Megan and Fizz
Jasper graduate forms bond with guide dog in training
By JIMMY GALVAN Managing Editor

Megan Gerard and Fizz

At first glance, Megan Gerard is just your normal University of Texas student majoring in communications.

And then there is Fizz.

What sets Gerard apart from other UT students is that she also trains dogs for the guide dogs of Texas organization.

Fizz is the four-month old Lab puppy that Gerard is training as a seeing-eye dog for the blind.

"I read about the organization in a magazine and thought it was really neat and got interested in it," Gerard. "So now I am what is known as a puppy-raiser."

Through the program, she underwent training and had to be checked out to make sure her apartment was suitable living quarters for an animal.

"I have had Fizz for about two months now," Gerard said. "And I have to give her back when she is 16-months old."

Gerard knows it will be a sad day when she has to give up Fizz but she knows there is a better purpose for the Lab.

"She is more than just my pet," Gerard said. "Knowing that she could greatly increase the quality of someone's life makes it all worth while. Just knowing that she will help someone in the future is reward enough for me and that makes it all worthwhile."

Gerard participates in the program strictly as a volunteer. She is not paid to work with Fizz and get her ready for the more intensive training that will come as she gets older.

"I just love animals and didn't have an animal in Austin so it was easy to take on this project," Gerard said.

Part of Gerard's duties with Fizz is to work on the dog's socialization skills in everyday life. Part of that is to make sure Fizz is obedient and acts well in public.

"I have to make sure the dog is exposed to just every imaginable public place," Gerard said. "As a college student, I am constantly around campus with Fizz and I take her shopping, eating out and on public transportation. I take her everywhere with me."

There have been a few occasions where Gerard wished she didn't have Fizz tagging along with her. She remembers instances in a quiet library when Fizz was a little too rowdy and disrupted her studying process.

"One time I was studying and she just reached up and barked at me," Gerard said. "And this is the library where it is dead quiet and I felt like dying. But then the next second, we will be on a walk and she will do something that we have been working on and then I am proud of her."

Gerard meets every three weeks with trainers from Guide Dogs of Texas to check on Fizz' progress.

That includes going to classes with Gerard as well as last week's visit back home to Jasper.

"In Austin, no one questions her being with me. They might double-check to see if she is a working dog and it's no problem," Gerard said. "I have identification and papers that I can show but I rarely have to do that in Austin."

Gerard said she would double-check with her UT professors and let them know she will have Fizz with her when she comes to class.

"At UT, there are some classes with 300-400 in a class and they don't even notice me or Fizz," Gerard said. "In some of my smaller classes, the professors will joke if Fizz is paying tuition to be here. They know me now as the girl with the dog."

Part of Fizz' learning experience also includes accompanying Gerard during her social life away from school.

"People love her - they don't even realize that she is there most of the time," Gerard said. "And then there are some days that she is not so calm and we have a talk about it when we get back home."

Gerard said when she returns home to Jasper, the reception is not so welcome for Fizz.

"Here in Jasper, it has been a major ordeal to go anywhere with her," Gerard said. "The majority of people know a working seeing-eye dog is allowed in public places but they don't realize that one in training is allowed the same access."

Another issue that Gerard laughs about is when people see the dog and assume that Gerard is blind and needs the dog for her benefit.

"People will see us walking somewhere and they will look at the dog and then their eyes will shoot up at me," Gerard said. "And forget about it when I'm walking with dark sunglasses…"

Gerard said she had enjoyed her time with Fizz.

"She's my company all the time," Gerard said.