Caring for Guide Dog Puppies (Janice Marriott)

In many countries, some blind

people have special dogs called
guide dogs that help them find their
way. In New Zealand, when guide
dogs are puppies, they live with
“guide dog puppy sitters.” These
handlers take care of the puppies
and help them prepare for training
as guide dogs.

Tim and Whitney Trout are guide dog puppy sitters. They take
care of Goldie, a Labrador Retriever puppy. When Goldie is one
year old, she will begin to be trained to become a guide dog
for a blind person. Until then, Whitney, Tim and her parents
are making sure she has a happy and healthy life. It is a huge
responsibility.

Tim and Whitney are two of New Zealand's most experienced guide
dog puppy sitters. Goldie is her fourth puppy. They have photos of the
other three they have cared for, Alda, Lacey and Tulcie.

Goldie is now nine months old. He was seven weeks old when he
first arrived and, although he looked like just a small stuffed animal, he
began training right away.

Whitney and Tim have to teach Goldie to understand just three

commands:
 Busy, busy: This means 'Go to the toilet'. It is an important order
because guide dogs must learn not to dirty sidewalks and public places.

 Sit: A guide dog must learn from the beginning to sit when told to do so.

 Hiss: Whitney and Tim need to teach Goldie good table manners. –Okay,
bowl manners.- First Tim tells Goldie to sit down. Then he puts the bowl
of food on the floor. Goldie has to wait until Tim or Whitney whistle
before she is allowed to start eating.

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 Apart from these three orders, Goldie has to learn that in the car her
place is on the ground. He also has to learn not to jump when he greets
people.

Tim and Whitney also have to be well trained. They cannot feed
Goldie bites of food or any other food by hand. If Goldie brings them a
stick, they shouldn't throw it for her to go get it. And they shouldn't play
ball with her. It's difficult, but they know they are helping teach him to be
completely trustworthy.

In any case, there are many ways to have fun with Goldie. She
wakes up Tim and Whitney in the mornings. They allow him to play chase
with a ball tied to a string that is inside a sock.

Whitney, Tim, and their family can take Goldie to all kinds of places
dogs aren't normally allowed to go, like grocery stores, airplanes, or to
school. When she goes out, Goldie wears a red garment that shows that
she is a special dog.

Goldie's favorite place is the butcher shop. But

you have to remember to follow orders and never let
them give you bites of food in your hand. He just looks
around eagerly.

He also goes to soccer and tennis with Tim, and

to ballet and the gym with Whitney.

Like all puppies, Goldie can be mischievous at

times. He likes to take smelly socks outside and hide
them. And if no one sees her, she tries to suck the
dishes out of the dishwasher. Once he managed to
climb onto the kitchen counter and nibble on the top of
a freshly baked batch of muffins.

The days, weeks and months go by very quickly. Tim and Whitney
know that when Goldie is one year old she will go to guide dog training
school and they will probably never see her again. When she finishes
training and becomes a guide dog, her photo will join those of Alda,
Lacey and Tulcie.

Whitney and Tim will be sad when they see Goldie go, but they
will know that they have helped teach her to be nice and confident.
Only dogs that have been happy as puppies will be able to cope with
training as guide dogs. They will become essential and much loved
companions for blind people.

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 Caring for Dog Puppies Guide : reading
comprehension

1 a) What is Goldie being trained for?

b) At what age did Goldie go to live with Tim and Whitney?

Seven weeks.

Nine months.

One year.

Two years.

2. Why do you think the first paragraph is written in bold?

3. Write the command that tells Goldie to do each of these three

things. (Number 1 is already written.)

1. To sit: _______ Sit ____________

2. Eat: ____________________________
3. Go to service: ________________________

4. Why is it important for a guide dog to learn to do what he is

told?

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5. Goldie at the butcher shop “just looks around longingly.” What
does this behavior indicate in relation to his education?

He knows how to behave.

Always happy.

She often feels alone.

She is very playful.

6. What prank does Goldie sometimes get up to?

Enter the butcher shop.

Play with a ball that is inside a sock.

Wakes up Tim and Whitney in the mornings.

Sucks dishes out of the dishwasher.

7. When Goldie leaves Tim and Whitney, what will she do?

Living with a blind person.

Go to a guide dog training school.

Move to another country.

Spend time with another family.

8. How will Tim and Whitney feel when Goldie leaves? Describe the
different feelings they will experience and explain why they will feel
that way.

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9. Tim and Whitney are good guide dog puppy caregivers. Point out
two things you have read about them that demonstrate this.

10. Why do Tim and Whitney sometimes find it difficult to be

caregivers?
They have to take Goldie to school.

They have taken care of many puppies .

They have to comply with many rules.

They have to play with Goldie a lot .

11. Do you think Goldie had a happy life when she was a puppy?
Use information from the article to explain why or why not.

12. What is the main objective of the article “Caring for guide dog
puppies”?
Tell a story about a guide dog puppy.

Make you want to be a guide dog puppy caregiver.

Describe how you should treat guide dog puppies.

Explain how guide dog puppies are trained.

13. How does the author try to make the article “Caring for Guide
Dog Puppies” interesting?
Describing in detail the appearance of the puppy.

Explaining what guide dogs do for blind people.

Writing about children caring for guide dog puppies.

Making a list of things guide dog puppy sitters should do.

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1a 1 guide dog
b 1 Seven weeks.
2 2 Introduction / general info
3 2 Hiss / busy busy
4 2 reliable, be companions
5 1 He knows how to behave.
6 1 Sucks dishes out of the dishwasher.
7 1 go to a school
8 2 Sad/satisfied
9 3 of the most experienced
his fourth puppy
They don't do things that I would like
comply with many rules.
10 1
11 3 Experts / everywhere
Many things, game...
12 1 how to train puppies
13 1 child caregivers
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 246 25
 Care of Guide Dog Puppies Scoring Criteria. Sample
results.
- 5 centers, 10 groups, participate in the test. Total students: 187.-
1 a) What is Goldie being trained for?
- She will be trained to become a guide dog for a blind person.
Identifies explicitly stated information about Goldie's training. Almost everyone answers that to
be guide dogs or help the blind; Not necessarily both, which is only specified by a few. It does
not pose difficulties and is very reiterated in the text.
(The answer is worth 1 point.)
Students who get a point: 171. Zero points: 16.

b) At what age did Goldie go to live with Tim and Whitney?

x Seven weeks.

Nine months.

One year.

Two years.

(The question is worth 1 point.)

Students who get a point: 132. Zero points: 55.
2. Why do you think the first paragraph is written in bold?
- Because it is a paragraph that functions as an introduction to the
text,
provides general information.
The vast majority point out that it is to highlight its importance. Some point out that it gives
the most important information. This has been given a point.
Very few notice that it is a summary of the text. Many do not seem to be aware of the role of
bold type in highlighting information. Some point out that it is in bold because it does not
belong to history. Several speak of the text as a story.
(The question is worth 2 points.)
Students who get 2 points: 31.
Students who get a point: 124. Zero points: 50.

3. Write the command that tells Goldie to do each of these three

things. (Number 1 is already written.)
Eat: _________ Whistle ___________________
Go to service: ________ Busy, busy ________________
Identify the explicitly stated orders given to Goldie. Many understand it and answer well. A few
imitate the example without looking for the way to give orders expressed in the text.
(The question is worth 2 points.)
Students who get two points: 140.
Students who get a point: 15. Zero points: 32.

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4. Why is it important for a guide dog to learn to do what he is
told?
Full Understanding, 2 points – Demonstrate full understanding by integrating ideas beyond the
text to interpret why it is exceptionally important for guide dogs to be well trained. Tested on
one of the following options.

 The response shows an inference that guide dogs live with or assist blind people, and
expresses knowledge of the guide dog's responsibility to provide protection or help people
orient themselves.

 The answer may describe the level of trust that is necessary between a guide dog and a
blind person as the reason why it needs to be well trained.

Partial understanding, 1 point – Demonstrates knowledge that guide dogs live with or assist
blind people. The explanation of why a guide dog needs to be well trained is general. It does
not express an understanding of the guide dog's responsibility with respect to providing
protection, helping people orient themselves, or the need to be completely trustworthy.

Very few combine the two parts, to be reliable and to be able to conveniently help the blind at
the time. That's why they are given only one point. Sometimes schematic answers and in some
cases (not many) exemplifying with detail and concreteness.
(The question is worth 2 points.)
Students who get two points: 140.
Students who get a point: 15. Zero points: 32.

5. Goldie at the butcher shop “just looks around longingly.” What

does this behavior indicate in relation to his education?

x He knows how to behave.

Always happy.

She often feels alone.

She is very playful.

Almost everyone answers it well. Multiple response questions are easier. They are certainly much
clearer to correct. It is not clear that the children have grasped the dilemma that the dog suffers
when faced with the food that attracts it and the behavior that is expected of it.
(The question is worth 1 point.)
Students who get a point: 170. Zero points: 17.
6. What prank does Goldie sometimes get up to?
Enter the butcher shop.

Play with a ball that is inside a sock.

Wakes up Tim and Whitney in the mornings.

x Sucks dishes out of the dishwasher.

(The question is worth 1 point.)

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Students who get a point: 120. Zero points: 67.

7. When Goldie leaves Tim and Whitney, what will she do?
Living with a blind person.

x Go to a guide dog training school.

Move to another country.

Spend time with another family.

Quite a few respond well. Some take the leap that they imagine will occur in the end: Living
with a blind person.
(The question is worth 1 point.)
Students who get a point: 137. Zero points: 50.

8. How will Tim and Whitney feel when Goldie leaves? Describe the
different feelings they will experience and explain why they will feel
that way.

Complete Understanding, 2 points – Demonstrate complete understanding by deducing the

complex feelings Tim and Whitney will have when Goldie leaves.

The answer describes a mixture of positive and at the same time negative feelings that Tim and
Whitney will have. Positive feelings center on both of their pride in having worked with Goldie,
or the fact that she will have a good life. The negative feelings center on both of their sadness
over Goldie's departure. At least one of the feelings is explained using information from the
text.

Partial Understanding, 1 point – Show partial understanding of the feelings Tim and Whitney
will have when Goldie leaves.

The answer describes only one aspect of Tim and Whitney's feelings. The feeling described is
explained using information from the text. The answer may focus only on the positive or
negative feelings you will both have, or it may describe both positive and negative feelings, but
does not provide any explanation based on information from the text.

(The question is worth 2 points.)

The vast majority only see one of the two feelings (sadness) and forget about satisfaction, so
they only get one point.

Students who get two points: 32.

Students who get a point: 125. Zero points: 30.

9. Tim and Whitney are good guide dog puppy caregivers. Point out
three things you have read about them that demonstrate this.

- They started training when he was only 7 weeks old and he looked like a toy.
They teach you to understand three orders, no more. They don't do what they

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shouldn't do, even though they would like to: give him food in his hand, throw
sticks at him... They have prepared several puppies...

Extensive Understanding, 3 points – Demonstrate extensive understanding of the article by

interpreting all the information given about Tim and Whitney, which shows that they are good
caretakers of guide dog puppies. The answer describes three appropriate ideas from the article
as proof that Tim and Whitney are good caretakers of guide dog puppies.

Satisfactory understanding, 2 points – Demonstrate satisfactory understanding of the article by

interpreting most of the information given about Tim and Whitney, which shows that they are
good caretakers of guide dog puppies. The response describes two appropriate ideas from the
article as proof that Tim and Whitney are good caretakers of guide dog puppies.

Minimum Understanding, 1 point – Demonstrate limited understanding of the article by

interpreting some of the information given about Tim and Whitney, which shows that they are
good caretakers of guide dog puppies. The response describes an appropriate idea from the
article as proof that Tim and Whitney are good caretakers of guide dog puppies.

(The question is worth 3 points.)

Almost no one points out 3; two is already many. They don't seem to have the capacity to pay
attention to more than one. They usually remember that they have taken care of more puppies
and consider that they treat and teach them well, without specifying.

Students who get three points: 12. Two points: 70.

Students who get a point: 35. Zero points: 70.

10. Why do Tim and Whitney sometimes find it difficult to be

caregivers?
They have to take Goldie to school.

They have taken care of many puppies .

x They have to comply with many rules.

They have to play with Goldie a lot .

(The question is worth 1 point.)

Students who get a point: 126. Zero points: 61.

11. Do you think Goldie had a happy life when she was a puppy?
Use information from the article to explain why or why not.

- Yeah. Because Tim and Whitney are expert caregivers and know what to do
and what not to do. Because they take her everywhere and she knows many
things. Because when they could play with her, they did.
(The question is worth 3 points.)
Acceptable Answer, 1 point – Provide an appropriate inference based on the text about
whether Goldie was happy. The answer expresses an opinion, supported by appropriate
information from the text, about whether Goldie was happy or not.

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Almost everyone believes so, very few reason that this is the message that the entire article
conveys or detail the corresponding specific references.

Students who get three points: 0.

Students who get two points: 50. One point: 44.
Zero points: 137.

12. What is the main objective of the article “Caring for guide dog
puppies”?
Tell a story about a guide dog puppy.

Make you want to be a guide dog puppy caregiver.

Describe how you should treat guide dog puppies.

x Explain how guide dog puppies are trained.

(The question is worth 1 point.)

Students who get a point: 121. Zero points: 66.

13. How does the author try to make the article “Caring for Guide
Dog Puppies” interesting?
Describing in detail the appearance of the puppy.

Explaining what guide dogs do for blind people.

x Writing about children caring for guide dog puppies.

Making a list of things guide dog puppy sitters should do.

(The question is worth 1 point.)

Very few respond well, is it because they do not have the resources to reach the author's
mind, with a critical sense?

Students who get a point: 162. Zero points: 25.

They can be expressed in general lines by constructing a sentence or

paragraph. . In general, they are capable of writing a paragraph and
responding to specific functions with said paragraph: reasoning, choosing,
interpreting. There are groups in which more care is seen in presentation,
calligraphy, and sentence construction. The spelling leaves a lot to be
desired. Some even fail to separate the words properly.
It's not bad at all that they are able to generally pass a test like this: 100%
PIRLS

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