Saying Goodbye

1st October

Today is the last day I will work with Jerry, my guide dog for the past eight years.  Tomorrow my new dog, Jay, will join our family.   I have had the privilege of being a Guide Dog owner for the past 27 years and my dogs have been with me at so many momentous times in my life – when I started my first job, when my children were babies, when we moved house, etc.  .  The partnership with each dog is very different and very special and although I know that now is the right time for Jerry to retire, I am sad that this special relationship we have is about to change forever.  We work so well together as a team and there are times I could never have managed without him – like the snow last winter as I trudged up to work through a landscape where it was difficult to tell, because of the blanket of snow under my feet, whether I was on the pavement, the grass or even the road – but Jerry knew and we arrived safely.

Jerry is the first of my four retired dogs I am able to keep. It isn’t fair to leave retired dogs on their own all day, they are used to company.  He is almost as much my husband’s dog as mine, and Roy will be able to have Jerry with him for much of the day. 

I thought long and hard before deciding to keep Jerry; some retired dogs are not happy to be left behind, but Jerry is a laid-back kind of dog, and I don’t think he will miss his harness too much.  I hope I am right.  Time will tell.

I have been reminded today of how many fans Jerry has – he now has a hand-made retirement card, five more cuddly toys, a new bowl about a year’s supply of treats I should think: a gift voucher and so many good wishes.  Jay has a lot to live up to!