[nagdu] Wanagi

[Mardi Hadfield]

Hi every one, My doctor told me recently that I need to walk as much as I
can to prevent Pulmonary Embolism. I have survived this life threatening
condition several times already and have been lucky.Now that Nala is gone, I
don't have a dog that can walk slowly enough for me. Shaman walks so fast
that I end up tripping over him. I don't really want to slow down his pace
as he is perfect for wheelchair guiding,and that might confuse him. When I
was training Wanagi to take over for Nala when she retired, she washed out
because she could not keep up with my power wheel chair,due to an old hip
injury.This does not seem to bother her at slower speeds, just at wheelchair
speed. I have decided to retrain her to guide me when walking. I have to use
a Canadian crutch when I walk to balance me and will teach Wanagi to counter
balance me also.I can not walk long distances due to my spinal stenosis and
arthritis. I must constantly find a place to sit down when I need to. Wanagi
already knows how to find a seat when I ask her. She remembers to stop at
all the right places from her training before I career changed her. She also
will alert me to a pending seizure, should one occur.She is eager to please
me and enjoys guiding me.When my friend Carla takes me shopping,my power
wheelchair does not fit in her car. Some times I take the manual chair and
use my cane.Some times I would take Nala and walk if it was just a quick
trip.Now I can take Wanagi.Wanagi,pronounced Won  ah gee, is a beautiful
white Siberian Husky with blue eyes. She is very sweet and loving and loyal.
She reminds me a lot of my first guide, Lily. Wanagi was rescued from a
shelter several years ago. I am glad I decided to keep her when she did not
make it as a wheelchair guide dog.I miss my Nala very much and I still find
it hard to talk about her,but Nala and Wanagi were best buds and it is nice
that I can use  Nala's best friend  as a guide now.   Mardi and Shaman and
Wanagi,GDIT.

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