One night, not long after I began to learn the computer, I was in a chat room and the subject of dogs came up.On the spur of a moment and for reasons I do not know, I began to tell the story of my dog, Kody. Since that night there has been some who have suggested that I write Kody's story and have it published. I am not an author, I do not know correct grammer and have never published anything before but Something besides my friends is telling me the story of Kody needs to be told. When I have a feeling this strong about something I know that I must comply. There must be someone, somewhere who need to read this story. I do not know whom, where or why but I will do what I must and leave it in the hands of the ALL MIGHTY to take care of the rest.

Before I can tell you the story of Kody, I must first tell you about myself. Could Kody's story have started well before Kody was born? I think so. It was the summer of 58 that I was sixteen years old, I developed a severe case of the mumps. I had extreme high fevers and chills that were not treated medically. When the fevers had ceased and I was once again aware of my surroundings,I heard a terrible loud ringing in my ears almost constantly. I was losing my hearing. There was nothing the doctors could do. It was nerve deafness. This was to be my fate! It has been a slow progressive condition and in the beginning it did not hinder me much. I managed to cope with it and lived an almost normal life until the winter of 1991 when the lost had gotten to the stage that I could no longer use the phone. My friends and family who came to my door could no longer make me aware that they were at the door. Some never returned or called again. I realized I had to do something, but what?

It was then that I thought DOG. Surely this would be the answer. I had a good knowledge of dogs, having obediently trained several as family pets for our sons. I knew a dog would let me know when someone came near. Not just any dog would do. It had to be a special dog. I was unconcerned about the breed or color. I knew I would know him when I saw him. For no particular reason, I chose to visit the animal shelter once a week on Fridays. I went there several weeks and did not find 'the dog' I needed. Then one Monday morning about 10 o'clock I had a strong urge to visit the shelter again. I cannot explain this and I shall not try. That feeling was there and I knew that I had to go. When I arrived at the shelter, I was told they had just washed down the dog area and there was a lot of water dripping. If I told her a dog I wanted to see she would bring it out to me. I could remember only one dog there, a white one I saw on my Friday visit. I asked for the white one. She returned shortly with the most beautiful white dog I had ever seen. It was not the dog I saw on Friday. He looked at me with big brown eyes as he sat very obediently beside the lady. I knew that I was looking at one incredible animal. A dog that was very intelligent as well as well trained and really beautiful. This can't be 'the dog'. NO, this one won't do, he is to big, he has all that long white fur and will shed all over the house. Something has to be wrong with him or the owners would never have gave him up, So with all of this going on in my head, I went home.

Upon entering my home I went into the living room and sat down in my recliner. I had a very anxious, guilty type feeling as if I had done something wrong. I sat there for about thirty minutes with these strange feelings troubling me. I decided to go back to the shelter thinking I would, somehow, get rid of these feelings. I went into the dog area and began to play with a small brown dog, ignoring the cage with the white dog. This is a nice, cute little dog, I began to tell myself, It is a good size for in the house. Then I glanced toward the cage with the white dog and there he was looking at me from behind the bars with a slow wag of his tail so much like the gentleman that he was. All the other dogs were howling and barking and begging for attention. He had the look that said I knew you'd be back and I know you are going to take me. It was then that I remembered when I first began my search for a dog, the shelter had told me that since I needed a dog to do a special duty, I could take out any dog and keep it as long as I needed to test it before I made my decision to adopt. So remembering this, I thought I would have nothing to lose. With this in mind I told the lady what I wanted to do. She seemed excited and it was then she told me a little about him. He was not quite two years old. His name was Kody. That was the name my dad went by. He had died when I was just five years old. Kody had just came in that morning when they opened at 10 o'clock. That was just after I have the first urge to go to the shelter. Can this all be coincidence? I think not!

Now that I had made my decision, I felt a calm, peaceful, type feeling that I can not describe. It must be experienced to be understood. Kody was very calm and acted as though he had always been with me and knew exactly what he was suppose to do. He hopped into my car and laid down without any coaching, then looked at me as to say, What are you waiting for? When we arrived at my door he marched in as if he had lived there always. There was just one problem. A white cat that lived with me. When she saw this big white creature she took to the basement in a mighty fright, there to remain for a week. She decided to reclaim her domain. I found some blood and scratch marks on Kody's nose and knew the cat had conquered the dog. They were never friends. Kody tolerated her and never did her any harm. She was the boss until she got old and died.

When Kody had been with me for ten days and I knew for sure this was the dog for me, I took him to the animal hospital to get the job that I had agreed to have done.Then I went back to the shelter to return the old leash and collar that I had borrowed and to tell them that I would be keeping Kody. When I walked into the shelter carrying them in my hand, the lady jumped up, clapping her hands with joy. She cried Oh, goodie. I was astonished and amazed that she was so excited to get those old things back. Then I realized she was happy because there was no dog wearing them.

When God created the dogs, could he have given them a six sense that humans know nothing about? I think so. There has been many times that I would be sitting in my chair thinking of going somewhere and Kody would jump up and start to barking that I want to go bark and he has realized that I do not hear well and has trained himself to be my hearing dog with just a little encouragement from me. He will alert me to the unusual sounds with a special howl that he uses for nothing else. I always know, even if I am outside, that the phone is ringing, there is a siren or any other similar noises and he always stays near. Is this God's way of supplying all of my needs as he has said? (Php4:19) Kody is now my legal hearing dog and I can take him where ever I go and not be denied assess. This is great. That is the ADA law that was signed in 1998 by President Bush. It is a good law. It is a blessing. When my husband had to live six hundred miles from me for thirty two months to finish his career so that he could keep his pension and medical card for life, I could never have stayed here alone and kept our home had it not been for Kody. I felt sercure with him with me. It was a comfort to have him with me during this time. It was a lonely time and he was good company to me.

It was on a cold January day that I decided to go to the park and walk the trail. This is something Kody and I love to share. In the winter it is a lovely but lonely place to be. As we got on the other side of the lake I noticed that Kody had begun to walk 'at attention' and very alert. I was alarmed. There had been a lady murdered in this same place where we were, and while walking this trail. I saw a man coming toward us. What could this mean? I kept walking and keeping my eyes on Kody. I knew he would tell me. Then as the man got closer his tail began to slowly wag, then a bit faster as the man approached. I realized it was someone that Kody knew. The tail was really wagging now and he was excited as I had never seen him before so I just dropped his leash and let him go and he ran straight into the arms of this stranger.After a few minutes, the man looked up at me with tears in his eyes and said This use to be my dog, I trained him. We chatted and he told me the story of why he had to give Kody up and it was sad. He said it was the hardest thing he had ever had to do and it broke his heart but that is another story and it is not mine to tell. Now after Kody was through greeting his previous owner he was ready to complete his walk with me. He strutted away, never looking back and it was then I knew that Kody was really my dog! God had took care of my needs as he had promised when he had given him to me.

UPDATE April 2000 Since I placed this story on the internet, many have written how much this story has touched them in so many unusual ways. The responds have been great. It brings me a lot of pleasure to know that this story has helped other people and touched so many hearts. I am more convinced today than when I wrote Kody's story that it had to be told.