The projects in the youth village kennel

In the current school year (2020) a dogs’ breed course was opened at the school

The students of the major from grade 10 to 12 learn the theory in everything related to the world of dog breeds such as: History of the dog, division into breeds. Health – physiology, signs of illness, vaccinations, and medical prevention. Litter – pregnancy, heat of the litter and treatment of the litter, spay and neutering options. Feed and nutrition – types of food, the use of food.

Studies and practical experience at the kennel which include: Training and balance methods Basic training Professionalization in canine sports Methods of treating behavior problems. The trend was established in cooperation with the dog trainer, Oren Adika.

The projects in the youth village kennel

The story of Caesar the dog

Letter of thanks from Caesar’s adoptive family (7.12.2020) For the students of the Hadassah Neurim Youth Village, We adopted Caesar something like a month and a half ago from the rehabilitation kennel in the village and we are still kind of mutual adaptation and there is still a way to do it – but we can say that for us it is already part of the family! We also wanted to say thank you to the kennel staff, but especially to the boys and girls in the youth village who took care of Caesar with dedication, warmth, and love and of course to everyone who supports the village and makes this project possible.

When we took Caesar, we knew that this was a dog that had been in all kinds of homes and kennels, but thanks to the care and the dedication he earned and your deep familiarity with him, we didn’t feel like we were getting a “cat in a bag” – Even though it is “on paper” a particularly challenging dog due to the fact that he is deaf and not the youngest thanks to the village students who practiced sign language with him and went through a whole process with him, we won a devoted and loving dog, very communicative and sensitive, and especially great with children.

Today Caesar has three older brothers who take care of him with devotion: the eldest Noam shows independence and responsibility when he takes him out for a regular daily walk at noon (or maybe Caesar takes him out for a walk and finally drives him away a bit of the phone and the screens?… Making a tug-of-war game with him and already dreaming of becoming a tool teacher when he grows up; and young

Amity smothers him with hugs, caresses and massages and insists that Caesar accompany him every morning on the way to kindergarten. On all the last Saturdays, Caesar joined us on Saturday nature walks, and he usually fell asleep on the way back in the car and sinks into a deep sleep and (we hope) also sweet dreams. So, a big thank you for believing in Caesar and giving him a chance and all the warmth and love until adoption. We hope may many more dogs like him get another chance in life. A warm home thanks to your dedicated work. From us, Shai, Idit, Noam, Matan and Amiti Caesar’s new family

The kennel team and the adopter talk about the dog Mojito.

From a wild feral dog to a family dog

Mojito was born at the end of 2018 somewhere in the hills of the Wadi Ara region. Mojito spent the first months of his life wandering around the villages, feeding on garbage and leftovers. It is likely that the relationship he had with the humans was negative (when he approached the village houses in the area, they made sure to keep him away with shouts, throwing stones, etc.).

At some point he decided to try his luck in the remains of Umm al-Fahm, where he was captured by the municipal dog catcher and transferred to the quarantine station. As a dog that was raised his first year in the wild and did not have the possibility to integrate into family life and become a domesticated family pet, there is a high chance that he would have spent the rest of his life in the kennel of one of the animal rescue associations or would have been euthanized at a kill-shelter.

The information about the dog reached us and we decided to check the possibility of integrating it into the project – out of a desire to develop another rehabilitation channel that will be a serious challenge for the students of the Hadassah Neurim Youth Village – rehabilitating feral dogs and turning them into family pets (dogs are considered wild or feral if they were born from a stray dog and lived for about a year without contact with humans). Mojito was collected and came to us trembling with fear, terrified of humans, without boundaries or discipline.

He was skinny and mangey. In a slow and focused process that took about 5 months, the village students engaged in various activities with the aim of rehabilitating Mojito and teaching him behaviors that would help him find an adoptive family. In the beginning, it was necessary to establish the connection and make Mojito trust the humans (hours of attempts to get closer in the end were ultimately successful) the touch turned into a caress, the caress became a walk, the walk became a run and from there activities for basic discipline, habituation to living in an apartment and above all a lot of attitudes and creating clear leadership.

A frightened dog that trembled and clung to the corner of the cage in its kennels and just didn’t want to be approached, Mojito became a sociable, playful dog, loving people and dogs, disciplined (but likes to test boundaries). An adoptive family was found for Mojito and the campers who went through the process with Mojito are in contact with the family to check and establish a correct reception procedure for Mojito.

Rachel, the village student, talks about the process she went through in the kennel with the dog Mojito –

My name is Rachel, and I am a 12th grader. When I was in the 10th grade, a kennel was opened in the village, and I asked to join the group of students that started the activity at the kennel. I have never raised dogs before. Although I would always play with my neighbors’ and friends’ dogs, dogs always answered me and I was very intrigued to learn about their way of life, their behavior, the language the dogs communicate and how to help dogs become family dogs.

In the last months, abandoned dogs were brought to the kennel and we started a project to rehabilitate them. Together with the kennel team we carry out a program for each dog. I personally connected with a dog named Mojito. He is a roughly 10-month-old dog who has grown up most of his life free without an owner or pack. We got him to the kennel he is undisciplined and afraid of humans. I connected with Mojito because he is an energetic and cheerful dog, just like me.

Little by little I gave love to Mojito in the trips, games, and trainings we went through together. I gave Mojito a good feeling that I care about him, and he also gave me a feeling that I am loved. Together we taught each other tolerance and I felt that Mojito was just copying what I was doing. During the Corona Virus lockdown, the village was empty. Only a few students stayed to help take care of the dogs. During this time, I felt that I was contributing a lot.

The kennel helped me get through the quarantine period, I was calm, I felt that the staff trusted me, and I learned to accept responsibility. Today I oversee a shift at the kennel. The activity at the kennel gives me a lot of personal security and satisfaction. I recommend to other students to get involved in the activities at the kennel, to help abandoned dogs to become house dogs and live a normal life, to learn about the dogs, to get to know their way of life.

Surely in the future I will have a dog, I will raise it in a good and balanced way. Mojito this week finished his rehabilitation period and we found him a home and he can finally start enjoying life at home and having fun. I said goodbye to Mojito with mixed feelings, pain, and longing but with a lot of joy in my heart that I was able to help the dog and he has a family today. We said goodbye that I say a lot of words of love and that he should no longer be afraid of humans. In rehabilitation he learned that there are good people who want to help, and you don’t need to bark at those who come and from now on, he will always have owners who will take care of all his needs and wants. I already miss and plan the visit to Mojito and wish him and Aviv (his new owners) many years of life together in friendship and love.

Thank you letter from Mojito’s adoptive family:

Most of my life I grew up with dogs in my parents’ house. For many years I wanted to adopt a dog to be mine. At the beginning of the 1990s, Zohar from the rehabilitation kennel asked me to come and see one dog…I was worried and that’s it.

It was not suitable at the time…but I decided to give it a chance and come and see the place and the dogs. I couldn’t believe it when I arrived. Lovely dogs, devoted children, and dog lovers to the sky! At first, we did “dates”. It was me and my cute puppy Mojito going for a short walk around the village.

This is how we slowly forged our friendships. He understood my needs and I understood his. Of course, Sasha, Rachel, Avi and Zohar always covered, taught and accompanied (to this day) in everything necessary – every question in every time with a lot of patience – really amazing and professional! After a month and a half, I decided to take the little mojito into my life.

Even before the adoption – the team made sure that Mojito has all the conditions in my house – a yard, food, a place with shade and water and even came to visit Mojito for a couple of times with the trainees even when he had already left the kennel.

Today I’ve had Mojito for 3 months now and I think it’s the best gift he and I could have asked for this year!

Thanks to all the professional staff and dedicated campers!

I wish you good and sweet year

Aviv Magor