Orlando truly had a certain something about him. A certain magic words can not define. Beyond that something special about him, he defined the words service dog better than any other dog I have ever known. 

As a young pup, Orlando was placed by Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) with a puppy raiser in a home in Orlando, Florida. (Yes, that is where he got his name.) As is typical for a service dog, he left this loving home at 18 months of age to return to the CCI center where he attended graduate school to learn many tasks that he would later use to serve his wheelchair bound girl. These task included; turning lights on and off, carrying items, picking up dropped items, getting things that were out of reach and getting help when an emergency arose.

He was a replacement dog for another dog that did not work out, so his girl knew all about working with a service dog so Orlando was immediately put to work. and he loved every second of it.

To the dog, being a service dog means you get to go to school, museums, restaurants, stores, church, doctors offices and hospitals. Life was sweet for Mr. Orlando as he was never left at home as are other dogs. He was special.

Lucky too was the girl that got this dog for he was perfect for her. When her first dog failed, a search across the country was made and Christina had to wait until the right dog was found and CCI called to tell her that she could come to New York and get her new dog. Orlando met her needs in every way a service dog could. He was patient, obedient and sensitive. Since she barely spoke above a whisper and could not correct real deviant behavior, this dogs heart of gold made him priceless.

Being constantly at the mercy of others is not much fun for a young girl of independence and Orlando offered Christina the ability to be somewhat self-reliant. Christina's mom too felt a sense of freedom as Orlando would gladly pick up the numerous dropped items or those out of reach. These small tasks seemed to keep her Mom from ever finishing even the smallest of projects, so he was a big help.

Orlando was more help than Christina's Mom could have ever imagined. Orlando was such a willing worker. Or perhaps work is not the right word as Orlando thought what we considered his work was his pleasure.

Every morning Orlando had a myriad of tasks as the morning was a busy time for Christina. She had to be washed and dressed and her braces put on her back and legs. Orlando was keen at finding shoes and retrieving braces, carrying things from room to room as Mom carried Christina. Orlando was more like a human helper than a dog. He understood more than she could have ever imagined. As their time together passed they became increasingly more adept at communicating and Orlando began to reveal his amazing abilities which seemed almost limitless.

It became ordinary for Orlando to respond to an entire chain of commands that sounded to others like  conversation. For instance, Orlando would clearly understand and respond appropriately to a set of commands that sounded to people like: Orlando, go upstairs and jump on mom's bed and get the telephone and bring it here please. But to Orlando, what it sounded like was a combination of commands he knew well and was a cinch to perform.:  Orlando, GO, UPSTAIRS, JUMP ON, MOM'S, BED, GET, the TELEPHONE, BRING, it HERE. None of these tasks were particularly difficult but the dog had to remember all the parts. And now for the amazing part! Sometimes the phone was buried in the covers and he wouldn't stop until he found it. He could smell where it was and never questioned that the job needed to be completed so he would paw at the covers until he could pick up the phone with his mouth and be on his way happily wagging his tail. This and many other examples that could be given reflect a dog with outstanding problem solving skills and a willing heart.

Another skill that was quite amazing was the ability of these dogs to anticipate needs. This is more than a simple habit. Certainly a dog can learn that every night he pulls the covers up over his master but there are many times out of the ordinary when these things occurred such as when Christina would play with her dolls and she would drop its blanket and he would automatically just hand it back to her.

Orlando thought he was a person. Forget ever having the girls over and leaving Orlando out! He knew how to open doors so you had better deadbolt it because he needed to be included.

Problem solving was a specialty for Orlando. When his leash was severely tangled or there was a very crowded group of people, that was no problem. Christina and Orlando always had a solution. Where ones idea began and the other finished, one never knew.

They were so completely connected that it almost seemed as though their hearts beat at the same pace. Orlando's life was Christina and Christina's life was complete with Orlando. She was never really lonely after Orlando came into her life. And her feet were never cold in the night as he slept perfectly located on her tiny frail body, keeping her warm but without harming her.

Christina was as sensitive to Orlando's feelings as he was to her needs. She called him her little brother. He was the sibling she longed for, the someone to care for, someone that needed her and loved her deeply. Orlando only had eyes for Christina.

Orlando loved his work. In fact, he loved to do demos for anyone at anytime. The reward he felt was the applause, the appreciation. If everyone he ever encountered didn't love him, it would be news to him, and Christina too.

It was hard to believe that everyone would not love and appreciate a dog like Orlando but indeed there are those who do not like dogs. Some fear them because of a past experience, others because of the lack thereof, but nonetheless Christina had to learn to recognize those individuals from a distance and give them adequate space.

There were other responsibilities and courtesies that Christina's learned to take seriously when living with a service dog. It was always important to make sure that as much lose hair as possible was removed from his coat so that people brushing up next to him in an elevator didn't have to wear part of him on their pantlegs. She also kept a lintbrush tucked away in Orlando's backpack just in case. She learned that at certain times of the year when Asthma was very bad that though the law required they give equal access to her dog that the effect his presence would have in a pulmonologists office or an Emergency room was not worth the price others would pay and she willingly, though not happily, left him home.

Because they lived in the Washington DC area and often found themselves in very densely crowded places Christina learned that having your dog heeling too far from your wheelchair was very dangerous. Someone might easily trip or back over his leash and there could be serious injuries. This was another of the many ways Christina showed her deep concern for others.

Christina was especially concerned for the well being of Orlando. Because he was short, it was far too easy for him to get stepped on and she always tried to keep him out of harms way.

It was interesting to watch how people reacted to the two of them in public. For instance, as they traveled through a shopping mall. They seemed so unaffected by the people who would stop and watch them. I suppose it would be called starring, but not in a bad way. Folks marveled at the two of them. A pretty little girl and her beautiful dog with his backpack on! They often engaged her in conversation asking many questions. The two of them loved the attention. Christina got to be at the mall and could talk about her dog. Orlando got to display his cleverness and be clapped for. What more could they ask for?

Many publications featured the two of them including; Redbook, The Washington Post, Montgomery County Gazette, The Silver Spring Record, to name a few.

Christina herself was used as a poster child many times and then when the Service Dogs came to be she became even more of a draw. She was on TV and in photos with many stars. Christina proudly displayed the pictures she collected from her work on what she called her "Wall of Fame" in her bedroom.

Christina and Orlando were together for over seven years when she died and left him. He loved the Mom, but his girl was gone! He had been with her nearly twenty-four hours a day since the day they were paired. His remaining loved ones feared he too would die soon. His health was failing and his outlook was worse. In time Orlando was well and again he found happiness in the world.

Today Orlando lives the life of Riley and is deeply loved. He is eleven years old and in excellent health. His hardest work is chasing a tennis ball. A life well suited for a dog who served so deeply.

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