Canine Partners

Sue was partnered with her second canine partner Vinnie in October 2017. This is her story.

My name is Sue and I live in Cumberland with my husband Mark. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome – an inherited condition that affects collagen throughout my body. This leads to multiple unpredictable dislocations, which cause severe acute and chronic pain. Over time, the dislocations have impaired my mobility, leading to reliance on crutches and now a powered wheelchair. I also sustained a head injury in 1998, which affected my short-term memory.

Prior to having a canine partner, I spent six months bed-bound, reliant on carers and family to fulfil all my needs. My confidence was at an all-time low, I was very anxious and I was reluctant to transfer to a wheelchair and go outside. My social circle was limited to family and carers, and I grieved for the loss of my job as a Registered General Nurse and later as a Human Resource Policy Advisor. I found myself in my early 40s very depressed and feeling useless.

While in the hospital, I met someone who had an assistance dog and felt that this would be the solution to get me out of the rut I had found myself in. I did some research on the various Assistance Dog organisations and was directed towards Canine Partners. The thought of meeting my canine partner gave me the drive to push for physiotherapy help so that I could self-transfer to a wheelchair.

I have had two canine partners, Quizzy and Vinnie, and I am currently awaiting matching with a further successor dog as Vinnie is now partly retired and supports me at home as a Pet Assisted Living (PAL) dog.

I was so excited when I met my first canine partner Quizzy. My first memory is of my husband accidentally dropping his car keys and Quizzy picking them up without even being asked. My bond with her seemed to be immediate and I fell in love with this amazing dog.

Quizzy was a live wire, who was totally toy-orientated and loved swimming. She was a very tactile dog who became my constant companion. Quizzy used to climb up onto my recliner chair and snuggle into me which helped comfort me when I was in severe pain.

Vinnie is independent and is definitely more Lab than Retriever – he is totally food-orientated! When we were first partnered, Vinnie would try to jump over puddles to avoid water but now enjoys a good wallow – especially if it’s muddy!

Both of my canine partners have been highly intelligent dogs and very task orientated with a keenness to learn new tasks, picking them up quickly. The task work that both dogs have done for me over the past 10 years has been amazing. Some of the tasks they have done for me include undressing me, taking off braces, alerting me to alarms, getting drinks from the fridge, helping with washing, and closing and opening doors.

In addition to task work, the reassurance that they are by my side and can help me is invaluable. When I fall over, they will alert for help and stay by my side until it arrives.

Being in a partnership means the world to me, it has given me a reason to enjoy life more and relax, which has reduced my stress levels. Prior to having Quizzy, I felt like I was letting my family down as I no longer played a vital role in the household.

Having a canine partner has helped me get stronger, more independent and has improved my self[1]worth. They have given me a purpose to get out, a talking point and a reason to rejoin my local community – I recently successfully stood for the Parish Council.

For a few years with Quizzy I was a guest speaker at societies and clubs where I would talk about Canine Partners and my partnership. I’ve also helped run fundraising events for Canine Partners and for a while had a merchandise stall at village fetes, none of which I could have done without being partnered. In the future, I would like to take on a volunteer role with a local charity. Having my canine partner accompanying me will help with my confidence in taking on such a role.

The help and advice from Aftercare and Advanced Trainers has taught me how to work successfully in a partnership and teach my canine partner new tasks.

There was a gap of a few months between my partnerships with Quizzy and Vinnie. During this period I felt very lost, my independence suffered and I became more reliant again on family and carers. Now that Vinnie is a PAL dog, I really miss his companionship while I’m out and about and find my confidence waning at times.

Quizzy and Vinnie gave me back a purpose in life. They became my distraction to help me cope and to begin to live my life properly again.

Read more from Sue’s family:

Sue’s husband, Mark, said: “I had witnessed Sue’s mobility and confidence deteriorate over the years. She became quite insular and lacked her previous drive and ambition. Having a canine partner has turned this around and given her a purpose to get up and the confidence to talk to people. “I work full time and sometimes need to work away overnight. Knowing that Sue has a canine partner with her has helped me to stop worrying about how she is coping on her own. I know that Quizzy, and now Vinnie, alert Sue when her medication alarm sounds, so I don’t have to worry that she will forget to take it.”