I fear for my safety should my guide dog, Trigger encounter this bike giving off delicious bacon smells. I would, I suspect end up in hot pursuit of said machine with Trigger’s teeth firmly clamped to the bike’s exhaust. The rider would, I think end up rather like the Pied Piper with a host of dogs of every conceivable variety following hard on Trigger’s paws (I would have said heels but, as dogs don’t possess them I will refrain from doing so)!
My dog found something in a graveyard, was it a bone I wonder? Chomp went his jaws, bone or whatever it was consigned to oblivion, to rumble and tumble in a canine’s stomach. Then out again, back to the ground, from the earth we come and to the earth we shall return.
On the way home from work this evening I popped into my local Sainsburys with my guide dog, Trigger for a few items. On reaching the till a young boy announced, in a voice which would do credit to a sargent Major
“Dogs ar not allowed!”
The obviously embarrassed mother reprimanded her son, (I could detect the rebuke by the tone of her voice but, not being able to understand French I was at a loss to know what, exactly she said). At the time I just smiled. However, in retrospect I ought to have said something along the following lines
“Pet dogs are not allowed in supermarkets, however, my dog is a working guide dog who helps me to find my way around. Because of his special training he is allowed into shops, restaurants and other places which pet dogs are not allowed to enter. All guide dogs will have on a special white harness so you will know (if you see the harness) that the dog is a working guide dog”.
Obviously I would have phrased the above in a manner easily understood by a young child and my words would have been accompanied by a smile so as not to intimidate the little boy. As I said above I don’t know what the mother said to her son but her words where brief and sharp which leads me to believe that the child was admonished for his statement rather than having the role of working guide dogs clearly explained to him, It is only through patient explanation that children learn and shouting at youngsters is not the way forward. Education is, as with so many other issues the answer.
For my Amazon Author Page please visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/K.-Morris/e/B00CEECWHY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
As a writer I hate distractions. Off goes my mobile together with my e-mail. I make a cup of tea or coffee and get stuck into my writing. Not so this morning. Bump, a wet nose was pushed against my elbow. I stopped writing and caressed the head of Trigger my brindle lab/retriever guide dog. OK now I’ll return to my writing I thought. Hardly had I typed a single word when, bump, bump a cold wet nose was, once more frust against my arm. Once again I ceased my scribbling and paid attention to my four-legged friend.
Owning a dog is incredibly therapeutic. When I stroke Trigger I feel myself relaxing. There is something almost hypnotic about the feeling of contentment induced by the back and forth of my hand across Trigger’s coat. I can feel my stress levels reduce as Trigger relishes the attention. Yes Trigger can be a distraction but he is a very welcome one.
For a photograph of Trigger please visit my Amazon author’s page which can be found here, http://www.amazon.co.uk/K.-Morris/e/B00CEECWHY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
K Morris - Poet 