First Run, First Shower, and School Chauvenism

“My Dog’s Better than Your Dog”
An amusing encounter took place yesterday outside the hospital where I ran into S., a guide dog owner that I had heard about who works in the hospital. S noticed that his dog was distracted and I explained that I was passing by with another guide dog. He asked where my dog was from and when I told him he immediately embarked on a chauvinistic pep talk about how much better his dog (that came from Sasa) was and how much better trained. I coolly attributed his (supposedly) better control of his dog to the fact that he was using his second guide dog and I had been working with Suki for less than two months, told him that I had heard that both schools produce excellent dogs, and went on my way.

At the pool the life guard (a different one from the other day) insisted upon calling the manager to inquire if my dog was really allowed. When he found out she was, he immediately became friendly and said he’d keep an eye on her. He also kept an eye and gave some well deserved sharp words to an old man who shouted that dogs were not allowed and that he was going to the authorities. “No problem,” I told him. “Go ahead.” One wonders just why a dog lying quietly beside the pool is so disturbing for people. Have they nothing else to do with themselves but complain?

Free at Last!
I never thought it would happen, but I finally got to run through the fields today like Bracha promised I would if I was good. I tried really hard to make her see that I would always come back to her - including this afternoon when my leash slipped out of her hand in the yard. (I came back a little too hard and fast and Bracha fell over, but she was laughing and petted me, so I guess it was OK. Then we walked and walked to a place where there were lots of open fields and Bracha took my leash and halter off and I ran and ran! It was much more fun than the little fenced in-place. But I did get very muddy and when we got back Bracha gave me a warm shower and dried me with a towel. Then I lay down tired and happy in front of the stove and went to sleep.

When my friend Barbi showed up for an afternoon walk, I decided that this was the day I would let Suki loose in the fields. We reached the empty fields near the river where there is no traffic except for an occasional tractor, and excitedly I unclipped Suki’s leash! What followed was the sight of a happy dog racing over the furrows, leaping over the thistles, and rapidly transforming herself from a white dog to a white and brown one as Nuala and Saoirse looked on and trotted about. Once in a while Suki came back to me as she had done on the dunes in Yavneh, and I rewarded her with a treat each time and sent her running again. That was it – I had done it! But I think next time I’ll wait till the weather is a bit dryer…