here comes the sun

It was our weekly shop day so that means a ride in the car. I don't mind going in the car but in can get a bit boring and dad is a bit heavy on the breaks. I travel in my own box so I don't go sliding from one side to the other. Amy got it from Pets @ Home after she qualified as a Guide Dog Owner. Here is me in my box, in the boot of the car.

My nose is still healing after a nasty bug bit me! but I still stick my nose in flower pots anyway. It's a good idea to have a 'dog box' in your boot and not let me sit in the front seat of your car. Should the airbag deploy in an emergency it could kill me!, like it would a small child and I could get crushed if I sit in the stair wells too. Although I am classed as a Large dog, I am not very big so I manage comfortably, lying down in a medium size, but it's always good to consult someone who works there, like Amy did. You can order online too!.

Here is Amy and I waiting for the parentals before we set off.

Tescos was pretty busy and lots of young kids noticed me but were a bit confused about why I was there. Two young boys in particular (brothers) were obviously pestering their tired mother and were getting a bit over excited and for five minutes told me to 'get out of the way dog, bad dog you're not aloud in here' but I ignored them because Amy pulled me in closer and played with my ears.
It takes us about an hour to go around and do our shopping, we always go with Amy's parents and her dad is a nightmare with a trolley as well as the car.

They had lots of Sunflowers and Amy loves them, so we bought two bunches because they were buy one, get one free. So she ended up with 6 big Sunflowers!!. When we got to the car we didn't know where to put them. In the end they fitted in the coffee cup gap in the seat tray. Ingenious.

S u n f l o w e r s in the car !!!

S u n f l o w e r s at home

Now it's dindins time. Yum

Exo

on a mission

Today we went to a local garden centre. our mission: to find some Bamboo for the front garden. I got bonked on the head with several green things!. 

 I'm already to go but Amy is still getting ready!! hurry up.

 Now Amy is ready and to prove it she's taking pictures!

 On our way to the car now. These steps are fun to go up but neither of us like going down them.

 We are here! I am pointing to some very good smelling soil bags.

We found some Bamboo!!! and some more smelly soil. We celebrated with ice cream :)

The fair has finally left us so it's nice and quiet again in the valley and I am much happier about it. The Lawn is dead and yellow and in serious need of some fresh grass seed!. We walked around the Lawn, which we haven't been able to do while the fair was here because Amy suffers from migraines and the past two weeks we haven't been out much. Poor Amy has had to stay in a dark room and she couldn't play with me for hours but I had her family to play with instead and my toys.

We are making up for it now I love walkies.

Now it's time to have a drink and then help Amy and her Mum set up the tables for the local Wednesday Lunches. If you are around town, why not drop in? It's for everyone!! Have an all day breakfast or a main course and pudding with a cuppa, all for a good cause. In the Dawlish Methodist Church Hall every Wednesday from 12pm-2pm, Good grub, good company. 

See ya 

Exo

GO WALKIES! For Guide Dogs.

Go Walkies! at Exeter Race Course in Devon. Or click here to find your local fun day walkies in your area of the UK here. Register for one locally, or create and invite to your own!!.

Exeter Race Course
Date: 24 Sept 2011
Address: Kennford, Exeter, Devon, EX6 7XS
Further details:
This fantastic go walkies is part of A Guide Dogs Fun Day, situated in the beautiful surroundings of Haldon Forest and surrounding countryside.
The Fun Day is open from 12pm so please come and join us. Whilst looking around our Guide Dog Stalls and watching our display teams why not make the most of the yummy refreshments and find out more about the vital work of Guide Dogs. Face paints and a bouncy castle will hopefully also be there on the day.
At 2pm there is a chance for your dogs to get involved and take part in our group go walkies! Please visit the go walkies stand between 12pm and 1.45pm to register you and your dogs. If you don’t have a dog then you can still take part in the fun! You will have a choice between a one mile walk and 2 miles. The route is flat and accessible to wheel chairs, pushchairs and excitable dogs!
We’re here to help you every step of the way. So, if you have any questions after registering for an event or about organising your own, please call our team on 0845 600 6787.

Unfortunately I have calendar clash and won't be able to attend this particular event but I hope to be free to do it next year and will show my support in other ways.
I hope all who do the walk have a fantastic day and I want to here about lots of tail wagging :).

Ohh new toy!.

Firstly, welcome to my blog. My owners blog is here.
Here, I hope to keep track of all my adventures and any up and coming interesting news about Guide Dogs in general.

My name is Elma, but everyone calls me Ellie. I am three years old and I work as a Guide Dog. I am a long haired Golden Retriever but Amy says I'm not a real retriever because sometimes I forget to bring a toy back. I really love my job - I'm good at it too. Several of my siblings have qualified too, this is great news! because the numbers of partnerships are increasing in recent years. We need to make sure there is a match for everyone who needs one: also Guide Dogs are not and never will be means tested so don't be put of thinking you aren't eligible. Find out more information about UK Guide Dogs here.

I have been with my current owner, Amy for just over a year now. She is my second match and I am her first Guide Dog. My first match wasn't really anything. I stayed with an elderly lady for three days, but I didn't really fit into life, she had been a long term cane user and was used to it. She also used a large shopping bag on wheels that bumped into me, I didn't like it. I was soon back in the local office and thankful! because then I went to meet Amy, and she is the best. I met her for the first time on the 18th May 2010, which is also my Birthday :). I went to her house with my guardian Mike and we sat in her back garden, with her family, and played. Then we went for a walk so Amy could see how great I am at guiding her around things and finding curbs for her. I was a bit sad when Mike put me back in the car, because I wanted to stay and play some more, but then I was back again the next day and I've lived with Amy and her family ever since.

I had already been trained and qualified, now it was Amy's turn. Amy had to trust me and let me work and learn the routes she takes to get to the shops or to the park and back. For the first week we worked in a training area near the office, away from where Amy lived so the trust would build up. Amy not knowing where she was would have to trust me and she did. The second week we were closer to Amy's home and we did a route she used daily. In the third week we went further afield to towns and cities she would get to by bus or by train and learn some easy routes. In the fourth week we did bus and train journeys. Amy and I aren't keen on buses, people are always distracting me and playing with me without asking Amy first, also people stand on my tail a lot and it hurts. Trains are more fun because I have more room to stretch out. I also get to sit by the window. Amy has a disabled persons railcard that lets her have 1/3 of and also anyone traveling with her, so lately Amy, her mum and I have been jumping on and off the train for days out. Last week we went to Exeter and went into lots of computer shops, and on the way home we stopped in Costa Coffee and it smells so good there.

Amy qualified from home. You can go to local centres where you're in a group setting, so the dogs and owners can bond and make friendships, but it's just as common do it on your own from home.

After Amy qualified, Mike came back once a month, then every 3 months, then 6 months. Till he made his final visit after a year. Now I am under a new Guide Dog person for the local area but she hasn't come to see us yet.

I am still working hard at helping Amy and we are exploring more and more places.

Stay tuned..
Love and licks
E