Jon and Toby have been nominated for the People’s Choice Award highlighting the incredible association between a member of the Armed Forces Community and their canine partner, and how this partnership can help recovery after serious injury.

Grant funding from our friends at Help for Heroes enabled Jon and Toby’s pairing which has seen Jon go from strength to strength.

Jon says;

“A hip injury in 2009 brought my life to a standstill. Unfortunately I do suffer from chronic pain on a daily basis but that’s where Toby comes in any helps me. He somehow knows when I’m in pain, don’t ask me how but he does! He’s given me the opportunity to get out and do things which I didn’t think I’d be able to do anymore, and has actually made me want to get out and do things which I didn’t think I wanted to do anymore.  Recently I went to London, on my own for the first time, on a train, which was a massive step for me. When I arrived in Waterloo station, I dropped my train ticket, and immediately started to stress about how I was going to pick it up; I hate to ask for help, perhaps it’s a bloke thing. Before I’d finished my thought, Toby had scooped it up in his mouth and passed it to me.

“I know that I am a totally different person today, with Toby by my side, than I was BT! I am leaving the military, after 22 years, to begin a new life, and with Toby’s help I’m pretty sure that it’ll be interesting!”

Watch Jon and Toby’s full nomination here.

You can support Jon and Toby to win a 2016 Soldiering On Award by voting here. Winners will be announced at the Soldiering On Awards on Friday 22 April 2016.

The tasks that these amazing dogs perform not only increases independence for the disabled person, and gives them confidence to engage in social interaction again, but also reduces pain and fatigue levels as well as their partner’s reliance on carers. As part of our 25^th anniversary celebrations, all 340 partners were asked to name the 25 most useful tasks their dog performs for them on a daily basis. While some of the results were predictable, the sheer range of tasks the dogs undertake was staggering, underlining how invaluable they become to their disabled owner.

More than 90 per cent of respondents said the most useful task was picking up dropped items, while 82 per cent said their dogs carrying items made their life easier. These seemingly small tasks for able-bodied people really become frustrating for those people in a wheelchair or with mobility issues. Third popular on the list was undressing the partner, with 76 per cent stating that was an important task for them. This one really ensured independence and the reduction of carer involvement, especially in the evening, allowing the disabled person to lead a more normal life.

Opening doors was the next popular with 74 per cent mentioning this, but interestingly shutting doors had a lower percentage of 66 per cent which was shared with the task of unloading the washing machine. Fetching things, including the post, was high on the list with 60 per cent mentioning those activities. 52 per cent said that help with shopping, including paying the cashier, was beneficial to them, while 36 per cent benefited from their dog retrieving cash and a card from an ATM for them.

Interestingly, although partners were asked only about physical tasks, more than 50 per cent of respondents stated that boosting confidence and emotional support was just as important.

Some of the more unusual tasks that were mentioned included tidying toys away (36 per cent); handing the disabled person pegs to hang out washing (22 per cent); tugging the duvet on and off (16 per cent) and fetching the towel when their owner is showering (14 per cent).  Six per cent mentioned their dog helping to turn them over in bed, and six per cent also said their dog flushing the toilet was useful. There was even mention of the dog letting their cat in and out, handing a bus pass to the driver and straightening rugs and mats so wheelchairs don’t get caught.

Andy Cook, our CEO, said: “So it seems that a canine partner can help in a huge number of ways with practical tasks, but perhaps the most powerful statistic was that more than 40 per cent of respondents said that their canine partner changed people’s attitudes to the disabled person. That really encapsulates the ‘Amazing dogs. Transforming lives.’ strapline that Canine Partners uses to describe their work.”

I have had kypho scoliosis, which is basically a bent spine, since childhood. I then had an accident which damaged the lower part of my back as well. Eventually I had to have my spine fused from my chest right down to the end. Later I developed spinal stenosis which damaged the nerves to my legs making it difficult to walk very far before getting weakness and severe pain.   I became more dependent on crutches and then on a wheelchair, which  I found difficult.  had once been the victim of a very violent attack, and as I began to need a wheelchair more of the time I felt anxious being out as I felt trapped, and knew I couldn’t “run away”.  I felt particularly vulnerable when I had to go to areas which were more isolated, or when getting money from a cash machine, especially if I dropped my purse.  I joined an orchestra but was terrified when driving home alone.

It was difficult for me to pick things up, get washing in and out of the machine, and reach things out of low drawers and off the low shelves in supermarkets.  I dropped things which were then hard to pick up.  I needed help from my husband with getting undressed. I sometimes got depressed and longed to feel free and independent again.

Then I remembered meeting a dog called Echo from Canine Partners, and applied.   I finally met Harvey-Nics, a golden coloured miniature Labradoodle who made up for his smaller than average size for a canine partner with oodles of personality.   From the first night we were together he was making me laugh… and that is something I have continued to do a lot of since Harvey came into my life. His enthusiasm for life is enormous and has carried me with him through all the ups and downs as we got to know each other.

Everywhere I go people stop and talk, or smile… Harvey works his magic on them all.  One of his favourite jobs is collecting things off supermarket shelves and paying at the checkout, even though his nose sometimes only just reaches over the edge of the counter!  He does so much to help besides his work in shops: he fetches crutches, finds my husband when he’s in another room, takes messages to him and brings a reply, puts things away in low drawers and gets them out when needed and helps with dressing and undressing. He loads and unloads the washing machine… he has taught himself to sort light from dark and almost always gives me all the dark things first!

Harvey also now alerts me to an impending asthma attack – he started one night by nudging  me awake then sat looking intently at me. I had a routine asthma check and the nurse said my peak flow was dangerously low meaning I could have a major attack at any time.  He has continued to do it at intervals and will come and sit in the same way during the day too if it is dropping or he thinks I am going to have an attack.  He has never been wrong, and he also fetches my inhaler if I start to cough.

Before I had Harvey Nics I had never even wheeled down the country track to our local park on my own…but with Harvey I went off to the park every day to give him his walk. It was the most amazing feeling of freedom.   However cold or wet we get it’s just so wonderful to have that freedom back. The gift that Canine Partners has given me in Harvey is priceless… I feel amazed and humbled that I have been partnered with such a very special dog.

Harvey has written a book with a little help from his human partner, Lizzie, called My Big Adventure.

When I was 13 I was finally diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), an inherited connective tissue disorder and reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) which is a neurological condition.

Having these rare conditions means everyday tasks cause severe pain and difficulties moving. At 14 I became a full-time wheelchair user, and life changed dramatically. I was stuck at home, in and out of hospital and I was severely lacking in confidence and self-esteem, didn’t like going out and if I did it was only with family.

I attended a wheelchair tennis camp and met a lady with a dog in a purple jacket who explained that her dog was a Canine Partners assistance dog and that he helps her with everyday tasks. ‘Wow, I have to get one of those’, I said, so I decided to apply once I had my own place.

Finally after waiting five years I got my wheelchair accessible flat, applied and was matched to Griffin. It was definitely love at first sight.   When we got home together, that’s when life changed overnight.   Waking up the next morning to see those big brown eyes and big nose in my face I knew he was ready to help me get out of bed.   Gone were the days of having to ask for help; no more calling my sister to help me. Griffin’s all I need.

Griffin has over 40 tasks which include opening and closing doors, loading and unloading the washing machine, picking up items I drop, getting my phone, and pressing crossing buttons. He brings my manual wheelchair to me when I need to get out of my power wheelchair; he takes off my shoes and jacket when we get in; opens the fridge and closes it; presses switches for me. This list goes on and on.   Even if he hasn’t learnt to do a task he always tries. One night I was sitting on the sofa and I leant forward too much and I was about to hit the floor when Griffin jumped up from his bed, ran under me and stood leaning against me and pushed me up.

Since Griffin came into my life I have achieved quite a lot like going out by myself and going to appointments on my own which I have never done before.   For the first time I felt like an adult. My confidence and self-esteem have grown so much I now enjoy going out, doing new things and meeting new people. He loves showing off his skills to everyone especially when he gives my purse to the cashier and gets it back to give to me. You see his eyes light up and his tail never stops wagging. It’s usually followed by people in the queue saying ‘awww’ and ‘did you see what that dog just did – how amazing’.

Life with Griffin is happier and so great – I couldn’t be without my boy. He’s my world. I love him to pieces and I’m so proud of him. I can’t thank Canine Partners enough for transforming mine and my family’s life.

I was diagnosed with TB of the spine, which meant that there was pressure on the spinal cord.  I ran a news agency and played semi-professionally in a band several nights a week, but in 1999 all that had to stop as my mobility started getting worse, and eventually any distance over 100 yards meant that I had to use a wheelchair.  My balance was shot, and I was unable to stand unaided. This is when my life took a nosedive: from going out several nights a week I suddenly stopped going out altogether.  I became like a recluse.

Then my wife found out about Canine Partners, and I became interested and applied.  When I received the call saying they had found a dog for me something finally clicked that my life was maybe going to change.   Olga was brought in to see me and instantly started wagging her tail.  I just could not believe what I was seeing – this bundle of white hair and fur was going to be mine. I finally went home with Olga two days before my 69th birthday … a day that will be imprinted in my brain for all eternity.

To say that my life has changed would be the biggest understatement ever.  From when I get woken up by the sound of a swishing tail on the bedroom carpet and an occasional cold wet nose on my cheek to the time when I give her the last treat of the day, that four legged friend of mine is never out of my thoughts.  She helps me in so many ways, such as helping me get dressed by getting my clothes for me, and opening every door in the house for me as I have to use two sticks or crutches to get around.  She picks up everything that I drop, and that is a lot of picking up, including items like keys, my sticks or crutches, gloves, mobile phone and even my wallet.  

However it is at bedtime that she really shines.  No more wriggling around on my back on my bed trying to take off my socks and trousers.  Now I just sit on the side of the bed and lean back and my little Olga does the rest.  She really is a very loving dog.  She lies across my feet during the day to make sure that I don’t go out without her, and in the evening she is back there again so that I don’t go to bed without her.

I’m feeling much happier in myself since little Olga came into my life. I have even stopped smoking since I have had her.  Overall when thinking back over the pre Olga days I didn’t have much of a life although I didn’t realise it then, but now I am much happier. She keeps me on my toes making sure that her needs are met.  When I have a bad pain day I know that my Olga will be there for me as I am for her.  She is the happiest, most fun-loving, most beautiful, friendliest dog that I have ever known.

I can’t think of any way to describe how much Olga means to me. I can’t thank enough the staff, the puppy parents, the fosterer, and all those people who give up so much of their time to make sure that people like me can have a damn sight better life.

During my childhood my parents encouraged me to live as full a life as possible, find other ways of doing things. Even though I had a disability I was confident in myself and enjoyed being out and about.  I got married in 2002 and had a healthy little boy. A few years after his birth my health began to deteriorate. I needed major surgery and I was in hospital for many weeks.

When I came home I started to worry about moving about and would make excuses not to go out at all. I was no longer the confident person I was. I was diagnosed with depression.

I decided to apply to Canine Partners and I met Gooch!  He was so gentle and seemed to know I was fragile – we were matched!  When I returned home with Gooch I couldn’t believe just how much this big soppy dog had changed my life. He did lots of tasks for me that I would otherwise not have been able to do. A simple thing like taking my washing out of the machine made me cry. I was feeling like a wife and mum again. We grew from strength-to-strength and we were able to do many things about the house I could only think about before.

In the morning when it’s time to get up Gooch gets his bowl and scales for his breakfast then hands it back to me when he’s finished. He also gets me the boys’ packed lunch boxes so I can pack them but it is after the boys leave that our day begins as Gooch picks up anything the boys have left in the living room and brings it to me; he runs and gets the mail when he hears the postman and if the phone rings he gets it and brings it to me. I have also taught him to help me remove my coat by gently tugging one sleeve then the other. He also takes my gloves off and my boots which he carries to the shoe stand. I can also hang out a wash in summer as Gooch gets any pegs I drop and can pick things out of the basket and hand it to me.

The tasks Gooch does now most people would take for granted but for me it’s the difference of feeling good about myself and independent rather than a burden.  Before Gooch I had a fall in the back garden and though my husband was home he was upstairs playing the piano so he couldn’t hear me. I lay there for almost an hour but now Gooch can go find anyone at home if I tell him to go get help.

The biggest change was going out on my own. I go with the boys to school, to the shops and my boys can play outside without worrying about me. I have made many new friends since Gooch came into my life.

It’s hard to put into words just what Gooch has given me back but my family have seen such an enormous change in me. I needed a dog that was steady and not too excitable and he’s that and more.

Now I’m a wife, mum and have self-worth again all thanks to Canine Partners and Gooch.

Before Keith, there was a slow underlying deterioration in my physical ability and confidence which at first I ignored but this was placing an ever greater dependency on my family. As time passed my reliance on others was slowly increasing, and some of the seemingly simplest tasks gradually becoming impossible to achieve without help.

I had also lost my confidence to go out unless someone was with me. The harsh realisation how insular my life had become made me apply to Canine Partners in 2012. When I met Keith I knew instantly this was the dog for me. With his beautiful pink nose and soft eyes, I was hooked. Within no time at all it felt like we had been together forever. Keith knew what he was doing and I felt he was giving me a quiet nod of approval. He has a naturally cheeky and fun side to his character that just simply makes us laugh and smile constantly.

From the minute we got home together Keith just took all the changes and his new environment in his stride and after what seemed like a short rest period it was back to work. My mind was full of worries, would Keith cope with the very busy environment of the college, would I be able to cope and what would the staff and students reactions be? We arrived at work and within a couple days Keith had settled in and was beginning to make an impression on everyone who met him (even Ofsted Inspectors).

The change in my life was almost instant: I could not believe it. Both at home and at work Keith just continually amazes us with his ability to understand what I need from simply retrieving a dropped item to retrieving the phone, TV remotes, collecting the mail, opening and closing doors, helping me undress, unloading the washing machine and much more. One morning we were sitting in the kitchen and our cat, Ellie, appeared at the back door. Up until this point Keith had always opened the door on command to let her in and closed it after her. On this occasion and ever since he sees her at the back door and totally independently lets her in and closes the door after her – Ellie has her own doorman!

For a very long time my wife had avoided spending time away at the weekends with friends and family because my reliance on her had almost become suffocating. Within no time at all her confidence in Keith had grown and for the first time she spent a week end away visiting family comfortable that Keith was by my side and together we could cope. Keith enjoys shopping and is always keen to visit the local supermarket. I remember the first time he retrieved my money from the cash point in the supermarket, as we turned around we were met by loud aaahs and even a round of applause.

He loves to be busy all day at work and now knows my timetable better than me, even the tea and lunch breaks. At each break he goes under all the tables retrieving dropped items and will now place them straight in the bin: we have the tidiest classroom in the college. He has such a calming nature that my day to day life is much less stressful than it has ever been.

To say Keith has transformed my life would be an understatement. He has changed my life from one of increasing solitude and confidence loss to a bright fun filled, enthusiastic and confident forward looking future. How can I possibly feel negative about the future when Keith puts his head on my knee and looks up with his big brown eyes?

This was a life changing accident for me and everything I knew before had now changed. It was a very tough time and coming to terms with my disability was not easy. I went back to college and finished my A levels and took up a university course.  I tried wheelchair badminton in 2008 and really enjoyed the sport and decided to take it up, which was a good decision as I have won various different medals and rose to being ranked 2nd in the country and 16th in the world. It was also through the badminton that I met my amazing wife.

It was through the badminton that I met a friend who had an assistance dog. I contacted Canine Partners and I remember having the phone call saying we think we have found you a partner. When I first met Tessie I instantly fell in love with her.

She just loves to work and is so intelligent; the way she can tell the difference with how to behave in different situations. Tessie loves trying her hand at any task I give her. She closes doors that I find difficult because I would have to manoeuvre my wheelchair. She is great at picking up dropped items and retrieving TV controls and phones for me, and she will now seek out my carer Bob if ever I need him for something.  Tessie will go and find him, whether it is down the garden or at the other end of the house, and let him know that I need him.

She makes a great companion and it takes the worry away from my parents and my wife because when I’m by myself I’m ok as I have Tessie. It is also great for my confidence and fitness as it gives me a reason to go out and have a long push in my wheelchair. Tessie loves doing this and it means I go out and interact with people. I’m also in the process of teaching her to push my wheelchair to me in case there is an incident where I fall out with no one around. She picks things up really quickly and just thinks working is a big game to her, but it’s really a great help to me.

Now I have Tessie, I can’t imagine life without her.  She is a great companion that is on hand to give me help if I require it, and gives me a purpose.  Without her I wouldn’t tend to go out as much; I would rather stay in the warm, but having her makes me want to go out and give her long walks and go places.

She has completed my family.