Week 26 - Maya leaves for Atherton

The day finally arrived for my beautiful German Shepherd Maya to leave us, to enter Atherton Training Centre to begin her specialised training. The day before she was due to leave, we decided to make her last full day with us special, and treat her and Quella to a day out at Rhyl beach. I hadn't free run them together before. I prefer to free run them separately so that their focus is on me and not each other, and that way they don't stray from my side. Yet this day was special for Maya, and she had the time of her life splashing about in the sea with Quella. Maya is very much a water baby, and will always have a splash about if she can find some water. She has been my only Guide Dog puppy that will happily walk through a puddle on a walk, but most do not like the rain very much. 
The next day my Puppy Walker Supervisor was coming to collect Maya after lunch, so in the morning I took her for another free run locally, on her own, so I could have some quality time with her. And after lunch, spot on time my Supervisor arrived to collect her, and Maya was waiting with her little bag packed, containing a comfort blanket impregnated with lots of scents from home, plus several of her favourite toys to play with, to help her settle in kennels. So off she went, I went out to the car and took my final photograph of her, of her time with me, sitting in the back of my Supervisors car.
My Supervisor gave me a card to say thank you for raising Maya, and it had a picture of a German Shepherd puppy on the front, just like Maya when she was a puppy, (lump now in throat)
Next day I received a telephone call from Jenny in the kennels, to let me know how Maya had settled, and assured me she was o.k. She also said that Maya is a stunner, (well I already knew that) and she also commented that Maya was very obedient, so well done Maya for being an obedient girl. Jenny also told me that Maya’s trainer had been spending time with her in a quiet room, bonding with her.
Ten days later I received a call from Maya's trainer, who also commented how pretty Maya is, and also how obedient she is, and said how nice it is when a dog comes to them when they are so obedient, so I was very pleased with that comment, and Maya didn't let me down, bless her. Her trainer also told me that Maya has accepted the 'body piece' of the harness; the handle will be attached later. I was so pleased that she had accepted the body piece, as so many dogs are withdrawn because they do not take to the harness, so fingers
crossed the rest of Maya's training goes well. 
The dogs are reviewed every four weeks by the trainer's Supervisor, so Maya's trainer has said she will let me know how she gets on.
I have enjoyed every second of puppy walking Maya, as she has been no trouble at all, and a perfect house guest.
I miss my beautiful girl loads.