ENDAL 2007 - Recovery...

"Gosh aren't the doggie loving population are just so caring" said Allen Parton " on hearing through the media that my faithful assistance dog Endal was injured at Crufts this year... Endal's email has been inundated with get well emails from all around the world two hundred and fifty to date.

 I wonder if Endal knows just how many folk genuinely care about him and how special he is to so many

I would like to echo the content of the many letters and press articles about how special the Crufts veterinary team are. One never truly appreciates those working behind the scenes at Crufts if all goes well but it is their rapid response and actions that can alleviate the hurt and suffering of an injured dog more rapidly than if one was at home. When ever Endal hurts himself I tend to go to mush anyway, despite twenty years of military training, the emotion one feels around an injured animal has no bounds. The kindness shown to both of us both by these unsung heroes in the veterinary office is humbling and thank you never seems enough but it said from the heart.

Therefore an urgent update is called for

After a weeks R and I, "post" Crufts, Endal was still a little sore around his neck. But in true Labrador style, that didn't stop him terrorising the squirrels and rabbits whilst out on his daily walks over the South Downs. The second  week he has improved greatly and even attended the annual Pet Food manufacturers association Lunch (PFMA) in London, where he was served his own special dish of beef which even Paul Daniels would have been impressed the way Endal made it disappear in a flash.

 This week I can safely say he is back to his normal ways and has even  started be mischievous by to give me bits of rubbish out of the paper bin so that I give him a reward, he makes it look like he has retrieved it from the floor...who is teaching who here I ask myself!!!!

Anyway I am really pleased to report  the Allen and Endal partnership are back to full fitness and thank you all so much for being such a caring lot. Endal means so much to me and every so often I have to ask my self what I have ever done that deserves his unconditional love and devotion over the last ten years. To look in to the eyes of an ill dog  and not be able to make them better straight away is probably the hardest thing a owner can do..but lots of cuddles and fussing can go along way though.

 Yet another piece of paper delivered to my lap!!!!!

Fulfilling their commitment to support the Imperial War museum's animals of war exhibition, in which their story is being shared, the intrepid duo Endal and Allen Parton  flew "up North" to help launch the Exhibition which had transferred from London to Manchester's Imperial Museum

 "Travelling on a bank holiday weekend was not one of my best laid plans" said Allen "having failed dismally in booking a train space for Dog and Wheelchair on the any networks going that way, our only choice was to fly and the only viable option left. Heathrow and Gatwick flights were fully booked but our regional airport at Southampton had a availability on most of their flights. I have tended to use the bigger airports because I can enter the aircraft safely via the pier with Endal and in my own wheelchair, a quick transfer straight in to the aircraft seat. Southampton was going to be altogether different as the aircraft is parked out on the airfield and there are steps etc to navigate

On our arrival at Southampton airport terminal, we were taken straight to the front of the checking queue and quickly booked in, this allows time for a comfort break for Endal prior to going through security. I am sure the security staff were just using the security check as a way to pet and fuss Endal, who lapped up all the attention. The advantage about using a small local airport is that one only has to check in 45 minutes before the flight takes off, hence more comfortable for assistance dogs between breaks....we were learning all the time.

 One of the rules about taking assistance dogs into aircraft cabins is that they must wear a flight harness which secures them safely to the seat. We were quickly called to the gate and taken on to the airfield. The rows of aircrafts with engines whining and the smell of aviation fuel is enough to spook any dog and I was grateful Endal was wearing his special harness (no mischievous slipping of his collar) but I need not have worried as he bounced along the airfield with out a care in the world, in fact he was happy to jump on any plane regardless of where it was going. The next operation is quite horrendous as we were both to be lifted up to a lift van on a small tailgate hoist, barely enough room for my wheelchair, but with Endal as well, a bit more risky than I was comfortable with. So I asked one of the stewardesses whether Endal could go up the aircraft steps with them. I think there was nearly a fight between the crew to be the one to take Endal on the plane...weird! Ten minutes later I was sat next to Endal who had grabbed most of the space for himself and we settled down for an uneventful flight to Manchester. Big yellow sure is clocking up his air miles, this being his fiftieth flight. Endal by this stage looked like he had been bludgeoned, his head stained with red lipstick kisses from the stewardesses, trust me nothing but nothing gets rid of stain.

 Allen said "I will admit that Endal's celebrity status is wonderful, especially when it comes to travelling. The kindness shown to us both is really humbling at times, I can't thank everyone enough for making our journey to Manchester so effortless. Endal still manages to look every part the seasoned traveller, even at 32,000ft. He even has his own complementary sandwich and water (the rest of us mere mortals have to pay for ours!!!)

 We arrived at Manchester on time and disembarked without problem and was through to our waiting taxi within 30 minutes, a quick visit to the bushes for Endal and off we went to the IWM Museum. On arrival  we were interviewed by the BBC Manchester, Endal stealing all the limelight by playing around during the filming. He never lets me forget who the real star is in this partnership. Media commitments met we retired to our hotel at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, fair bit of grass for my loyal chum but that's another story.

 Saturday morning very early we arrived at the museum for the official opening of the exhibition, designed to be a family fun day, which was such a great success. Outside there were displays of flyball and canine agility, also in attendance regimental  ferrets, sniffer dogs and a falconry display.  Renown TV vet Steve Leonard did the official opening bit and then the invited dignitaries and guests were given private tours in the morning. More interviews for Endal with Granada TV and the local news papers and then eventually we became part of the exhibition tour in the afternoon to the public. The children were so delighted to see a real live dog in the exhibition and witness first hand what Endal can do to enable me every day since my injury in the Gulf War. It was so nice to meet up with our friends from the kennel Club, CEO  Rosemary Smart accompanied by a delegation from the KC and  John Stirling Chairman of Pet Partners insurance both principle sponsors of the Manchester exhibition.

 There was quite a poignant display on in parallel  the Falklands war exhibition commemorating 25 years since the war of which Allen was a veteran. It only seems like it happened yesterday said Allen, the memories still so vivid and clear. Reports of ships hit, ships lost and as this was more of a naval war in the beginning so there were many Naval comrades lost too. The exhibition was perfect and gave such dignity to the memory of those that never returned home.

Special Exhibitions Gallery

This major family exhibition which ran from May 2007 to Jan 2008  explored the remarkable role of animals in conflict from the First World War to the present day using hands-on interactives, photographs, film and sound clips, paintings, touchable sculptures, and memorabilia from the Imperial War Museum collections and private and public lenders from all over the world.  The Animals’ War is sponsored by the Kennel Club and PetPartners plc.

Follow the family-friendly A-Z of stories to explore the intriguing and often surprising stories of animals in war.  Get hands-on designing your own dog with the Kennel Club’s interactive computer game and see just how much a camel can carry in times of war. Discover how some animals have a remarkable sense of smell and see if you are brave enough to sniff out a few smells yourself.  Play the most exciting game of snakes and ladders you’ll ever come across, measure yourself up to a camel and meet our very own life-size elephant.

Among the working animals whose stories are included in the exhibition are Winkie, the pigeon who saved the lived of a ditched aircrew by carrying a vital message revealing their location; Sefton, the cavalry horse who survived the Hyde Park terrorist bombing by the IRA; Endal, the assistance dog who helped to rehabilitate a badly-injured Gulf War veteran; and Roselle, the Labrador who led her blind owner to safety from the 78th floor of the World Trade Center after it was attacked on 11 September 2001.

Animals of many kinds from dogs and cats, to lions and eagles have also been adopted officially and unofficially as pets and mascots by the armed forces. A number of these are featured in the exhibition including Rin Tin Tin, who was found as a puppy on the Western Front in the First World War and went on to become a Hollywood legend; Judy, the pointer, the only animal to have been officially registered as a Japanese prisoner of war; Voytek, the bear mascot of the 22nd Transport Company of the Polish Army Service Corps who saw action at Monte Cassino in 1944; and Simon of HMS Amethyst, the only cat to have been awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal known as the “animals’ Victoria Cross”. Dickin Medals on display include those awarded to three police horses during the V1 Flying Bomb Offensive of 1944 and to Buster, the spaniel, who located a cache of arms in Iraq in 2003.

It is estimated that 16 million animals served during the First World War – by 1916 alone the warring nations had raised 103 cavalry divisions with over a million horses. Despite increasing mechanisation and advances in technology, animals have continued to play their part in the front line. Mules, elephants, camels, horses and other beasts have transported men and material in difficult terrain. In the Second World War over 200, 000 carrier pigeons were used by Britain’s armed  forces and secret service organisations. Dogs have guarded military personnel and property, located injured soldiers, tracked down enemy insurgents and sniffed out explosives. More recently rats and pigs have also been trained to clear minefields and the dolphin’s sensitive sonar has been exploited to identify mines in the Persian Gulf.

The accompanying exhibition book, The Animals’ War, written by the historian Juliet Gardiner, with a foreword by Jilly Cooper, is published by Portrait, priced at £20.00.  A children’s book, Animals at War by Isabel George and Rob Lloyd Jones has been published by Usborne to coincide with the exhibition, priced at £4.99. These books, together with animal related merchandise, are available from the Museum shop.

The Animals’ War at Imperial War Museum North is sponsored by the Kennel Club and PetPartners plc.  The Kennel Club’s primary objective is “to promote in every way, the general improvement of dogs”. The organisation was founded in 1873 and is able to offer dog owners an unparalleled source of information, experience and advice on dog welfare, health, training and breeding.

PetPartners plc is one of the UK’s largest pet insurers – specialising in not only offering, but promoting exceptional pet health and welfare together with the Kennel Club.

October 2007

FOR THE POPPY APPEAL 2007

February 2008

Endal and his pals

advertise their skills

News Release

5^th February 2008 

MAN’S BEST FRIEND GIVES ROYAL MAIL STAMPS

LICK OF APPROVAL

Royal Mail will pay tribute to man’s best friend on 5 February with six stamps showing working dogs in action.

Fighting crime, saving lives and simply making everyday tasks a little easier are just some of the vital roles performed by thousands of the UK’s working dogs.

 This week Endal, a Labrador retriever assistance dog, launched the Royal Mail Working Dogs Special Stamps in London, by posting the very first letter bearing one of these special issue stamps. Canine Partner Endal a twelve year old assistance dog has been faithfully enabling his disabled partner Gulf war veteran Allen Parton for the last eleven years and was named Dog of the Millennium.

This is the first time a set of special stamps has been devoted entirely to these highly trained dogs, with the issue celebrating two important events; 2008 is the Year of the Assistance Dog, and also marks 100 years since the first British police dogs walked their beat at Hull Docks.

Working Dogs are invaluable to their handlers and owners. With highly skilled training they are used in a variety of essential tasks such as assisting with mobility problems, raising alarms, tracking, chasing, thwarting smugglers and pin-pointing lost or injured people.

 Julietta Edgar, Head of Special Stamps, Royal Mail, said: “It’s easy to forget that there’s a ‘secret army’ of thousands of hardworking dogs who make a real difference to many lives.

 “I hope that this issue will help raise the profile of their important work as customers see the dogs on millions of letters and parcels every day.”

Stamp Details:

Issued by Eulogy! on behalf of Royal Mail

Tel 020 7927 9999

Email: stamps@eulogy.co.uk 

 Dog by Dog – A Quick Guide

1st Class – Assistance Dog

These dogs are specially trained to raise the alarm and help with a range of everyday tasks. Tasks include opening and closing doors, switching on lights, retrieving slippers or keys, helping someone dress and undress, and even taking the laundry out of the washing machine.

Typical breeds: Golden Retriever, Labrador and German Shepherd.

 The dog shown on the stamp is a Golden Retriever called Rowan.

46p – Mountain Rescue Dog

The intrepid Search and Rescue Dogs Association was set up by Scottish mountaineer Hamish McInnes in the 1960s. It trains dogs to ‘air scent’ – picking up a human scent blown towards them by the wind or air currents.

Typical breeds: German Shepherd, Border Collie, Golden or Labrador Retriever.

 The dog shown on the stamp is a Cross-Bred called Merrick.

48p – Police Dog

Today several hundred highly-trained animals provide valuable canine support to police forces up and down the country, helping to apprehend criminals, uncover evidence, keep unruly crowds under control, as well as sniff out explosives and drugs.

Typical breeds: German Shepherd, Labrador and Springer Spaniel.

 The dog shown on the stamp is a German Shepherd called Max.

 54p – Customs Dog

 It takes around three months of intensive ‘hide and seek’-based training until a customs dog has the nose and expertise to uncover anything from hidden contraband and banknotes to illegal immigrants.

Typical breeds: Labrador, Springer Spaniel, Border Collie, and some cross-breeds.

The dog shown on the stamp is a Springer Spaniel called Max.

 69p – Sheepdog

The sheepdog has become synonymous with the familiar black-and-white Border Collie. With a fierce intelligence and steely glint in their eye, they’re capable of herding sheep, cattle, poultry, deer and ostrich.

 Typical breeds: Border Collie.

The dog shown on the stamp is a Border Collie called Bob.

78p – Guide Dogs

 Dogs have led the blind since Roman times, though the modern guide dog programme was introduced in Germany for veterans who lost their sight during WWI. There are some 4,600 guide dogs in the UK, provided by The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

Typical breeds: Golden Retriever, Labrador and German Shepherd.

 The dog shown on the stamp is a Yellow Labrador called Warwick.

Images of the Working Dogs stamps are available by telephoning Eulogy! on 0207 927 9999 or via e-mail from stamps@eulogy.co.uk

Assistance Dogs taken to new heights !

Picture Allen Endal Ikea Sandra

and the British Airways flight crew

Canine Partner Endal Arguably now one of the most famous assistance dogs in the world and his human partner Gulf war veteran Allen Parton broke another personal record by taking their fiftieth flight together with British airways on Monday The event was made that bit more unusual as at their side, at 32,00ft was Canine Partners golden retriever Ikea, one of the charity's demo dogs, owned by Allen's wife Sandra Parton. Assistance dogs are now allowed to travel comfortably in the cabins of aircraft now which removes the need for sedation and crating in an aircraft hold. Normally only one dog per flight is allowed but as Endal and Ikea live and work together they were permitted to fly on the same aircraft.

Both dogs were given two complementary seat spaces, so they were able to stretch out in relative comfort, Endal sleeping all the way, except when the lunch was been served. Allen says it is so funny to see the differences in the two breeds, Endal looks out of the aircraft window and sees a cloud and you can see his brain thinking "can I chase it"..Ikea on the other hand looks out and sees the cloud and thinks is it going to crash into us ...he really is a little worrier.

 Allen was accompanying his wife Sandra, Canine Partner's puppy operations manager, on a visit to Canine Partners puppy satellite in Scotland, 30 miles north of Dundee. The flight coming in to Edinburgh was extremely rough because of extreme gales "said Allen" and the announcement from the flight deck really summed it all up... "we hope the landing was as interesting for you as it was for us on the flight deck up front?". You can't explain to the dogs what is happening during a flight but they both behaved impeccably despite the buffering they had to endure. The British airways cabin crew really went out of their way to ensure that both Endal and Ikea were comfortable through out their flights and ice cubes and water provided (plus the odd half a sandwich).

 "Our fellow passengers, especially the children, were really amazed to see the two dogs getting on to the aircraft" said Allen "and I think Endal and Ikea caused a delay in the turn a round as during disembarkation everyone wanted to pet and say hello to them on arrival at our destination.

 2008 is being celebrated as the year of the assistance dog and canine partners and the other assistance dog organization are planning various events to recognise and raise awareness of the work these amazing dogs carry out. Allen said faithfully Endal has been working at my side for 12 years now and the partnership has only been as successful as it is because of the help and assistance given to them by a very special group of people of which he includes the staff of British airways. "The skies really have no limits for for Endal and I" says Allen

ENDAL IMORTALISED FOREVER - UNVEILED AT CRUFTS 2008 ...

[click PORTRAIT to see  ENDAL'S PORTRAIT - by Nigel Hemming now]

Canine Partner Endal immortalised for ever...

It was during 12 year old Yellow Labrador Endal's record breaking 11th appearance at Crufts, that an Oil portrait of  this arguably the  world's most famous assistance dog was revealed to the world's media on Sunday in the Crufts NEC press office

Carolyn Menteith  writer,  dog behavioural expert and Television presenter currently on Animal Planet's Top dogs programme..... long time friend of Allen Parton ...made the reveal of the portrait. During a very emotional speech she explained how on embarking on a professional career in the canine world, her aim was to meet exceptional dogs and her very first assignment was to write about Endal. She has followed Endal's career over the last ten years and often writes articles about his exploits and achievements, never once losing sight of the amazing human animal bound that exists between this inspirational pair .

Nigel Hemming, the world renown canine artist,  who had accepted the commission to immortalise Canine Partner Endal on Canvas ,following on from Carolyn, said that this had been personally  an unusually unique and very exciting project to have been involved with. He also stated how in awe of Endal's abilities he was and found it humbling how Endal has transformed Allen's quality of life over the last twelve years. The significance of the reveal has been made that bit more appropriate as 2008 has been designated the Year of the Assistance dog.

An emotional Gulf war veteran Allen Parton said "that sadly one of the conditions of my head injury is long and short term memory loss and my greatest fear is that in ten years time I will have  forgotten how Endal looks. This portrait, that has taken the best part of two years to produce and has closely  been followed at each stage of development by the film crew that is making the Allen and Endal movie". After it had been revealed Allen said " I was totally lost for words. That adoring  Endal look that I am so fortunate to experience every single day had been truly captured on the canvas and one very precious moment in a long and illustrious career has now been captured for ever. I really could not have found a more perfect artist to have painted Endal in this way. Nigel had spent an awful lot of time getting to know Endal, understanding what makes him tick and getting right under his skin to reveal the real Endal character"

The finished portrait has a stunning image of Endal, proudly wearing his George Cross medal, adoringly looking up towards his human partner Allen Parton. Painted in the background are very much softer images of Endal operating a cashpoint  machine, taking a tin off a supermarket shelf, operating a train door button, even one being naughty standing in a muddy ditch and one of Allen's all time favourite images of them both together

It is hoped that there will be an availability of limited addition prints of the portrait as it is so very unique and thought to be very much a collectors item.

 links ...

http://www.artist.co.uk/artists/nigel_hemming/

http://www.nigelhemmingeditions.com/homepagepg.html Nigel Hemming

http://www.dogtalk.co.uk/ Carolyn Menteith

www.endal.co.uk Endal's web page

MARCH 2009   FAREWELL ENDAL ...

CRUFTS 2009

Did Endal touch your life?  Please pay tribute on  his Cold Wet Nose Blog