Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
I feel very privileged to get this "final installment " of your PW journey, and chuffed in the knowledge that it is the beginning of something wonderful.
Spencer - Guide Dog 🐾
- Thread starter Boogie
- Start date
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
No words .... 
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Next update -
“Well - Spencer and I have just had the most amazing day training
The gdmi came, we did lots of grooming, some obedience. Health checks etc
I also asked lots of questions and spoke about what I was doing with him at home and if this was right etc.
I learned so much from this today. That I’m sure will enrich our partnership.
We then had an hours walk. What can I say? It was THE most amazing experience. This was Spencer’s first real walk around the neighbourhood, lots of new smells, sights and sounds. But he did remarkably well. I felt as free as a bird.
It was amazing to see how keen he was to get the harness on and get cracking. His pace is nice and quick , which I love and the feeling was just awesome.
We did forwards, lefts , risghts, narrow gaps, forward lefts etc - just mind blowing what these life changers are capable of. I could have wept, he made me feel awesome, the two of us out there together
Photo shows my two Ifish Wolfhounds, both are Brindle, laid on the kitchen floor, which is brown laminate.
Spencer is laid on his little bed on the brown laminate flooring, he is looking up at me. He is a black lad/g ret cross with a beautiful glossy coat. Vanda and Sid are also laid down, all three dogs looking towards me
We are now back - and Spencer and my Two Irish Wolfhounds have had a play in the garden and are now chilling and snoozing in the kitchen.
Roll on tomorrow
”
“Well - Spencer and I have just had the most amazing day training
The gdmi came, we did lots of grooming, some obedience. Health checks etc
I also asked lots of questions and spoke about what I was doing with him at home and if this was right etc.
I learned so much from this today. That I’m sure will enrich our partnership.
We then had an hours walk. What can I say? It was THE most amazing experience. This was Spencer’s first real walk around the neighbourhood, lots of new smells, sights and sounds. But he did remarkably well. I felt as free as a bird.
It was amazing to see how keen he was to get the harness on and get cracking. His pace is nice and quick , which I love and the feeling was just awesome.
We did forwards, lefts , risghts, narrow gaps, forward lefts etc - just mind blowing what these life changers are capable of. I could have wept, he made me feel awesome, the two of us out there together
Photo shows my two Ifish Wolfhounds, both are Brindle, laid on the kitchen floor, which is brown laminate.
Spencer is laid on his little bed on the brown laminate flooring, he is looking up at me. He is a black lad/g ret cross with a beautiful glossy coat. Vanda and Sid are also laid down, all three dogs looking towards me
We are now back - and Spencer and my Two Irish Wolfhounds have had a play in the garden and are now chilling and snoozing in the kitchen.
Roll on tomorrow
”
Atemas
UK Tour Guide
- Location
- North Cambridgeshire
Wow 
Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
Spencer has so much landed firmly on his paws! So pleases for your lovely boy. Well done!
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
He looks bigger than his Irish wolfhound brother here!
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
He looks in lovely condition, and living in the lap of luxury! What a lovely, lovely story, Mags
Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
So he does! He looks all long and lanky, bless him! and his glorious ears are bigger of course!
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
I am so happy to learn that Spencer is very happy with his new owner.
- Location
- Sydney, Australia
Ninja onions followed me to work
This is so beautiful and heartwarming, especially what is going on in the world
This is so beautiful and heartwarming, especially what is going on in the world
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
This is just so amazing, you've got me sitting here burbling like an idiot. I am so proud of Spencer and so proud of you, Mags. It is an honour to know such a special person who makes amazing things happen.
What a wonderful place for Spencer - I love that Spencer has two built-in buddies and - swoon! - Irish wolfhounds to boot.
Mags, when a sight-impaired person has pet dogs plus a guide dog, how does exercise time work? Can he walk his two others with Spencer guiding him? That seems like a tall order...?
What a wonderful place for Spencer - I love that Spencer has two built-in buddies and - swoon! - Irish wolfhounds to boot.
Mags, when a sight-impaired person has pet dogs plus a guide dog, how does exercise time work? Can he walk his two others with Spencer guiding him? That seems like a tall order...?
- Location
- Essex, U.K.
What an amazing change these dogs make to people's lives, I love that he says about feeling free, amazing. 
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Terry has a partner who does all the pet dog work (and takes the photos). Of course they can free run them together, but Spencer isn’t working then.This is just so amazing, you've got me sitting here burbling like an idiot. I am so proud of Spencer and so proud of you, Mags. It is an honour to know such a special person who makes amazing things happen.
What a wonderful place for Spencer - I love that Spencer has two built-in buddies and - swoon! - Irish wolfhounds to boot.
Mags, when a sight-impaired person has pet dogs plus a guide dog, how does exercise time work? Can he walk his two others with Spencer guiding him? That seems like a tall order...?
Single people are not allowed a pet dog and a guide dog. Some, when they got their first guide dog, have chosen to rehome their pet dogs with family. A sad and difficult choice.
- Location
- East Sussex
I used to occasionally meet a couple with three Goldies - one was the woman's guide dog, another was her retired guide dog and the third just a pet. She said the retired dog found it quite difficult at first when she went out with just the new one leaving the older dog at home - when he saw the harness he thought it was for him - but she said she couldn't bear to be parted from him and quite often her husband was with her so all three dogs could go.
This is how I would imagine it must be for all people with retired guide dogs. I feel so sorry for those who must give up their retired dogs, and for the dogs, too. On the other hand, a friend took in her friend’s mother’s retired guide dog. The mother moved into a home and became too old to walk. Her dog went to live with three other labs on a small farm and lived a wonderful life. But when his blind lady visited, he’d climb up onto the sofa to cuddle with her. The bond was clear.
- Location
- Close to Devon/Somerset border
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
And priceless for us to hear all about their partnership journey.
Boogie
Moderator
- Location
- Manchester UK
Today’s update -
Good afternoon lovely loungers
Day three training from home update:
You know, i never really know what to expect, and im usually on a high from the day before, thinking that things just cant get any more spectacular than this.
BUT - Wow - just wow.
Today, we got Spencer registered with my Vet. So, thats all covered now, and I can sort more flea/tick treatment, worming and boosters etc when needed. Also covered for unexpected things.
Have a conference call booked later today with the guide dogs welfare contact. This will be with my what wold have been class mates, and the welfare person.
We covered two of the class talks today, about getting to know your dog, behaviours and also the straight line comcept.
We changed the harness handle length, as the one I had was too short for me. Then O was shown hot to put lead and harness on myself. Spencer was eager to get it on
Because of the corona virus situation, clearly things are changing on a daily basis - so, they want to get me confident on a local route, so I can get out should the face to face training contact be stopped at some
point for a while.
So, off we went. From my front door, and to my GP surgery. Made me think about the route I was taking, and we adapted it alightly to make it safer/easier.
Spencer was on a mission - totally new to him, and first time for me with him also. We did targetting of pelican crossing box, find bus stop, find door etc - and he just took it in his stride.
He is such a quick walker too, which I love, as I dont particularly like to dawdle.
Loads of wheely bins around, some sacks of whatever, dotted around some paths, man walking his dog etc, and Spencer just took me around the lot.
He is obviously getting lots of new smells and sights and he was a little
Distracted at other dogs and also driveways, field areas etc - but with a little re-focus, he was on it.
We will do the same route again tomorrow with the aim of getting this route boxed off as soon as we can, extending it a little to include the chemist, newsagents and the co-op, ad they are all just firther along the route.
This would then gove me a nice route to keep to and getting us both out as long as we are able.
Words cant describe how I am feeling right now - this walk has me feeling exhilerated, positive, and I can already feel that the ties holding me back from independence are slowly loosening.
I have made the route sound easy, but it wasnt, and there are so many commands and foot positions and all manner of things to remember, to get it slick, but I feel with another few runs at it, we should have it cracked.
Each day just hets better and better, and with Spencer by my side, we can do anything.
We did his ears today also, as he is currently habing twice weekly ear drops for a little infection. So, the GDMI sowed both me and my partner how to do this, as its so much easier with me, holding his attention with a treat or two, whilst the other person is doing the treatment - just makes it a morempositive and less traumatic intervention for him.
Spencer is now curled up and chilling after his epic performance today.
He has had lots of praise for his work today snd derserves every bit of it.
X
Good afternoon lovely loungers
Day three training from home update:
You know, i never really know what to expect, and im usually on a high from the day before, thinking that things just cant get any more spectacular than this.
BUT - Wow - just wow.
Today, we got Spencer registered with my Vet. So, thats all covered now, and I can sort more flea/tick treatment, worming and boosters etc when needed. Also covered for unexpected things.
Have a conference call booked later today with the guide dogs welfare contact. This will be with my what wold have been class mates, and the welfare person.
We covered two of the class talks today, about getting to know your dog, behaviours and also the straight line comcept.
We changed the harness handle length, as the one I had was too short for me. Then O was shown hot to put lead and harness on myself. Spencer was eager to get it on
Because of the corona virus situation, clearly things are changing on a daily basis - so, they want to get me confident on a local route, so I can get out should the face to face training contact be stopped at some
point for a while.
So, off we went. From my front door, and to my GP surgery. Made me think about the route I was taking, and we adapted it alightly to make it safer/easier.
Spencer was on a mission - totally new to him, and first time for me with him also. We did targetting of pelican crossing box, find bus stop, find door etc - and he just took it in his stride.
He is such a quick walker too, which I love, as I dont particularly like to dawdle.
Loads of wheely bins around, some sacks of whatever, dotted around some paths, man walking his dog etc, and Spencer just took me around the lot.
He is obviously getting lots of new smells and sights and he was a little
Distracted at other dogs and also driveways, field areas etc - but with a little re-focus, he was on it.
We will do the same route again tomorrow with the aim of getting this route boxed off as soon as we can, extending it a little to include the chemist, newsagents and the co-op, ad they are all just firther along the route.
This would then gove me a nice route to keep to and getting us both out as long as we are able.
Words cant describe how I am feeling right now - this walk has me feeling exhilerated, positive, and I can already feel that the ties holding me back from independence are slowly loosening.
I have made the route sound easy, but it wasnt, and there are so many commands and foot positions and all manner of things to remember, to get it slick, but I feel with another few runs at it, we should have it cracked.
Each day just hets better and better, and with Spencer by my side, we can do anything.
We did his ears today also, as he is currently habing twice weekly ear drops for a little infection. So, the GDMI sowed both me and my partner how to do this, as its so much easier with me, holding his attention with a treat or two, whilst the other person is doing the treatment - just makes it a morempositive and less traumatic intervention for him.
Spencer is now curled up and chilling after his epic performance today.
He has had lots of praise for his work today snd derserves every bit of it.
X
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Oh .... beyond wonderful!