I thought it was about time I introduced you to my new companion, my guide dog Normandy.
Actually, the name given to him by his marvellous puppy-raisers from Care Puppy Raising is
Norman, but he quickly started being called Normandy by me and everyone on guide dog
training class and that’s what’s stuck. So, that’s what I’ll be calling him from now on, in this blog,
on social media and in conversation.
Normandy is a black Labrador who was born on 26 September 2022, which means he was just
shy of his second birthday when we were partnered. One of his siblings, Nova, was also on
class with us and we’ll be staying in contact with Nova and her mom, who also live in Cape
Town.
Normandy was puppy-raised by Carol and Ruaan and their family. It was lovely to chat to them
while I was in Johannesburg and learn more about my dog when he was growing up. The family
gave Normandy a huge care pack of toys, snuggly blankets and treats to bring to Cape Town.
They also gifted me with a booklet about my boy that they had created, with insights, memories
and images from the time he was a young puppy. They even recorded audio files of the booklet
so I would be able to listen without sighted assistance. Such a thoughtful gift to receive!
You are probably wondering what Normandy is like to work with. Obviously, we are a work in
progress, and our walks become more confident by the day. After all, we’ve only been working
together for about six weeks at the time of writing. Already a few things are becoming clear to
me. Normandy is responsive and enthusiastic about work. He is highly aware of what I’m doing
and adjusts the way he works to fit in with what makes me comfortable. There is no doubt that
he is strong, which I’ll admit intimidates me somewhat. Yet, at the same time, he is incredibly
gentle and caring.
To give you just one idea of how he is accommodating my preferences, I am uncomfortable with
level changes on pavements. As a result, I walk more slowly when the surface is uneven, or I
am approaching steps. Normandy quickly became aware of this and started adjusting his
walking speed accordingly. He even began trying to avoid uneven areas on our walks. The
trainer told me that she hadn’t noticed him doing so before and was happy to observe his
awareness and responsiveness. And it makes a massive difference to me.
As you can imagine, I already have a fair selection of images and videos of Normandy and I
working or playing together. The image accompanying this post is our official graduation
photograph that was taken while we were on class. I’m sure I’ll share more pictures and videos
in time to come.
Naturally, not everything is plain sailing. We are still developing our bond and getting to
understand the way we each work, assessing our individual strengths and preferences. We
don’t always get things 100% right – but we haven’t had any major catastrophes…. At least, not
so far. I know we will grow from strength to strength. And, as we continue to work together, we
will start to have lots more adventures.
For now, we are excitedly beginning the very early stages of our journey. As Normandy and I
head out into the world, I’m sure my previous guide-girls are all watching over us and wagging
encouragement.
PS: Here is the link to Normandy’s puppy raiser’s Facebook page, where you can also see
images from my boy’s life before we were matched. You can find it at:
https://www.facebook.com/carepuppyraisers
To follow my continuing journey with Normandy, be sure to connect with me on social media:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/loisstrachanspeaker
Wishing you and Normandy a happy adventure together
Way to go! Welcome Normandy