February 7, 2006
By NICK BONHAM
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

Goo-ood dog!

About 5:30 a.m. Sunday, Richard Espinoza was awakened by his barking dog.

Photo: Richard Espinoza gives his guide dog, Grove, a hug of appreciation for alerting him that an intruder had entered his East Side apartment recently. Espinoza's wife, Gertrude, looks on. (CHIEFTAIN PHOTO/CHRIS McLEAN)

"She let out two barks," the 54-year-old said. "That right there let me know that there was danger. Because guide dogs aren't supposed to bark. They're not supposed to climb on the furniture, either.

"She came into our bedroom, got up on the bed and started poking at me."

Grove, a 6-year-old golden retriever-Labrador mix, is not trained to be a guard dog. She's trained to be a help to people who cannot see. And in Espinoza's case, that has been his entire life. He was born with cataracts and can barely read writing, and can see only shadows and lights.

For 4 years Grove has been at her master's side. With fast feet, Grove leads her owner on many walks to Downtown, around their East Side neighborhood and to the store, which in most cases is Wal-Mart.

Her movements warn Espinoza of upcoming obstacles, like mailboxes that line East 12th Street where the two went for a late-afternoon walk Monday.

"That's my baby-yyy! That's my good baby, Grove!" Espinoza lovingly muttered, petting his furry friend.

Instinct took hold of Grove after an intruder broke into the Espinozas’ apartment.

Another indicator of trouble was cold air blowing from an open window. If anyone were in the house, they would likely be hiding in the kitchen closet, Espinoza thought. So he crept to the door. His wife, Gertrude, who was up and watching from a distance, was ready to call police.

Espinoza flung open the door.

"Right away (his wife) said, 'Daniel!' "

He and his wife had discovered an 18-year-old acquaintance hiding in the kitchen closet.

The intruder held a long object in one hand and stood as if ready to strike them. According to officer Nicholas Heine's report, the suspect told Espinoza not to call police or he would shoot.

Espinoza tried to pin the suspect in the closet with his body weight. His wife froze with fear. Espinoza lost footing on a rug. The suspect kicked the door off its hinges and battled Espinoza. The two pushed against each other on opposite sides of the door, eventually exiting the narrow kitchen, Espinoza said.

" 'Homie, I'll shoot! I'll shoot, homie,' he kept saying to me."

Espinoza slipped again, and fell to the ground with the door. The suspect tried to leave through the front entrance but the screen door was locked.

"That's when I hit him over the head with the phone," Mrs. Espinoza said. "I was scared. Couldn't move (before that)."

The suspect finally managed to open the door and fled. No arrests had been made as of late Monday. The couple of 34 years said they think the suspect is homeless. "But (his wife) knew him right away. She kept yelling 'Daniel! Daniel!' " Despite the struggle, Espinoza escaped without injuries. Nothing was reported stolen from the couple's Mesa Garden Apartment, where they have lived for seven years.

Espinoza says he owes it all to Grove.

"I gave her an extra scoop of dog food today," he said. "They're only supposed to eat once a day.

"I knew something was wrong when she barked. They're not supposed to bark. They're non-aggressive dogs."

He stops to pet Grove, who is sitting at his feet, next to his wife, too.

"Ye-esss! That's my baby-yy!"

Unlike some neighbors, the couple thought it best to report the incident to police.

"People don't call the cops sometimes because they fear gang retaliation," Espinoza said. "We were so scared after (Sunday) that we don't mind living every day with a little fear." Espinoza used to own the Consignment Shop, a furniture store on Northern and Berkley Avenues, which is now closed. He was robbed and beaten there about six years ago.

"Man, that guy put a beating on me," he said. "And he took more of my eye sight. But a strange thing happened one day when we (he and his wife) bumped heads. I got some of my sight back."

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