KENNEWICK – Irah may only be 41/2 years old, but his life already has been chronicled in a book.
Peel back the pages of “The Right Dog For The Job” and you’ll find Irah, a 96-pound golden retriever from Kennewick, on every glossy page.
Irah’s journey from a minutes-old pup to a guide dog for Don Simmonson, a blind piano tuner from Kennewick, is captured in the children’s book. Author Dorothy Hinshaw Patent and photographer William Muoz spent two years following Irah’s travels through Montana, California and Washington.
“I’m a great dog lover and have always been fascinated and heartened by partnerships between people and dogs,” Patent explained. “Guide dogs and service dogs make an independent life possible for people and also give their people a life of mutual love and respect. It’s an unbeatable combination.”
Patent chose Irah for her story from a litter of three puppies born on Shy Bear Farm in Montana. Irah and his siblings, Ivy and Ike, were part of the PawsAbilities Canine Partners for People with Disabilities program.
When Patent, 64, of Missoula, discovered Irah would train with puppy-raiser and sixth-grade teacher Sandy Welch, she and Muoz decided Irah would make the best subject for the book.
Welch’s job was to teach Irah skills he would use while working with a disabled person, such as pressing a wheelchair access sign with his paw and using his nose to turn on a light. He also learned basic commands such as sit, heel and come.
Welch’s students in Lolo, Mont., took an active role in Irah’s training. Welch brought him to school twice a week and each student had the job of brushing him, giving him water and walking him.
After more than a year of skill building with Welch and her students, Irah was ready for his official training. Unfortunately, the program didn’t have a client for him to work with and the training facility wasn’t ready, Simmonson said.
So, Irah took a different path. He was accepted into Guide Dogs for the Blind, a training program for dogs who will work with blind people. His acceptance was unusual since the San Rafael, Calif.-based program is generally limited to dogs bred and raised by its staff, Simmonson said.
Officials changed the spelling of his name from Ira to Irah since there already was one Ira in the program. Patent’s book reflects the former spelling, Ira, in the title and in part of the book.
Irah worked with trainer Stacy Burrow to learn new skills such as stopping on street corners and crossing when the road was clear.
After he learned these important skills, he met his new owner, Simmonson. Irah and Simmonson, 81, worked together for several weeks in San Rafael before returning home to Kennewick. Simmonson got Irah at no cost because the 60-year-old program is self-endowed.
There Irah met Grayson, who also worked as a guide dog for Simmonson and is now his companion.
Simmonson, who lost his sight at birth because he was born prematurely, started working with guide dogs 20 years ago. Before then, he used a cane to help him get around.
Although Irah is Simmonson’s third guide dog, his personality and skills are unique from his past helpers.
“He’s a person,” Simmonson said of his highly active pooch who he’s had for two years. “When he’s in a room, he dominates.”
When Irah is at home, he’s just like any other dog. He loves to greet visitors with wet, sloppy kisses and rambunctiously gallivants around their house.
But Irah knows when it’s time to drop his rope toy and get to work.
“He’s a great guide,” Simmonson said.
Welch’s students think so, too. They wrote Simmonson letters about the skills Irah learned, including the Pledge of Allegiance. They said he tried to lift his paw to his heart like everybody else doing the pledge.
Patent hopes children who read her book will learn how valuable guide dogs are to people such as Simmonson.
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