Busy Days

It was a strange sensation to be walking around my old kibbutz with Suki. She was greeted and admired by all and we then set out on a night walk to see my friend Dan’s new house. Suki led me confidently down the unfamiliar winding road through the new neighborhood past piles of soil and sand to the front door. Once inside the house Suki happily trotted from one empty room to another, exploring and probably wondering at the strange echoing noises as we walked through the newly-built house.

It seems that Suki and I have a typical workday routine. It’s difficult to imagine what a production it once seemed to leave the moshav with her, and even more difficult to imagine leaving home without her. We walk out to the gate (with relatively little difficulty on Suki’s part). She was somewhat startled by the birds in the tree and the constant noise of pecans dropping from the branches as the birds pecked them off, but one command with the clicker and we were on our way. On the way out a truck passed us and drove too quickly over the speed bump, and something on the bed of the truck rose and fell with a loud bang. Suki (and I) started, and then she froze, probably afraid it would happen again. I stood quietly with her at the same spot until she quieted and then we moved on. Getting on the bus is now easy and Suki crawls into the space between the seats and catches a quick nap as we move through traffic into Nahariya.

Once in town we stopped at the pet store (always a favorite place) for some new tidbits and bones and went to the vet’s to buy medication for my other dog. Suki tipped the scales at 32 kilo 600 grams. We then continued on to my accountant’s office, and paused to “mark” the entrance - a gate in the white picket fence – with the clicker. Suki now knows to turn in there when I say “Yaron”.
We then continued on a long and unfamiliar route back to town. We had been walking steadily for over an hour, and Suki missed an obstacle and I bumped into a pole. I believe at that time she was tired and was beginning to lose concentration, but I nevertheless did not let her get away with a mistake as serious as that. She received a sharp “Zehirut!” as I tapped on the pole with my hand and we did a second, more successful approach in which the pole and I did not meet again.

After a two hour nap while I worked, Suki quickly revived, and she was soon pushing her nose into my lap - a sign that she wants attention, needs to go out, or just wants a run. So off we went to the basketball court. Suki tipped over the plastic shopping basket and pulled out her rope toy. OK. I get the hint.

Tomorrow Haifa, Tuesday Tel Aviv. Suki is a busy dog.