After last week’s rant about irresponsible dog owners, I
started to think about dog owners at the other end of the scale. In particular,
I thought of my friend, Amber. Amber is young and totally responsible in the
care of her canine guide. Amber is completely without sight and is now the owner
of her second guide dog, Bear. Her first guide dog, Tommy was retired a year
ago. I asked Amber to write a bit about her dogs and following is what she sent
to me:
Bear is from BC Alberta Guide dogs, the same school that
Tommy was trained at. He is two and a half years old and is quite the teddy
bear. His favourite past time is lying on his bed chewing on one of his
many bones, or carrying his squeaky toys around my apartment making as much
noise as he possibly can. His energy level is a fair bit lower than Tom’s
was but he has some get up and go when he gets really excited or sees someone
he loves. This summer we were lucky enough to spend a couple of months at home
in Alberta on our farm and it will take some getting used to going back to
school for the both of us in the fall.
I like to call Bear the master of stairs, doors, elevators,
and benches. Given his slightly lazy personality he is happy to find any
bench and elevator in our vicinity in order to avoid as much work as he can,
but he loves exploring and finding new places so will also take me to every
door he sees if he is able. As for stairs, he has increased my confidence
so much in the past year that I’ve had him because he is not afraid to take me
up to stairs and balance me on the way up or down them, as well as find me a
railing if there is one available. He has the most beautiful golden eyes
and he is constantly being told how gorgeous he is, and he sure knows it!
Kids and babies fascinate him and he checks out every stroller on the bus
if he gets the chance.
With Tommy as my first guide dog, I was quite aware that he
set the bar very high for my next companion. Bear has done a fantastic
job of jumping right level with that bar. They are perfect compliments of one
another, things that Tommy excelled at are usually something that Bear
struggles a little with, and things that Tommy was hesitant on are Bear’s superstar
points. Tommy was my perfect match from day one that I got him and I told
people every chance that I got that I didn’t think I could love a dog any more
than I loved Tom. I have found though that Bear has snuggled himself
right up beside that spot in my heart for Tommy and they are both additions in
my life that I don’t know how I ever lived without them.
Their opposite appearance and nature, black and yellow,
smaller and larger, hyper and calm, has helped me to not only become confident
in areas of my life that I struggled, but has helped me become more confident
in those that I already was as well. Having to help Bear through his
struggling points, having been led so confidently by Tom, helps me to
strengthen these areas for myself because I have to show him how to be
confident. I can’t stress enough how well of a pick both of these puppies
were for me and have all the gratitude in the world for BC Alberta Guide dogs
superb training and matching program.
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