Saturday, August 31, 2013

2 more big weekends for Team Horsetooth

Things continue to stay busy for the Horsetooth Whippet clan...

RUNNING NEWS:

 
Last weekend, we all went out to Zoiboys Ranch for more timed solo-sprints.

Lychee wins the day by setting a new record for whippets for 2013 at 12.47 seconds for the 200 yard straight track sprint.  That's 32.8 mph!  She broke both her mother Penelope's and brother Feynman's 2013 records.


SHOW NEWS:

This weekend we're hitting the show circuit up in Cheyenne, WY.  Today both Feynman and Lychee won their classes (bred-by-exhibitor dog & bred-by-exhibitor bitch classes, respectively).

We'll see what tomorrow brings for puppy Alfredo and Miss Lychee again.



PUPPY NEWS:

No news yet on puppies.  We won't know if Penelope and/or Spicy's breedings took for a few more weeks. 

If pregnant, Penelope's pups are expected in late September, and Spicy's in early October.

Stay tuned!  


Friday, August 16, 2013

Horsetooth Whippets Pic Update

Candids from May 2013 through August 2013:

Lizzie says, "Sheesh - these other dogs are heavy!"

That's better!

How many whippets can fit on a love seat?  Ummmm...SEVEN!


The Handsome Little Man - Fetuccini Alfredo

Jen, Lychee, & Spicy (far right) waiting for their Rally Ribbons - Mtn. States Obedience Trial, 
May 12, 2013...both finished their Rally Novice titles that day.

Feynman - Flatirons Kennel Club show, June 2, 2013 - Reserve Winners Dog from the Bred-by Exhibitor Class

Fermi - Flatirons Kennel Club show, June 2, 2013 - Second Place - Open Dog Class

Princess Penelope - Flatirons Kennel Club show, June 2, 2013 - Winners Bitch from 
the Open Bitch Class

Aunt Spicy & Alfredo...couch potato-ing!

Just...

...can't...

...get...quite....

....comfortable!

The best laid plans...

<sigh>  Just when you think it's all coming together, life reminds you that nothing is ever quiet, simple, or guaranteed ...especially when you share life with a bunch of hounds....

It was a big morning.  I got up early, and put together a 'cowboy roast' that would fill the house with wonderful smells for the next 10 to 12 hours while I was away at the dog show and Ken was at work.

I got myself and the show dogs - Penelope and Feynman - clean and sparkling for the big day.  After their baths, both dogs took one look at my 'show clothes' outfit and knew exactly where we were going.  They were wiggling and jumping and quivering with excitement.  These two LOVE to show.

With a bit of time still to spare, I let Feynman and Penelope into the garage and went back into the house for Alfredo (no way was I leaving the puppy behind for hours and hours with the opportunity to socialize him more and get him even more dog-show-venue experience under his belt).

As I shut the garage door to prevent ALL of the rest of the dogs from trying to go to the show and took several steps toward Alfredo, I heard an awful YELP! from the garage.

Rushing back out, I saw that Feynman was limping slightly and holding up his left front leg.  Knowing that whippets can occasionally be drama queens, I brought him in the house to watch him for a moment and see if he'd get over whatever silliness he'd done and start walking normally again.

That's when I saw the gaping tear on the inside of the leg, just above his wrist.  Somehow, in just a matter of seconds, he'd ripped a quarter-sized hole in his skin.  And as you fellow whippet owners know, whippet skin is so tight, tears so easily and is just a mess when it rips.

In a cold sweat, I wrapped the leg in gauze and vet wrap, brought Penelope back into the house, and headed to Ken's vet clinic with Feynman.

The expression on Penelope's face as I left with Feynman (still decked out in 'show clothes') was nearly as heartbreaking as the worry about Feynman's injury.  She wrinkled her brow as if to say, "But....but...I got a bath.  And ... and...you're dressed up....and...and...we were gonna go SHOW today!"

At the clinic, Feynman yarped bloody murder about the removal of my make-shift bandage and was clearly unwilling to let anyone handle his owie.  So, after a shot of serious pain killers and a 15 minute wait, he was settled in enough to let Ken and Jennifer, the head Vet Tech get the wound cleaned, stapled up, and wrapped in a much better dressing.


After leaving Feynman with Ken, it was back to Horsetooth Whippets for me, to make sure the dogs who'd been left behind hadn't gotten themselves into any trouble while I was gone.  All was well 'back at the ranch,' so we'll try for the show ring again with just Penelope tomorrow.  Feynie will just have to be there is spirit.

On the upside, stay tuned for a bunch of recent pics from up here at Horsetooth...

 

Past Puppy Graduation Update 08/16/13

Big congratulations to Steve & Rowan (twfka Stoli) on their graduation of beginning obedience and continuing on to the next level at Petsmart!


 Graduation night...

Learning the heel position in Intermediate class.

More Horsetooth Puppy Obedience Graduation announcements coming soon....


Thursday, August 15, 2013

Horsetooth Pupdate 08/15/13

It's been a busy summer here for us at Horsetooth Whippets!  Penelope and her past puppies, Feynman, Fermi, and Lychee continue to tear it up on the race track and in timed trials, as well as in the show ring.  Check out our News & Awards page for what a great summer it's been so far:  http://horsetoothwhippets.com/Newsandawards.html

Little Alfredo had his very first show today at the Rocky Mountain Hound Association Specialty show.  He did a great job, and we had a ton of whippet entries - 46 to be exact! Alfredo took first place in both of his puppy classes in Sweepstakes and Regular Classes.

Lychee took second place in the Bred-by Bitches Class.  Tomorrow, Penelope & Feynman get to strut their stuff in the ring.

Our other big news is that we may be expecting puppies in late September or early October.

The hopeful parents are:

Johnson & Penelope:

Horsetooth Big Johnsons Blue Butternuts of Amulet, RN










Horsetooth Penelope Pogostick, RN, JC, SR,OTR




AND Feynman & Spicy:

Horsetooth Runrig Feynman, RN, OTR












 
Horsetooth Spicy Duck, RN















So...now comes the hard part - the waiting game!  Stay tuned to this blog and to the website for updates.  :)


Past-Puppy Pupdates 8/15/13

Wow...can't believe it's been so long since the last update.  Lots of news to share.

On the past-puppies front:

Miss Tiramisu has had quite a summer.  After an injury, she is busy getting some reconstruction and stretching (yes...stretching) of the radius bone in her left leg.  Her fabulous contraption looks just like the equipment to make Ethan Hawke taller in the Sci-Fi movie, Gataca.  Pretty cool!

Her mommy has had the added fun of not only wild six-month old whippet brain (which all of those with recent pups can sympathize with), but wild six-month old whippet brain on a puppy who has to stay quiet and rest!

Her mom has made her a sleeve to cover her hardware...but we just had to post the pics of her far-out mechanics, as well.



Piper is having a good time just chilling out with her dad (we love the black, white & red motif going here):



Ginger & Sprocket checked in with some great pics of their own, as well...LOVE those whippet nose shots:



 Sprocket maybe should've been named "Stretch"?



A little birdie told us also that Mojo and Olive both recently attended a fun-run at the Zoiboyz ranch, and BOTH of those 6 month old puppies really went for the lure.  Do we have some racing champions in the future?