Saturday, August 3, 2024

"The Family Tree" Post

As the da Vinci pups are nearing the end of their time with us, and going to be heading out to their new homes and real lives soon, I thought it might be fun for everyone to see some of the special dogs behind them:

Great Grandma Penelope: 
(03/22/2007 - 11/17/2022)
https://www.horsetoothwhippets.com/penelope


For those who know us well, you know this girl is the dog who truly is the core of our foundation.  Penelope was truly a one-of-a-kind whippet.

She came to us a bundle of energy, sassy smarts, and independence that challenged even my seasoned-dog-trainer mentality and skills.  She was the smartest dog either of us has ever known (and that is saying a lot, given that between the two of us, we've owned German shepherds, collies, Dobermanns - breeds renowned for their high IQ's).  

Penelope was a dog who never, ever gave up.  She had the desire to be THE BEST at everything - from showing, to racing and coursing, to obedience, to motherhood, to #1 Demo dog while teaching with me, and being the supreme alpha-bitch of the household, she would not take "No" for an answer, and didn't know the meaning of the word 'quit.'

Great Grandpa Timmy 
(Dec. 16, 2006 - Dec. 4, 2019)


Ah, Timmy.  What can I say?  Our first whippet boy - Timmy was THE quintessential whippet.  Goofy, sweet, smart, full of drive, and easy on the eyes.  The ultimate couch potato, I used to joke that I needed a giant spatula to get him off the couch - where he would spend hours and hours and hours...

...UNLESS it was a running day.  
Timmy was one of the rare hounds that both instinctively took to the lure (he was full of drive for the bunny), but also had manners on the race track or coursing field.  Timmy always 'ran the lure', not the other dogs (never once committing a foul in his distinguished running career).

Timmy's sense of humor was unrivaled among our hounds, and luckily he passed that down to many of his progeny.  He remains greatly missed to this day.

Grandma Lychee

We have a phrase to perfectly sum up Brie's mom, Lychee (a daughter of Penelope & Timmy):  "She is a little chickadee, sitting on a sunflower, under a rainbow."  She can brighten even the darkest of days with her sweet personality.

Lychee spreads joy wherever she goes...something about her sweet, enthusiastic - but sensitive - energy is just infectious.  She spreads fairy sprinkles all over the place, wherever she goes.

But Lychee is anything but a delicate flower when it comes to running the lure.  In fact, she's our fastest hound ever clocked, coming in at over 33 mph in her heyday.

We are really happy that Brie inherited so much of her mom's sunny personality!

Grandpa Johnson


Johnson is a dog who knows what he wants - and aims to get it.  He possesses (and passes on to his kids and grandkids) what we call the 'affection gene.'  

We noticed very early on that Johnson loves attention.  And not in the "Oh, sure, my whippet loves to be snuggled" type of way that every whippet owner knows and talks about.  With J, it's almost an obsession.  He will lean into you persuasively, or just sit and stare at you until you start petting.

And if you stop, he'll paw at the air (but only at the air - not being obnoxious or touching/clawing/pawing you!) beseechingly until you cave in and go back to more petting.

We thought this was a Johnson-only trait until we had and kept the first of his daughters, Trinity, who does the exact same thing (only on an even more intense level, if that's even possible).

In talking with Johnson's breeder, it seems that his dad, Nolan, also had this trait...and it's something that made him nearly irresistible to people.

So far, the da Vinci pups seem to have already inherited the beginnings of the 'snuggle gene' - going utterly limp and collapsing into you when you pick them up.

There you have it - the Horsetooth whippets behind the da Vinci litter on mama Brie's side.   Daddy Baxter has some interesting lines as well (his dad is from Russia), but they don't live with us, so we don't know them as well.  :)

Friday, August 2, 2024

da Vinci Pups - almost 7 weeks!

 With the chaos of the Alexander Mountain Wildfire and just how hot it's been - I've been lax in posting pics.  Mostly, the pups are like the adult whippets - they go out for a few minutes, but want right back in, out of the heat!

Today has been a little better, in regards to smoke, and also heat, so they had a good play session outside, and came in for a snack and naptime.

They're leaning out and looking like whippets more and more; even getting their long noses already!



Ludevico checking out a chicken neck

"Nom, nom, noms"

Leo was super sleepy when he came in from his outside playtime...droopy ears and all.

Salai - hamming it up for the camera.

Vico and a bit of Ceci

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

Starting to fade...

Vico - looking perplexed.

Ceci decided the camera was really fascinating.


Vico comes running right at me whenever I try to get a shot of him.

Sisters Joconde and Ginevra (affectionately nicknamed 'teeny G' now) 

Teeny G making a pillow out of a kong toy.

Raphael!

Joconde

Salai & Leo

Ginevra!

Ceci and her flying pig.

Salai and Leo - snoozin' HARD

Big sister Bug says, "Oh, Haiiiii!"

Sunday, July 21, 2024

da Vinci Pups - 5 weeks old!

 The pups had a big play session on the deck with the whole pack yesterday evening before the rain and hail storm moved through.

A great time was had be each and every one of them, and we caught lots of action shots.  These guys are definitely already into toys, chewing every leaf and stick they can find, and generally having a good time.

Joconde, Raphael (LOVES balls!) and a snippet of Leo.

Raphael really loves the little orange squishy ball.




Salai and a snippet of Leo.

Leo


La Joconde


Raphael, Joconde, and Leo



Ludevico and Raphael


Raphael - still with that ball and Ludevico!



Cecilia was enamored with a knot in the deck wood.

Raph and his ball.

Ginevra

Leo & Salai

Raphael, Salai & Leo


Raphael and Leo



Joconde!

Salai



Alfredo, Ginevra and Ludevico

Salai was next to decide the orange squishy ball was pretty cool.




Raphael says, "Hey...that's MY squishy ball."

Ginevra & Leo

Ludevico


Joconde and a bit of Leo

Ludevico and Cecilia

Joconde

Happy Leo


Raphael and Ginevra

Salai & Raphael

Joconda checking out the rope toy.



Ginevra & Joconde


Salai, Leo, Ginevra, Joconde & Raphael


Cecilia - still really fascinated with the knot...


Raphael giving the rope toy a good shake!




Scarlet & Ginevra - they could be twins!


And more 'twining' - Theodora and Ludevico


It's kind of fun to see what the pups will look like when they're grown up.

Theo says, "He does NOT look like me!"

Uh...yes, Theo... he does!  Right down to those little white toe beans.



Joconde loves to pin other pups - this time it's Salai!

Cecilia has discovered the rope toy.


Meanwhile...Ludevico couldn't decide between chewing a leaf and the squishy ball.




The leaf wins.

Here come Joconde and Salai to harshen his mellow.




Cecilia - now fascinated with Ludevico's abandoned leaf.


That must be one seriously good leaf.


Joconde - sprinting!

Joconde, Salai, Ludevico

Joconde's turn with the squishy ball.




Leo says... "How you get up there so high on that there bed?"

Tiny Ginevra shows him how it's done!



Salai, Raphael and Leo - all figured out how to climb up!

Raphael - "Weeeee"