Walking a Deer

We got Louie Feb 9 of 08. During my first walk with him sans husband & Hanna & a winter coat, a youngish man walking his yellow lab commented, "oh, I thought you're walking a deer.".....

Ok-ay...can Louie pass off as a deer? Maybe. Because not many are familiar with the greyhound (not the bus) as a dog breed, I can accept that. One grey owner wasn't as lucky, her grey was mistaken as a kangaroo by a 5 y/o and one grey mistaken as a daschund by a fully grown man.

Happy Weekend

Amidst all our country's economic woes, here's to hoping & praying that our government's efforts lead us (the whole country & hopefully, the world) to better times.

Have a safe & healthy weekend!

It's SPRING!

Dear hubby is happy now that spring is here. This means more sunshine, milder temps, and bonsai season! Our curly dwarfed quince is already in full bloom so we brought it in (from our garage) and placed it on our mantel. Beautiful little tree.

Smell & Hear no Evil

Several friends and neigbors who have been to our house have commented on the absence of doggie smell, given that we have 2 big dogs (I don't use airfresheners--they are toxic to our health). Greyhounds don't have long fur and there's only one layer--not much dander or oil, so less smell. They also only go out (supervised & leashed) to do their business & exercise or go to the park or the vet, so less exposure to odor-causing entities. Sometimes, Hanna will have that freshly baked almond cookies smell, seriously! Different story though when they are gassy, THAT can really clear out a room!

A neighbor also mentioned that he never heard our dogs bark (which can really be annoying for some people, if you have a constantly yapping dog), another grey trait. Hanna & Louie had their share of barky moments (strangers, human & canine alike) but very rare.

So we are happy & proud that we don't smell and our neighbors are not bothered by our dogs.

The Sunshine Meetings

These four have been meeting at the same spot, same time everyday for a couple of weeks now....maybe they are deliberating on giving me, their mom-staff-owner, a promotion or a raise ;)

Good Cat Food

A couple of years ago, Ringo tipped the scales at 20 pounds. We feared bringing him to the vet for his check-up because we know we would get lectured at how obese our cat is... He was 9 at that time. He was really cute but it was difficult (not to laugh) watching him try to clean himself (because he couldn't reach his butt & everytime he tries, he just rolls over like a ball). Suffice it to say, I had some baby wipes ready, just in case... He LOVES food and there's nothing that he won't eat--he even loves begging for bread. Then we switched to this dry cat food. Even before the melamine-contaminated-petfood-from China-fiasco, husband & I have chosen to pay more for healthier pet food. Husband saw this from a farm's website, http://www.springfarmcares.org/ and we are very satisfied. A 9 pound bag costs around $25.49 but it lasts almost 2 1/2 months. We have two 11 y/o indoor cats. Though we give them wet food (1/4 portion of a 3 oz can--they don't really finish the whole can so instead of wasting it, I give them smaller portions) at breakfast (just so that they don't feel left-out that the dogs are having a big meal). Anyway, we are happy with this brand, cats look & act healthy (as verified by their vet), we have the peace of mind, and a bag goes a long way. And oh, Ringo is now in a much better shape at 18 pounds.

http://www.frrco.com/cat_formulas.php?PHPSESSID=aed4ea8b88a5bba54347e6bf05b97ef5

Healthy weight

A while ago, I was whining about how Louie lost so much weight while he was in boarding kennel. I was just ashamed to be seen walking with him because he looked so malnourished (like I wasn't frying eggs for him & going out of my way to make his food more palatable to him). So after upbuilding him (good dry & wet food, rice, treats & lots of love), he has now packed on several pounds & he is looking much better. We were able to walk the other day without any winter coat & he just got lots of compliments from other people. I have also discontinued his phenylpropanolamine since he is not leaking urine anymore. He loses his appetite (big time) when he is on that drug. What's amazing with Louie is he loses weight fast and regains it slowly. Wish that works with humans too, ehem!

Poop Disposal System

With 2 greys (palm-sized poops!), poop disposal is quite a concern. But I must say, our system is quite reliable and fool-proof. We purchase these biodegrable poop bags (made from cornstarch) and just pick -up & toss.

Our doggie bags used to come from petsuppliesdelivered.com but they have stopped carrying these biodegrable doggie bags. They switched to a different brand which is NOT biodegradable. So we tried Ebay.

It is warming up here in our area and together with the melting of ice on sidewalks, piles of dog poops left behind by irresponsible dog owners become visible. Yup, instead of crocuses & tulips or daffodils springing out from the ground, its piles of poop that you see. We live in a historic neighborhood (with a very strict homeowners' association) and I guess putting up reminders or dog bag stations (kinda like this onefrom an upscale Denver neighborhood) is more of an eyesore to them...Duh! Piles of poops VS dog bag stations? I guess you don't have to be a genius to know which is more of an eyesore.

Meet Hanna's sibling: Jamaica

Husband took these pictures of Hanna's littermate (Jamaican Jerk, yes, I also wonder what goes on in the minds of those greyhound breeders when they name these dogs) when he went to Massachusetts last fall. Jamaica has the same personality as Hanna, quite reserved but playful later on. He enjoyed the box of treats that husband brought for him. He hasn't been adopted yet. Good thing he is in a no-kill shelter. Maybe someday, when we have a bigger yard and can actually manage to have 3 greys, we can adopt him. He looks just like Hanna except for the curved tail.