'Maybe Joe' A homage to Hazel 1293 words

‘Maybe Joe’ - A Homage to Hazel         1293 words

I have a dear friend called Hazel and three years ago she had a stroke.  It was devastating to all of us who knew her as a dog trainer.  Like me she qualified as an instructor for what was then called the British Alsatian Association although she took her exam before me.  I qualified in 1970 and at that time I was the youngest person to do so.  I didn’t know Hazel back then.  I only really got to know her after she decided to open a branch near Boston some thirty odd years later.  She had hesitated because she was the only qualified instructor, or so she thought, as, at that time, she didn’t know I was qualified too but once she did, that made up her mind.  She had previously helped me with my young dog, Denzel, a very challenging but loveable dog and I first met her when I very reluctantly allowed myself to be persuaded to go for the Bronze Good Citizen Award.

Hazel took the class before the Examiner arrived.  Although Denzel could do all the exercises my problem was…would he do them?  He was as I say quite a difficult dog, probably the most challenging I have ever had.  Bearing in mind that over the years I have owned thirty eight GSD’s since I got married so for me to say he was challenging is saying something.  Funnily enough, he came from good working parents as all but one of the puppies were going to the Police.  The breeder wanted me to have him because I had more experience than the other buyer who had first pick.  I soon found out why.  But as I say he was loveable and very handsome being a grey sable, a colour I didn’t much like but he was gorgeous to look at and his colour was superb.

Everyone who saw the problems I was having advised me to get him castrated but I had never had that done to any of my dogs; they were all entire.   So,  I hesitated, particularly as I was told the Police wouldn’t take a castrated male and although I have never given up on a dog before I will admit that I couldn’t be sure I could cope with him or had the necessary strength too.  He would not have been a problem if I was young but I was not so I was sorely tempted.  Anyway, the upshot of all this is that Denzel that day excelled himself as he not only got his Bronze but we were invited to go for his Silver, which he got and then invited to go for his Gold, which he  also got.  The club only found out after that I shouldn’t have been allowed to go for all three on the same day. Too late, so…tough!  Denzel was the kind of dog who would only put in a performance like that once.        

Anyway to continue with Hazel’s story when I first met her she was already seventy years old and like me had worked most of her life as proprietor of a boarding kennels and so we had very similar backgrounds.   However, she was also much braver than I was as she would tackle any dog head on whereas I looked for a different less confrontational route.   Both of us had been bitten a number of times and quite frankly it bloody-well hurts although I must admit I wasn’t bitten at club but people always assume that if you work with dogs that somehow they don’t hurt you as much as they would if they bit someone else.    At that time  we were the only qualified instructors and this meant for insurance purposes one of us had always to be there but generally we were both there as one, usually Hazel, would take the Advanced class and I would take the more difficult Beginners class not because I was a better Instructor but because it meant I could work Denzel then later Lincoln in the Advanced class.  The more I saw of Hazel the more I liked and admired her.  She was feisty, capable and brave but with a wonderful sense of humour too and we just hit it off.

Hazel was also very supportive of me when I was recovering from bowel cancer and just as I started to think I was getting there I lost Denzel to a urinary tract infection  that took both the vet and myself by surprise as he should have recovered from that but instead he got peritonitis and died and I was distraught.  I not only lost my constant companion but also my best friend as because he was so challenging I had to spend so much time training him which I happily did as I love it and I loved him despite his cussedness.

I have not been without a dog since 1962 and for much of that time I have had up to six dogs all of them living in. I didn’t like living in the house with just Derek and me rattling round the place as it felt so empty.  So, the upshot of all this is that Lincoln came bursting into my life and strange as it may seem he is the exact opposite to Denzel.  Lincoln is the most laid back, loving dog, though not in a tail wagging kind of way as he quite often doesn’t even get up when I come down in the morning and he has never once attempted to jump up to greet anyone, not that I would want him to.  When my friends come to the house or indeed any visitor, if they take their shoes off that is the first thing he goes for.  He doesn’t chew them he just likes to carry them round until I spot him and tell him to give them back, which he always does.

Once again, Hazel gave me time to train Lincoln at club so she took on my class too bearing in mind that she was over seventy by this time and the Beginner class is the more difficult because not only have you got dogs possibly with behavioural problems but also their owners don’t know what they are doing.  One can never be quite sure they will react in an appropriate manner should it be necessary so the Instructor has to look out for any possible disruptive or dangerous situations that novice handlers may not even be aware of.

Anyway, to continue with Hazel’s story, I think now might be a good time to give the reader an idea of what I mean by feisty, capable and courageous. I think the best example would be to tell you that when she had the first stroke it robbed her of her speech.  The only two words this cruel condition left her with were ‘maybe Joe’ and with those two words, on one occasion when no other instructor was available, she took a class and using just 'maybe joe' kept the class working for an hour.  Believe me that would take some doing.

Now, however, Hazel has had a second massive stroke which her, up to now  indomitable, spirit cannot defeat and it was such a dreadful shock to see her when we visited a couple of days ago.  My heart goes out to Bob, her husband because he looked a broken man as we sat or stood huddled by her bed.   She slept for most of the time we were there but I knew she would recognise Derek’s voice so I got him to speak and I stood directly in front of her and sure enough her eyes flickered open and she tried to crease her mouth into the smallest sign of recognition.  She knew I was there and that matters!

End