Final Paws: Brian Imeson from Challacombe with his Guide Dogs Enton and Yorkie
by Tortie Eveleigh, photo by Andy Hobbs
Many people say that dogs enrich their lives, but Brian Imeson’s two Labradors have transformed his life and given him an independence and self-confidence which, when he knew he was going blind, he thought he’d lost forever. Golden boy Enton (now 15 and retired) and boisterous young Yorkie are Brian’s guide dogs past and present. Owning a guide dog is a great privilege and an awesome responsibility, as Brian explained when Tortie visited him and his wife Tricia at their isolated cottage near Challacombe.
A huge amount of work goes into breeding, selecting and training a guide dog, so that by the time it’s ready to be placed with an owner it’s worth around £50,000. No wonder The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association gives every guide dog regular health checks and training assessments. “When I go out I have to carry a wallet with contact details in case of an accident,” Brian said. “For the dog’s vet, not for my doctor!”
Brian acquired Enton 13 years ago, following a rapid deterioration in his eyesight due to macular degeneration. Before they could go home, though, they had to go on a three-week training course together. “That was a turning point in Brian’s life," Tricia said. “It gave him so much confidence! Our son said it was like getting his Dad back again.”
At the time, home was a hotel business in Ilfracombe and it was a great advantage for Brian to have Enton there to begin with. Towns are generally easier for blind people than the countryside, not least because there are people to ask for directions. Anyone who has become lost in the fog on Exmoor will have some idea how difficult it must be for Brian to go for country walks – one missed point of reference can throw him completely off course. Another potential problem is the ubiquitous muddy-lane-with-potholes. Guide dogs are trained to avoid puddles and potholes, so a walk up a country lane can become a challenge of epic proportions.
Brian’s glad he had dependable Enton first, and it helped enormously that he was partially sighted while learning how to work with and look after a guide dog. His next dog, a ‘dippy blonde’, ended up as a pet with her puppy walker after leading him into a ditch several times and (the act which sealed her fate) into a pond. So Brian was matched with another dog, a bouncy black Labrador called Yorkie who walks with a swagger and tries to bend the rules at every opportunity.
“If I’m out with Brian, Yorkie switches off and tries to get me to do his job for him,” Tricia told me. “He also likes to ‘help’ me in the garden; tomato picking’s his speciality. He’s much too clever, really.” “He even worked out how to get two dinners,” Brian added. “You see, I feed Yorkie first and then Enton. I used to be able to tell them apart because Enton makes a funny lip-smacking noise but Yorkie learnt to mimic him exactly so he got fed twice and poor Enton got nothing! I’m wise to that now.”
Yorkie and Enton behaved like relaxed family pets as we sat talking in the cosy sitting room. However, as soon as his harness is put on Yorkie changes into work mode – and only very occasionally forgets what that means...
His favourite thing is shopping, and he’s especially fond of the self-service fruit and veg displays in supermarkets. On one occasion he decided to help an assistant unpack a box of apples, and on another he helped himself to a Brussels sprout and carried it carefully all the way to the checkout! His least favourite thing is the bull from Brockenbarrow Farm. Guide dogs are trained to be brave about all sorts of scary situations, but unfortunately a close encounter with a bull isn’t one of them. As Brian and Yorkie walked back home from Friendship Cross one day, they stopped in a gateway to let some traffic pass and a bull snorted at them. Terrified, Yorkie fled home at breakneck speed, with Brian hanging on valiantly, straight through all the potholes and puddles in the lane.
Brian has led such an interesting life that he alone could be the subject of an article. For instance he worked for Granada television for many years and met The Beatles, Laurence Olivier and other celebrities. But now the A-list celebrities in his life are most definitely Enton and Yorkie. His love and respect for them is immeasurable, and they’re great ambassadors for the wonderful work of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.
