[Anonymous]

The park we go to was built on a really huge landfill site that was mostly made up of displaced earth from "The Big Dig". That's what we call the project in which Boston's main highway was moved underground in a huge tunnel.
It's beautiful and built on 3 levels with paved walkways around all levels which is wonderful for walking Francis because there are few obstacles for him to bump into. We usually walk on the second level.
They wisely left the hillsides naturalized to encourage wildlife so it now attracts an amazing assortment of birds and hawks (today we saw a peppy little kestrel)
Well, today the temperature was 62 deg. F and Francis and I were lovin' it. He was walking up and down the hillsides smelling every blade of grass and I was listening to the wind and enjoying the magnificent view of the Charles River.
Down the hill in the parking lot some poor people were trying desperately to call their lunatic Lab, "Fenway" to the car with zero success. Fenway wasn't ready to leave and he was trying to get Franny to play. Then those poor folks started to offer bribes to Fenway to get him to come and they started yelling, "Fenny, do ya wanna treat?" which is exactly the phrase I use. Ol' Big Ears Franny heard that and he was off and running down the hill to the sound of their voices with Fenway in hot pursuit. He made it to them in record time and the people were thanking me profusely as I was running down the hill after him. They could not believe that Franny's blind. He got his fave, a little piece of cheese.
This is the second time he's run down the hill thinking of getting a treat. Thank God, except for clumps of tall grass and the occasional vole hole there are no obstacles. Bold and fearless, that's my little guy!

[ February 16, 2006, 04:50 PM: Message edited by: Beverly Anne Cawley ]

 

[biscuit]

Way to go, Franny! Great story!

 

[murraysmom]

Yay Franny! Thanks for the happy tale!

 

[Sadeyes]

Know someone at the local park with 2 deerhounds, one of which is blind. This dog couldn't be more different from 'Fearless Franny'. He is kept on leash at all times and walks very close to the guy's side. The other dog seems to be in front of him most of the time as if he's watching out for him.

Just amazing when you hear of the exploits of your wee gutsy Frances.

 

[Twinkie's Mum]

Sadeyes, I'll bet if those people hadn't started treating their blind deerhound differently, he'd be just like Bev's Franny ... and probably a lot happier. That's very sad for the dog.

Way to go, Franny. You never cease to amaze!

Janet 'n Twinkie.

 

[Anonymous]

So the Big Dig is finall done? Remarkable!

 

[Oliver Twist]

Well supposedly in humans the other senses make up for the lost one. Franny just has extra hearing and knows basset language, ie. come for food. Wonderful story.

 

[Choni]

Francis is one awesome dog!
Your stories about his amazing spirit always make me smile.

 

[Anonymous]

Sadeyes, Francis has always been one independent little pain in the **s so I knew it was important to maintain that. As soon as it felt comfortable I took him out to an open field and started training hard to follow me by scent and voice command. I took a bath towel that I hadn't washed yet and dragged it behind me while I talked to him, gradually lifting the towel off the ground then discarding it altogether. He had it down cold by about 3-4 weeks. Then we went out to the lawn to play find the hot-dog where I placed a piece of hot-dog somewhere then unleashed him. Never a problem at that.
Rubydoo, the Big Dig is not totally complete but mostly. After 35 years of driving in Boston I'm now getting lost when I drive to the airport and try to get over to the North End or South Boston. At least we really benefitted on my side of town.