General Chat

We lost our beloved black Labrador Shadow five weeks ago rather suddenly at just two days short of thirteen and a half, fifteen months after her companion Trader, he was ten days or so short of fourteen.

We'd started fostering dogs for Canine Partners who train dogs to assist disabled persons in September and had had Ressie, Crumble and Rex for short periods.

We had Ressie who is ten and a half months back the Wednesday before last to stay for a fortnight and this Wednesday the CP trainer came to see how we were getting on.
To our surprise she asked us if we would keep Ressie on for the rest of her initial training period, about another year.
So we have acquired a lovely Golden Retriever who is quite intelligent but can be stubborn (and loves digging holes in the lawn!).
It's hard work teaching her all the commands (which we have to learn first and make sure we use the right ones all the time) but if we succeed she will go on to be a great asset to someone who needs assistance.

Sorry to hear you lost Shadow.

Not heard of Canine Partners.

Good on you - I would love to do it but I would get too attached and refuse to let them have the dog back at the end

So sorry you lost Shadow, it breaks your heart to lose them doesn't it :-(

A friend of ours has a dog trained via Canine Partners, it has opened up a whole new world to her, she can do so much more for herself around her home and goes to the bank, shops etc with much more confidence and independence.

Well done to you for helping in this vitally important work Brian. :-D

Awwwww.....good on you Brian ......I couldn't do it either! I would keep them all......training becomes fun after a while so stick with it and you will be rewarded a hundredfold :-)

Sorry you lost your old dog, but how brilliant you are doing such worthwhile work for Canine partners and preparing Ressie for such a valuable role. I have thought about walking Guide Dogs for the Blind, but don't live within their range. :-)

What a great thing to do Brian, altho I know I would become too attached to cope with handing back the dog myself. I know these dogs are life changers for the people who get them so you are doing a very worthwhile thing and it's a tribute to Shadow and Trader that you can share part of yourselves again with a dog.

Just think of Shadow meeting up with Trader again on Rainbow Bridge, what a picture to imagine as you mourn your dogs.

Lizx

So sorry to read you have lost your beloved dog Shadow, but what a brilliant way to fill the gap he has left :-) :-)
Keep us posted on his progress PLEASE:)

jude xx

Dear Brian

Hello


So sorry you and your family lost your beloved pet.

Its very kind of you to foster the dogs and train them.


Hope you can keep us posted about Ressie, as Jude says. :-)

Take gentle care
Best wishes
Elizabeth
xx