Frank Burroughs – Ink Slinger

Molly turned two years old when COVID 19 reached the United States. We only had a couple months training before the snow fell. Once the danger of COVID became apparent I stayed indoors anyway. Two years later Molly and I are getting out again. She can pull my wheelchair around the block to start. Year four for Molly she gets to strut her stuff for the public. By the end of Fall downtown Great Falls will be our rolling ground!

As service dogs go she would fail formal training. For the first two years Molly jumped on people always. Between nose and tail she was a ball of energy that tore up the house. If the chance presented itself she escaped. Many a friend helped me run her down. To put her in harness and hooking her to my wheelchair turns into a Nantucket sleigh ride. This dog can pull! Molly tests my ability to train a service dog.

So, for the first time another person will help me train. A caregiver will accompany me when Molly is walked. First, said person will meet me at the bottom of the wheelchair ramp out of the house with Molly. What a scary feeling shooting down that ramp as hard as she can pull! Once I hook my chair to her harness, the caregiver will lead Molly as we go around the block. My aim is to keep her on the sidewalk. She is forever checking her pee mail left on trees.

The caregiver also helps me with essential commands as Molly works. “HOLD!” will be the first one. “Left” and “Right” commands follow next. A command for a wheelchair user is “Come about”. Sometime we get cornered where the dog has to come back past you before turning the chair. “Use your indoor feet” is a must when coming indoors from a fast run on the sidewalks. With Molly she needs directed away from jumping on people. Everyone is a good friend with food in their pockets.

When the snow melts the journey begins. I’ll build her stamina and muscle tone block by block. Circle the block to let her know where home is. Then two blocks and so on. By the time the tourist start arriving this Summer we’ll put on quite a show. Molly will become the greatest showdog in the world!