Do Not Distract - A Day in a Chair

Dave & I, accompanied by Sweep of course, went for a day out to an agricultural show this holiday. Unlike most folks who just jump in the car and go, with us it is a major expedition!!

1. Make sure the power chair is charged overnight. Load that into car first.
2. Place one excited dog into dog cage avoiding getting slapped in the face by wildly wagging tail :-)
3. Insert on trolley on wheels full of dog bowls, water for dog. Sweeps yellow working coat. Sandwiches (to avoid queuing for hours for grub), ditto fizzy drinks. Folding stool for Dave to sit on, Dave's crutches. My medication. Wet wipes, poo bags (for dog use - not ours!). Mobile phone for emergencies, waterproof coats (just in case). In car charger for chair and breakdown phone numbers in case! Sun cream and hats.
4. Set off with directions and pray we don't get lost.

We get to the show without mishap. Extract all of above. Toilet walk Sweep who is now not only bursting with excitement but everything else as well, requiring use of poo bags:-(

Put Sweeps coat on.

Get to entrance which is a sort of open ended marquee and find my chair won't go through the entrance because they have arranged a web of ropes to hold up the structure! Hold up queue whilst I have a mob of people trying to direct me through the tent. Sweep is being fussed by all whilst I try not to get entangled in the guy ropes!

We get into the grounds and we take out Dave's folding stool, Sweeps water bowl and have a rest...

Put all above back into trolley. Wander around, being stopped periodically as people jump in front of me to stop the chair and (literally) ignore me and hold a conversation with Sweep. "Oh aren't you beautiful dog?", "What's your name then?", "And what do you do for your Mum"!!! Sweep looks bemused and stares at me for help. I put the chair on its fastest setting and career off with Dave trying desperately to catch up, *NO chance!

I am parked outside a tent full of ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs etc. I pass on going in there and decide to rest Sweep in a shady spot.

We then trundle through another tent full of craft stalls. I try to manoeuvre in the throng of folks, watch Sweep doesn't get trampled to death and I *sweat*. I can't see a thing as folks keep standing in front of me!

Dave asks if I am enjoying myself! I assure him I am having a "wonderful time":-(

We try to find a quiet corner to rest in, give that up as useless and go to sit at the side of an arena to watch a horse jumping display. "OOOooo Mum, LOOK! That dogs' got a COAT on..." I shrink and pray. *Please* not *again*. I have already done the "Dogs for the Disabled" talk dozens of times today. "He empties the washing machine for you? Oh what a clever dog, wonderful aren't they?" Most folks suddenly become dyslexic and totally ignore the "Do Not Distract" printed on Sweeps coat.

I can feel myself on the edge of totally loosing it! Sweep and I are hot and bothered. One more I think to myself, one more and that's it!!!

A woman comes up to me, ignores me absolutely and proceeds to get down on her knees and hold a conversation with Sweep. "Please leave him alone. He is a working dog." I mutter through gritted teeth. I point to the writing on his coat. "I know I shouldn't but I couldn't resist." she replies! I try to keep my temper and explain, (for the umpteenth time that day) why people should not keep pestering a working dog.

I have printed the following sheet out and will now take it out and about with me. Hopefully by the time they have read it, I will be long gone and just maybe folks will have learnt something.

One person said to me that I was "a bit hostile"!? Would you even dream of going up to a group of people with children, ignore the adults and start stroking the kid's hair, offering them sweets & cakes? Of course not.

When I had Ninja (my old DFD) it used to take me two hours to get round a shop because folks insisted on stopping me every few feet!! All I want is to be treated just like anyone else. To go out and enjoy myself. Sweep is a friendly little dog but even he gets bothered by people. He tries to ignore attention, which is what he was trained to do, but some folks have even held him by the collar to get him to sit up when I have told him to go "Down"!!!.

I am posting this information sheet because I know many people who have an Assistance Dog do have *real* problems when they are out with their dog.

I give talks to groups for Dogs for the Disabled which help a little towards raising funds for the charity. I have found that people do distract the dogs when they are working. This is not because they mean any harm but are genuinely interested in them. The guide lines in the information sheet are really just to make the public aware of how dangerous it is to interfere with the dog when it is working.

An Assistance Dog's Tail

Once Sweep had settled down after Ninja died he quickly gained confidence. He no longer needed prompting to pick up dropped items or fetch named items for me.

On one occasion we were in the supermarket when the lady in front of me at the cash desk dropped a ten-pound note. Quick as a flash Sweep picked it up and sat by my wheelchair holding the note for me to take. The lady watched in surprise as I took the money from Sweep and handed it to her.

She was delighted and asked me what else he did for me. "He empties the washing machine and tumble drier, fetches the post each morning, collects the milk from the doorstep in a special crate, Opens and shuts doors, brings me the telephone when it rings and lots more." I told her.

I gave her a leaflet about Dogs for the Disabled and she left, promising to make a donation to the charity :)

Sometimes Sweep doesn't always get it quite right! I can't bend so taking my trousers off can be very difficult. Sweep has been trained to pull the bottom of each leg and pull it over my foot and off. When he has done both legs he picks the trousers up and hands them to me to hang up.

On day he got so excited and enthusiastic he grabbed my trouser leg before I was quite ready and gave a vigorous tug. I heard a ripping sound, his tooth had gone into the fabric and it tore leaving an eight-inch tear down the leg!

One of his favourite tasks is pulling my socks off. He gently "feels" where my toes are, grasps the toe of the sock, positions his bum in the air, shoulders down and gives a big heave. This usually works well and of course he gets lots of praise for a job well done.

The dogs work for rewards of praise and very occasionally a tit-bit. Sweep soon realised that his task with the socks was very rewarding and, from his point of view a lot of fun. I sat in the park one day enjoying the sun. I had kicked off my shoes and was chatting to a lady. Sweep watched us for a while and then he got up, grasped the toe of my sock and quickly pulled it off. He then sat and handed it to me as he had been taught. I tried not to laugh but the lady was in tears with laughing. I couldn't praise him, as he shouldn't have done it without my asking. If I had praised him it would only encourage him to remove my socks each time he saw my foot without my shoe on!

I am a registered speaker with Dogs for the Disabled. This involves going out to various groups to talk about the work of the charity. They give us a donation, which goes toward the cost of training the dogs. It is very expensive not only to train the dogs and owners but also to support the partnership throughout the dog's life.

After the talk I encourage the audience to ask questions. I never know what people will ask me as some folks have very strange idea's about the life these dogs live! I am asked if the dogs are allowed to play, I'd like to see anyone stop my happy little Labrador from playing. Dogs love to work, use their brains and please their owners. Busy dogs are happy dogs.

Some people think the dogs wear their yellow coats all day even in the home! The coats are only worn when the dog is working outside.

At times when they are not working they are treated very much like any other pet dog. Sweeps daily routine consists of having his breakfast, very important for a Labrador! They live to eat, as all of you know if you have ever owned a Lab.

After breakfast he flops back down on his bed and goes back to sleep whilst I have my breakfast. He then gets up and helps pass my clothes and fetches and carry's whilst I get ready.

When the postman arrives Sweep has already taken up position by the letterbox. He knows roughly what time the post comes; all dogs have accurate internal clocks! If he is quick Sweep grasps the whole bundle of letters in one mouthful as they appear through the flap, he carefully brings them to me. If he is not quick enough and the letters land on the door mat he races up and down the hall carrying each letter, one by one and places it into my hand.

We may go out shopping later and of course Sweep wears his yellow coat and he trots proudly by wheelchair. The coat is a signal for Sweep; he most certainly knows when he is on duty. He is very sedate and attentive.

Then, off to the park, coat off = Playtime:)

Either David or me throw a ball for him, which he retrieves tirelessly until he is covered in slobber and panting vigorously. Sometimes we go to the New Forest, which Sweep loves.

We return home and Sweep and I often have an afternoon nap. I have a spinal injury and have to take a cocktail of drugs including Morphine, which does make me very tired.

Later, in the evening our life is much like anyone else's. We have dinner, watch T.V., read, and sew. I might paint or do my clay modelling or bead work. My husband and I are addicted to computers, we have an Apple Macintosh each which we love. I enjoy answering questions from all you dog owners out there and to hopefully, solving any behavioural problems you may have with your dogs'.

Sweep is always nearby; he lounges around like any pet dog at least until I need something then he is on it:)

David and I use Sweep to fetch and carry things between the two of us. If I need a magazine and it's in the other room I write a note, Sweep takes it to David who gives the magazine to Sweep to bring to me. Very useful indeed and it saves David's legs as well as providing extra exercise for Sweep!

Since I have deteriorated physically I have concentrated my energies in to lecturing. I may talk to groups such as the Womens Institute or Rotary about my work or about the charity and Assistance Dogs or I may run a course of training seminars to train others who are interested in becoming dog behaviourists.

If you are interested in my giving a lecture to your group please contact me.