Cindy & Murphy; a working team - Cindy Teal and her assistance dog - includes related information on training center

Inside MS, Wntr, 1991 by Susan Price

Cindy & Murphy A Working Team

Cindy Teal is doing some shopping. Holding her companion for support, she says, "Forward" and the pair heads down an aisle. Something catches her eye. "Easy," says Cindy, and her companion slows. She reaches for an item, but drops it. He carefully picks it up. They approach the cashier. Her companion takes some money from her hand and efficiently handles the transaction.

That companion is Murphy, the gentle golden retriever who has been Cindy's assistance dog for over two years.

Cindy was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1980, while working as a registered nurse and, with her husband, Mark, raising a teen-age son. Paralyzed by a severe exacerbation, she spent the next seven years in a wheelchair. Cindy gradually regained mobility, but has permanently lost all feeling in her legs. She is legally blind and wears hearing aids in both ears.

"Murphy fills in the blanks created by my MS. He is my eyes, my ears and my legs. He's made it possible for me to stay active."

Murphy wakes Cindy each morning with a gentle nudge. She gets up, dresses and helps Murphy into his harness -- the modified child's walker which is his uniform during "working hours." He leads her down the hall, pulls open the front door and they set out for a morning walk.

"Because I can't feel the ground beneath me, I need Murphy to stabilize me. It's much easier to hang on to his harness than to go from counter top, to railing, to the arm of a caregiver."

At home in Weddington, North Carolina, Murphy's on call. He carries objects, helps Cindy up and down stairs and picks up things she drops. He opens the refrigerator door with the help of a rag Cindy has placed on the handle. When she points, he picks up the ringing telephone.

Cindy has recently begun a job as program administrator at Southeastern Assistance Dogs (SEAD) where Murphy will be her full-time assistant. "I can count on Murphy to deliver something to a colleague or to open an office or bathroom door. But since my office is designed with most things I need within arm's reach, Murphy will have plenty of time to catch a few winks on the floor. He deserves it, I couldn't even get to a job without him."

For Cindy, getting around town would be impossible without Murphy. "I need him to cross streets, push elevator buttons, get me through stores or find me a table in restaurants or a seat on the bus. When we come upon a crack or a bump in the sidewalk, or if he sees a car heading my way, he stops. I tap my foot twice to show him I understand, that I know to be careful."

Cindy and "best friend" Murphy's almost effortless communication has come from their round-the-clock togetherness since 1988. "I speak to Murphy mostly through the verbal commands and signals he learned in training. And I've been teaching him sign language. Every day we understand each other better."

Long an animal lover, Cindy was a volunteer assistance dog trainer when Murphy became a student. "I knew how much a dog could help me with my MS. Murphy and I just clicked. He's a laid-back dog. Absolutely nothing phases him, luckily, because I'm out in public a lot. I needed a dog who could sit quietly and who would not get excited in a roomful of people."

Murphy's calmness has defused a few tricky situations. "My MS occasionally gives me seizures. It's a great comfort to have Murphy then. He lies right next to me, perfectly still. He soothes me and keeps onlookers from panicking. Plus, I don't have to worry about my purse."

The golden retriever is a magnet for attention wherever they go. "It's amazing how many people approach us. They ask his name and want to pet him. When I'm with Murphy, people look straight at me and smile. They don't turn away from my disability. It's a great boost."

Murphy laps up the attention. But when Cindy takes hold of his harness, he knows it's back to business. "Assistance dogs have a real work ethic. They want to help you. That's what they know."

One place Murphy is a big help is in airports. "I travel quite a bit," says Cindy. "In the airport, I can ask him: 'Take me to a telephone' or 'Find me a seat,' and he does. Being able to travel alone is the greatest gift Murphy has given me. I just wish he could drive."

Assistance dogs like Murphy can be a real boon to people with MS. As seeing-eye dogs respond to things their owners can't see, assistance dogs can perform tasks that their owners can't. That can mean increased mobility and independence for the disabled owner. It may also mean a lighter role for caregivers.

"I use a wheelchair and can't get around too well by myself," says Lawrence Blackwell, a New Orleans resident who has MS. "I have a wonderful wife and son who attend to my needs. But since I got my golden retriever, Northstar, from Canine Companions for Independence, I depend much less on my family. He pulls my wheelchair, brings me what I need from another room, carries things and switches on lights. I've recently taught him to retrieve the TV remote control. I feel much better knowing that when my wife and son are out, they are not worrying about my being home alone."