Ahhhh, just feel the grass

The new grass of spring squish between your toes.

Spring Fever

It has been a stellar week-end around here weather wise.


A perfect week-end to tiptoe through the grass.


I think I feel of severe case of spring fever coming on.

Not a snack

Just sayin'.

I love the color of this cat's eyes, the green is so intense.

We need you!

I've talked before about how a few of my greyhounds are blood donors. On Sunday I took Moose to the Salem Emergency Veterinary Clinic for a donation and since it was planned, there were enough hands on deck that I could stand back and take pictures.

Normally, I am right in there beside my hound as they are drawing the blood.


I told Moose it was time to go to work, but he just saw it as another adventure, an opportunity to co-pilot.


The short wait in the reception area became a real yawner for Moose when I reminded them to make sure the resident kitty cat was tucked away safely behind closed doors.


Admiring his big coursing veins is always the first step. They are right out there front and center.


A quick shave to insure that the area is clean. Of course, Moose has the shortest hair of all, so the bald spot hardly shows afterward.


The front-end tech gently holds the head. The idea is to avoid any movement so that the needle stays in place. The first time blood is drawn on a dog always seems to be the worst.

My guys usually settle down after the first time and just stand there.


During the draw, Dr. Erbes was telling me that the last time Moose donated, he was able to help three other dogs.

On many occasions, we have been able to meet both the dog and their owners. It's very touching when you know you have helped save a life. I know how grateful I would be if my dog needed blood to save his life.


A team of four assists with the blood draw. The veterinarian draws the blood and holds the needle in place. A tech holds the head, another tech holds the body and this time, a second veterinarian is rocking the blood and weighing it as it pumps into the bag. Normally, I'm holding the back end of my hound.


My dogs usually stand, but Moose was relaxed enough to sit there during the entire time. It took 4.5 minutes from the needle stick to clamping it off to fill the bag. I think our record is 4 minutes.


This may look like the choke hold of death, but really they are just putting pressure on site where the blood was drawn. Completely normal.


Here we are, 450 gm of Moose's famous go-go juice.


Since they have such thin skin, greyhounds are famous for getting small bruises under the skin. A little bit of ice held to the area helps to reduce the bruising. It doesn't show up so much on black dogs, but the fawn and white dogs always show their hickeys.


A snack is always in order when it is over with. Just one of those perks.


And every good kid gets a smiley sticker when do their very best.


But the very best part of all are the loves and hugs and whispers of "whatta good boy" in his ears.

Greyhounds can donate blood until they are 8 years old, then it is time to retire them from the donating program.

It is a wonderful gift that they can give. If you are interested, talk to your vet or talk to your emergency vet to see if they have a donor program. As you can see, it's a very easy procedure. Moose sat through the entire draw and was ready run and play in the backyard after. However, activity is restricted for about 24 hours after giving blood.

And now, it's time to join the Pet Blog Hop.

The Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Many, many thanks to the hosts, the Pet Blog Hop rocks.

Please join us, the rules are simple:

1. Follow your three hosts
2. Check out some of the our fellow bloggers, leave them a comment and tell them you are visiting from the Pet Blog hop
   
3. Add your blog to the Linky
4. Copy and paste the html code into your html editor

Happy, happy hump day

Deadline week

I live in a world wrought with deadlines. This week and next week are nearly deadly.

Buddy knows how to express just how I'm feeling.

Just sayin'.

Survivor

Phew! Made it through Monday.

One down, four to go.

Welcome to Monday

Bah humbug.

The doghouse is that way

Our field trip today lasted a little bit longer than we expected, dinner wasn't on time.

We were quickly forgiven, but they wanted to make sure that we knew we screwed up. Oops.

Comin' at ya

When the camera comes out, I usually position myself at the back of the acre and watch the greyhounds fly toward me.


Cinderella took flight a 1:38:06 and arrived in my lap an acre later at 1:38:09.


I don't think she ever had four feet on the ground at once.


She never took her eye off of the prize.


And as she got closer, I saw the twinkle of mischief in her eyes.


I was totally prepared to be flattened.


I didn't waiver and Cinderella didn't waiver, she just kept coming.

Note: neither human nor hound were injured in the making of this series. Light on her feet, Cinderella swerved at the last moment.

Take flight and join us for the Saturday pet blog hop.

The Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. Many, many thanks to the hosts, the Pet Blog Hop rocks.

Please join us, the rules are simple:

1. Follow your three hosts
2. Check out some of the our fellow bloggers, leave them a comment and tell them you are visiting from the Pet Blog hop
   
3. Add your blog to the Linky
4. Copy and paste the html code into your html editor

Yes Jillian

I'm going to be gone tonight, I have class.

And yes Jillian, you may keep your spot on the couch. I won't move you nor will I have to sit on the floor.

Splash down

Yup, faster than a speeding bullet.

Got mud?

If not, we have plenty to go around. Yesterday this impromptu pond sank back into the ground.

Today, we are back to Greyhound Swamps.

It's official

I'm going to change the name of this blog from Itsa greyt day to My dogs crack me up.

With a household run by hounds, or gone to the dogs, we have many routines in place. Everyone's favorite after romping through mud puddles is the evening when we retire in front of the TV for a couple of hours.

Now, it is every dog for himself and if you want a front row cushion or the couch, you'd better arrive in the living room early.

Saturday night as I was moving my important things into the living room, the laptop, iPhone and tea I looked down to see that Talley floofed and fluffed her cushion.


Guess my girlfriend required a pillow.

White dog/Brown dog

We are currently experiencing what is fondly referred to as a pineapple express. Lots and lots of warm, balmy rains.

Good news—it isn't bad being outside. Bad news—the acre is a swamp.


When ever the rains slowed down a bit today, we'd head out to let the dogs play. For most of them, it wasn't bad. They really wanted nothing to do with the swamp for fear they would melt because they are so sweet.


Flo, on the other hand was completely ready to get down and dirty.


Really dirty.


She had muddy water flying every where.


And I fear that by the time we finally drug her away from her ball,


She looked nothing like the white dog we started out with.

The story of the twin-triplets

I think I have mentioned many times that I have been a volunteer for greyhound adoption for many years in one way or the other.

When I adopted my first greyhound, he rocked my world and changed my life forever, for the better.

Traditionally, when you adopt a greyhound, they are between 18 months to a senior dog (our oldest dog at the time of adoption was 12.5 years old).

We wanted a puppy and just happened to mention in passing at the kennel one day that we thought a puppy would be so cool to have.

Ta da! A few weeks later we got the call. A 5 month old pup with a crippled paw was looking for a couch.

I'm not going to tell you how surprised we were when our puppy was nearly full-grown. My daughter wanted to name him Skirvee, after a Paul Frank character.


About 18 months passed and a beautiful fawn boy named Buddy was returned to the adoption group. He looked remarkably like Skirvee and was so sweet and gentle. I refused to believe that a bite was his return ticket. He and I instantly bonded and he came home with me. Later on we connected the dots and realized that Buddy's mom was also Skirvee's grandmom.

Duh, no wonder they looked so much alike.


We fostered a lot of greyhounds, probably somewhere between 60 and 70 hounds. Sometimes they only stayed a few days, sometimes they stayed a few months... and yes, a couple of them are still here.

Out of all of those hounds, I never met a greyhound that I didn't fall head over heals in love with. They were all wonderful.

We decided we wanted to see what the racing side was like. If all of these dogs were this wonderful, racing couldn't be that bad.

We met a kennel owner and once again, our lives were changed forever. It has been one of the best experiences.

Do you recognize the cute little white and blue girl that Skirvee is talking too? That's Minnie, only three months old.


At the farm, we met Cinnamon, Buddy's mom and Skirvee's grandmom. She lived to be over 16 years old and was true testament to the grace and dignity of greyhounds.


We also met Jill. She is a Cinnamon baby, but not the same litter as Buddy.

Jill is Skirvee, Jillian and Slinky's momma.

Jillian and Slinky had gone off to race so we didn't get to meet them at that time.

The kennel owners love their dogs and Jillian and Slinky wrapped their paws so tight around the kennel owners, that even after retirement, they remained pets of the kennel owners.

When Minnie retired, I flew down to Florida to bring her back to Oregon. At that time I met Jillian and Slinky, the identical twins. When Flocko retired, I flew down to Florida to bring him home and I knew the twins were mine.


Last year the twins came home. The girls are totally devoted to each other and are inseparable. Sometimes I think they know Skirvee is their brother. Sometimes not.

And that is the story of the twin-triplets.