COURT TIME PREPARES PUPPY TO BE GUIDE DOG.

Byline: Don Holland Daily News Staff Writer

It's a familiar sight in any courtroom - opposing lawyers conferring quietly with the judge off to one side of the bench.

But look again and you'll see the black Labrador puppy lying at the feet of Ventura County prosecutor Nancy Ayers - wonderfully oblivious to the stately courtroom and the weighty matters at hand.

Five-month-old Inca paws at the defense lawyer's pant leg before Ayers returns to the prosecution table, where Inca obediently plops down.

For Inca, it's just another adventure in learning about people - a prerequisite for her eventual entry into guide dog school.

``I guess what we're trying to do is raise puppies that are obedient and calm, and that if they do get frightened they quickly regain their composure,'' said Ayers, a volunteer puppy-raiser for Guide Dogs of America in Sylmar.

The Hall of Justice, it turns out, is a fine place to test would-be guide dogs. There are noisy elevators and crowded hallways. All sorts of staircases and offices. Even a cafeteria.

``I think the government center is a special kind of environment for her to work in because you see everything here,'' Ayers said. ``You see all kinds of people. You see policemen in uniform. It's hustle and bustle.''

Ayers, a 15-year deputy district attorney who specializes in ``three-strikes'' cases, takes Inca to work only once or twice a week. The frisky yet well-mannered pooch is a big hit around the courthouse. Harried prosecutors enjoy stopping by Ayers' office to play with Inca for a minute or two. When Ayers shows up in court alone, judges sometimes ask where her canine shadow is.

``I've been in court many times with Nancy, and everyone is always delighted when she brings her dogs in,'' said defense attorney Bill Wiksell. ``Many times a defendant will certainly comment and sometimes even pet the dog. They're a lot of fun, and she's providing a much-needed service.''

However, Ayers never takes her puppy into trial, partly to eliminate distractions and partly to avoid influencing dog lovers on the jury.

Although she always asks the judge's permission before bringing a dog into court for the first time, Ayers has yet to be turned down.

Accidents are rare, but not totally unheard of. Her first puppy, Edith, once vomited in court.

``It was pretty embarrassing,'' Ayers said. ``But we cleaned it up, and I wrote a little apology to Judge (Vincent) O'Neill on Edith's behalf. He formally accepted it on the record one day.''

Puppy raisers don't need any special training, although they do meet once a month to compare notes and talk about problem puppies.

``It's a very fun thing to do,'' said Ayers. ``I find it very interesting. I'm learning a lot about dogs and people. And it provides me with a whole new social (group) of people who I don't meet though work or through my community.''

After being socialized for about a year by volunteers like Ayers, the young dogs begin four to six months of formal training at Guide Dogs of America's center in Sylmar, one of several facilities nationwide. There, they learn the 20 or so commands and other skills needed to graduate.

Labrador retrievers account for 70 percent of dogs trained by Guide Dogs of America, a nonprofit organization that places about 40 dogs a year. Although it costs $25,000 to raise and train a guide dog, the animals are provided free of charge to the blind.

``We've boosted our breeding program so we have a lot more puppies than we had before,'' said Louise Henderson, the organization's puppy program manager. ``We're always looking for people to raise the puppies.''

Only about half of the dogs that undergo the training actually become guide dogs.

Ayers' first dog, Edith, was matched with a visually impaired person. Her second dog, Violet, whose hula-girl outfit won second-place at the district attorney's Halloween costume contest last year, is nearing graduation at the center.

Parting with a beloved companion is always difficult, Ayers said. Some people appreciate the sacrifice, while others can't understand putting in all that time, effort and love, only to turn the puppy over to someone else.

``I think for me, it's been easier after I saw my first dog working (with her blind owner),'' Ayers said. ``When you see the dog actually working, and when the person who gets your dog really, really appreciates and loves it, it's easier. But it's still hard.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) Deputy District Attorney Nancy Ayers volunteers to keep puppies for a year at a time. She helps train them to be guide dogs.

(2) Inca, the black Labrador puppy, obediently sits at Nancy Ayers' feet when court is in session.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Daily News