I was heading out to the Mansion this morning to drop something off, and Red came to the door and looked at me in a way I completely understood: he wanted to go and work with me. It’s been hard avoiding his gaze while Fate and I head out to do our therapy work.

I decided to try it, and told him to come and he rushed out to the car. “Come to work with me,” I said, and he rushed to the door, tail wagging, whimpering with excitement.

He is no longer able to jump up, and his blindness makes the ramp fraught for him, so I lifted him, and we went to the Mansion.

Georgina was sitting by herself in the Secret Garden – Bert is off with her family for nine days. I’m getting her some particular fitting jeans. She was thrilled to see Red and talked to him for five or ten minutes. He listened intently.

She hadn’t met Red, and he did his thing, coming gently over to her and following her voice, and looking her in the eye (he has partial vision in one eye) and they made an instant and loving connection.

He sized her up in a second and just put his head in her lap and on her arm. The rest takes care of itself. They sat there like that for long minutes.

It was great working with Red today; I just wanted to cry at how well we work together, how we need no words, only glances, and sighs. We are extensions of one another. He is always calm, always near me, always looking for signals and intentions.

Sometimes, it seems he knows my thoughts before I do. He is a mystic.

I do wish working with Red could have gone on forever, as great as Fate is, and she will be great, I believe. But she isn’t Red,  and shouldn’t be.

She has a style and demeanor and instincts of her own. In a sense, we are just starting out together. I respect life, and I accept it. Red has had a great life, Fate will also. I have learned so much from my dogs.

Few dogs can connect with people as lovingly and patiently as Red; he is an empath.