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A Dog In A Million: My Life With Connie
This is the story of my Newfoundland Connie who was only a puppy in 2006 when I damaged my back and later developed more medical
problems. To keep her occupied and to help me I decided to teach her to be my personal assistant, home help and
willing gardener. The book also covers my early life with animals and there is a section on behaviour problems,
with simple help and advice.
For more details about the book, please visit www.rbooks.co.uk or
www.prefacepublishing.co.uk.
There is more about Connie on this web site.
Hazel Carter
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Crufts 2008
Connie and I were nominated as one of the contenders for the Kennel Club
Friends For Life award. This was held
at Crufts on Sunday 9 March 2008 in the Arena.
The public were invited to vote for the story they liked the best. They could vote by phone or text while watching the
coverage on BBC2. This was also shown in all the halls on all four days of the show.
"Connie my Newfoundland who is now two and a half has been helping me since she was a puppy when I first started medical
problems, the first year it was a severe back problem and the second year it was arthritis that targets both muscles and
joints. When I could hardly move I started to train Connie to help me. My aim was to keep her happy and occupied, while
helping me at the same time. She really loved her work and found it great fun as I made it so enjoyable for her. Luckily,
at times when I had great difficulty in walking I had very good friends and family who could help exercise her.
The range of tasks that Connie has learnt is quite remarkable which she always does with great enthusiasm. As I am quite fit
at the moment I do not really need Connie to do so many things, but she thinks it is her job to help me and would be very
upset if she could not do it!
Her main tasks are personal assistant, helping me off with shoes, even undoing shoe laces, bringing me anything from my
glasses to a rug to cover me over in bed. She picks up all kinds of things for me from pens, paper, sweaters or socks.
Her favourite job is laundry assistant, putting things in and out of the washing machine and tumble dryer and shutting the door.
She also helps me in the kitchen carrying all the ingredients I need for cooking, from pantry to sink in a selection of buckets
and baskets, she then goes back to shut the pantry door! She brings in the shopping from the car and also helps in the garden,
carrying tools or a watering can; she will give things to me or put them in the wheel barrow.
Connie is so sweet tempered and a wonderful companion and will do any thing for me from carefully carrying eggs to pulling
me along in a boat!
I hope my story will inspire other people of all ages who might have disabilities or medical problems."
On the night, Harriet Ringsell and her Hungarian Visla, Yepa, were named as the overall winners. It was justly deserved in every way.
Hazel Carter
International Celebrity Dog!
Connie has now been shown on TV in America and Germany as well as her appearances here. She is a real Celebrity girl
and just loves showing off in front of the cameras. She is amazing, faultlessly performing all her tasks under extreme
difficulties in our tiny rooms packed with TV crew and their cameras, sound equipment and trailing cables.
View Connie's full CV here!
Hazel Carter
Live TV
Connie and I were on ITV1's "This Morning" live yesterday, January 7th 2008.
This was all very exciting, as she has been filmed at home for several TV programmes now,
but this was our first appearance on a live show. It was rather a worry when I was told
that we would be on with some little piglets who would be very close to us. Connie has
seen farm animals before but not pigs, and I did not know how she would react, however it all went
well and she was well behaved for our very brief appearance.
Hazel Carter
Celebrity Dog!
I have written before about my Newfoundland Connie who was featured in the local
papers in August 06 when she was under one year old. There was a lot of media
attention then because of all the work she was doing in the house, garden
and helping me. Unfortunately I had more problems this year which caused
difficulty in moving so Connie had a crash course in a new range of helpful
tasks which she found great fun.
Because of the extensive range of things she can now do, from carrying eggs to
pulling a boat, there has been even more media interest this October. This
resulted in a very exciting two weeks with several photo shoots and a visit from
a TV crew to film Connie and articles and pictures in the local papers and being
invited to talk about Connie's work on a news programme.
The Argus 18th Oct 07 www.theargus.co.uk
Kent And Sussex Courier 26 Oct 07
BBC TV South East Today 18th Oct 07
Talk on "News Drive" a News Current Affairs programme in Scotland. 19th Oct 07
Hazel Carter
Help and advice for all training and behaviour problems with:
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Puppies
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Adolescent Dogs
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Rescue Dogs
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Older Dogs
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Cats and Kittens
High success rates using kind, gentle and enjoyable methods
Every case is carefully considered during an in depth consultation, resulting
in specific advice to suit each owner and their pet. On going help and support
is always available.
Aims
Improving pet/human relationships. Counselling owners. Boosting confidence.
Being positive, encouraging, sympathetic and understanding. To always use
reward based methods which both owners and pets enjoy.
Results
Happy owners. Happy pets. High success rates, often with dramatic improvements.
Talks to Clubs
Interesting, informative and entertaining talks about my experiences as a
behaviourist, including tips and advice, have been very well received by a wide
range of clubs and organisations. Contact me for more information.
Contact
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