a < " 17, 2018 \ Milton Canadian Champion | Thursday, May FEATURE OPINION § Visit insidehalton.com for more coverage { ~My walk with Cubby: A lesson | in trust New-found appreciation gained for adage 'Man's Best Friend,' says LeBlanc Sometimes it takes a little darkness to have a light shed on something truly impor- tant. After a recent visit to the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides in Oakville, I can certainly attest to that. Invited to be a study bud- dy for a guide dog in training leading up to the Pet Valu Walk for Dog .Guides (May insidehalton.com 27), I went in with equal parts nervousness and excite- ment. harness handle in hand, I prepared to place my trustin =" Cubby, a handsome Labra- dor/golden retriever who's set to graduate soon and will most likely be serving a visu- N Wil the blindfold op and ally-impaired master later this year. Those first few steps were scarier than I'd anticipated, especially with a few cars whizzing by just a few feet away. It's amazing how quickly your sense of hear- STEVE LEBLANC Column ing is heightened when you're cast into darkness. Despite clear instructions and constant assurance from Canine Vision Canada train: ers Greg Clarke (head)-and Allison Ashworth, I was a lit- tle resistant early on and stumbled over one course py- lon - simply because I was holding the harness handle too high and rigid, and hadn't picked up on Cubby's slight turn. . - 'Come on Steve, try to . grasp the whole he leads you follow dyhamic. It's not rock- et science here.. : Poor pup was probably "shaking his head "Try to pay attention, hkie. My doggie treats are on the line here.' . It wasn't long, however, before my comfort level in- creased and I was walking at a more relaxed pace and suc- cessfully navigating the py- lons, offering my trusty GET INTO A CHEVROLET. "EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER. guide occasional forward' and 'find the way' commands - plus some 'good boy' valida- tion as he kept me on the right path. For my part, all it took was a little leap of faith. Another test passed on the road to that doggie diplo- ma buddy. Now I wouldn't suggest for a second that I have the O VIDEO slightest inking of what it's like to go through life with- out sight. That would be stu- pid and downright disre- spectful. But maybe - just maybe - I got a bit of an understanding of what it's like to really trust an animal and have a new- found appreciation for the in- credible service guide dogs provide. View it online at http:/ /bit.ly/ walkwithcubby 4 ¢ Nikki Wesley/Metroland News editor Steve LeBlanc is led by Cubby the service dog and trainer Allison Ashworth. It's hard not to get a little choked up when thinking that Cubby's not just going to - be a loving companion but a bona fide lifeline to someone in need. I've never been a dog own- . er myself, but I've always been a huge dog admirer. The natural instinct many breeds possess when it comes to safeguarding hu- mans is nothing short of no- ble, and in some cases heroic. That's something to think about as the Pet Valu Walk 3 | Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides More than 300 communities across Canada annually take part In the Pet value Walk for. Dog Guides. Most -- including in Oakville and Burlington -- take place en Sunday, May 27. OAKVILLE May 27 at Lions Foundation of n Canada Dog Guides, 152 Wilson i St. Signin at 10 a.m. Walk at LH a.m. \BURLINGTON May 27 at Aldeishot Lions Club, 471 Pearl St. Sign in at 10 a.m. Walk at 11 a.m. Money raised. from the walk -- $15 million to date -- goes to train guide dogs, which can take up to a year and $30, 000 to train. For more information, visit www. walkfordogguides.com. for Dog Guides draws near. I don't think I'll ever see a guide dog again without an instant rush of admiration. ~~ Of all the great experienc- es I've had as a community journalist, this was without question the most meaning- ful. Thank-you-Greg and Alli- son; and especially Cubby. : You did good, pal. -- Steve LeBlanc is a news "editor. with the Oakville Beaver, Burlington Post and Milton Canadian Champion. SER I EE 905-878-2355|WALLACECHEV.COM|801 MAIN ay ho REY