Most of those in the Iggy Kingdom know the basic story of how the IG's came about. But now you will know the real story...
The Medieval Times were a cold period and castles made of stone were not the most efficient at retaining heat. The women of culture would complain so much about their cold feet and cold beds that the Kings would declare war amongst themselves just to get out of the keep.
Then one day, a entrepreneur came around with several dogs, one was large but quite the heater, and the other was small but fierce of heart. The man worked day and night enticing these dogs to cuddle and produce and finally one frustrating day after another, a woman came by and noticed they were all males....
Put out by her laughter, and that of the town folks, he handed the dogs over to her and was never heard from again. The lady seeing a profitable situation went out and found a tiny little dog who was quite lovable. She made sure to check and yes it was a female (of course). The lady then proceeded to find the right mood and came upon the perfect condition. A cold night and a soft comfty bed full of fluffy big blankets. The dogs ran from their crates and leaped upon the bed, dove under the covers and within a certain amount of time as nature does take, little puppies were soon bouncing around the small but cozy home. (cue my wife when she hears the word puppy)
These little critters were quite adorable and the lady kept them all nice and warm under the covers as she slept, finding that they gave her warmth as well. She sought out other possibilities and found that they would swarm under a large dress and keep her feet warm too.
The next week was festival time in the village and the King and Queen were to attend. The lady then gave a Herald (that a guy with a big voice, we know them now as DJ's ) a small purse of change to announce her as 'the lady of the hounds' and she proceeded to show off their warmth and cuteness to all the gentry.
At first the King was 'Great! another puppy in the house! (a sound familiar around our house as well) but the lady was prepared for this and whispered something in his ear which perked him up and he immediately bought up all her dogs. The Queen was perplexed by this sudden change in her stout husband but when they arrived back at the castle, he released the hound puppies and they all scurried over and under her dress. OOOHHH she shuddered at first thinking she was being devoured but quickly realized that warmth was surrounding her otherwise cold tootsies. She smiles and sigh, "finally you got it right". He laughed and said "wait til tonight then you see what I did".
Night came slowly as if on the back of a turtle, the Queen was beside herself with curiosity. "what could he mean by wait til tonight" hoping it was not his usual attempt, she finally saw the moon rise above the meadow and headed to her chambers. She shuddered from the cold as she slid into the bed and was shocked to find it warm and cozy. She looked over and saw the bedwarmer still sitting by the fire, reached down and lifted the covers just as 10 little hounds bounded up to her and gave her hundreds upon hundreds of kisses. Laughter erupted from her bedchamber as the King snuck off to visit his concubine.... and the villagers all thought what could make her laugh so and blushed at their own thoughts.
Now you know the real story of how Italian Greyhounds were created. Not for science, not for comfort nay it was to keep the wife silent on those cold wintry nights.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
When an opinion becomes a argument
Just recently, I was visiting a facebook site for fellow IG owners and noticed a post from someone who complained about those who feel their opinions were gospel and that anyone who disagreed with them were wrong.. wrong.. wrong.
It's true, as with any group or following there are those who believe in their hearts that they are right and everyone must follow their lead in order to do the right thing. What they fail to notice is that most of them are dropping out or becoming angry with their handing out of wisdom. They don't know they are the problem and not the solution. Give out your knowledge and wisdom and let others take it or leave it.
America is built on a diversity of people who bring all types of opinions, beliefs, experience and knowledge to the table. Not all of it works for every situation but it's there for the offering. Take what works, dispel to others what you know and let it go.
And on the other hand, when seeing a post that declares a particular way of handling a IG situation, that makes your way not look good, just do one of two things, respectfully disagree and state your situation and why it works for you and that it may not work for others...or just as I posted... pick up your water bottle and spray the monitor and say "Bad Dog...BAD DOG". of course as one of the posters was quick to respond.. make sure you cover the monitor with plastic LOL.
It's true, as with any group or following there are those who believe in their hearts that they are right and everyone must follow their lead in order to do the right thing. What they fail to notice is that most of them are dropping out or becoming angry with their handing out of wisdom. They don't know they are the problem and not the solution. Give out your knowledge and wisdom and let others take it or leave it.
America is built on a diversity of people who bring all types of opinions, beliefs, experience and knowledge to the table. Not all of it works for every situation but it's there for the offering. Take what works, dispel to others what you know and let it go.
And on the other hand, when seeing a post that declares a particular way of handling a IG situation, that makes your way not look good, just do one of two things, respectfully disagree and state your situation and why it works for you and that it may not work for others...or just as I posted... pick up your water bottle and spray the monitor and say "Bad Dog...BAD DOG". of course as one of the posters was quick to respond.. make sure you cover the monitor with plastic LOL.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Blind Dog Walking
Some of you may already know, our family fosters for Texas Italian Greyhound Rescue and our forever fosters (too old/ill to be adoptable) are either partially blind (Rocket) or totally blind (Tella had surgery which required removing both eyes due to infections).
Tella has learned when I come home, she pops her head up out of the blankets on her bed in the floor, raises up and does the hokey pokey walk towards the backdoor with her tail wagging happily from end to end. And if I don't pick her up quick enough, she gives out a pitiful wail or bark (Connie says I'm trained well). But I just can't help it. She reminds me of my Mom's Mother who when she had a stroke, I would be there to take her from place to place, sitting with her and watching her frail little body somehow have the strength to carry on. I even think of Tella as NONNA (Italian for Grandmother).
Last night she was curled up with the others in bed hiding from all the thunder and popped her head out and laid it on the pillow just under my chin and rested there totally happy knowing that I was on protection duty. Her frail little body with sunken skin over what were once bright happy eyes makes you wonder if you're doing the right thing and then you see her strutting across the backyard moving her head back and forth like a Stevie Wonder impression and you know she's cool with it.
Sometimes dogs need to show humans how to handle crap, cause they don't get caught up in all the emotional garbage we tend to collect and stew over. Come on world sling it, I'm can handle it today.
Tella has learned when I come home, she pops her head up out of the blankets on her bed in the floor, raises up and does the hokey pokey walk towards the backdoor with her tail wagging happily from end to end. And if I don't pick her up quick enough, she gives out a pitiful wail or bark (Connie says I'm trained well). But I just can't help it. She reminds me of my Mom's Mother who when she had a stroke, I would be there to take her from place to place, sitting with her and watching her frail little body somehow have the strength to carry on. I even think of Tella as NONNA (Italian for Grandmother).
Last night she was curled up with the others in bed hiding from all the thunder and popped her head out and laid it on the pillow just under my chin and rested there totally happy knowing that I was on protection duty. Her frail little body with sunken skin over what were once bright happy eyes makes you wonder if you're doing the right thing and then you see her strutting across the backyard moving her head back and forth like a Stevie Wonder impression and you know she's cool with it.
Sometimes dogs need to show humans how to handle crap, cause they don't get caught up in all the emotional garbage we tend to collect and stew over. Come on world sling it, I'm can handle it today.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Play Date
We had a successful play date with over 11 dogs and 20 or more close dog lover friends, folks we dog sit for and others who heard about it.
Shad fell in love with our new foster Luca and it was great seeing Shad come out of his shell as well as Luca who is very shy around new people.
Had a great time talking with the Italians about growing grapes (interpretation through their daughter did help) and I think they were impressed with the meager vines I have on the property.
My wife was in her element talking dogs and making connections. I worked the yard, the conversations and still managed to pooper scoop with dignity and style.
Something to be said about holding a blind dog while scooping poop and having a conversation about one of the party person's trip to Peru and how altitude sickness works.
The afterparty is where all the dogs crawl back to the couch and sleep sleep sleep for the next hours giving you time to clean up and hit a movie or just relax yourself.
Shad fell in love with our new foster Luca and it was great seeing Shad come out of his shell as well as Luca who is very shy around new people.
Had a great time talking with the Italians about growing grapes (interpretation through their daughter did help) and I think they were impressed with the meager vines I have on the property.
My wife was in her element talking dogs and making connections. I worked the yard, the conversations and still managed to pooper scoop with dignity and style.
Something to be said about holding a blind dog while scooping poop and having a conversation about one of the party person's trip to Peru and how altitude sickness works.
The afterparty is where all the dogs crawl back to the couch and sleep sleep sleep for the next hours giving you time to clean up and hit a movie or just relax yourself.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
don't compare your babies to their kids
How many of you have made the mistake of comparing your dogs to that of raising kids to a parent who does not have a dog or cat? Boy when you do, prepare for a onslaught of venting and condemnation. "How dare you compare a four legged animal to my dear precious Parker!" or "Ha! you think you can pretend a lazy cat is like my overachieving Rachel?"
What they really mean is...
You don't have to deal with demon Damon or Scheming Sally, watch as they rip into the neighbors toys then have to deal with a mad parent, or worry about every time your son borrows the car and you overhear him on his cellphone telling his friends that he's got the car, they got the beer, or having your daughter gain weight and it's not from eating too much... and don't get them started on paying for little Lefty's college education with the retirement fund they saved for 30 years.
Just sit back and smile, while your little babies bounce around on the floor chewing toys and barking and know that no matter what. You can leave them home all day without Child Services getting a call, put a leash on them when you take them to the mall, dress them up without hearing about how embarrassed they are, get and give kisses all day even in front of their friends without so much as a whine.
What they really mean is...
You don't have to deal with demon Damon or Scheming Sally, watch as they rip into the neighbors toys then have to deal with a mad parent, or worry about every time your son borrows the car and you overhear him on his cellphone telling his friends that he's got the car, they got the beer, or having your daughter gain weight and it's not from eating too much... and don't get them started on paying for little Lefty's college education with the retirement fund they saved for 30 years.
Just sit back and smile, while your little babies bounce around on the floor chewing toys and barking and know that no matter what. You can leave them home all day without Child Services getting a call, put a leash on them when you take them to the mall, dress them up without hearing about how embarrassed they are, get and give kisses all day even in front of their friends without so much as a whine.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Posers
so... long day, short night. But I do wanted to talk about how these little stinkers get away with stuff. You know what I mean. Eating the pillow or de-stuffing a toy or barking and running like a banshee all over the house at 10pm when you're trying to get meds down their throat. Then just when you're about to become your Mother and scream GIT TO BED OR ELSE! they roll over, throw their paws behind their heads, look at you through the corner of their eyes and smile. Butter would not melt on a Scorching Summer day faster than you do at that sight. Come on... you know I'm talking the truth here.
You give in, get up to go over and rub their belly when just as you bend over, they jump and run and bark bark bark... OH GREAT! now you got them thinking it's CHASE the DOG game and don't think you can walk away without bark bark bark to remind you that you initiated this game.
oh, she just rolled over and threw me the look... awlllll
You give in, get up to go over and rub their belly when just as you bend over, they jump and run and bark bark bark... OH GREAT! now you got them thinking it's CHASE the DOG game and don't think you can walk away without bark bark bark to remind you that you initiated this game.
oh, she just rolled over and threw me the look... awlllll
Monday, April 8, 2013
Opening Salvo
SO….Day of one of the Blog Confessions of a Dog Foster!
No it's not some tell all diary of someone with a dog fetish or no worries, there's no dog hoarders in the home.
When you like animals you want to do something to help, you just don't think that 4 to 5 years later you'll wind up with 5 dogs and a cat and several fosters running around your little humble abode.
But it's done and life goes on, with every passing day I come home to a bevy of barks, a cackle of claws and pack of paws all pushing and shoving to be the one in front to greet Daddy (that what I call me, you can call me something else, just keep it to yourself) I walk in, dragging 4 or 5 with their tiny paws wrapped around my legs, others are walking backwards, their paws clutched together, eyes trained on me as if I'm the Pope and I came down to get a bagel on the street.
Oh, lest I forget, we have furever (no not a spell check moment, just deal with it) fosters, ones who are past the age that most folks would consider and are living at our home in a permanent state. One is nearly blind and likes to toddle around making sure he's in the wrong place as you carry a load of clothes while the other, poor thing, has had to have her eyes removed and yet she still has to look around like she's phantom seeing things (kinda freakish when you think about). Who knows, maybe her dog senses are strong and she senses the force (she definitely senses when you open a can in the kitchen from 2 rooms away).
But each has their own character while others are quite the character. From Spitz mixes to Italian Greyhound mixes and full blooded oh… sorry, I forgot about the cat, that big black undulating green eyed sour face lowland gorilla who has to sleep with his face right next to yours…and has a serious snoring issue.
But no matter the good or bad, they make life in our home more enjoyable, more entertaining and filled with 'NO!" when one can't find that pee pad in time.
No it's not some tell all diary of someone with a dog fetish or no worries, there's no dog hoarders in the home.
When you like animals you want to do something to help, you just don't think that 4 to 5 years later you'll wind up with 5 dogs and a cat and several fosters running around your little humble abode.
But it's done and life goes on, with every passing day I come home to a bevy of barks, a cackle of claws and pack of paws all pushing and shoving to be the one in front to greet Daddy (that what I call me, you can call me something else, just keep it to yourself) I walk in, dragging 4 or 5 with their tiny paws wrapped around my legs, others are walking backwards, their paws clutched together, eyes trained on me as if I'm the Pope and I came down to get a bagel on the street.
Oh, lest I forget, we have furever (no not a spell check moment, just deal with it) fosters, ones who are past the age that most folks would consider and are living at our home in a permanent state. One is nearly blind and likes to toddle around making sure he's in the wrong place as you carry a load of clothes while the other, poor thing, has had to have her eyes removed and yet she still has to look around like she's phantom seeing things (kinda freakish when you think about). Who knows, maybe her dog senses are strong and she senses the force (she definitely senses when you open a can in the kitchen from 2 rooms away).
But each has their own character while others are quite the character. From Spitz mixes to Italian Greyhound mixes and full blooded oh… sorry, I forgot about the cat, that big black undulating green eyed sour face lowland gorilla who has to sleep with his face right next to yours…and has a serious snoring issue.
But no matter the good or bad, they make life in our home more enjoyable, more entertaining and filled with 'NO!" when one can't find that pee pad in time.
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