Des & Paige

A dog makes a difference

In the spring of 2020, we had Covid. In the summer, I had 2 months of radiotherapy for prostate cancer and in the autumn, I was matched with Paige, my Guide Dog. The first two were pretty horrible but getting Paige was pure magic.

I have no central vision. The cells in my retina have been dying off over the last 15 years.

By 2020, I had fallen over a couple of unseen kerbs and was struggling not to thump other pedestrians with my white cane. When Paige and I teamed up, I could walk at a normal pace again. The freedom of it!

She guides me around bins and pavement-parked cars and finds places I need to go. I have a dental appointment every 6 months, and once I get within 500 metres of the surgery, I tell her to ‘Find the dentist’ and she brings me to the right door in a long row of similar doors in a terrace.

It took some time to build our team. I had to learn the commands. I have to be consistent and patient, mostly with myself. She understands ‘Go right’ but not ‘Ah, sure we’ll hook a right down by Donnelly’s’. Of course, I could teach her to ‘Find Donnellys’ and then she would go straight to the door.

Before Paige, I felt really lonely when out and about as I can’t see faces and people don’t know how to talk to a white cane. Paige breaks the ice as she is so friendly and wants to say ‘hello’ to everyone when she’s not working. She considers ‘working’ to be when she’s in harness and moving. In her mind, that does not include when we’re standing in a queue or such. I use it as an opportunity to teach people when not to distract her. If I have time, I’ll take her harness off so we can all say ‘hello’ and have a chat about it.

While walking in town, I’ll often hear ‘Hello Paige!’ from a passerby and then the silence as they try to remember my name. I’m happy with that.

I get really frustrated trying to function in a world designed for the sighted. Paige helps me get over that with a wagging tail and a friendly muzzle. I get a joyful greeting every morning. It’s like I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to her. It’s hard to be down when I’m met with such enthusiasm.

I’m very grateful to Paige, her puppy raising family, the Murphy’s of Castlemartyr and the Irish Guide Dog trainers who gave her so much love and care. And my wife Sonja who suggested a guide dog in the first place.