Catherine Stier - I Am Sammy, Trusted Guide

A lot can happen in a dogs day.

Sammy the golden retriever has been training his whole life to be a guide dog. Now hes been paired with his human partner, Jessie. If all goes well, they will become a team!

But living in a new city with a new human is a big change. Sometimes Sammy misses his old family and his old home. Jessie has a lot of changes going on too. Can Sammy and Jessie find a way forward together?

Albert Whitman & Co.

More than 100 Years of Good Books

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Printed in the United States of America

Jacket art copyright 2020 by Albert Whitman & Company

In memory of my loving and much-loved mom, Barbara Beadle, who collected and cherished stories and booksCS

To my loving parents, Michele and Germana; thank you for guiding me on my journey.FR

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is on file with the publisher.

Text copyright 2020 by Catherine Stier

Illustrations copyright 2020 by Albert Whitman & Company

Illustrations by Francesca Rosa

First published in the United States of America in 2020 by Albert Whitman & Company ISBN 978-0-8075-1672-0 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-0-8075-1675-1 (ebook)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

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Design by Rick DeMonico

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One thing Ive learned about Chicagoit is one lively city! Crowds hurry by, lights flash, horns honk. And the smells! Some can be hard for a dog like me to resist.

Like right now, Im walking with Jessie past a food stand. The yummy scent of bacon and sausage almost stops me in my tracks!

Oh pup, that smells good! I think.

Still, I have a job to do. If I let myself get distracted by those delicious breakfast smells even for a moment, there could be trouble.

We come to a street curb, and I sit. Thats how I let Jessie know about the curb, so she doesnt stumble. With a backward movement of her foot, Jessie tells me that she gets my message: Warning! Curb ahead!

Jessie and I are a team. Shes my person, and Im her guide dog. Jessie is a freshmana first-year studentat a university. Shes blind, which means she cant see the way some other people can. When we walk together, Jessie holds a handle attached to my harness with her left hand. I help her stay safe as she moves from place to place.

As we turn a corner, a frisky puppy bounds down the sidewalk toward us. He pulls on his leash and gives a little yap. This pup wants to playI can see that.

Still, I stay on course and walk right past him.

Not now, little one, I think. Im doing important work.

But that spunky little guy reminds me of my own puppy days.

I was just a pup cuddled up with my mama and my littermates when I heard the first hints about my future.

I wonder which of you has what it takes to become a guide dog, a trainer said when she came to check on us.

I didnt pay much attention to her words. Back then, I only thought about snuggling, sleeping, eating, and playing. My littermates and I were golden retrievers like our mama, with fuzzy golden fur and floppy ears. Our names all started with the same sound too. There were my siblings, Sherlock, Stetson, Sally, and Sierra, and me, Sammy. It could be confusing at times!

When we grew a little older, the trainers planned fun things for us. We played in a little ball pit and slid down tiny slides. We met other dogs and our first cat, bunny, and even a friendly baby goat. We were coaxed to walk up a ramp or through a little tunneland got lots of praise when we did.

I guess they wanted us to be ready for anything and everything!

I hope I am.

Today, as Jessie and I walk along on this bright fall morning, I spot a hazard ahead.

Uh-oh.

Theres a motor scooter parked on the sidewalk blocking our way. Quickly, I veer left, steering around it. Through the handle she holds, Jessie can feel my movement. She knows to move left too.

Im glad Jessie trusts me enough to follow my lead.

Truth is, the two of us are still getting to know each other. We havent been a team for very long.

When I first met Jessie, she used a long cane to help her get around. Shed never had a guide dog, and I was new to my job. We have been working now with a trainer, Elena, to help us understand each other.

Leaving the cane at home and putting faith in your dog isnt easy at first, Elena said when she introduced us.

And not every dog is cut out for this job. Im proud to be a guide dog, but I worry too. After all my training and testing, I really want to get this right.

As we near the university campus, I startle a bit at the sound of flapping wings. I watch a pigeon land not far away. Some dogs might give chase to that city bird. But I only allow myself a quick glance while we cruise by.

When I turn my head forward again, though, I tense up. Theres a careless driver speeding down the road. I see the cars front wheels begin to swerve into the parking garage entrance right in front of us! I step back and stop. Jessie cant see the car. She doesnt know why Ive stopped, so she urges me on.

Forward, she says.

But I ignore the command.

Forward, she says again.

I dont move.

This is the trickiest part of my job. Ive been trained to keep Jessie safe by doing the things she saysunless following the command will lead to danger.

Elena, the trainer, calls this intelligent disobedience. It takes a really smart and confident dog to know when to follow a command and when to ignore it, she explained once.

At the sound of squealing tires turning right in front of us, Jessie gasps and steps back. She knows now why I stopped. She knows, too, what could have happened if we had moved forward. I can hear Jessies shaky breath. Then she leans close.

Good dog, Sammy. Smart dog! That was a close call! She scratches my right shoulder. Already Jessie knows thats my favoritest place in the world for a scratch!

Im glad Jessie is happy with me. What just happened, though, is another reminderI