Sad News and a Phone Call I never Made

There are times when you regret not getting around to doing something: making a phone call, writing an email, runnin an errand, and then it's too late. My intention to phone Arieh Shmidt since I got home with Suki was one of these instances. Yesterday I read that Arieh had died suddenly at the age of 60.

Arieh Shmidt z"l became blind very suddenly and was given a guide dog named Alvin from Beit Oved. He then became an exemplary figure in the guide dog world, and was a crusader in the war of making people aware of guide dogs and the needs of blind people in Israel who use them. His name was often mentioned often at Beit Oved, always connected with some story or other, dynamic or humorous, or in talking about people who are at the front lines of the campaign that every one of us who has a guide dog is involved.

I didn't know Arieh well, but my son Itai gave me his phone number last spring when I announced that I was applying for a guide dog. I spoke with Arieh once or twice on the phone and he quipped, "Before, no one wanted to talk to me on the train. Now everyone dotn't want to talk to me either, they just want to know if they can pet my dog." Arieh reported that his dog has changed his life, that I should train with Ami, that I would definitely be given a dog, and that I should get a dog as soon as I could. He was assertive and encouraging. I had meant to call him, to tell him I have Suki, and perhaps to arrange a meeting. Now it's too late.

Arieh has left a wonderful legacy: a column on Walla in Hebrew entitled עובד כמו כלב (Working LIke a Dog) in which he tells of his life with Elvin much as this blog tells of my life with Suki.






I did not

What? That's "dowar" too?

Wait a minute…I don’t quite get it… I thought that “doar” meant that I am supposed to go to that silver hole in the wall near the place where we buy milk in Ben Ami called “zvi”. But evidently “dowar” also means that funny red box in Nahariya as well. I guess they are connected somehow because people are always taking envelopes out of them or putting them back inside…I know I did the right thing because I heard the clicker and Bracha praised me and gave me a treat and was happy each time I approached that red box in the middle of the street. I guess both are right.

Today Bracha went somewhere new in Nahariya. When we got there I was petted and given water, and then Bracha sat down in a chair for a long time. I got bored and went to sleep, and when I woke up, Bracha’s fur was shorter than before and we said goodbye and left. Mine, on the other hand, seems to be growing longer, because the nights are getting cold.

Hooray! Pet store again!! No treats this time, only some junk to put on me to keep fleas and ticks off and some goldfish. (Sigh)

Oh, that Smell!

Oh, that smell! All evening with this incredible smell of food and I was not given any. Even though I behaved beautifully throughout the evening. Admittedly I wasn’t hungry when I got there, but hey, I’m always up for another bite…I did a great job of cleaning the floor after the meal, and no one even had to sweep! And I did manage to get a tiny piece of that turkey that someone hid in their shoe especially for me. I know that Richie said that he really wanted to give me a treat, and I guess that was his way of doing it even though Bracha said no. And that very small person was lots of fun. he was just my height!

What is a Thanksgiving dinner like for a dog who is not allowed to have turkey? Suki overcame the endless temptation of the smells of roasting turkey (not at all tempting for me as a vegetarian.) She behaved beautifully throughout the evening. – even allowed year-old Liam to crawl around her and check out her ears and tail.
Shortly after dinner Suki suddenly became immersed in Richie’s shoe – persistently licking and sniffing. Curious, Richie reached inside to see what she was after and discovered a tiny piece of turkey that had fallen inside! So Suki did get one tidbit – her mere persistence was enough to make her deserve it.



Getting three dogs to pose for a picture is no simple matter, but here are all three dogs, finally photographed together: Nuala (6), Sirsha (13), and Suki (now just two weeks short of 2).

Taxi Drivers' Chutzpah Tel Aviv Style

Yesterday’s trip to Tel Aviv was uneventful and all too predictable. Suki was well-behaved on the train and in the restaurant where we went for dinner. I put my granddaughter Rotem to bed and then called a taxi, stating specifically to the dispatcher that I was traveling with a guide dog.

“Five minutes.”

After ten minutes a taxi drove by, and then another and another. Not wanting to miss the last train north, I called the dispatcher again to inform her that no taxi had arrived.

“But our driver said he picked up a passenger by mistake at Sirkin 22.”

Yeah, right...here we go again...


“NO, I'm sorry. He didn’t pick up anyone. He passed me by and didn't stop.”

Somebody was lying like a rug. Annoyed, I explained that I had a train to catch and that if I specified that I had a guide dog with me, would she please make sure that the driver she sent would be willing to take me and not cause trouble. After I had already waited for 20 minutes another taxi finally showed up, I made the train, and met my son Itai at the station to boot.

Suki Learns to Pick up the Mail…Or Almost…
I decided to teach Suki that sometimes we want to turn right to the mailboxes instead of going directly into the grocery store. The Russian assistant stood in the entry of the store in fascination as I taught Suki “Doar” and she headed for my mailbox, which is conveniently at the end of the row and just about doggie nose height! After three or four times (and a few tidbits) I saw sure she had it down pat. Does she know that the mailbox is number 151? Er, I think not…

A few more things to learn…How to handle a phone call when you are working with a guide dog and the person on the other end of the line hears a conversation interjected with “Forward!” “Slow down!” “Straight!” and other unrelated matter…

How to handle old ladies
Reminiscent of Ami’s imitations of Sabochka chorosho!” old ladies have to offer their own two agorot when you are out with a dog. If you are out with a baby, they will tell you that he or she is dressed too warmly, not enough, she can’t breathe in that carrier, put a hat on him…why are you feeding her ice cream? etc. With a dog people are no less generous with advice.

“Your dog is too thin. You should feed her more.”

“You really should let me give her a cookie…she deserves a treat once in a while…”

and (while standing and filling up Suki’s portable water bowl at the drinking fountain in the train station…”Your dog is thirsty. You should give it some water..”

And I thought I was the one who couldn’t see…

Living in Israel means everyone has to get involved and give good advice…

And what to say when someone tells you, “I’ve got a dog just like that at home…”
I doubt it.

Finally, Some Peace and Quiet!

I thought I'd never get a moment of rest this week to get some relaxation. I got taken to the pool, the store, even the clinic, and to the office of that nice guy called Yaron who wanted to give me a cookie last time and Bracha wouldn't let him. But I did get petted and there was a strange bird in a cage there that kept chirping at me all the time. Even the mean man who makes me sleep out on the patio at the swimming pool wasn't around, and the nice one that sits by the pool all the time watching the people swim back and forth and back and forth (I can't imagine why he does this all day) said I could sit next to him if it rained outside. I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to sleep in a puddle of water, but I know Bracha would not stand for that. But oh, I do wish I could go in the water! I think I can swim...but I'm not sure.

There are still some places in town that confuse me: there are no curbs but I'm supposed to stop there because there are cars. If I don't Bracha stamps her foot and yells "Careful!" and then I know I've made a mistake. I'll have to memorize these places. That should not be any problem. I'm a smart golden retriever, after all.

I still haven't gotten a rise out of that big old black dog - she's very sweet but my goodness, sne doesn't want to romp or play. And the other fluffy one just looks and smiles at me. But I guess we are all good friends.

Tonight we get to go to that lecture hall again and hear about Aramaic and Hebrew. It got a bit long for me, so I just went to sleep last time. But tomorrow I get to ride on the train again and go to Rotem's school. Whee!

But I can't figure out that round purple thing that Bracha throws and it flies through the air and when it lands on the ground I can't pick it up. If only I could catch it before it lands...maybe I'll try and do that. If I do I'll be Bracha will click the clicker and give me a treat.

Whoops! The Golden Retriever that Got Away (and, of course, Came Back)

I knew it would happen some time or other - Suki would run away from me. I also knew with certainty that she would come back. Which she did. I was in the yard trying to cope with a frightened but uninjured Nuala who has been bumped by the neighbor's car in a moment of carelessness and a nervous Saoirse who had just returned from the vet after being poked and prodded. Suki was excited over my coming home and I commanded her "artza!" (down). She obeyed, but suddenly she slipped out of her collar and was off like, well, like an energetic young golden retreiver who has been kept in the house for an hour and a half and wants a good run. Instinctively i ran for my whistle and raced in the direction of the road to make sure she was not in any danger of approaching cars. I called an blew two blasts on my whistle several times and after what seemed like an eternity, but was actually only a minute or two, she came running back. I hugged her and praised her - and tightened her collar so that it would not slip off again! She also came back to me immediately after I accidently unclipped her leash from her collar instead of the clip on her leash to adjust its length in the middle of Nahariya.

Every time Suki is loose and she comes back to me, I become more confident that she will always come back. I believe she is already far too attached to me to really run away, but the dangers of having a dog on the loose are far too great to let it happen again.

Now I think it's time for a free run - inside the fenced in basketball court!

Suki's First Irish Music Session

My goodness! What are all these people doing? Sitting around holding all these strange objects on their laps and producing these strange sounds. Some sound like that whistle that Bracha uses to call me, but I'll be darned if I can figure it out...there's no food, and nothing terribly interesting, so I think I'll just go to sleep in the sun until something more exciting comes along...

Now what the heck is that thing? Still no food...and it doesn't even sound as if she knows how to play it properly...but I do like these sounds..what did she say that was called? A jig?

There was a lot of joking at Beit Oved about the fact that Suki would be exposed to a lot of music. She seems to have made a good start, and yesterday's session outside certainly provided Suki with better conditions for hanging out than the last encounter in the pub where she barely had room to lay down. The players who gathered in the backyard of the bed and breakfast cabins at Ben Ami all loved Suki, who seemed to find jigs and reels very relaxing...in fact, she simply lay down next to me and went to sleep. We'll see how she fares at Jacob's Ladder Festival in two weeks' time.

After a much-deserved run around the basketball court where she learned "Tnee" (give me) to retrieve and drop her toy at my feet, we then went on to my friend Bill's birthday party, where Suki was petted and admired by all and behaved, in my unbiased opinion, beautifully.
(Thanks to Ayelet Nativ for the session photos!!

Here we go again...

Yesterday's visit to Haifa was yet another opportunity for the family to rain their affection and admiration on Suki, who behaved beautifully on the train on the way and crowded busses on the way home. Suki gazed out at the view from Itai and Hilla's terrace and then settled down in the sun for a rest.



We then piled into the car and went out for veggie burgers. "I'm sorry, but there's a problem with your bringing your dog in here," chanted the waitress at the entrance. Usual explanation, and she apologized and then bent down when we were seated to pet and admire Suki. It was not long before the shift head waitress sauntered over. Uh oh, I thought, here we go again.

"I'm sorry, but there's a problem with your dog here in the restaurant."

I offered the usual explanations, and added that if she would like to see the law I would be glad to point it out to her on the Internet.

"Oh, I have no problem," she quickly retaliated. "But the other customers might have a problem."

"If the other customers have a problem with a guide dog, it's time they learned the law as well," I told her. "It's their problem, not mine."

Itai and Hilla were enraged and Hilla wanted to get up and leave, but I told herwe should sit and stay right there. We have decided to eat lunch here and it's our right to stay. The shift head scuttled away, obviously aware that she had made a mistake, but too busy dealing with her ego to come and apologize. Itai promised to phone the restaurant the next day and ask them to make their staff aware of the law.

Meanwhile, a family with two young children - the other customers who were supposedly having probolems with a guide dog in a restaurant, sat down at the table next to us. The children immediately wanted to pet Suki and I gave them permission. I explained to them that I didn't see well and that Suki was a special dog who helped me get around.

"Oh, I know!" exclaimed the little girl excitedly. "I learned about that in kindergarten."

Some kids are definitely smarter and more open-minded than some adults.

It's all Worth it.

There are two responses to a guide dog in public: either one of curiosity, admiration, and affection, or that of rejection, discrimination, and downright closed-mindedness. In the short time I have had Suki and traveled with her in public, I have experienced both.
Standing in the train station waiting for a friend, I was approached by someone who asked politely if I needed help. Going into a store (once again to buy yet another purse?) a woman got down and proceeded to caress and kiss Suki, saying she had one at home just like her. (That I doubt). People driving in the moshav stop, say hello, “Titchadeshi” and say good luck. The heartwarming responses of people who simply like to look at a beautiful white dog are lovely.

But, er, not everyone has been nice. This is what all guide dog owners have to contend with. Getting on the bus this morning, the driver rudely informed me, “Dogs drive me crazy.” “They might make you crazy, but I need my dog to get around,” I replied, trying very hard to match his rudeness.
I thought I was through with the problematic cab drivers but I guess I was wrong. All the way home the driver who took me threatened to take extra for taking my dog. I informed him that I was not going to pay him any extra money because it was against the law to charge for a guide dog. He then went on to say that if you get on a plane with a baby, you have to pay for the baby, so why shouldn’t I pay for my dog in a taxi? When we informed him that the Knesset had passed the laws requiring that blind people with guide dogs be allowed on all public transport, and that no charge is to be asked for taking a guide dog, he proposed that blind people simply be offered some extra money every month to pay for transport. “Why should I lose money?” he demanded. I wondered how this quiet, well behaved dog lying on the floor of the back seat was making him lose money and decided not to argue any more.
He went on and on, and I just let him rant. One of these days I am gonna lose it, and heaven help the driver who is around when I do. I hardly think that this well behaved dog, who is clean, brushed, perfumed, and sits quietly on the floor of the taxi all the way home, deserves such treatment. It's frustrating, but it's all worth it.

I’ve seen people in taxis behave a lot worse.

Tel Aviv and Back

Suki and I took our first long trip to Tel Aviv and back where we met Ami for a "refresher" walk. Suki neatly settled herself on the bus to my daughter Yael's house and we then covered the area to my granddaughter Rotem's school. She even waited quietly in the staff room at Beit Izzie Shapiro while I swam with Rotem.

It appears that this is not the only blog about Beit Oved and Israeli guide dogs. The center has a blog as well.

Here is another treat: a short film about Beit Oved sent to me by my friend Naomi:

I Swim. Suki Sleeps.

Don't get me wrong: the advantages of going everywhere with a large, attractive, white dog greatly outnumber the disadvantages, but at times the going gets rough. I will have to become accustomed to the person on the bus, in the pool, at the store, who makes some rude remark about the place dogs should not be allowed. Often I think if I hear "What, you want to bring a dog in here?" one more time I'm going to, er, bark.

I was grudgingly admitted to the pool, where I was allowed to tie Suki up in the tiny atrium outside. I wonder how she will do there if it is raining, or very hot, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Meanwhile, I spread out my towel on the concrete floor and when I came back after a swim (30 laps, boy do I need to get back in shape!) I found Suki had contentedly gone to sleep. It seemed that I minded leaving her a lot more than she minded.

A few unsolved issues:

How the heck do you give your dog hand signals with your right hand when you are carrying shopping bags, a new garbage pail, or a bag with goldfish?

How do you try on clothes in a store when your dog won’t possibly fit into the changing room?

What do you do about those people who shout “It’s green!” at you when they have already crossed the street and you know that the light is about to turn red if you obey them and cross? (Ignore then)

How can you shop for glass coffee cups in a crowded store with a dog who has an overly-active tail?

What do you do when someone complains when you get on the bus and the entire bus begins an open discussion about you and your dog as if you were not there? (Do people think that people who don't see well also don’t hear?)

How do you feed three dogs at once when one of then is an extremely active golden retriever?

How do you get your dog to wake up a liiiiiiiittle later than 05:40 AM?

Toppling the Barricades

Oops! Suki stole a pancake out of the garbage can in the kitchen! Time to buy a new garbage can with a tight lid that can’t be opened by an intelligent golden retriever who is perpetually eager for food.

Hooray! A surprising phone call came last night from Yossi, the director of the pool in Nahariya, informing me that I now have permission to bring in my guide dog. He anxiously asked if I was planning to take the dog into the water with me. I told him I was not. So we won the battle of the swimming pool without firing a single shot (or hardly.) All’s well that ends well.

Another surprising phone call came from the head of the taxi stand in Nahariya where the incident involving Benny took place on Thursday. Jackie asked to apologize in the name of the taxi stand and understood that the incident, which involved a member of the company, was all a misunderstanding: that Assad, the dispatcher, “doesn’t hear very well” and that Benny had intended to take me but had to drive another client instead. I accepted the apology and voiced hope that the company would continue to provide good service as it had in the past. I sensed, however, that some game was going on here: Jackie was attempting to cover for Benny, who had himself not apologized, and didn’t want him reported. \No matter. The fax was sent, and I will continue to receive good taxi service. Again - all’s well that ends well.

After a long haul to the mall, I decided to get Suki and my vet acquainted. Suki tipped the scales at exactly 30 kilograms, and we will be back at the end of December for her vaccination against Park Worm.

Expanding our repertoire of walks on the moshav, I continued towards the end of our road. We first encountered the four or five obnoxious pinchers that bark ferociously and incessantly every time we pass. After that we came to the yard where there are no less than seven dogs, barking frantically and running along the fence. Suki did not like this very much, but I coaxed her to continue on until we were faced with two dogs standing in the middle of the road. That was it. Suki remained steadfastly planted in place, and my command to go straight was to no avail. There was no way I could possibly force 30 kilograms of golden retriever to move: she resolutely stood glued to the spot. I have no idea whether she was afraid of these dogs, trying to protect me, or both, but she was not to be budged, and I finally gave up, turned around, and returned to do our usual walk around the block. The only other time Suki would not move was in the avocado orchard, where she saw, sensed, or smelled something and would not go forward – something that still remains a mystery to me. A snake? A hedgehog? A porcupine? Who knows. Maybe I had better trust Suki’s judgement..

When to Leave Your Guide Dog at Home

There are places to which perhaps it is better not to take a guide dog. Reluctant to leave Suki at home for four or five hours by herself, I decided to take her with me to a benefit concert at a pub. Suki rode quietly and comfortably in the car on the 45-minute trip there, but once we got there I began to have reservations about my decision. The pub was crowded since the event was very well attended, and it was difficult to find a place for Suki between the tables and chairs where people would not step on her paws and tail. (Guide dog owners quickly become well aware of the different kinds of tables and chairs in restaurants: those you can stuff a dog underneath to sleep quietly and those you cannot.) Suki also was not sure what to do about the phenomenon of my being separated from her and going up to that high brightly lit place to sit where there were all those poles standing and black spaghetti all over the floor. And what the hell was that noisy thing I was holding and playing with in my lap? And instead of talking to her, I was making these strange noises loud enough for everyone to hear...! Bewildered, she struggled to make her way among the tables to get to me. I quickly rounded her up, since I was afraid that people would start to slip her pretzels, and got her settled under the table as best as I could. She was well behaved and admired by all, but having already been through a day of walking around Nahariya and a run in the afternoon, was mainly bent on sleeping. I imagine if I had left her at home she would have simply slept the evening away. Moral of the story: it’s sometimes better to let sleeping dogs lie and take a cane along instead...

We woke up at 6:00 this morning to pouring rain. Longing for another hour’s sleep after the late night, I bent the rules a bit by taking |Suki out directly near the house rather than trudge to the usual spot in the orchard, and then crawled back into bed again, remembering I had to buy one of those super absorbent cloths that we had on the course for drying off wet paws and fur.

Continuing clicker training, I have tried to work on “kisay”. Suki finds one place on the couch, but seems a bit confused when I place something on it and occupy one seat and try to get her to locate another empty one. Walking around the moshav this afternoon I knew we were approaching a corner where there are benches to sit. I told Suki “Kisay!” and presto! She walked up to the bench and put her nose on it! It seems this dog is capable of assimilating the rather abstract idea that a couch and a bench are both places to sit. There is probably room in the little hard disk of hers for a lot more.

"I don't take Guide Dogs!"

Since I was reluctant to leave Suki home alone for over three hours last night, I decided to take her to a lecture at a neighboring kibbutz on the Hebrew language. (I subscribed to a series of 15 lectures before I left for Beit Oved). Suki behaved beautifully, sleeping through the first part of the lecture under my seat. She as, however, much more attentive during the second part when the lecturer spoke about different words form the Biblical period and the Middle ages. I guess she found the Aramaic texts in the first part a bit too much…

All in all it was a successful day that included the entire spectrum of how people relate to guide dogs. We set out in the morning, braved the crossing at the hospital, and boarded a bus for Nahariya with an extremely pleasant driver who asked if I needed help getting off. From there we continued on to my accountant’s office, where ASuki was admired by all, accepted a drink of water, and politely refused a cookie offered by my accountant. (Petting is permitted and will be happily accepted – cookies are not. Please don’t feed her!) From there we proceeded on to the drug store, the post office, the bank, and of course, Aroma, where the waitress delivered my coffee to the table. (It’s usually self-service).

Suki worked beautifully and things went well. We ended up in the pet store where she was offered a dog biscuit that I asked to give her myself.

On the other end of the spectrum, (no day can be perfect) I arrived at the taxi station with my knapsack, a bag filled with goldfish, and a dog. There were no taxis, so I stood outside to wait. When a taxi finally showed up, driven by a certain Benny, the dispatcher told him to take the next client, who was me. Benny refused.

“I don’t take dogs!”

“I’m sorry, but according to the law guide dogs are permitted in taxis,” I said quietly.

“I said I don’t take dogs.”

By this time I was simply prepared to wait for the next driver, but the dispatcher was determined to have it out. “You are obligated by law to take a guide dog.”

As the tone of the argument became higher, Benny, intent on having his way, produced his cellphone and declared that he had another passenger waiting at the train station, and dramatically did something to make his phone ring. Staging a conversation, he was gone faster than a Katyusha could fly. The dispatcher wrote the driver’s name and number down on a piece of paper and handed it to me, demanding I report the driver the Ministry of Transportation, and another driver collected me, helped Suki, the goldfish, and me into the cab, and we returned home to fax a letter.

After that morning of hard work in Nahariya and exceptionally good behavior, I decided that Suki deserved a good run, and took her to the basketball court for the first time. Locking both gates, I took off Suki’s harness, put on her collar, and removed her leash and chain. She sat there for a moment, not quite comprehending that for the first time since she had run on the sand dunes in Yavneh, she was free to run. And that was what she did for the next fifteen minutes, stopping occasionally when I blew the whistle to come back to me. Definitely a new stage has been reached, but we’re not ready to run free in the open fields just yet. .

Suki Gets to Know Nahariya

It was finally time to get Suki acquainted with Nahariya. Ami - now suffering from a case of laryngitis from three weeks of instruction - arrived, and we set off, parked the car at the beginning of the main street, and started out on the route all the way to the pool. In my bag I had a letter that I planned to deliver to the manager of the pool, which has so far denied me entrance with Suki.

I am familiar with every store and street in downtown Nahariya, but walking through town I suddenly became aware of things in greater detail: the pattern of the stoplights, which curbs are sloping, which alleyways are liable to have cars suddenly appearing out of nowhere, and where each lamp post and telephone pole are located.

Upon arrival at the pool we were told rudely by the guard that we were not to go in with a dog and that we were blocking the entrance. We asked politely for Yossi, the manager, to come out and talk to us. We got the usual pile of rubbish - no dogs allowed. I have now written letters to the mayor, the city superintendent, and the head of the sports department. Hopefully this will work: if not it will have to hit the press, the radio, and other factors. I would prefer to solve this in a civil manner and remain on good terms with the staff of the pool.

From there we continued back up the main street. Suki sensed a car coming out of an alleyway that Ami and I did not hear and stopped. She was reprimanded only once - for not leading me around two pedestrians who ran into me. Ami then left, and I decided to remain in town to run a few errands. Stopping at the pet store I bought a bag of treats for Suki and arranged to have plants delivered for the fish pond, stopped in the camera store, and went into the bicycle shop, where I purchased a battery-operated clip on red flashing light to hook onto Suki's halter for night walking! Suki was admired and petted in all three places.

At the bus stop I sat down and commanded Suki to sit. She sat down quietly at the end of the bench, but a woman at the far end shouted "Slicha, slicha, (Excuse me, excuse me!)" at me as if to imply that my entering the bus stop with a dog was unacceptable. She quickly got up and left to stand outside. Unfortunately even a well-behaved dog - obviously a guide dog in harness - outside on public property - is too much for some people. The bus ride home was uneventful and Suki retired to her bed for a well-deserved rest.

The Three Dog Walk

The Aboriginies spoke of three-dog nights - unusually cold nights in which you needed three dogs to sleep with you in order to keep warm. Suki, Saoirse, Nuala, and I have now initiated what I call the three-dog walk. It is now becomming a common sight to see me walking around Ben Ami with Suki in her harness, Nuala trotting along, and Saoirse, who is now elderly and who has a, uh, slower pace, to be plodding determinedly behind. Only four days ago I was afraid to walk out the door with her! She has been very good in the grocery store and recognizes the turnoff to the path up to the house, pausing on the opposte side of the road waiting to get the command to cross. I've also used the clicker to teacher the word "meetah" (bed) and she goes and site on her rug.

Most commin questions people have asked me besides the usual is she male or female, what kind of dog is she, how old is she...

How does she know how to get to the grocery store? (She doesn't. I have to tell her the way, though eventually she will memorize it and no doubt go there on autopilot).

How does she know when to cross the road? (She doesn't. I have to tell her when to cross, but if she sees a car coming, she'll intelligently disobey and not cross).

How come you talk to her in masculine? This is still strange for me, but I hope to move her commands and "Good dog" into feminine eventually. Right now she has enough changes to contend with.

It is apparent that people know very little about guide dogs.

Home Training

Suki is learning the paths around Ben Ami, beginning with the grocery store and the walk around the block. Later we will take longer hikes and introduce running free in the fields. Familiar paths now take on a new dimension when seen through the angle of working withn a guide dog - curbs, sidewalks, and driveways have to be properly nagivated so that Suki will learn them and not "cut corners."

Roee and I then walked out of the gate and approached the dreaded crossing at the hospital. Here cars zoom by on the highway and the stoplight barely gives a pedestrian time to decide it is time to cross before it turns red again. We crossed with me extending a hand out to warn drivers that I am crossing and to get their attention. It is a dangerous crossing and I hope there will soon be a beeping stoplight there for the benefit of anyone crossing to the hospital.

Speaking to a friend and client in Sachnin, Islam traditionally considers dogs unclean, but I explained to him that there is now a Fatwa - a Moslem legal jurisdiction - that a blind person can enter a mosque with a guide dog! My friend was extremely interested in this. Here is an article explaining the Fatwa, which was issued in Great Britain:

After months of work by The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), guide dog Vargo has become the first guide dog in the UK to enter a mosque after the Islamic Shari’ah Council issued a historic fatwa11 stating “a blind person, in the light of Shariah Law, will be allowed to keep a guide dog to help him and if required to take him to the mosque for his pr More..ayers2”.

In this momentous event today (on Wednesday 24 September), Vargo accompanied his 18-year-old owner Mahomed-Abraar Khatri to his local mosque in Leicester, seen as a massive step forward for other blind and partially sighted Muslims. Previously a guide dog has not been able to accompany its owner into a mosque as the Islamic faith recognises dogs as being used for guarding and hunting only. However Vargo – and other guide dogs – are working dogs and so necessary adjustments to encourage independent mobility are supported.

A specially constructed rest area has been set up in the entrance of the mosque for Vargo to stay in whilst Mahomed-Abraar is praying. Previously Mahomed-Abraar - who attends the RNIB College in Loughborough - had to be accompanied to the mosque by a sighted assistant.

Mahomed-Abraar and his father Gafar attended an event organised by Guide Dogs and MCB in November 2007 – held to increase awareness of how guide dogs help their owners and their high standards of grooming and cleanliness – to ask if Mahomed-Abraar could have a guide dog. Mahomed-Abraar was given the full support of local mosque leaders and the partnership qualified in June 2008; the fatwa allowing Vargo to enter the mosque was issued in September 2008.

Guide Dogs hopes the fatwa and Mahomed-Abraar and Vargo’s story will set a precedent, encouraging other blind and partially sighted Muslims to consider guide dog ownership. It is also hoped that mosque leaders both in the UK and internationally will now make similar adjustments to enable Muslim guide dog owners to enter their mosque.

Mohammad Shahid Raza, OBE, the Director of Imams and Mosques Council U.K and the Secretary of Muslim Law (Shariah) Council U.K who issued the fatwa commented:

Out of the 210 Israelis who now have guide dogs there is one person in the Moslem Arab sector in Um El Fahem, and there are no doubt many people in the Arab sector who could benefit from having a dog. My friend in Sachnin alone knows of several.

Settling In at Home

Left: Suki and Saoirse getting used to each other

Suki is lying at my feet happily transforming a leather bone into a masticated mess, and has acclimatized to moshav life with ease. Two days ago I was hesitant to take her out of the house, but soon after that we went to the grocery store for the first time, and have just returned from a walk around the block with Suki in harness and Saoirse and Nuala happily walking alongside. On the way I stopped to investigate the basketball court near the youth club and found it to be a perfect place for letting Suki run safely in an enclosed, fenced area. (The temptation to do this is overwhelming, but this will begin only after some time when I develop full trust that Suki will return to me upon command when set free).

Walking through Ben Ami Suki is cooperative and responds just like in the city in areas where there are curbs, crosswalks, and sidewalks, but walks along the road where there are none as we did in the rural walking exercise on the course. She must be terribly stimulated by everything around her – a rooster crowing, dogs barking, leaves blowing, the smell of goats, citrus fruit, and flowers - but she continues on, obeying commands, occasionally glancing behind her, perhaps to see where the other two dogs are.I imagine that her growing up in a foster family with two other dogs is invaluable in her good adjustment, and I must commend Salirse and Nuala for their good behavior as well.

Suki's Earlier Days

Suki romping last December with the Teitelman Family who fostered her for a half year. The two other dogs who were Suki's companions are Tinka and Kroovi.

Suki is a golden retreiver and was born on December 15th, 2007 at the kennels in Kibbutz Afikim. She was then purchased by Beit Oved, together with Sunny (Moshe's Labrador retreiver) and several other puppies. After that she was in a home of a woman whom I don't know for six months, and in August of 2008 she was moved to the home of the Teitelman family - Ayelet, Nurit, Neta, and Nir in Tel Aviv. She remained with them until February of 2009 and was then returend to Beit Oved for her final training period.

The Teitelmans gave Suki a warm, loving foster home and she was rainsed together with two other dogs - Tinka and Kroovi - a fact that no doubt explains her rapid adaptation to my three-dog home! Suki passed the guide dog course with flying colors and I hope the exciting evening in which they were reunited with Suki and met me, her new owner, was as rewarding for them as it was for me.

Pictures of Suki a year ago reveal her as a frisky, beautiful white-colored golden retreiver. The family marveled at how much slimmer Suki looked - they were accustomed to her being a bit more roly-poly, as you can see in the pictures sent to me by Nurit.

Homecoming!

It is hard to believe that just 12 hours ago I was still at Beit Oved, packing, eating breakfast, and going from one staff member to the other saying goodbye. All three of us could say little but we all felt the same: we were excited and eager to begin our new lives with our dogs, but more than a bit apprehensive, afraid to leave the hothouse-like, safe surroundings of Beit Oved where we had been pampered and cared for for three weeks, bereft of all responsibilities except to learn how to work with our new companions. It was not time to say goodbye and to step out into the world.

Two vehicles stood open and waiting: one would be driven by Ami who would take Liron and Moshe home, and the other by Roi who would take me back to Ben Ami and give me an additional day of coaching on Sunday. Refael appeared with our sculpted ficus trees and helped load them and our other belongings into the car. Members of the staff came out to say their goodbyes to the dogs they had worked with and to wish us good luck, and Moshe, Liron, Ami, and I posed for a last photo of what Ami now terms the first clicker training course. Emotional goodbyes were said, promises to email and write, and we were off.



Roi and I chatted as we drove down Road 6, and Roi advised me on how to best handle the first meeting between Suki, Nuala, and Saoirse. I was apprehensive - I would now be totally responsible for Suki, and the open fields and orchards of Ben Ami and the front yard would be all too tempting for an active, curious dog if the front door was inadvertantly left open for a moment!

Two hours after we left Beit Oved we pulled into the front yard. I took Suki and led her into the house for the first time, allowing her to explore all he rooms at will. We then returned to the front yard, where she had her first encounter with Saoirse and Nuala. There were a few frisky moments, bgut later in the day Saoirse and Suki were seen lying calmly side by side, a big black dog and a big white one.

Right now it all sdeems more than a bit overwhelming - I find it hard to believe that I will be able to do anythying else all day but care for dogs! I imagine things will get easier in time, and all in all, I think we got off to a pretty good start.

Reunions and Goodbyes

Our final walk was, according to Ami, the most challenging, but for me it was far less difficult than the night walk in Rehovot or the walk in the rain through Rishon. Ami dropped us off in the middle of the crowded market in Ramle. We were given instructions to walk through the market (no simple matter with the numerous stalls, shoppers, and obstacles), find the fence at the end, and turn left on Herzl Street. From there we were left on our own to find our way to the Regional Courthouse on Weizman Street. Starting out with Suki through the crowded market, walkie-talkie in hand (in case we really got lost and had to notify Ami), Suki and I were accosted with the noise and smells of the market. Fruits and vegetables were a blur of red, yellow, green, and orange as I passed stalls, and Suki maneuvered through people with carts and baskets. I began walking down Herzl and asked directions. "You've got a way to go, about 300 meters, and then turn left." Was that all? I encountered Moshe and Liron on the way but we left each other, eager to accomplish the task on our own. When I turned left a woman offered me help and I assured her that I could find my way in. "But there are stairs there," she replied, concerned.

"It's all right. My dog will help me on the stairs."

I mounted the steps, pulled out the walkie-talkie, and yelled "I'm here!" and sat down next to Liron. That was it. We were now, hopefully, equipped to begin working with a guide dog wherever we went.

Returning to Beit Oved we began the bureaucracy of signing forms, receiving the dogs' medical reports, a nd signing membership papers to the center. We then began a summary of the course.

I spoke to Ami, but felt my words were inadequate. I told him that I now felt that I was in control of my life again, that no matter what my vision was life in the future I felt confident that I could handle it, that I had received their product that was amazing and stunning, and that I felt I had all the tools I needed to work with Suki. I also said that even though the course was over I realized that this was the beginning, not the end, and that we had years of our lives together. "I want to say thank you," I said with tears of happiness of which I was unashamed. It was impossible to express everything I felt upon receiving this lovely, gentle, and intelligent dog as mine to have.

At 5:30 our guests arrived - the families who had raised our dogs as puppies. Ayelet, Nurit, Neta, and Nir walked into the room and Suki's response was overwhelming: she stood on her hind legs and began licking Nir, and tranced with excitement. Anyone who things that dogs don't remember people from a few months ago are dead wrong. It was an exciting meeting and they were all stroking Suki and hugging her. We exchanged phone numbers and emails, and they were given a framed photo of me standing with Suki. They deserved much much more and if they want I will be glad to bring them Suki for a visit.

An Emotional Reunion: Suki, now a Full Fledged Guide Dog, at her Reunion |With the Teitelman Family who Fostered her as a Puppy

Our bags are now packed and thank goodness I am being driven home tomorrow. I don't think I oculd make it home on the train tomorrow with my suitcase, knapsack, my bouzouki, three kilo of dog food, a sack of supplies that I bought in the pet store, the three-foot high ficus tree that I sculptured with Ramael, the bag of souveniers and presents from the shop at the Center, and, oh yes, Suki

Almost Through!

Suki in the van on the way to one of our many walks in town

Tomorrow will be the last day of the course! We have one more walk in the morning, followed by formalities such as a meeting during which we will sign the lease stating that we are taking our dogs on loan from the center. We also have to complete other formalities and forms. After that we will meet the puppy foster families who raised each of our dogs as puppies before they were brought to the center to be trained. In the evening we will have our final party, and the next morning we will leave after breakfast – Ami will drive Moshe and Liron home and Roi will drive me up to Ben Ami. It is strange to think about coming home and parting will be difficult but I imagine we will all meet up again sometime and sit down to coffee together in Tel Aviv with our three dogs and reminisce about the hours of SheshBesh in the lounge, the adventures of walking through the pouring rain in Rishon Letzion, riding on the train to Azrieli, and all the other in-jokes shared by three people who have lived together for three weeks. Each of us will go back to their own private lives, but we will now have a companion to help us that we did not have before.

It will be wonderful to walk through Nahariya with Suki and strange to be without Ami behind me with his constant help and coaching - "Good, follow her!" or "Leash correction!" or "Move inward, overhanging leaves!" Suki and I will now begin the process of learning to work together. I trust her implicitly, remembering the moment this morning when I began crossing a side street and a car suddenly turned into the street without warning and Suki stopped in the middle of the road, preventing me from moving forward until it was safely past. I know I can trust her. Our attachment can only grow stronger. It is now the end of our time in Beit Oved together, but the beginning of a long relationship. I look forward to it!

Train Training and Rain Raining

This morning we set out to walk the route in Rehovot that we walked yesterday, this time on our own, but a cloudburst soon forced us to change plans. We ended up at the train station in Rishon Letzion, where we boarded a train for Tel Aviv. The plan was to get off at Azrieli, and we hoped for a bit of parading around and shopping, but the train was so late in arriving that we had time to use the restrooms and return back to Rishon on the next train! Definitely the first time I have ever taken a half hour train ride in order to use the ladies room! We tackled the route in Rehovot in the afternoon instead, and we were treated to the strong smell of eau de wet dog on the way home in the car. Suki is now dry, brushed, and clean again.

As of today I have had Suki for two weeks, and in three days I will take her home with me and begin working with her taking routes where I ordinarily go at home and in Tel Aviv and nahariya. Working with Suki, often trusting her completely in traffic and in the dark, I have gotten to know her personality (or perhaps "dogality" – well.

Suki is extremely intelligent and eager to please, as are all the guide dogs. She is eager to learn, as demonstrated by the clicker training that we tried a few days ago. She is responsible for leading me properly when we are walking, but she is also sensitive – jumping at the squawk or a parrot in the pet store, and starting at a gust of wind from several large colored pinwheels in a yard we passed by. She is well behaved and quiet, but can get up to mischief – no one else was present at the scene of the crime in my room who could possibly have been responsible for the shredded roll of toilet paper on the rug or the tipped over waste basket and the chocolate wrapper on the floor, so it must have been Suki! She has just the right amount of pepper and mischievousness but is easy to handle. I love walking with her and giving her commands (clues) even in a soft voice, and watch her respond, offering her praise as we go. She also has a few extra "features" that Ami taught her – all the dogs on this course are unusually cooperative about walking to the curb and stopping at the edge, which is extremely important, but Suki also knows how to "walk" into her harness or into the loop of her collar if I hold them in front of her. My imagination runs wild thinking what else I can teach her to make my life more convenient.

Rainy days in the lounge - besides working with our guide dogs, what we really learned on the course was how to play shesh-besh. We had a running tournament going throughout the course. Above: Liron and Moshe battle it out.

Running Free!

After maneuvering through a complicated route in rehovot this morning (followed by the usual stop for coffee) we returned for the usual routine of feeding, brushing, and obedience training. After lunch we set out for Yavneh for what we (students and dogs alike) had been waiting for - a free run along the dunes in Yavneh. After all, even guide dogs have to have exercise and fun. They work hard and need to run off tension. our dogs have been dealing with a lot since we received them and began the course. Now the time had finally come to let them have some real fun.

We climbed up the dune overlooking the neighborhood where we had spent so much time in the first days of the course walking along the broad, empty sidewalks and quiet streets just learning how to turn corners and cross empty streets. At the top we simultaneously released all three dogs. They took off joyfully leaving their footprints in the sand, but as we continued walking they retained a constant distance from us. I blew my whistle twice and Suki came running back together with Petel and Sunny. We prainsed them, gave them tidbits, and sent them off again. From far away it was difficult to see the sand-colored Labrador retreivers, but as they approached Suki's bright white coat and feathery tail became visible. The dogs returned and we attached their leashes and harnesses, and we returned to the car where they each drank about a liter of water. They had finally gotten a chance to work off two weeks of tension and pressure of constant changes that they have gone through in the past two weeks. I imagine Suki happily running through the fields at home. A dog's life!

Our First Outing

Saturday marked still more introductions – Hilla and Itai who had not yet met Suki arrived and again I was terribly excited about introducing Suki to the rest of the family. They were delighted with her and after a short tour of the campus we set out in two cars for Rishon Letzion to go out to eat. Best of all – Ami had given us permission to take the dogs out! I notified the staff that I was leaving with Suki and stuffed her in the front of Yael's car under the dashboard. I was taking her out for the first time without Ami behind me watching. There would be no calls of "Good, good, go with her," or "Correct her, leash correction," – I was out on my own.

We soon reached the area of the promenade by the sea at Rishon Letzion and got out. Hilla was amazed at how fast Suki and I strode along, going up and down the curbs of the parking lot, descending the stairs to the sea, and entering a restaurant. Suki was well behaved throughoug the meal and stayed neatly tucked under the table.

The only slip-up was when we walked out onto the sand to let Rotem go down to see the water and put her feet in. The sky was clouding up to the north and it looked like more rain was approaching. I removed Suki's harness intending to let her "do her business" and she suddenly began to romp about and leap around, thinking that she was to be released for a run! Her strength and power – enhanced by two weeks without being allowed to run free – amazed me, and I realized I was in over my head and I had better get control of the situation. My greatest fear was that Suki would somehow get off her leash and I would have to call her back – something that I had only limited knowledge of how to do. I sat her down and put her harness back on again and she neatly led me back to the car and I tucked her safely back inside. It had been our first outing, and I was thrilled at having her with me, but a bit dubious of the idea that in five days I would be on my own with her.

We returned to the "hothouse" of Beit Oved and after changing Rotem's wet socks (the result of one wave that came too close) we sat down to dinner and Yael and Rotem left. She was disappointed that I would be leaving and she would not be back in Beit Oved again to see me. I assured her that Suki would be with me all the time now, and that she would be her friend as well.