From Nicola Stowe, Sydney, Australia:

My first dog was a black Labrador named Marina. I thought of her as I read the August Ziegler. When I was making the transition from special school to mainstream school, I read to her all through the Christmas holidays. I don't think she understood much, but I was glad to have her listen. At least she didn't criticize me when I stumbled over unfamiliar words, or sigh rather loudly when the book I was reading was boring!
Thinking about Marina, who was a companion dog from Guide Dogs Victoria, made me think of my other two dogs. Marina saw me leave for school each day and come home in the afternoons. She was always there and always went away on holidays with us too!
When Marina got older she became deaf. One day Dad let her out for a run and she couldn't find her way home. Mum found her and called, just at the wrong time and she was run over by a truck. I'm so glad we now have laws that say you must not let dogs loose like that!
My sister wanted very much to have another dog, but I was clear about one thing: I wanted a guide dog when I was old enough to have one, so we had to wait. For a few years there was no dog in the house.
When I was 17, Harriet, a bouncing black Lab, came into my life. She signified my independence. I had just lost considerable amounts of hearing in both my ears. I wanted so much to walk to and from school, and Harriet enabled me to complete my high-school years with safety and independence. For the first time in my life, I could walk to the local shops without my little sister having to come along too!
Now, of course, there's Jarrod. Well, he skipped school, moved from home, and made a transition with me as I learned about my new hearing aids, and now he's at university. Jarrod is the opposite of Marina. If he thinks I've been reading or studying too long, up comes a paw, right across my braille. Smart dog, he knows how to make me relax!