(Photo: Dasher nearly 2 years old, lying cutely at my feet New Year's eve 2010. Yes, this IS the right way up!!!)
Dasher's Italian Greyhound blog 2011
This is the continued story of Italian Greyhound Dasher from July 2009 - see old blogs. The latest "happenings" will be put on at the top at frequent intervals, so the story unfolds from the bottom and up! He lives with our two Whippets, Magnus 11 years and Timmi 9 years - there are videos of him on YouTube under my name: sighthounddotnet
Email me or go back at any time to my sighthound.net start page.
Happy reading! - Janet

1st of January 2012 and I start a new blog page: Click here for the new "sighthoundblog12":

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29th of December
December is nearly over and we STILL have summer flowers in the garden, plus I saw a Ladybird!!!! Unfort. the camera focused on the hedge, but you can just see it.
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28th of December
This is how to use your friend as a comfy 38 degrees warm lounger whilst you casually chew a bone!!! (See bone by right paw!)
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Friend to lunch today and Racey suddenly gets a taste for coffee (Irma's best Java) - just hope he can sleep tonight! Don't worry, he's never having coffee again!

26th of December
Racey just LOVED his first Christmas - all those extra people to cuddle him!
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(Don't worry, Dasher had his share of love as well!)
Timmi the Tea leaf (tea leaf is rhyming cockney slang for thief!) lived up to his name! First he stole a large piece of salmon directly from the plate waiting to be served while my back was turned - and serve him right, as it was stuffed with Danish "foamed" horseradish (luckily I had some left over in the fridge!) - then later on he stole from a plate of home-made marzipan and nougat candies, when we all left the room for a moment!!!! The others cracked a few nuts and ate a few grapes - which we gave them!

Warning!!!
Commercial dry dog food swells up in the dog's stomach. Always test before feeding your dog, if you try a new brand. This is what I do: I take two particles of the new food and put one in a small bowl of cold water and the other I just leave alongside on the table top. (Out of Timmi's reach, of course, ha ha!) This new brand I am trying right now, based on salmon, swelled up to a shocking nearly four times the size! See here after 3 hours:

You should bear this in mind when feeding your dog, because what looks like a very modest portion, can swell up to 2-3-4 times the size after a few hours and make your dog vomit some up to relieve the pressure.
At the very least, it will give your dog a lot of discomfort - at worst he/she may throw up the entire meal. Therefore, with ANY brand of food, you need to know exactly how big the meal will become in a few hours time - and cut the quantity given down to an appropriate amount. This is probably a major cause of overweight dogs (not to mention the possibility of bloat and torsion). People fill up their dog's bowls with a portion that ALREADY looks "the right size" in their eyes according to their dog's stomach but not allowing for the fact that whole lot actually becomes, say 3 times larger during the course of the evening, while they are relaxing in front of the TV! We all know how dogs are "opportunists" and eat whatever they can whenever they can, so OF COURSE your dog will stuff itself to the eyebrows like it's the last meal ever - with any food you put in front of it - only suffer badlly for it later on - so best to to regulate according to the known "swelling point" - which varies a lot from brand to brand!!!

23rd of December
I am writing this due to complaints from several friends,who say that too many days have passed with no entry in Dasher's blog!!! Not that I have the time due to Christmas preparations.... On Monday Racey hurt his right leg. He was racing at top speed after Dasher, who he can't of course catch (but he's not far behind!) and he gets very angry (ready to kill!) because he can't bare not being as fast and gives it all he's got - so I tried to get them inside but on the patio it seems, he banged his front leg hard on one of the metal supports to our sunroof. He was in great pain and an examination didn't show anything but I later found out it was the joint at the top of the pastern - where the "growth lumps" are, so must be very painful indeed. Tuesday he knew to keep quiet, obviously it hurt a lot, which was good because he hardly played and he limped and slept a lot. Wednesday he was brighter but still limped but often ignored the pain to play a little. Of course no walks or exercise - we did our best to keep him quiet. Thursday MUCH more lively - and today he's just gone crazy making up for lost time. I took him for a very short walk. Here he is watching me today wrapping up some presents in a guest room. He is wondering what I am so busy with! I have already given him the cardboard tube from the wrapping paper to play with.


We (I) eat a fair amount of peanut butter and Dasher loves to lick out the empty jar! Here he is having a good go. He can always hear when I am scraping out the last bit and comes running to "clean" the jar as far inside as his tongue can reach!



17th of December
Poor Magnus trying to have a peaceful sleep on the sofa yesterday evening, while we watch tv. First comes Dasher and leans up against him, then Racey has to clamber ON TOP! I was laughing so much but trying to make it soundless, so I didn't disturb them while I took photos, so Dasher's ear went up to check what the funny wheezing noises were!!
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Racey wasn't comfortable at all so he crawled along and ended up on Magnus's head, even putting a paw over his eyes - which I didn't get. We have SO MUCH entertainment from seeing how they lie together!

16th of December
Onslow came again this evening just before 4 pm so it was still light - tho' getting dark FAST. He wasn't interested in the milk, which I've heard they like, but loved two "Frolic" dog food pieces! He is not afraid of me - only the dogs, who go berserk. I know this will guarantee he comes again and we have discussed taking him for a short walk and releasing him in a small wood near here, but can't bring ourselves to ruin his chosen life's rutine - and what if he crossed a road and got run over? So we are no doubt lumbered with him for ever. So might as well have some fun feeding him in the winter - far too mild to hibernate and there aren't many slugs and woodlice and the like around right now. He might even be a "she" and return in the spring with some cute "scrubbing brush" babies!!!
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Left: The dogs are watching intensely! They were ready for their afternoon exercise so I took Onslow up to the kitchen garden near the compost containers, so I could hurry back and let them out before he returned!
PS Reply in Danish from a friend who has her own hedgehog visitors:
Pindsvin skal IKKE have mælk, men vand! Kattepiller er glimrende; men hundepiller må vel også kunne bruges! Når den ikke er gået i hi endnu, er det nok, fordi den ikke har spist sig huld nok til endnu, og det er heldigvis stadig mildt. Mine to har jeg ikke set længe, så de ligger nok i komposten eller sådan et sted og sover. Du har sikkert masser af steder i haven, hvor den kunne overvintre; men ellers sælger Danmarks Naturfredningsforening pindsvinhuse. Det er ikke meget andet end en trækasse, så Svend kunne lave en selv!!! Prøv at gå ind på deres hjemmeside! www.dn.dk/Default.aspx?ID=3663
Lisbet

15th of December
This is a "one man's bed" - one of two in Dasher's cage, but suddenly I noticed they are BOTH squeezed into it! Typical italians, they have to be on top of each other or VERY tightly close together!


12th - 14th of December
Racey is getting more and more elegant! (He's 4 calendar months old now.)

8th of December
Dasher gets a new coat all the way from Finland! Inspired by seeing a Finnish friend's IG "Chico" (seen on the blog in the spring) with his most warm and practical coat, (and bearing in mind how last winter was SO cold and went on forever, so his winter coat got very worn), I asked where I could get one the same? So after a week or two, a lovely surpise this morning and here he is modelling it! Thank you Nina! (Let me know if anyone else wants a "Finnish Special"!!!
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Here he is posing and right: Barking at the neighbour's dog.
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The dogs get their nails cut today! Dasher by our patented method of liver paté spread all over the top of a box put on the table and I trim while Dasher licks like crazy and Svend holds him tight - and (left picture) Racey was trimmed by me with Svend holding him up like this - he barely noticed what I was doing, but here he is fighting to get down again. Picture right: Svend has just come home and Racey is getting a "hallo" neck massage!!! See how tall he is getting.

4th of December - evening:
The pesky "junior" hedgehog was just outside the back door when I put Racey out this evening. It sends the Whippets into a hysterical fit, (so the neighbours who go to bed early because of their jobs, probably leap out of bed with shock) and since it curls up and stays put, I think they would bark until they collapsed - if we didn't carry them indoors, one at a time!

However, THIS time it was only one amazed puppy who wasn't sure and wasn't even going to steal back the puppy food I put there for it - too wierd a creature! They snort and snuffle scarily too!
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It did eat 2 pieces of "Science Diet for small puppies" - with great difficulty chewing!!! Then rushed off leaving the rest.


Under the kitchen table: "Can't we have a private moment together without that darn camera flashing away...?"

4th of December
Timmi always loves dramatic injuries that turn out to be nothing! Well, yesterday, after the evening running game and eating his dinner apparently fine, he later on gets out of his bed with a terrible limp on right front leg, (the one where the toe came out of joint 2 years ago). So I examine. His toe is fine, but he held his leg out at a peculiar angle so Svend thought it must be broken but I saw that he could very slightly support himself on it. Of course, the more fuss one makes, the more a Whippet lays on the “acting sick” because they are born actors and revel in the extra attention! A simple, tiny injury becomes near life threatening if one makes TOO much fuss!
Then I felt his upper leg all over and found it “crackled” peculiarly under the skin – just like the toys one gets for babies (and dogs) where some plastic is sewn inside so the toy “crackles interestingly” at the touch. I cannot imagine what the crackling sound could come from? Everything else seemed normal, tho' perhaps the leg felt hotter. (The other leg does not crackle.) After an hour or so Timmi was able to walk gingerly on it and later in the evening, appeared to be cured!
However, there is still some “crackling” up and down his “upper arm” this morning when I press, so he isn’t allowed to run – just in case. If anyone has experienced an injury that “crackles” under the skin like this (or like there’s air inside the skin) please let me know as it’s complete mystery to me. Email me

PS Evening of the 4th: Timmi's been fine today but no exercise. Found this via Google: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/251228-crackling-sound-in-leg-after-small-injury-emphysema/... and another examination with a magnifying glass has revealed a tiny "stab wound" behind and towards his "wrist" - so air HAS got in! He may have trodden on a dead branch sticking up in a flower bed...that's a relief as it seems it's just a question of time and the air will disperse. You learn something every day!!! PPS Two days later and he was fine and no more "crackle"!!!


3rd of December
I gave Racey a chew bone, the only one left - although old bones lie around all over the place, (so we twist our ankles at times) and of course Dasher wanted it. So they played a noisy game teasing and chasing and stealing it from each other in turns. Then along comes Timmi and grabs his chance just as both their backs are turned. So it went all quiet, I investigated and found this scene on the office bed: Timmi chomping on the now deliciously flabby bone, while the other two lie so comically behind him waiting in the faint hope that they still had a chance...but he ate it all!

2nd of December
Christmas is over us so time to get out Dasher's Father Christmas jacket from last year! It brings a smile to everyone's face and nearly causes cars to crash!!! Here we are just about to leave for a walk - in damp, but mild weather:


30th of November
Racey is a "people dog" and greets everyone like he's been waiting for them the whole of his life! Here, he's just delivered a big wet kiss to our son!

Below: In my office - he's growing more and more elegant - and Dasher doing his mountain goat act!
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Magnus just before getting up in disgust! "Can't they see there's not enough room for THREE of us???" This bed is very popular as it is just by my feet!

29th of November
To keep Racey OFF the guest bed in my office, (so he wouldn't break a leg jumping down), I had piled extra mattresses on top to made it very high. The Whippets have loved getting peace and quiet from the little terrorist, who couldn't reach them up there! (All the cushions are off the settee for the very same reason! Better be safe than sorry!) But two days ago, he suddenly found he could spring up! So now I have taken everything off again, so it is as low as possible - and he can take the jump down ok. (It is a very low bed.) You can't be too sure with Italians and their fine-boned front legs - while they are young. So here are all 4 lying together for the very first time!


24th of November
- so dark and misty at 10 o' clock this morning, that the lights at the back of the Nursing home were still on and glowing eirily!


22nd of November
a very welcome few hours of sun this morning!
Racey shows off his new "Togs for Dogs" showerproof coat - so he matches Dasher and they look really smart together!
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Left: Ready for "walkies" and wearing his "headscarf ears"!! Right: Stepping out in style!!!
Underneath: His feet are as big as Dasher's see here, but his head is half the size - where will it end??

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I must show you! We have midsummer flowers in November still opening due to the long, mild and sunny autumn - so here are plants normally from June/July repeat flowering and photographed this morning! Left a Lupin, in the middle a "sown from seed" Cosmos that has been struggling for weeks to open and right: Foxgloves - it's unheard of in November!

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21st of November, very misty weather, here's a cobweb of "crystal jewelry"!
A lovely surprise this morning! His cute and practical sweater and one fleece-lined quilted raincoat (still to be photographed) came in the post today all the way from England - and so fast! Made by "Togs for Dogs": http://www.togsfordogs.net/18.html thank you Helen, they are a perfect fit and just what he needed. Here are some photos of the sweater: (I'll get more in due course but at the moment it is difficult to keep up with his fast rate of growth!
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"Why all this sudden interest in me???"
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"Just get those photos taken quick so I can get inside again!"

New video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYYDwqasMgM
Normally Racey is shut inside with a special chew bone whilst we, three times a day for a few minutes, let the adult dogs race to and fro in the garden. They get good exercise and it makes them look beautiful and ready for a day's coursing at any time! Racey is still far too young. However, this afternoon we had a good laugh as he was outside and joined in. He ran well! But it is not something we will do often as puppies and young dogs must beware of being over- exercised or tempted to run more than they would during normal play. No hard training for them! But it was a laugh for a few minutes! See him for yourself on the link above.

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20th of November:
We go to our grandson's belated 12th birthday get-together on the 5th floor (no elevator!) in Copenhagen City. Racey went up all flights of steps himself, no problem. (He didn't fancy going down again later though!) He was cuddled by nearly everyone and he is willing to go home with anyone who calls!!! Here are some pics. He just wanted to go to sleep - and did succeed in the end. The red fleece is from the breeder and he loves it and recognises it as what he wears when going to sleep.
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Grandson and son!

Our oldest son getting a face wash!

Back at home, this is the scene at my feet in my office! Best friends....that is until they try to share a bone!

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19th of November:
At last! NOW I have finally got a photo of young Racey lifting his leg! He's done it occasionally for some weeks and now he does it more regularly, also when out on dog walks. He is 14 weeks tomorrow and I have never had so young a puppy who knew to do this. Whippets can be up to 6 months old before they figure it out. When out on a walk, Dasher would hold himself until he got home again when he was young. Not so Racey! (Magnus is patiently waiting his turn!)

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16th of November:
Racey is totally fit and can now go on walks again. Yesterday, for the first time, I went the longer walk that Dasher does, and not a shortened variation. Here they are! Racey is growing so fast, he has grown out of all his clothes - but more are soon on their way from England! From "Togs for Dogs": http://www.togsfordogs.net/18.html
(See Dasher's warm raincoat to the left!)

Racey also went to the vet. and got his "cocktail" vaccination against several serious dog illnesses. He was pronounced fit and well after a health check-up! He weighed in at 4.1 kilos and 28cm at the shoulder. (Dasher at same age, was same weight but already 31cm at the shoulder. But then he is a big dog at 41cm.) Racey gets another "booster" in a month's time and then again in a year. The vet affirmed that there are a lot of sneezing dogs and other illnesses at this time of the year.
If any owners of his brothers and sisters ever read this - I would love to hear from you!

13th of November:
Racey is so well now, you'd think he was on drugs! He has played more or less non-stop the wildest games - and Dasher is feeling better too, so he joins in! They fly to and fro between the rooms and the kitchen at break-neck speed and then do the "silent wrestling" act. We feel quite tired watching them, amazed at their sudden energy.

This is one of the reasons Whippets don't like IG's - IG's just HAVE to always sit ON TOP of them and trample around for ages before settling! Here is Magnus putting up with it because he's a kind dog.

12th of November:
Just had some worrying days. The dogs have not had “Kennel Cough” but “Kennel Sneeze”!
First Magnus who is 11, sneezed and snorted violently out of his nose unusually much for about 4-5 days, before suddenly Timmi had a snorting go and then Dasher a little, so I twigged on that this was not some kind of cancer in Magnus, (one always worries with older dogs) but a virus infection. So I monitored them closely.
After about 10 days, Magnus is now completely fit and never really seemed to feel ill. Timmi has only had a few snorts and sneezes for a handful of days and is now ok and he also seemed his usual self throughout too,
but for the last two days, Dasher and Racey have clearly felt bad. They have doubtless had a small temperature too.
They have slept an unusual amount, been unwilling to go out (but I insist anyway, wrapped up in coats!) and hardly played. Their appetite was fine and no signs of infection like “sleep” in the corners of their eyes, breathing normal – and NO COUGHING just sneezing.
I have never experienced this before after about 37 years of dog ownership – tho’ I have experienced Kennel Cough many years ago. However, a friend has recently seen her dog be ill in the same way – and you can Google “sneezing dogs” and find there is such an illness.
Today, Racey, our biggest worry as he is only a puppy, has declared himself fit with a capital F and played endlessly today like he’s making up for lost time - and we can’t recall hearing him sneeze either. Meanwhile our star dog, Dasher, is clearly still under the weather, so he’s hardly had any exercise today and acts a little lifeless and sneezes occasionally – but he is better than yesterday. So they are getting over it – phew!

The two patients wearing their ears wrong and feeling low!

7th of November:
Short video of Dasher playing with Racey in the garden. Racey is so much smaller, lighter and of course not so developed in his physique at only 12 weeks - but he seems to manage well considering. Good exercise too!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNwqc_VT9m4

5th of November:
Poor Timmi! When Racey came, Timmi accepted him but would not share his bed with him. After a couple of days, Racey was often found in Timmi's bed and Timmi growling occasionally has no effect, so Timmi has given in and now see this latest photo taken today, Racey has even crept under his leg! Both Whippets are extremely tolerent - because they know he's a baby - but I think they will get stricter when he grows up. However, by that time it's too late!!!!!

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2nd of November:

"Is there room for little me?" .........."of course there is, if you don't jump on top of them, but creep in quietly"!

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1st of November

"Did someone call me?"
Some of you may wonder: How is the nightmare of house training a puppy going?
Well it is going amazingly well. There are many days with no accidents indoors at all and the worst we are up to is just one, entirely due to me “relaxing on the job”! Not that he asks to go out - yet - but because I practice my own advice to others: Outside after sleeping, eating, drinking, playing and just in case if “some time” has passed – oh, and also if he goes around as if looking for something. He does it all on command – even when we are out somewhere strange, which can otherwise be a problem as many pups are fussy and will only do things in their own garden in the early days! But this "cleanliness" is because I watch him like a hawk, not because he asks.
However, today, at only 11 weeks and 2 days, he did ask this afternoon! I was amazed and so pleased. He threw himself repeatedly up at the glass door to go outside and fretted and I heard and of course I immediately went outside with him and he “went” straight away! (At this stage it is imperative that one goes outside together with the puppy, no shutting it outside all alone!) So I am really proud of him – although we have months ahead of us before he is totally trustworthy like the other three, but he now knows he can ask – and will be heard! More importantly, he knows WHERE we want him to do it. He also often lifts his leg! I have never seen this so early and Whippets can be up to 6-7 months before lifting a leg! Anyone else heard of a pup lifting his leg to pee so young?

30th of October
Today we went to lure coursing at Jørlunde - with the best grass areas ever. A drab autumn day that tried to rain, but we all had fun anyway. Unfortunately, due to the damp, I only got one run on video, Whippets Monty and Dandy, where Monty found the last tight turn at top speed too hard, so he overshot and ended in the carpark and ran back to the hare that way and surprised us all just as we worried that he had fallen!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdrfID_O7pI

Everyone wanted to cuddle Racey - who loved the attention (he'll go to anyone who speaks to him!) and he only wanted to get out of the cold wet grass! Dasher's run went well, but I didn't press the button, so the camera didn't record. I was very handicapped with Racey sitting inside my jacket.
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Here to the right is Dasher's sister Sally - who also runs like the wind!
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Racey and a kindly Galgo - see his face: the Galgo is clearly saying: "do I really have to stand here with this thing"?

One of the many cakes was a chocolate birthday cake!!! Afghan "Grynte" is 6 years old.......Back at home warming his feet on Dasher

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28th of October
A video from a few days ago showing how well Dasher and Racey play together. Due to the size difference, it is tough going for Racey and we always watch closely - ready to step in before anything happens, but so far so good, touch wood! This is the kind of mad games that IG's will and NEED to play. This is why it is important not to have bigger dogs in the house, as no way could they - or even Whippets - play like this with a tiny puppy, no matter how careful and considerate the dog. Yet Racey has a big need to play and learn the "Doggy Code of Rules" and how to bite gently and so on. He could never learn this on his own. www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC28gQ8HaKE

27th of October
A good amusement for Racey: The lid from an empty a jar of peanut butter with just a hint of peanut inside and he spent a very long time shoving it around all over the kitchen floor as it turned over he was unable to turn it back - so he worked at it for ages! Dogs love peanut butter! Right a photo of Timmi allowing the IG "pests" Dasher, (licking his ear) and Racey, (trying to sleep), share his favourite bed!
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Below:
Didn't I say that our neighbourhood has too many cats for comfort? (I am collecting photos of them all.) Well here you can see, they even spy down on us from the neighbour's roof! Photo taken this morning. (I already have this cat in a previous shot the 9th of September.)

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24th of October
A neighbour's daughter and her friend popped in to see Racey yesterday - and he loved them although he really wanted to sleep!

See a short video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfKHAArfzag

23rd of October
See his ears - so funny. When I took my first IG "Gucci" to the vet's for a puppy vacc. and he stood back and studied the ears that were sitting like a kind of hat on top of his head and asked: "Are his ears quite normal?" I laughed and assured him that this is how IG puppies look when they are worried - or just wondering! This is rarely seen in an adult dog. Maybe the head and ear form have changed too much. Until then, it's hilarious!

"What shall I do now, mom???"

20th of October
See all 4 dogs in the garden - the Whippets are so kind about his cheeky, puppy ways.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RGGQb2ZA6c
Here's a video of the litter just before they all went to their new homes!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7rBuEnRegY

19th of October
A beautiful sunny day and we drive with Dasher and Racey towards Copenhagen, first to our friend who owns Kris og Nardo (seen on earlier blog photos) so the dogs can meet each other and Racey can get a new member of his ever growing fan-club...
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Left: Kris og Nardo at the top of the pic.while Dasher is checking out Racey like he's saying: "Gosh, are you here too?" - as he isn't used to being together with Kris og Nardo AND Racey too! Right, Racey checking out Nardo in the kitchen and getting into their bed!

Then we drove on the the Dansk Kennel Club's "headquarters" to get Racey registered properly in Denmark and his papers in order - and also registered in the National Dog Register for ALL dogs in Denmark. All dogs must be registered here by law, whether with or without a pedigree.

in the evening...

17th of October
Another sunny day and here's Racey in the big garden!

He's already changed dramatically in the few days we have had him and is developing so fast, we are amazed!
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Left, the Whippets are so kind and tolerant to a breed they basically find quite annoying. Here Dasher and Racey have started a mad game and are "fighting" in between Magnus's legs while he goes on sniffing like he hasn't noticed anything!!! Suddenly, Racey decides he wants to go back inside!

8th of October
Can anyone identify this very attractive bush in a friend's garden? At first, I thought it was what's called in Danish "Syrisk rose" (Hibiscus syriacus) or Garden Hibiscus or less widely known as rosemallow.
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The leaves reminded me of it - but the flowers are totally different - and what looks like seed capsules, are actually buds waiting their turn to open! How does one Google the name of a plant one doesn't know?

5th of October
A new, completely black cat tries to sit it out but then looses it's nerve and runs as Dasher barks and pulls like crazy at the leash!(Surely I have got them all on camera now? Ha ha.)


2nd of October
Lure coursing again and here is Svend taking his 4th piece of cake!
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Dasher is saying: "When is it my turn, mum?"!!! I have made a little video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmbbxPzcm14

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27th of September
We take the dogs to Kobæk beach again. It was the most beautiful morning. A short video here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcWSalSuKPE

22nd of September
New cat to chase at a building site - a new house is going up in the next road! The cat stood it's ground!


20th of September
We go out to our favourite café and "celebrate" the year's date for my broken leg! Not fun to remember it all over again - it was a NIGHTMARE I'm still not free from...a young girl at the next table offered to take our photo.

19th of September
Took the dogs to the beach at Kobæk Strand.
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18th of September
Dasher on a recent morning walk! New cat caught on camera too!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB7-7TqJJ24

17th of September
Son and girlfriend on a visit today and they brought with them a lovely present from "Bella's mum"! Remember Bella? See the video from the spring: www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3V_L3C_UpE
Bella's teeth were "weapons of mass destruction" while she was here, only one tennis ball out of about 6 survived and various other toys got munched to bits, whilst we laughed and my dogs looked on amazed. They were bored with and never touched those toys normally! Thank you so much, Bella's mum, for the cute present of a colour co-ordinated collection of new, replacement toys, (will be lifted out of Bella's reach next time she comes - but we have some old bones for her!!)

Everything they ever needed - and everything seems to squeak, sighhounds love "animals that sound in agony"! Dasher was of course first on the spot this morning and chose a soft one...
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Finally Magnus managed to get it and shake it to death! Mature Whippets and IG's don't destroy things but of course, in a "tug of war" game, many a soft toy bursts open at the seams!! We have soft toys that have lasted up to 4-5 years and some have even "over wintered" under snow in the garden - that are still going strong!

16th of September
The world's tallest sunflower ready for the Guiness Record Book?? Now about 3 metres. It has sewn itself - or the birds have - in the rows of strawberries, but I have a soft spot for sunflowers, so I let it grow plus two others that weren't nearly as tall. Is this a record, I wonder? See here:
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14th of September
See the cutest little "junior" hedgehog who came on a visit last night, so Dasher raised the alarm and probably woke all the neighbours up:

We had a job keeping it from running away while I dashed in to fetch my camera and a torch. See it's giant front foot and sandy nose! It was adorable!

13th of September
See my holiday photos at:
http://www.sighthound.net/Cornishholiday.htm

9th of September
A new and very pretty cat - you can just see the top of Dasher's head stuck through the fence bottom right - sorry, but these shots are hard to catch on camera - with one hand gripping a lively dog and a cat about to flee! I am adding to my cat collection - it's become a sport for me!
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8th of September
A video from our holiday in Cornwall: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RORqp8EEUw

7th of September
Finally the dogs were united yesterday after more than two weeks away from home and away from each other. It went silently, (I had expected some excitement and growling) but Dasher knew he had to stand still and let himself be thoroughly checked all over by the Whippets, one at a time and later all three stood and sniffed intensely! I only got photos of the first meeting, first with Timmi then with Magnus, who came racing over to them.
(Thank you so much, to our friends who cared for them so well - so I could go on holiday with no regrets and a clear conscience knowing my dogs had a good holiday as well!) Photos on the way - when I get time!

A last mad tumble game mobbing Nardo before we take Dasher home!

Greeting Timmi.
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Greeting Magnus.

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6th of September
Be patient! We have been on 2 weeks holiday and have SOOO much to do all at once, (and the garden is a jungle as it seems to have rained liberally most days) and I've hundreds of photos to process, so it will take days to catch up.
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Left: Svend giving Dasher a cuddle - our last cosy photo before we go on hol. Right: Dasher in the cram-packed car wondering where he is is going as we drive him to stay with his two best friends, Kris and Nardo!

22nd of August
Remember to see the latest lure coursing video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFCod9e7jKE
and a non-housewarming at our friend's:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrSvUv81Nnc
Plus more cat photos - I have started to collect them - it's quite a sport to catch them on camera before they get away!! It seems we are surrounded by cats!
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Chasing one! Then they cool it!

- and one more in our road but Dasher is too far away to bark!

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17th of August
At last, a good friend was able to identify the wonderful cactus shown just below, see here:
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/cacti-succulents/night-blooming-cereus/night-blooming-cereus.htm
and
www.worleys.com/bonsai/specific/nbc/
read to the bottom! I can't wait for mine to flower - in about 2-3 years!!!

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16th of August
We went lure coursing again last Sunday - in Ruds Vedby. We were not so many as usual, but we had a good time.
See the video here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFCod9e7jKE
I only took one still photo:

Monty and his Mum!

13th of August 2011
We had the most fantastic day at Kennel Vindhause where I got my first IG from, ("Gucci", who can be seen on other web pages,) where Kirsten had invited to a get-together with all the IG's who could come and no less than 27 turned up and we all had such a wonderful time together! It was an experience we will never forget! So I made a video to help my memory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XphzgIoPX5M


See who also is sitting at the table! Dasher's little sister!

Left: Posing for photos, right: From left: Kirsten with Great-grandmother and Grandmother, daughter and offspring of 9 months! 4 generations in one photo!

The wonderful cake!!!! Now long gone, but can be seen here forever! Right: The lunch was FABULOUS!

27 darling Italian Greyhounds and their proud owners! Thanks so much for inviting us Kirsten!

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12th of August 2011
Dasher just now!

the 12th of August 2011
Can anyone tell me what this succulent cactus is called? (See below.) I have never seen it before but it has the most incredibly beautiful flowers - an perfume. Friends suddenly invited us round to coffee and delicious cake last night so that we could see it unfold! When we arrived, it was just a tight bud - and I didn't think to photo. But as the evening progressed, it slowly opened up until it was the size of my hand and almost a whole bride's bouquet in one flower - see photos. They say it only lasts until about 3 am in the morning and because of it’s habit of opening in the evening, it sends out a strong scent so that insects can find it in the dark. The smell was both nicely perfumed and a hint unpleasant all in one! They say that when up to 4 flowers open at once in their lounge, the air is quite “heady”!!! Quite an experience! I have a cutting from it, which has taken well, so I am looking forward to next year when it will flower. I would love to know the name of this cactus!

Three days later: Wow! An answer from my good friend Sandy, thank you!:
To answer your question about the plant that blooms at night:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night-blooming_cereus
I knew the name but not the care, so I googled:
www.worleys.com/bonsai/specific/nbc/

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Left: half open (the pink petals will lie right back at the last), and fully open by 9.30 pm. Right: A young bud.

What an incredible cactus!

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Clips from the evening coursing described below:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjcM8U6yOrw

the 7th of August 2011
Timmi is 9 years old today! Here he is this morning with the weight of the world on his shoulders!

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Saturday the 6th of August 2011
We delivered Kris and Nardo back to our friend this afternoon. We went on a lovely walk opposite Hundige harbour where the dogs could run free. They are all three in this picture, believe it or not!

Then back for well-earned cake and coffee, see below! (I couldn't resist this one of Svend!!!)

Meanwhile, behind us in the kitchen, there was not really room for Dasher in Kris og Nardo's two small beds ...
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...but finally, next time I looked behind me, Dasher had crept in with Kris!!!

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An incredibly tall couple of sunflowers that the birds had "sown" in the rows of strawberries! However the other one gets even bigger in September, see above!

4th August 2011
We went to lure coursing yesterday evening with Dasher. (Timmi was getting over a bad stomach upset.) Despite it being a wonderful evening, really warm, sunny and relaxing, just about everything went a little bit wrong! The worst for us was Dasher catching up with the “hare” and overtaking so that he got the cord wound around his left back leg 4 or 5 times and was dragged along several times before our hare operator realised and we were all yelling STOP!
The reason for this was that the field was enormous and appeared to be near perfect, but it was in fact full of small depressions and dells in the ground that didn’t matter with the larger dogs, but did make it difficult to see the small Italians as they nearly disappeared out of sight at times! The accident happened quite a long way away on the far side and I had to run as best I could, very hampered by my broken leg, which still not right and so I was easily overtaken at top speed by Sorento’s “dad” who knelt down and comforted Dasher, holding him steady so his leg couldn’t come to any further harm. Luckily, I always have a pair of nail scissors on me so I could quickly force them to “saw” through the very tough nylon cord - just before the breathless arrival of the hare operator, who was armed with a sharp knife specially for the same purpose! Once freed, Dasher was up and raring to go, a bit amazed at what on earth had happened and what all the fuss was about. He wasn't even grazed!
However, to be on the safe side, I didn’t let him run any more. Sorento on the other hand was just as impatient to get going, so he ran on – only to finish the course with his right front foot pouring blood: He had nearly torn his dew claw off!
Here in Denmark, it is against the law to have dew claws removed (or tail/ear docking - and quite right too), but it can be made necessary by an accident. I hope he’s alright, I’m still waiting to hear from them.
Then we had an Afghan who was more interested in a delicious smell than running and a Saluki who wouldn’t come when called after her run, but she gave in, in the end!
Svend enjoyed all the home made cakes and everyone had a good chat.
PS Have now heard news of Sorento - he had torn his nail clean off, just the bare bone tip left so he's in bandages and having a very quiet life for 10-14 days, while the tip of the joint heals and MAYBE a new nail will grow.

Svend holding Vincenza!
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Left: Sorento waiting for his turn. Right: Chat over the cakes! All the rest is on video!

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August 3rd
Of course we rounded a corner and there was a big black and white cat that ran for it's life and me unable to take a photo as each hand held a flexi-leash! Dasher was first to spot it and chased barking and is on his way back to me in the photo, while the other two stand wondering what all the fuss was about! Pity I couldn't add it to my collection of cats - I haven't seen it before...

August 1st - how time flies...
After 4 days of watching my three dogs enjoy the white stem of Chinese cabbage as "dessert" after their dinner, guest IG's Kris and Nardo finally cracked and decided that they too wanted some! (Up to now they turned their heads away!) They will only eat it if I give them bite-size pieces - but they are enjoying it just as much as mine now. Mine are INSISTENT that they get it each day, so we have to be sure of a constant supply. Maybe it gives them valuable fibre in their diet? Svend and I, helped by the 4 elderly canaries, (2 were 15 years old in April!) eat the green part!
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See the green pieces they leave - they all only want the scrunchy stems!!!

July 30
Idyl on the patio this morning - but Dasher just HAS to start a game! (No sign of the rain they promised...)
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July 29
Looking after Italians Kris and Nardo again for a week! They came yesterday.
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Left: Meeting in the garden with lots of barking. Right sleeping while we ate dinner. Nardo badly wanted Dasher's little bed that Kris likes to use! There are plenty of other cosy beds...

A funny story
A funny story, at least I think its funny: In the evening (after the two had been left here) when all dogs should have their biggest meal of the day, I had forgotten which was Kris’s food bowl and which was Nardo’s. One was very high up on “legs"/a metal frame and one just a plain metal dog bowl. Well I prepared two identical meals and reckoned the dogs would “tell me” whose bowl was whose and I could easily read their body language – I’m usually good at that! Of COURSE they would be able to recognise their own bowls!
But just think – they "lied"to me!!!!! Or at least Kris did. As I held them out, he made a bee-line for the low bowl and convinced me that this must be his and he ate heartily from it too. Nardo wasn’t at all sure about using the raised bowl and just picked at his food and had to be encouraged several times – but he made it in the end. (Nardo has had a sensitive neck/throat and often worn a harness rather than a collar on walks, so it kind of seemed likely, that he would have the high bowl.
Later on in the evening I rang to my friend to check on this as things hadn't seemed quite right and she said it was the opposite! So Kris had purposely seized the chance to enjoy “Nardo’s food” (you know how dogs always think that what the other has, is better!) and miserable Nardo knew that mistake had been made but had no way of showing me except that he acted picky!! I think that’s quite amusing! Kris really duped me, but I’m on to his tricks now!

PS The day after and I give them the correct bowls: No problem at all!


Next morning, all exercised and walked and in the "mud room", from left Dasher, Kris and Nardo: What shall we do now, mom?

Trying out the koppel I have bought for them to see if I can walk 3 dogs on 2 flexilines! I took just the two at first, to see how it would go - they have to put up with a bit of dragging each other about where one wants to stop and sniff and the other walks on not realising... but they did very well. If I take all three tomorrow - I wonder how I am going to photograph... hmmm.

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July 27
Another cat behind a gate for Dasher to bark at the other day - but he quicky lost interest when it stood it's ground. His back stands up every time he sees one - and his tail is waving so hard the camera can't register it! (Excuse the paper rubbish that has blown in the wind after 4 days of solid rain over the weekend!)
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...and a fourth cat for Dasher to bark at!

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July 26
Yet another cat gone missing in our neighbourhood and I met a woman coming around dealing out posters. Such a shame. However, I feel it would help if all cat owners taught their cat to come to a whistle or, as we taught our Siamese cats when I was a child: To come to the sound of bells ringing. (A larger, noisier type than the bells commonly put on cat collars.) Teaching was SOOO simple: We rang them when they were to be fed. They learnt easily and they would come flying in from neighbouring gardens whenever they heard the bells, mealtime or not - and of course got a good reward - or a meal. We could then shut them in for the night or in the day if we went out for a longer period. When, on the rare occasion, our cats went missing, we would walk around the roads rattling the bells like mad - and it always worked! MUCH better than shouting their names!

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24th of July
Not one single photo! We went to lure coursing (same venue as last time) with Timmi and Dasher and it rained non-stop - it had also rained non-stop the 2 days previously and until this afternoon, the 25th, where it appears to be clearing up. Despite everything soaking wet, even the cakes!!! (which were in a big tent but it just rained horizontally inside), we all had just as wonderful fun time and the dogs ran well and loved it just the same as always! Dasher ran twice and not only through heavily waterlogged grass but also through a little "pond" of water that had collected in the low bit. He surely is a Mr Tough Guy, as he apparently didn't notice these extra hurdles en route! Timmi was cleverer and being taller, he could see and run around the worst of the pond, whilst still putting up a good show and racing close to the hare! His toe appears fine but one go is enough as he will be 9 years old on the 7th of August, so no need to push our luck. Great fun was had by all but as I don't own an under-water camera, I never even got my camera out - not even to take Svend eating the cakes, ha ha!!!!
Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make it a good day.

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5th of July
Grandchild on a visit - and Dasher knows he will have to share his cage yet again!!! It's more of a tight squeeze than ever.

We spent a day at "Birkegårdens haver" where there are also many different animals where one can go in to and pet them.
www.birkegaardens-haver.dk/UK%20site/UK_Index.html
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See the size of the baby rabbit at his feet - he is holding it's twin! Right: A bigger baby.
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I tried the see-saw - quite fun!!! Svend enjoyed the cream gateau!

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2nd of July
Out at friend's to dinner yesterday and this is what I saw: Galgo Zara posing beautifully like she's royalty...

(Ignore the hosepipe under the sofa - this is a garden room for house plants, that is attached to the house...!!!)

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27th of June
Yesterday we went sailing on the ship to Oslo in Norway! Called "Crown of Scandinavia". Just very occasionally they do an extra local trip for 3 hours in and around the harbours in Copenhagen - and including sailing under the elegant bridge joining Denmark and Sweden. This was very exciting and interesting and you can go all over the ship, which is big and very luxurious! A greatest attraction is the fantastic traditional Danish "Cold Table" buffet - where everyone went mad and ate like it was their last meal! Our oldest son treated us! I had to make 2 videos, there was so much to see, the first includes the food, where there wasn't an ingredient missing! The second shows us sailing under the bridge and looking around the ship from the cabins to the elevator and many restaurants and bars. Please enjoy them BOTH - you will really get to see around!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFyvFyosY2U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQwDEXyY_5Y

27th of June
Finally we have found a fully enclosed area near us in Slagelse where we can let our dogs off to run free - without it being a "Doggy Wood", of which Denmark has many. The Whippets have become total racists and only tolerate other sighthounds - no other breeds, which is a problem. Dasher is open and friendly as I have done a lot to socialise him - but he could quickly learn to copy the other's behaviour. So after I took Magnus for a nice walk, we left him behind and took just to the two to experiment the very first time. All went very well, even though Dasher discovered an open side gate and wondered off! He reluctantly did come back! Of course, we risked someone coming but we were lucky. There is all kinds of dog training here on the weekends and evenings.
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24th of June
I made a video of my garden/back yard so I can enjoy seeing all the greenery and flowers in the gloomy depths of winter and be cheered up! Clips of the dogs too. www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAufwxRO6FM

22nd of June
Dasher suns himself with Timmi. This is as near as he can get - he knows full well that if he lies against Timmi, (which he is dying to do), Timmi will just get up and walk off.

Dasher has often rattled the toilet paper holder in the spare toilet and often unrolled a few yards as he knows all this will get my immediate attention from my office - but today he ran outside with the whole roll and before I realised - there was a lovely mess!!!! Do hope we don't have to keep the door closed from now on...
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17th of June
Dasher meets yet another pretty cat when out on a walk. (Svend was forced to go another way when he too met it shortly afterwards lying in the middle of the path just where he was walking the Whippets!!!) This time Dasher did not get so near - and he was so scared his back went up.

Unfortunately, he barked madly at it...

Both with their backs up!!!!

Then it went for him with a terrible scream so he ran for his life and nearly broke his neck when he reached the end of the flexi-lead - by then he was running at 90 miles an hour! Luckily my arm stayed in it's socket! Then it marched across to the opposite garden, demonstrating that it was in full control of the situation and could do what it wanted, when it wanted!
Last photo shows Dasher looking back at the place where the cat disappeared and STILL with his back up in shock.

June 12th
Another fantastic day's Lure coursing in Jørlund - here's the video:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLcVrh_ve8Q


Dasher's two favourite Salukis - he has a warm spot for them and they are just as playful-minded!
No good photos unfort. but the video speaks for itself! I made a big mistake starting Dasher AND fiddling with the camera at the same time and accidentally let Dasher go, so he got several yards start over Sorento. But Sorento held his own and actually narrowed down the distance between them! We all laugh as he always barks the whole way round, which you can hear on the video. Then Paticia's Galgo Zara broke away and chased after Timmi's lure. At Timmi's second try, the machine jammed, so he had to start 3 times in all! Luckily he is so experienced and keen, (he has had licenses for both track racing and lure coursing) that he neither runs away nor bothers other dogs. But the little toe that has been 2 years getting over being dislocated, (jumping up our garden fence) held up to all this extra running! For safety's sake we stopped him halfway. He is also nearly 9 - but we keep him in top running condition and he is proof that a neutred dog need not get overweight or lazy. Coursing is an extreme sport that demands a dog in top condi.

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June 10th
Four good "old" doggie friends and three angel toddlers plus 3 dogs come for lunch - I was so busy I hardly took any photos! Everyone had a great time!
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When the back seat is full of three small kiddies each strapped in their car seats, the boot is full of the pram etc (plus two big black-current brushes from me!) - where do you squeeze two Whippets? They soon settled down on the floor!

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June 3rd
and an "old" Whippet friend suddenly invited us to tea and chocolate cake, (wow, did it taste good!!!) - followed by a fabulous dinner later - and we met at a totally WONDERFUL place for training dogs with three giant enclosures together with her Whippet Sophie, the three she is presently looking after and my three dogs, who could all run freely around! A good time was had by all.

Back in the garden afterwards. Morris fell in love with Timmi, who is standing in the middle!
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Mille of only 12 weeks crashed out afterwards! Right: Sophie looking elegant!

The sommer dinner - chicken - with white wine...
So nice to be able to take all three dogs. Timmi showed he's the fastest, even tho' the others are much younger and his toe seems just fine after nearly two years of worry and care - see him race around at top speed closely followed by a frustrated younger rival:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsI1mFQgzvs

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3rd of June
Dasher meets his doggy girlfriend Malou (Miniature Pinscher) on a morning dog walk. He is enchanted by her! She likes to tease him by acting demure and "easy going", but at the slightest hint of cheekyness from him and she snarls and snaps to warn him off so Dasher leaps backwards in a rush! She knows how to get the necessary respect!

2nd of June - my favourite month due to the long, light evenings in Denmark
Yesterday we had wonderful evening's lure coursing in a giant field surrounded by trees at Villa Galinavej. Dasher ran for the first time with a hot rival "Sorento"! Here's a (bad - due to the setting sun shining directly into the camera) - video from the wonderful lure coursing evening so I can always remember it:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPLoc4435ng

Afghan Stor Gaia's beautiful jewel and diamond covered racing muzzel! Created by Marlene - place your orders via me!!!!
(Karin's curling her toes up!)
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Left: Svend at the cakes again! No home-made ones this time but everyone managed to force down some delicious looking bought ones. (Washed down with some red wine we brought!) Svend can't wait and is desparately attacking the plastic cover with the breadknife! Right: Dasher's new serious rival, Sorento! (With his miniature racing muzzle still on.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPLoc4435ng

May 31st
Funny incident on a walk with Dasher this morning! We met a cat that stood it's ground. Dasher gave one little snort and charged up to it expecting it to run so that he could chase it! But it sized him up as a "stupid little dog" and stood hissing and stared so hard that he fled back to me for help!!! On seeing this, of course the cat took the chance to dash across to the hedge and it disappeared, so I only got one split second chance at a photo - all taken with my left hand as I gripped Dasher's leash with my right!

May 26th
Just had a hectic week having fun showing two American friends round Copenhagen and suburbs! The dogs left behind each day have been angels. Below is the only picture of Dasher together with Sandy. I have made 5 videos of our activities - no dogs in any of them! - but just in case you have time on your hands and would like to see them, here are the links:
Sandy and Leon go to Hillerød castle, Frederiksborg Slot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBd5UmxC4nQ
Sandy and Leon go to the Botanical gardens in the middle of Copenhagen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4NhFUxv2Vs
Sandy and Leon go to Rosenborg Castle also in the middle of Copenhagen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG31meHX954
A special private round trip of Copenhagen's harbour for Sandy and Leon conducted by my brother-in-law in his "new" chaloupe, which he is restoring:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVi41wm9g14
Copenhagen's harbour again - with a lovely swan hiss!!- part two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCGe3PjNhHk
Sandy and Leon go to Tivoli - just a few clips...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BEji65pqoE


Dasher gets a cuddle from an experienced IG breeder in the USA.

Looking happy at the thought of going home?

May 13th
Yesterday morning, Timmi discovered the cat grass and took a few mouthfuls! Magnus demonstrates their toilet, a ring of raised earth and sand - because they love to do it "up high on something" ha ha!!!!

...and now it's Dasher's turn! They love their home-made toilet!

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We went to evening Lure coursing last Wednesday the 11th - but due to rain off and on, I took no photos.

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May 10th
All my dogs love eating fresh grass (amongst MANY other things) and so I bought a packet of special "cat grass" seeds (have done this before with success) and scattered them in a plant tub and waited. This morning before breakfast, Dasher was the first to discover the juicy tips - the others still haven't twigged!

Of course the tub has to be raised up out of pee height! This is placed in their toilet area, I must take some more photos soon of the raised earth and sand-filled toilet, which they really appreciate having! I got the idea from "Kirsten with Borzois", and an article came out of this - so I straight away made my own! I need new photos as all the plants have grown up so much, now 3 years on.

May 4th
As Arne will be waiting to read: Dasher is 2 years old today, here is the proud birthday rascal taken at noon!

May 2nd
Magnus is 11 years old today - unfort. no good RECENT photo of him, so here is a screen shot taken from the video I made yesterday where he "kisses" my son (who has just petted and stroked him) - this is very special as he demonstrates his undying love to us daily but is VERY reserved with everyone else. See him do this on the video link just below.

May 1st.:
Last week our youngest son was looking after "Bella" for Easter - this week our oldest (her usual carer) is looking after her - and I got a good video in the sunshine in our garden! My dogs are not used to sudden "strange dog visits" but she was good to tackle them in the right way. See: www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3V_L3C_UpE


She had a whale of a time getting out all their unused toys, bones, balls and chew sticks and making them jealous and wanting them again!!!! See Dasher dashing around!

24th April:
Visited by son, daughter-in-law and Grandchild, who were currently looking after "Bella" for the Easter holiday, a "Gammel Dansk Hønsehund". It went very well with my "boys" and she promptly made herself at home, got all their toys out and started chewing them to pieces!!!

Bella chomping on tennis ball number three! OK by us as our three don't care for them!
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Dasher briefly tries out Bella's bed for size - whilst she lies in luxury on the sofa!

Hmmm, if you don't keep the conversation really lively and fascinatingly interesting - then everyone gets out their iPhones...

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20th April:
We went coursing last Sunday and first now had time to tell about it - the weather is so lovely and the garden is calling me, there are a thousand jobs needing doing and spring is bursting out all over! We were in Dianalund with house and huge grounds owned by friends Lone and Bamse. Here is one of their 5 dogs, I couldn't resist this photo:

We also met the beautiful "red"coloured new-beginner (and Dasher's new friend) Chico who is from Spain of American parents and owned by a young couple from Finland! Three photos here by kind permission of owner Karoliina!
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I haven't succeeded in photographing Chico myself as he never stands still when I see him!
Chico was fun to see having a go! He thought that it was, as he's so used to, a group of dogs he was to play and run together with - so he couldn't at first see what he should do with a stupid bunch of plastic strips!
The first video shows amongst other things, Chico's first ever run. The second shows how well he did the second time - and Dasher, who ran closely past me but knew not to stop but keep on going. Both ran twice - and Dasher was not a bit tired next day! We all had a wonderful time - and for once I could eat the cake - thanks so much to Dorthe who made gluten-free muffins. Svend, who is in every video eating cake - turned the camera briefly on me! See here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEyNL08iJyI

Second time round the course was reversed and Chico ran into an area with no doggy distractions - and ran really well. So he is starting to understand what it's all about! I am sure he will be brilliant once he has got "bitten" by the sport. I filmed so much I had to make two videos from the day. The second video is only of interest to Chicos owners, me and the owners of Floora, Suzi, Grynte and Jensena! www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-7MsLDKDF0

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18th April:
On Friday we took our Grandson to "Bakken", the 400 years old amusement fair in the middle of what was once the king of Denmark's deer woods. See more here: wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyrehavsbakken
Dasher went too and this time was not the only centre of attention!

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Right: Wanting a cuddle after Grandson sat for a while after having an evening shower. See clips here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=50pbDW1ONGE

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10th of April
Dasher on the alert to see if the neighbours are going to do anything that he can bark at!

Friday 8th of April
Dasher relaxing in the kitchen after his dinner, shows his beautiful Italian elegance and intelligent, loving expression!

Sunday 27th of March
We met up with friends who also own Italians in Valby Parken in Copenhagen - and all dogs had great fun! You can see how they enjoyed being DOGS in the video! Dasher met new friend Chico for first time - and Chico tried to show who was boss with two demonstrations of "power" but Dasher didn't really care - he understood! Chico is not so used to socialising with others, but he's learning fast!

(A screen shot - so bad quality.)
To ensure a promt recall I took a tip from Chico's "mom" and had a bag of sausage bits in my pocket, but I soon became covered in sausage grease from head to foot including a sausage smelling camera! I think it has to be dry chicken breast next time! Anyway the sausage worked as the video shows, he came to me every other minute or so! I also pinned a note on his coat saying that if he has run off and been found, to ring my mobile! (He only has our home number on his collar, which isn't smart where we are far away!) Luckily this precaution proved unnecessary as he did not run off like last time. See them all here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R05ETU4PB50

Wednesday the 23nd of March 2011
If you are interested i lure coursing details and discussions, click for this new page:

Sunday the 20th of March 2011
The first Lure coursing of the year and the Weather experts had said warmer and sunny, which it was Saturday – instead we all froze in a cold mist! Svend says it’s the only job where you can constantly make SO MANY big mistakes and miss-inform people without being sacked for it! My fingers were so cold I couldn’t use the camera properly. Everyone suffered.
Dasher is going to try for his coursing licence and needs two clear runs with another IG. But Santi went on strike! One can see on the video linked below. Mind you, he can afford to be picky as he is Denmark’s best (and first ever) Lure coursing IG with many fine titles to his name and he has run in Europe and Sweden, plus he is a show Champion too!)
See the discussion as to WHY he baulked here:
In the video, Dasher is wearing an oversize Whippet track-racing jacket I have adjusted to fit, as I haven’t got a proper coursing set for him yet! (Santi's "mom" will sew for me!)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2E1dVvy0-o

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Above Santi with his son Camillo! I couldn't get a good shot of Camillo as he was constantly on the move - but he is a little darling! You'll be seeing more of him!
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Above: Dasher loves to greet ALL the dogs and see if he can start a game, (note trodden down mole-hill - the fields were FULL of them!) and to the right: A fantastic home-made birthday cake in honour of two Afghans who'd just had their two years birthday - I was nearly too late to photo it! The "icing" is made of melted marshmallows mixed with cake colouring! Yummy!
Last but not least, my video "tag" is, that somewhere in the background of my coursing videos, Svend is seen enjoying the home-made cake. Our sons remarked on this right from the start and it was purely by accident but they had a good laugh, so after that, it became a challenge for me! Well due to the cold, I failed to get him on video but here is a still photo instead, ha ha!!!!

I'm just jealous as I can never eat any, but starve with just coffee as I can only eat gluten free food.

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Saturday afternoon the 19th of March 2011
Not much wrong with Timmi now - thank goodness!
He ran like mad this afternoon when we exercised them all and he carried toys in mouth just how he always loves to AND played a rough tug of war with Dasher, who always wants whatever toy Timmi has! That's Timmi behind Magnus in left pic.
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Sunday we stopped giving him painkillers and he seems just fine, but we are carefully watching him like hawks! If he can withstand the hard yanks and twists of Dasher trying to steal the toy, then his neck must be ok now! Phew!

Friday morning the 18th of March 2011
See below Dasher's crazy attitude. (Note those thigh muscles! He's sure ready to get his Lure coursing licence this summer and compete in the competion in August!) He's actually making eyes at best friend Timmi - who is totally ignoring him!

In fact it is going better with Timmi - and there can't be much wrong with his neck if he can hang it out of their high-sided beds like the above!!! No squeaks of pain now and after a few runs yesterday, this morning he could run with the others like normal - just not so wildly. He still will not shake though. I know how to make them shake by towelling them down very briskly (and it does take loose hairs out and bring up the shine in their coats) and they LOVE it. Especially when they have run about with their winter coats on, so their hair gets all mussed up. He lifted his head right up and back with enjoyment, started to shake and changed his mind. It's my theory that it is, as I can have myself, a wrenched muscle. I am recovered after 2- 3 weeks - so if he still has symptoms after 3 weeks then he will have to be scanned to find out what is wrong. The insurance will pay, but I don't want to do all that fuss (and scanning costs a fortune!) if it is just something we can "nurse" away by ourselves. If he had anything "out of place" then he would not show a daily improvement?

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Tuesday the 15th of March 2011
A bit of a drama on Saturday. We only went out for an hour's shopping and when we arrived back, there was Timmi whimpering in great pain and distress and apparently something wrong with his head and neck. He was unable to greet us and jump up and he shied away from the others who were jumping around wagging tails. I walked him around the garden, but he was clearly in a lot of pain. His head hung down low.

No matter how much we searched the kitchen we could not see anything undisturbed, signs of him jumping up or any clue at all as to what had happened to him. Dasher is always shut in his cage so he can’t pester the others and Magnus is old now and an angel dog who never makes trouble – so we will probably never know what happened.
As it was Saturday, no vet. was open so I rang the emergency number found a nice vet. on duty who told us where to go – not very far luckily and we left straight away.
After a thorough examination, she said he had not got a disco-prolaps but some kind of crick in his neck caused by... we haven’t a clue!
Anyway although she recommended getting him scanned, we decided to wait a few days and she gave him two painkilling injections with a morphine product and 3 pills a day to take until Tuesday. Unfortunately vet. bills cost the double on weekends!
Timmi holds his head low, can’t shake, can’t jump up and whines at any movements and especially if the others bump into him. He also walked around very carefully and laid down even more carefully.

Monday with Dasher watching over him.
Monday there was a little improvement, he perked up and we can see his is no longer in constant pain.
He eats from a raised bowl, we walk him carefully in a harness, not the usual collar, and he wears a blanket-coat to keep him extra warm – vital for Whippets.
Today, he is clearly getting slowly better, can run AND jump up on the bed! But it’s so annoying not to know how the heck he did it...
We have now got hold of more painkillers, so we will see if nature can't heal whatever he has done to himself.

Sunday the 13th of March 2011
A big personal accomplishment for me today! I was able to visit my son and daughter-in-law for the first time since I broke my leg in September! They live on the 5th floor in Copenhagen and no elevator!! I knew I could get up there, but getting down is harder and up to now has been quite impossible - unless I go down backwards, which would take hours! However, when I tried, I have progressed so much that I could walk down more or less normally! Wonderful!

Sunday the 6th of March 2011
and I have long wanted to join Tine on her Italian Greyhound doggy walks, open for anyone who wants to come, every Sunday at 11.00 but first now is my broken leg up to the hour long stroll in Valby Parken, south west Copenhagen. Today we made it, see the little video I made.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dqxDOyLx6Y
It was truly wonderful seeing the dogs race around just as they fancied - and plenty of room for everyone. At one point, we gathered in a little copse with some big logs and exercise things and Tine and Co. trained their dogs with various balance tricks - (see photos) so Dasher got bored and to my disgust, as I had trusted him (and he’s normally always so good to come to me), he left us to visit some dogs training obedience who were so far away, they were nearly pin-pricks on the horizon! We did not know where he had gone at first so we split up and went off in different directions – me using the whistle that normally he loves to come to. Finally someone spotted him being carried towards us under the arm of a man who had been training his dog! Dasher must have completely ruined the obedience class by running around greeting all the big dogs and distracting everyone!!!! I am sorry that now I can’t trust him – male dogs are far more difficult to control and especially Italian ones! Sigh.....
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Pia and Tine training balance tricks with Svend admiring! Most of the coats worn were from www.togsfordogs.net

Wednesday the 2nd of March 2011

At last I met up with the so cute "Day Care" children with their three Day Care mothers, who team up together on walks and get-togethers, so the children can play and are always very happy. They are just so cute to see with apple-red cheeks in the cold - it's an adorable age group and I am sure they can be naughty but all appear to be little angels! Dasher loves them as I give them small dog biscuit pieces to give him. They are attracted to him as he's small, fun and not scary and especially today in his smart “www.togsfordogs.net” outfit! I haven’t seen them for 5 months due to my broken leg and I have missed them! Several children pointed questioningly to my empty push-chair - may have fancied a lift - as they walk a lot around all the paths here, visit two playgrounds and get plenty of fresh air and exercise!


Tuesday the 1st of March 2011
I forgot to say, that Dasher has taught himself how to press the button to open the window in the car!!! He thoroughly enjoys the fresh air while I am "having kittens" with anxiety as I read once about a dog sticking it's head out of a car window just as the driver was closing it and the automatic window mechanism jamming with the dog's head trapped and choking and it was ages before they got the dog freed - it did survive, phew, but what a terrible experience. So we have to stop the car and get out to supervise the window closing! From now on we will have to drive with the windows locked shut with the child's safety lock!

Monday the 28th of February 2011
We decided to give the dogs a much needed bit of fun this morning and take them to a “Dog Wood”.
There are many in Denmark: Places fenced in with a couple of “self-closing" gates and a dustbin for the used “poo-bags”. A chance for all sociable dogs to play together in safety.

Waiting in the car with their seat belts on!
We chose one a short drive away north from here set far away in a huge and very beautiful old beech wood. Wonderful tall trees in their prime and winding paths, earth still covered in the red autumn leaves and right at the far end, just before high cliffs that plunge into the sea, is a good Dog Wood. We hoped, that due to the freezing weather, (but at least the wind had dropped), on a "dumb" Monday morning, that there would be no one there as my Whippets only like other Whippets - Salukis and Greyhounds are ok too but all other breeds are told to clear off with aggressive barking as they have learned to hate them after being attacked and bitten several times. But oh no, sadly for us, a handful of other dog owners had got the same idea and cars with dogs were both pulling away and arriving as we came – so we had to give up.

Can't resist putting this photo in of the beach wood with my brother photographing it in September 2008, so you can see how beautiful this area is.

So then we drove 20 mins in the opposite direction south to Kobæk beach in Skælskør - still with plenty of snow.

Here we could let them off and despite several other dogs and owners we all managed to avoid each other. (We also have to keep a look out for deer lurking round the sommer houses!) The dogs haven’t be been there for 5 months due to my broken leg. (It went amazingly well walking on the soft sand with masses of foot-twisting potholes!) They thoroughly enjoyed a good sniff and even found some unmentionable snacks, ugh! It was bitterly cold but they didn’t chase around much as they had 5 months of juicy smells to catch up on!
I took a very short video – I was scared the camera would freeze too much - it was below zero C.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg6Ld45nu9A
Dasher was, true Italian style “all over the place at once” and often miles away, a dot on the horizon. He has a lot to learn about running free. But amazingly, he seems to know where he is better than we think. We just have difficulty trusting him! He mostly comes running when we call or whistle, so we practise this.

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The 21st of February 2011
Dasher this morning on his "flexi-leash".

I used a Flexi-leash for the very first time! Never had one before for the Whippets because if they see a cat, big dog, pheasant, horse (yes, there was a friendly loose horse that walked after us one day, so I had to hide round the old people’s home!), rabbit, (yes, two little girls up our road got tired of their little white bunny and set it free to my horror after which it lurked in bushes or sunned itself in full view so the dogs went berserk each day and I had to drag them past – but after 10 days and my urging, they took it back again) - and wild hares – Whippets either rip the handle out of one’s hand as they try to give chase at 90 miles a hour - or, if you hang on, they wrench your shoulder out of it’s socket and pull you over! But I have now bought a 5 meter one for Dasher who isn't quite so strong and it is perfect for him to have more freedom where the path has many open spaces.


The light's just behind him, ha ha!
The 20th of February 2011
Dasher "works out" in the lounge! See this latest laser light game done at top speed on my new video! Keeps him so well muscled right through the winter so he's ready for coursing at any time! This dog is in top condi!!!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUx35WE1nTc

The 14th of February 2011
Too cold to be outside for very long so I made one of the games they love, with a cardboard box that has two tiny holes and a few bits of dog food dropped inside! They get the bits out by pushing the box all around the floor.
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Of course, they ended up destroying it! Magnus has learnt this from Timmi. See the game on an old video from last year:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zngjPNfyYcA
- it's so cute the way Dasher shows them what to do and tells them to get on with it!

The 10th of February 2011
All we did was go shopping for about an hour. Timmi fund the bowl of hazelnuts too near the edge of the kitchen table and stealing great mouthfuls at a time, he spent a happy hour cracking them all open! Not an easy task as he didn't use the nutcrackers! Then he ate the contents. His bed was "knee deep" in the shells when we came home again! (I had thought he didn't greet us quite so hysterically as usual! This was probably because we should have stayed out a little longer so he could empty the bowl!)
All my dogs, even when given a nut in it's shell for the very first time, know immediately of the "bounty" inside and proceed to crack the nut open. However, a friend's three Whippet girls eat the ENTIRE walnut, shell and all, from the very old walnut tree in their garden. They crunch them up and swallow THE LOT! I was nervous when I heard this, thinking of the poor stomach lining and the VERY sharp shells, but they must have cast iron stomachs as they are unharmed - and my friend says that what comes out "the other end" is just like sawdust!!!!

Timmi sleeping - again! No, I did NOT arrange the blanket - he is an expert at worming his way underneath.


The 1st of February 2011
At last, for the very first time since last September, I went on a doggy walk with Dasher yesterday. I have bought a cheap push-chair to give me extra confidence and balance, because I hobble along in a great deal of pain, despite a cocktail of pain-killers, due to my broken leg. It went well. Dasher took one long look at the push-chair he was to walk beside and was totally uninterested so he walked very nicely, enjoying sniffing most of the way. Today however, there was a thin sheet of ice covering everything, so I had to turn back after only a couple of metres as it was so treacherous. I intend walking a short walk every day from now on to try and get back to normal. (Dasher used two coats as it was SO cold and I can only walk very slowly.

Me arriving home again, showing the push-chair.

Magnus relaxing on the sofa in the evening - about time I got a photo of him!!!

Sunrise over the house opposite!

23rd January 2011
Guests to lunch yesterday and dessert was one of "the house specialities": A base of freshly ground almond cake, topped with compot of homegrown strawberries from last June and blueberries freshly flown in from Chile! (Almonds from California!) Dotted with Danish créme fraiche. Really yummy I can tell you!!
While my back was turned and as hostess, I'm doing a thousand things at once and trying to follow the lively conversation as well, when Timmy, (I just KNOW it's him, the biggest thief we have ever had) has obviously stretched up on his back legs and gnawed at the cake base as far in as he could reach on the counter top!

What to do? I managed to disguise it and made the cake finished - Svend and I eating from the worst chewed area!!!
They will never know - I hope!!!! DOGS!!! I can't understand what we want them for?

23rd January 2011: Special answer til Paula Weir, one of my blog fans!
Yes, I have noticed Whippets are excellent "watch dogs” and seem to have an innate sense for the "out of the ordinary" - and warn their owners accordingly.
I particularly noticed it when I was working freelance at home for a large advertising agency with a big customer with several stores in the west of Denmark. (The agency and I are in the east, near Copenhagen!) It was summer, my small office/studio with two drawing boards and complete with darkroom, (no computers in those days - this came later!), was off a small yard behind our house. As I finished each ad. - and I was often working on two at a time, there was always such total panic at sales times, I called a taxi service to take my work to the airport and send it off by air to the different local newspapers in west Denmark. (Everything needed perfect timing or an empty space could appear in a newspaper, which the agency would have to pay for – for nothing!)
So I was under great pressure. The dogs were quietly in their beds surrounding me – this is how wonderful Whippets are, they know when they are not wanted, and are just happy to be near you. I had the door open as it was hot weather.
I always told the taxi company to tell the man to come straight round to the back yard and not waste time ringing on the front door.
When one appeared (hesitatingly) at the yard gate, the dogs went into shock at the intrusion, rushed at the gate and did a special warning bark and acted really fierce. Most drivers didn’t dare to open the gate until I came out and welcomed them in, then the dogs would be friendly too - they took their cues from me!
See, the difference was, that guests who come to the front door, are immediately welcomed inside and thereby "approved of" in the dog's eyes - and the dogs copy us and are just as as warmly welcoming as we are.
But if a person suddenly turns up un-noticed and unescorted and doesn’t appear to have "owner permission” to come in, then they warn me of “trespassers" and potential danger and try to ward the person off!
AS SOON as I show that the person is welcome, greet them, and ask them to come in, the dog's attitude changes and they become welcoming and friendly.
A great many dogs have this trait, but one just doesn’t associate it with WHIPPETS!

They will also bark if the neighbours make “mystical noises” - even at times will bark at the neighbour's visitors in their own driveway! They just need to be told that everything IS alright! How can they know? They are only dogs!

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