We are most grateful for this delightful piece from John Reynolds
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Trainee Guide Dog Puppy Vania
Vania is the 7th Guide Dog Puppy walked by Councillor and Mrs John Reynolds of Bar Hill. Who are known to all their puppies as Granddad and Grandma. Vania arrived in Bar Hill on October 6th 2010 when she was just 71/2 weeks old.
This is her story:- . Hi everyone I have had a very exciting time since I came to stay with Grandma and Granddad. When I arrived I was a bit frightened and lonely without my mum and brothers and sisters but I had lots of cuddles and love so I soon felt quite at home. When I was little I had a big indoor kennel with a comfy bed and soft cuddly toys. When I grew old enough to do without my kennel and I was clean at night I just had a soft bed in the kitchen with all my special toys to play with if I woke up, but I had such an exciting time during the day I always went to bed and slept till Granddad and Grandma came down for breakfast in the morning. We went to Tesco every morning to fetch the paper and have a coffee in the cafe that was nice because I always had special biscuit. In the shop lots of people made a great fuss of me so I felt very important especially when I was very young and had to be carried in case I caught a nasty bug.
In the Spring we went to Dorset on holiday and I was allowed to sleep in Grandma and Granddad’s bedroom in my very own bed. It was very odd because when they went to bed they took off their outside fur to go to bed I am glad I did not have to!! I loved going into the dining room for meals because everyone made a fuss of me and said what a good puppy I was, the chef sent me a special sausage but I was not allowed to eat it at the table so grandma cut it up and put it in my treat bag and I had to be extra good to get a piece.
I had my very first visit to the seaside, I loved the sand as I was allowed to dig in it which was great fun. I ran round and round playing with shells and seaweed which smelled wonderful, I don’t know why granddad did not want the piece I brought for him. The water was strange it tasted horrible and it kept coming after me so I kept right away from it. Then 3 big dogs came to play we had a fabulous time chasing each other. Then I had a ride on a steam train, it was very noisy and whistled and blew nasty black smoke at me but I was not at all scared. I had a very exciting time at Christmas, Auntie Debbie came to stay with her toy poodle called Bridie. I think Bridie is very spoilt because she is allowed to sit on the sofa, when I barked at her to tell her to get off she tried to bite my nose and she takes all my toys and sits on them so I cannot play with them, so I wait until she goes off then I grab my favourite toy and take it to my bed. I went with my family to see Snow White on Ice at the Corn Exchange my family enjoyed it but I went to sleep most of the time, I only woke up when people clapped so I got a special treat for being so good. I was very pleased that Bridie was not allowed to go with us. She is not a special dog like me so she had to stay home by herself, serves her right for being so bossy.
I was the very first guide dog puppy to travel on the new guided bus, I felt very important especially as my photo was in the newspaper, I was a bit bored on the journey so I went to sleep Granddad said I was very good and he was proud of me.
I have a very exciting life I have been to the cinema, a night club where the bouncer said he had never seen a puppy in there before, It was very noisy and crowded so I was glad we did not stay too long, but I did find a glass on the floor with some beer in it, I managed quite a few slurps before anyone noticed.
I love the puppy classes where I meet all my friends, It is a pity we are not allowed to play as there is a lovely big field outside and a big hall with slippery floors which would be great fun to chase and slide on. It is great fun meeting all my friends, we get very excited when we meet and bark a lot but when we start to work in the class we are very good and try hard to do everything right. We sometimes have fun meetings when we all get together either at someone’s house or at Magog Downs where there is a special field for dog owners to let their dogs off the lead. We had a lovely time playing with our friends and with other dogs that came with their owners. While we played our puppy walkers had a picnic and a nice chat together. We guide dog puppies are not allowed to beg or get scraps of food at the table but one naughty little terrier jumped onto our picnic table and stole a sausage, we were horrified at such bad manners but wished we could have had a sausage too. Some of my friends and I were invited to go to a Cambridge United Football match we were allowed to go up to the control room and sit where we wanted to watch the match. We puppies were a bit disappointed that we were not allowed to go and join in the fun with the ball but we sat quietly and dozed a bit until the Umpire blew his whistle which to us means dinner is ready so we jumped up quickly in anticipation but our puppy walkers gave us a treat instead. The Cambridge United Manager was very kind and said they will help us raise money for guide dogs next year, I think we brought good luck because united won the game we watched. Grandma enjoyed the Royal Wedding but I thought it was bit boring but we had a lovely party afterwards at my puppy friends house, we played in their big garden until 9 at night while our puppy walkers had lots of food and drink and watched the wedding again. Why they wanted to do that instead of playing chase like we did I don’t know. I did like the DRESS I think I would have been very good carrying the lovely long train and I am sure all my friends would have helped but sadly we were not asked, that was a big oversight by the wedding organizers.
I went to stay with a guide dog puppy boarder in Peterborough twice, once when Grandma and Granddad went to Chester for a weekend then for two weeks when they went abroad on holiday. I had a lovely time they were very kind to me and had a wonderful garden to play in and made sure I met some doggy friends to play with. I was so excited the second time I went I forgot my manners and rushed in to say hello and accidently pulled poor Grandma over, I was so surprised to see her lying on the ground I gave her face a good lick to kiss her better. Luckily she was not hurt but I still think it wasa very odd thing for her to do as dogs should be on the ground and people should be standing up!!!
I went with Granddad and Grandma on Holiday to Anglesey we stayed in a lovely place on the banks of the Menai Straights, we had a cosy little cottage, and I was allowed to sleep upstairs in their bedroom. I was very glad to go to bed at night as we had such busy days visiting castles, stately homes town and villages, but best of all were the wonderful long sandy beaches where I loved rolling in the sand, tossing shells and pebbles around and playing games with lots of other dogs. I also enjoyed playing in the forests round the trees and in and out of the ponds. Grandma was not very pleased with me on the last day when she let me have a last free run in the forest and I found my favourite thing a nice pile of fox poo to roll in. I thought I smelled great but Grandma didn’t agree and tried to wash it off but she said I still made the car stink all the way home. Humans are so peculiar they have a very odd sense of smell.
This Christmas I went to stay in Harrogate with Aunty Debbie and Bridie, I am bigger now so I am not so nervous of Bridie even though she still tries to boss me around. On Christmas Day we all went to Aunty Sarah’s house in Leeds where there were 5 of Granddad and Grandma’s grandchildren and their eldest Great granddaughter (I didn’t think they were that old!!!) We had a wonderful time playing together I was glad to have a snooze while they ate their dinner. Next day we joined the family again for a lovely game in the woods which was very exciting as it was very muddy and Bridie and Rocket a Whippet came too. I was covered in mud by the time we got home but oh so happy and tired.
It is January 3rd today I am going into big dog training school. I am going to work very hard so that I can be a very special friend and helper to someone who cannot see. I will learn how to guide my new owner safely round obstacles, cross roads, go out shopping, visit friends and family. I might even have to find the right bus or train for my owner to go to work. I will be very busy at the trainiong school but Grandma said I will also have plenty of fun as there will be lots of other dogs to play and learn with as well as people who love dogs that will play with me, teach me and give me lots of cuddles. Grandma said I will have such a lovely time that I will not miss her and Granddad nearly as much as they will miss me!
Lots of Love from Vania. I’m a big girl now!!!
PS On 26th January Granddad and Grandma are getting another Guide dog puppy called Gus he is a black Labrador/retriever cross like me except I am yellow or as Grandma says more the colour of cappuccino. I hope he is as happy as I was but I know he will get lots of love.
If anyone is interested in becoming a puppy walker or puppy boarder (for such times when the puppy walker is away or unwell. Also all puppies have to spend some time away from their puppy walker so that they get used to change.)
Contact John or Diana Reynolds on 01954 200 571 or write to
4 Hollytrees, Bar Hill, Cambridge CB23 8SF
