Dog Days

I'm not sure why they call hot July days dog days. They are not fit for dogs at all. I've worn through one or two of my shoes, and Bracha puts them on me all the time. There's just no going out without them. And I'm always at my water bowl.

But I've gotten used to lying on the patio at home and trying to keep cool. I've even stopped barking when Bracha leaves me there for a short time. I know she'll come back. Bracha praised me for this and I know why: she never liked it when I barked when I was alone in the house.

Now, there has been a lot of talk about discrimination against us in the past week. People's patience grows thin particularly when it's hot and difficult to be out. Within a short time in the drug store we were accosted by one woman who told Bracha to make me sit down because she was afraid of me, one who gave the old snide remark of "I didn't know they allowed dogs in here," to which a child, who was evidently more in the know than she was, said, "It's a guide dog." By the time we had gotten out of there, Bracha had heard enough. So when we got to the little restaurant where we always have humus and I sit quietly under the table, Bracha's fuse was, well, a bit short. This time we had no intention of sitting outside because it was very hot and there was no shade outside. So we went in. It was a bit crowded and the waitress told Bracha, "You can't sit inside, there are people here and food. You'll have to sit outside."
"It's too hot to sit outside, and I can sit inside with my guide dog. It's the law," explained Bracha. If you like I'll show you the law." The owner, who knows us, looked out from behind the counter. He gave one firm order: "Anyone who doesn't like the dog in here can sit outside." And that was the end of that. Apologies were given and we had a very nice meal.

Now, I know that Bracha is hot too, and she and Rotem went to the pool in Ben Ami to swim and cool off. She left me at home. She explained to me that there was no place that was cool and comfortable where I could stay like there is at the pool in Evron where we go often,, and I would only be hot and unhappy. So in the evening she filled my little pool up, and I got a swim, too! I guess that's fair.

The Invisible Dog

Sometimes people are strange. They realize that they've made a mistake and tell Bracha that I'm not allowed somewhere, or that I need a muzzle, or that I have to wait outside. But this was by far the strangest way to weasel out of a blunder I've ever seen.
We were just coming into the bus station in Haifa where the busses let everyone off. This is always a tricky place because the busses don't always stop next to the curb, and then we have to find our way through the people to the security guard. This time there was a woman there.
"Giveret, you have to put a muzzle on your dog."
"No," Bracha says, "She's a guide dog. She doesn't need a muzzle."
The guard looked confused. She stammered and stuttered for a while and then said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see the dog."
So am I invisible?

That aside, it's hot! A day in Tel Aviv is hard for both of us, and walking in the streets is difficult, even with my brightly colored shoes. Bracha stops to give me water all the time. And I'm still thirsty. I inch to one side of the pavement looking for a way to get out of the sun, and when we get on a bus I lay down and luxuriate in the cool air. And we still have all of August and September to go! Even the river is all dried up. All that's left is a pathetic little muddy pool. Thank goodness I have my pool and Bracha's ice cubes to help me cool off!

Working in the Summer

Suddenly summer is here! Walking outside when you are a dog with bare footpads and fur is no simple matter. It's hot! Bracha offers me water constantly and we've even taken out my shoesv because I've started to find that I just can't stand still at stoplights. I shuffle and trot back and forth, forward and backward, trying to get my paws off the ground! It looks like I'm dancing, but I'm really very uncomfortable. Shoes are the only answer.

Now we have a new fence. I can sit on the patio all day and lie wherever I like. It's a good solution for me because I know that if I'm given the opportunity, I'll be off into the orchard looking for a snack. Even after a discipline lesson of sitting quietly in the yard, coming when Bracha calls me, and sitting in place, I still end up trotting off. For me food is just too tempting.

Tomorrow beach? Please?????