Customer Reviews

Tails of Sha'ar Hagai: A Wild Life With Wildlife

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Disclosure: At Sha'ar Hagai, many years ago, I bought a Canaan dog from Myrna Shiboleth for my son. The dog was an incredible addition to the family. A few years ago I received a Canaan dog descended from dogs raised by Myrna.

But only when I read Myrna's book did I begin to appreciate the dedication and work that went into building Sha'ar Hagai and the fact that Myrna and a few other people were responsible for bringing these wonderful dogs into our world. Myrna is recognized internationally as the premier breeder of Canaan dogs, and continues to seek new stock from the wild.

As a child, Myrna wanted to have lots of animals. Well, by going to Israel, she found the freedom and the circumstances that enabled her to realize her dream. I always thought that living with a Canaan dog was the height of adventure--anything wilder would not fit into a human dwelling. I was wrong. Myrna managed to foster, raise, train, and to love many kinds of living thing, with the hyena perhaps the most extreme.

Like Myrna, her book is unique. It is a wonderful collection of personal adventures, the dirty work of raising animals and building a farm, the glory of stage and screen, romance, and more loveable animals than you can count. Myrna's Israeli sense of irony is outrageously funny, if you realize what she is saying with a straight face. Endowed with an inborn ability to relate to animals, she doesn't really talk about her methods, I suspect because it is so obvious to her how to get animals to perform for her. In building Sha'ar Hagai, she shows determination, flexibility, and an instinct for survival. Perhaps only in Israel could she have found the context that would permit her to do some of the wild and crazy things that she relates in the book. After having a Canaan dog, the next best legal way to have fun is to read her story.

Myrna Shiboleth's Tails of Shaar Hagai is a must-read for any animal or Israel lover. This hilarious autobiographic tale of many tails, describes Myrna's wild life at Shaar Hagai from the time she arrived in Israel in the late sixties until today. If you have ever driven from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, you should know where Shaar Hagai is located. It is 20 minutes outside of Jerusalem in the hills, marked with a prominent green road sign. Shaar Hagai is Myrna's home and the home of a kennel full of Caanan dogs and Collies.

Over the years, it has also been home to a hyena name Baba, a racoon named Ricky, a fox named Shusha and a host of other critters. Myrna Shiboleth is an animal behaviourist by profession and the insights she offers about our four and two legged friends are absolutely riveting.

In one of my favourite chapters, we see Myrna who, at this time, is posted together with her diplomat husband in Malawi drive 1500 miles by herself though African countries hostile to Israel against the backdrop of the Yom Kippur War. Why you may ask? Was she on some kind a secret diplomatic mission? No, of course not, she was going to a dog show and nothing, come hell nor high water, could stop her.

In another gripping chapter, Myrna goes to Kazakhstan to lecture about the Caanan Dog at a conference on aboriginal dog breeds and ends up in real life absurdly comical situations that rival Borat's make-believe ones. My favourite is the tale of the broken down bus which always had three drivers: one to drive the bus, one to spark the wires as soon as the bus stalled, and one to run out every few hours with two jerry cans to get gas at a rate cheaper than what was being offered at the regular fuel stations.

Tails of Shaar Hagai offers a view of Israel that is often obscured behind today's headlines. This, though, is the real Israel, the Israel which is home to different types of people, the Israel in which people have a myriad of interests and hobbies, the Israel that is both human and humane.

I found Tails of Shaar Hagai to be a mesmerizing, insightful and, above all else, funny book. If you want to be entertained at the same time that you are enlightened then, rush to order it. I can guarantee that you will be absolutely delighted.

I thoroughly enjoyed Myrna's Shiboleth's book Tails of Shaar Hagai. As the first Canadian owner and breeder of Canaans in the 1970's, I was nevertheless amazed at the new insights Myrna provided me about this unique breed. Her adventures travelling around the world to show her Canaans and Collies, her trips into the Israeli desert visiting Bedouin tribes looking for Canaan puppies of pure, wild stock are a thoroughly enjoyable read. All the hard work of setting up the kennel, the triumphs and tragedies of the dog world make this a unique story. I couldn't put it down as each chapter drew me more into Myrna's fascinating world and really, her life story.

Why isn't this marvelous memoir front and center in the major American market bookstores, with a signing tour by the author??? Hollywood should be all over this eminently filmable story by now. It could easily be worked into a very refreshing and successful TV series, if you can imagine one without low-cut detectives and vacuous plots. The Tails are rife with genuine cultural, historical, economic, environmental, automotive, and domestic drama, and pure unrefined situational comedy, unforgettable animal characters, and a good sprinkling of heartache. I encouraged Myrna to get to work on a screenplay (which is a different animal altogether). And a sequel!

Ms. Shibboleth's rigid then riotous depictions had me at various times in tears, biting my nails, and just cracking up out loud with laughter. I have turned down rare dates of late just so I could stay home and find out what happened next! The narrative flickers with clarity and irony. It's completely marvelous, and so lovingly told, sans sap or soap. Dogs (and hyenas) are far and away the best people there are to devote one's life to, and some people the most abject, undisciplined of animals.

This multilayered history will mean more to devotees of nature and animalia than the world at large, who, except for the children, won't be able to fathom what would drive anybody do this. Some of the whole concept is lost on nondog-people (but then they are not possessed by feral, furry muses).

I now know what all my dog people friends are getting for their birthdays; thanks for helping clear that up. Though I am (so far) the only one of us lucky enough to have read Tails of Sha'ar Hagai, a huge spike in book sales will be occurring because of me and my raving among them. It's quite a tome, at over 500 pages, but only the ending was a great disappointment...and only because it was all gone.

I just finished reading Tails of Sha'ar Hagai. I LOVED IT! I especially loved reading about the adventures in raising and living with Myrna's hyena girl. And, how much more challenging it is trying to show dogs in Europe and beyond... I could hardly put this book down. Myrna has lead a pretty interesting life, and I learned a lot of neat things about her that I never knew before. Best wishes to Myrna, especially with the addition of the Kings Valley Smooth Collie stock to her Netiv HaAyit Collies. Love the breeding and work Myrna has done with the first Alzheimers service dogs in the world. :)

A fascinating book about the life of a fascinating woman. A great insight to the training and the unusual characteristics of animals from Canaan Dogs to Hyennas. This is a fun book to read that will give the reader many laughs and a few tears.

A true story of a life with animals, one which leaves a lasting impression of love and dedication to our candid friends. Where so many have failed to help our dedicated four legged friends and abandoned them for selfish reasons, Myrna tells the story of her fascinating life with animals, a testimony of what one can accomplish if one stays true to their true ambitions and beliefs in life. Instead of doing what was expected of her as a growing young talented woman in the United States Myrna stayed true to herself and through personal sacrifice did what she truly believed in and had achieved her goals. A book that I really enjoyed reading; I must confess that I jumped forward to reading the chapters on the hyena but then went back to read through and was sad to have finished the book. The stories of Bounce and Julip among others are very special and heartbreaking; a book that is a must read for any avid animal lover.

I first met Myrna Shiboleth when she brought me my rough collie (Tiffany of Netiv ha Ayit) to Athens,participating at the same time in a dog show.Since then,I had always wanted to know more about this low profile lady and the chance was given to me through this book.I wouldn't have imagined how determined,courageous,knowledgeable,open minded,successful and experienced she is in animal and life affairs if I hadn't read it.Her contribution to the amelioration of life of people with special needs by breeding appropriate collies is something superb.Also,her successful efforts to save the pure Cannan dog from extinction is of great value.Myrna Shiboleth is an example of valor,showing to us what can be achieved if we really believe in our vision.
This book is a "must" for breeders,behaviorists and animal lovers and a great companion for all people who want to enjoy their free time through real facts and adventures that will touch their feelings.
Thank you for "sharing" your amazing life with us I hope that you will continue with a "Tails of Sha'ar Hagai" 2.
Harry Leventakis - Greece.

Tails of Sha'ar Hagai is a must read. Myrna is an inspiration and entertains the reader with all her adventures. I have bought copies for friends and family and they have all enjoyed the book too!

I met Myrna about a year ago in Shaar Hagai, during my inquiries about getting a service dog for my son with a Disability. This was after my husband came to see her and was so impressed and told me I HAVE to see her. Such love for animals! Such wealth of knowledge!!! Consequently we bought a Smooth Collie from her which is now being trained by Yariv, who is mentioned in the book. While waiting in Australia for the dog to be trained, I read her book. Besides being funny, the book is giving a true picture of Israel with lots of love too (being 17(!) years without electricity because of bureaucracy of Israel made me mad over here, but you take things in their stride!) But more of all the book let me know you better, such a personality!! Such determination! Such love and care for the animals! Even I am starting to look forward of having Spot here and starting to think positively about animals!! Now are own adventure of having a care dog for Eran is more in context and for sure I can appreciate it much more!

Thanks so much for writing the book,

Elisheva, Melbourne