#ollie

One of Ollie's tasks is locating our house. While it doesn't get used as much as other tasks, this task has saved the day more than once.

A recent example is when we returned from a long walk and I couldn't recognize my house. I had found it, but I stood at the end of my driveway, stuck in a moment of derealization. I became anxious at the thought of going inside, out of fear that I would be walking into a stranger's home by accident. So I asked Ollie for clarification. When I asked him to find the house, he confidently took me to the front door.

The first time I ever needed this task was for a completely different reason. While on a walk, my back spasmed and I lost my ability to stand up straight. As we pushed on, I continued to fold forward at the hip until I was fully facing the ground. I had no ability to see where I was going. But I had Ollie with me and he got us home safely.

This video is a speedy (we don't usually walk this fast) demonstration of how this task works. I ask Ollie, "where's home?" and he immediately sets off, checking each house as we pass, and only stopping once we have reached our doorstep. Ollie knows how to target both the front and back doors.