The bulbous plastic dog bone 5-year-old Sydney Pearce was gripping like a weightlifter in training proved too tantalizing for Holbrook, a 14-month-old black Lab.
The puppy, mesmerized by his toy, jabbed forward and, before Pearce could recoil, gave her a smooch with his damp doggie nose.
“Eww,” Pearce said, laughing. “I don’t like doggie kisses.”
Despite her words to the contrary, something about her cheerful tone suggested that the sign of canine affection wasn’t entirely unwanted. Indeed, she added: “I love dogs. They’re cute.”
But more than being just another fuzzy face, Holbrook is in training to become a working dog. He made an appearance at the Water Resources Education Center’s Second Saturday event because October is both Adopt-a-Dog Month and National Service Dog Month.
Holbrook dutifully sat on the floor as children and adults alike pet him and remarked on his laid-back temperament, especially as he stretched on his back in repose, belly up and paws curled.
In the coming weeks, Holbrook will be sent away to guide dog training, either in Boring, Ore., or San Rafael, Calif., said Sabrina Wallace, the dog’s caregiver and a volunteer with Guiding Eyes of Clark County.
Before the guide-dogs-to-be are sent away, such volunteers as Wallace train them on the basics, such as not using the house as a restroom, playing well with other dogs and staying off the furniture. When they’re around 14 months old, they’re sent off to be tested to see whether they’d make suitable guide dogs.
Wallace and her daughter, 9-year-old Samantha, have been fostering puppies for the program since 2011.
Part of Wallace’s job as a volunteer is acclimating the dog to people and other creatures, so she takes still-growing Holbrook many places. They include her daughter’s school and gymnastics lessons.
While it’s difficult to become connected to a dog only to hand it off, they say the work they’re doing is for a good cause.
“It is hard to give them up,” Wallace said. “But knowing what a good cause it is helps.”
There are 12 accredited guide dog schools throughout the United States. Individual states enacted laws regulating and protecting these types of service dogs. Washington’s law — known as Layla’s Law, approved by the Legislature in 2001 and signed into law by Gov. Gary Locke — makes it illegal for other dogs to interfere with service dogs by exerting intimidating behavior.
While most of Holbrook’s visitors Saturday came to the Water Resources Education Center to partake in a little bit of everything that Second Saturday had to offer — there were dog-related crafts and a table dedicated to pet adoption through the Humane Society for Southwest Washington, featuring a 3-year-old long-haired Chihuahua mix named Ben — one person came specifically to see Holbrook and his human handlers.
Patricia Barbour, 69, had heard about the puppy fostering program though Guiding Eyes of Clark County and, a former dog owner herself, wanted to learn more about it.
Her German Shepherd had to be put down a couple of years back because of crippling arthritis. Now she’s looking for another companion, a puppy she could train and take on walks. She misses all the exercise she got with her previous dog.
Barbour said she hopes to become a volunteer for Guiding Eyes of Clark County, and she’s willing to do whatever it takes.
“Whatever they want me to do, I’ll do it,” she said. “If they ask me to stand on my head, I will.”
As she and her husband have gotten older, she said, it’s become more important to stay active.
Wallace said most volunteers hear about the program by word of mouth. But the local training club, with around 10 active members, does accept new volunteers, as long as they have experience with dogs. People interested in volunteering their time and homes can find out more information about fostering by going to http://welcome.guidedogs.com/.
As for Pearce, the 5-year-old momentarily traumatized by the cold doggie nose, she was content to pet Holbrook’s stomach.
