Diamond

Hello, Danielle.
I don't know if you remember Diamond, the blind English setter who lived with Tina for over a year. She's now 3 and almost a half, and has just celebrated her 1 yr anniversary with us. I tried to send this to Tina, but it bounces, so I thought perhaps she is no longer with you and someone else would be interested in our update.

Diamond's anniversary with us was May 6. So hard to believe we've had her for a year already, and yet hard to believe we've only had her a year! She acts like, and we feel like, she's been ours forever and ever. A good forever! We can't imagine life without her.

She's thinner now, back to her perfect weight, with more stamina. Walking will do that. She loves to go for walks. When we say we're going for a walk and let Di and Churchill (our 10 yr old male English setter) out while we get on our shoes, she joins in the "victory lap" around the yard, she's so excited. She actually runs and bounds, now. Then comes back and sits patiently for someone to put her Gentle Leader halter on her. During the walk she usually heels exceedingly well, when she isn't out front leading. If Church is also out front, we'll see them occasionally bump each other, so that she knows where he is. Walks around a pair of ponds are a favorite, as she loves to point to the noisy sand-piper type birds that are in that area, or any ducks or geese who make noise. She is definitely "birdy" even tho she can't see them.

She's also learned a lot. We've gone thru some semi-puppy stages, learning to play tag and a sort of pseudo-wrestling with Church. She's in heaven when he invites her to play with a playful growl or earnip. He carries things a lot and when she wants his attention, she'll grab the end of the rope, towel, or bone in his mouth and tug. Being a gentleman, he normally lets her have it, so she drops it in disgust, nips his ear and runs away. Then they are off! Or not, as he's 10 1/2 and not always in the mood to play. In that case he lies down and breathes very quietly so she has to hunt to find him. I think she likes that almost as well.

She lets us trim her toenails now without complaint (tho she'd prefer someone feed her cheese while we do it!) and never growls when Church gets close to her when she's chewing a bone or eating her food or a treat. Instead, she's learned that he likes to trade bones and sometimes initiates that trade herself. They may trade several times before they both settle down and chew together. She comes when called this spring, and Church has taught her that if she stands outside the kitchen window and barks, someone will come let her in. Some days I think they've decided that's her job. She does it well.

Di's been a great traveler, loves riding in the car and exploring new places and meeting new people. Everyone loves her immediately and she's very understanding of little ones -- even our rambunctious 2 1/2 yr old granddaughter, who now understands that Di cannot see her. Di and Church's traveling days are limited now because in January, while we were in Indiana at my mom's, Church took off into the fog after something and wasn't found for 24 hours. So now they spend any weekends we have to be away at the "doggy spa" (the vet's dorm). When Church was found, he had to spend a week at my sister's until we could go get him back. When we did, on the way back home Di made him sit huddled in a corner of the back seat as punishment!

What a girl! If you run onto any more like her, let us know!

Carol

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