With Ron I got my independence back...

Michael Nosov moves around with a Guide Dog named Ronald. This is what Michael told us about himself.

Ron is my second Guide Dog. Before I had Jemma, which was trained at Kupavna School. She lived with me many years and I was happy with her work although she had her faults. But nobody's perfect. When Jemma died I was left without my assistant. I became dependent on other people again. I never walk alone. During the years when I had Jemma, I got used to being able to going anywhere I wanted, help my family at home. Jemma was trained by Nina Kadykova, she is a great dog trainer. So, I wanted her to train my new dog. I heard that Kupavna school had major changes. So, I called Nina to find out if I could have a new dog. She told me that Nina left Kupavna school an, as well as most of the dog trainers that I knew. I was very surprised and upset. I wanted my dog to be trained by an experienced trainer who I trust. A guide dog is not a toy. I must be confident in it. Nina told me that the dog trainers didn't quit their work and were trying to go on their own – Center for training dogs for disabled people. This was not an easy task as they needed money. So they didn't know when they could help me. I decided to wait and got lucky. Nina soon told me that the Center got a dog as a present, which was suitable for the job and they could train it for me. So I got Ron.

With Ron I became independent again. Ron helps me well. We go everywhere together: shops, a bank, a post office, a chemist. My granddaughters go to summer camps together with my daughter (she works there in the summer). I stay home together with Ron. If I didn't have him, I'd never stay home alone. And I am confident with him. We also look after a cat. Ron became friends with him at once. He is a very friendly dog, happy to see everybody. Sometimes stubborn but I manage. He also likes to chose his own route when we go shopping, not the one that the trainer and I showed him. But he always brings me right to the steps and then we walk into the shop together. Everybody knows us there, both shop assistants and customers. They help to chose purchases. Although it is not good to allow a dog to walk away from the learned route but I don't mind. He never let me down. I can't even imagine what I could do without him!