Retirement

Blog 12 – 2.6 Challenge – 26 blog posts over 26 days…

Retirement. We associate the word with growing old and giving up work. Just over 4 months ago Calvin hung up his harness and stopped being a Guide Dog. In March he turned 12 years old. Every time I remind myself of his age I am always surprised. He is a dog that will permanently be young at heart and for whom age is just a number.

Calvin is one of those dogs who never showed signs of not wanting to work anymore. Whilst I admired his dedication, it made the transition to a new dog difficult. As soon as I got the harness out, Calvin would be by my side ready to go. Even when he saw Riley have the harness on instead, Calvin would be trying to walk out of the door with us. Thankfully Calvin has learnt to accept the situation and nudges my pocket for a treat when he sees Riley harnessed up.

Once a Guide Dog retires it doesn’t mean that they magically become an everyday dog. To an extent I feel it is important for them to still have a Guide Dog’s life without the work. It is what they have known their entire lives. For example, Calvin still spends on command. He isn’t allowed on my bed or sofa. He isn’t fed tit bits from my plate.

Life as a Guide Dog is very stimulating. I sometimes wonder how pet dogs cope with going for casual walks and playing in the park day in day out. To keep Calvin mentally stimulated in retirement I was advised by one of the dog welfare people at Guide Dogs to purchase some enrichment products. Calvin is on 3 meals per day to help with digestion in his senior years. Breakfast is given in a fun feeder as is his last meal at night. His second meal is given in a Kong wobbler. The products ensure that each meal takes Calvin at least 15 minutes to finish and encourages him to work for his kibble.

Calvin has had to adjust to having a little brother in the form of Riley. The boys play nicely the majority of the time, but there is the usual sibling rivalry. Calvin has to assert his authority and wins at tug without fail. He regularly pinches toys from Riley resulting in Calvin having two or three in his possession and Riley whining because he has none. Often when I groom the pair, Calvin licks Riley’s ears and Riley rolls on to his back whilst they mouth each other. They can also be seen curled up near each other, touching heads or paws which is adorable.

Health and happiness are all I want for Calvin. His arthritis is being managed with You Move and medication. He is still able to go for at least an hour walk per day. He has to be limited to 2 free runs per week as he doesn’t know how to pace himself. It is the highlight of my day when he runs up the stairs to bed. On occasion he fails, but his determination will prevail and he will try again until he makes it. As for happiness, he is as bright eyed and bushy tailed as the day I met him. He is the friendliest canine you will ever meet.

I am taking part in the 2.6 Challenge to help save our UK charities. If you enjoyed my blog post or are feeling generous please consider donating as little as £1 to support my chosen charities: The Norrie Disease Foundation, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Look UK, RNIB and Girl Guiding UK. You can find my fundraising page by clicking here

Thank you and stay safe x