10,000 marchers and one guide dog

Bracha here...Gilad Shalit's parents were joined by 10,000 marchers and one large white dog today on the first day of their 12-day march from Mitzpeh Hilla to Jerusalem. Suki joined me as we walked from Ben Ami to Nahariya and then on to the southern entrance to town where a rally was held in a local mall. I never go anywhere without Suki, and thought that since I wanted to join the walk than naturally Suki must come with me. I took her portable water bowl, put on her shoes, and we started out.

I think Suki did very well. The most difficult thing for her was not the distance and the hot weather, as we walk at least that far quite often and she often runs hard in the fields for far more than an hour. What was difficult is that there were hundreds of people, many shouting loudly, blowing trumpets and horns, and making a lot of noise. And Suki's instincts and training were put to the test when for the first time ever we walked down the center of the highway, which had been cordoned off by police, and did not walk on the sidewalk as she had been taught. All of Suki's mind must have been hollering, "YOU IDIOT! GET BACK ON THE SIDEWALK where we BELONG!" At one point I really thought she had had enough, and she lay down under the pedestrian bridge about a quarter hour before the end of the walk. But some water, a short rest, and some treats got her going again, and we made it all the way. Suki slept through most of the noisy rally, but I could hardly blame her. Suki's shoes now show the first signs of wear, but thanks to her shoes her paws held up fine on the hot asphalt and sidewalks and her shoes attracted a lot of attention. . She came through with flying colors. But she's far too tired to write tonight.

Suki here. I'm glad Bracha wrote for me last night because frankly I was so tired I couldn't even sit up. After I ate my dinner I just lay down in my favorite spot by the front door and went to sleep. I know that Bracha did everything she could to make sure that I would not get overheated, thirsty, or that my paws would not get burned on the hot pavement. But I've just never seen so many people in my life! Bracha says it was good that there were so many people marching to bring Gilad Shalit home, but it was not easy for me to walk among everyone. People kept shouting about my shoes. What's so special? They were all wearing shoes. Why shouldn't I? And those trumpets they kept blowing and car horns honking and kids shouting ...it was all a bit confusing. And I could not understand why everyone was walking in the road. People are supposed to walk on the sidewalk. So after about 45 minutes of this I had really had enough, and I lay down on the ground under the bridge where it was shady and windy and just wanted to go to sleep. Bracha let me rest a bit and then I figured, what the heck, we need to show our support all the way, so I got up (with a little encouragement) and finished the march. It was nice to lie on the floor in the cool mall and go to sleep. So I'm very proud that I was allowed to march too, and to show my support. I would not have wanted to be left at home. But then, I never want to be left at home...

Being a Regular Dog Again

As you all know, there are two sides to a guide dog: The working guide dog in harness, and the "regular dog" that comes out when the harness comes off. The first is our job. The second is for letting off steam, and just having fun and relaxing and being a dog.
All week I had to be a guide dog. I had to ride busses and trains, enter coffee houses and elevators, and lie quietly while people attended to important things. I didn't get a free run for several days, and I spent a lot of time just sleeping. Not my usual life style at all.
So when Bracha set off from home down the road in the other direction yesterday, I knew that things were going to start looking up. Pretty soon we made the right turn and when we reached the place where we cut into the orchards and start the overland route, I turned hopefully and sure enough, Bracha told me to cross the road and go in. And then she stooped down and told me to stay, took off my harness, changed my collar to my black webbed one, and said, "Chofshi!" (Free!) And off I went. I couldn't stop running. And soon enough I found the first place to get nice and muddy. It seemed that Bracha didn't even care. If I wanted to goof off and be a regular dog, than I deserved it. And soon we got to the stream and in I went. There's not too much water at this time of year, but it's the stream just the same and it's still fun. And that wasn't all! On the way back I found a nice big leak in the irrigation pipes in the orchard, and in I went. By the time we got home I was half a white dog and half a black one, and was thoroughly contented. So Bracha got out the shampoo, the scrub brush, and the little pool, and I got scrubbed down, hosed off, and then rinsed off in the pool. And if that wasn't all I got a bowl of water with an ice cube in it and a new peanut butter Kong, too! Not that I don't think I deserve these things. But it is nice that Bracha takes my needs into consideration. I guess she appreciates me.

Strange Surroundings

Bracha's mother (Savta Miriam to me) is now recuperating from a broken femur in the hospital in Tel Aviv, and we spent a lot of time traveling and visiting this week. I've gotten a lot of practice riding those crowded little rooms with sliding silver doors that go up and down and whose doors seem to begin to close too quickly just as we are walking through, and Bracha stands in the entrance and makes sure that I am safely inside and sitting down facing the doors. I think Bracha is a little scared of riding in these things with me, but we've gotten better at it. There was one of those rooms at Beit Oved, and I remember Ami telling Bracha how to get me safely in and out of them so that we would not get caught in the doors! There are lots and lots of them but they are all the same. I memorized, the way from the taxi stand through the building, out the other end, and into the next doorway and on to the little rows of silver doors that open up and the way to Savta's bed, so that we get there quickly every time. I know that Bracha was very proud of me for doing this!

I soon became a model dog – curling up quietly under Savta's hospital bed and coming up to her occasionally to offer a cold nose or gingerly raise a paw to the edge of the bed in encouragement. I was soon greeted by the entire ward staff and all of them came to recognize me from one visit to the next. One nurse started with that "Hey…" that usually is followed by some effort to get me out, but Bracha spoke to her quietly and politely and she said that Savta could come and stay there until she got better and that I would be welcome. I know that Bracha would never allow Savta to be in a place where I cannot come visit. I consider myself an integral part of anything that goes on, since I have to be there. Now Savta is being moved to a place called Ree hab, and now I'll have to memorize a completely new route. Child's play.

So here's what we need when we travel: Bracha has a special knapsack and we never go out without it:

• Water – it's hot outside and Bracha and I need to drink.
  
• My shoes (in case the pavement gets really hot)
  
• My collapsible water bowl (always impresses people on trains and station platforms)
  
• Several "Saki Kaki" bags in case I, well you know…er…
  
• A portion of my food in case we won't be getting home in time
  
• A bag of treats – easier to get me up from sleeping on the floor of the bus than dragging me by my collar. I've gotten Bracha pretty well – conditioned into giving me one, and then I get up in a jiffy! And frankly, I think I deserve them.
  
• A florescent green floor rag that can be spread on the floor of taxis where I sit. This way drivers can't complain about my fur shedding.
  
• The rest of the bag is filled with things for Bracha. But that's not as important as my stuff…After all, Bracha can't go anywhere without me!

My Private Pool

With temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Centigrade and the pavements so hot a dog has to dance from one foot to another at street corners, it's up to owners to find some type of relief for hot dogs.... So here is my latest when we can't get to the beach or the river! Bracha set up my little pool outside. I just can't figure out how to get under water and start swimming. Either the pool is too small, or I'm too big...but it's sure good for cooling off!

Strutting down the street in my new shoes

It took a bit for me to get used to my new shoes. First Bracha put them on me in the house and let me walk around with them. Then we went on a short walk on the road, and once in a while I hesitated, but soon I was trotting along, and the shoes made a funny swish swish in rhythm as I walked. And they didn't fall off, either.
So Yesterday Bracha took me out on the road and took off one of her sandals and felt that the road was so hot that she could not walk on it. "If I can't walk on it barefoot, than it's too hot for you, too," she told me. So we went back home and she put my new shoes on. I was so proud of them that I could barely concentrate on walking, not to mention the fact that it was very hot and by the time we reached town and were at the first stoplight, I stood panting. People kept looking at me and saying, "What a pretty dog! Look! It has shoes!" I actually think they look quite flashy. People kept asking Bracha why I had shoes on and she explained that the sidewalks are too hot for a dog to have to walk in the middle of the day. Wait till I get to Tel Aviv with them! And Bracha has extras so that if one falls off and we lose it, it doesn't matter. People keep asking her if I don't try and take them off. "My dog would NEVER let me put shoes on her!" But I'm not just any dog. I'm smart. Why should I? I feel a lot more comfortable not having to dance a jig on the hot sidewalk every time we reach a stoplight and have to stand and wait. And look at all the attention I get!

How to Keep Cool

Shortly after the sun comes up it is already hot outside. If we are not walking in town I spend a lot of time sleeping at home and keeping cool. But eventually I know that we'll go out for a walk. My new shoes are waiting in a neat little stack for the day when it gets hot enough to put them on in town. The nice man who sold them to us told Bracha not to let me run on the grass with them, only on the sidewalk. They will keep my feet cool.

So here are the ways that I keep the rest of me cool:

The best is the beach. I'm cool for hours afterwards because my fur is damp and the cool wind blows through it. Next best thing is the river, but it's getting muddy there, so Bracha, not wishing to invest in a bottle of dog shampoo each week, is avoiding it.

And then there is this nice stuff that Bracha calls "ice." there's nothing like it. I've learned to stand next to her when she's drinking and wag my tail, and eventually she will say, "Suki! Do you want Ice?" I will wag my tail even harder and she will reach into the glass and give me a piece every time..

And today I found something wonderful that I can only assume is a shower for dogs! In the avocados there are long pipes running along the ground, and suddenly I came upon cool water spraying out of one! I got underneath and stood there, luxuriating in the cool spray and wet leaves on the ground underneath. How very considerate of people to put these things out in the orchard to stand under when I am hot! A dog shower!

A Bit Like Swimming

Here is what we discovered at the back of the neighbor's avocado orchard. Bracha didn't understand what was ahead until we got there and she put out a hand and told me to go ahead. "Kadima, Suki! It's wheat! Look!" At first when I saw the field of wheat I was afraid to go in. It made a sort of hissing sound in the wind and moved all the time like the water does at the beach. But then I couldn't resist and took a leap into the stuff. It was not like water at all, but sort of prickly, and I had to leap through it because it was over my head, which was lots of fun. And Bracha likes it because it's a place where she knows that I, er, won't get filthy. She's getting tired of shampooing me.

Shoes!

Look at my new shoes! They seem to go together with getting a treat when Bracha puts them on, so I guess they can't be all that bad. And when sidewalks and roads get hot in the summer, maybe my feet will be cooler. And what's more, they glow in the dark!

A Morning Without Suki

There are a few things that it is difficult to do with a guide dog. One is swimming in the sea when you like to go far out and stay in the water for a good half hour or so. I cannot leave Suki on the beach, and when a neighbor offered me a ride to town and back, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and go for a swim. Armed with my cane, which I always hated and still hate, I headed for the beach. It was strange not to have harness in hand, and the commands that I would ordinarily give Suki ran through my mind as I navigated my way down the sidewalk, occasionally bumping into people who were not careful enough to walk around me. No dog to wind her way through and avoid people!

The swim was lovely. I decided to try a few more things that are difficult with Suki in hand like shopping for clothes and walking through the crowded bakery. So I also managed to go to the bakery, the supermarket, and get a couple of new shirts. But by the time the little jaunt to town was over, I missed Suki badly. As always, I felt far less confident without her, and even though people at stoplights offered their help, I felt far less independent and happy with a cane than I do with my dog.

Coming home again, I was greeted by an enthusiastic golden retriever who had made short work of further demolishing her kong that I had filled with peanut butter. (It's time for a new one!) Once in a while it's nice to go for a long swim. But I'm so glad I have Suki.

 

 

By the Sea

Hooraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! As soon as I saw we were heading for the beach I pulled so hard that Bracha had to settle me down. I can't help it. I love it. And after a morning on the train and walking around Haifa, I was all but chomping at the bit to get loose and run. So when Bracha let me off the leash I was extra good - coming back occasionally to spray water all over her and accept a tidbit, only to run off again. Bracha knows I will come back every time, especially if she goes into the water and I have to keep a careful eye out. But I did have my fun. And I even found some playmates to romp around with. I don't know how many times I ran in and out of the water, raced around the beach, came back again, and ran back into the water, but finally I collapsed in a heap on the sand and Bracha made me call it quits and drink water. After all, I had to walk back through Nahariya again, and I headed straight for the dog water drinking station in front of Aroma, where I drank about another liter of water.
I think between ice cubes and the beach, we can get through the summer. Even with a full coat of fur.

On Coffee, Cake, and Ice Cubes

A long time ago right after Bracha and I began our life together we were treated badly in a restaurant in Haifa and told we had to leave. Bracha fought it out with the waitress and the woman in charge and eventually they left us alone. When Itai complained the following Sunday, the owner was very apologetic and offered us a free meal as a sort of apology. Now it seems that the same thing has happened to someone else in Kfar Sava, and "Coffee and Friends" has offered anyone with a guide dog free coffee and cake for a month.

This sounds kind of ludicrous. After all, people with guide dogs can't be conned into accepting all kinds of abuse if they are offered free food and coffee afterwards. We rejected the guy's offer for a free meal, and just said that we wanted to be treated properly next time and allowed to eat there just like everyone else. If the owner really wants to make amends, he should consent to put a sign in the entrance announcing that guide dogs are allowed. That way no one will ask any questions.

I don't think I would want anyone to offer me food after they treated me badly. Why should Bracha or anyone else?

And now there is someone else with a new golden retriever – D, who was on the short course when Bracha got me, now has Casper, a golden retriever who looks to be about my size! He's lovely! Best of luck to D and Casper in your new life together! And if Casper sits down and acts stubborn like I do, just remember that you have to be gentle, firm, and use the clicker, because if he's anything like me, any offer of food will be irresistible. It even gets me up when I am already asleep and Bracha wants to take me out. One sniff of a treat under my nose and I am up like a rocket ready to go out the door. It's much better than hauling me up on my leash and collar.

But what really cools me off now in this hot weather is this wonderful stuff Bracha gives me. It's very cold and white, and when I put it in my mouth it turns into cold water. And if I manage to chew on it, it just disappears. Then Bracha gives me another one. I don't know how she makes this stuff, but it's great for cooling off after a long walk! Now, what I really want is to stop walking on the hot pavement and get back to the beach. Tomorrow? Pleeeeeeeeeeease…

Hooray! The Beach!

The pet store in Givatayim is definitely a place worth marking, so every time we approach the corner of Katznelson and Sirkin, I make a beeline for it. And luckily most of the time Bracha wants to go there. The man there says he enjoys seeing us work together and that made me feel good. And it made me feel even better when he put a handful of biscuits in Bracha's hand to give me later. Not only that, but he stuffed a few little rawhide bones in the bag with the dog food Bracha bought. I guess he really likes me. So did the man on the train who sat across from us on the way home, but I was so tired all I could do was sigh with relief when the train started moving and crawl under the seat and go to sleep. It's a long hard day getting from Ben Ami to Givatayim, Haifa, and back again.

Bracha was considering going to the beach without me, but in the end she didn't like the idea of traveling to Nahariya and walking through town without me. To tell you the truth, I think she couldn't resist the fun of taking me there and watching me run on the beach. I even got a shower there and shampoo. I love the beach. And it's a place where I can get wet and come out clean. The only trouble is that it is difficult to go into stores and coffee shops with a damp dog smelling of Eau du Wet Canine that occasionally shakes itself spraying water over everything in the surrounding area. And anyway, after we are through at the beach, I'm tired.