It has been a long time since my last visit to this site to make entries. Mensa and I have now been together for more than nine years. She is my longest working guide and my oldest working dog; She had her eleventh birthday on January 22. Amazingly, she is still healthy and doing well, but we know that it cannot last for another nine years. It was time to apply again at Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) about a year and a half ago and also to Gallant Hearts Guide Dog Center (GH).
Since the pandemic, the waiting times for a class date have been long, possibly as much as 2-3 years. I am now caregiver for my husband since his injury two years ago, and have requested in-home training—an even longer wait period from (GDB).
It is to my good fortune to have received a class date from GH beginning March8, 2026. They are a small school in Mississippi and do only in-home training after a very brief (4 days in my case) trip to their area to begin the match process.
The excitement of training with a new dog is tempered a bit by the sense of loss for my partnership now ending. Mensa will stay with us as a pet, but it will still be a bit like a divorce as she will be left behind, whereas she is still eager to get into the harness when she hears me lift it from its place, she will be wondering why not her. “Never me again!!!” “Why a young thing that doesn’t know what I know?” We cannot know the thoughts of our dogs, but Lots of possibilities can be considered.
Always before, the breed, gender and name of my new dog have been a secret until we were introduced. Now, it is a female German shepherd named Daisey who will soon, reluctantly at first, be my new partner if all works out. She has no idea what is about to happen in her life, and I am sure that she is happy with the way things are now. It will be my task to win her over so that she will willingly work for me instead of her trainer.
Once we have met and walked on the streets of Mississippi for two days, we will return to my home with the trainer who will continue to work with us in our own area. He plans to stay about a week for intensive training.
All prayers welcome: safe travel, a good match, clear understanding to develop between Daisey and me as well as the trainer. I would ask for quality sleep and good health, and that Mensa’s slide into retirement will go smoothly and the two dogs will become great friends. with the two-hour time difference as well as the onset of Daylight Savings, I will need to get some good rest going into this adventure.
Primarily, I pray that God would be glorified in this.
My hope is to journal my training experience again as I have done in years past. We will see how it goes. Thank you for reading and for your prayers and well wishes.
https://www.gallanthearts.org/
