[Nfbf-l] {Spam?} For All Guide Dog Owners & Pet Lovers, I Am sure you will enjoy this short story!

[Alan Dicey]

Dear Friends,
I found this in my In Box and I just had to share this with the list 
members, it is really nice!
With Best Regards,
God Bless,
Happy New Year!
Alan, Elizabeth,  (Cookie to me for 45 years now), and Gatsby
Plantation, Florida

My Seeing Eye Dog

(This is such an awesome dog story, I had to send it all around!
I can really picture Patty's Dog, Campbell and her morning with him.  I 
Patty's description of weather, crunching frozen leaves and Campbell's 
reactions gave me the feeling of sharing in her day. Thanks Patty for making 
my frozen Friday morning not be so cold.)

" Good morning CAMPBELLSWORLD VISITORS! Campbell and I are way glad you've 
stopped by, and we invite you to grab a cup of your favorite morning brew, 
pull up a comfy chair, and set a spell with us. Because as is our way, we've 
got a great little story to share. It's already been such a great morning, 
that we just really have to spread the happiness and love we feel around a 
bit, so we really do hope you'll hang out just a bit with us.

This morning we woke round 5:20 or so with the wind whining cold and lonely, 
and wanting in. Campbell gave a big puffy Sneeze at it as he woke himself 
with a wiggly waggly jingly jangly shake, making a big thunk! As he leapt 
joyfully from his place on the foot of my bed. His joyful attitude upon 
waking is so infectious you cannot help but to enjoy the morning no matter 
how early or cold it may begin. To me these are indeed some of the best 
times he and I share, and how anyone wakes without such joy in their life is 
beyond me. It also escapes me as to how people can say to me that I should 
have gotten over my amazement at it all. I have always believed that the day 
I wake up and stop being amazed by these most awesome beasts is the day I 
simply need to hang up the harness, and go back to using a cane, but of 
course this like everything here is only my opinion.

As we made our way into the kitchen we played and loved together. Campbell 
obediently took his place just outside the kitchen door as I gave him the 
"Down! And Rest!" Commands, and waited patiently as I went about the morning 
tasks of scooping food into his food dish, and filling his huge water bowl 
full of fresh cold water. He remained there as I passed him and sat the 
bowls back into their places, and then attacked his food with delight after 
I released him from rest, and gave permission to do so.

As I went about the business of brewing coffee, and wrapping myself into my 
heavy coat, he finished his breakfast, and when I went into the living room 
to put on my socks and shoes, I found him lying quietly beside the living 
room door. I praised him for doing so without my having told him to and I 
talked quietly with him about the morning plans I had for us as I finished 
readying myself to go out. I knew it was cold, but I don't really think 
either of us were quite prepared for the frigid gusts of wind that hit us as 
we burst forth into the early morning.

Campbell however did not agree with my feeling that it was a frozen frigid 
morning, and that we should hurry and get back inside. Oh! No! He felt that 
it was absolutely perfect weather for a leisurely morning sniff fest, and I, 
knowing how very much he loved this time of day, and kind of weather could 
not deny him, and so after wrapping his leash securely round my wrist, and 
stuffing my hands into my coat pockets we were off. As it turned out, I did 
not regret my decision.

Campbell sniffed, and snuffed, taking his time to pick the very best relief 
spots, and making sure to check out all the places my upstairs family's dogs 
had left messages for him. As we made our way round the house, and into the 
front yard, he stopped at the corner and took a long sniff of the strong 
frigid wind which was blowing right into his face. I laughed and as I patted 
his big furry head I asked, "Bubba, how come you can stand there with that 
fierce wind blowing right into your face, and wag your tail, but when I work 
you down the street and it blows into your face you complain?" All I got for 
an answer was a big snort. I had to laugh as we went crunching through the 
frozen swirling leaves underneath Grandmother tree, and as we made our way 
back into the house a few minutes later I felt awake, alive, and very well.

As I threw off my coat and shoes a moment or two later, Campbell went 
running in crazy circles round me, banging his tail onto everything as he 
went. He grabbed his chewy and began shoving it at me making "GRR GRR!" 
Noises as he went. After he'd played himself out he went and made himself 
comfortable in "my favorite chair" and set about the task of cleaning his 
feet, and preparing for a long winter's nap. I started to make him move, but 
decided instead to let him have his way, and after making myself a cup of 
strong hot coffee, with sweet cream tried to settle down onto the loveseat 
and read my morning mail. For whatever reason, try as I might I simply could 
not make myself comfortable, and after just a few minutes of complete 
discomfort decided the King would simply have to remove himself from "my 
chair." This, however was not as easy as I'd thought it would be. Oh yes, I 
could have forced him out, but the way in which this happened was to me much 
better.

After gathering all my things, and putting them onto the table next to "my 
chair" I petted the big galoot's head and said softly, "Bubba might I have 
my chair?" All I got in reply was, "Z Z Z Z Z Z!" I patted, and asked. I 
spoke a little more firmly and asked, but still he snored. Finally I decided 
I needed the necessary, and I swear I heard him sigh in triumph as I left 
the room. I decided that when I was done I would reclaim "my chair."

As I made my way back a few minutes later, I realized my cup was already 
almost half empty and so made a quick detour into the kitchen, and this is 
when I once again became amazed and way proud of my dog.

As I made my way to the coffee pot I accidentally knocked a package of 
Christmas dog treats from their place on the shelf. They fell with a 
rattling bang! To the floor, and this got Campbell on the run. I just did 
barely have time to scoop up all the spilled treats before he could gobble 
them up, and was quite proud when he obeyed my command of "Rest!" And 
stopped just inside the kitchen door as I finished putting them away. 
Unknown to him however, just before he'd arrived onto the scene i had tucked 
one treat into the pocket of my PJS and although he may have smelled it he 
could not have been 100 % sure it was there. So, I was quite pleased when he 
happily obeyed my command of "heel!" As we walked back into the living room, 
and even more proud when he obeyed each of my commands as I put him through 
a round of obedience as I settled myself into "my chair." Finally when he'd 
completed everything I had wished of him, he started to walk over to the 
chair on the other side of my table, and my heart filled with great 
happiness at his surprise when I called him back, showing the treat I'd 
taken from its hiding place. He really hadn't known it was there, and he had 
simply obeyed me because he wanted to, and had I given him nothing but the 
praise and love for his effort that would've been enough. As I gave him his 
treat I told him how very proud I was of him, and as we once again loved 
together, with him sniffing my pockets to make absolutely certain there 
weren't anymore surprises I said, "Bubba, I'd not trade one moment of our 
morning time together. Not even if someone offered me the rent paid in full 
every month on our house for the rest of our life. I love you very very 
much." As I gave him one final kiss, and he went to the other chair, and 
settled himself in to continue his long winter's nap my heart felt full to 
burstin with joy.

Later as I chatted with a friend, I felt myself feeling disappointed at her 
lack of pride and trust in her dog, and when I heard her talk of sending 
others on errands I knew she and her most magnificent beast could easily do 
together the sadness I felt for her was great. I finally could stand it no 
longer and finally said, "you know, if I were your friends and you asked me 
to go and do these things for you, I'd tell you to take that dog that it 
cost nearly $80000 to train, get off your ungrateful lazy ass, and do it 
yourself, but I guess that's just me." I'm sorry folks, if that sounds 
harsh, but it's just how I feel. These dogs are awesome. They're bred to 
work. They know nothing else, and it gives Campbell great joy to work for, 
or play with me, and it hurts my heart when I hear of dogs being wasted. The 
Seeing Eye does fabulous work. Their wise and ancient trainers spend allot 
of time, energy, and effort, and give allot of love just so folks like me 
can have them, and when they're so very under appreciated it simply is to me 
a heart breaking waste, and I cannot even begin to imagine how it must hurt 
them to see it is so.

Anyhow, the happiness I feel at this moment as I ready myself to go out and 
run the needed errands to prepare for the weekend ahead, and King Campbell 
snoozes beside me is great, and I am ever grateful to all the folks who have 
made it more than possible for me to do so.

For now, this ends our tale, and we hope it has warmed your heart, and given 
you a bit of food for thought as you go onward with your day.

If you truly grasp the importance of the most awesome work time, effort, and 
money that goes into these most magnificent beasts, and you'd like to see 
that it continues for many years to come, please visit The Seeing Eye.org
And make your end of year tax deductible donation. You will be doing a great 
service, and as was once said to me, "be giving the very best Christmas gift 
in the world."

Until next time this is King Campbell the most super awesome and amazing 
Seeing Eye Dog ever saying.

May harmony find you, and blessid may you be.

PS. No matter where your guides come from, make sure you love, and use them 
to the very best of your ability, and make certain to let them know just how 
much you appreciate them every chance you get."