Dusty and me

"What kind of a rabbit is that?" ---------- It was a wondrously beautiful South Florida November day, the kind of day that puts Dusty in a mood to frolic. So frolic she did. We started the day with a mid-morning walk along the Cypress Park Greenway at Tamarac Veterans Park. We didn't stay too long, as the bright sun in the cloudless sky got a little intense. But we were there long enough for a barking, jumping Dusty to chase off a couple of iguanas sunning on a rock bed alongside Stranahan River. She loves doing that. Later in the day, Dusty and I drove to Sunrise to help Michelle with her 5 p.m turnouts and feeding. Having had a few hours to rest up from her morning adventure, Dusty was primed for some hound play with Mitzi, Yahtzee, Chumlee and Joy in the Friends of Greyhounds yard, where they sometimes encounter a couple of playmates on the other side of the fence. Watch : We left FoG to drive over to Plantation for another visit with Joy's ho...

Approaching the western edge of Cypress Creek Greenway at Tephford Park on Saturday. ---------- Dusty and I are enjoying a relaxing day at home today, taking the occasional long walk around the neighborhood between her greyhound naps and my Abbott and Costello movies on the Roku. We had a fairly busy week. We spent several hours in Sunrise helping with Friends of Greyhounds business and were able to get to the two Tamarac parks a couple or three times. Dusty also got over to Joy's new house in western Broward a few times to run with David, Honey and Turtle while their mom was away with long shifts at the hospital. I got this short video of the four of them: There's another video of those guys along with all of Dusty's videos at my YouTube page . LET'S HAVE SOME BBQ: Michelle at Friends of Greyhounds has organized another outing for us hound lovers at One Last Cast BBQ. We're set for this Saturday, Nov. 11, on the grounds of Flamingo Road Nursery ...

We're hitting that time of year here in South Florida. The hot afternoon sun fights for dominance with dark, loud, fast-moving thunderstorms. But once the alternating bright sky and gloomy clouds make way for nightfall, we can enjoy some gloriously breezy, pleasant evenings as we say goodbye to the humidity of summer. For us humans, those nice evenings are merely our first taste of the wonderful months ahead of us. But for our hounds, days like today make you think that maybe they don't know whether they're coming or going. Exhibit A: Our old friend Maggie in Delray Beach, who really does not like the sound those nasty afternoon thunderstorms make. Mom Joan dropped us this photo this evening: Maggie hunkers down through a Friday-afternoon thunderstorm, seeking protection from her Munchkins, Cassie and Smidgen. ---------- Dusty, in the meantime, slept away much of the day by herself, as I had a few errands that needed running. I did get back to her in late af...

Maggie, left, and Zoe enjoying some midday downtime ---------- Maggie, the senior greyhound who lost her home several weeks ago after her caretaker passed away, hasn't been shy about taking charge in her new home. Cassie serves as Maggie's personal footrest. ---------- Joan, the Delray Beach resident who adopted the 7-year-old last month, dropped us an email to tell us that Maggie has become quite the matriarch, especially at mealtime. "Maggie is really channeling her inner self," Joan wrote. "She keeps everyone in line at food time -- no barking allowed from anyone. Of course, to achieve this, she has to growl and bark at the rest of the gang." Four-year-old greyhound Zoe and chihuahuas Cassie and Smidgen "are not allowed to follow me into the room where the food bin is kept," Joan said. "She stands guard. I guess she is the self-appointed matriarch. "Zoe allows her antics until Maggie decides she wants to share...

Maggie sharing her new bed with the Munchkins. (Thanks for the photo, Joan) ---------- Got another update from Joan, who says Maggie is adjusting very well to her new life in Delray Beach. The last time we checked in, Joan had purchased a new bed for Maggie, who will celebrate her seventh birthday in a few days. Joan says Maggie loves her new bed so much, she hasn't been spending much time on the sofa recently. From the looks of things, Maggie doesn't mind sharing her bed with Cassie and Smidgen -- who Joan called The Munchkins. Joan said she's caught Maggie and her greyhound sister, Zoe, hanging out in the same bed together a couple of times, though one of them usually tires of that arrangement pretty quickly. "Maggie has given a couple of deep growls/barks at Zoe when Zoe gets a little rambunctious in the morning," Joan said in an email. "They both compete for my attention when it is time to get me out of bed. I get body-slammed and nuzzled unt...

Maggie making herself comfortable in her new home ---------- Joan in Delray Beach sent an email a couple of days ago to update us on Maggie, the skinny little brindle female who was re-homed after her previous adopter passed away. Maggie, set to celebrate her seventh birthday later this month, is happy and comfortable after less than two weeks in her new home. Joan sent photographic proof. Maggies is already assuming the roach position in her new environment. Zoe has roaching room now that Maggie has a new bed. ---------- As you recall, Maggie was really skinny and nervous when she turned up at Friends of Greyhounds about three weeks ago. But she showed us a good appetite almost immediately, and she got past her fear about her situation in only a day or two. She seemed to be happy, healthy hound. But those ribs ... Joan tells us her vet obtained Maggie's health records from a vet in Boynton Beach, which revealed that Maggie has lost six pounds since March. Qui...

From left: Annie (3 years old July 3), Taylor (3 on June 25), Maggie (7 on July 3), Casey (2 on July 20), Kango (4 on July 1) ---------- Five guests at Friends of Greyhounds have birthdays coming up. Larry Warsh of Larry Warsh Photography in Fort Lauderdale put together this photo/graphic to help celebrate. Contact FoG if you'd like to come by and celebrate. Michelle says she'll give you a deal on adoption fees for one of these hounds. Act now, though -- one of them (Maggie) just went to her new home, and another one (Kango) is spoken for. But the other three are still looking for homes.

Joan, Zoe, Smidgen and Cassie (new arrival Maggie didn't want to leave the couch) ---------- It's official: Maggie is now part of Smidgen's harem in Delray Beach. Maggie, you'll recall, is the little brindle girl who landed with Friends of Greyhounds several days ago after her adoptive human mother passed away. She arrived at the Sunrise shelter noticeably underweight and shaking in fright. Maggie on her second day at FoG ---------- But things only got better for Maggie from that point. She began eating vigorously almost right away and got over her insecurities within a day or two. She was only in her kennel for about a week when longtime FoG friend Joan agreed to take her in, sight unseen. Michelle and I drove Maggie to Delray Beach a few days ago to meet her new family and see her new home -- and sealed the adoption commitment with Joan. Maggie got all her veterinarian work done on Thursday, and we took her home for good this morning -- just in time to ...

Joan welcomes her new couch-mate, Maggie ---------- Maggie, the older girl who came back to Friends of Greyhounds last week after her primary caretaker passed away, is off to a great new home. Dusty stayed home to catch up on her sleep for a couple of hours this morning as Michelle picked me up in the FoG van for the ride north to introduce Maggie to her new mom and siblings in Delray Beach. Joan is a longtime supporter of Friends of Greyhounds, having adopted two hounds previously. Michelle called her a couple of days ago to tell her about Maggie's plight, and Joan happily agreed to take in the grieving girl. But before they made it official, Michelle wanted to bring Maggie for a visit to make sure the rest of Joan's family would have no problem with her. Cassie and Smidgen ---------- Maggie passed the audition with flying colors. Just as Michelle, Maggie and I got out of the van, Joan took 6-year-old Maggie and 4-year-old Zoe for a quick leash walk up the b...

Maggie out in the yard for a little exercise at Friends of Greyhounds ---------- Apparently, it's reunion season at Friends of Greyhounds . For the third time in a little more than a week, FoG has welcomed back an old friend looking for a new family. This time it's Maggie, a small brindle girl who will be 7 years old in July. Maggie had been in her home for 4 1/2 years. But her primary caretaker passed away and she was returned to the FoG kennels Sunday morning. Maggie is pretty stressed out. She hasn't eaten much in the past few days and has lost a few pounds. Michelle said she was really scared and confused her first day in the kennel. Dusty and I went to Sunrise this morning for a visit. We found her shivering noticeably from fright. But she did eat a meal this morning and happily devoured a second helping when it was offered. Michelle and I went out to the yard for her turnout with the kennel's other girls, Stormy and Annie. She showed us that she is healt...