3 dogs

Well with my friends guide dog, this means that

I have had three dogs all week, I guess getting me ready if I decide to have a new guide dog? My little Black beauty is due to be retired. Don’t worry, I will never give her up? I couldn’t. A lot of people have no choice. If you are blind and you work, there is no one in the house to take care of the retired dog whilst you’re at work, you have no choice but to hand the dogs over to someone else? I would not have a dog if this was the case, but I am not in a position where by  I need to leave my dog thank God!

I could not stand the thought of having my dog for ten years plus and saying “Thank you for being my eyes and help for all these years, now you’re old and not so useful, I don’t want you!”

The dog  who has been here all week, is my friends dog and she is due to retire next year.  Our friend is quite upset about letting her go and to be honest I know  he will take it really hard as she is his shadow and loves him and he her, but he works twelve hours so the retired dog will not be able to stay on her own that long five days a week. There are a lot of people on a waiting list for retired dogs but a lot of them, go to relatives or friends we know. They are beautiful dogs, so loyal and I have difficulty  knowing they are born for a purpose, rather than to just be loved and free of stress and it is stressful what they do, though a lot of dogs love their jobs and can’t get enough of working!

They are trained   from the age of six weeks. My friend is a puppy walker and  she said when she got a puppy, she knew how to sit and did not touch her dinner until my friend blew the whistle and gave her permission to eat.

I used to think that the whistle was unnecessary, but when we free run the dogs and we blow the whistle, they come back to us, not because they are good dogs, but because they are thinking they are going to get food. It’s good when training them, to have treats in your pocket so they get a one on their  return! I must say ours now do not need the whistle to call them back, mine comes back streight away. Hubs Longchops? Well it depends on whether or not there is another dog with a ball….

My Husband arrived safely in Canada thank God. Teen off for holiday now from school. I have a long two weeks ahead of me.

Going to say goodbye to my friend now, as he is leaving to go back to my old hometown. Will talk later friends. x