An update on our first Guide Dog puppy Yancy’s progress…
Her trainer Arlene wrote to us fairly recently to let us know how Yancy is coping with the training at the Forfar centre. The good news is she’s doing really well.
Arlene said she thought Yancy had “been here before”. Any new experience is taken in her stride and her progress through the training programme has been good.
Arlene then phoned to tell us Yancy was moving to another trainer, Lorna, as Arlene was training up another trainer as well as her “pack”, as they call them.
Lorna phoned a couple of weeks later to say Yancy had taken a bit of a step back until she settled down with her new “boss”. However, she soon got over this blip and continues to do really well.
Lorna was also arranging for us to visit Yancy at Forfar and watch our former pup in action before she heads off for her advanced training. Great excitement.
So last week the four of us headed up to Forfar to see if Yancy still remembered us.
First of all, we met Arlene and Lorna for a chat. I’m sure trainers aren’t supposed to have favourites, but they both seemed very fond of “Yance”, as they called her.
They said she had a great nature and had an excellent chance of qualifying as a Guide Dog.
Then it was off for a bit of espionage!
Arlene joined the MacCallums in Forfar town centre as we followed Lorna walking with Yancy on her harness. Occasionally we’d have to duck into shop doorways as they stopped or Yancy turned, but she didn’t see us.
We were really impressed. She walked at a nice, slow pace Arlene and Lorna think she’ll be suited to an older person if she qualiies and loftily ignored distractions such as other dogs and bridie shops.
And then it was back to the centre for the grand reunion.
We stood in the car park in front of reception and Lorna brought Yancy round from the van. She glanced, and then did a double take. Lorna let go of her lead and she raced over to see us.
It was a lovely moment. As she used to do, one after the other she gently took a wrist from each of us in her mouth, presumably just to make sure it really was us. There were a few moist eyes.
And then it was off to the exercise area where she chased after Katharine and James, just like old times.
After exercise it was into the centre for a cuppa, chat and lots of pats and cuddles.
And after that, Lorna and Yancy accompanied us to the reception area to say goodbye. Then off she went with Lorna, back into the centre, without a backward glance.
The whole visit was a really positive thing. What struck as as we followed her was that she looked so happy and Lorna was so good with her and to see her walking on the harness put our role into perspective.
Some puppy walkers don’t go to visit their old dogs as they find it too upsetting but we were buoyed by the afternoon. It was all good news for us and we are proud of how well Yancy has done.
She still has to get though her advanced training, which is tough, but she has a good chance of making it. We will find out soon where she is going for that, but it may well be down south.
Fingers crossed.