CLEVELAND, Ohio – “Rogue is just as awesome as he was last year, not much has changed with him” said Cathy Javorsky, when called for an update on her four-year-old Yellow Lab, “he’s still just as cute and lovable.”
Javorsky has been safely navigated to and from home to the Cleveland Sight Center by her faithful companion for the last three years.
Rogue was overwhelmingly chosen top dog by cleveland.com readers in the Cutest Canine Co-Worker contest with 20.32 percent of the votes cast. He bested nearly 100 submissions and 19 other finalists to take the title.
In honor of National Take Your Dog to Work Day, we decided to check back in on Rogue and see if he is still as devoted to his job as when we first met.
Despite the win -- and its accompanying attention -- Javorsky said Rogue has not let fame go his head.
In fact, many visitors to the sight center aren’t even aware he is nearby, since he is content to lounge in “goofy positions” at Cathy’s feet during the day.
What has changed, is that Rogue and Javorsky have spent the last year visiting school systems across Greater Cleveland to teach children and adults about the importance of guide dogs and their work with the blind.
During her presentation, Javorsky explains that a guide dog in its harness should be respected since it must be 100-percent focused on keeping its human on track and safe, and should not be touched or played with. To drive that point home, Rogue sits at Javorsky’s side, looking only at her, even when students call him.
But once he is released from his harness, Rogue is permitted to play and drink in all the pets and cuddles the students want to give.
Javorsky said Rogue “catches on so quickly to new things.”
“If there is a crack or uneven sidewalk, he just needs to go past it one time and he gets it, and remembers it,” she explained. “But when someone fixes it, he still stops for a while. It takes him some time to realize that it is fixed and not a threat anymore because he’s so regimented and loves his routine.”
Javorsky said Rogue’s favorite toy remains his football, which she says he carries with him everywhere, and she has “invested in back-ups just in case they go out of stock.” He also still loves his belly rubs.
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