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Two Seeing Eye Dogs Take Manhattan: A Love Story    by Lloyd Burlingame Amazon.com order for
Two Seeing Eye Dogs Take Manhattan
by Lloyd Burlingame
Order:  USA  Can
CreateSpace, 2012 (2012)
Softcover
* *   Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth

Most of us have seen Seeing Eye dogs at work, gently guiding their charges around cities and towns. We marvel at the wonderful symbiosis of dog leading human.

Ever wonder how it might seem from the dog's point of view? If so, obtain a copy of Two Seeing Eye Dogs Take Manhattan and discover for yourself. Lloyd Burlingame has written a delightful book – or should I say his two dogs, Hickory and Kemp, have written a delightful book?

Hickory starts the tale with his training and eventual meeting with the 'old Prof' as Hickory called his master. The two immediately became a team as Hickory was able to win Lloyd's trust. A mention of the operas that Hickory slept through and the regard most of the population of New York City held for him make a story worth telling. The only sour note is when a small restaurant forbade Hickory from entering even though the law clearly states that Seeing Eye dogs are permitted to join their masters at a meal.

I never thought about what would happen to a dog should it become too old to carry out its duties. They are retired! In Hickory's case, to a suburb with open space and two other smaller dogs. His emails to Lloyd and Hickory's successor Kemp could easily be just what whisks through a dog's mind. Kemp made a more than satisfactory successor to Hickory. Rigorous training had to be repeated on the old Prof's part while Kemp helped to create the bond that would keep Lloyd independent.

It's a heartwarming story that is humorous in many parts as well as uplifting as we recognize that the human spirit, helped at times by canine spirit, can accomplish almost anything.

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