Cuba Conquers

This is a cause for celebration, not concern. In the very first week of this blog I posted Cuba Invades. I’m pleased to now update that post. Cuba is a Guide Dog for the Blind--officially--he graduated from “Puppy College” this past weekend. When I first wrote about Cuba he was a Guide Dog hopeful, a puppy-in-training, and his trainer was my law partner, Barb Wells.

Cuba with Barb, May 2009

Cuba’s course through Guide Dog Training varied a bit from Barb’s first two puppy-trainees, Army and Larabee, and her current, and fourth, dog Pavarotti (No, Barb doesn’t name them; they come from the breeder with their names.) Cuba’s socialization and preparation for formal Guide Dog training was a partnership between Barb, who started the process, and Min, a high school student in Utah who finished it.  Cuba is one patient dog—going from a law firm to a high school had to be a trip. Now Cuba has been paired with a new partner, Cathy, as he begins work in the real world.

Cuba with Cathy, September 2010 (Barb's photo)

Being a business law firm, our meetings tend to be, well, pretty much all business, but as I like to say it’s human-owned business. A story, a passion, or a concern that helps connect client and attorney on a personal level is a good thing. Sometimes it’s as basic as the efforts of our respective businesses, law firm and client, to move ahead in a challenging economy. Sometimes it’s a dog.

Congratulations Barb on another job well done.