George K. Cunningham
University of Louisville
> Katherine,
> Thanks for the note on dogs. Couldn't of come at a better time. Margaret
>
Lucky Dog
October, 1993--Europa Times
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``We will not have him put down. Lucky is basically a damn good guide dog,''
Ernst Gerber, a dog trainer from Wuppertal told reporters. ``He just needs a
little brush-up on some elementary skills, that's all.''
Gerber admitted to the press conference that Lucky, a German shepherd
guide-dog for the blind, had so far been responsible for the deaths of all
four of his previous owners. ``I admit it's not an impressive record on
paper. He led his first owner in front of a bus, and the second off the end
of a pier. He actually pushed his third owner off a railway platform just as
the Cologne to Frankfurt express was approaching and he walked his fourth
owner into heavy traffic, before abandoning him and running away to safety.
But, apart from epileptic fits, he has a lovely temperament. And guide dogs
are difficult to train these days.''
Asked if Lucky's fifth owner would be told about his previous record, Gerber
replied: ``No. It would make them nervous, and would make Lucky nervous. And
when Lucky gets nervous he's liable to do something silly.''