Chick Cam

Our herd has grown by 50 chicks!  They came in the mail yesterday morning.  They are cute as can be.  They are bantams so they won't get very big.  There are Silkies, Dominiques and Ameracaunas.  The Silkies are my favorites as they have feathers like fur and are sweet.  The Ameracaunas lay blue and green eggs and are known as the Easter Egg chicken!  

This is our third foray into the world of chickens.  We have had a problem the previous two times with raccoons.  This time Lester is going to hot wire and fence the perimeter of the coop so it will be like San Quentin prison when he is done with it!  

I hope you enjoy the video.  Les took it last night.  It is a long video but there are some really cute parts in it, especially when they are falling asleep on their feet.  Turn up the volume and let me know if the little peeps get your hounds attention?

And no, I doubt Sweetheart would be chicken safe so I am not evening going to 'chicken' test her.  :)

Jess

Peanut Backsass Pants!

Yes, Sweetheart's list of nicknames is growing as her personality grows!  She has taken to barking at us at times when she is outside and we correct her (I use the term correct loosely because most of the time we are teasing with her).  She thinks it is a little game.  She also is backsassy when she comes up to me when I am on the couch or recliner and tries to bite my feet or hands.  When I jokingly tell her no or snatch my feet away she bounces a bit, snarls very scarily and will sometimes bark.  She is oh so frightening in her backsass mode.  :)

I am still amazed by my little Peanut.  I am sure some of you have seen the story of Patrick, the New Jersey pit bull that was starved and thrown down a garbage chute.  He is a Facebook sensation and those pictures of him brought back so many of the feelings that I had in those first weeks and months of rescuing her.  I can only imagine how that vet staff feels caring for him.  I know the worry for Sweetheart was immense for me and I know it is for them.

I am dog sitting one of my favorite fosters this week while her 'family' is on vacation.  I do this from time to time for a few adopters.  Her name is Lilly and she was a stray found in Edmond Oklahoma.  She was heartworm positive when we got her and went through treatment and recovery at my home.  She was adopted about a year ago and we still love taking care of her when we get the chance (yes I am insane to get excited about taking in yet another dog).  She is a gorgeous champagne colored brindle who is gigantic.  She is as tall as Bavarian was and probably weight 70-75 pounds.  She is an ultra love lush and crawls up on the couch and recliner with me.  Sweetheart has gotten a little jealous of this at times and just sorts of gives me "the look".  You know "the look", the one that translates to "how dare you pet that dog".  :)  It is kind of funny watching her get jealous because she becomes more affectionate and does her Kitty Cat rub thing more.  :)

I hope everyone is doing well.  I am waiting to hear from a shelter about a possible grey that I may get tomorrow or Thursday.  I am hoping the owner doesn't claim her so we can take her into rescue.  I picked up two greys from the Tulsa shelter Saturday and will be going to another shelter Saturday to look at three tattooed greys, one of which we will take while another Oklahoma grey group takes the other two.  I don't know what the deal is, economy or things just happening in threes, but I am glad we are able to have room to help these shelter dogs.  I can't stand the thought of them dying in a shelter when we can take them.

Ok, I am done rambling for the evening.  Hope everyone is having a nice week!

Jess and Peanut Backsass Pants!

Long time no post

I apologize for not posting recently.  Things have gotten kind of hectic with Fasthound (in a good way).

Sweetheart is doing great.  She has now decided I am a fabulous playmate and chew toy.  My arms have quite a few small bruises from our daily play sessions.  Of course I am a sucker and let her play rough with me.  She has come up with a new little game.  When I am sitting on the recliner she will come up and randomly start gnawing on my outstretched feet.  She likes to take my socks off one at a time too.  Then she likes to chew on my feet.  When I pull my feet away she leaps into my lap and tries to chew on my hands or whatever else she can bite.  Ugh, I have created a monster.  :)

She is also doing this new thing at night at bedtime.  I sleep in the living room on the couch so that I can let the dogs out at night.  I go to bed about ten on weeknights and Sweetheart will walk up next to the couch and sit her little butt on the couch.  She will then lean into me and let me pet her for a while.  It has become a nightly thing and it is a nice and relaxing way to end the day (after being chewed on that is).  :)

I hope everyone is doing good.  I am still missing Bavarian a lot.  I miss kissing his little forehead and pestering him when he was sound asleep.  Most of all I just miss him.  I am grateful to have had him for almost eight years but darn it, losing him has been so hard.  These heart dogs are so special.  If you have one in your life right now, give them a big hug for me.

Jess and Sweetheart!

A little video.

Monday

Our obedience instructor is allowing Sweetheart and I to restart obedience class later this month.  I told her I needed a do-over, especially since losing Bavarian.  She graciously agreed and I couldn't be happier.  We start again March 24th.

Sweetheart has a new nickname:  Kitty Cat.  :)  She always comes up to Lester while he is sitting on his computer chair and she rubs up against him and arches her back to be pet like a cat.  So Kitty Cat it is.  :)  Silly I know but it somehow works for her, well ok, for us.

Anyone want to send me stories of their heart dog or cat?  I would love to hear them like I loved hearing about your fur babies.  They do not have to be stories about heart dogs/cats that are currently alive.  I like to hear stories about all pets from all points in people's lives.

I am missing Bavarian so much.  Sometimes I wonder if I am making too big of a deal out of his passing.  He was so special to me and I miss him.  I am comforted by those of you who have commented and told me that even after several years you still miss your heart dog and tear up at times.  I think it is only natural when you love your pet and share your day to day life with them.

Blue Weekend and Fur baby Story #5

Thank you to everyone for all of your kind words, thoughts and prayers.  Losing Bavarian has been hard for Lester and I.  These last few months I have been preparing myself for his loss but actually losing him hurt a lot more than I expected.  I think the fact that he was my heart dog makes his passing harder.  I love all of my hounds but Bavarian was always my special guy and he always will be.


I think Sweetheart came into our lives for many reasons but a big one of these is that she has become Cleo's good friend.  Cleo loved Bavarian and would always pester him and follow him around at times.  I think had she not had Sweetheart she would be missing Bavarian quite a bit.  I have not really noticed her being mopey or sad since we lost him and for that I am grateful.  In addition, Sweetheart is a lot like Bavarian in several ways.  She is a people dog like he was, she eats bread like he did (tearing it off in little pieces and savoring it) and she can be fussy at times like he could too.  


Today I took Monte with me to pick up donuts.  I bought him some donut holes and he enjoyed several while we were waiting at the Sonic drive thru for my daily dose of caffeine.  Monte loves to go for rides and loves to stick his head out the window and smell the fresh air regardless of the temperature outside.  


Below is another fur baby story.  This one is quite sweet and like all the others I just love it.  I know that this big Iggy is his mom's heart dog, no doubt about it.  This story is being presented to you just as his mom sent it to me.  I don't think I need to change a thing so here it is as written by Charles' Mom.  


I give you Charles Woodrow, the really big Iggy!

"I adopted Charles Woodrow, 'Charlie', almost two years ago.  He has changed my life for the better in every way (okay, maybe not the squirrel chasing).  I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder at age 25 and ordered to bedrest for well, probably decades.  After two years, I wanted something to wake up and look forward to every morning, besides another day of pain. 

I went through a rescue organization with the intent to adopt a small, blue girl.  My sister had one and I thought it was just what I wanted.  When I went to the house she was being fostered at, a little face saw me through the window as I walked up and his eyes opened wide and he ran for the door.  It was somehow like he recognized me.

He met me at the door and was so excited to see me that I could hardly get in.  There were six other dogs in the house that kind of came to look at me but quickly went back to their business.  I came in, sat down, and he was immediately curled up on my lap.  I kept trying to say, 'oh that's nice, but where is that little girl dog I wanted to see?'  She wanted nothing to do with me.  Charlie wouldn't leave my side but I kept thinking he was too big (25 lbs, big for an Italian) and I just didn't think I wanted a boy.  So I gave him a kiss and left, thinking I would find another one.

The foster parents called me the next day to say that Charlie had cried for two hours after I left, going from window to window, trying to find me.  I begrudgingly went back, and the same thing happened.  Again, I said no.  He even tried to get in my car with me.  Long story short, I came back one more time and that was it.  He fell asleep on my lap on the car ride home.

Charlie has never left my side since.  We go on a walk every day, but other than that, he is laying right next to me, all day.  He knows the days I'm hurting and takes the stairs one at a time with me.  When I go out of town for a night, he spends every minute looking out the window for me to come home.

He is my godsend, my absolute angel."

Below is a picture of this darling angel.  I love this picture because he looks so regal and adorable at the same time!!!

Who could say no to this guy?

Jess and Sweetheart

Flying Bavarian aka, Bavarian, B-Man, Newbie, Snoobie, Green Trees and others I cannot publish!

Today Les and I had to put down our very first greyhound Bavarian.  He was 12 and a half years old.  Les let him outside with the others this morning.  When he looked out the door a little while later he saw that Bavarian wasn't using his back leg.  He barely got him into the house and then Bavarian laid down in a crate and did not move.

We took him to Dr. Kolar's at one thirty today.  It turns out he had broken his femur.  Les thinks that he may have been trying to get up and that the femur broke from all the pressure Bavarian put on it pulling himself up.  Bavarian's hips had been bad for a while now and he had been having a hard time getting his legs under him for a while now.   However it happened we made the decision to go ahead and end his suffering .  He had a long life and was a wonderful friend to us.

Bavarian was my heart dog.  He made me fall in love with greys and made me want to help them however I could.  He was loving, funny, spoiled, maddening and a trash raider all rolled into one.  There will be no dog like him and I am thankful to have been able to have had him for seven and a half years.

No trash can left unattended was safe with him.  He also loved to counter surf if we were fools enough to leave food on the counter when we left the house.  Just this weekend he snagged half a box of fig newtons and ate every one of them.

I miss him dearly and will for a long time to come.  I know that it will take me a few days to stop expecting him to come through the door when I let them in from outside.  He was always the first one to charge through the door.  I always count them as they pass me coming into the house and tonight there will be one less to my total.

It just won't be the same without my beautiful brindle boy with the missing toe, fancy tail and bad breath.  I am thankful for my fur babies at home, that helps ease the pain somewhat but I still miss him.

Give your fur babies a hug for me.

Bavarian - 7/16/1998 - 3/4/2011
Tattoos 74775 and 78C
Racing name:  Flying Bavarian

Caution: Gorgeous furbaby pics in today's blog - May incite jealousy!

Sorry I haven't been updating the blog on a regular basis lately.  I could say I have been busy but I have really just been lazy.  :)  I blame it on the lazy greyhounds I have!!  Plus the weather here has been wonderful and I have been working outside trying to cure a terrible case of Spring fever!  

I am so happy with the new header photo. I love how it turned out.  I am also happy that you all like it too.  I have another header photo that I will be using from time to time.  It doesn't use her shelter photo but the one taken right after her first bath on August 13th.

I am sure the title of this blog caught your attention.  This furbaby is unique in the world of adoptable hounds, at least for me and you will see why once you see her pictures.  It all has to do with color.  Yes I know, that sounds weird but trust me on this one.

Without further ado, I give you furbaby story #4 (from across the pond):  Song!

Song's mom adopted her on February 16th, 2009 when Song was 6.  Song must have been a great racer because she raced right up until August of 2008!  Song's racing name was Song Song Blue (hint as to what I mean by the color thing).  This girl had a long career and I am sure she was more than ready to retire to a comfy bed.  

Before she adopted Song, her mom owned a Jack Russell.  In January 2009, Song's mom had to have her Jack Russell put to sleep due to health reasons.  As all of us know, this is heartbreaking to have to do even though it is necessary when a dog doesn't have a good quality of life. The day she had to put her Jack Russell down, Song's mom decided to call the local Retired Greyhound Trust kennels to see if they had a small female.  Song's mom had always wanted a greyhound and was disappointed when the lady at the kennels said there were no small females currently available.  

Thinking a male grey might work in her household, Song's mom again called the lady at the kennel.  To her surprise, she learned that a female greyhound that had been reserved for another adopter was now available.  It turns out the person who Song had been reserved for did not want her after all.  Lucky for Song and Song's mom huh?!

When Song's mom arrived at the kennels all the goofy greys (yes they are goofy, especially a herd of them, hehe) came up to the door and stayed there, except Song.  Song came up, sniffed her hand and went back to bed.  After walking two large males that just weren't clicking with her, she took Song for a walk.  As her mom says "Song walked like a robot, it was heartbreaking to see how she was".  Like most of us who love the underdogs, Song's mom was hooked by the little robot right then and there!  

Song arrived in her new home after having having previously been in another home for one night.  All things considered, Song settled in quickly even though the house training took a little while longer to master.  Song's mom had patience with her and after a few months Song mastered house training.

Song started coming out of her shell soon after and is now enjoying her new home and her mom immensely.  Song's mom credits Song for healing her broken heart and for bringing joy back into her life.  One look at the pics below will convince anyone that Song is a special girl!

Do I smell BBQ?  I love her little buck teeth.  Bavarian has them too!

  

A 'blue' hound!!  These you do not see very often.
GORGEOUS!

Isn't Song gorgeous?  She makes Sweetheart look kind of ratty.  :)  Just kidding, I love my little spotted (ratty) girl.

It isn't often, at least in the States, that you come across a blue/grey greyhound.  Song is quite striking, especially with those white accents on her legs, tail and face!  I hope you enjoyed Song's story, I loved it.  It seems Song and her mom both found each other at just the right time!  Thank you to Song's mom for sharing her story and her beautiful girl with me and now with all of you!!

I do have a confession to make.  I have been lazy in training Sweetheart.  I feel bad but I guess guilt goes along with being a fur parent.  Since I don't have real children I guess I need my daily dose of guilt from somewhere.  :)  I am going to a make up class tomorrow night and I hope she does well.  I think she will even if I haven't worked with her a lot.  I still think the socialization is great for her even if her mom is lazy with her homework!  :)  

Let me know what you think of Song!

Jess and Sweetheart 

New Header

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