My life in Edward’s paws

© Shutterstock - Kurt M

Training Edward: we were best friends from the word go.

A MUST READ. I interviewed Wendy on my radio show. This week we look at the first part of her story.  My name is Wendy Hilling. I suffer with a very rare skin condition called dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa recessive. 

It means my skin inside and outside my body blisters and tears at the slightest knock. As my condition worsened I found it difficult to open doors, use the cash machine, dress, and undress. I applied for a canine partner to assist me. 

It was decided I should train my own puppy so it would learn at an early age not to knock me. Edward came into my life at nine weeks old. A snowball on legs, a bundle of fun.

I was on the internet one day when I saw that Canine Partners were training dogs to help people who could not use their hands very well. I rang and got an interview with the training centre in Sussex. 

I found that the dogs I met were too bouncy for me. The dogs were not bad dogs at all, it is just that my skin is more fragile than a butterfly’s wing. 

I went home and after a while I had a call from Andy Cook, head of operations and he decided that I should train my own puppy, under the watchful eye of one of their trainers. 

It was a decision that was to change my life. Edward arrived in the January of 2007 at nine weeks old. He was a bundle of life and always on the go. He took to the training so well. He made me laugh. We were best friends from the word go. 

I began to change. Like a butterfly I was emerging out of my shell. I found a new confidence in training Teddy and showing him off. People would ask all about him and I never once thought about my skin and what they were thinking. 

I suddenly realised that nothing and nobody mattered, what they thought was up to them. 

Here I was with a puppy wearing a purple jacket and as proud as I could be. 

We graduated when he was 18 months old. 

Read on next week…

Author badge placeholder
Written by

Euro Weekly News Media

Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

Comments