When Belynder Walia first got Chico, her black Newfoundland, she fell in love immediately. He was a big ball of fluff even as a puppy, beautiful in both temperament and looks. Currently weighing a reasonable 70kg, all he wants is to be hugged, loved, back scratched and fed rice pudding!
Chico came from a sire of lifeguards in Rochester, Kent and his instinctive nature to assist in saving lives was evident when he found Belynder blacked out in the bathroom one day.
“I had a miscarriage and Chico saved my life as I was haemorrhaging, by tugging on my arm and licking my face. Being childless is one of the hardest things to go through in life, I believe, and having a dog like Chico saved me emotionally, mentally and physically,” said Belynder.
After that time, working in a school as an educational practitioner, Belynder trained Chico to become a service dog. He would go to school to work with the children and most of the time would lie down in the library, while a few vulnerable children read to him. Belynder found that he worked particularly well with the autistic children, as he was so patient with them.
Chico displayed the ability to sense the feelings and emotions of those around him and played an invaluable role in helping to keep the children calm. Now, in addition to being a therapy dog, Chico has also become a model as he loves to pose.
