Missus Olde Hippie, (MOH), was 46 back in 1995 when multiple sclerosis put her in a wheel chair. 1n 2000, she got a Golden pup, as a pet, wondering about the possiblities. By the time he was 2, Rufus was beginning to anticipate her needs, sensing her body language, pressing his body against her hand, saying, "grab hold, I'll help you stand", and so much more. It was training time. I searched and found a simple figure of 8 halter, a padded strap that looped around his neck and his torso. And I picked up a cheap clicker at Petco. He caught on by the third click, and as her MS became Parkinson's Disease, her needs increased rapidly; and Rufus was always ahead of us, asking, how should I handle this new problem, and this new problem. Rufus died on her birthday, 2 years ago; he's in a Pet Semetary, a converted raised bed garden in the back yard. Pushing up the dozens of daisies I planted for him. By this time, the P.D. had confined MOH to a hospital bed in our living room, P.D. meds quit working after several years, so I needed another dog to help me help her. Long story short: The dog rescue network found 2 year old Mister Darcy, Great Pyrenees Mountain Dog, in a shelter in Georgia, and dozens of strangers chipped in to deliver him, 1000 miles away, to his 4th home. An unwanted shelter dog, he was at MOH's bedside 20 minutes after entering our home and he hasn't left MOH since. She is the herd that he was born to watch over, a million years of DNA told him just what to do. And the clicker? He figured that out by day's end. She wears it on a wrist band, and even when he's out back relieving himself, he hears that loud, simply constructed, Petco clicker and comes running. The design reminds me of a child's toy from another age. It's 10 years old now, but still sounds off loud and clear. We've tried the slick, submarine shaped versions, their sound varies from soft to medium, no two are alike, even from the same six pack. I'm thrilled to discover I can replace it, happy to pay the shipping, which is cheaper than the gas required to drive the 60 miles to Petco. Karen Pryor's contributions are beyond words, but she hasn't put her name on a clicker yet that matches the performance and durability of this old relic. MOH now has leukemia, she'll only need a clicker for another year or two, so whatever I order today oughta last her.
Meanwhile,
support dog rescue,
support Mike Fox's PD Foundation,
and support . . .
whoever needs you.