Motive and the Beach

Let me begin by stating that neither Andrew nor I have been to the beach in over 5 years. The ocean has always been our ultimate Zen spot. The smell of the breeze, the sound of the water gently lapping the sand, the distant sounds of children laughing combined with the feel of the sun and the cooling kiss of the water; it’s heaven on earth. Andrew walks with an altered gait and needs balance assistance and I don’t walk well anymore as a result of a combination of medical issues. The last time we attempted a trip to the shore we were keenly aware of how people gawked watching us awkwardly navigate sand and surf. It was not as enjoyable as we had wished and it took us days to recover.

Yet after months of travelling to and from a variety of Cleveland Clinic locations in south Florida, Andrew decided that we had tormented ourselves long enough by being so close to the ocean and not enjoying it; we were going to spend some time at the beach. He had Motive to help him and I could arrange for a beach wheel chair. No argument from me. So we made it to the neurologists’ appointment in Palm Beach Gardens and proceeded to a hotel on Singer Island right on the beach.

Up until now, I had never been nervous about Andrew handling Motive anywhere in public. Motive is a fabulous traveler and a great hotel guest. We’ve been to malls, restaurants, movie theatres, grocery stores, etc. This magnificent 3 year old golden retriever assistance dog willingly obeys each command and is everything Andrew needs him to be, but I still had my reservations.

Don’t get me wrong, Mo is a great swimmer and adores being in our pool with Andrew. He eagerly and repeatedly swims the length of the pool, gets out at the swim out and runs around to jump back in – but only after checking that Andrew is o.k. with a quick lick. The two of them get on famously in the water. He is in a screened in pool, in a fenced in yard with Andrew and the only other distractions are the rest of our family. Quite a different scenario from what he would experience at the beach.

Andrew decided that he would use the regular leash to get down to the beach and put a 20 foot tether on Mo to go down to the water. Mo loved walking on the sand next to his companion and instantly leaned into Andrew when he lost his balance a few times. The leashes were swapped and I anxiously stayed behind and watched this duo slowly head to the water. Mo-Mo continued to heel next to his buddy and kept him stable on the sand. Once at the waterline Motive playfully sprung around Andrew who had given him the “free” command. Andrew kept steadily going deeper into the surf. I held my breath when Andrew lost his balance and abruptly sat in the water. Mo’s response was to sit down right next to him and put his head against Andrew’s shoulder.

They played for quite a while before I decided to join them. Motive was so excited to see me and he was released to come to me. He spent the next 30 minutes going between the two of us absolutely having a ball. He was still on the tether but didn’t seem to mind it at all. I have to admit that I hadn’t had that much fun in a long time.

Back on the sand a little bit later, Mo decided a sand bath was in order and like the big puppy he is he rolled and twisted in the sand. He was actually smiling. After a rest, Andrew decided he wanted to go in for a quick dip and he asked me to hold Mo’s leash so he could go out further into the water. Mo was well behaved as always and laid quietly at my side while we watched my son head into the water. He was restless as he watched Andrew walk into deeper water but stayed by my side without further command. That was until Andrew dove into the water and disappeared. I didn’t know what hit me. The leash was snapped out of my hand and Motive was racing in a totally straight line towards the water and Andrew at speeds I didn’t know he was capable of achieving. He dove into the water and found Andrew (who of course had already surfaced). He purposefully knocked Andrew down and promptly put his paws in a huge hug around his shoulders as if to chide him – “Don’t do that again – EVER!” The two of them were inseparable for the rest of our time on the beach.

It was at that moment I witnessed the true strength of the bond that had developed between them. Motive doesn’t just perform tasks for Andrew, he didn’t just develop and express intuitive behavior to keep Andrew balanced when walking; Motive worries about Andrew. A passerby snapped a few pictures of the two of them together after witnessing the “great escape.” She had been down at the water when Mo raced down to Andrew and she told me that she had never seen a dog that looked panicked. I don’t doubt what she said. 

Assistance dogs are truly unique. Not all dogs make the grade. The training they go through to learn how to master their commands takes years to accomplish and require consistent, ongoing, positive reinforcement. Those that can’t achieve mastery will probably go on to make good family pets. What I witnessed between Motive and Andrew wasn’t a learned behavior; it was the result of a deeper connection, a bond born of mutual respect, trust and love.

Thank you Mo-Mo for loving my boy.