A sleepy me. That's me as in guide dog Fletcher. I'm lying on dark purple qirly carpet. I'm a golden Labrador Golden Retriever cross. And I'm stretched out with my aws wrapped round a brown cuddly bear toy. @pawsatthekerb

Sad times continued

Woofy thank you for all your kind messages! This blog post follows on the back of yesterday’s post. These double blog posts are in remembrance of two people close to us who died within twenty-four hours of each other. And to mark my guiding during sad times, tough times. The stuff that doesn’t often get covered.

Don’t worry; my next adventures will make you smile.

As I was woofing, it’s been a tough few months for all of us. Us being me, guide dog Fletcher, and my pawtastic humans, Fiona and Andy. Fiona’s had two operations. The last one was not that long ago. She’s got another month or so of recovery. Yes. I’ve done a lot of guiding in hospitals this year. And of course I’ve been good and settled quickly.

Me guide dog Fletcher as seen through the side bars of a hospital bed. There's an alarm bell in the foreground. I'm lying sown out of harness staring up at you. I'm a golden labrador Golden Retriever cross. @pawsatthekerb

Now as if having two people close to us dying wasn’t enough, when I was out guiding Fiona, I saw another dog get badly hit by a car. I was very shaken up by what I saw. I couldn’t really process it. I just wanted to be with my humans. I got upset when I saw people I didn’t know and I had to stop working for a while. Fiona and Andy thought it best to cancel our holiday. With support, I’m a lot better now and back in harness. Yes, my paws are back at the kerb.

And riding a golf buggy-type vehicle this week.

Me guide dog Fletcher peeking out at you from under my human's legs. I'm in a halti and you get to see only my face. To the side is the grey path flashing by. I'm in a golf buggy-type vehicle. Though that's difficult to tell. You see the grey dress of my human to the left of me. @pawsatthekerb

Yes, this was a first for me. And it was a tight fit.

Me guide dog Fletcher lying down under my human's legs. You're looking down at my human's legs and dress which is grey. I'm laid out flat on a golf buggy type vehicel. you can just tell I'm lying down flat with my head just over the buggy's edge. @pawsatthekerb

And a bit snug getting off.

Me guide dog Fletcher in harness getting off a golf buggy type vehicle. You're looking down on me. I'm halfway getting off and in between two rows of seats. I'ts an action shot so a bit blurry. Me I'm a Labrador Golden Retriever cross. @pawsatthekerb

We were going to an undisclosed location for the scattering of ashes of the two people close to us who died earlier. I did some all-terrain guiding and still managed to find the seat.

Ah the find the seat. Yes this is me guide dog Fletcher in my harness and halti standing by a seat. I had to do some all terrain guiding for this one. We're outside on grass and leaves. @pawsatthekerb

We were amongst some wooftastic trees (and stop right there, I can guess what you might be thinking. I did not leave a souvenir. Tempted. But no). Permission had been granted for the scattering of the ashes. The place felt just right.

Two trees. One in the foreground has a shrub to the side of it. Grey ashes circle the tree and the shrub. You see just part of the tree trunk. The ground has leaves on it. @pawsatthekerb

Once again, I was on paw to comfort Fiona. You see there’s more to being a guide dog than guiding.

Me guide dog Fletcher and my human. I'm out of harness and still know how to provide comfort. I'm sitting down. You get my side profile. I've raised one paw to my human you has it in her hand. We're looking at each other. She's on a wooden bench outside with trees in the background. The bench has bags on it. One's blue the other is red. @pawsatthekerb

It was a physically and emotionally tiring day. At the end of it all, there was only one thing for it. I just had to snooze with my favourite cuddly toy, Barney the bear.

A sleepy me. That's me as in guide dog Fletcher. I'm lying on dark purple qirly carpet. I'm a golden Labrador Golden Retriever cross. And I'm stretched out with my aws wrapped round a brown cuddly bear toy. @pawsatthekerb

Paws in sadness, Guide dog Fletcher.

(c) pawsatthekerb™, September 2018.

 

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GuideDogFletcher(Retired)

Guide dog (Retired) Fletcher here, sniffing out the best news from the streets and grass in the UK and beyond. Keeping my human, Fiona, safe with paws at the kerb. Qualified with #GuideDogs in August 2015. Retired 2021. Can be found at the kerb or snoozing...

2 thoughts on “Sad times continued”

  1. Hi Fletch, we’re so sorry to hear of all the sad and difficult times you’ve all been through recently. Our deepest sympathies to Fiona and family. You’re ordeal sounds horrible too but I’m glad you managed to pull through and are back guiding. What a brave, kind and caring boy you are, so proud. love from your foster parents Cressi and Andy xx

    Liked by 1 person

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