DIARY OF OUR GUIDE DOGS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

It’s raining hard now, though it was lovely before. Today was the day. I had aftercare with my Waggatail. My little guide dog. As you know I don’t like aftercare, though the lady who comes out and works with me is the best. So, how did we do? Firstly, thank you to those of you who sent messages wishing me well. Hmm. Well, the GDI looked at my girl’s book and it was fine. I knew it would be as she is in good health and perfect weight. Up to date with all her injections etc. she looks very happy hence the name Waggatail. As her tail never stops wagging. Even in her sleep.

 

Of course, my dog was delighted to see the GDI and made that very obvious. She went crazy. But the GDI knows what to do and that was to ignore Waggs. Let her get over herself after a minute Wagga knew she wasn’t going to get attention, so lay down then the GDI stroked her and spoke lovely to her. When you have a guide dog and people visit you, they are meant to stand still and totally ignore the dog not looking at all towards them. Then the dog becomes calm then make a fuss. When people come to my house, because of wooden floors, it sounds like a tap dance class with their feet tapping around furiously on the floor. The noise is shocking.

 

So, we did the meet and greet. Had a chat then time to hit the road. Well, mistake number one. I put her lead on the wrong hook. There are three rings I should have put the lead on the middle one to have more control but instead, I placed on the end. Bad owner Fifi. Got out and did our walk. Again, Waggatail did good. Me? No. my lady told me I should be able to stretch my thumb out and touch my thigh. My hand was slightly in front of my leg. In other words, Waggatail was walking faster than me. I needed to catch up with her to be able to do the thumb meets thigh thing.

(Try saying that at speed.)

And then when it was time to check Waggs as she loves to sniff the end of buildings… I didn’t hold the lead low enough. So, a big fat zero for me and 9 out of ten for Waggs. It’s trying to remember these instructions. I should know basic things by, now shouldn’t I?  I guess this is why as I said the other day we need our GDI’s to visit us once a year. By me having her lead on the middle ring, it will help with her guiding me. By me keeping up with her walking, having my hand in the correct position, means I will be able to feel what’s going on through her harness better and by me holding the lead lower closer to the collar when checking, will make her take more notice.

 

At least the lovely lady won’t be seeing me for another year unless I need her for whatever reason. Like learning a new route. And to do that I guess I will move house or get a job.

 

She is such a dear lady and the first GDI I don’t feel afraid of. Some of them from my past have been a little harsh. As if they worked at one point in the army. That kind of harsh. Haha.

 

I do really have respect for this lady though because she knows what she expects and get’s what she wants she’s so genuine there isn’t a fake bone in her body. And that is rare. As you know from previous blogs, I can’t stand fake. Thank goodness Hub and I are eliminating that F word from our lives now. eventually we will have only good people in our lives. But it’s taken a long time to get there. I used to like everyone thought everyone was so nice kind and so on. Gosh how wrong was I. and when you do get those malodorous people away from you, it’s such a great feeling. Allow those people to find others like themselves and they will or they will end up very lonely and that isn’t my problem.

 

It will be a sad day when my GDI retires. I’m dreading that day. There will never be another like her. Hub thinks the world of her too!

 

So, today I wasn’t the best, but we did do the walk of shame and go through our avenue of all sorts stopping at the little road, crossing then turning onto the walk to the dreaded fearful big road. Passing by the new growth on the Spring shrubs who smiled in a kind of shrubbish smile as we passed knowing that in a few weeks’ time, their nasty bony fingers will stretch out and grab as we pass anything they can get their fears sharp spiky needle like thorns into, whether it be hair, skin or clothing!

 

The monkeys were out in full but we didn’t have to pass the zoo though I could hear them and weaved in and out of our little shops. I said a lot of not todays. As that is what I say when she heads to a shop I don’t need. Bless her. We went to the post box and then the door to the Doctors and dentist. Then back again. So, she got me there and home. I still find myself exhausted just by the thought that a totally blind person can go out and be guided by a dog. How? I have had two dogs and both have managed to guide me. I got my first guide dog 16 years ago. Gosh, that was a long time when I say those numbers I have to ask where did those years go?

 

The work that goes into training these dogs is amazing. So many people are involved from those volunteers who care for bitches, and I hate that word as that’s a word I normally reserve for, well, bitches… who produce guide dog puppy hopefuls.  Then look after our dogs for the first couple of months of their lives. Then the puppy walkers who are parents to the dogs go through all the work of dogs weeing and more being sick and so on in their houses training them for us along with Guide Dog staff for a year and a bit then have to give them up. How they do that I will never know. And even people who are called boarders who do just that. Board. Look after our dogs if we go on holiday. Care for them whilst they are in their final training after they leave the puppy walker. Our dogs used to go into kennels but thankfully now to volunteer boarders, they are cared for in a house with family. It’s so much better for our dogs I’m sure.  Also, it keeps them used to being with a family and makes the transition between puppy walker and big school less traumatic for the dogs and we get the final package of a dog who is much happier.

 

My Husband is making the very long journey home he travelled three hours there and same back. Tomorrow he is away again to his big office and Thursday to another area far away then Friday to my home town of Newcastle. My Son, he has been out of the house since 9 this morning. He’s due back by five tonight. So, very soon. He has been miles away to buy a new car. He is super excited. I was really sad to see his last car go. It has been a great car. So comfortable and reliable. So, a new chapter has begun. A book that will take five years to get to the end. Well, to pay for his car. Smile.

 

Hub won’t be in until eight tonight and leaves tomorrow morning at 7 am. I expect by the end of the week he will be tired. I know how I feel doing the walk today. When you are being assessed when eyes are on you, it’s more difficult then when you go out yourself. It still always shocks me though to think we did it, we went out and got back to our house, like a homing pigeon!

 

Thankfully the Little Fella is OK. Last night Hub thought he was going to have to leave him at home and use his white cane as LF was sick four times in half an hour. But overnight he was fine. Oh, he looked so sad. I just worried so much as our LF is a sickly Sam Trying to clean dog sick up isn’t my thing, all I can say is thank God for wooden floors… we would get one place cleaned up then he would be sick in another. Paper towels, plastic bags and disinfectant wipes later, all was sorted.

Then he threw up on his bed.

Not as easy to clean so wiped and in the washing machine. Today I put a cleaner in the machine and we are good to go again. LF has been fine though today thankfully. I love carpets but with dogs it’s just not practical.

 

OK, on that jolly note, I shall go for now. Take care. Laters.