I NEVER WALKED ALONE

Ms. Hickford continues her relationship with Prudence the guide dog in this wholly appreciative, unsentimentalized record of their life in a small house outside Colchester. First met as a puppy in Eyes at My Feet (1973), Prudence remained a responsive, obedient, unceasingly accommodating companion in any situation--at the dentist's office, on holiday, or during a BBC taping at Broadcasting House. Her only weakness: a preference for ponds, puddles, mudholes--so they usually traveled with a towel. As the dog neared her twelfth birthday, a retirement was planned; once Prudence became accustomed to Dorothy, a tenant/friend, a replacement could be introduced. Ms. Hickford met Suki, the new recruit, at the guide dog training center in Leamington and brought her home; Prudence had cooled as planned and, true to character, she made this last adjustment, switching partners and conceding a place in the bedroom. Prudence's many accomplishments, given the spotlight, never obscure the commendable energy and achievements of the author herself, and this gently paced glimpse of their exemplary partnership has an unassuming appeal.