Whippet Snippets

Oh! It's a C.A.T.

Ribsy's just received a referral to this furry massage therapist who specializes in canine caressing. Check out the strong paws and methodical stroking. Maybe after next weekend's Whippet Whoop Up, Ribsy will book a sesh with this C.A.T. (Certified Animal Therapist).

Unleash your inner canine

Now that Gone to the Dogs has come out on DVD, it's a good time to remind folks to see what kind of dog they are. By simply answering a few questions from the CATS or Canine Algorithmic Transfer System, you can unleash your inner canine!

Upon retaking the test, Girl found out she was a pug. Press the play button on left to get it rolling. If anyone discovers they are a whippet, please forward the clip to Girl!

18 + grey + deer

Sunday's whippet meet up rounded up a herd of 18 whippets! Plus a grey and a deerhound.

The whippet roll call (hold your breath) - James, Otto, Blitzen, Ribsy, Vickie, Sayla, Max, Millie, Grande, Mickey, Lucky, Tattle, Ticket, Scott, Mani, Theo, Louis, and Bobby!

Maybe one day we can get all the whippets to hold still and take a group picture. What a squirrely idea.

Whippet snippets on the map

Girl finally figured out how to map a domain! This means that you can type in www.whippetsnippets.com and reach the exact same blog you've been reading at http://ribsy.typepad.com. Quite a technological accomplishment for Girl. Ribsy gives her a congratulatory high-paw.

The whippet wordsmith

Girl catches Ribsy deep in tought, composing his next blog post.

Join the Flickr Whippet Group!

Ribsy's just joined the Flickr Whippets Group - if you don't know about Flickr, it's a user-friendly, totally addictive and immersive photo sharing community. Within minutes you can connect with like-minded folks to pool your photos, comment on the action and discuss topics of mutual interest. Currently there are 31 members - the whippet-toting crews here in Victoria would send that number skyrocketing. Why not join today? If you're aleady a Flickr member, lookup WhippetGood. Or just check out the photo stream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/whippetgood.

Cool dog blog

Ribsy was drooling over the illustrations he saw on this dog blog. Olive has her own web site too, and her master Michael Wertz is a devoted illustrator. He will be drawing a few dogs a week until he reaches 100 dogs. Ribsy hopes he doesn't stop at 100.

Year of the Ribsy, er Dog

Thanks to Hot Lunch for poking a reminding paw into Ribsy's ribcage - it's the Year of the Dog! This sign, naturally, is among the most loyal and honest of them all. Admirable traits indeed, thought Ribsy.

Victoria's Chinatown, the oldest in Canada, will celebrate Ribsy's life, er he means, welcome the Year of the Dog on Sunday, Jan. 29.

The Gates of Harmonious Interest welcome the community and visitors to Victoria's small, but historical Chinatown to witness the annual Chinese Lion Dance. Making its way to storefronts which have left offerings of lettuce, fruit, tea and lycee - traditional envelopes of money - the lion, accompanied by musicians and Chinese elders, dances at each stop, blesses the business with good luck and sets off fire crackers.

Also on January 29th, from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm, Silk Road Aromatherapy and Tea Company will host a free Chinese New Year Tea Party serving a selection of Chinese teas and fortune cookies. A traditional Chinese tea ceremony will be performed throughout the day and traditional Yixing teapots, tea bricks and shaped teas will be displayed. For more information visit www.silkroadtea.com.

Once home to opium dens and gambling halls, Victoria's Chinatown now mixes contemporary stores and live-work condos with traditional Asian markets (the best little grocery store is Moon Key Groceries), diners (including Woofles Doggy Diner a short stroll away in Market Square, notes Ribsy, and the underrated Tamami Sushi, the best sushi restaurant in Victoria) and the oldest Chinese temple in Canada - Tam Kung. Visitors wishing to experience the sights, smells and sounds of this living museum can join Hidden Dragon Tours for a historical and cultural walking tour of Victoria's Chinatown. For more information visit www.oldchinatown.com.

Other recommended delights of Chinatown include the Ocean Garden Restaurant's super cheap and tasty satay chicken noodle in soup (ask for the lunch menu), Fan Tan Alley, and the labyrinth of trinkets in the Chinatown Trading Company shop.

Whippet Catch Up

Ribsy's attended the past couple of Whippet Whoop Ups at the beer littered disc golf park slash dog park, and there are a few new houndy puppy faces, including Blitzen, a 4-month-old jitterbug, and Ticket who hails from South Carolina, along with her sister Tattle. Skitter and Lucky are TNT's older 'sisters' in this busy four-whippet household.

      

Last Sunday Ribsy was reunited with his litter sister Fawn! A spunky pretty gal, she held her own against Ribsy and the other boys such as Max, Scott and Elvis.

 

Speaking of Scott, here's one last parting shot of him in action on Ticket before his next-day whippet snipping.

 

This morning Ribsy roared like a rocket chasing a frisbee around with Vickie and Sayla. Max and Millie also joined in on the romp, along with Blitzen, Ticket and Lucky.

Another New Yorker Doggie Cartoon

How come The New Yorker just GETS it? Ribsy wonders.

It's uncanny.