Terrific meeting with the guy from Dogs for Good also known as Dogs for the Disabled.
I am overwhelmed at the moment. I could cheerfully burst into tears of joy. I spend so much of my life adapting to a non-disabled world that I can’t tell you how affirming it is to spend time with a person who gets the issues. No explanation required. He just wanted to help”
We’ve talked about what I need. They have a carabinier (spelling) that I could use with the new dog to get in and out of the Cathedral all access door for example. It’s very heavy for me so, the dog can be trained to pull it open. Stand to hold it open. I take the carabinieri off and we both go through. Job done. This will make a difference to the state of my spine on Sunday afternoons.
He can be trained to bark on command so that when I’m in an unfamiliar bank for example, and can’t make out where to queue, the dog barks for assistance! It happened just the other day when muttering alerted me to the fact that I was queuing from the wrong end in a shop. Profuse apologies to my fellow shoppers.
He’ll pick things from the floor; take my socks off; empty the washing machine…
The differences will be huge. I’ll be back travelling alone too. Much as I love my partner, I like the downtime of hotel rooms, writing in unfamiliar libraries and reading a book when I eat!
That’s another thing, he’ll pick up books without giving them a nasty suck. What’s not to like?
I don’t know what to say or do to express my delight. It is amazing.
Jane Wallman-Girdlestone 
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