Story or two of the Day

One of the Israeli guide dog users found this story on an international guide dog site:

A man with his dog stopped a woman in the street and asked her directions of how to get somewhere. The woman bent down and whispered the directions into the dog's ear...

Yesterday Suki and I attended an Irish music session at my friend Yossi's house. We had spoken previously and agreed that since Yossi's dog was rather aggressive towards other dogs, I would bring Suki but that it would be better to keep the dogs separate. I kept Suki next to me at all times and she sat quietly next to my chair, but when I got up to take her out to the nearby field, Jemma, Yossi's dog, barked at her and was rather menacing. Suki, who as usual only wanted to play, was rather upset, but we got through the day without mishap.

Between reels a friend approached me and looked at Suki.

"Is she's supposed to help you?"

"No," I answered. She DOES help me."

He continued to tell of his neighbor who is the national champion in golf for the blind and has a dog. He explained that the man has provided with a personal driver who accompanies him everywhere since he is an injured IDF veteran, and seldom uses his dog. The dog, who spends most of his time at home, got loose and ran into the street and was injured by a passing car. He asked scornfully, "IF these dogs are supposed to help you across the street, why didn't this dog even have any road sense to stay away from moving cars?"

I explained to him that no doubt the dog was getting more than a bit "rusty" if he was not being put in harness and used as a guide dog and walked regularly, and that no, the dogs are not supposed to know when to cross the road. We are the ones who tell them. Knowing what Suki is like and how she can run when she wants to let off energy, I'll bet he was going pretty fast.
And who can stop in time to avoid hitting a large dog running at full tilt? (This is why I keep Suki far away from cars when she is off leash!)