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| Sassy - Banff Alberta - Summer 2004 |
Dear Friends,
Our summer hiatus seemed to linger on a little more than
planned but “cest la vie” … we’re back on the bloggersphere and I will continue
to post “Mike’s Quadrant” on a monthly basis.
Before
reading any further, this particular and rather unique blog has been written from a very personal
and heartfelt perspective intended to reach those who are truly committed to
animal welfare and love our pets. If you
are one of these kindred souls then please read on but be forewarned that I do
not write in brevity and what follows is a 5,000 word epitaph/essay conveying our
love and remembrance.
I
have to relay the sad news that “Our Beloved Sassy” passed away peacefully last
August 28th. While it’s true
that all pets are unique and special, while endearing themselves to us in ways
we never thought possible, our Sassy girl was extraordinary in so many facets
that we felt compelled to celebrate and share her remarkable life with my many
friends around the world. If you are one
of my friends on Facebook, you probably saw Sassy on my home page without even
realizing the significance of this beautiful, athletic, intelligent,
compassionate and loyal girl who was always at my side for the past 12
years. My partner Mary Anne (Maire) and
I spent half a year in 2003 researching breeders and kennels all across Eastern
Canada ideally looking for a black colored Labrador retriever who could be
potentially trained to become my working dog.
After experiencing so many highs and lows we came close to giving up the
search when at the 11th hour we received a phone call from Karl
Lechowski Farms based in Gravenhurst, Ontario that he may just have the right
dog which fit all of our criteria except for one thing, she was not black, but
rather a Yellow Labrador Retriever.
Undaunted, we quickly made the 4 hour jaunt east to finally meet our
prospective new addition to our family.
Talk about “love at first sight”. Sassy was the cutest 2 year old, youthful,
eager to please, boundless energy and clearly in need of a safe environment and
a loving family setting. The bond was
almost immediate. Maire and I were like
two doting parents bringing their newborn home from the hospital! We spoiled her with everything from the
finest doggy bed and a wide array of play toys in her own labelled toy box to
the healthiest (usually most expensive) food on the market and a daily regime
of 2-4 km walkies around our neighbourhood.
Typical of most Labs, she adored the water and quickly became our
bathing beauty at the nearby Rideau River, in ponds, lakes and later in the
oceans of the world. Sass soon became a
fixture at everything we did and everywhere we went. Usually, she was the star of the show, and on
the odd occasion when we didn’t bring her along our hosts were visibly upset
that it was just the two of us!
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| Mike, Maire & Sassy - Rideau River, Manotick Ontario - Fall 2003 |
Fast
forward to age 4 or age 28 in human years.
Sass was growing out of her puppy phase, enjoying life as my trusted and
steadfast companion eagerly entering into her young adult life. While working at the National Office of the
Canadian Paraplegic Association I came across a new organization called
“Canines With A Cause” (CWAC) who were based in Ottawa and just happened to be
starting an Assistance Dog certification program. I soon established contact
with the head of the charity Ms. Miriam Mas who was open to the concept of
training a slightly older dog like Sassy for potential certification. After a couple of introductory assessments,
Miriam felt comfortable that Sassy’s health, intelligence and obedience were of
a high enough standard to be accepted into the program … then the real work
began. Virtually all of 2004-2005 were
dedicated towards succeeding in having Sassy become a fully certified
Assistance Dog. It is truly a team
effort utilizing an abundance of resources and it was exhausting on Maire, me
and my pooch. In addition to learning
upwards of 80 verbal commands I had many books and manuals to read on Canine
history, behavior and the rationale supporting the human bond. As Miriam was always fond of reminding us
potential graduates, your puppy in training is only as smart as its master …
I’ll let you guys ponder that one!
Nearing the end of 2005 summer I had successfully passed the theoretical component of
the program (90% minimum comprehension) and all that remained was the much
dreaded “Public Access Test”. This is a
mandatory annual test under the auspices of the Assistance Dogs International
and the Canadian Association of Guide and Assistance Dog Schools which all
certified animals must successfully complete if they are to receive their
official certification card and all the inherent rights that accords the dog
and its handler. My test, which was
conducted in North Bay, Ontario was set in a large shopping mall and comprised
a team of volunteers all dispersed to strategic locations where Sassy and I had
to successfully complete approximately 15 separate tasks utilizing a multitude
of commands. They ranged from opening an
automatic door opener with her paw; a sit-stay with random children without
reacting; fetching her own leash a
bringing it to me; picking up off the
floor a variety of objects such as a quarter, keys and my wallet to my glasses
and backpack. Some of the more
challenging aspects of the test involved remaining on a tight leash while browsing
through a pet store without sniffing or reacting to all the environmental
senses; being led away with my consent by a security guard and finally (my
favourite and most challenging) was to remain alone on a sit-stay for 5 minutes
in front of a busy bakery without any reaction.
Apparently, the scent of hot baked bread arouses the senses like nothing
else … I guess yet another human/canine commonality! After a grueling hour of being in the “hot
seat” both Sassy and I were physically and mentally exhausted. Finally, I, Maire and trainer Miriam were
directed to a nearby restaurant where we met a group of 10 volunteer observers
who had been covertly following and tracking all our tasks and evaluating our
performances. They all collectively
smiled at the same moment and said “Congratulations, you passed with flying
colours”! The relief on both Sassy and
my face was palpable … we could breathe again and of course Sass was now a
fully certified Assistance Dog legally able to go anywhere and everywhere with us
as a vital part of my safety, welfare and companionship.
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| Award - CWAC Official Graduation Ceremony - Fall, 2005 |
In
2007 we drove to Southern West Coast Mexico on an extended business (Research and
Development) road trip. We eventually found
our little piece of paradise in the form of a two acre lot in a very remote
surfing beach near Las Brisas with a Mexican style villa complete with a small
outdoor shower and pool directly facing the Pacific Ocean. At age seven, Sass was in heaven! Most days she traded in her working dog cape,
collar and leash in exchange for being “au naturel” while hanging out with the
many other wild beach roaming cats, dogs, horses, fishermen and surfers. We later adopted a “quasi” security dog named
Pulgas (Spanish for fleas), a beautiful large German Shepard with quite a bit
of history, who became our protector and had the utmost respect for Sassy (aka
Sassita). The two of them soon became
best buddies and could always be found rolling on the sand, running the 7 km.
beach and then Pulgas taught Sassita how to body surf … it was a magical
time. As word got passed up and down the
beach about these Canadian’s who take in dogs, we were inundated with canines
of every size, shape and breed. One of the
stray girls who stole a piece of my heart was named Pantera (Spanish for Panther). While she was a mix breed (as almost all
Mexican dogs are) she was predominantly of the Weirmeranger breed hailing from
Germany as bred as hunting dogs. She
would continue to hang out at our villa day after day and when we’d head out in
my modified Chevy Tahoe down the beach or over the mountain to the nearest
large town of Zihuatanejho (2 hours away) she’d be lying right next to where I
parked my truck whether we were away for 2 or 14 hours … to say she was bonded
would be an understatement! Perhaps because
we
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| Mike, Sassy & Pantera - Las Brisas Mexico - Summer 2007 |
fed her so well, cared for her by bringing all the dogs to the nearest vet,
Jorge in Ixtapa or giving them some true Canadian TLC, she became our third
dog. Thinking we were over-feeding her
or that she had a stomach infection, it rapidly became apparent she was
pregnant. Some two months later we were
the proud surrogate parents of another 9 puppies. Of course, by now you can tell that Maire and
I are animal-holics and accordingly we made the necessary arrangements to keep
Pantera in a safe and sanitary area under our sun deck so she could tend to the
pups and let them experience the world in a relatively safe environment. We even rode out a direct hit from a category
one hurricane which are quite common on that stretch of oceanfront. Nature and birth is at its most wonderful as
she delivered two grey, two black, two brown and one yellow pups all healthy
with their own unique characters. We
gave them all Spanish names but one beautiful, brave and curious pup stood out
from the rest … the one we named her Amarillo (Spanish for yellow) later
nicknamed Amo because she was always “firing on all cylinders”! Through our many local Mexican friends we
eventually found safe and caring homes for all the 8 pups but decided to adopt
Amo and bring her back to Canada that fall.
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| Pantera's Pups - Las Brisas, Mexico - Summer 2007 |
Firmly
back on Canadian soil with the “tres amigos con uno pera” in the form of one 6
week old pup who would become Sassy’s younger sister and all the joys,
adventures and misadventures that dogs inevitably get into each and every
day. In a typical day I would walk both
dogs each and every morning in every season and every weather condition a good
2-4 km while Maire would take over the afternoon “walkies” and of course we
would all share in the playtimes and try to love both of them equally. As Amo started growing out of her puppy phase
she began to grow and fill out with a huge barrel chest, pretty face and
beautiful markings. By age 2 she weighed
about 60 pounds but was strong, fierce and powerful. Being a more dominant personally then Sassy
she always wanted to take the lead and Sassy seemed content to cover the rear
as I’d wheel around with both dogs tethered to a post welded onto the left side
of my power wheelchair. When we were
going flat out in excess of 8.5 km and the dogs were in full stride I almost
felt like I was starting to assemble a wheelchair “sled team” as I could feel
the wind in my face and the strength of these two amazing animals at a combined
weight 140 pounds ripping up the streets.
Hoping
that Amo might also have the same characteristics of Sassy in terms of
intelligence, obedience and disposition to one day also become a certified
Assistance Dog, we entered her into the CWAC puppy program for evaluation. While she was doing quite well at the
beginning, she started showing signs of aggression and nipped at one of the
trainers. There was a strict policy of “one
bite and you’re out” so we had to accept the fact that she didn’t have the
right socialization skills vital to become part of this elite group of
canines. While it wasn’t working dog
status, we achieved quite an accomplishment when Maire and Amo passed PetSmart’s
Level I Training Course and learned many of the standard commands such as “watch
me”, “heal”, “sit”, stay”, “fetch it”, “leave it”, “shake paw”, “lie down”,
etc. We were especially proud of the
fact that she also responded to all of her
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| Amo & Sassy - Manotick, Ontario - Fall 2008 |
commands in English and Spanish. After 3 years of blending into our family we
were glad that Sassy had a sister and a play pal but inevitably Amo always
wanted to dominate Sassy, most people and even tested my patience on many
occasions as her aggression started to get the better of her. I suppose you can take the dog out of Mexico
but never Mexico out the dog! When you
consider the many millions of wild Mexican stray dogs and their DNA, they are
programmed to fight for territory, food and ultimately their survival. Hence, with all the mixed breeds you are bound
to have plenty of anti-social behavior issues in virtually all dogs especially
when their entire existence is predicated on being a protector of people’s homes
and property. In the end, we thought it
best for Sassy’s long-term health and welfare to locate a good safe home for Amo with another local
couple who were capable of continuing to love and care for her as we had.
Over
the next years Sassy really came into her prime and year-after-year managed to
be my loyal and trusted sidekick, loving to travel in the truck with us, swimming
whenever she could and of course always rising to the challenge of passing the
annual Public Access Tests so she could retain the Service Dog designation. When she’s at home she is just like any other
pet with all the perks of playing with her toys, prancing around the yard and
loving to be petted but as soon as she dons her cape she turns into a different
kind of “super pooch” who somehow becomes more professional, more alert, carries
herself with greater stature and performs her tasks on the very first
command. Likewise, she is also a
beautiful, loving and curious dog who likes to socialize and adores
children. While all handlers with and
without disabilities are unique and different, I take a very liberal policy of
allowing people to interact with her even when she’s working as long as they
asked me politely and Sassy remains calm on a sit-stay and does not get her
focus diverted from doing her job.
In
2009 we had the opportunity to revisit Mexico.
On this occasion it was on their east coast known as the Mexican Rivera
and we spent time travelling from the States of Campeche and Yucatan Peninsula
to Cancun in Quintana Roo. On this
occasion, I wanted to stretch my independence and actually for the first time
in 7 years travelled without my partner Maire so it was just me and my
side-kick Sassy. Truth be told, I did
not enjoy the east coast nearly as much as the west coast. I found the pace to be much more frenetic, the
interactions with some of the locals more strained and opportunistic and never
understood what all the commotion (self- promotion) about Cancun was all
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| Sassy & Amigos - Westin Hotel - Cancun Mexico - Winter 2009 |
about. If you can picture Las Vegas on the Gulf of
Mexico that about sums up the clutter of hotels, nightclubs, shops, tourist
attractions and nightmare traffic with very little consideration given to
accessibility issues for people using mobility devices. Maire flew down to join us in Cancun and we
eventually located a rental unit which was not too fond of dogs, even working
dogs. Most Mexican’s can’t seem to wrap
their heads around the concept of a dog being of service to a person even if it’s
a violation of my international human rights to which Mexico have agreed to
uphold. Even though we spoke quite good “Spanglish”
and had Sassy’s credentials translated into Spanish we were perpetually put in
the position of having to defend our rights to have her access to public areas. In the end we were more satisfied to hang out
at the beach and sip on cold cervezas and tequilas!
Upon
our return we were informed by Sassy’s trainer Miriam that she would be merging
her CWAC organization with the prestigious Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind
(CGDB) and starting a new Assistance Dog Division. As such Sassy would need to
be recertified adopting a more comprehensive set of guidelines and stringent
sets of regulations and standards that are followed to the tee by the various
international Guide Dogs associations.
As they were fond of stating we are only as good as the weakest canine
and handler and they set the bar very high in terms of which dogs and handlers
actually make it all the way into the program and actually graduate. The failure rate is
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| Sassy - Riding in the Chevy Tahoe - Suumer 2010 |
considered quite
high. One of their strict rules is that
each working dog would have to be mandatory retired at age 11 which, if
successful, would give Sassy only 1 ½ years of active service. Like the trooper she is we again wrapped our
heads around learning the new theory and some of the new set of skills and
commands that would be required for retaining her Assistance Dog status. We again passed our examinations including
the 6th Public Access Test and it was a proud moment when we
received her new red and white cape complete with certification card with me wearing
my matching tropical yellow shirt. We
were further honoured by having a one page profile in the CGDB quarterly
magazine called “Side by Side”.
As
the old adage goes nothing stays the same forever and change is inevitable
whether you are ready for it or not.
Upon considerable introspection, with the support of Maire we made the
bold decision to finally complete my business diploma which I had started in
1989 age 28 and now at the tender age of 49 I entered Algonquin College’s
School of Business in Small and Medium Enterprise Management (SME)
studies. As many of you may know the old
days of blackboards, pencils and paper have been replaced by computer labs,
online programs, laptops and digital everything! It took me more than the first 6 month just
to navigate the new methods of learning and more often than not I was the old
guy in the power wheelchair sitting at the back of the class with my dog. Yes, Sassy was back on the job and took it
all in stride even adopting a renewed youth akin to returning to “doggy school”
herself and quickly became a favourite with many professors, support staff and
fellow
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| Mike & Sassy - Manotick, Ontario - Winter 2011 |
students. Out of an enrollment of
60,000 full and part time student-body Sassy and were the only ones to have
both our headshots on my student card. My plan of trying to be stealth never
panned out too well especially after a feature long article was published in
the Algonquin Times newspaper where the writer inserted of photo of Sassy at my
side and some salient quotes about how she helps facilitate my independence and
the many tasks she performs throughout the day.
With my prior education and many life skills I was able to be exempted
from a number of courses but in the end I had quite a full plate of courses
both in class and online. Focusing
intently on challenging my older mind to absorb new knowledge, some three years
later in 2013, I was proud to graduate with Maire and doggy family in
attendance to receive my second business diploma with honours at a lavish
ceremony in the NHL hockey arena here in nearby Kanata.
After
turning 11 years old including being a working dog for the past six years under
two organizations, countless travel and a world of experiences Sassy was
visibly tired and her age was catching up to her. As difficult as it was we had no choice
except to accept the fact that she would be retiring shortly. Her playful spirit, beautiful lines and
sparkling eyes belayed a body that was starting to wear out. But even when she was most tired and slept
throughout the day, she always had a smile that could melt your heart, a
voracious appetite and would still be up for her daily 2-4 kilometer “walkies”
around the neighbourhood. She still
enjoyed fetching just about anything, swimming in the nearby Rideau River and
the odd time in our pool and seemed content that her routine and “raison d’etre”
had changed. She reverted into her
natural role of our guard dog and took her new role
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| Sassy - Showing Off - Manotick, ON - Summer 2011 |
seriously letting out a
resonate bark whenever someone would come to the door that you’d think she was
a 120 pound German Shepherd not a 70 pound aging Yellow Lab. The one skill that she retained all of her
life was the most important command and that was to “fetch phone”. If my partner ever fell or had an accident
and our lives were in jeopardy Sassy was trained to sniff out a special phone
with a strap around it and bring it to me gently placing it in a position where
I could call out for help. Fortunately,
we never found ourselves in this situation but I feel certain that Sassy could
have saved our lives if ever put to the test. You can’t say that about every dog or every
human. It just reinforces the importance
of these special animals and the vital roles they play in helping enhance
people’s lives including those of us with disabilities.
We were
fortunate to have a trainer like Miriam who understood our needs, that of the
dogs and was able to pare her prior knowledge and experience in order for us to
look at transitioning to having another Assistance Dog “seamlessly” from where
Sassy left off. Both Maire and I were
somewhat leery about having our home life altered yet again and trying to blend
another dog with a “twice shy” Sassy might be quite a challenge that we weren’t
ready for. On the flip side, we had such
a life-altering positive experience with Sassy that we thought we’d give it a
go and took the plunge. Miriam had
secretly put our needs on her radar and had been on the lookout for a potential
match between me and a new younger puppy in training who might fit the
bill. In 2011, we were summoned to CGDB
headquarters in nearby Manotick and Miriam introduced us to her new “J
.JPG) |
| Sassy & Jigger - Bonding at Home - Fall 2011 |
Litter”
breed of Yellow/Golden Retrievers, specifically narrowed down to Joel and his
brother Jigger. My senses were supercharging
when I met both of them but when I interacted with Jigger there was a strong
connection. He was a big, beautiful 2
year-old with a large head, floppy ears, gorgeous lines and a “goofy” demeanor
that made him all the more lovable. We always
see him as an old soul in a young body and he looked like a suitable match for
me but equally as important the question of whether he would interact in a
respectful and positive way with Sassy?
Upon bringing him over for the first meeting they did the traditional
old sniffing each other up and down and then Jigger laid down in a subservient gesture
which we all took as a sign of respect for Sassy’s age, wisdom, territory and
that she was and would always remain our number one dog! The two of them worked as a true team of
sister and brother and more often than not, Sassy would teach Jigger how to
perform tasks and commands as most dogs are so eager to please and learn
through observation, repetition and positive reinforcement. We had found the right match and slowly but
surely Sassy seemed content to accept relinquishing her role as my Assistance
Dog and seemed satisfied that I was in good hands with Jigger. At age 11 or 77 human years Sassy was finally
enjoying a peaceful retirement at home after a long, highly successful and
rewarding career … who could ask for anything more!
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| Mike Playing with the Pooches - Home Manotick, ON - Summer 2011 |
In
the summer of 2011, we had the honour of being invited to the Governor General’s
residence in Ottawa to greet Prince William and Kate during their very first
trip (honeymoon) to Canada when we bestowed upon them a gift that money can’t
buy. It was one of the few occasions
when we had both Sassy and Jigger wearing their capes and both being on their
best behavior despite all the commotion.
Here is an extraction from the Press Release:
ROYAL INSPIRATION COMES FULL CIRCLE
Before her death, Princess
Diana made it clear that she wanted to help Mike with The Back-Up Trust – a
British based charity founded by Nemesvary, which helps people with spinal cord
injuries transform their lives by realizing their full potential. Although the Princess supported Back-Up from
the “sidelines”, her indomitable spirit, strength of character and “Royal
Inspiration” helped Nemesvary and his charitable organizations improve the
lives of thousands of people with spinal cord injuries while raising in excess
of $25 Million (CND). Following her
tragic car crash in 1997, Nemesvary had the honour of recounting his friendship
with Princess Diana when he addressed the Nation through a variety of media interviews.
Now, twenty five years after
first meeting Princess Diana this “Royal Inspiration Comes Full Circle” as
Nemesvary will meet Prince William and Princess Kate in Ottawa on “Canada Day”. He will present the Royal Couple with a gift truly
befitting a Prince and Princess and something that money can’t buy … fond memories
of “Mum”. Nemesvary will also present
the couple with a beautifully framed, glass encased, hand written letter on
“Charles and Diana” stationary from Princess Diana to Nemesvary in July, 1986,
a Daily Mail newspaper clipping in which Diana and Mike discuss plans for
Prince William’s first outing on the ski slopes and a copy of his most recent
documentary film, ‘Round the World Challenge (RWC) in which Nemesvary and the Canadian
television production company GAPC Entertainment Inc. have memorialized
Princess Diana.
On “Canada Day” Mike
Nemesvary’s gift, combined with a unique and enduring Canadian-British royal
connection, is sure to warm the hearts of William and Kate at the start of their
“honeymoon” while reminding everyone how much positive impact the Monarchy is
making around the world.
-30-
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| Sassy & Jigger - Awaiting the Royal Couple - Governor General's Residence - Ottawa ON - Summer 2011 |
As
Sassy was now in retirement mode, we were having more health concerns, and
frequent trips to her veterinarian were becoming the norm. All Pure Bred Labradors are at risk for hip dysplasia
and Sassy was no exception as her many years of jumping up and down, fetching
items and remaining on guard had taken their toll. She had now been diagnosed with arthritis
which was quite progressive and it became necessary for Sass to take a Vet
prescribed medicine that was almost a “miracle drug” as it alleviated her pain
and kept her mobility, independence and dignity intact.
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| Sassy with Favourite Duck - Chilling at Home - Summer 2014 |
Therefore it came as quite a blow to the gut
when we learned that at age 13 she was diagnosed with an inoperable splenetic tumor
and was given approximately one month to live.
For a short while after we were continually walking (rolling) on egg
shells but month after month she defied the doctors and was still able to get
around and was remarkably experiencing a high quality of life. It didn’t hurt that always had “Iron Will”,
the “Heart of a Lioness” and was always glad to be alive. This past July 28th
marked Sassy’s 14th birthday and likely her last, so we had a grand
celebration along with plenty of hugs, presents and Maire’s coconut cake.
On
August 28th Sassy passed away peacefully at Carleton Veterinary
Services just outside North Gower during a gorgeous sunset befitting a
beautiful creature who brought so much joy to this world. We are dedicating this Thanksgiving Day for
having Sassy on the planet for 14 years or 98 human years ... may she rest in peace.
Stay tuned for my next
Quadrant which will be posted at the end of November. Finally and importantly, please watch the following
8 min. video clip below which shows Sassy in all her glory. If you liked what
you’ve read and watched, please follow me on Google in addition to sending
me your comments, “likes” and sharing this story with your network of
friends. I hope to see you on the sunny
side of the mountain!
