Post by Paul on Dec 26, 2004 17:20:57 GMT 9.5
EILEEN & SKEETA
Interviewing people who have indispensable dogs has its own rewards. It was really interesting to meet Eileen who lives in a suburban retirement complex South of Adelaide.
Eileen has had an interesting life, migrating to Australia from the United Kingdom back in the 1940's with her husband Bill, they settled in the southern suburb of Christies Beach. Not long after they arrived Bill wrote a very descriptive letter of their journey to Australia and the area in which they settled to a policeman friend back in England. The friend was so impressed with Bill's writing he submitted the letter to the Police Gazette and it was published.
Eileen allowed me to read the letter and I persuaded her to ensure that both the local and State library received a copy, because her late husbands’ views at the time are now part of our local and state history and too valuable to be lost.
Losing her husband back in the 1980s it was some years later that Eileen applied for and received a Hearing Dog who arrived in the form of Skeeta. Skeeta was not only to become her ears but her friend and constant companion.
Finally for a variety of reasons, Eileen decided to reluctantly sell the home which held so many memories for her and purchase a unit within the aged complex which she now lives. She believes it was a smart move and after meeting her and seeing how happy and active she is I would have to agree.
Eileen lives in her own unit which has been modified with fencing to cater for her Hearing Dog, Skeeta, who is a sort of, well a, maybe a type of, hells bells, Skeeta is a pure bred mongrel with a good many pedigrees removed. He has terrier facial features, the solid well muscled chest of Bull Terrier and if you look real close, you may even be able to see something of a Blue Heeler, not to mention a dash of Kelpie. In short, Skeeta is one of the most successful, hardy, well mannered breed of dogs the world is ever likely to know, the pure, thorough bred mongrel.
I was greeted into Eileen's comfortable home by Skeeta and we became instant friends but I will say he is the "lickingest" dog I've ever come across and neither my person or interview pad was spared from his lapping ministrations.
Skeeta is inclined to be nervous of other dogs but does have one doggy friend who likes to play with him, unfortunately during a recent period of play Skeeta was injured. The two dogs were playing on uneven ground when Skeeta damaged a tendon and he was still recovering from his operation when we met. Eileen has a hard time convincing him that he should now be putting the paw of the injured leg to the ground but Skeeta is no fool. He knows that by playing on his injury he gets more attention from Eileen.
Eileen and Skeeta have a great relationship and she freely admits that she spends a lot of time talking to her faithful companion and he replies in his own way, his beautiful brown eyes expressing his undying love for his mistress.
Skeeta also unknowingly responds in other ways, before he arrived in Eileen's life she suffered from an increase in blood pressure, yet magically after Skeeta's arrival it dropped back to an acceptable level, coincidence?
Really there is nothing exceptional in their relationship
apart from the fact Skeeta makes his mistress aware that the phone is ringing or there is someone at the door. They have their walks but both rush back for cover if it rains. Games are played with a ball and ring, enjoy many cuddles and scratches in special places. Eileen is often amused though when meeting friends, they neglect to enquire after her but there's always the question, "How's your dog?"
When I asked Eileen what Skeeta meant to her, she cleverly summed it up in one simple word, "Everything" she replied.
©Paul Springthorpe, Media Production Services. Extracted from ‘It’s a Dog’s Life’ 1990. All rights reserved.
Interviewing people who have indispensable dogs has its own rewards. It was really interesting to meet Eileen who lives in a suburban retirement complex South of Adelaide.
Eileen has had an interesting life, migrating to Australia from the United Kingdom back in the 1940's with her husband Bill, they settled in the southern suburb of Christies Beach. Not long after they arrived Bill wrote a very descriptive letter of their journey to Australia and the area in which they settled to a policeman friend back in England. The friend was so impressed with Bill's writing he submitted the letter to the Police Gazette and it was published.
Eileen allowed me to read the letter and I persuaded her to ensure that both the local and State library received a copy, because her late husbands’ views at the time are now part of our local and state history and too valuable to be lost.
Losing her husband back in the 1980s it was some years later that Eileen applied for and received a Hearing Dog who arrived in the form of Skeeta. Skeeta was not only to become her ears but her friend and constant companion.
Finally for a variety of reasons, Eileen decided to reluctantly sell the home which held so many memories for her and purchase a unit within the aged complex which she now lives. She believes it was a smart move and after meeting her and seeing how happy and active she is I would have to agree.
Eileen lives in her own unit which has been modified with fencing to cater for her Hearing Dog, Skeeta, who is a sort of, well a, maybe a type of, hells bells, Skeeta is a pure bred mongrel with a good many pedigrees removed. He has terrier facial features, the solid well muscled chest of Bull Terrier and if you look real close, you may even be able to see something of a Blue Heeler, not to mention a dash of Kelpie. In short, Skeeta is one of the most successful, hardy, well mannered breed of dogs the world is ever likely to know, the pure, thorough bred mongrel.
I was greeted into Eileen's comfortable home by Skeeta and we became instant friends but I will say he is the "lickingest" dog I've ever come across and neither my person or interview pad was spared from his lapping ministrations.
Skeeta is inclined to be nervous of other dogs but does have one doggy friend who likes to play with him, unfortunately during a recent period of play Skeeta was injured. The two dogs were playing on uneven ground when Skeeta damaged a tendon and he was still recovering from his operation when we met. Eileen has a hard time convincing him that he should now be putting the paw of the injured leg to the ground but Skeeta is no fool. He knows that by playing on his injury he gets more attention from Eileen.
Eileen and Skeeta have a great relationship and she freely admits that she spends a lot of time talking to her faithful companion and he replies in his own way, his beautiful brown eyes expressing his undying love for his mistress.
Skeeta also unknowingly responds in other ways, before he arrived in Eileen's life she suffered from an increase in blood pressure, yet magically after Skeeta's arrival it dropped back to an acceptable level, coincidence?
Really there is nothing exceptional in their relationship
apart from the fact Skeeta makes his mistress aware that the phone is ringing or there is someone at the door. They have their walks but both rush back for cover if it rains. Games are played with a ball and ring, enjoy many cuddles and scratches in special places. Eileen is often amused though when meeting friends, they neglect to enquire after her but there's always the question, "How's your dog?"
When I asked Eileen what Skeeta meant to her, she cleverly summed it up in one simple word, "Everything" she replied.
©Paul Springthorpe, Media Production Services. Extracted from ‘It’s a Dog’s Life’ 1990. All rights reserved.
