl never did that particular cute thing again. Gretch had enough sparkle and spunk that she didn’t need any denim bling to work her magic. Gretch had adventures, like chasing wild turkeys on a deserted beach in Molokai and rolling in Norwegian cow (don’t know that word in Norwegian). Gretch enjoyed showing off her tricks, including ringing my back door bells when she wanted to go out and turning somersaults in my lap finishing big with lots of tail wagging and ankle biting. Those were my ankles.

I will never forget when I returned home from a clicker workshop and was trying to clicker train my cat to play the piano. Gretch became impatient, deciding to show everyone what was required by jumping up and loudly planting her front paws on the thunderous bass keys. From then on,  it was a good idea to keep the lid down unless I wanted an impromptu concert. Gretch grew into her job as a guide while always doing little extras for me like locating Roomba when it didn’t return to its home base and on more than one occasion, locating mittens dropped in snow. She loved jumping up for elevator buttons and APS poles. My little tax day retriever retired just shy of her eleventh birthday when I brought Paxton home. 

She went on to enjoy a life of leisure with the cat and two much younger working male lab guides, to whom she became very attached, adding cougar to her resume. Gretch enjoyed being top dog, getting fed before the guys and going in and out first. Gretch’s journey into old age was peaceful, with her fifteenth birthday representing a satisfying high point two months ago. Her last morning will always be imprinted on my heart, as we enjoyed the gift of one final breakfast she got to start on before the boys  and one final treasured grooming session, where if only briefly, Gretch lifted her front paws for me. Gretch was my fifth guide dog, and she was my favorite, as all of the others have been and will continue to be. Rest in peace, my beautiful spunky sparkly little Gretchy Girl!

Sheila with Paxton