PHOTO FOR THE DAY

"Ummmm, pardon me. Please remove your tail with the utmost haste."

RED, WHITE AND BLUE

Thank you to all our service men and women, past and present, who have made it possible for me to post silly photos of my greyhound playing with toys, work in the field I want, say what I want, and enjoy all the associated freedoms that I do. A little Cult of the Greyhound red, white, and blue for you today.

OVERWHELMING ADORABLENESS

So this blog has veered way off course over the past few weeks from (mostly) the simple fun photos of greyhounds doing silly things, running, and looking majestic to injury reports and rainbow bridge postings.

Gah. 

So I've decided what is needed is a serious shot of disgusting cuteness. Overwhelming adorableness. Delightful awkwardness. Heart-stopping charm. I'm talking about photos so sweet, they make your teeth hurt. (more so even than the brownie sundae I had today) What type of photos could achieve such incredible results, you ask?

Easy ... puppy photos!

My sister, Beth, has started the puppies in their training classes, puppy classes to be exact, with our good friend Jamie from Seize the Leash. Now Beth has been doing quite a bit of training at home already, but this was the first time they were in a new environment. Ooooo, can we say distractions?!?

Roo is the golden and Ava is black. Roo is a bit more adventurous. Ava likes to hang back and assess the situation. The are inseparable and if one goes off to explore the other will follow within a few seconds. They did great and had quite a bit of fun. But not as much fun as the humans watching their uncoordinated explorings.

GUINESS

Another tough day in the Morrison/Carrillo family. My sister, Beth, who just suffered the unexpected loss of her 4 year old dog Bailey, has had to have her senior dog, Guiness, put to sleep today. Though they knew it was coming, she has been slowing down for the last 6 months, it didn't make it any easier. Guiness was the matriarch of the household. A regal, no-nonsense girl; she kept everyone in line. She was also incredibly cagey around the camera. She was with Beth for over 12 years. Run free Guiness, say "hey" to Bailey for us when you see her over that bridge.

BREEZE UPDATE

Thank you all, for the kind words and support for Breeze. We had an interesting turn of events today. When I took the dressings off this morning to clean the cut and let it air out a bit, I noticed another laceration along her pad. It had been missed the day before. I caught it this morning because the wound had stopped bleeding, the swelling had gone down and it was clean. I waited until my regular vet opened and gave them a call.

"Hi Suzanne, how are you this morning?"
"I'm calling at 8:30 on a Monday, how do you think?"
"Can you be here at 9:45?"

Oh, they know us so well.

I've already invited them all to the the 4th of July family get together, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Dr McMillan said she needed to be stitched up. So, she had a spa day at the vet today: some drug therapy, a little sleep therapy, hair cut, toenail trim. The works. She did quite well, from all reports. I guess, she is getting so used to being in there, she doesn't freak out as much. She even let Dr. McMillan pet her for about 2 minutes as she hariy eye-balled the new vet.

The diagnosis (modified): The cut was down to the bone (not hard to do on a greyhound toe). The webbing was not split down the middle as originally thought. It was actually torn away from the toe, forming a lens-shaped wound along the interior side of the exterior "pinkie" toe. Like when you peel a sticky-back hook off a painted wall and the bit of paint peels away with it, leaving that bald spot. So he had to put in two rows of stitches. So she is doubly grounded for the next 2, possibly 3, weeks from all activity. Right now she is still coming down off the meds, so could care less; but give her a couple of days and she is going to be really annoyed.

GREYHOUND INJURIES, YET AGAIN

We are apparently the house cursed when it comes to greyhound injuries this year. They do say the come in threes though, don't they? Oh wait, that means I should have been finished with this 2 injuries ago.

We went to playdate this morning minus Dru, because a week ago she had a mass removed from her thigh. After the masses found on Breeze, I went a little paranoid and really checked the dogs over with a fine tooth comb. Dru had a small mass on her butt. The vet said "let's take it off". Again, I was in full agreement. It all turned out OK, but Dru has been grounded for over a week. She hates that.

While at playdate, there was a small tangle up when one of the dogs attempted to join the running pack at the wrong angle. Apparently, Breeze leaped over the dog while at full sprint. I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am to say, I wasn't the one to see it happen. I was told it was quite the sight. The pack came to a screeching halt, with a few noses being buried into a few behinds. But all was well. Or so I thought.

After getting Willow, Breeze and Angel home, then took Dru and Angel to one of the nearby parks and a farmer's market for a walk to see how he would do with distractions, noise, people, ducks, other dogs, trucks, etc. He did wonderfully. Wanted to check out every possible thing.

When we returned home, Breeze jumped up on the door as always, and when I entered, there were bloody footprints materializing from one of the 12 paws prancing around the living room. I finally tracked it to Breeze. We cleaned it up and she had split the webbing between the toes on the right foot. So I bandaged then waited to see what would happen. She bled through the bandage. It was off to the emergency vet. (Why do they always get injured on the weekend when my vet isn't open?)

Because of the location, how it tore and Breeze's history of blowing out her stitches, we decided to see if it would heal on it's own before putting her out and stitching it up. I'm OK with that, I hate to have them put under. While there, I also noticed a small puncture near her elbow. I'm wondering if, after the amazing leaping over the other grey, she ran into the fence or another dog. Though there was no blood in the car or anywhere else in the house, or on the front patio: all places she walked after the park visit. Or did she do it jumping up on the door? It is a mystery.

So after her exercise this morning, then the stress of the vet visit, plus the light sedation so they could trim the hair and clean the wound, she is passed out on her bed. (Unless, I'm bugging her with the camera, then she gives me The Stare. See exhibit "A" below.)

Diagnosis: grounded for 2 weeks. Sigh. Anyone come up with that bubble wrap suit yet?

ANGEL'S LATEST ADVENTURE

As you know, I don't post videos. I'm more of a still picture kind of person. The moving pictures, I'm not as comfortable with and they remain in my private files. However, I felt this one had to be shared. This was taken this morning.

The new boy, Angel has been coming out of his shell a little more every day. He's started tearing up the dog park with the other greys and has begun his lessons with Willow on the fine art of digging. As you may remember, Willow is a master level digger. Though Angel is not quite of that caliber, he dreams of reaching her skill level soon. He may have to work on staying in the trenches a bit longer. 
 
Little warning, myself and the others who witnessed this spectacle were laughing hysterically, so turn down the volume if you would prefer not to hear the cackling, which starts at my favorite part, the 7 second mark.

 

My sister, commented Angel looks like a kangaroo on crack. I would have to agree.

(Note: If you want to see the video full-sized, click on the link to go to YouTube; the video name is Angel the greyhound's digging adventure.)

PHOTO FOR THE DAY

Looks awkward, doesn't it?

PHOTO FOR THE DAY

Dru really wants to play with that toy and Willow is having none of it.

ANGEL UPDATE

Been away from the computer while getting settled with the new boy. He is doing quite well, though is learning the hard way that the girls do not like sharing beds and definitely don't like being stepped on. He's a bit clumsy still. His personality is starting to peek out. My favorite part is the dancing in a circle when he is excited because we are going out. He also likes to attack the blankets used as additional bedding. I know I should tell him 'no' but it cracks me up when he plays with them like it is a squeaky toy. (Though Breeze was none too happy when he grabbed the one she was sleeping on.) He has been getting the girls to play a bit. He is no longer occupying the bed at night. He is staying in the other room with the girls. It's like he is trying to impress the gang and hanging out with the humans is seen as weak. He is starting to run with the other dogs at playdate a bit more. Though, again, a wee touch clumsy...

Walking along minding his own business.

Wanting to join the run.

Poor timing.

Following in on the flyby.

Having a great time.

Asking if I saw him socializing.

Running with the pack.

PHOTO FOR THE DAY

Willow was completely shocked when the squeaks levitated, disrupting her well planned out plan of attack.

NEW ADDITION - ANGEL

Things have been a little different around the house this past week. We have added a new grey to the family! Meet Angel, a youngster of only 2, fresh off the track. Though it appears as though he only ran training races and was cut in the minors, never going pro. He is still in the confused, what's-going-on-here? phase, as he learns our routine, what's expected and that this is a permanent arrangement, but is settling in nicely.

He is destroying the myth that greyhounds don't bark. Whenever he gets excited, it is a deafening racket that can be heard down the block. It could be heard gravel crunching in the driveway, other greyhounds are arriving at playdate or simply that I glanced towards the front door. The smallest things will get him going. (Though he has yet to bark at his reflection in the dining room window like Dru does.) He is also a master singer and has accompanied Willow and Dillon on a various melodies, though he has also performed solo. 

He is a snuggler, curling up with me when I am on the couch reading, or taking up as much room in the bed as possible. Human sleeping habits have been drastically modified this week; none of the girls sleep in the bed. The girls knew him before he came into the house, so they are harassing him only moderately. Mostly to say "Hey, that's my bed and I am not one to share, get your own". Which he did; the big, high one with the cushy pillow top mattress.

Today was the first time he really let loose at the dog park and did some crazy dog sprints. It was a beautiful thing to see. Of course, I didn't see it with the camera. Sigh.

I am very much anticipating the revealing of his true personality when he gets comfortable and completely settles in, since it's fantastic already.  

(With his twin, Gentry. I had a hard time telling the two apart. Angel is on the left.)

PHOTO FOR THE DAY

A prized possession proudly displayed.

PHOTO FOR THE DAY

Dru: "Yee Haw!"

Breeze: "Pure madness. I can't take you anywhere."

PHOTO FOR THE DAY

A rousing game of tag, greyhound style.