Hurt runs in the family. No sooner than Mirabel fully recovering from her gash does her sister Daphne suffer a deep, traumatizing cut to her paw while romping in the woods. She's now resting at home, tucked in and bandaged up.
Ribsy wishes Daphne a whippet-fast recovery. Mirabel, meanwhile, grudgingly admits that despite the wound, Daphne still looks awfully cute.
For the best whippet photos - and for textbook examples of whippet pretzels/dogpiles/snuggles - head over to Bailey Whippet's wonderful blog. He and his little sister Deva illustrate, via beautiful photos, what life with two whippets (and a tolerant third dog The Pod) can be like.
Girl thinks Ribsy could seriously use a lesson on how to loosen up and fully embrace his pesky sister Mirabel. Right now, Mirabel is downstairs by the fireplace while surly Magoo is upstairs stinking up the bed. If anything, a pesky sister makes for a great blanket. Right, Bailey?
The American Kennel Club's annual popular dog rankings are in, and Ribsy is not surprised by the results. Once again, for the 19th consecutive year, the Labrador Retriever comes in at number one, according to the 2009 registration statistics.
The whippet inches up two spots to 61st, just ahead of the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. The Portuguese Water Dog, which trailed the whippet in 2008, has leaped ahead to the 60th spot, no doubt thanks in part to a certain famous family's choice. But let's continue to keep the whippet a well-guarded secret. We rather prefer it that way.
Frankly, Girl wouldn't choose any of the top 10 dogs. None appeal to her. Here's her own personal top ten:
1. Whippet (obviously)
2. Vizsla
3. German Shorthaired Pointer
4. Greyhound (this is handsome Harley from Expressive Papers)
5. Italian Greyhound
6. Saluki
7. Scottish Deerhound
8. German Pinscher
9. Bluetick Coonhound
10. Chinese Crested (really!)
What are your favorite breeds?
Cold days like today often lead Ribsy to think of warmer times back in his old whipping grounds of Victoria, BC. And of fun times in Victoria with that nutty Blitzen. He misses his pal and his tasty neck.
Ribsy is hopeful that there will be a reunion one day.
They came back! They came back early!
"Just for us," Mirabel thought smugly.
Ribsy wasn't so sure about that. Sneaking his paws quickly through the Girl's hundreds of vacation photos he was slightly perturbed to find some foreign houndin' going on, including evidence of:
Many greyhounds:
"They're racing at Addington Raceway in Christchurch," explained Girl. "Can you believe NZ still races greyhounds?"
A fetching Pharaoh:
"The only one in New Zealand," said Girl. "She really is a beauty."
And - gasp - other whippets! Eight of them, in fact.
"All eight of them live together. Here's Sophie giving comforting licks to Mary."
And this is Luke...
Josh...
Alice...
Abby...
Billie...
...and last but not least, Chelsea.
But not to worry. There's room for only two very special whippets in the hearts of Boy and Girl.
Ribsy and Mirabel, you two are no doubt the best part about coming home!
Whippets are by far the most photogenic dogs on the planet. Without a doubt. Here's proof, as Ribsy presents a quick round up of some of his eye-catching friends, caught doing what they do best: looking adorable.
First up, RNOF's pack all dressed up this past Halloween:
Emma the spunky witch
Finnegan the ferocious pirate
Hazel the pretty ballerina
Scout the spooky bat
Moving onto slightly different attire, here's Max the whippet showing off his new cowl-necked BodyShirt from DogGoneChic:
Here's the classic whippet-vs-lobster showdown, as bravely demonstrated by Piper:
And finally, this photo features a pair of whippet pals who live far, far away in Australia. As you may recall, Crunchie was hurt in a car accident earlier this year, and suffered numerous injuries. She has since made a full recovery and has found her forever home with the same caring foster parents who nursed her back to health. Here she is now (on the right), caught snuggling with her new sister Birdie this morning:
Ribsy and Mirabel are delighted to discover that various body parts of theirs were featured in the Summer 2009 issue of GulfCoast Dog Magazine, an upscale publication for canine lovers in southwest Florida.
Ribsy and Mirabel were part of an article on the whippet and whether or not this "beautiful, elegant, energetic" dog was right for you.
"Heh, I'M the main model," bragged Mirabel. "And those are my footies on the first page."
"My shank! In print!" thought Ribsy.
You can download the issue and read the article here.
And who's that, in the middle of the body parts montage, you ask? Why, that's their Internet pal Eric the Wonder Whippet.
As regular readers of the Snippets know, Mirabel is not your girly girl. Some of her latest testaments to that fact:
But even as she racks up these accomplishments, Mirabel has got nothing on her sister Daphne. Beneath her sweet, feminine face and gentle disposition lies a very unlady-like demeanor and thirst to kill squirrels, rabbits, and now even raccoons. So much so that she's just released a new book regaling in her exploits.
Check out the cover:
Meet Romeo.
He lives in Portland. He's young, handsome and available through rescue.
Wherefore art thou, future owner? It is I, young Romeo from Oregon, seeking the forever love that comforteth like sunshine after rain. I also instinctively seeketh cats, so they best be left out of sight, and thus out of my mind. I am a handsome nine-month-old white Whippet with black markings who harks for a home with a fully fenced yard. A few more things thou shalt know about me, though these woes are far from tragic: I detest thee crates, I get carsick, and I canst resist surfing thee counters -- for I am definitely not picky about my food. I am content with other Whippets and well-behaved children, but most of all, I yearn to rest with you. If you do come hither to take thy possession, I doth promise to be neutered and updated on vaccines firstly. I have dreame'd a dream about my new home; could it be thine?
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