We are now one week into the course and it is hard to believe how much we have already learned. There is so much to learn and so many tasks to perform, but little by little I am getting used to working with a guide dog. During the last two days we have done walks with obstacles deliberately placed across the sidewalks. These include various structures that Ami builds with poles, rubber cones, and branches. Signs are placed next to these contraptions that say "Guide Dogs in Trainins" so that other pedestrians who encounter these things will know what is going on.) Suki approaches these roadblocks, stops, explores them, and turns around in a circle leading me back and around to face the obstacle again as if to say, "Can't get through here, let's find another way." In real life these tricks are meant to deal with cars parked on the sidewalk, piles of prunings, building sites or broken sidewalks, etc. I then turn Suki into the road (if there is no traffic), walk out, and then tell her to get back on the sidewalk as soon as she can. It is amazing what she can do!
Friday afternoon we were treated to a simple two kilometer walk along a straight sidewalk. Moshe, Liron, and I set out one after the other and Ami drove back and forth alongside in the car to check if we were OK. Suki and I cruised along with no tasks ahead but to simply walk along the straight route. When I got to the end there was Ami, cheering and slapping everyone on the back at the finish line.
It was then time to introduce Suki to the family. We were told to first greet our guests and then bring the dog outside in order to avoid too much excitement. Suki greeted Yael and Rotem sitting neatly before them, tail wagging. We then took a walk around the campus and Rotem explored the obstacle courses and the maze in the pegan grove. The promised game of checkers was then played in the lounge.
I am beginning to imagine what life will be like with Suki at home: taking her on walks, going to town, getting on trains (at this point this seems terrifying, but we will be taught how to do that as well). Suki will be on stage with me at Jacob's Ladder in December for sure!
It is rapidly becoming obvious how intelligent this dog is. Suki now knows that if I remove her leach and collar from the wall, she sits waiting for me to put her collar on. I don't even need to command her to stay still. Yesterday she all but walked into her harness when I held it in front of her. I am sure she could learn to find a bench, a seat, garbage cans, an ATM machine (though I think I'll have to continue to punch in the code). She is, after all, only a dog.
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