15 Weeks

Here is the happy little family at 15 weeks. Got some photos to show how Kohl (the darkest pup) is catching up to Miles and Otto in size. He is still built lighter but is catching up in height so finally looks like he is from the same litter.


Sara and Kohle


Kohle and Otto



At this age it is all about play fighting and playing keep away. No matter how many toys there are, the pups all want the same toy.


It is MY leaf! Stay back or else!


OK you forced me to show you scary PUPPY TEETH!




Not much left of the leaf after the battle.


Even though he is tired, Miles thinks about making a move for the duck.


Don't make me show you the TEETH again


Round two.


Finally worn out, the pups look deceptively innocent when they are sleeping

We Have A Name!

The dark brindle pup from Miles' litter that I have been calling "pup one", "pup with no name" and "the dark brindle pup" now has a name! His owner Kathy named him Kohle.

Kohle the day after we picked him up

Kohle at 12 weeks

Renaissance Festival

Last weekend was Miles first Renaissance Festival. I have been doing the Carolina and Georgia Renaissance Festival for 8 years or so as a member of the Hounds of East Fairhaven. We are a group that promote greyhound adoption and educate people about the role of greyhounds at that time in history at the two festivals. Imagine an all day meet and greet in a corset, hoop skirt and 25lbs of clothing. Miles was at the Georgia Festival all day both days over the weekend. He did great! He was friendly to everyone and we got lots of comments on how well behaved he was. We are located in the Royal Pavilion with the King and Queen and are on stage at the Joust 3 times a day with the Royals. We didn't get to walk around much because of my injured ankle that is still in a boot for support.

I wish I had photos of Miles on the joust platform watching the joust. He was fascinated as long as they were jousting things like hoops and hay bales. He was fine even when they came thundering by on the horses just inches away. It changed when they began jousting each other and then ended up in a sword fight on foot. He would look then turn his head. He would get brave and peek back then turn his head again. He decided it was safer under my skirt or under the bench during the violent parts. Definitely a non violent dog. Thanks to Patti for the photos.
Some of the other cast members Patti, Jay, Michelle and Kim with their royal hounds.

The most challenging part of the festival for the dogs is going up a narrow, winding staircase to get up to the platform to watch the joust. Pretty challenging for me too since my hoop skirt is wider than the staircase. Colby (fawn male on right in the photo above) was the only greyhound out of the 6 there that could do the steps from the start. Miles got it though and by the second day could go up and down with no trouble.

Many people didn't realize Miles was a pup. We got a lot of questions about the "Whippet" or the "Italian Greyhound". At about 30lbs he would definitely be a Whippet and not an IG.

Happy pup.

Miles was exhausted after two days of festival and camping out Saturday night. Monday, when his brother Otto came over to play, Miles just wanted to sleep. He had that sleepy pup look most of the day where his ears are hanging low and eyes are staring into space. Miles would try to play for about a half hour then crash for a few hours. The boys would play another half hour then would sleep for another 3. Otto was pretty tired himself after doing a meet and greet at the YMCA most of the day on Sunday. They slept about as much as the adult greyhounds Monday.

Running On Water

The pups learned early on to stay off the covered pool. Every time they put a paw on the cover they got an ACK! The pool cover did hold an 85lb male greyhound at a run once so I knew it would hold them but I just didn't want the cover damaged. The pups have been so good and run around the pool very careful not to get in it or even step on the edge of the pool cover until yesterday.

Otto was over yesterday for his normal Thursday play day with his Miles. The pups were playing outside with Sara supervising while I did some work on the computer. Suddenly I heard splashing. Miles had discovered the joy of running in water. Otto and Sara ran around the edge barking at him at first but it didn't take Otto long to join him. The pool was their race track and was even banked on the edges for turning at speed. I had to get pictures before making them stop.





After I made them quit, Otto dug a hole and the boys rolled around in the dirt to dry off. When I opened the door one bolted in and made a bee line for my bed. Did a few laps on the bed leaving muddy foot prints before I got him back outside. They stayed outside most of the day they were such a mess. They played from 8am to 7pm except for a half hour nap outside around 1:30 and another one inside in the crate between 3 and 4pm. They are like energizer bunnies. I don't know how they can eat enough food to maintain their weight with all that running and wrestling.


"Please let us in. We aren't wet anymore. We dried off in the dirt."
Even the window got dirty and you should see the patio in front of the door.

Their other brother came by around 4pm to play and it was a repeat. He has never gotten on the pool either but that is the first place he went. Otto and Miles were good and didn't join him but I had to chase him off the pool cover 5 or 6 times. He doesn't have a name yet but responds to "Gator Boy". He looks fantastic now with a shiny dark coat. He finally has caught up with the other boys enough to look like he is from the same litter. He is still a little shorter and his legs are not quite as thick and strong but they don't look like Italian Greyhound legs anymore. Will get some photos next time he comes over.

Miles is mostly sleeping through the night now and is sleeping in the bedroom with us now instead of in his crate. Last night was his 3rd night on a regular dog bed! One night out of the 3 he woke us up by going to the door to be let out. The rest of the time he has stayed on his bed.

Ice Cream

At a fund raiser for the Greenwood Humane Society. Dogs got free ice cream. Humans had to pay. I took Sara and Miles and met Lisa and Dennis with their two nearly grown greyhound pups Rosie and Ally.Kim and Robert Owens and a former foster Immani and her family also met us there. Miles met a 5 month old pup there that looked like a corgi mix. They had a great time playing and managed to tumble my Monkey Madness Ice Cream scoop right of the top of the cone.
Lesson Learned: Don't carry an ice cream cone in the same hand as the leash!


Miles practicing his sit and touch with lots of doggy distractions. I am still wearing the boot on my foot while it heals but left the crutches in the car. Didn't think there would be any way to walk two dogs on crutches and eat an ice cream cone. I know Cesar Millan could probably do it but I am not quite that talented yet. LOL


After losing my first ice cream I got a second. I limped a couple of steps and that one rolled right off the cone too before I got one taste.
Lesson Learned: Push the ice cream scoop down into the cone BEFORE you try to limp off with it.
Miles and Sara enjoyed sharing the fallen scoop. Kim bought me a 3rd ice cream. This time I asked for a bowl instead of a cone and remained seated while Kim delivered it to me. Monkey Madness is now one of my top 3 Bruesters Flavors along with Key Lime Pie and Birthday Cake.

Fourteen Weeks Today!

GOLD EYES!

Miles eyes stayed blue for a lot longer than the other pups and I was beginning to wonder if he was going to look more like an Australian Shepard then a Greyhound. Otto's eyes were already getting dark when I got them at 5 weeks old. All the other pups eyes got dark quickly too. Miles eyes gradually got gray then kind of green but it now looks like they are going to be gold. As you can see in the pictures his ears have recovered from the bad ear week last week. I love the gold eyes. Streak's eyes are gold too.









Momma Sara still hasn't been adopted and I have to admit that I am in no hurry to see her go. It is so much fun to see a mother raise her pups in a natural way. I believe that Miles will be a better pup because of her influence. Sara still plays with the pups and has a lot of energy for 5 years old. She will run and play wrestle for an hour at a time with Miles. I didn't have Otto over to play for the last week because it is hard to watch two pups on crutches. Sara had to fill in for him and would play with Miles several times a day. She is always gentle and Miles rarely yelps. His legs have grown so much that when he stands up on his hind legs he can rest his elbows on Sara's back. Miles is 27lbs now. Otto is up to 25lbs and the other brother is 17lbs.




Pinky the Italian Greyhound joins in the Greyhound Games



Watch the ear!


Mom decides enough is enough and gently pins Miles to the ground. Game over.


All that rolling in grass made me itchy.


I talked to Mel at the Birmingham Track Adoption Kennel and two of the pups were adopted by a family in Florida and are home now. The runt and one male are still at the kennel. They are supposed to go to families in Oregon and California. They have put on weight and have gotten over their skin infection and have all their hair now. The runt has a dark brindle glossy coat. The male is a lighter brindle and has a thicker fuzzier coat.