December Profile

Dot and Chino

Chino Koroleff is now 22 months old, still a puppy really.  It seems like a life time of interesting events, new friends, and likeable strangers since he came to me as a puppy of eight weeks old.  Because of his remarkable talent he has been a companion of irreplaceable value to me.  When he first came to me I sort of felt that I had bitten off more than I could chew.  He was supposed to be a toy poodle but by the size of his feet I instinctively knew that was improbable. He grew in statue and dare I say it beauty as the days went by and he learned that the words “aren’t you beautiful” really meant “you really need me to worship and adore you”.  And the whole town has responded in kind proving his point beyond doubt.

He is such a friendly dog that I have been hard pressed to keep his attention solely on me when we are out and about.  Where ever we go he is the centre of attention but like most famous people he now tends to ignore his fame and be so well behaved that I am secretly very proud to say he is my assistance dog. He wears his Paws for Diabetes coat with the certain knowledge that he is special and has a special job to do.  He is still learning all the rules for assistance dogs but as he learns so quickly he does not need a voice command but follows some hand signals as well.  I am teaching him the sign used by some hearing impaired people for hungry, sleep and walk with me.  He is responding to the sign   “sit” and “stay” most of the time.  He loves riding on my mobility scooter and will climb on the running board without a second repeat of the command. He is seemingly fearless when we go up or down the ramps put out by train guards. The faster we go the better he likes it.   Chino has become a seasoned train traveler and sits on a special mat beside me when we travel to the big smoke. He loves Dr. Dave, my diabetes specialist, as he can spot a poodle lover a mile away.  He enjoys the hustle of the larger shopping centres and is a perfect gentleman when we shop in the village.  He is well known at the chemist, bank, IGA and the newsagent. All in all he accompanies me wherever I go, the manicurist and hairdresser; the doctors and particularly likes Sunday at the pub for lunch where he knows I always buy 2 sausages for him.  Usually nobody knows he is present until the manager brings the tickets for the draw. He hasn’t won yet but there will be one hellova celebration when he does.

Lately his talent for alerting has extended to strangers and he lets me know that the person is a fellow traveler by using the same alerting behavior he uses on me, licking and nudging the person on their hands and giving a sharp yipping bark if they do not respond.  He has proven this to a doctor who was in the waiting room and unknown to us was quite low.  He admitted he had just purchased a donut to help his BSL rise quickly.  He wanted to know how I had taught him this trick.  Just luck I guess. As my diabetes is better controlled these days and I am secure in the fact that I can trust his judgement, I am particularly proud of him when he alerts others. We are looking forward to mid new year when we can exchange our learners “L” plate for a “P” and end all the jokes about learner drivers.  Look out for a blue scooter then.