by John Tovey
‘John,’ she said.
‘Hmm?’ John replied, lifting his head slightly.
‘You know I said I had a dog for you?’
‘Hmm,’ he said, patting me on the head.
‘Well, this is him. This is a dog called Dez.’
I looked up at John, worried he’d be cross with me for tricking him because I’d pretended to be Volley, but instead he crouched down onto his knees and gave me a massive cuddle. Gratefully, I kissed the back of his hand.
‘Is he mine? I mean, is he really mine, all mine, to keep?’ he asked.
I held my breath as we both waited for the answer.
‘He is.’ Emma smiled.
‘Yesssss!’ said John, punching the air. He cried with joy as I kicked up my paws and did a celebration dance in the middle of the pavement.
At last, I was a proper guide dog, with a proper owner! Now, I finally belonged.
CHAPTER 14
FIRST STEPS
It was my big day, the day I left to go and live at John’s house. So I took out my mobile and texted Stan.
Hi Stan, it’s me. Guess what? I’m now a proper guide dog with an owner and everything. His name is John, and he’s great! Just one more walking exam to go (which I’m dreading), then I’m fully qualified. Tell the gang I miss them, Dez x
Stan replied almost immediately.
That’s great news! Just wait until I tell everyone, they’ll be so proud. Good luck in your new job and with your new life. Don’t forget to keep in touch, and don’t go nicking any more strawberries because you’re almost a guide dog! Lol, S x
Just then Emma knocked at Yvonne’s door: it was time to leave. I felt sad when I kissed Yvonne goodbye and jumped into the back of the car, because I’d loved living with her. A short while later, we pulled up outside John’s house. Emma clipped on my lead and we walked to the front door. She pressed the intercom doorbell as we waited. It crackled slightly as someone picked it up.
‘Hi John, it’s Emma. I’ve got someone here who’s really excited to meet you again!’
‘It’s Dez,’ I woofed, barely able to contain my excitement. But I whimpered as a horrible thought gripped me. What if he didn’t remember me? What if John, my new dad, had changed his mind? My stomach clenched with fear because I so wanted to come and live with him.
I heard a muffled noise as he undid the lock on the door.
Hi John! I cried, as soon as I saw him. Is this your home, can I look around, can I? Is this where we’re gonna live? Is this my new home? I panted, scrambling from room to room to have a good nosey around.
‘Blimey!’ John grinned, as I whizzed past him. ‘He’s like a whirlwind!’
I pushed open the door to the front room and that’s when I saw it – a huge pile of dog toys, all for me!
Are these for me, all for me? I gasped, my tail whirring high in the air like a mini helicopter. I ran over and grabbed the first toy I could see. As I did so, a squeak pierced the air.
It squeaks! Did you hear that? I said, dropping the toy and running back to tell him, even though I knew he couldn’t hear or understand my dog speak. It squeaks! Whooaaa… I’m gonna go back in there and find it again! I grabbed the toy and when it squeaked a second time, I almost wet myself with excitement. This was great!
‘I hope you’re going to be happy here, Dez,’ John said, as I settled down on the floor at his side. ‘And I hope you’ll call me Dad, because I think I’d like that.’
You betcha! I barked happily.
I lifted up my nose and sniffed the air.
Kitchen!
I bounded into it and spied a box of food on top of the work surface.
‘Has he found his food?’ Dad asked Emma, outside in the corridor. She bobbed her head around the kitchen door to look at me.
‘Nope, but I think he can definitely smell it.’
Food… food? I begged hopefully. But Dad refused because it wasn’t dinner-time, not just yet, anyway.
Emma sat down and had a cup of tea. She told Dad that as a guide dog owner, he must follow certain rules.
‘Remember, no dogs on furniture and don’t go out, not just yet. You can let him out for a wee in the back garden, but that’s it. Just spend the weekend chilling out, getting to know one another.’
Oh, we will! I thought happily.
‘Right,’ said Emma, finally getting to her feet. ‘I guess we’re all done here. I’ll see you on Monday, John and Dez,’ she grinned, bending down to give me a good ear rub.
Right a bit, down. Nope. Left a bit, now up… Ooh, there you go – spot on! I sighed, nuzzling against the side of her hand.
After Emma had left, I picked up a piece of rope and tried to get my new dad involved in a game of tug of war. I won, of course. After a while, I needed a wee, but I forgot Dad couldn’t see when I went over to the patio door so I whimpered and tapped my paw so he could hear me. He opened it, but then he stood there, waiting for me to come back in.
‘Good boy!’ he praised as I ran through the door.
Blimey, Dad, it was only a wee! I blushed.
As soon as he sat down on the sofa, I went over and nestled down on the ground beside his feet. After a few hours, my eyes started to feel heavy so I wandered over to my new bed, which was soft, warm and very, very comfortable. I was just nodding off when Dad came over and laid beside me, resting his hand against my side. I must have fallen asleep because when I finally opened my eyes it was dark and he’d gone to bed. I shut them again, but then I felt a hand against my heart, checking it was still beating.
Wake me up, why don’t you? I thought grumpily as he continued to check on me throughout the night.
The following morning, I could hear him snoring in bed, so I decided to get my own back. It was dark outside and still early as I ran full pelt towards the door.
DOOF!
I kicked open his bedroom door with my front paws and dived straight on top of Dad and the bed.
‘Whooaa!’ He laughed, begging for mercy.
Come on then, get up, get up! I giggled, nuzzling my wet nose underneath his chin to hurry him.
‘Hang on a minute, Dez! I just need to get dressed…’
But I couldn’t wait. Grabbing a corner of the duvet between my teeth, I pulled and pulled until I’d completely dragged it off him.
Come on, lazy bones! I insisted.
Dad was shivering because he was only wearing a pair of boxer shorts, but I was determined he was getting up because I wanted to play, eat breakfast and have some fun! It took a bit of persuasion and lots of bullying on my part, but soon I’d got my wish. With my belly full, Dad grabbed a towel and headed over into the bathroom. There was no lock on the door, so I knew exactly what I had to do. As soon as I heard the jet of water splash in the bathtub and the shower curtain close, I slipped in, undetected. I lay there, curled up on the bathmat, trying not to kill myself laughing.
This will give you a shock! I giggled mischievously.
A few moments later, Dad twisted off the shower and stepped out onto the bathmat. But it was me, a furry bathmat with a heartbeat!
‘Dez!’ he exclaimed, bursting out laughing.
Dad bent down to stroke the fur on the back of my head.
I didn’t want to move because I wanted to be with him all the time. From now on, I would be his eyes and ears and I’d always be there to protect him. I’d be his best friend and his guide dog. But the more he stroked me, the sleepier I felt, until soon I was curled up fast asleep on the bathroom floor. I was such a big lump that, unable to see, Dad almost tripped over me.
Oops, sorry! I giggled.
That weekend, we had the most fabulous time together, even though we didn’t leave the flat once. We weren’t allowed to go out until we’d both passed our ‘walking test’, which I was dreading. It was to be my final test, but I felt just as nervous as I’d been before my very first exam in puppy school. Emma was due to call by in the morning so that we could start training all over again. I only hoped
I wouldn’t mess up or disappoint anyone.
Unlike before, this time I wouldn’t be alone because it’d be Dad and me training together as a team. That’s what we’d be from now on: John and Dez, or Dez and John, and together we’d take on the world!
CHAPTER 15
CAUGHT ON TV
‘So you want me to throw it?’ asked Dad.
I whimpered with delight.
Course I do! Throw it, throw it… throw the toy! I woofed.
I was so giddy and my tail was swinging so much that I thought I’d take off, like a Labrador helicopter.
‘Okay, one, two, three…’
Dad’s arm swung forward as the soft toy flew up through the air. I kept my eye on it the whole time as it sailed over my head.
PLOP!
It had landed in the middle of the garden, so I dashed over to retrieve it.
‘This is fun.’ Dad grinned. He took it from my mouth and threw it again.
Eh? What on earth is he doing? I wondered. Once was fun, but twice…?
I glanced back at Dad, who was waiting for me to bring it back again.
Go on, then, I muttered under my breath. But if you throw it one more time, then you’ll have to fetch it yourself.
He took the toy from my mouth, and I watched in disbelief as he threw it a THIRD time.
Maybe he doesn’t want it? Maybe he’s trying to throw it away? I thought randomly, as I looked over at the toy on the ground.
Dad was standing there waiting.
What was he waiting for? If he wanted the toy, then why did he throw it away? It made no sense.
We stood there with me looking up at Dad and him saying nothing. I was just wondering what I should do when his voice broke the silence.
‘Dez… Dez…!’ he called out in a panic.
Don’t panic! I’m right here, Dad, I whimpered, nuzzling against the palm of his hand.
‘Oh, thank goodness, for a moment I thought…’ His voice tailed off as he felt around my mouth.
Humphf! What are you doing? Gerroff! I huffed as his fingers felt my mouth.
Suddenly Dad dropped onto his hands and knees like a dog.
What on earth was he doing now? Had he gone mad?
I heard him muttering something about the toy – the toy he didn’t want, the toy he’d thrown away.
What was going on?
I shook my head as Dad crawled up and down the garden, searching for something.
What is it, Dad? I whimpered. What have you lost? Can I help? Oh, let me help, please!
But I didn’t know what it was he’d lost. Instead, I sat down and watched as he crawled along the grass, his hands outstretched, feeling for something.
What on earth? Hey, watch out! Mind the dog poo! I winced as Dad’s hand narrowly missed a pile of my doggy doo.
What is it? Did you drop something? I can be a search dog, I can help you, I said. Only Dad didn’t speak Labrador, so he didn’t have a clue what I was saying.
‘Ah, here it is!’ he said, clutching the toy in his hand as though it were treasure. ‘I thought it’d gone over the back fence or something, but it was here all the time, just where I’d thrown it.’
I looked at him.
Yes, Dad. It was there where you’d thrown it AWAY! If you wanted it back, then why didn’t you say so? I knew he couldn’t see, but all he’d had to do was ask.
Humans can be so confusing, I thought.
But then I worried. What if Dad was angry? What if he wanted to send me back? I wasn’t a very good guide dog if I hadn’t realised all he’d wanted to do was bring the toy back!
However, Dad started to laugh.
‘Oh Dez,’ he chuckled. ‘You are funny!’
At this I scratched my head with my paw.
Funny? I didn’t understand. I hadn’t told a joke or anything, so what was funny?
As I sat there, trying to work out what he’d meant, I heard the intercom. I sprang to my feet – Emma had arrived.
Emma, Emma, Emma! I whimpered with delight. I was happy to see her.
‘Hello Dez,’ she said, bending down to give me a good ear rub.
Just there, just there! I murmured, turning my head lovingly towards her. Yeah, you got it!
It was time to start work, namely teaching John how to put my harness on properly. A guide-dog harness is a tricky thing to put on a dog, but it’s even trickier when you’re blind, so I knew it’d take a while. Dad huffed a bit, but eventually, after clonking me on the head a few times by accident, he got the hang of it.
Thank goodness for that! I sighed, rubbing my forehead with my paw.
‘Well done, John,’ Emma congratulated him. ‘Now, I’d like you to do it again.’
Again? What? No! I sighed, my heart plunging to my knees. All I wanted was to go for a walk. Eventually, Dad got the hang of the harness and finally we were allowed to go outside.
Yes! I gasped, as we opened the front door. At last!
I was raring to go, but Dad was a little hesitant about being pulled along by me because, when I was on full power, it was like being dragged along by an out-of-control lawn mower, with me being the mower! Emma decided that we should walk to the community shop, where John bought his food. But as soon as we stepped inside the shop, I spotted lots of people; one of them was holding a TV camera. Dad apologised for butting in, and the people explained they were from the TV station. They were filming a news item about the shop, which was different to most because it was run by people from the village.
‘Can we interview you?’ the lady reporter asked Dad.
I pushed in between the two of them.
Hey, don’t forget me! I cried.
The lady smiled and dipped down to stroke my back.
‘Yes, if we could film you both, then that would be great!’ she said.
Film star dog! I grinned. Wait till I tell Kilty!
But if I thought it’d be glamorous, I was wrong. Instead the woman asked Dad loads of boring questions about what the shop meant to him. My eyes glazed over as the voices droned on and on. I was just zoning out when I spotted something out of the corner of my eye: lots of big, old-fashioned sweetie jars lined up along the floor. I sneaked a look upwards – everyone was busy listening to Dad. As I inched closer to one of the jars, that’s when I read the label: ‘Strawberry Sweets’.
Whoo hoo! Not only were they sweets, I’d just hit the strawberry jackpot! I wrapped a front paw around the neck of the jar and tried to twist the top off, but it was stuck. So I twisted a little harder, waiting for the lid to pop off.
Just a bit more force and it should come off… I huffed, dreaming of the sticky sweets inside.
‘Dez!’ Emma called, as everyone turned to look at me.
I froze as the camera continued to whir, capturing it all on live TV. The whole nation had just watched me, red-pawed, with my hand on the sweetie jar.
Afterwards, as he packed away his stuff, the cameraman started to laugh.
‘It was so funny, John! You were just saying what a good dog Dez was when I caught him walking into the back of the shop, trying to break into the sweets.’
‘I think he’s hungry,’ someone called out.
‘He’s always hungry,’ Dad replied. ‘He’s a greedy Labrador!’
I’d just become a TV star, but not for the right reasons. That afternoon, my mobile phone buzzed: it was Stan.
I saw you. We all did! Tut, tut! But sweets… and when you’re on duty!
I blushed as I typed a reply.
I know, I was so embarrassed, but I think Dad’s forgiven me.
That afternoon, Dad, Emma and I walked to his nieces’ house.
‘You’re going to love Pippa and Sophie,’ he told me. ‘And I know they’re going to love you too.’
As soon as we walked in through the door, two little girls came running over and smothered me with kisses.
Wow! Call this work! I shrieked, lapping up the attention.
Dad told them all about my botched attempt
to steal strawberry sweets. I cringed as I listened because I knew it was wrong – stealing was wrong. But thankfully, they just laughed about it.
As we sat there, Dad explained that it had been Pippa, the eldest of the two, who had changed his life. She phoned him one day when he was really fed up and that’s when he decided to get a guide dog.
‘When I first lost my sight, I spoke to Pippa, who made me realise that just because I couldn’t see, it didn’t mean my life was over. So it’s down to her that we met, Dez. If it hadn’t been for Pippa, none of this would have happened.’
I gazed lovingly at Pippa and Sophie. Dad was right – they were very special little girls indeed. It wasn’t just Dad who owed them everything, I did too. But it also made me worry about the future. If I didn’t pass the walking exam with Dad, it would all be over and then I’d be sent away. I couldn’t even bring back a simple toy. Who’d want a guide dog who walked too fast and stole sweets? No one, that’s who, I thought.
So that’s why I had to pass my final test. If I didn’t, Dad would have to start again with another dog, and then I’d lose my dad and my new best friend forever.
CHAPTER 16
GUIDE DOG EXAMS
Deep breath, don’t forget to take a deep breath, I reminded myself as I puffed and panted on the pavement. This was our make-or-break moment – my final guide dog exam.
Pass this, and you’ll stay with Dad for life. Fail, and then who knows where you’ll end up?
As I stretched out my paws and shook them to try and loosen myself up, I was getting ready, preparing myself for the biggest test of my life. Everything else had been puppy play up until this moment.