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Everything For Your Pets ! Free Delivery on Orders £29 & over 10% Off First Order zooplus.co.uk Say Hello To Cyder
Cyder was my second Guide Dog. We trained together in March 2001 at the Guide Dog centre, Lanesborough House, Belfast. She qualified on 16 March and while training our Guide Dog Mobility Instructor (GDMI) was Ken Mayes. ProfileName: Cyder Dates: 17/04/1999 - 21/04/2006 Breed: Labrador Temperament: Mischievous, affectionate and gentle Likes: Getting up to mischief, playing ball, jumping in the pond at Peatlands Park, little children, getting groomed, muddy puddles, Snuggling up to Hester and Going for walks in Dungannon Park Dislikes: Being in trouble, the rain, getting barged by Hester, wheely bins and walking on stairs
Cyder was a very playful and affectionate Guide Dog. She was quite timid but despite this always looked like she was getting up to mischief, had got up to some mischief or was planning some mischief! She liked lots of praise while working and would get upset if she ever had to be scolded. She could not understand that poor old Hester was not young any more and wasn't interested in playing chase around the garden and had to be put in her box by Hester on many an occasion. In spite of this they were firm friends and as long as Cyder behaved herself and knew who was boss (Hester), all would remain peaceful. Cyder would come and poke you with her little cold wet nose and this meant she wanted a bit of fussing, a pet or a tickle of the ears and she would be happy. After a short illness, in April 2006 Cyder was diagnosed with a tumour. She went to sleep quietly and peacefully, staying her happy self until the end. Although her life was short, Cyder's was a happy, fulfilled one which was full of joy and love. She brightened up the lives of those around her and was never without a smile on her face, and an impish twinkle in her eye. She sleeps now in the garden with Hester to watch after in death as in life.
Stories
When Cyder first came home with me after qualifying, she had a habit of climbing onto the furniture at night when everyone had gone to bed. The first person down the next morning would find madam curled up in a tiny ball as cosy as you'd like, fast asleep in an armchair. When I asked advice of Guide Dogs, they told me to put some saucepan lids on the chairs and when she attempted to jump onto them she would knock the lids off, giving her a fright and stopping her from doing it again. So we followed these instructions and surely enough, the next night as we lay in bed listening, there came a loud clatter from downstairs. This continued for another couple of nights before Cyder seemed to get the message and that was the end of sleeping on the furniture. It was Cyder's first Christmas with us and I had to pop out to the bank with my mum. We decided to leave Cyder at home with Hester as we were only going to be a few minutes. I had all my Christmas presents wrapped and sitting on a shelf in my bedroom, with the bedroom door open. We returned after 15 minutes to find Cyder walking around with Hester's present from Santa unwrapped and Hester holding Cyder's present from Santa still wrapped. It didn't take a detective to guess which one of the little monkeys had gone upstairs and helped herself to the presents. And that was not all, numerous other presents were lying on the stairs, clearly having been quickly abandoned when the squeaky toys were sniffed out. On her free runs Cyder loved to roll, especially if there was something wet and smelly to roll in. One day on a run she tumbled down onto the grass for a roll. What she didn't realise was that the grass she was rolling on was in fact a grassy bank and she went rolling rather ungracefully into an extremely dirty and smelly stream. Need I say she enjoyed it immensely? Cyder loved going to the vet and little did she know when she went off with her tail wagging on the morning we left her, that she wouldn't be coming home again. Her antics I am told kept all at the surgery entertained and even when ill, she was still acting the wag and giving them all laughs and us wonderful memories too. We are grateful to all at Parklands Vetinary Surgery, Dungannon, for their kindness and dedication to Cyder and the support they gave us when she went to sleep. A real little bundle of joy was our Cyder Spider and we still miss her loads. Sweet dreams Spider Lugs.
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