By the light of a full Montana summer moon the new hounds are tucked in and sleeping soundly. With full bellies they are clean and free from fleas (and ticks). Now they are ready to start their new lives. Many thanks to those to came out to help walk and bathe the new kids. Those walks are almost as important as the bath as it relaxes them and gives them a chance to be outside and on solid ground. Thanks to Lynn, Pam, Irene, Amber, Lia, Candi, Vicki and Judy. Big THANKS to Darrin my great husband who worked hours getting the greyhound receiving area cleaned up and ready for them...without him I could not help any hounds.

After the work party headed out Judy and I took the new greyhound gang out for paddock time. They were too tired to run much but they did get to "clean" out and move around. Later we stood in the kennel and watched the 6 new hounds eat dinner. There is something so satisfying about watching the new guys eating dinner and then dozing off to sleep. It is kind of cool to think that a 10 year old dog like Sparcone who has probably lived with fleas his whole life may never see another flea.

Other news....I showed 3 of my dogs in Missoula at the big 3 day AKC show. We did very well. My gang and I earned several placement ribbons and got a qualifying score every time we hit the ring. To celebrate I had their picture taken by the studio that was at the show. Here are 3 of my beautiful and smart Aussie kids.

Dusk, Tabu and Ivy

A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks. It has been crazy busy at the kennel with boarding dogs and a few that were here for training. I am busy getting 3 of mine ready to show in Missoula at the 3 day AKC show. I just got home from a lure course with my sight-hound girls. My girls did very well and more importantly they ran safely. On her first time out Tava took first and won best of breed. The course had lots of corners and not many long stretches it did not favor a super fast dog like Iris. Iris placed second. Katy-Did, my whippet girl ran wonderfully and won the singles division.

Now to GPA news. As you know Eileen went home and is doing well. Ivy and Tilly (who Trish calls Kelso) made the move to Billings. Ivy is firmly planted in her home with Falcon. Tilly didn't quite work out for her home and is still available. She is a doll and I am sure she will be placed quickly. About the time Eileen was being placed we got a desperate plea for help from a family. Their baby had started to crawl and walk and would not leave their greyhound alone. The parents made the painful decision to find a new home for their wonderful greyhound boy, Timber. We had him under evaluation for a couple of weeks but he is now ready to be considered for adoption. Below is him sailing through his cat test. Timber is 7 years old and is looking for a home without small children. He is delightful!! BTW notice the newest member of the GPA team....yes it is true, I finally broke down and got a cat to help with testing greyhounds. I will introduce him in a later post.

I swear dogs are going to be the death of me. This morning I got up feeling like a mule had kicked me in the gut. My husband was relieved to hear it was nothing contagious....chick sick. I drug myself out to the kennel to do turn outs. My dogs were running in and out and I went over and lay/huddle on the couch to watch them. Tava ran by with a small cute piglet toy in her mouth she was really enjoying it and tossing it around. Next thing I knew she swallowed it whole!! I lay there blinking with thoughts of impaction surgery dancing through my mind. Getting up, I think "Hmmm maybe I am wrong...she isn't that stupid." So I go out to the yard, the small piglet toy is not out there. I look around in the training room, the piglet toy is not anywhere. I look at Tava who only looks back at me with her big soft trusting eyes. I think to myself "Idiot!" The next few minutes are spent finding the hydrogen peroxide and my bulb syringe. I then take sweet trusting but stupid Tava in my arms and begin to force the first dose of peroxide down her throat. After 10 minutes dose number one has no reaction. A second dose and another ten minutes produce no piglet. Dose three caused the hiccups BUT I can tell she is getting uncomfortable because she is stretching and licking her lips between hiccups. OK dose four will certainly be the one that sends her over the edge and produces the piglet. It only seems to quiet her hiccups. This has got to work soon because she is getting harder to catch. Dose five by now I am starting to worry. How much peroxide does it take to produce a piglet or to kill an idiot? Dose six, the hour mark is fast approaching. I get bold/desperate holding little Tava whose sweet look is replaced by scepticism and give her a double dose. Five minutes pass and she is pacing and finally throws up but no piglet...how is this possible? I leave her in the yard alone and tend to some of the other dogs. I am going to head in to call the vet. I check on her one more time... Tava is standing over the slimy piglet!! I am so relieved I almost cry. I spend the next hour telling Tava how wonderful she is and finally I see her turn her little face to mine and again I see her big soft trusting eyes. What a great and smart dog!!

Kelso's Will Tell is being called Tilly. This black and white beauty is spoken for and will soon travel to Billings. She will turn 4 years old in July. She is really sweet, fun, cat tolerant, likes other dogs and all people. Nice resume huh? She is a nice pup!!

.

Meet Sam AKA Baja Beach. He is a super nice boy who is cat friendly and is reported to be a bed hog. He will turn 6 in August. Sam is really a sweet guy who likes other dogs and is a great combo of handsome and lovable.

Eileen is HOME!!! She joins her new brother Mo in Great Falls. The two of them traveled together on the same bus from KS and now share a comfy bed. These pictures make me laugh.

.

.

In the first one it looks like Mo is asking for help to remove her highness from his bed....the second picture he looks resigned.

We have 2 new dogs from FL. Super nice dogs. Tilly, a white and black female who may already be spoken for and Sam, a super nice white and brindle boy. Both passed the cat test today and we did pictures. So look for updates on them soon.