Many Canadians with disabilities benefit from a service dog. We asked moms whose families have been impacted by the presence of a Dog Guide to share their stories. Here is what April and her daughter Angela had to say about Digby, Angela’s Service Dog Guide.
My daughter Angela is 26. She loves music, enjoys photography and is the “go-to-girl” when the rest of us are having issues with our phones or computers. She is currently taking computer courses at our local university with the goal being to eventually find a job.
Angela has a very caring spirit. She is empathetic and sensitive, especially toward people who are faced with challenges...people like herself.
She has seniority over her twin sister Carly by 5 minutes—a card she doesn’t hesitate to play. Angela and her sister were born extremely premature and spent a great deal of their early years in hospital. As a result of their prematurity, both have Cerebral Palsy. Angela and Carly share a suite built for them in the lower level of our home. They get along very well and watch out for each other.
Angela uses a power wheelchair to get around and only has the use of her right arm. Needless to say, there have been, and continue to be, many obstacles in her life that she must maneuver. There are the physical issues she faces and, just as challenging, is the emotional impact having a disability has on her. This is always present and she must work hard to be positive—which she does!
We wanted to get a Dog Guide for Angela to give her some independence. She was so tired of asking other kids for help at school. And at times they got tired of doing it. I think the turning point was when Angela dropped her pencil on the floor in the classroom. She asked her classmate if they would pick it up for her and Angela had to sit through the humiliation of two kids doing rock, paper scissors to see who had to pick up her pencil. Angela came home in tears and it was at that point we knew we had to make a change. We had learned of the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guide program many years before and it was time to pursue it.
Angela has had two service dogs. Her first dog was Yogi and her current Dog Guide is Digby. Digby is very clever and not only loves Angela, but also loves to work. He can pick anything up that Angela drops—wallet, coins, credit card, cell phone, pen, utensil, water bottle, etc. He will fetch items by name, like “buttons” for the TV remote, “phone” for Angela’s cell phone, and “cookies” for his treat container. He can untie her shoelaces and after she slips her heel out, can take her shoe off, and pass it to her. He helps her off with her jacket as she only has one functioning arm. He will act as “gofer” and Angela can give him something to take to someone else or I can give Digby something to take to Angela. He will bark for help or Angela can send him to get help and he will go through the house until he finds someone and will bark at them to get Angela assistance.
Just as important as independence, was the unexpected added benefit of the social component Digby brings. He is a magnet and brings people to Angela that otherwise would not have stopped to chat. Most people love dogs, especially well-trained “handsome” ones. Digby breaks the invisible barrier that seems to surround people with disabilities. He provides an opportunity to make a connection with that person and it happens over and over. It is so wonderful to see! Angela beams when she’s asked about Digby. She has no shortage of stories. When it comes to Dog Guides... Angela becomes Super Advocate!
Digby has had a huge impact on my life. He allows me to achieve a level of independence that, without him, would not be possible. I don’t have to rely on my parents as much, which means they're able to do the things they'd like to do without always having to worry about me.
An example of this independence is going to Starbucks by myself. If I didn't have Digby, I wouldn't have that extra sense of safety, wouldn't be able to reach the crosswalk buttons, wouldn’t be able to get my jacket off once there, etc. I know that my parents feel safer knowing that I have Digby. (As well as my cell phone!)
I never truly knew the impact of having a Service Dog Guide until I had to retire my first dog Yogi. My sister and I have an accessible suite on the bottom level of our parents’ house and their bedroom is on the very top level—up two flights of stairs. In the evening, we would have to use a monitor to contact my Mom if we needed anything. One night, before I had Digby and when Yogi was retired, my sister needed something but the monitor accidentally got turned off and we couldn’t reach my parents.
I got out of bed and pulled myself along the floor to the bottom of the stairs. I tried calling to my parents, but they couldn’t hear me. I forget how they finally heard us, but by the time my Mom got downstairs, I was sitting at the side of my bed crying because I had hurt my back in the process. I was frustrated that I didn't have a dog to help me. My response when she came to help me back into bed? “I need another dog!” After this incident, I realized how invaluable these dogs are.
Earlier this year, I was taking Digby for a walk on a cold winter day. I had mittens on and I was going extremely fast down a hill. Somehow, my mitt must've hit the on/off button and my chair came to a halt. The way it stopped made it so that my chair was tipped forward. I tried slamming my back against the backrest to get it to go back, but that didn’t work. I panicked a little but realized that I had Digby with me. I remembered that he knew the “Steady” command. This command means that the dog will remain completely still and you can push off or lean on their haunches or shoulders to help you sit up, etc. I asked him to “Steady” and was able to push off of him with enough force to get my chair’s back tires back onto the pavement. Without him, I can honestly say I don't know how long I would've been stuck there waiting for someone to come along.
Having a Dog Guide changes your life 100%. It makes you forget about what your life was like before you had one. I will never be able to repay the Lions Foundation of Canada for what they have given me. Independence and an enhanced quality of life are gifts that most people take for granted—but when you have a disability these are precious things. They may seem unattainable to some, but with a Dog Guide, these things are much more achievable.
Angela is fundraising for the annual Purina Walk for Dog Guides for the Lions Foundation. You can support her here.
If you enjoyed this post about service dogs helping families, see this story of about a boy with a Seizure Response Dog Guideor this one about a family waiting for an Autism Assistance Dog Guide.
And if you want to donate or participate, the Purina Walk For Dog Guides is a national fundraising walk happening in 200 communities across Canada on May 25th that supports the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides program.
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