The phrase working like a dog has never been more literal than in the English town of Coventry where a 4-year-old dog named Sandie is a regular growl Friday for her disabled owner, Sue Line.
Sandie, a crossbreed between a Sheltie-collie mom and a Staffordshire bull terrier dad, has been doing practically everything for Line since the pooch was a tender 3 months old, including the shopping, the washing and even paying for groceries.
It's a match that seems to be doggie destiny as Sandie's mom belonged to Line's next-door neighbor.
I've known Sandie since she was 2 weeks old, said Line, 61, a retired National Health Service health trust manager who was paralyzed from the waist down 40 years ago after she was thrown from a car in a New Year's Eve crash.
Our friend has her mother. The next door neighbor's dog dug under the fence.
Before Sandie came into the picture, Line had to rely on a helping hand to reach for some items and depend on other people for more complicated tasks.
Mostly, I had to call my sister, who is my caregiver, to pick up things, Line told AOL News. There was also a lot more for her to do.
The most frustrating thing before Sandie was trying not to keep asking for things I had dropped -- which is quite often -- and not to feel too frustrated that I was not able to do things. I still get that to some extent, but Sandie makes it less. Sandie now allows my sister to have her 'me' time because she knows I have help. Sandie comes to meetings as well.
Line says she and her sister did the lion's share of dog training with the help of a local dog training club and Dog AID, a British dog charity that picked up on the assistance dog concept after seeing it done in America.
We did a six-week basic clicker training class, which I would recommend to any dog owner, she said. It helps you and your dog get to know each other and work together.
According to the Daily Mail, Sandie helps out on trips to the supermarket -- putting all of her shopping in a bag, which she then carries around in her mouth. Then, at the checkout, she can even take money from her owner's purse and hand it over to the shop assistant.
Sandie also loads the washing machine, separating Line's dirty clothes into dark and light loads and locking the machine door before the cycle begins.
She has also mastered how to unlock the kitchen door to let herself out to the toilet -- and always remembers to close it behind her on her way back.
Full story: http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/13/this-dog-is-a-womans-best-friend-housekeeper-and-personal-shop/
Sandie, a crossbreed between a Sheltie-collie mom and a Staffordshire bull terrier dad, has been doing practically everything for Line since the pooch was a tender 3 months old, including the shopping, the washing and even paying for groceries.
It's a match that seems to be doggie destiny as Sandie's mom belonged to Line's next-door neighbor.
I've known Sandie since she was 2 weeks old, said Line, 61, a retired National Health Service health trust manager who was paralyzed from the waist down 40 years ago after she was thrown from a car in a New Year's Eve crash.
Our friend has her mother. The next door neighbor's dog dug under the fence.
Before Sandie came into the picture, Line had to rely on a helping hand to reach for some items and depend on other people for more complicated tasks.
Mostly, I had to call my sister, who is my caregiver, to pick up things, Line told AOL News. There was also a lot more for her to do.
The most frustrating thing before Sandie was trying not to keep asking for things I had dropped -- which is quite often -- and not to feel too frustrated that I was not able to do things. I still get that to some extent, but Sandie makes it less. Sandie now allows my sister to have her 'me' time because she knows I have help. Sandie comes to meetings as well.
Line says she and her sister did the lion's share of dog training with the help of a local dog training club and Dog AID, a British dog charity that picked up on the assistance dog concept after seeing it done in America.
We did a six-week basic clicker training class, which I would recommend to any dog owner, she said. It helps you and your dog get to know each other and work together.
According to the Daily Mail, Sandie helps out on trips to the supermarket -- putting all of her shopping in a bag, which she then carries around in her mouth. Then, at the checkout, she can even take money from her owner's purse and hand it over to the shop assistant.
Sandie also loads the washing machine, separating Line's dirty clothes into dark and light loads and locking the machine door before the cycle begins.
She has also mastered how to unlock the kitchen door to let herself out to the toilet -- and always remembers to close it behind her on her way back.
Full story: http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/13/this-dog-is-a-womans-best-friend-housekeeper-and-personal-shop/
Next step (for the dog): World Domination!
