Chow Time!

What do you want, Cane?

I can be patient...sort of!

Happy Valentine's Day

Greyhounds Are Always Quiet and Docile Creatures...

...unless encouraged to get rowdy, anyway ; )

Cane and Hoops and YoYo

I picked out a Hoops and YoYo card for daughter Christina's birthday that played an audio file when it was opened (yodeling and silly voices and such - click here to hear it) When I got home and showed Brian, Cane went nuts when he heard the card - it was funny. Brian caught his reaction on video (sorry - phone quality, not HD!) tonight when we gave Christina the card.

Quick Brag

Cane now knows:

• Sit
• Down
• Stay
• Come

He's pretty quick with all of these because he really responds to the treats, food and "lovies" with which we reward him : )

Handsome Boy

Told you he was good looking ; )

He's a Big Puppy

I have been remiss in posting, but not for the lack of cute or crazy Cane anecdotes. I've been recovering from surgery so hopefully I'll get a pass. I'm still trying to catch up and right now I ought to be exercising before work!

Cane is right now laying on a furry shag rug (all the dogs love it) next to my exercise mat. He is one of those dogs that will follow you anywhere and everywhere. Even after a few weeks in our home he is incredibly curious about everything and liable to do crazy things because he's still learning all the rules. He is definitely teachable, but it's so funny all of the things he finds wonder or confusion in that four or five year old dogs or dogs who have spent more time racing don't seem to blink at.

Yesterday while I was getting ready to leave for work I realized I'd forgotten something upstairs, so I set my phone on the stairs and walked up to get the forgotten item. Cane of course was right there. I can only imagine what went through his mind. "This is on the place where people walk, where the toys usually are. This must be a toy." He picked it right up and walked down the hall with it and into his crate, despite Brian following behind him the entire time saying sternly, "Cane, no. Cane, no." The phone was in its case so no harm done and it was actually kind of funny, but I won't be leaving it down again.

When I got back downstairs I said, "Oh, you think you need a phone, Cane?" and held it out to him. When he went for it I said "Mine!" and pulled it back. I did this three or four times, then set it on the steps to see if he'd try to pick it up. He stared at it. I know he wanted it. But he did not move toward it. Good boy.

I have to take some pictures and post them because except for the cute, nose-in-the-camera pose here on the blog, none of the photos we have of Cane show what a good-looking boy he is. We look at him all the time and comment on how pretty he is.

One more important thing to mention before I close - Cane has been awesome with Brandon, our very active 13-year-old, who is always jumping around or in his face. These are things you shouldn't do with a Greyhound or any other dog, really, but nothing seems to phase Cane and he loves playing and chasing toys. I think he will make a great family pet. Brian says he needs a boy : )

Settling In

We picked up Cane from the kennel last week, and since then he's made a lot of progress. He's the first dog I've had in a while that hadn't been in a home, other than his field trip to Jen Bachelor's. So this means learning all sorts of new things, like stairs, the social graces that enable him to please people and get along with other dogs, and discovering the comforts of a home.

Cane is very curious and enthusiastic. He is obsessed with stuffed animals and may be a "collector" - one of those dogs that takes his finds back to his crate to love, treasure or chew. He loves tennis balls and will wear himself out playing with one.

Cane is also curious about cars, and while out on walks tries to steer the path toward parked cars. Before I was aware of his thing for cars he jumped on a neighbor's truck, I guess thinking he'd like to go for a ride. He rode pretty well coming back from the kennel last week, BTW.

Cane doesn't seem to startle easily, and he has lots of energy, so he's been a great playmate for Brandon, our 13-year-old. Cane is younger than most dogs coming off the track, the likely explanation for his energy, enthusiasm and general goofiness.

Look up his racing record using the link to Greyhound Data in the sidebar here. Poor boy never really got the hang of it : ) But give him a backyard and a tennis ball, and he'll be a star!