Article: This Is More Than Just A Dog

 Just two years ago, Helen Bree was at her lowest point and facing a bleak future.

Having been born with cerebral palsy and then diagnosed with progressive multiple sclerosis, poor health had finally forced her to retire from the job she loved after almost 30 years.

The independence she had relished – her own house and worldwide travel – suddenly seemed about to come to an abrupt end.

But then she met Amber, the ginger-haired Labrador/golden retriever cross, who turned the 57-year-old’s life around.

‘She’s been the best thing to happen to me in years and what I’d do without her, I really don’t know,’ Ms Bree said.

Amber has become her right hand, doing everything from passing her clothes each morning to taking off her shoes and socks at night.

‘At my request she goes to the bathroom to fetch my nightie and lifts my legs into bed using her nose,’ Ms Bree said.

‘She’s even learned to cover me up with the duvet and bring the ringing phone to me and she’s learning to take the dirty laundry out of the washing basket and pass it to me to put in the machine.’

When Ms Bree and Amber go shopping, they attract a lot of attention.

‘We're always stopped wherever we go, she’s such a talking point,’ Ms Bree said.

‘Although she’s a girl, she’s not a “shopping girl” at all but she puts up with it for me, and when we’re at the checkout she’ll turn and face me and back up so she keeps her eyes on me until I get to the till. 

‘That’s such a lot to ask of any animal, to walk backwards unseen into what they don’t know.

'It goes against their instincts, but she’ll do that for me.’

Ms Bree has had Amber for a year, after the Canine Partners charity matched them.

In that time, they have only spent two days apart.

She’s always by my side and she’s such good company, I couldn’t ask for any more,’ she said.

Although cerebral palsy has always made walking difficult for Ms Bree, she went to a mainstream school and after ‘O’ levels started work with the Health and Safety Executive, being awarded an MBE during her three decades of service.

But in 2006 her health deteriorated and within two years she was confined to a wheelchair with MS.

‘I had to retire from work in 2010 because of the fatigue, difficulty moving and other health issues,’ said Ms Bree, who lives in Wallasey, Wirral.

‘I would fall and be unable to get up, sometimes injuring myself and doing the simplest tasks like putting on socks, closing doors and shopping, took much longer.

‘My increasing pain and fatigue made me feel depressed to the point of crying at the end of the day,’ she added.

It was a TV programme in 2011 that showed the work of Canine Partners, which first gave her a bit of hope.

The charity helps people with disabilities enjoy a greater independence through specially trained dogs as well as assisting the armed services providing assistance dogs to those injured while on active duty.

It believes the 'life transforming dogs provide practical, physiological, psychological and social benefits including increased independence and confidence as well as increased motivation and self-esteem'.

Ms Bree said: ‘I applied and a few months later I went to their centre to meet a potential match and was introduced to Amber.

'She was much more laid back about meeting me than I was about meeting her!

‘Waiting to see whether I'd been accepted as a potential match with her took me back to being a child waiting for my birthday, but we were matched just before Christmas last year and I went back for our two-week training course.’

Ms Bree admits she needed far more coaching than Amber as the two negotiated their way around town and through shops.

‘The training was hard work for both of us as we got to know each other,’ she said.

‘I spent two weeks being given the basics of grooming, feeding, toileting my dog with the help of staff and trainers who showed me how to work with and care for her.’

It’s the domestic things which have made the most obvious difference to Ms Bree, but her relationship with Amber is about far more than just the practical.

‘She is gentle, kind, intuitive, hard-working and has been the best thing to come into my life. I love her dearly,’ she said.

A TYPICAL DAY, BY HELEN BREE

'Amber is with me 24 hours a day – she is my prized possession.

When I get up to go to the bathroom I am met by her - tail thrashing - this is my happy start to the day.  Even though I might have had little sleep or be in pain, this lovely greeting sets me up to start the day.  

Amber opens the door to the room were the iron is set up.  She will sit outside on the landing while I do my ironing and after finishing Amber closes the door for me. When I am unable to reach things she will pick them up or bring a grabber to me if I point and ask her to get it.  

Amber is learning to put the washing in the laundry basket.  I place the washing in the bag and Amber carries it to the top of the stairs for me to bring it down on the stair lift. When I get into my wheelchair she moves the washing bag into the kitchen and helps me fill the machine. 

After her breakfast, she will help me dress by passing my socks and clothes to me.  Then it’s time for our walk.  I carry chopped carrot for a treat, a whistle and ball. Amber loves to run for a ball and places it back into the chucker for me to throw again.  

When I put her vest on and her demeanour changes to working mode and we can go into shops to negotiate the aisles.  She picks up tins from of the shelves and passes them to me.  

We return back through the park so that Amber can stretch her legs and meet other dogs – I love to see her run full tilt - both of us enjoy this part of the day.  You can see the enjoyment she gets from it and her speed is so impressive.  

After tea, if I’m not going out, we will settle down to watch some TV before going to bed.  Usually by the end of the day I can be in quite severe pain and have a great deal of difficulty moving.

Amber is very responsive to my needs.  She carries my stick to me and proceeds to undo my laces, taking my shoes off and passing them to me.  She will tug my trousers off and pass them to me.  I ask her to retrieve my nightie from the bathroom, which she does, handing it to me.  

While I am sitting on the side of the bed, she will pass me the phone to set the alarm and will then help me lift my legs into bed by placing her nose behind my knee and flipping my leg up and into bed. Then she will place her front paws on the bed and tug the duvet. We settle down to sleep, with Amber snoring loudly.'

Sarah Griffiths