Gone to the Dogs

We’ve just come from our first “Yappy Hour,” a gala event at the Omni Shoreham hosted by Cassidy, the hotel’s newest dog-in-training. Jake accompanied us and made us proud that he could behave in public.

The Yappy Hour was a fund-raiser for Guide Dogs for the Blind, an organization that breeds and trains dogs to be working dogs who help people with disabilities. I learned about it from my Hebrew teacher Miriam, who (along with her husband) is raising Olaf, a year-old black lab.

It was a perfect Spring night to be in the garden area of the hotel. They had gone to great lengths to make it a fun experience for the dogs. There were silver water bowls, endless treats, and centerpieces of tennis balls for fetching.

The real surprise was the baby lamb chops, sushi, shrimp cocktail, grilled vegetables, mini-crabcakes, and an open bar for the dog owners. At the cost of $30 per dog, it was a cheap dinner for us!

You would think there would be dog skirmishes breaking out all over. But after the initial butt-sniffing, most dogs were cordial. The guests included many dogs in training. But in addition there was a bulldog, a miniature pinscher, an Australian cattle dog, a Bernese mountain dog, and any number of other breeds represented.

My teacher Miriam and her husband Sean showed up toward the end with Olaf, who was strong enough to drag Miriam across the patio. He is still a little too exuberant to tell whether he will make the grade to be a guide dog. Some dogs end up as sires or dames. Some find their place in hospitals like the VA Hospital. We heard of one dog that had worked miracles with an autistic child.

I had always thought that raising a dog for 18 months and then turning it over to someone else, even if it was for a good cause, would break my heart. There was a man there tonight who was currently fostering his 16th dog and had stories to tell about every one he had raised.

With my love of animals, I might consider taking on a dog in my retirement. I can’t think of a better way to make a positive commitment to society.

But for tonight, it was just an odd mixture of dog biscuits and Chardonnay at one of DC’s finest hotels.

Check out a slideshow of the event on David's Blog.