We're getting there

It’s been a really tough couple of months since we lost both Boris and then Dad so suddenly a couple of weeks later, through it all Eko has been an absolute superstar at helping to keep me grounded

Eko has always been a little standoffish with me, ever since he was a tiny puppy he's made it very clear who his favourite human was and it wasn’t me, but lately things have started to change

Image Description - Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel laying on grass facing the camera on a sunny spring day with a bush behind him with some white blossom, his tongue is out as he's been running around on a rare warm day for this time of the year  

It’s taken time for us to find a new normal but now Eko comes to me for cuddles and shows me so much more affection, we’re no longer just sharing the same space, he now gets excited to see me whereas before, I’d be lucky to get a quick head lift to say “Oh… it’s you” now I’m seeing a whole new side of Eko I never knew existed

Recently I’ve been asked a few times when I’ll get another dog to replace Boris 😲 but Boris can never be replaced, no pet ever can!

But it does make me wonder, why people feel the need to ask such an insensitive question about a pet? Not once has anyone asked me when I’m getting a new dad, yet they're both family and both irreplaceable

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

Something happened last Saturday that really caught me off guard but turned out to be a huge turning point for my mental health

It was an especially tough day and I was feeling really down with dark thoughts, not helped by the fact I'd just been to Slimming World and had put on 5lbs to add to my general melancholy 

Suddenly somebody I hadn't seen in a very long time came over and offered me an unexpected hug right there in the middle of the street

As someone who finds physical touch somewhat challenging at the best of times I hadn't realised just how much I needed that hug and the conversation we had afterwards over tea and cake at a local cafe

Image Description - Eko the golden cocker spaniel sitting amongst grass and dead bracken out on the common as he looks quizzically into the camera whilst wearing his cute green bow tie attached to his collar. Beside him on the left is a single solitary Daffodil fighting to be seen amongst the dead bracken

As a result of that kind gesture from someone willing to take time out of their day I've been feeling a lot better this week, the grief is still there of course but it's a little more bearable, plus we've been having some amazing sunny weather this week and that always helps to lift the mood 

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

I've even felt up to restarting Eko's Public Access training as my assistance dog this week and we've done a few short sessions 

 Image Description - Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel sitting quietly in a supermarket with his gaze intently focused on my face, he's wearing his bright pink and yellow assistance dog vest and a blue lead

Eko loves his training sessions and I can't remember when we'd last had the chance to do any assistance dog training, let alone public Access training. His tasking and natural alerts have always been reliable since he first started his training to one day take over from Boris

Then mum and dad became unwell and other things took priority, between them both boys had all bases covered, as we'd literally stopped going out or going away it just didn't seem important at the time to worry about Eko's public Access training, but having something to focus on really helps to lift my mood seeing Eko enjoying himself 

Dawn & Eko xxx 

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