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Canine's mission takes him to school
By: Mara Reyes, The Independent 08/29/2006
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Mara Reyes — The Independent
Alex Hood, 6, and his twin brother, Nick, pet Heidi. The two-year-old German Shepherd will accompany Alex to school and the playground at Blue Ridge Elementary.
PINETOP-LAKESIDE - Heidi, a two-year-old German shepherd, will soon give new meaning to the phrase "a man's best friend." Heidi will accompany Alex Hood, a 6-year-old first grader, on the school bus, in class at Blue Ridge and at home.
She will open doors for him, pick up dropped items, retrieve articles out of reach as well as be Alex's constant companion. She will become the newest "student" in Lainie Flower's first grade class.
Alex, who has cerebral palsy as a result of an injury sustained during birth, is confined to a wheelchair and can sometimes get around with a walker. He has limited use of his left hand and both legs.
But in spite of his physical limitations, Alex is "sharp as a tack," his dad, Marc, said.
Marc takes care of Alex while his mom, Kristen, works as a teacher's aide at Blue Ridge. His dad has been Alex's caregiver since Marc also became disabled after he rolled a backhoe at work almost three years ago. He suffers from chronic pain and can't pick up more than 10 pounds.
As Alex gets older and heavier, Marc has a harder time taking care of him. Everyone in the family helps Alex, including his twin brother, Nick, and older brother, Shawn, 15, but when Marc's mother gave them a German shepherd puppy as a gift, they decided she would make the perfect assistant for Alex.
They contacted a trainer and were put on a waiting list, but they never heard from the trainer. Then the Pinetop-Lakeside animal control officer recommended Michelle Denton, owner of Extreme K9 Solutions. Not only did Denton agree to train Heidi, she also offered to donate her services. The Lion's Club has agreed to pay for the necessary equipment, such as a specialized harness and a pack for carrying items. That was a relief for the Hood family, whose insurance ran out and are relying solely on the state.
Denton was trained by the International Association of Assistive Dogs. She started training dogs eight years ago when she bought a Labrador. She has trained dogs in man-tracking and narcotics identification. Certified by the National Association for Search and Rescue, Denton also works with the Apache K-9 Search and Rescue.
A dog she trained for seizure alerts is on his way to Hawaii. She is currently working with a young man who is hearing impaired.
And now she's also working with Alex and Heidi. "(Alex) is articulate, intelligent and so very cute," Denton said of the blond, blue-eyed boy.
On Friday, Denton introduced Heidi to Lainie Flower's first grade class for the first time. Alex's fellow students were excited to meet the newest "student" in their class.
"It's going to be new. It's exciting, but I'm a little bit nervous. It's going to take a while to get adjusted," Flowers said.
The students will have to get used to having a dog around in the classroom and playground and might be tempted to play with her, but as Nick, Alex's twin brother, explained, students will have to ask before petting Heidi "because they might distract her while she's working."
Denton believes a German shepherd is a good choice for an assistive dog. "German Shepherds bond with one person," Denton said. "She's doing very well. She's a social dog."
Alex's attitude towards Heidi has also changed. He had been reluctant to be around the energetic dog. "Because he's not super mobile, Heidi would knock him down," Marc said.
But with training, Heidi has learned manners. She's realizing that Alex is her responsibility, and two are starting to bond.
"Now Alex wants Heidi with him all the time, even at nighttime, he wants her close by. She waits for the schools bus with him," Marc said.
Heidi will be ready to go to school full-time with Alex mid-January. She'll be fully certified in the spring after passing a battery of tests and proving her "good citizenship."
She'll wear a vest so everyone knows she's working and will be able to open and hold doors for Alex, open the refrigerator, turn on lights, carry things for him. She'll stay by Alex's side and sit quietly even in noisy situations. If she's in another room, she'll go to him when he calls her with a whistle.
But even as Denton trains Heidi, she's encountering some challenges. Some doors have round doorknobs, which dogs can't open, instead of the pull-down handles. Some light switches are beyond a dog and wheelchair bound person's reach.
Another challenge seems to be lack of education. "I believe we on this mountain are a little shortsighted when it comes to accepting those with disabilities. I am finding difficult to train Heidi because our local businesses seem to have a problem allowing this type of dog into their shops," Denton said.
"Legally, they can't question it, but it would be easier if people realized these dogs serve people, let them be independent."
She's welcomes the opportunity to answer questions and introduce Heidi to business owners, managers and employees, Denton said.
"We need to educate those around us as to the services a dog like this can provide. It gives those who need independence a chance in the world ... and their guide through this tough, tough world just happens to have four legs."
