Tales and Tails

It's Official!

2011-03-09T00:00:00.001-06:00

If you've been wondering where we are, you probably haven't bookmarked our new site. It's http://talesandtails.com. We'd love to see you there!

2011-03-03T00:00:00.002-06:00

A couple of people asked about how to follow the new blog. I hope this helps those of you who are having trouble. Tuesday doesn't count, though, because I messed up the publishing on that one!

Following the blog is easy. If you use Google Reader, you copy the web address and post it into your Google Reader. If you read blogs through the dashboard on Blogger, you just copy the web address, look at the bottom of the box and click on the "add" button. You can paste the website address in the pop up box and still follow the blog through your blogger dashboard.

If you have any other questions for us, please don't hesitate to ask. We want to make the transition go seamlessly and we very much still want to see our blog friends comment on the new site.

Our New Home

2011-03-02T00:00:00.003-06:00

If you'd like to see our latest Wordless Wednesday, please head over to our new blog, Tales and Tails.

Come Join The Fun

2011-03-01T00:00:00.001-06:00

Our blog has moved to http://talesandtails.com. Please come over to find out about our weekend's adventures.

We're Moving

2011-02-28T00:00:00.001-06:00

We've moved to our new blog, Tales and Tails, http://talesandtails.com as of today. We're doing a giveaway and hope that you come and join us there!

The Big Banquet

2011-02-26T06:00:00.021-06:00

Bunny here, writing about the big banquet being held in honor of the big race that Pip and I had at the beginning of the month.

It really was a lot of fun, and I was reminded that having friends is much more important that winning anything. A lot of our friends seemed to enjoy that message a lot and so it was decided that we'd have a banquet to celebrate the big race. Our coaches, Puddles and Roo were also asked to sit at the table of honor with us by Frankie, too.

I have to admit, I was pretty excited about the whole big day. I mean, really, a banquet to honor little me? When my sisters asked to come along with me, I was glad to have them come along with me. Perhaps I should have known better when Lilac was waiting at the back door with a suitcase. Still, I was so excited, I didn't ponder things like that the way I should have. Since there were four of us, I told Puddles not to worry about swinging by in her souped up red Pinto. Instead, we decided to travel in style and we chartered the Spirit of Peoria to take us to the banquet.

After a relaxing ride on the river we arrived and entered through the spotlight. After a rather, um, motivational speech by Pip, we were all ready to eat. There was so much food, I couldn't believe my eyes. I decided to try a taco for the first time, and it was pretty good!

I was a bit surprised as the festivities began to find out that Lilac had brought all her green papers in hopes of getting Bono or some other rock star to get a little closer to her. I asked Morgan to make sure that she didn't bring one of them home in our suitcase, but she seemed a little distracted. Blueberry seemed to have ideas about slipping off to the dance floor. I reminded her to be careful with her splint, but I think I heard her say something about how she thought it was time for it to come off. I really hope that all my sisters manage to behave themselves at this party!

If you've written a post about the banquet and would like to add it to the list of festivities, please feel free to join in the fun!

The Greys Of Our Lives

2011-02-26T00:00:00.000-06:00

Some days living with four dogs can seem a little like living in a soap opera. For the most part, our girls are very well behaved, but sometimes it seems like their lives are a lot more exciting than ours. I'm not sure that they face more drama than we do on a day to day basis, but theirs seem to be a lot more interesting. I can almost hear the announcer speaking in that voice that makes everything seem like a matter of life and death now. He could certainly make people want to come back day after day to tune in.

Will Morgan be able to stay awake to perform her regular patrols? Is that a cat lurking in the bushes or is it one of those sinister plastic bags? Will she ever learn to just relax? Will she retain her German Shepherd identity, or will she start to turn into a Greyhound?

How long until Blueberry gets to take off her splint? Will she finally get to go away on a trip with the family, or will disappointment strike again? Is there a bath in her near future when the dirty splint comes off?

Will Lilac be able to make another direct hit with poop in the slipper? Can she come up with something even more dastardly to keep her family on their toes? What time will she decide to wake them up at on Saturday morning?

Can sweet little Bunny ever get enough satisfaction through petting? Will she find something else to fill the void? What will her next big adventure be?

If your dogs starred in a soap opera, what would it be? What would people be dying to turn in to find out about?

Poo In Your Shoe

2011-02-25T00:00:00.002-06:00

Tuesday nights usually find me enjoying a quiet night at home with the Greyhounds while Mr. Taleteller and Morgan are off at class. For the most part, it's a relaxing night until the other part of our pack arrives home. After the initial excitement of being reunited, things usually settle down again. However, this week was a little different.

I had joked with my husband earlier that I never get foot rubs anymore, and so upon his return home, he sat on the couch beside me to better massage my feet instead of in his chair, setting off a chain reaction of events. Firstly, Bunny was offended that he sat on our couch uninvited, by her at least, and set out to let him know that he'd better make room for the princess. She does this by staring at him with her invisible laser beam eyes and if those fail to work, she finds a way to climb into the narrowest possible sliver of available couch space and laying down. To keep the peace, he simply scooted over closer to me and gave her the whole cushion at the other end of the couch. Bunny laid down, content that she'd asserted her authority.

Now I should mention that a while back, Mr. Taleteller started the habit of always taking the dogs out when he got home, whether it was turn out time or not. I warned him that it wasn't a good idea, but he seems to think that he knows better. Alas, I digress. Lately, he's been rather annoyed that whenever Lilac sees him come home, she expects him to escort her outside to take car of business. Telling him that I think he taught her that would probably be unwise. Anyway, there was the excitement of his arrival, followed by the theft of the bed she wanted by a certain blue brindle mastermind. Lilac was walking around the living room and suddenly decided to drop a few turdlets into our life. My husband jumped off the couch and grabbed a tissue, flushing the offending and stinky thing down the toilet before retiring to his own chair to catch up on his own online things.

I sat on the couch and I could have sworn that I still smelled the offending odor. Since my spouse had already been...less than happy about the earlier herald of his arrival home, I tried to avoid saying anything. Finally, unable to take any more, I decided to get up and look around. That's when I saw it. A turdlet lay nestled in my new fuzzy pink slipper. How she managed to poop in my slipper is a mystery for the ages. "It was a million to one shot, doc," Mr. Taleteller chortled. I was unable to see the humor in the situation. At least my husband carried the slipper off to the washing machine before I throttled a certain dark brindle Greyhound.

Me: Why would you poop in my slipper?

Lilac: You've got to poop when the spirit says "poop."

Me: It's not funny! Don't you have any shame?

Lilac: Shame? Is this another one of those complicated human emotions? I don't trouble myself with those.

Me: (grumbling) You're lucky you're old!

Lilac: It's not the party you make it out to be, but it has a few perks.

Me: Obviously!

Lilac: I'll just be over here taking my late evening nap if you decide to start passing out bedtime treats.

I know she didn't do it on purpose. It's just one of those indignities of old age, and they aren't easy for the aged or those living with them. I'm praying that it was a million to one shot that can never be repeated. Still, just to be sure, I'll be watching TV this weekend with my slippers on. After all the times Bunny has joked about "poo in the shoe" I never thought it could really happen to me. Still, what can you do besides laugh about it? Okay, I'll admit, I'd have laughed a lot harder initially if it had happened to someone else. I'm just glad that we still have her around with us and can laugh about her antics.

Pearly Whites

2011-02-24T00:00:00.009-06:00

If you're a Greyhound owner, you are probably very familiar with the need for keeping your dog's teeth clean. Greyhounds are notorious for having bad teeth, although I've never seen a definite explanation as to why. One of the few things that bothered me about Treat was her breath. She had really bad teeth and we fought a lot of battles to keep them clean. It was always really scary for me to have to take her in for a dental cleaning, even though I knew it had to be done. I put it off as long as I could both for financial reasons and for the state of my heart, but eventually we'd have to give in and bite the bullet to take her in and have them cleaned so that the paint wouldn't peel off the walls.

Bad breath and cosmetics aren't the only reasons that dental health is important for your dog, though. Bad teeth and gums can lead to heart disease, and if your dogs' mouth is hurting, he's not going to eat as well. One of the few times, and the worst time, that I was ever bitten by a dog was a sweet little Greyhound who'd been returned by her adopters. They hadn't taken care of her teeth at all and she had a horrible tooth infection. When I touched her neck, it was so painful that she turned and bit me. I saw her again after her treatment and she was absolutely the sweetest little lovebug imaginable. I can't begin to imagine what kind of pain she'd been in.

There are a lot of ways to combat tooth problems in your dog. Daily tooth brushing helps a lot. We were recently given Science Diet T/D for Blueberry, and while it's too expensive for me to feed four dogs for each meal, it does make a good treat and our dogs are crazy over it. We also use CET mouthwash that we got from our vet. When I notice some tartar buildup, I do some teeth scaling on our dogs who will let me do it.

Another good way to keep dogs' teeth clean is to give them things to chew, either toys, bones or dental treats. Our dogs love Greenies and if I would give them one every day, they'd eat one every day. It's several minutes of silence here when all four of them have their Greenies because everybody is busy concentrating on their treat.

February is National Pet Dental Health Month. The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) is a group like the ADA (American Dental Association) that is applied to pet products. While there are a lot of products that claim to be good for your pet's dental health, not all of them are VOHC approved. The fact that the VOHC even existed was news to me, but it's nice to know that there are people out there overseeing pet products. They actually do research and testing to see that these products are effective in the breakdown of plaque and tartar.

There's a campaign by Greenies and the American Animal Health Association to help fund veterinary dental services for needy pets through the Helping Pets Fund. The fund makes a wide range of veterinary services available to pets that have been abandoned or whose families can't afford them. We have chosen to help, and you can as well, if you are so motivated. There are several ways that you can help and get Greenies to contribute to the Helping Pets Fund.

· For every blog post written about VOHC, The GREENIES® Brand will donate $25 to the AAHA Helping Pet’s Fund

· For every use of #VOHC on Twitter (either through an original post or a re-tweet), The GREENIES® Brand will donate $1 to the AAHA Helping Pet’s Fund.

· For every new “like” of the GREENIES® Facebook fan page from February 17—March 14, The GREENIES® Brand will donate $1 to the AAHA Helping Pet’s Fund.

Whether you choose to participate in the campaign or not, I do hope that you will at least take a few minutes to think about your own pets' dental health after you read this. Your dog may not appreciate having his or her teeth brushed, but leaving them at the vet's office to worry about them all day while they have a dental is worse. Aside from that, fresh dog breath is a lot more pleasant to smell right before your dog plants a big sloppy kiss on you.

Wordless Wednesday 2/23 -- Spirit Of Peoria

2011-02-23T00:00:00.001-06:00

Searching Out Signs Of Green

2011-02-22T00:00:00.044-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard sharing some of our weekend's adventures with you.

We had plans to go out out hiking since the temperature had risen into the mild range. It was great to see all that snow from Snowpacolype melting away and becoming a memory. However, when Dad started checking some of the places we hadn't been to that were somewhat nearby, we started to see a trend. A lot of the nearest state parks were closed due to flooding. Darn Mother Nature for giving us this beautiful weather and then making it the very reason we couldn't go to those places.

However, we were not to be deterred. We decided to go visit Comlara Park which is near us, but it not a state park. It belongs to the county where it's located around a lovely lake. I don't think a lot of people know about it, but that's okay with us. It means we had it all to ourselves.

There was nobody else out there to scare the birds who were singing lovely spring tunes and we are pretty sure there were some deer up in the tree lines watching us as we went through the forest. It was really muddy and squishy, but we had a great time.

Mom and I were out there to have a nice stroll and enjoy the early signs of Spring, but Morgan and Dad were also doing a little work. They are having an important evaluation next month and so they are brushing up on some things. I have my paws crossed for them to make it, because it's something Dad has always wanted to do with a canine companion, and between you and me, it's more work than I want to do. I'll stick to being a Greyhound ambassador and being a therapy dog.

We had a lot of fun stretching our legs, breathing the fresh air and seeing the first hints of Spring. I really hope that Mother Nature doesn't have any more tricks up her sleeve for us. I am definitely ready for warmer weather and longer hikes. It looks like we're not the only ones who are ready for it, either.

Are any of you seeing signs of Spring where you are?

Are You There, God? It's Me, Lilac's Person...

2011-02-21T00:00:00.015-06:00

Dear God,

I'm pretty sure you have a sense of humor. I suspect that over the last eight years, you've had some good belly laughs over some of the things we've been through with Lilac. As a matter of fact, I have to wonder if you sent her here to us for your own amusement.

First, there's that penchant she has for thievery. When she first came to us, it was mainly trash can raids that were harmless. That night when she stole all the chili cook off taste cups out of the trash while all of hubby's family was in the basement was an extra special memory that we'll cherish, though. Dogs and chili do not mix. Oh, how you must have laughed first as we cleaned up hoping nobody would come upstairs to the mess and then as we tried to sleep through vapors that probably had our whole village glowing nuclear green from the heavens!

Of course, there's that sweet habit she has for showing her appreciation for a good meal, too. She walks up to us with that sweet adoring expression before belching in our faces like a truck driver. We fall for it every darned time, too! I wonder how many times you've slapped your knee over that one.

We also have the secret thrill she gets from chewing up bits of paper, or even magazines, on the occasions when she's suffering a fit of pique, too. My favorite was the time she chewed the little piece of paper that had those tiny extra elastic strings for my nook cover attached. Did you laugh until you cried when I had to extract them since they didn't quite make it all the way through? I have to say, I'm still not too amused by that one myself. I thought at some point she'd grow out of that habit, but this happened just a month ago.

Then we have that habit she has of waking us up at 3:30 in the morning. Has that joke not gotten old after two years? I mean, I could laugh about it back when it was just half an hour before the alarm went off, but we have to get up and go to work. Maybe it's the sleep deprivation that keeps me from seeing how funny that is.

Along with that, we have the random barking. Didn't you get the memo we got from the adoption group about how Greyhounds don't bark? I'm trying my best to keep her happy, but it's hard to tell the "fluff my bed appropriately" bark from the "I need to go outside NOW" bark and the "move the fan two centimeters to the left" bark. They sound a lot alike and are often barked from the same position in the living room. Does it amuse you to see me jumping through her hoops to make her happy?

I suppose I should mention those surprise murder scene sites that we become victim once in a while, too. Why does she always have to break a nail when we're getting home late and tired or trying to leave the house in a hurry? If this is a lesson in patience, consider it well learned. Really, we don't need to repeat this lesson anymore. I promise!

Anyway, I'm happy that we've been able to provide all these years of entertainment for you. It's been worth it to share the sweet moments in life with her. I'd forgive her anything when she gives me that devil may care look or presses her head to my chest or wraps around my neck and squeezes. I freely admit that I've become a better person by sharing these years with her. I have to be more patient and compassionate than I was when she came here. I'm just asking for one thing. You know she's getting pretty long in the tooth. She's a wise elder in Greyhound years. I'd like to wrap her in bubble wrap and protect her from everything in the world, but she's still a bossy and independent old lady. Please, one of these days when the time comes, let her just go to sleep one night and not wake up. I just don't have the heart to send her into the gentle sleep on my own. I think that's a fair trade off for all the amusement we've given you over the years.

Love,
Lilac's Human Servant

We'd like to send our sincere condolences out to our friend Guinness' dad. He lost his battle with stomach cancer over the weekend, and really made me think about how short our time of stewardship is with our beloved canine companions. Our dogs would all be perfect if they'd just live forever, or at least as long as we do.

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

2011-02-19T00:00:00.001-06:00

It's been a long week at our house. Maybe it's getting used to going back to work after having all those snow days. It might also have something to do with the fact that this was conference week at school. Thursday night I didn't get home until almost bedtime. I was mobbed by four happy dogs when I got home, though, which made me feel better. At least the girls missed me.

After slowly making my way through the kitchen and sitting my things down I was able to kneel down and greet each of them properly. It seemed that each of them had something they needed to tell me.

Lilac: I'm hungry, dammit! Dad didn't arrange my kibble in my bowl the way I like it! Where were you?

Blueberry: It was horrible! Dad took Morgan and Bunny for a walk and left me here!

Morgan: Where have you been?! Do you have any idea how worried I've been about you? Let me give you a thorough sniff over and see what you've been up to!

Bunny: I've missed you! Oh, I had to share a walk with Morgan and Dad and it wasn't nearly as fun as it is with you and I had to eat my food and fight off Morgan and Blueberry and Dad didn't do anything about it and I had to share the couch with Blue and Morgan and I had to sit in the middle with no armrest and I've really missed you! Promise me you aren't leaving again.

I'll just say for the record that some dogs in our house might be prone to exaggeration. Mr. Taleteller is quite fond of his girls and I don't believe for a second that any injustices were actually committed. It's nice to be missed, though, and I was really glad to see them, too. I made my way to the couch to sit down and unwind a little before going to bed.

Usually, the Greyhounds lounge about the house during the evening while Morgan goes on patrol. This night, Bunny was curled up tightly against me on the couch, suddenly stretced out as much as her tiny frame could be so that no one else would be interested in dethroning her. Blueberry laid down on the bed nearest me, making eye contact with me every time I looked up. Lilac kept walking over and pressing her head against my chest, making me pet her until her butt was drooping to the floor. Morgan couldn't decide if she should patrol or keep a constant eye on me lest I think about separating from the pack again.

Friday, I got off work early because I had worked late Thursday night. Mr. Taleteller decided to take the afternoon off and join me. When I got home, the girls were more than a little excited. It was obviously a pleasant change to their routine.

Morgan: You're home early! Oh my dog! Can it really be true?  How did this happen?

Me: I'm home early to spend time with you girls.  We have a long weekend ahead of us. What would you all like to do?

Blueberry: I have GOT to get out of this house! You have to take me somewhere! It's not fair that I never get to go with this stupid splint on.

Lilac: Make sure you feed me! Oh, and I need extra neck scratches!

Morgan: HIKING! Oh, the sun is shining! Let's go right now! Just let me grab my Wolf Pack!

Bunny:  Hiking sounds nice, and maybe a trip to the dog park. Oh, and I need some snuggle time. Perhaps tomorrow morning in the bed. Oh, yes, and I need Bunny time!

Me: Well, the good news is that we have all of those things planned. As a matter of fact, we're going to the dog park right now. Blue, you're going for a ride by yourself later. Lilac, we'll make sure we scratch you if you can at least let us sleep until when the alarm clock would normally go off.

Lilac: I can make promises, but my bladder has a mind of its own.

Me: Um, well, it's the thought that counts. Can you at least give it a try?

Lilac: I'll try to only wake Dad up in the morning. Is it a deal?

Me: It works for me.

So, our weekend started early with a trip to the dog park. Bunny and Morgan ran and played to their hearts' content with a young Shepherd/Husky cross until Morgan had turned into a mudball. Bunny managed to get only her little toes dirty, even while running like a little dervish through the park. We stopped at the season opening of the local Ice Cream Shack and enjoyed the surprisingly pleasant afternoon. Bunny and Morgan's spirits weren't even diminished by taking baths when we got home. I guess the pleasant outlook for the long weekend is contagious. Sometimes you just have to take time to stop and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Early Spring weather has a way of reminding you about those things. Now I'll just hope that Lilac's bladder will remember her promise to let us sleep in just a little. May everyone's weekend be pleasant and full of things you've been waiting to do!

Ah, Romance!

2011-02-18T00:00:00.007-06:00

Well, here it is Friday, and many of us are all thinking about date night. I guess that's one of the good things about getting through the work week. Since Monday was Valentine's Day, a lot of us may have even had extra romance in our lives. I know that we've had more than enough romance here.

Mr. Taleteller and I actually went out Saturday night to celebrate Valentine's Day. We ate out, saw a movie, and just generally enjoyed each other's company. We agreed that we wanted to stay in Monday night, relax after work and have a nice quiet evening at home together.

Monday night got off to a good start. I arrived home to find my husband had taken off work early and had roses and chocolate waiting for me on the kitchen table. He knew I'd been wanting to get back in the habit of afternoon walks with the girls and he was ready with Morgan so that we could go with Bunny for our usual jaunt around town.

Things were going really well. It was a wonderful Valentine's Day, both on Saturday and Monday afternoon. We got back from our walk and put a pizza in the oven to enjoy while we watched TV. I sat down on the couch with visions of finally getting a foot rub. It's funny how often I used to get those before we got married, but I digress.

As I sat in the living room, I thought I heard something. I cocked my head to listen, and noticed that Morgan had the same expression in canine form that I must have had. We have a wonderful front porch that was actually one of the reasons we decided to buy our house, but in the winter, it doesn't see much use. It appears that one of the local feral cats has taken up residence there under the porch furniture.

I'm not heartless. I don't mind the cat staying there until it warms up. This is not the first time this has happened. Our county has a huge population of feral cats, and I think my neighbors have contributed to the problem a few times when cats have ~~escaped~~ left their house. They don't stay long, usually just through bouts of bad weather, so there's no harm.

It would be our luck that the cat in residence went into heat on Valentine's Day. I wish I could say that I am joking, but I couldn't make up something so upsurd. The sound that started coming from our front porch just as the pizza was done would have woken the dead. Our trusty Shepherd ran to the front window -- and didn't make a peep. She stared out the window and made a few whimpers as her ears twitched in curiosity and anticipation. I opened the door and five cats scattered to the wind. Morgan watched them go and lost interest after I closed the door.

As the evening went on, the feline love song continued on. No sooner would we sit back down then Morgan was back at the front door sniffing the crack, which seemed to be the precursor to feline romance. Things settled into a regular routine. We sat down on the couch, Morgan got up to check the door, went to the window, the hell cats began to wail, we got up, opened the door, the cats ran off, we closed the door, and got Morgan settled. Then we got to start all over. Those cats were determined to get to know each other and there was no convincing them that a more private venue would foot the bill.

Apparently, cat romance is the gift that keeps on giving, too. Any thoughts about romance had flown out the window by the time we headed into bed. We were just happy for blessed silence. So far, the cats are still playing the dating game out front, too. I can only hope that the warm weather convinces them to find a more private and secure place to set up the nursery.

So, how did you spend your Valentine's Day? I hope that whatever plans you have for Friday night turn out to be free of cat romance!

The State Of The Blueberry

2011-02-17T00:00:00.002-06:00

I have to admit, Blueberry has taken us on quite a wild ride the past few months. She had a cancerous lump removed from her head in November and we have been at a crossroads as to what to do after the surgery. It seemed that everywhere we turned, there was another option for her treatment. We had trouble getting the vets together to discuss her treatment and we wanted to do a lot of research on the options presented to us. Adding to the complications was the fact that she broke her toe in early January. Leave it to Blueberry to go to so much trouble to get our attention.

I e-mailed Dr. Cuoto at Ohio State University because he is known as the expert on how to treat Greyhounds and he sees many hounds with cancer. He recommended intralesional chemotherapy, which is basically where they inject chemo into a tumor. It can be rather rough on the patient, however and no one in our vet's office felt comfortable performing the procedure. Plus, she had the tumor removed and we aren't sure if there's any of it left in her head or not.

Our vet called the University of Illinois and asked what their suggestion would be. The oncologist there recommended nineteen radiation treatments, one a day, and Blueberry would have to stay there for about a month. I have a lot of reasons that I won't post here about why I won't leave any of my dogs there, but that's a long tangent to another place. The truth is, I just can't see putting her through that. A month away from home and that much radiation in her body can't be good for her and she wouldn't handle it well at all. It is also unbelievably expensive.

We spoke to five people who had also experienced the same kind of cancer in their dogs. Four were Greyhound owners and the other was Miss Sunshade the Superdale's mom. Three of the Greyhounds had the lump removed and lived for several years before dying of separate old age related problems that had nothing to do with the cancer. Another had the surgery a year ago and has had no recurrance since then. The research that I have read about the disease says that it is slow growing and rarely moves to another part of the body. If it recurs, it happens again in the same spot.

So, we have come to a decision after a lengthy talk with our vet. We're not going to do anything else right now. The vet doesn't feel comfortable doing another surgery right now because there's not much between Blue's skin and her skull and the more they cut it open, the less they have left to sew back closed. We're going to watch the spot on her head and if a lump reappears, then there will be surgery and possible cause for more aggressive treatment. For now, we're going to concentrate on healing her toe so she can get out there and enjoy life after cancer.

We have used the money that was raised for her to pay for her first surgery and we did have to use some of it for her toe, too. The broken toe has turned out to be more expensive than the original surgery. Our plan is to put money aside and hold onto it in case she does need more surgery in the future. I can't begin to tell all of you what a relief it was to not have to worry about what we would do about the money to take care of her. To everyone who donated money and bid in the auction, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Knowing that we will have our girl here with us for hopefully as long as we've had her mother is the best gift that we could ever have asked for.

I know this post isn't particularly humorous, but I know that many people have wondered what is happening with Blue and I wanted to explain it and let people know where we were. It has been a long few months for us full of sleepless nights, worry, research, frustration and finally enlightenment. I think the possibility of it coming back will always be in the back of my mind, but it isn't the looming spectre that it was before. I feel at peace with our decision and I honestly believe that we've come up with the best plan for Blueberry. It's good to go back to worrying about trivial things like how to best capture her good side and not whether I'm making a life or death decision.

Wordless Wednesday 2/16 -- Love Is The Only Thing That Matters

2011-02-16T00:00:00.001-06:00

Signs Of A Thaw

2011-02-15T00:00:00.012-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard to share a little about our weekend with you.

Since Mom is still fighting her bronchitis we decided to take it easier on her. That doesn't mean we were willing to give up our family hiking time, though. We decided to go to one of our favorite local places which is the Riverfront Trail in downtown Peoria. It's a beautiful place for walking, although it's a pretty quiet place right now. When the snow melts and things start blooming, I imagine it will be much busier.

During our walk, we spotted a lot more wildlife than we've seen in a long time. The ducks and Canadian geese have returned and there was a beaver in the river working on his lodge. We saw a robin, too, but Mom wasn't quick enough to catch his picture. The beaver was a lot more cooperative.

The plan is that the trail will eventually connect to some Rails to Trails in our area, but the train tracks that are down there are still working tracks. There is an old train turntable there, too. When more of the snow melts, Mom said we'd go down and take more pictures of it so you can see it better.

One of the things that the park has as a feature is the memorial rock gardens. There is one for Alzheimer's victims and another one for Dan Fogelberg. Dan Fogelberg is one of the famous people to have come from Peoria, so they have rocks around the park with some of the lyrics from some of his famous songs.

Hawks are pretty popular in our area. Usually we see them when we can't get a picture of them. However, this guy seemed to be bringing the warm Spring air in with him.

Morgan can't resist leaping and walking in the snow drifts. I'm not sure what she's going to do when all the snow melts away. She'd better enjoy it while she can!

There's a restaurant built in an old train station along the riverfront, too. Of course they didn't let us dogs in, though. Mom said that they have really good food. I wouldn't know since they've never brought any of it home for us.

I have to say, it was a fun way to get out and stretch our legs without overtaxing Mom's lungs. You should have heard her going on last weekend. I'll just say that some people should not be making comments about Greyhounds being drama queens. This was much better and we all had fun enjoying the thaw and the first hints of Spring's approach. We got in more minutes for our Idita Walk, too. I'm finally starting to get excited about Spring after this very long Winter. How about all of you?

The Dog Test

2011-02-14T00:00:00.045-06:00

Back when I was in college, there was a guy that I had a pretty big crush on. I'd waited for months, hoping that he would ask me out. I'd even invited him to lunch once, but he turned me down. We had a lot of friends in common and most weekends found our group hanging out together and going out to eat at a local restaurant we liked. Finally, after eight months and four days, he did ask me out. Our first date was on Valentine's Day.

I lived at my dad's house at that time, but I asked him to meet me at my mom's house because it was in town and closer to where all the restaurants and theatres were. My mom had a little Shetland Sheepdog named Sable. Sable was rather unsociable. In fact, I don't think there was anyone that she liked outside of our immediate family. When people came over to visit, she either hid behind my mom and growled and barked, or sat in my lap and growled under her breath. No matter how friendly or unassuming a person was, Sable would have nothing to do with them.

The night of our date arrived. Valentine's Day was on a Saturday and it was being celebrated by a lot of people. We had plans to go to a favorite restaurant and my date showed up a little early. He chatted with my mom and to everyone's great surprise, Sable was standing beside the chair where he sat, letting him scratch her back. He sat comfortably talking with my mom and before too long, Sable had forced her way into his lap, curled up against his chest and was gazing into his eyes adoringly. We left for our date an hour late, but Sable and my mom were completely charmed by him.

That first Valentine's Day date was a great one and it turned into many more. We'd been going out almost every weekend for a couple of months before he took me down to meet his family. I had no idea we were going to go see them that weekend until we were in the car on our way down there. I'm not sure which of us was more nervous.

I learned later that I passed "The M and M Test" with flying colors. The first M was my boyfriend's little brother, who was five years old at the time. My date and M were very close and M had even been taught by his older brother to ask girls in the toy store for their phone numbers. It turns out that having a cute little brother can be a big help to a college guy. The second M was Mimi, a little schnauzer mix who adored my boyfriend with a devotion that is hard to imagine. It seems that in order for anyone to date any of the three older members of the family, they had to get along with both of the two Ms. The whole first year we were dating, I don't think I ever sat on the couch beside my boyfriend. I sat between the two Ms.

After college, my boyfriend asked me to marry him, and one day in June, he became Mr. Taleteller. I look back and find it funny that we both had a good idea about each other from our dogs. I can't imagine being married to someone who didn't want to share our lives with dogs. I also consider myself lucky that I married such a great guy. I don't know if dogs always judge people the best way, but so far, mine have always been right. I'm sure glad I passed that test! Several Greyhounds and a German Shepherd have been lucky that we met and fell in love, too.

How do all of you feel about dogs and the people you date, befriend or marry? Does your dog's opinion of people influence your decisions? Have you ever been sorry that you did or didn't listen to your dog?

Answering A Few Questions About The New Blog

2011-02-13T00:00:00.002-06:00

Since we announced that we're moving to a new blog, I've been asked several questions that I wanted to answer. Hopefully this will help people feel more comfortable about the move.

I decided to move the blog for several reasons. One is Chinese porn spam that we repeatedly report and seems never to be addressed by Blogger. That's not to say that I don't think that we will have to deal with that sort of thing on the new site, but I have to approve new posters' first posts, so that stuff isn't seen by everyone else on the blog. Another is that we've started getting offers for advertising and other things, and while I don't really intend to do much of that, I think having a slightly more professional site will help with that. I don't kid myself that I'm going to make money off this blog, though. That's not the highest priority for me with the blog by any means. We'd also like to make it easier for people and dogs who actually read the blog leave comments. Finally, I just felt that it was time for us to take the step and grow the blog some.

Following the blog is easy. If you use Google Reader, you copy the web address and post it into your Google Reader. If you read blogs through the dashboard on Blogger, you just copy the web address, look at the bottom of the box and click on the "add" button. You can paste the website address in the pop up box and still follow the blog through your blogger dashboard.

Leaving comments on the blog is easy. The first time you comment, it will ask you for your user name and e-mail address. It also asks for your website address, but entering that is optional. You'll be asked if you'd like to add a Gravatar. This is simply an avatar that follows you to other Gravatar-enabled websites and is linked to your e-mail address. If you already have one with Wordpress, it should show up on the blog. If you don't have one, our new blog will use a screenshot of your blog, provided you have entered your website address. You don't need to have one to post on the blog by any means. It's a simple process, however, if you're interested in adding one.

If you have any other questions for us, please don't hesitate to ask. We want to make the transition go seamlessly and we very much still want to see our blog friends comment on the new site. Hopefully this has answered the questions that we've gotten from other so far.

New Frontiers

2011-02-12T00:00:00.006-06:00

I did something Monday night that I haven't done before. I'd thought about it, but I hadn't gathered the courage to do it yet. I guess the bronchitis has addled my brain a bit. At least, that's the theory I'm going with to explain my bout of temporary insanity.

I suppose you're wondering what it is that I decided to do. I decided to take Morgan for a walk by myself for the first time. Of course, I also took Bunny along, too. We had to get our Idita Walk minutes in before the bitter cold hit on Tuesday and Wednesday. Fortunately, Monday was just warm enough that the snow on the roads was a bit slushy and not slick as ice like it had been previously.

Morgan gets serious bouts of Cabin Fever when she doesn't get her regular walks. Mr. Taleteller has a bit of an aversion to the cold weather walks and I often settle for putting it off when he doesn't want to go. I could go out by myself and take Bunny, but that seems unfair to Morgan who really needs the exercise. I'm also guessing that my nieghbors appreciate not having to hear her howl the whole time Bunny and I would be away from the house. I know Morgan well enough to know that walking her is not like walking the hounds.

Still, I'm no stranger to walking two dogs. There was even a time when I regularly walked three Greyhounds at once. Bunny is used to walking with me and Blueberry, so I knew she could handle it, and it's not like she and Morgan don't know each other. What could go wrong? I told myself that we'd just walk the short route and get our thirty minutes in. That would kill the time it would take Mr. Taleteller to get home from his after work meeting.

As we started out, I was patting myself on the back. We were walking along and I even had both dogs' leashes in one hand. Morgan was surfing the snowbanks while Bunny was demonstrating her perfect walking techniuque for me. I couldn't believe I'd waited so long to try walking the girls together on my own. I didn't need Mr. Taleteller to wrangle any dog! I could do it all on my own.

When we got to the turning point between the short walk and the long walk, I started to think about doing the whole long route. However, that's when my bronchitis decided to rear its ugly head and remind me that I am not invincible after all. So, we made a turn and headed towards home, albeit reluctantly on all our parts. We passed the school and there was some event happening that had a lot of cars parked or driving along the road. I muttered a bit under my breath about people refusing to stop and let us by and we crossed the street to walk in the church parking lot, which was cleared much better anyway.

As we passed through the parking lot, Morgan could see people walking around across the street and she went into alert mode. I talked to her and she managed to make it past them all without showing her wolfy side. I was so proud of my girls as we crossed the street and got within a block of our house. At the corner, there was a house with a giant black lab tied out in front for his powder room break. Morgan was on full alert by this point, but still holding it together. I kept reminding her that I was there and thought we'd actually make it past when Bunny was overcome by the spirit of playfulness. She did a little play bow and I said her name with that warning tone that signals I'm serious and must be obeyed.

Morgan's control snapped when Bunny started trying to get the lab to come and play. The next thing I knew Morgan was leaping over Bunny in a move that the makers of the Matrix movies would have been in awe over. Bunny ducked under her in perfect execution of her ninja play bow and I braced myself to go down hard as Morgan and the other dog both started to bark. However, they had managed to twist their leashes together and instead of pulling against me, they pulled on each other. I had to laugh as they both took a moment to pause. The woman came to the door and reeled the black beast inside and I convinced Morgan and Bunny that going home was a good idea.

I learned some things through this experience. First is that I can walk Morgan and Bunny at the same time. Second, there's a big dog that now lives along one of our usual walking routes. Third, the next time I take Morgan and Bunny out together it will be warmer and dry on the ground. Fourth, if I decide to walk Blueberry with Morgan and Bunny both then I need some sort of intervention.

We’re participating in this Saturday’s Pet Blog Hop, hosting by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. If you’d like to participate, please follow the rules and follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste the html code into your html editor. Thanks again to our hosts for putting on the hop!

A Few Quirks

2011-02-11T00:00:00.067-06:00

Our post on Monday brought up some interesting questions from some readers. One question that we've been asked a lot is in regards to personality. Many people have heard rumors about a "blue personality" and wondered if it's true or not. Blue dogs have a reputation for being a bit off.

When we got Blueberry as a two-year-old hound, she was a handful. She'd lived with a woman who thought it was a great idea to teach her the trick of launching off the floor from a sit and taking food from her mouth. Ah, yes, and Blueberry has a skull harder than a titanium plate, I might add. Several black eyes and a few concussions later we decided that the habit had to end. I'll also simply say that I don't think the woman who taught her that trick was completely right and leave it at that.

A lot of Blueberry's behavior in those early years wasn't really her fault. She has a strong desire to please us, and if she can't she will often just give up and retreat to a dog crate to lay down with a sigh and her back turned to us. Greyhound puppies are often known as landsharks and some of them take longer to mature than others. I think Blueberry was definitely one of those late bloomers, but when she turned the corner, she became a magnificent dog.

I have always considered her a bit quirky. Blueberry has a few unique traits. One that I've mentioned before is that she has two differently colored eyes. One is grey and one is brown. She also has a rather endearing bobble to her head when she gets really excited. She cannot resist stealing hamburger buns off plates when they're left unattended. Her dewclaws were surgically removed when she was young, but one grew back and if we let it grow it curls outward away from her leg. I don't know if that's the result of a failed surgery attempt or if her dewclaws grew like that before. I haven't found her personality to be particularly odd, however. I just think she's unique, our own little snowflake.

Other Greyhound owners who have had blue dogs have sworn that they had dogs who had blue personalities. I have to wonder if it's not a vicious cycle, though. If people are expecting to see strange behavior in a dog, then perhaps any quirk will contribute to that theory. Would the same behavior even be noted as a trait of a dog of another color? Are really odd dogs only born blue? I tend to doubt that.

What I do know is that Blueberry has been a wonderful addition to our family and we have always been happy that she came to live with us. She hasn't been any more difficult to get along with than any of our other hounds. Blueberry has always simply been herself.

Don't forget to follow us on our new Tales and Tails site soon!

Treat Tales -- Meeting The Rabbit

2011-02-10T00:00:00.004-06:00

It's been a while since I wrote a Treat Tale, but a friend had asked me to back in October on our trip, and others mentioned it when they read about Treat on Saturday, so I thought it was time to get back into the swing of telling those stories. We'd like to dedicate this story to our friend Max, who recently crossed to the Rainbow Bridge after a brief battle with Osteosarcoma. He was one handsome Greyhound and he will be missed. We decided to write this particular story after several people asked about people saw the picture on Saturday of Treat with the rabbit.

The rabbit's name was Diamond. She was the classroom rabbit in my class at school. Normally, she would stay at school during the week and then go home with my teaching partner on the weekends. However, there came a long five day weekend when we were off school because of a big conference that many of the teachers attended. My teaching partner was going to the conference, so we planned for Diamond to come home with me over the long weekend.

I had big dreams. There's a calendar that comes out every year called the Celebrating Greyhounds Calendar. It's put out by the same organization that puts out the Celebrating Greyhounds magazine. Every year people from all over send in their best pictures of their Greyhounds in hopes of getting a picture in the calendar. I just knew that if I could get a picture of Treat with the rabbit that it would be calendar gold. I mean, really, who could resist a Greyhound curled up with a fuzzy bunny? It was practically a guarantee in my mind.

The day arrived when it was time to bring Diamond home. She rode in a cat carrier and spent most of her time in a small cage. I carried the cage inside first and Treat and Hawk along with our two cats were fascinated by it. After I got the cage set up in the corner of the living room, I set up her hay, pellets and water, then I went outside to fetch the rabbit. I was greeted at the back door by Treat and Hawk whose noses had gone into complete overdrive. Hawk's eyes telescoped out like a cartoon character, his nose twitched, his ears flattened to the back of his head and he turned and beat feet into the living room as far as he could get from the little beast. Treat turned from her sniff fest to see him leaving and followed him to curl up primly on the couch. They both looked at me with the same look of horror that seemed to say "I can't believe you brought a wild animal into our house! What were you thinking?" The cats surrounded the cage and were drooling as they seemed to be preparing for the buffet.

I was not deterred from my goal, however. After things got settled, I closed the cats in the bedroom and lifted Diamond out of her cage, carefully carrying her to the couch to sit her down beside Treat. Treat launched off the couch as if her tail was on fire. She had no intention of posing with a wild animal. There was probably some fine print in her adoption contract that prohibited getting wild animals within a certain vicinty of her royal self, but I must have missed it amongst all the other requirements of life with a Greyhound princess.

A few days later, I decided to try again. After a long walk, I got Treat settled on the couch and Mr. Taleteller was standing nearby with the camera ready. We cajoled and encouraged her, and finally got the picture of Treat sitting on the couch with the rabbit moments before she took off to hide in the bedroom. I have to admit, I've always loved that picture.

We did submit it to the calendar, but it was never chosen. As a matter of fact, the next year a picture I'd taken of Hawk was selected, one that had nothing to do with the princess. I'm sure she's sitting on a cloud somewhere with that rabbit still, laughing about me and my folly. I guess some things seem a lot better in your mind than they do in application. I still look back on that picture and smile as I remember all that went into capturing it.

I'd also like to add that this is our five hundredth post. It's been a lot of fun keeping the blog going so far. To celebrate, we're asking you to join us on our new blog. We are still working out a few kinks, but by the beginning of the month, we hope to be exclusively posting on our new blog site. It's a little scary to make the move, but we've been encouraged by some good friends to do it, and we feel like it's a good thing for us. We're mostly hoping that you all will still follow us and will join us on the new site. So, without further ado, we present Tales and Tails. If you'd like to bookmark it, it's http://talesandtails.com/.

Wordless Wednesday 2/9 -- Down By The Mill Pond

2011-02-09T00:00:00.012-06:00

A Hiking We Did Go

2011-02-08T00:00:00.026-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard to share my hike from Saturday with you.

Dad thought it would be fun to go to a place that we hadn't been before for our hike, so we headed off to Wildcat Run State Park which is in Muscatine, Iowa. He'd read that it has wonderful Winter hiking so we decided to give it a try. It was nice to get out for a while after we were blitzed by that blizzard last week.

Before we even got there, we had our wildlife sighting. Morgan and I offered to catch one for dinner, but Mom and Dad said no. I guess it would have been a little big to carry back with us, but it would have been tasty.

One of the things the park is known for is the old schoolhouse and the Pine Creek Grist Mill, which has been restored by people in the community. Part of the park exists on land donated by Emma and Clara Brandt, who were sisters who lived there for a time. We thought the mill was particularly pretty. The schoolhouse and the mill were both closed while we were there, so we didn't get to see what they look like inside.

It's also known for its high cliffs, dens and rock formations. One of them is called The Stage Coach, while another is The Devil's Punchbowl. We didn't get to taste any punch while we were there, though. Some of the cliffs could make you feel pretty small.

We had to hike through some pretty deep snow in parts of the trail. Actually, I wasn't sure that I wouldn't have to drag Mom part of the way back, but she kept going. It was really pretty out in the woods, although the only wildlife we saw was a Cardinal. He was pretty, but he didn't get close enough for a good picture.

I decided to try out a technique that I've admired Rusty of The Thundering Herd do many times, too. He has it perfected and I'm still learning. Mom was laughing too hard to get a picture of it when I was doing it the best, but I assure you, I shall try it again. Dad was not quite as amused as Mom was.

I was glad to get some good time to record for my Idita Walk sheet, since the hike took us two hours. It was a refreshing break from the winter doldrums. What did all of you do this weekend?

Shades Of Blue

2011-02-07T00:00:00.052-06:00

Some questions I was asked on Facebook made me decide to write this today. A person I recently added as a friend was looking at some of the pictures I have posted there and she came across one of me with Morgan, Bunny and Blueberry at the dog park. She wanted to know if the blue dog was mine. I told her that all three of them were mine and that Blueberry is actually a blue brindle.

For those who aren't familiar with Greyhound colors, blue is the term used for a grey Greyhound. It is one of the rarer colors for the breed. Blueberry is actually a blue brindle. She has mostly blue fur with some blue fawn stripes on her, but her brindling is very light and doesn't show much. Bunny is also a derivative of blue -- she's a blue fawn. Blue fawn dogs are a light fawn color, but instead of black tips on their hair and black masks or noses like a regular fawn or red fawn, they have blue highlights, masks and sometimes grey noses. Blue fawns often have lighter brown eyes and can appear pinkish outside in the sun.

When this came up in the conversation, the woman asked if that also was rare. It is. The blue gene is recessive, so it tends to be seen less often. It also tends to make a lot of Greyhound people a little obsessed. There are many Greyhound adopters that I've seen post on message boards who are just determined to have a blue dog. Some of them will even see a blue dog at the track and go to great lengths to secure it when its racing career is over.

Rumor has it that many blue dogs used to be culled. Trainers believed that they were unlucky and bad racers. This was a long time ago, and I haven't heard of that happening any more. I don't know if it has anything to do with how rarely they happen now. I also don't know if it happened with the dogs who were blue derivatives. By blue derivatives, I mean blue fawns, blue brindles and white dogs with blue patches.

There are also people who believe that blue dogs are a little off. Some believe they're more prone to disease and genetic problems. Blues are often referred to as quirky. I haven't found that to be the case. Blueberry was a handful when she was young, but some of that wasn't her fault. She'd been taught some very bad habits by the woman who'd had her before she came here. Now she's known as Miss Almost Perfect here at our house and I don't think her behavior is any different than that of any of the other Greyhounds we've had or met. The fact that she ran down an intact male named Try at the adoption kennel who got fresh with her isn't something we hold against her or attribute to her blueness.

I haven't ever really understood the status that comes with the blue coloring and Greyhounds. Yes, they are pretty, but looks aren't everything. I've always said that the most beautiful Greyhound is the one on your own couch. I think after you've had your own dog for a little bit, you always compare others to yours. The blue mystique also fascinates me because it isn't the rarest color that you can find in a Greyhound. The most unusual color that I've ever seen is liver. I'm guessing that it's an extreme red dilute. I've only heard of about a dozen dogs who are this color. Of those, I have heard of a few with some odd diseases, so I'm guessing that the gene is recessive enough that it is pretty closely linked with some genetic oddities.

I didn't choose Blueberry or Bunny based on their coloring. I don't think choosing by looks is a good way to find a good match in a dog. Maybe it speaks to my quirkiness that I've been drawn to two dogs with strong blue genetics. The only part of Blueberry's color that played a factor in our decision to keep her here was that she was a young dog who needed a very strong hand and someone with a lot of Greyhound savvy to keep her in check, and we did worry that someone would choose her based on her looks only without being able to work out her issues. I can't say that we've ever been sorry that we decided to keep her here. When we went to the adoption kennel to choose a new dog after Treat died, I really just didn't want to get another brindle, because I didn't want to keep comparing that dog to Treat. If Bunny had been brindle, though, it wouldn't have mattered. She came in, leaned against me, and I was hopelessly smitten.

I suspect that all breeds have their color or other breed status symbols. I just might not be aware of what they are. Are there status symbols in the breed that you own, or would like to own? Are there certain colors or traits that you'd add to your dream dog, if you could mix up your perfect dog? I freely admit that I have preferences and things I'd like to have if I could just order up my perfect dog. Nature doesn't work that way, but I am guessing we all speculate on it to some degree.

The Big Race

2011-02-05T05:30:00.004-06:00

Bunny here showing you the results of The Big Race that I had with Pip.

In an undisclosed location, somewhere between Florida and Siberia, the event of the year is about to begin. The honorary, Frankie Furter, Mayor of Blogville, will officiate. Chief of Police, Sarge, and his loyal Deputy, Zona, have surveyed the course and removed all contraband.

Mayor Furter has promised that these contrabanditems will be held in his possession until the guilty parties are located. Um, I'm glad I'm not one of those guys!

The mayor lays down the law before the race. "Listen up, we are going to have a good, clean race. Everybody play nice and no monkey business. Any questions?"

What if I have to go potty during the race, Frankie?

This is going to be easier than I thought! I almost feel guilty!

While Pip and I run our hearts out, Coach Roo and Coach Puddles share some quiet time together.

Coats are for little girls.

Sure hopes Pip don't wet himself in his purty coat. Bawhahahaha, I kills myself.

Listen short stack, you want to talk some trash, I can talk some trash.

Zip it Roo Roo, before I stuffs a Cheeto in your whistle.

Meanwhile ...

As I cross the finish line, nobody seems to notice. Frankie is the only one there. So, I find that I have to ask. "Where's Pip, Frankie?"

"Not back yet ..."

"Geez, I didn't want to win like this ...poor Pip, the snow must have been too much for him. Listen, Frankie, you never saw me, understand!"

"You, Bunny, nope, never saw you."

"Help, I have fallen and I can't get up!"

" I am coming, Pip, hang on!"

"Save yourself, Bunny! I can't make it!"

"Nonsense, give me your paw! We are going to finish this race together or not at all!"

And so in the ends, I found out that being friends is more important than being right or winning. I was a winner the day I found Pip as my friend, along with all the others I've made along the way. I hope you'll all enjoy celebrating with us at the after race party. Thanks to everybody who helped us with the race, whether it was training us, sharing the story about the race on their blogs, or doing other things for us! It has been a lot of fun!

You Never Forget Your First Love

2011-02-05T00:00:00.017-06:00

I told myself that I was going to let today pass on the blog without mentioning this, but I find that I just can't do it. Today was a special day in history. I didn't know it at the time, but it's a date that I'll always remember now. On February 5, 1997 a litter of Greyhound puppies was born. They were average racers, not the worst, but not outstanding and most of them were done racing before they turned four years old.

One of those dogs went by the racing name of Adios Treat. She retired at three and a half years old. It is astonishing to me that she waited in the adoption kennel as long as she did. Not only was she adorable, she was friendly and cat safe. When Mr. Taleteller and I went to the adoption kennel, she was one of only four cat safe dogs and the only of those who was a female.

We really had no choice in the matter. Treat had decided from our first meeting that we were hers. I can still remember how she looked back at us longingly when she was led back to her crate. She was the only one of the dogs we met who gave us a backwards glance. When we went back up to choose our dog after being approved, she made sure she was beside one of the two of us the entire time we sat there hemming and hawing and deluding ourselves that we had any choice in the matter. When one of the other dogs, who were all considerably larger than she was, got too close to us, she wormed her way between that dog and the person who'd been getting attention. An hour and a half later, we finally came to our senses and decided on Treat. We picked out her first collar and coat and headed back home with her in my mom and stepdad's SUV that we'd borrowed to get up there in. It had snowed like gangbusters the day before and we'd been worried we wouldn't make it in our car.

I could tell a thousand funny stories about Treat. She lived an extraordinary life. One of the kennel volunteers used to joke to me that she always told her "You're no Treat" when she was at the kennel. I used to grit my teeth when she'd tell that story. I still don't think it's funny. In my opinion, she could not have been more perfectly named. She absolutely was a Treat every day that we shared with her. She was our first Greyhound and I will never forget her.

As I sat thinking about her this week, I realized that she has left an impressive legacy. After Treat's arrival, four more Greyhounds found their way into our home. We went to a lot of Meet and Greets with her and Treat was an amazing ambassadog. I know that there were several adoptions because people wanted to take her home and couldn't, so they went to the adoption kennel themselves to find a companion. Without Treat, there wouldn't be a little blue fawn princess named Bunny curled up beside me on the couch as I write this. Already we've heard from two people on Facebook who have adopted Greyhounds after reading about Bunny on our blog.

So, while Treat is no longer with us, it seems that she lives on. If I'd realized the heartache that we went through when we lost her would one day lead to this I don't think that it would have made it hurt less, but I do think that it would have made it more bearable. I'm still so happy that we were lucky enough to spend our lives with her. You never know where a small decision will lead you, but sometimes it turns out to be much larger than you expected. Our lives have been enriched more than I can say by the decision we made to bring Treat home with us.

We're participating in this Saturday's Pet Blog Hop, hosting by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume. If you'd like to participate, please follow the rules and follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste the html code into your html editor. Thanks again to our hosts for putting on the hop!

Winter Challenges

2011-02-04T00:00:00.011-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard with a few fitness challenges to share.

Most of you know that I have a big race with Pip tomorrow. I've been doing a lot of training to get myself into racing form. It's not easy maintaining your figure when there are all these dog bakery treats and pup cakes around, but I've been motivated.

Anyroo, I came across a couple of challenges that I thought I'd share with all of you. One of them is the Idita-Walk. It's a physical fitness challenge that you can do with your humans. Basically, you try to walk for thirty minutes for thirty five days between February 1 and March 31, for a total of 1049 minutes, which is the amount of miles between Anchorage and Nome, Alaska. The focus is just to get out and walk with your humans a little every day. You and your human can both register. So far I've logged in sixty minutes. If anybody out there wants to join in, we'd love to share notes!

The second one is shorter and has to do with a big event that a lot of people are all excited about here in the States on Sunday. That would be Super Bowl Sunday. I'm going to be honest, I don't care who wins, but I do enjoy watching the commercials. Especially the funny ones where the dogs outsmart the people, like that Doritos ad from last year. Anyroo, Subaru has had some funny commercials with dogs this year and now they have the Subaru Game Day Dog Walk Event. It's simple, sign up and pledge to walk your dog on game day and you get some cool loot. So, see if you can get your humans off the couch and paying attention to you for a bit on Sunday!

I hope these ideas help you to get your people motivated to get out there with you and enjoy a little bit of winter weather. It's fun as long as you dress for it and you don't overdo it. Now, I'm off for my pre race nap. Wish me luck for tomorrow!

We Survived Snowapalooza

2011-02-03T00:00:00.011-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard writing about our crazy weather the past few days.

Most of our friends in the States know that we had one wicked blizzard blow through our area Monday night, all day Tuesday and yesterday morning. We ended up with twenty inches of snow. Mom has been off school for three days and Dad's work even sent everyone home early on Tuesday. That's very unusual.

By Wednesday morning, some of us had a pretty serious case of Cabin Fever. We decided to go out for a walk to stretch our legs and get some fresh air. Plus, we'd almost forgotten what the sun looked like up in the sky.

I am glad that I had my coat and boots. Those snowdrifts were deep. I wish I'd been able to go without a leash, because I wanted to run the whole walk around town and through the park. Morgan kept climbing up the snowbanks. Dad told her not to, but Mom said to let her and maybe it would wear her out a little. It didn't.

Still, it felt so good to get out and stretch our legs. It gave us a chance to get caught up on our Idita-Walk challenge, too. I hear that it's going to be extremely cold today and tomorrow, so we'll probably be itching to hike this weekend. I hope we see our owl come back so we know he's okay. He likes to sit under the awning when it's extra cold, but we didn't see him during the blizzard.

How do the rest of you pass the time when the weather is too brutal to go outside? Thank goodness Gertie the Groundhog told Willard Scott that we'll have an early Spring! I'm ready for Winter to be over!

Wordless Wednesday 2/2 -- Winter's Majesty

2011-02-02T00:00:00.000-06:00

Winter Magic

2011-02-01T00:00:00.000-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard to tell you about our weekend adventure.

Morgan has had a bad case of cabin fever since we didn't get to hike the last couple of weekends. I think Mom might have had a touch of it, too. She said she was feeling much better after her bronchitis and so we decided we were going to go for a hike. This time we went back to Matthiessen State Park. If you look at the link, it will show you what it looked like there back in September.

We had heard that it is beautiful in the Winter, and it's true. The waterfalls and cliffs look like something you'd see in an enchanted forest. A lot of people come there to cross country ski and hike this time of year, and we saw quite a few people out. We were pleasantly surprised to see so many people, and even another dog there.

Since the waterfalls are what the park is known for in the winter, we took the lower trail through the Upper Dells. It leads past several very pretty waterfalls. I'm afraid that the Giant's Bathtub was quite frosty this time of year. I hope he's not planning on taking a bath anytime soon.

It wasn't surprising that we didn't see any wildlife this time. I know there are a lot of deer there -- it was originally known as Deer Park, but they were scarce. We did see a lot of footprints, though. Even though they are good at hiding from people, there are a lot of animals still in the park.

I know some people think it's too cold to go out hiking this time of year. We were disappointed that Aunt Julie and Ruby decided not to come with us at the last minute. After we got started walking, we were all plenty warm. Going out hiking this time of year allows you to see spectacular sights that you never dreamed could exist, though.

It's also nice because it gives you time with your humans that you don't always get with the distractions of home. You go out with your family and it's just you and the sights to enjoy. That's a pretty good reason to go out right there if you ask me.

Of course, all that fresh air does wear you out. It makes for a nice nap on the way home, too. Those after a hike naps are the best kind. While I was sleeping, I was already dreaming of the next hike. I hear Mom and Dad have one planned for us for next weekend that we haven't done before. I can't wait!

Why We Hike With Our Dogs

2011-01-31T00:00:00.013-06:00

If you are a regular reader of our blog, by now you know that most weekends find us doing some sort of hiking. We started hiking late last summer after we realized that Morgan was going to need a lot of exercise to help keep her grounded. However, it's more than just occupying Morgan that keeps us going back out on the trails.

I've found that I really enjoy it for a multitude of reasons. We are very lucky here in Illinois that our state parks are still free. This means that we just have to get gas in the van to get us there and find something to eat, which makes for a rather inexpensive weekend outing. It also gives us an opportunity to see some of the most beautiful sights our state has to offer, many of which are hidden gems that few people know about. Almost all of our state parks allow dogs on leash, too. I only know of a few exceptions. Almost all of our national parks are closed to dogs or provide extremely limited access.

There are also other places where we hike, but with so many different state parks, we've been trying to see as many different ones as we can. The important part is that we get a chance to disconnect from the fast-paced world that we normally live in and reconnect with each other, the dogs and ourselves. It's not the same as the walks we take around the neighborhood during the week. Our time out hiking is a chance to really leave the stresses of the week behind and spend time with those we really love.

As soon as the backpacks come out, the dogs begin their merry dance. They obviously love the time we spend out away from the house as much as we do. I think it's as important to them to have time with us as it is to us to have time with them. As soon as we head out on the trail, I see tails wagging and I notice that Bunny will keep looking to me to see if I'm coming and we're really going to go. After a while, she'll get immersed in smelling things on the trail and looking at things around us, but the first part of the hike she's always looking to see that she's connected with me.

I don't think that hiking is the only way to make a connection with your dog. There are lots of ways to do that. I think the truly important thing is that you disconnect from the things that tend to distract you in this electronic age and learn to engage yourself fully with your furry companion for a while. What ways do you enjoy spending time with your pets?

Second Puppyhood?

2011-01-29T00:00:00.063-06:00

There's nothing like life with an elderly dog to really humble you. If you're not familiar with our blog, Lilac is our senior Greyhound here and she's fifteen and a half years old. I believe the average life expectancy for a Greyhound is from twelve to fourteen years old, so our old lady really is quite aged at this point.

It's been an interesting week at our house. To start with, Lilac has gone on strike. When the weather gets cold it's tough on the older hounds. We try not to leave them out longer than we have to and to make things as bearable for them as we can. It seems that we've come to an impasse in this area. Lilac is suffering from a lot of weakness in her back end. She does okay when she's walking around, but standing in one place is tough for her and it doesn't take long to see her back half start to sag to the ground. To get in our back door, you have to climb five steps. These steps are difficult for the old lady to climb. She would really prefer to avoid them. This leads to a stand off at the back door every night. I am more than happy to carry her up the back steps. However, Lilac's pride can't accept this. So, I reel her in gently with the leash and we have a little chat at the back door as I hold it open and try to cajole her to just walk in the door so I can help her. Once I push her in the door, she gives me a dirty look and hauls herself onto the steps before I can maneuver to stop her.

Tuesday night I arrived home to see that Mr. Taleteller was home early. I thought maybe his excitement about going to class that night with Morgan had motivated him to leave a little early to get ready. It turns out that it was not the case. He'd stopped by home late in the afternoon on his lunch break and had to call the office to tell them he wouldn't be back in. It turns out that one of our breakfast dishes in the sink had something irresistable on it. Lilac decided to counter surf and broke one of her bad toenails in the process. She has SLO so this happens on occasion at our house. Mr. Taleteller bandaged her up to keep her from bleeding on anything else and set to work on cleaning up the kitchen. He tells me that it looked like a scene from a horror movie with blood all over the sink, counter, kitchen floor, dog beds, living room carpet and probably still hidden in some nooks and crannies that we haven't discovered yet. It was so much fun wrapping Blueberry and Lilac in matching IV bags over their wrapped up feet for turn out. Fortunately, we only had to leave Lilac bandaged up for a few hours until the bleeding stopped.

Thursday night we had steak for dinner. Lilac, Blueberry and Morgan all gathered around to gaze at me adoringly as I began to eat my dinner. None of them is ready for an Academy Award yet because I didn't believe for a minute that any of them was more devoted to me than they were to the steak I was cutting. This steak had a bone in it and as I sat trying to cut it on a tray, Lilac walked up and decided to take matters into her own, erm, mouth. Right in front of me she reached up over the edge of the tray like a Great White Shark surfacing to attack its prey. I pulled the plate away and scolded her. She smirked at me and went for it again. I feared there would be a wrestling match between the two of us over my steak, and I wasn't sure I'd be the victor. In the end, I did eat my steak, and there was a bite for each of the dogs after it was over.

Lilac seems to be really feeling full of herself this week. I'm not sure what has brought about her burst of fiestyness, but she's definitely sassier than she's been since Old Man Winter came knocking on our door. I have to wonder if she's entering her second puppyhood as she fades into her twilight years. Alright, I confess, a part of me wonders if she ever completely left puppyhood. It's tough when she talks back to you like a teenager and then reminds you that she's old enough to be your great grandmother in dog years.

In Racing Form

2011-01-28T00:00:00.002-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard with a race update.

While Pip has been off in the hot tub with a certain group of ladies, I have been concentrating on winning the prize. I hope he and Roo have been having fun down there in the tropics. I admit, I was hoping to have some dogs cheering for me to win, but I am happy to be the dark horse, er blue fawn dog, and come from behind to surprise everyone on race day.

I suppose a lot of you think I've been living on Puddles' Cheetos and beer diet, but this is not the case. As an athlete, I know that I have to be careful with what I eat. I leave the junk food to Puddles and stick to my yogurt when I need a between meals snack.

I've been looking for inspiraton to win. It's not just about being cute enough, fast enough, or doggone liked by others, it's about that drive from within. Then it hit me. There are lots of Greyhounds waiting back at the kennel where I was adopted, waiting to win their race to the couch. So, I'm not just running for me now, I'm running for them, too. I feel the fire or competition in my heart now. I'm ready to go! So, Pip, what do you say? Are you ready for race day? Be sure to tune in February 5 to see the race, everyone!

Who's There?

2011-01-27T00:00:00.003-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard writing about our newest housemate.

When we go out on our hikes, we're always looking around, hoping we'll see some interesting things in nature. We've run into a few deer and spied some Bald Eagles from a distance, but we really haven't seen too many unusual animals when we've been out and about. Now it turns out that we have a better chance of spotting wildlife right here at home.

It seems that an owl has taken up residence in our resident bird nest. A couple of years ago, some robins built a nest in the awning outside our kitchen window. This fascinates Dad. He keeps saying he's going to get us a webcam to put out there so we can watch them all the time. After the robins move out, some wrens take over the nest and hatch their chicks. Dad enjoys this so much that he won't disturb the nest. It sits there unoccupied until the next Spring rolls around.

Last year we had an owl visit once in the awning outside the living room during a bad snow storm, but he didn't come back after that. This year, the owl seems to really like the spot under the awning. The three days we've seen him there have been really cold, bitter days. He seems to know we're in here, but it doesn't bother him much.

Now I've been thinking. You all might know that I consider myself a mighty huntress. There's nothing that I'm scared of. That owl is also a mighty hunter. If I had an owl to hunt with, imagine what we could catch. That would make us an unstoppable duo. Those rabbits wouldn't know what hit them. He's so fast, Mom's been trying to catch a picture of him flying off, but he always gets past her. The best we've gotten is this short video.

We think he's a Western Screech Owl, but we aren't certain. Is there anybody out there who knows for sure? Also, can anybody tell me how to convince him that we should be hunting partners?

Also, our friend Mayzie is having a commentathon on her blog today to celebrate one year of blogging. For every comment she gets, her mom will donate twenty five cents to her rescue group. They're also going to pick one commenter to recieve a matching donation to a rescue group of their choice. So, please drop in and leave her a comment today!

Wordless Wednesday 1/26 -- Sunday Best

2011-01-26T00:00:00.002-06:00

I Choose You...

2011-01-25T00:00:00.001-06:00

I've been thinking a bit about the bond I have with my dogs. Several things I've read lately have made me ponder what it is that creates that bond that some of us have with certain dogs. I have to wonder if some of it doesn't start right from the beginning.

I know that everyone has a different experience in picking out their dog. As a kid growing up, we chose puppies, but I didn't get the final say in which puppy it would be until I was fifteen years old and chose our Australian Shepherd for my birthday. She was female and the last blue merle the man had left. My sister and I worked on my dad and he agreed to pay the extra money the man wanted for her unusual coloring. We started dog obedience together the next year, just hoping she'd learn to come sometimes when we called her name and she went on to win the State Fair obedience competition that year. I loved that dog and I remember crying a lot of tears when I left home and had to leave her behind. My sister still loves the breed and has a pair of Aussies now, but she lives in a rural area where they can really do the sorts of things Aussies like to do.

It wasn't until my husband and I were married and able to buy our first house that I was able to really choose a dog of my own. I consider us very lucky that we found the adoption kennel that we found. There are some adoption kennels that choose your dog for you and that's the dog you go home with. Others will let you look at a website and choose your dog without meeting before hand. At Quad Cities, we filled out a questionaire and they let us meet dogs that they thought would fit our criteria. There were only four cat safe dogs in the kennel at the time, so we only met four. Looking back, I see that as a blessing. We'd have been overwhelmed meeting twenty dogs.

The two things that stick out to me about that first meeting are that Treat was one of two dogs who really seemed to like us and was leaning against us from the beginning and she was the only one who looked back at us as they led her back to the kennel. She blossomed when we brought her home with us a week or so later. We'd had offers of a puppy for Christmas (that I didn't know about until after Christmas) and when we told our families that we were adopting a full grown Greyhound we were met with hesitation. As soon as everyone met her, though, they were charmed by her. She easily became my heart dog and when she died, I felt like I'd lost a part of myself. If I'm honest, I did lose a part of myself and I had doubts about whether I could open myself up to that kind of loss again. Even with three other hounds in the house, I was lost without that connection. It wasn't that I loved them less, we just didn't have that certain magic.

We went back to the adoption kennel. It was the first time we'd chosen a dog without Treat. We took Blueberry with us and she was...less than impressed...by the dogs we were introduced to. I saw some very sweet dogs who were beautiful, but I didn't feel that connection. I was feeling pretty disheartened, to tell the truth, after meeting over a dozen dogs with a very patient adoption representative. Finally, she offered to bring out a little dog she'd mentioned before, but she cautioned us that she was very new and they didn't know a lot about her yet, and that she was very young. When Bunny walked in that door, she walked straight over to me on the couch and leaned against me. Blueberry -- didn't dislike her on sight. She eventually made her way over to Mr. Taleteller and gazed up into his eyes. I was stunned by her calmness and confidence. I'm pretty sure I asked several times if they were sure that she was only eighteen months old.

What strikes me is that the dogs I've felt the strongest connection with have chosen me more than I've chosen them. Perhaps they have an instinct in them that I don't understand, or the wisdom to see something that we don't. I know that people can come by dogs in many different ways, but I can't imagine not having a dog who chose me now. For those of you out there who have had a heart dog in your life, either currently or in the past, how did you find your dog? What do you think goes into the making of a deep bond with your pet?

Gone To The Dog Show

2011-01-24T00:00:00.055-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard writing about our lazy Sunday.

We didn't really get out much this weekend since we were making sure Mom was getting over her bronchitis and it was bitter cold. We went out to the lake for a quick walk and I was shivering in no time. As far as I'm concerned, Spring can get here anytime.

Sunday afternoon, we found a way to amuse ourselves that everyone could be involved in. Best of all, it was inside and we could enjoy our beds and couch. We all gathered round to watch the Eukanuba National Championship.

Of course, our main interests were the Hound group and the Working Dog group. We were cheering for Chanel, the Whippet, to win. We also thought Sara the Greyhound was pretty. Morgan sniffed in disdain at the German Shepherd, but we were also watching the Australian Shepherd, Reckon, closely.

We were impressed to see dogs win awards for Search and Rescue, Police and Therapy work, too. I was quite impressed by the fancy collars those dogs were wearing when they got those awards. It was good to see that they thought those kinds of jobs were important.

In the end, Reckon won. He reminds us a bit of our cousins, Ruby and Nipper. Mom said those show dogs are lucky they don't have to compete with me. I don't know if I'd like the life of a show dog. It seems like an awful lot of just standing around, and then the judge doesn't even want to pet you. I'll just look good from the couch!

There's Only Room For One In This Sick Bay

2011-01-22T00:00:00.008-06:00

This week has been a tough one for me. What I'd hoped was just a touch of respiratory flu proved to be a tough case of bronchitis that kept me home from work all week. I spent quite a bit of time curled up in bed, which Nurse Bunny heartily approves of. However, in the interest of getting a good night's sleep, I also tried to get myself up and out of bed for part of the day.

If you're a regular reader of the blog, then you know that I'm not the only one recovering here at our house. Last week Blueberry broke her toe and is now sporting a rather large splint. In the beginning of her convalescence, I was feeling pretty bad for her. However, since she's learned to get around in her splint and the pain has dulled, she's been getting around quite well.

Apparently, she thinks that she has a claim on the couch right now. I disagree and feel that I need the couch just as much, if not more, than she does. It's not that I'm not willing to share. As a matter of fact, two dogs AND a person can fit on our couch. Provided the dogs and human are cooperative, that is.

I have noticed that Blueberry has been a lot clingier lately. I attribute it to her not being able to go with us as much as she and we would like. I also think that she's finally reached a point in her life where maybe she likes more physical comfort than she did when she was younger. She's always preferred to have her own space to sleep, sometimes even sleeping in the living room while the rest of us are asleep in the bedroom. I don't blame her -- I like to have my own space to sleep, too. Still, it seems like she's taken it to new heights this week.

A lot of times, if Blue wants to be on the couch with me, she'll climb up and then stretch out so that none of the other dogs can find space up there. I can't imagine how I ever found that this was cute. You may be shaking your head and saying something to yourself about how sweet that is that she wants her time with me and how crazy I am to say that it's anything different. Well, here's where the problem begins. Blueberry doesn't think that she should have to share the couch.
I come out in the morning and ask her to move over. She give me a look from the corner of her eye and then feigns sleep. A second request from me results in a snort, which she attempts to disguise as a sneeze. Finally, she moves over infintessimally and I wedge myself into the corner, muttering about how she's lucky I'm sick and she's injured. This results in a huff from Her Royal Hineyness followed by her standing up, stretching herself halfway on the floor and half on the couch before she hobbles off, ka thunk, ka thunk, ka thunk, tapping the floor extra hard with her splint as she stalks off to the crate to sulk. I'm not sure if dogs feel guilt, but they certainly know how to use it against us.

She doesn't stay in the crate for long, though. Oh no! Soon, she's back, sniffing me and letting me know I'm forgiven for disturbing her before she will hop back up on the other end of the couch. The next thing I know, she's stretched out on two cushions, her head leaning against my foot or leg. I continue to read, or perhaps I'm looking at something on the computer, or watching a little television. Soon, I begin to notice something. Darned if this couch isn't shrinking! Soon, Blueberry is so close to me that I've lost feeling in the entire lower half of my body. I try to push her over, but I might as well be trying to control the flow of lava. I get up and limp to the kitchen to rattle the treat jar. Three dogs appear for treats while Blueberry sits up on the sofa, her ears perked in anticipation of the treat I'll bring back to her. That didn't go as planned.

I look at Bunny. She's laying on the dog bed on the floor, avoiding what she imagines will be another Clash of the Titans. No doubt she feels that if we take each other out, the couch will be all hers. Morgan finds a reason to go on patrol. Lilac yawns and closes her eyes, not willing to interrupt her nap for our silliness. Finally, I sigh and realize the inevitable. I am just going back to bed. At least it's big enough for several of us to share if we all decide to head in there. I'll fight the Battle of the Couch later. Sleeping in bed with Bunny and Morgan suddenly seems like a much better idea, anyway. I guess this way, we're all winners!

Turning Nine Is Fine

2011-01-21T00:00:00.005-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard, taking over for Mom.

I'd like to start by saying that I've really had my paws full taking care of Mom this week. She's been sick with bronchitis and after I'd tried every trick I knew to take care of her, I finally had to get Dad to take her to the human vet yesterday. I apologize that we haven't done a lot of commenting, but you have no idea how much work it is taking care of these sick people! Anyroo, the vet gave her some medicine and hopefully next week we'll get more into the swing of things. I'm sure glad we got a lot of posts ready over the weekend.

Anyroo, since Mom was sick, and Blueberry has a broken toe, we had a low key birthday celebration for her. I don't think she likes a whole bunch of fuss anyway. She's a "let's get to the cake" kind of girl. That's one of the things I admire about her.

The good thing about any birthday is that we all get to partake of cake! Maybe it's not such a bad thing that Mom was sick again, since it meant that we got to have cake from the dog bakery. I don't know what sort of magic they bake into those cakes, but they're delicious!

Blueberry wanted to thank everyone for all their birthday well wishes, too! She loved being Queen for the Day. Tomorrow, I'll be sure to get my tiara back, though!

Hard To Believe Another Year's Gone By

2011-01-20T00:00:00.054-06:00

Today our Blueberry Girl turns nine years old. I remember seeing her turn two. Where does the time go?

I'm not lucky enough to have pictures of Blue as a puppy. I can well imagine that she was a beautiful little thing. When she came here at two years old, she was a wild child, just unbelievably full of herself and knowing that she was pretty enough to get away with just about anything. She's still pretty enough to get away with just about anything. I can distinctly remember sitting down with her on her third birthday and telling her that now she was a big girl and needed to start behaving like a young lady. She blew a raspberry at me and went on her merry way. Her fourth and fifth birthdays passed in much the same manner.

Honestly, I think Blueberry might have stayed a puppy forever, but one event seemed to change her overnight. When Treat passed away, Blueberry realized that the role of Miss Perfect was open and that she wanted it. Suddenly, the spot on the other end of the couch was filled by Blueberry. She spent a few minutes cuddling on the bed each night before hopping off to sleep in her favorite spot on the floor. I think her heart still belonged to my husband, but she seemed to be more in tune with my need for canine companionship than Treat or Hawk had been.

When we'd chosen a new hound for our pack, Treat had always been the one to help us choose. After losing her, we took Blueberry with us to the kennel when we went to look for a new hound. She turned her nose up at every dog they brought in for us to meet. I remember really starting to despair and to think that Blueberry was absolutely no help. By the time the woman at the kennel offered to let us meet a new dog that they'd just gotten in, I felt half-hearted about it, but in Bunny walked and leaned right up against me, and Blueberry didn't hate her. She didn't act thrilled with her, but her reaction to Bunny was by far the best of the day. We still laugh about Blueberry chasing down the foolish male named Try who made the mistake of, ahem, getting fresh with her and teaching him a bit of a lesson. I doubt he's looked a female in the eye since.

She seemed content after Bunny came home to let me cuddle with her and make that bond, while she went back to being Daddy's Girl. Yet, she's still the one who will seek me out when I'm upset or having a bad day. I've also noticed that since Morgan has joined our family that she's more actively seeking time with me. While it's sometimes tough to juggle Blueberry and Bunny both together, I've come to really enjoy the time that I have with Blueberry. She's grown from a dog who could launch herself off the floor from a sit and take the food right out of your mouth to one who always has her eye on you to see what your next move is going to be and if it includes her. One of my deepest wishes and hopes is that she will be as long lived as her mother because every year with her gets a little sweeter. She has done wonderfully since her surgery for the cancer and is dealing well with her broken toe. These things are reminders to us to be thankful for every day that we have with our beautiful girl. We have been blessed to share the journey with her!

Happy Birthday, Blueberry, and many happy returns!

Wordless Wednesday 1/19 -- Three Amigas

2011-01-19T00:00:00.003-06:00

Fashion Meets Function

2011-01-18T00:00:00.020-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard typing about a proud moment for me.

You may know by now that we Greyhounds love our fashions. I admit it, I have better clothes than Mom and Dad. Not that there's anything wrong with that! One thing that we've lamented a bit, however, is the lack of fashions for German Shepherds. We do so want to keep Morgan up on the cutting edge of fashion with us, but there's not a lot to pick from, and then there's Dad always saying that German Shepherds don't wear things.

However, we've seen a few of our Shepherd friends wearing a few things. Anna and Shawnee both have their own backpacks, and we've seen Shawnee wear an insulated vest when she's out on her really cold hikes. For the most part, Morgan doesn't get too cold, but there is one thing that Mom and Dad have worried about. That's her feet.

When Mom first saw the PAWZ boots, she was curious, but not completely sure. Okay, mostly she wasn't sure Dad would let Morgan wear them. We saw our hiking friends all sporting some of them, though, as well as our friends from Two Pitties In The City. We were pleasantly surprised when Dad said that he'd agree to put them on her, especially on our hikes when it's really snowy and icy.

So, we made a special shopping trip to the dog bakery. We picked up Blueberry's birthday cake for later in the week, some treats for all of us and some PAWZ for Morgan. The lady in the store has a lot of Shepherds and she even helped Dad put them on Morgan while Mom and I supervised. Morgan got used to them pretty quickly, so I expect she'll be out hiking and walking in them soon.

I am so glad we're finally getting her a few of her own fashions, even if it is mostly for function rather than looking good. She looks good while she's keeping her feet dry and clean. The next thing you know, we'll have her all dressed up. Just don't tell Dad!

What Are They Thinking

2011-01-17T00:00:00.013-06:00

This Sunday it was a bit too brisk for us to go out hiking. I'm guessing Bunny and Morgan probably would have been okay, but Mr. Taleteller and I are wimps about the cold weather. This meant that our Sunday afternoon found us sitting at home with the dogs and watching a movie. The movie we were watching was Temple Grandin.

For those of you who have not heard of her, Temple Grandin is doctor who is autistic. Her field of study is animals. She has a gift for sharing what it is like to be autistic and also to design facilities for the safe handling of animals. Her autism has allowed her to think and see things the way animals do. Most of her work has been with livestock and the movie deals with how she helped to change things in the cattle industry.

Watching the movie made me think and wonder what it would be like to see things the way our dogs do. I feel like I have a pretty close bond with each of them, and I can guess sometimes what they must be thinking, but at other times, they baffle me. When we're together, they seem to be very content.

One thing I'm curious about, though, is what they're thinking when we're not together. Do they wonder where we've gone, or are they content just napping in their various favorite spots? If we leave with just one or two of them, do they wonder why they were left behind, or why they got to go and the others got left behind? Alas, I digress.

What I do know is that while being cooped up inside really isn't much of a hardship for the Greyhounds, it induces strong cabin fever for Morgan. Blueberry and Lilac seemed happy that we were all home together, and Bunny was happy to share the couch with me. After Morgan attempted to pounce on Blueberry as she hobbled by, use Lilac as a chew toy, continued to agitate Bunny and play bitey face with me (ewwww, my lips have touched dog lips), Mr. Taleteller decided to take pity on us and try to amuse her.

He started with the puzzle cube. Morgan had no interest in tipping it over and getting the food out. Harrassing Bunny still seemed like a lot more fun. So, they practiced their obedience work for a bit. This held her attention for a little while until Blueberry decided to show that she can still do obedience with a splint on. Finally, he resorted to trying to teach her a trick. They were working on her keeping a treat on her nose.

I am not sure who ended up being more amused by this endeavor. Mr. Taleteller was laughing some. I was laughing. Morgan was pouncing on treats that happened to slide askew. Even the Greyhounds were amused by watching Morgan try to keep the treat on her nose.

She didn't master the trick yet, but I'm sure that she will end up getting it with her usual determination. I could see the wheels turning in her mind as she worked to achieve the goal my husband had for her. Either that or she was thinking a lot of words that I can't type here on the blog. Maybe it's better if I don't know what they're thinking!

Sometimes You Just Need A Paw

2011-01-15T00:00:00.083-06:00

I've mentioned before that we do nursing home visits with the dogs. These happen on Thursday nights, and a lot of times it's hard to get motivated to turn around and go after a long day at work. Sometimes we indulge ourselves and stay home, but we try not to miss going. Of course, this week was even tougher when Blueberry limped into the kitchen while Bunny and I were packing up and wagged her tail in that hopeful way that she does when she wants to go somewhere with us. I told her it was going to take a bit more rest and that she needed to go lay down and keep Lilac company.

When I started visiting nursing homes with Treat, I'm sure that she wasn't perfect, but it's hard to remember that. There was gentle coaching and training that happened, and she had a natural aptitude for visiting. She was tolerant enough to let a little old blind lady poke at her face and fuss with her collar. Going up to people to say hi became natural for her and there was never any medical equipment or condition that ever deterred her. I admit that when I started visiting with Bunny after Treat had passed, it was hard for me not to resent starting over a little bit and also not to just miss her perfection after working and working with Bunny to try to get her to do what I wanted.

That's not to say that Bunny doesn't do well, though. She does and the people there are always thrilled to see her. I guess part of it is just that insecure part of me inside that everyone has who worries that everyone else's dog is doing so much better at visiting than my own. It's still hard for me not to think of her as the inexperienced youngster of the group. There are some dogs in our group who have been visiting longer than Bunny has been alive. I can't expect her to behave as if she has more experience than her short life has been blessed with. I suppose it's the same thing I did as a kid, too, only acting up and embarrassing my parents when there were other people to witness the event. Sorry Mom and Dad! It was Julie who made me do it.

Most of the visits we make are unremarkable and not really worth talking a lot about. They're just ordinary visits that allow me to share my dog with others, tell stories and forget about the cares of my day, and be transported through many elderly people's words back to times of dogs who lived long ago. Recently, we added a new Thursday visit to our roster at a new facility that quite honestly is so nice that I wish I could live there. It's a very new, modern facility, but it feels so homey and comfortable. The residents all have rooms, but there are different little lounges throughout the place and it's a very common sight to see groups of people gathered in nooks and alcoves chatting away. The nursing staff is sweet and compassionate, too.

While we were visiting this week, Bunny and I had walked down a hallway and around a small loop in the building. I almost didn't go, but Bunny seemed eager to stretch her legs and I wanted to work on keeping her attention on me, so we set off to see if anyone wanted to chat. In the far back hallway, we met a woman who said that there was a lady who was laying down and she needed to get some help for her. I wasn't quite sure what she was talking about, but in order to try to keep her calm, I agreed that I'd see what I could do. We went around a corner and found a woman lying on the floor in the middle of the hallway. Definitely not good!

I walked around her and leaned down to ask if she was okay. She smiled and said something about needing to get back up, and I could see her wheelchair a bit behind her. I remembered seeing her in the chair earlier. I told her that her friend had gone to get help and that I'd just stay there with her until help got there. I sat in the floor beside her and Bunny laid down. She wanted to hold someone's hand, and darned if Bunny didn't offer her paw while I held the other hand. I was pretty surprised, but Bunny laid there quietly, leaning down to sniff the lady from time to time and distract her while we waited for the nurse's aide to find the head nurse to help get the woman moved a little to see if she was alright. Several of the people in our group walked by and commented on her sweet behavior.

I honestly can say that I have been proud of Bunny over a lot of things, but this one was one that I will remember as one of her sweetest moments. With all the ugliness that we see in the world from people, sometimes it's nice just to have a paw to hold on to. I'll always believe that the world would be a better place if we all took a moment to behave more like our dogs!

Possessed By Snow

2011-01-14T00:00:00.005-06:00

Hello! It's me, Morgan, and I wanted to send out a message of warning.

You see, everyone knows how sweet Bunny is. Most of the time, she's an angel. I am glad she's decided to join that race against Pip, because I've been having fun working out with her while Puddles does the coaching. She's always been fast, but she's certainly getting into fine racing form.

Working out at the dog park is a lot of fun. It really doesn't feel like work at all. As a matter of fact, I'd be happy if we went out there to train every day. Mom and Dad keep talking about the price of gas, though.

Still, there's a side of Bunny that Pip might not be aware of. Training and racing brings out the competitor in her. See for yourselves!

Pip, be afraid! Be very afraid!

P.S. We were featured in Coffee With a Canine, if you'd like to read our interview!

Bring On The Bubble Wrap

2011-01-13T00:00:00.003-06:00

It's funny how sometimes you resolve to do something and then it comes back to bite you in the rear, or the toe as the case may be. Tuesday I was talking about trying to find the happy balance for Blueberry between being active and not overdoing things. We got a nice helping of snow Tuesday and it was my last day of break before going back to work, so we decided to take the girls to the dog park. It's an activity that Blueberry enjoys, as do Morgan and Bunny, and she can go at her own pace there.

We arrived and Blueberry took off with Bunny. I could tell that the snow and cool weather were a perfect mix for them. Mr. Taleteller and Morgan soon joined us and Morgan was off to try to catch up with them. They did several huge circuits around the dog park and it was awestriking to watch them do what they were born to do. Blueberry was really enjoying herself and giving it all she had. She and Morgan seem committed to helping Bunny get in shape for that big race.

The park has a section for small dogs and so the larger dog section is actually a large L shape. Blue is particularly interested in hanging out in the back section and stalking squirrels. As Bunny and Morgan came back around and kept up their antics, I didn't think much about the fact that Blueberry wasn't with them. After a few minutes, though, I decided to walk around and check on her, to make sure I knew where she was and what she was doing. When I walked around the corner, I saw her, holding her paw up and looking a bit relieved to see me.

I walked over to her and brushed the snow off her foot, figuring that the cold was getting to her. Still, she held the foot up. I tried coercing her into walking forward a bit. She kept the brakes on. Her back legs were trembling from the strain and cold and I pulled her over to lean against me. Then I called my husband. I could carry Bunny or even Morgan, but Blueberry is a big girl. He huffed, but picked her up to carry her to the van to warm up. There are a few perks to getting old. Bunny and Morgan circled around to see what was going on and offer moral support.

After Bunny and Morgan had run out of steam, we collected them and headed back for the van. When I opened the door, I was surprised to see her still holding her foot up, but the van doesn't offer a lot of room to do exams, so we loaded up and headed home. Morgan and Bunny were escorted out of the van and I turned to have a closer look at Blueberry's foot. She wasn't having any part of being examined and when I looked down at her, without any snow on her paw, I realized that the toe was sticking out at an awkward angle. Mr. Taleteller carried her into the house and I gave him the news. He was not too happy. To his credit, he did not say "I'm so glad I gave up half a day of work for this" or "You know Morgan and I are going to miss our first obedience class tonight."

It's not uncommon for Greyhounds to dislocate toes. I was pretty sure that's what had happened. I gave a sigh and made the call to the vet's office. Mr. Taleteller dutifully carried Her Royal Blueness back out to the van. We set of to have the toe examined and x-rayed. I felt awful for her in the lobby while we waited as she tried to pretend that not being able to see her would make it all go away.

I wasn't quite sure if they'd actually be able to do anything for her, but I am glad we went. It turns out that she broke her P3, which would be her third phalanx bone in her toe. It's not shattered, just broken in two, possibly three pieces. She has a splint and a nice IV bag to wear over it to keep it dry. She won't be visiting the dog park, or hiking, or much of anything for the next six weeks. I'm ready to go with Morgan's idea of bubble wrap suits.

So, I guess we'll start easing Blueberry back in to easy hikes in the Spring and see how it goes. I'm not too worried about her getting too crazy because she's pretty mellow and laid back, but I do want to come up with some ideas to keep her from getting too bored while she's on the mend. My question is for everybody out there who's ever experienced an injury that required rest or who just happens to have any creative ideas. What do you do with a dog who wants to be somewhat active, but is on restricted activity? I know she's going to need some special time just for her or she's going to get depressed seeing Bunny and Morgan getting to go out and do things while she can't. Any and all ideas will be appreciated.

This is framed in my vet's office. It's a note he wrote to his mom when he was a boy. His mom gave it back to him when he grew up. Every time I see it, I have to smile! I guess it's a good thing that we don't get everything that we wish for.

Wordless Wednesday 1/12 -- Who's That Tripping Over My Bridge

2011-01-12T00:00:00.006-06:00

Growing Older Gracefully

2011-01-11T00:00:00.010-06:00

This past weekend, we were glad that we got to get out on Sunday and hike. Saturday morning, Bunny and Morgan were both champing at the bit when they recognized the routine that signalled that neither Mr. Taleteller nor I were going to work. We had planned a hiking expedition with family, but it turned out to be bitter cold with windchills that weren't safe to be out in. Since the treat jar was empty, we bundled up ourselves, Bunny, Blueberry and Morgan and made a trip over to the dog bakery in town. The girls were happy to have an outing, but it wasn't the leg stretch that they were hoping for.

Sunday, we figured that we'd better get the two youngsters out of the house for a little bit and so we headed to the nearest state park for a hike. We approached this with trepidation, because it had literally been cold enough the day before to take your breath away. I guess that's why God invented Cuddle Duds and Smartwool socks. Since we weren't quite sure what to expect when we got there temperature wise, we decided that only Bunny and Morgan were going and that if it got too cold, we'd go back and call it a day. At least we'd get a nice drive in if nothing else came to pass. It turned out to be a really nice day for a hike. Crossing the frozen creeks were a little challenging, but I found myself regretting that we hadn't brought Blueberry along. I knew she wanted to go as she stood in the kitchen, her head vibrating with excitement.

When we got home, I was surprised by the display of affection Blueberry put on. She was leaping on the couch and doing yoga poses of bliss as I scratched her head before she collapsed in the nest of blankets she's arranged while we were gone. She can be affectionate, but is usually a bit more reserved. As I sat down, she curled up against me and was gazing at me in total adoration until I got the camera out. I made up my mind right then that next weekend, she has to be included, provided the weather permits.

It's so hard not to feel guilty when you have to make a decision for your pet that's in their best interest and against what they so obviously want. I admit that since her cancer diagnosis in November I feel the need to treat her like she's made of glass. Another factor in the issue is that she's actually not a young dog anymore. She was barely two when we first met her and now we realize her ninth birthday will be in a week and a half. Where did the time go? The woman at the dog bakery was giving all the girls treats, but making them sit before she fed them. When it came to be Blueberry's turn, she said "You don't have to sit! You're an old lady!" Blueberry promptly displayed the prettiest Greyhound sit ever executed which looked particularly charming while she wore her pink coat. It was as if she and I both had the same outraged thought at the same time. I can't think of her as old.

Since having that thought, I realized that I have to start being a bit careful with her, but not treat her as if she's old. Lilac is fifteen -- that is old! Blueberry is still ready to go. It will require some planning on our part to be sure it's challenging enough to take the edge off Morgan's energy, but not so challenging that we have to carry Blueberry back to the van. There will still be times when it's not in her best interest to go, either because the terrain is too treacherous or the weather is too extreme, too. Still, I am hoping we can find a happy medium that works for her.

My question to others out there is how do you do things that include your aging dog? What do you do to help him or her make the transition to old age? What are some things that your slightly older dogs enjoy doing?

Staying On Our Toes

2011-01-10T00:00:00.026-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard to share our Sunday hike.

I was worried we weren't going to get to go hiking this weekend. Saturday was bitter cold and Mom and Dad cancelled the family hike we were supposed to do with our cousins, which was disappointing, but when we saw Lilac's pee freeze before it hit the ground in the turn out pen, we were willing to forgive Mom and Dad.

Sunday the weather was a lot nicer, so Mom and Dad got bundled up and packed up our gear and we headed off. This time we hiked to Illinois Canyon in Starved Rock State Park. The canyon is known for its beautiful waterfalls and we were hoping to catch some more pretty pictures.

There were actually a lot of small waterfalls all along the trail. They made for some really interesting ice formations in some places. We saw one spot where the leaves looked like they'd been turned to crystal.

Most of the trail was pretty easy walking, but we did have to brave walking across the frozen creek several times. I'm proud to say that my first attempts at ice skating were quite successful and I didn't fall once. Morgan made it across every time, as well.

We saw several other people and dogs while we were out on the trail, too. Sadly, not all of them had as much respect for the surroundings that we did. We were glad we got some of these cool waterfall pictures on our way out because on the way back a man was letting his kids break the icicles off. I guess they didn't think anybody else would want to appreciate them.

When we finally arrived at the Illinois Canyon, we were a little disappointed. The waterfall wasn't nearly as impressive as the one in the St. Louis Canyon last weekend. It was still pretty, though, and the sound of the water burbling under the ice was fun to listen to.

On the way back, Morgan and I practiced our rock climbing. I think I might have gotten just a teeny bit higher than she did, but I'm not sure. It sure was a great view from way up there.

If you followed our hikes last summer, you might remember that almost every one that we went to had a wedding happening. Well, would you believe that there was a bridal fair at the lodge this weekend? I guess they're all planning to have their weddings at our hiking spots again this year. I can't say that I blame them. We've hiked in some of the most beautiful spots in our area and I can see why people would want to start their new lives together in those places.

Our hike was definitely a great break from the Winter doldrums. What do all of you like to do to relax and enjoy Winter? Also, Morgan has started her own blog. I think she plans on mostly writing about our hikes.

I'd also like to say how very sad we are that The Luke is no longer with us. He was a special boy with a golden heart. We send our very heartfelt condolences to his mom and The Bleu. Hug your hounds and cats -- you never know how short or long your time together might be!

The Ties That Bind

2011-01-08T00:00:00.010-06:00

We have four dogs here at our house, which means that I have four different canine relationships. If you read the blog much, you probably realize that the closest bond that I have is with Bunny. I think one of the main reasons for that is that she is the only one of our current dogs that I have done formal training with.

Lilac was older when we got her and we didn't take her through formal training, partly because we just didn't think she'd live long enough to really need it, and we spent time teaching her basic commands at home. When Blueberry came along, it was at a time when Hawk was having some issues and it was a good time for Mr. Taleteller to begin doing work with her to make her a therapy dog partner. They did formal obedience training together for a while and Blueberry is actually quite good at it. Bunny came along just after Treat's death, and she was intended to be my therapy partner, so that meant that I had to do the formal training and work with her. Now that Morgan has arrived, Mr. Taleteller has devoted his time to working on training with her. I have to work with her some, too, but I'm not the one who takes her to class and does the practice with her.

That's not to say that I think that doing obedience training is the only way to bond with your dog. A good Saturday morning sleep in session can help, too! Bunny had been here with us for several months before we started going to class and we'd already started doing some things together. We didn't go to obedience class because we had dreams of a career in obedience, either. I wanted her to learn to walk well on a leash and to know basic commands so that we could start thinking about getting certified as a therapy dog team and so that our neighbors realized I was walking a dog instead of a kangaroo or landed trout. I think that taking class got us started on the path to knowing each other well, though. It made me concentrate and think about what she was doing at that time and she had to learn to pay attention to me.

Our bond has also deepened over time and our continuing work as a therapy team has strengthened that. Spending time doing fun things that we enjoy has improved it, too. Going out hiking has given us a chance to do things together like build trust while still being out away from all the distractions of home and concentrating on being together.

I think Bunny and I would have been close no matter what happened, but I do think that our bond has been enriched by the time we've spent training. I feel like I'm getting to that point with her where I can really predict what she'll do, and I imagine she has a pretty good idea about what to expect from me. That's not to say that surprises don't happen, like a rabbit in the bushes, but even when those things pop up, I can react based on how I know she will react.

If I have one of the other dogs along with us, I often see her checking to make sure that I know that she's there with me. When I happen to be home sick, she's the one who will be curled up beside me. She's the one doing the dance of joy when I get home from work and she's the one who sits by me on the couch and licks my feet or hands while we watch TV and catch up on blogs.

One of the reasons I chose to share this is that January has been named National Train Your Dog Month by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. It really made me reflect on the benefits that training our dogs has given us. It can make such a big difference in the relationship you have with your dog and it can be anything from taking formal classes to teaching basic manners or even to teaching fun tricks. The important thing is to have fun with your dog and to get more in tune. It can be one of the most valuable things you do with your dog.

The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown

2011-01-07T00:00:00.011-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard writing about a challenge that has been thrown my way.

My friend Pip has challenged me to a race. He says that he's in top shape and working out even more since the New Year started. We've had a little friendly rivalry before, but now the gauntlet has been thrown. You can all bet that I am going to rise to this challenge and represent for Greyhounds everywhere!

Pip has asked Roo to be his coach, so I figured I'd better get serious about this training business. So, I have asked Puddles to be my coach. She assures me that she can help me get in shape in time for Race Day on February 5. Don't worry, she will not be giving up her beer or cheetos or taking up any kind of healthy lifestyle. She'll just be coaching me from her laundry basket.

On February 5, Pip and I will have our big race. I hope that you'll all come to see the race that day and cheer me on. If you'd care to make a wager, that option might be open later, too. Here are two videos so you can start making your predictions now.

Be sure to come by on February 5 and see who wins the race! Feel free to use the banner or this button on your blog if you like. One right click does it all!

One last note, if you don't mind. If you are friends with Golden Boy Luke, please stop over at Scout and Freya's blog for a very important message about something you can do for him. It seems that sadly, the Luke is in his last days, but there's something special that we can all do for him and you can find all about it over there at their blog.

Style and Inspiration

2011-01-06T00:00:00.001-06:00

This week we were given two awards, and I thought we'd pass them along before I forget who gave them to us or what the rules are. Hopefully you'll find some new blogs to read in the process. I know that they have given me a lot of smiles since I've begun reading all of them.

Our first award was from Cooper and Lola. I was really honored by what she had to say about our blog. A big thank you to them for the Inspiring Blogger Award.

Now we are supposed to link back to the person who gave us this award and list three bloggers who inspire us. We're also supposed to tell why they inspire us. I'll also add to these bloggers to please not feel like they have to use this award on their blogs unless they want to. I know that sometimes blog awards don't fit in with your plans, and that's okay. Do let others know about the award if you are passing it along, though! The truth is, it was really hard to pick three blogs for this, because almost all of the ones that we read inspire us in some way or another.

First is Romping and Rolling in the Rockies. Not only does KB take some of the most amazing pictures that I've seen, she has an amazing spirit. Every time I read her blog I'm inspired to go out and do something with my dogs. The way she deals with overcoming chronic pain definitely makes me take stock and realize that I am very blessed in my life. Not only that, her dog, K is overcoming a difficult bone infection. K and R are two of the most gorgeous and well photographed Labrador Retrievers that you will ever see.

Second is The Shenanigans of Shawnee the Shepherd. Shawnee and her mom go on some of the most amazing hikes. I find myself in total awe of the places they get to go. When we added Morgan to our pack, we realized that our lifestyle was going to have to get more active. Adding hiking to our weekends has been great for us and the dogs. We're not sure we'll ever be the hikers that Shawnee and her mom are, but they definitely inspire us to get out there and see the world around us.

Third is Wilf the PON Discovers France. They live in a small village in France and Wilf is enjoying the end of his life after his brother passed away last year and being recently diagnosed with cancer. What inspires me about this blog is the wonderful descriptions of life in their small village. I feel like I know the cast of characters they often meet on a day to day basis. I'm also inspired by Wilf's gentle wisdom. I'm not going to lie, I will cry like a baby the day I read that Wilf is with Angus and the Font no more, just like if he were my own dog. I just love everything about their blog, the quiet comfort of life in their rural village, the love that's obvious for a sweet little sheepdog and the subtle humor.

Second is the Stylish Blogger Award. We were given this award by our friends at Dogs Rock!! You're supposed to list some things about yourself and then choose five blogs to recieve the award. Since I usually let the dogs tell about themselves when we do awards, I thought I'd break tradition this time and tell some about myself.

1. I actually started this blog while I was dabbling in other short story and poetry writing because I wanted to try a new style of writing besides what I was doing. I never, ever dreamed that other people besides a few of my friends would read it. Then the blog took on a life of its own and now I rarely write things that aren't for the blog.

2. Writing the blog lead me to a volunteer job I do as copy editor for Celebrating Greyhounds Magazine and a few articles that I've written for them in the past year. That was also something I never expected! I got a t-shirt from the magazine, a free subscription and bragging rights!

3. I am a voracious reader and I think the nook by Barnes and Noble is the greatest invention since sliced bread. For those who are asking what a nook is, it's an electronic reader. If I want a book I can purchase it and read it from anywhere in a matter of seconds. Since I live out in the middle of the corn field, it's very handy to have. I am always curious about what other people are reading!

4. I once jumped off a twenty foot cliff in Colorado with my sister while we were on a canoing trip. I am an incurable daredevil, it seems. One day, I hope that if I'm sitting in a nursing home that I have enough interesting stories to keep people entertained for the rest of my stay here on this mortal coil.

5. I love gadgets. There, I said it! Mr. Taleteller often gives me grief about this, but I am my father's daughter when it comes to electronic toys. I don't know what it is about them, but they fascinate me.

Alright, enough about me! Now it's time to pick five stylish bloggers to share the award with. That's a tall order, because there are lots of bloggers we know with style and panache, but we finally narrowed it down.

Dennis' Diary of Destruction -- We know he's on hiatus right now, but when his dada gets done writing that book of his, we'll be happy to see the Sunday Awards and Memes Show start off with some awards. He wears the most stylish hats ever, so he deserves an award for that!

Winnie's Dog Blog -- Winnie is a Greyhound and she looks similar to Bunny. That alone makes her stylish in our book. She's also a bit newer to the blogging world and would love to make more friends, so stop in and say hi!

Cult of the Greyhound -- The funniest Greyhound pictures around! They do everything with their own sense of style and we salute them.

The Adventures of Anna the GSD -- Anna's a German Shepherd diva! She always has stylish collars and backpacks. We look to her for how a well-dressed Shepherd should live.

It's A Greyt Day -- I love this blog. The pictures will make you want to go out and try to get some of your own dogs, but I don't think I'll ever be as good at catching a shot as she is. Not only that, but she has the gift of giving you a great smile or laugh with just a few words.

I hope you'll check out all the blogs that we have links to today. They certainly make me smile or think every day!

Wordless Wednesday 1/5 -- Ice Princesses

2011-01-05T00:00:00.001-06:00

Frozen Waterfalls

2011-01-04T00:00:00.027-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard sharing our first adventure of the new year.

Some of you may remember that Morgan and I really wanted to hike back into Saint Louis Canyon in Starved Rock State Park this winter to see the frozen waterfall. It was one of our big goals for hiking this year. We'd planned to go on New Year's Day, but Mom and Dad were both sick, so we went on Sunday instead.

I have to say that we chose our timing perfectly. We had our third snowiest December in history here. We've had more than seventeen inches of snow total for the month. Then, on Thursday and Friday it warmed up. As a matter of fact, Friday it was almost sixty degrees and we had crazy thunderstorms, although we were spared the tornados that they had to the South of us. All that rain washed the snow right away. Then on Saturday and Sunday, it got cold and freezing again.

Hiking through the canyon was more treacherous than usual. Lots of places were solid ice. Combine that with a cliff off to the side and it did make us proceed with quite a bit of caution. As a matter of fact, Dad even fell once. Sorry, no photos of that this time, but one of these days soon, I'll get one.

We were surprised that lots of people decided to hike down the canyon with dogs. We saw more dogs there than I think we ever have before. It was pretty cool to see so many people enjoying nature with their pups in the New Year. Morgan would like it to be known that she was the only dog on the trails with no coat on.

After we hiked and skated our way down the trail, we finally got to the waterfall. Let me tell you, it was worth all that slipping and sliding! I am so glad we made it down there. It was like seeing something from a magical realm.

We even shot a short movie so you could hear what it sounds like as the water falls down the ice. It's still hard to believe that any sort of violence could happen in such a pristine place. We really felt like it was a good sign that 2011 will bring all sorts of wonderful and magical experiences.

Dad was so impressed that he thought about taking off work on Monday and going back. It was just that cool, no pun intended! So, who else is accomplishing their goals for the new year?

Snow Flight

2011-01-03T00:00:00.000-06:00

Bunny here, writing a little about our day after Christmas fun.

You may have noticed that certain hounds here at our house were rather unfairly neglected on Friday and Saturday while a couple of humans who call themselves "Mom" and "Dad" were off attending all sorts of family Christmas get togethers. It turns out that no hounds were invited to these festivities. I can't imagine that they had any sort of fun at these get togethers, and Mom assures me that it was truly a torturous experience. After smelling Dad's gloves Friday night, I'm not entirely sure I believe that, but I'm a generous little hound and I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Sunday, however, they redeemed themselves. We had more snow on Christmas and the world was a wash of white. Blueberry and I got all bundled up in our coats and we went with Morgan, Mom and Dad to the dog park to stretch our legs.

It was glorious! There was a Sibe there, along with a Sibe-Golden cross and a small spaniel. They were more than happy to run in the snow with us. We had the best time. I believe our pictures speak for themselves.

We came home tired, happy dogs and took a long Winter's nap. Now if I can just get them motivated to go see that waterfall!

Resolutions For A New Year

2011-01-01T00:00:00.012-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard, recording our resolutions for this year.

We debated about doing resolutions, but in the end, decided that we'd give it a shot. It's a fun time to reflect on what you want to do with your life, and we all have dreams. So, I convinced my sisters to let me share their resolutions with you and I added mine, too!

Blueberry says she resolves to be even more perfect and to worry Mom and Dad less this year. (insert rolling eyeballs) She says she's going to focus on her health and keeping in shape so she can keep up with me and Morgan on our outings.

Morgan resolves not to break any more windows. She says that she makes no resolutions about not breaking toys or unstuffing stuffies. There are limits to what she can withstand. She is also going to try to loosen up a little. (Ha!)

Lilac says, ahem, that she's "damned near perfect" and doesn't need to make any resolutions. I tried to convince her, but it was a no go. She did say that she's planning on seizing life with both paws and making the most of it, though.

I resolve to be the best me I can be this year. I'm going to try my hardest to keep Mom and Dad in shape by getting them out on those hiking trails more this year. I'm also going to work on challenging myself to try more new things and meeting more people so they can have the opportunity to pet me.

So, there you have our New Year's resolutions. We'd like to wish all of you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011! What are your resolutions for this year?

Things That Go Crash In The Night

2010-12-31T00:00:00.045-06:00

Sometimes being right isn't as great as you'd like it to be. I know, it sounds surprising, but I'm betting many of you out there with spouses, significant others or who have shared your life with another person at one time can relate. It all happened Wednesday night.

Turn out at our house is an orchestrated event. We have a turn out pen and the Greyhounds have always been used to taking care of business in there. However, when Morgan came home, Mr. Taleteller was reluctant to train her to use the pen. Okay, the truth is, he couldn't bear to just put her in there and make her deal with having to go in there, so his girl gets walked out in the yard to do her business. It's a bit safer anyway, because I fear that she has a good chance of knocking Lilac down in there in her, ahem, youthful exhuberance. I have put her in the pen on occasion, but she seems clueless about getting down to business in there and prefers to spend the time barking at Sammy, the neighbor dog, or anybody who might be walking down the street.

So, turn out involves taking the hounds out to the pen. During that time, Morgan is in her crate, howling like a banshee because they are going out somewhere without her. Then, Morgan goes out on a leash in the yard by the pen and takes care of her business. She's brought back inside and then the Greyhounds are fetched out of the pen and brought back in the house.

It all sounds very simple, doesn't it? Of course, there's a complication. You knew there was going to be one. Morgan is not happy anytime any of us leaves the house without her. She runs to the kitchen windows in the corner and leaps up to see what's going on outside. I told Mr. Taleteller that she's going to break that window one day. He poo pooed me, acting like I had bats in the belfry and that his girl does not have any sort of deficiency in her perfect behavior. No matter how sweetly I have mentioned that I thought this was an issue, I was ignored. If I'm in the living room or kitchen, I can curb her behavior. I tell her "off" or rattled the dreaded shake can, or if she just can't control herself at all, I send her to her crate. Once the cycle of barking is stopped or the departing party has returned, all is okay in her world and we return to normal.

Well, darned if I wasn't right. Wednesday night we arrived home and I was in the bathroom taking out my contacts when I heard a loud crash just after my husband had brought her back inside. I rushed out to find out what she or Mr. Taleteller had broken. It could have been either of them at that point. I yelled out and got no reply from hubby. The next thing I knew, he was a blur. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen him move so fast. Come to think of it, when I passed out after the bike ride debacle a couple of years ago, I am reasonably sure that he didn't even move so fast then. He flew into the house to see if Morgan was okay. That's when I saw it, from the kitchen doorway -- the glass hanging askew and partly missing from the kitchen window.

Morgan was checked briefly and then put in the crate. Mr. Taleteller started picking up glass, but then realized the girls were still outside and went to bring them in. We blockaded that corner and set their food out to keep them out of the way. We set to work cleaning up the glass carefully and then got Morgan back out of her crate and gave her a very thorough check. She didn't have any injuries, cuts or glass in her fur. Mr. Taleteller and I both managed to get the glass cleaned up without injury as well.

So, I guess the moral of the story is that the cost of being right is a twenty dollar piece of glass and a small fragment of your spouse's pride. Seeing your husband happy with his dream girl is priceless, though. All's well that ends well. Funny that Mr. Taleteller took her wherever he went on Thursday -- probably out of fear that I'd throttle her. It was tempting, but not worth seeing the end of a boy and his dog so happy together. I believe window avoidance training has already commenced.

Maybe my New Year's resolution should be not to gloat... Nah!

Christmas Party Girl

2010-12-30T00:00:00.015-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard sharing a few things I haven't had time to so far.

We might have mentioned that December is a pretty busy month for us. I got to go to not one, but two parties this month and I wanted to share a little bit about that. Sometimes it pays to be a cute and popular little hound.

One of them was at the nursing home we visit. It was our last visit for the month and they had requested that we visit the assisted living facility part last since they were having a Christmas concert, so we went over to the Alzheimer's wing first and worked our way back. I dressed up in my fancy collar, coat and had my toenails painted Fire Hydrant Red. I have to say that I did look very festive. Anyroo, I headed over to the assisted living building with my friends and they were having a reception after the concert.

We were staying in the front room, so as not to bother all the party goers who might not want to see us. It's hard to imagine that anyone wouldn't want to see us, but I saw the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, so anything is possible. Well, the director lady came out and invited us to go into the reception. She said the people would love us, but we still didn't want to start a riot or anything, since we tend to be like rock stars there, and we quietly socialized with the people in the front. The next thing we knew, the lady was bringing the punch bowl out to the front room and all these people were following. That punch bowl had the most delicious-looking pink punch I have ever laid eyes on. I admit it, I was mesmerized by it. The woman came over and handed Mom a glass of the punch. Some of the people were noticing that I was interested in that punch, so when Mom got almost done with hers, she let me have some. That really got the party started. The next thing I knew, everyone was taking pictures of me drinking out of the glass and fussing over me. The woman even asked Mom if I wanted a refill. I said yes, but Mom declined and said we had more visiting to do.

After we got all done visiting, we got presents from the ladies who organize our visiting group, which is called Paw to Paw. We got some different treats and a toy each, and Blueberry and I got a notepad with our names on it and Morgan got one with her name on it, and they even have pictures of a Greyhound and German Shepherd on them. We are really excited and impressed by these. Now people will really know that the notes came from us.

My second party was at Mom's last day of school. My number one fan sent me a message on Facebook and asked if I was going to be visiting at school any before Christmas. When I found out that the last day before break was her last day of school there ever, I begged Mom to let me go. She said I could come on the last day, which was a fun day. I told Miss Mikayla that I'd be there and even wore my pink Winter collar for her because pink is what she asked me to wear. I took her one of my special Christmas cards and gave her my last trading card, too. She brought me some pink treats that look like little cupcakes, too. I will really miss seeing her at school, but I hope she does great at her new school!

I also helped the kids in Mom's class deliver Christmas presents to people in the building who help them, like the librarian and the lunch ladies. We made newspaper snowballs for a snowball fight and I went to music class with them. That part was great! They sang with jingle bells and I loved that part. The songs sounded really festive.

All these parties have been so much fun. I think I was born to be a socialite. I've tried to convince Mom and Dad that we need to attend more parties, or have one at our house, but they say they are partied out. I'll come up with a plan after I take a nap and catch up on my sleep after all the excitement of the holidays!

Wordless Wednesday 12/29 -- Flying

2010-12-29T00:00:00.001-06:00

Christmas Finally Got Here

2010-12-28T00:00:00.002-06:00

Bunny here at the keyboard, finally, getting to share a little about our Christmas.

Mom and Dad were really busy this month, and Christmas Eve there were gone for about forever and Dad came home with gloves that smelled absolutely fascinating. We were hoping that meant we were getting something really interesting on Christmas morning, but nothing that smelled like those gloves appeared. We did notice Christmas morning that our stockings were looking different than they had the night before.

It turns out that we were good hounds this year -- even Lilac. That was a huge relief! We all had good stuff in our stockings. I even got a tiny hedgeamahog, because Morgan ate my Christmas one from last year. We got to spend some time with Mom and Dad in the morning and they didn't even get home too late that night.

I think Christmas ought to come around more often than once a year. Everybody seems to feel generous and happy. Plus, lots of things go on sale! I think we could all use a little more Christmas throughout the year.

Yes Bunny, There Is A Santa Claus

2010-12-27T00:00:00.007-06:00

Our Christmas was a pleasant one, albeit rather busy. One of the things that's always important to us is having time to spend with the girls. We try to work things in during the month of December that includes them as much as we can. You may recall from earlier blog posts that one of the things we did was taking the girls to see Santa at the local dog bakery.

The profits from the portraits were being donated to a local animal society, so we were happy to pay ten dollars for a picture that we'd be able to keep for a long time. You might recall that Santa left us feeling a bit...underwhelmed...by his demeanor. They had a high tech professional camera that took dozens of pictures in a matter of seconds. After they were done, we knew the first batch of pictures was no good. We repositioned the dogs, got Bunny and Morgan to sit with Blue standing behind them and everyone looking at the camera. I was really excited after that batch of pictures. They told us they'd choose the best one and print it.

A couple of weeks later, I was in the dog bakery picking up a few things and they were distributing the photos to customers. I was glad I was in there since we'd thought they were being mailed to us after we had to fill out our mailing info. The girl put the picture in a separate bag and I took it out to the car to look at it.

That was the best picture of the bunch? Good heaven! Morgan's tongue is over her nose, Blueberry isn't even looking at the camera and Bunny is standing. Santa's eyes are closed and he looks like he's been out on a bender! I know that picture was from the first bad batch.

I guess I can't complain much. Hopefully most of the money went to charity. I'd hate to see the rest of the pictures if that was the best one, though. At least the snowman was smiling! Hopefully it at least gives you all a smile on a Monday morning.