Crack Out Your Party Hats!

November 3, 2006 a very special litter of eight puppies was born. They may not have been the most spectacular of racers, but my understanding is that all of them have made outstanding pets. A year and a half ago, we were lucky enough to bring one of these puppies to our house as our own. After our first greyhound, Treat, passed away, we were just heartbroken. She was a certified therapy dog amongst many of her other accomplishements. I knew that I wanted to continue to do nursing home visits and therapy in some capacity, and also that if I was going to do this, I was going to have to find a new greyhound to do it with. Hawk and Lilac were both too old to really enjoy doing the visits anymore and Blueberry is very much my husband's girl. I thought that I would find a new greyhound around the age of four years old. If you have been around greyhounds much, you know that this is the magical age when their brains usually grow in and they settle down into wonderful and amazing dogs. We met many dogs. I wanted the same magical connection I'd felt when Treat had chosen us. I knew that it was unlikely that the first dog I met would be the perfect one, but as we met dog after dog, I admit that I became discouraged. Finally, the volunteer we were working with told us that they had a new little girl in, but she hadn't been cat tested or anything and was very new. On impulse, I asked to meet her anyway. Bunny walked in the visiting room, wagged her tail and leaned against my leg. I was a goner! So, we signed up to bring home an eighteen month old puppy instead. During the weeks that we had to wait for her spay surgery to be completed, I ran through a wide array of emotions, worries and doubts. What if she turned out to be a hellion? Was I being disloyal to Treat, who was one of a kind and irreplacable in my eyes? Would she be too much for the older hounds to deal with?

The day we went back to the kennel and picked her up, I forgot about all of my worries and doubts. Bunny will never be Treat, but she is truly a perfect and wonderful little bundle of perfection in her own rite. Truth be told, she might even be sweeter than Treat was. It wasn't until after we brought her home that we learned that she was supposed to go to someone else. She'd been preadopted with her littermate sister, Valentina, by a lady who'd learned they were very attached to each other. She called the day after we chose Bunny as our own. When she heard how we'd lost Treat and that we planned for Bunny to do nursing home visits, she gave us her blessing. I am thankful every day that we brought Bunny here with us. She has really helped to heal our hearts and I often forget how young she is, because she is very well behaved, a stark contrast to Blueberry and her naughty ways as a youngster. (Although I freely admit that we laughed at every one of Blueberry's antics over the years!)

Today, Bunny turns three years old. We have presents and treats waiting for her. We do have to spoil her some, even if she is a total sweetheart. She does have her diva moments. Her most noticable character trait is still her sweetness. She lives for attention and petting. Her most important job seems to be keeping me safe on the couch and she does that job very well. She also seems to think that she should always be closest to me, and if my husband gets closer to me than she is, she will give him the stink eye until he moves. Believe me, she can say a lot with that stink eye! She's so darned cute, though, that you have to give in and let her have what she wants. We decided to start celebrating her birthday early, so we cracked out some treats last night and tried to the the girls to pose for a few pictures.

Husband: Girls! I've got treats!

Blueberry: I'm sitting! Look at me! I'm sitting!

Husband: Good sit, Blue! Now look at the camera girls!

Lilac: I'm old! I don't have time for these shenanigans! Hand over the loot!

Husband: No! No! Blue, over here! Lilac! Bunny, come closer, don't back up!

Bunny: I'm ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille!

Husband: Bunny, you have to come up here by Lilac and Blueberry!

Bunny: Sharing the photo op is not in my contract!

Husband: Look! I have fancy peanut butter treats!

Blueberry: Why are you wasting your time with those two? I've got a perfect sit going on here! Treat, please!

Lilac: I'm not getting any younger here! My bed's getting cold!

Husband: Just one more shot! Everybody look at me!

Blueberry looks at Bunny and I could have sworn I saw her shrug and whisper in Lilac's ear. Finally, all three of them humored him and looked at the camera at once. You have to celebrate those divas!

Happy Birthday, puppy girl! We hope you celebrate many more of them with us! We'd also like to wish her littermates a happy birthday as well, wherever they may be!