Two weeks he stayed there in a very small cage, which limited his movement and with one visit to the vet his only break. I, in the outside world, was acting like a bear with a sore head so angry at everyone and was behaving like a child. Everyone was trying to help us through this difficult time but I was being so awkward, every suggestion  or offer of help I refused. At the end of the two weeks Endal was still limping and his future was really in doubt, his time in kennels was up. A further visit to the vet revealed  nothing positive, he might or might not get
better. Heather, the Training Centre manager, had taken Endal to the vet on this occasion and had stopped off on the way back. Leaving Endal in the back of her car, she came in and  informed us about the results. I was asked if Endal was coming home that night and I said no! I just couldn't deal with his hurt and mine. If  he came home and then because of his health problems had to go again it would have destroyed me. So Heather took Endal to her home for the night and then put him back into the kennel in the morning.

Sandra, my wife, well and truly put me in my place, once Heather had left, she told me to  "stop being so selfish and to think of somebody other than myself…. Endal!" She said that
Endal needed me so badly at this moment in his life and that I wasn't there for him. That night was the worst of my life, the tears flowed but in the morning I knew in my heart what she said was true and what I had to do! I asked Alison if she could  collect Endal  from the kennels for me and bring him home, where he belonged. If he had ended up limping for the rest of his life then he needed me to take away his hurt,  his pain and keep him happy. Endal came home his
otter tail wagging non stop.

Endal was now mine, I was now his and the emotions held back for so long flowed so freely. Through good and bad times we were a team and it was this that made us the team we now are. After radical change of diet, exercise and a quiet period to heal, Endal slowly improved and  it did take along time but "boy" did he come thundering back in style. I learnt a lot about myself in that few months which strengthened Endal's and my relationship. The roller coaster of emotions, that I never thought I would have again, were brought in to play by my partnership with a Dog. We've been there for each other ever since, helping the other on the bad days and sharing in the good days!

I'd not been long  partnered with Endal and we were really starting to work  well together. Because Endal has not done any intensive training, the only training he has had is while being puppy walked (basic obedience), so everything had to be learnt on our own. Despite this Endal always seemed to know what it was that I wanted even before I was aware of it, he just  reads me like a book. I can put my hand down by my side day and night and he is always there (this very second he is resting with his head on my feet!)

The "washing machine" was something Endal just couldn't do, our machine has a door which is "a pig" to open for humans -  let alone a dog. Anyway one day a film crew came to our house, being local to the training centre we were ideal for filming at short notice. The producer asked if Endal could do the washing machine, I had to admit to the fact that Endal couldn't open the door  but we could just have him put his head into the machine with the door open  and pull out some washing. If we filmed Endal touching the closed door with his nose then surely they could edit it to look like he had opened it?

Endal had other ideas though, he watched the film crew set up and then when  "action" was called he bounced up to the washing machine, opened the door (without any difficulty) took out each article of washing and then shut the door. 
After which he bounced around the kitchen as only a dog can! He repeated this performance perfectly four times for the film crew, but after they had gone he wouldn't do it again, that was until the next film crew came! That is Endal for you, teaching me to have more faith in his abilities. He can now save my life any time day or night and I trust him to do so.