So long Sadie

As she sniffs out retirement, David Blunkett pays tribute to his beloved guide dog

Published: Daily Mail, 18 October 2010

You, dear readers, will be the first to know that a very close friend of mine — a very, very close friend — is soon to retire.

Possibly, the result of May’s general election clinched the decision, but to be honest she has already passed normal retirement age.

In any case, it is probably a good time to step down because the Senior Salaries Review Body is due to reform final salary pensions for those who work in Westminster.

I suspect you’ve already guessed who I mean. The friend who’s set to hang up her harness and enjoy a few years of happy retirement is my guide dog, Sadie.

Well, not immediately because like all indispensable friends, she can’t just walk away. She knows that although she will be ten in December, there has to be a hand-over period during which her successor is trained up.

So it could well be this time next year when she catches Mr Speaker’s eye for the last time and finally bow-wows her way out of Parliament.

Then, with a wag of her tail, she will begin a new life of carefree walks, squirrel-chasing and all the other joyous retirement activities.

I mention squirrels because there is nothing that Sadie enjoys more than spotting and chasing these wily animals who, it has to be said, always manage to escape up the nearest tree.

When each of my previous four guide dogs retired, people asked me: ‘Do they miss you?’ The truth is that I miss them a lot more than they miss me. With regular food and good long walks, most dogs will happily adopt the new family they are sent to live with.

As for Sadie, she has been a remarkable guide dog. She has been through thick and thin with me, in government and outside.

Our most enjoyable times have been walking together in the hills of Derbyshire. She was specially trained not to trouble the sheep. As a result, Sadie ignores them and the sheep happily don’t run.

Unfortunately, however, this belief that there must be an intuition between dog and livestock let me down on one occasion.

We once came across a herd of cows while walking in the Peak District with my son.

One particularly aggressive cow, which was protecting its young, knocked me down. I was left with a black eye and a cracked rib. Sadie, meanwhile, made her escape!

Her eight years in Parliament, however, have been much more peaceful.

She has served alongside three Labour leaders and sat quietly while my side of the Commons barracked first Iain Duncan Smith, then Michael Howard and for the past five years, David Cameron.

When I first went into Parliament in 1987, I had a really faithful old dog, Teddy.

He was already 11 years old and because I was expecting to have a major operation and ended up with viral pneumonia to boot, it had been decided to let him work on so long as he was fit and able and willing to do so.

But six weeks before his 12th birthday, Teddy was taken seriously ill and my faithful old friend stepped down from his duties.

Regrettably he had no time to enjoy that well-earned retirement which I am determined that Sadie should have. Many people thought that Margaret Thatcher, as Prime Minister, had a heart of stone. But so far as Teddy was concerned, the opposite was the truth.

I received the most unexpected handwritten note from her, offering me her condolences and understanding that I had lost a friend and not just a canine companion.

Sadie’s predecessor, Lucy, had a different experience in the Commons.

Shortly after Tony Blair was elected Labour leader in 1994, he flew back from an overseas visit and arrived jet-lagged in the Commons just in time to square up to John Major at Prime Minister’s Questions.

On this occasion, I was seated next to Mr Blair and as he rose to his feet, he inadvertently trod on Lucy’s ear.

This was the only occasion when a dog had not only yowled in the Commons but has also been the recipient of an apology from a future Prime Minister, officially recorded in Hansard.

On a subsequent occasion, when Mr Blair was in No 10 and was facing the next Tory leader William Hague’s final joust at Prime Minister’s Questions, Lucy got up, shook herself and walked out.

She obviously knew it was the end of an era.

As for Sadie, thanks to her dog passport, she accompanied me on official Cabinet duties abroad — including one memorable (or should it be ‘unmemorable’?) meeting in Brussels which induced her to sleep.

While she was able to snore under the table, I had to put up with the drone of tedious, bureaucratic procedures which pass for the decision-making process within the European Union.

This curly-coated retriever Labrador cross (who has travelled thousands of miles with me on planes, trains and boats) has won the hearts of everyone.

She has had her head patted by Her Majesty the Queen and George W. Bush.

When she was introduced to Vladimir Putin, she started barking as the Russian leader’s honour guard drew their swords.

Clearly no one had explained to her that the Cold War was over!

So for me, the months ahead will bring both joy and sadness.

There is joy in knowing what a good job Sadie has done and how much she will enjoy her retirement — freed from the tedium of endless meetings and a dog’s-eye view of exhaust fumes in Parliament Square, particularly in July and August.

But there will be sadness and apprehension for me, too, in terms of helping to identify and then learn about the final training of a new companion for the years ahead.

The new dog will already have been puppy-walked by those wonderful volunteers who do the initial house training and ensure that potential guide dog puppies learn the ropes of good behaviour.

After that comes the more intensive training which takes time as the dog must learn not to be spooked and has to get used to having the harness clipped under its chest. Any guide dog has to enjoy its work and to want to be out and about.

Then the final part, in my case: the training on the job, to ensure that the new guide dog knows the ins and outs of the Palace of Westminster and can cope with the razzmatazz, the noise and the hassle, and of course with the streets of London and the constant travel.

In the meantime, whatever is decided about final salary Westminster pension arrangements, Sadie certainly won’t be put on half rations when she retires.

Comments

[Anne Hawthorn]

Hi David, Great to read about Sadie. My daughter Jane has had Sadie's sister for about the same length of time, who is also due to retire any time. Sky has been a great dog also and has travelled a good few miles. As a family we will miss Sky as she has kept Jane safe for 8 years and has been a great friend as Jane lives alone in Mr. Clarke's constituency, Rushcliffe, Nottingham (well, someone has to!)Jane went to Tapton Mount School until she was 12, then Chorleywood, and between jobs she went to University and is now a social worker in Nottingham...I am a proud Mum and I have met lots of great people and dogs following Jane's full life. Next dog will be the 5th, so it is exciting waiting to see what it will be, black, yellow or brown! Sky has developed epilepsy recently,I wonder if Sadie has any problems? Good luck with your training and new doggie - you are a great role model to visually impaired people and we have followed your career with interest - I don't think that most people have any understanding of how hard life is without sight. Bye for Now, Regards, Anne Hawthorn

[Lorraine Meehan]

Hi David Thank you so much for mentioning the volunteer puppy walkers in this article. My 4th Flora is currently in training at Atherton. As the lady above says you meet lots pof great people and dogs involved with Guide Dogs. I hope Sadie has a wonderful time in retirement and wish you all the best with your next Guide Dog, Regards Lorraine

[David Blunkett]

Thank you both for your kind messages.

Anne, I was really glad to get your message. Thanks ever so much and please send my best on to Jane. I'm sorry to hear that Sky got epilepsy – no such worries with Sadie; we're just taking precautions because next year could see her suddenly get very tired and I didn't want that to happen without planning ahead. At the moment she’s as fit as a fiddle to be honest!

I just wanted also to say a big thank you. The mobility, the dignity and the self-respect that comes from having a guide dog (as well as the personal joy) is enormous.

My grateful thanks for your kindness.

[Benjamin Vear]

Hi David, saw you speak at De Montfort University this week, you were very engaging and interesting and I think its really very important for MP's and such to visit Universities and colleges, your visit was particularly inspiring for me.

Everyone was very very impressed so thankyou very much to you and Sadie, I hope she enjoys her quiet new chasing rabbits im sure she will miss you!

Kind Regards, Benjamin