Dog's tricks are 'better than TV'

The BBC website reports that a dog's tricks are 'better than TV'. The article tells the story of Cindy, a pedigree cavalier King Charles spaniel who amazes her owners and neighbours with an astonishing array of tricks.

Poll results

I asked are you a dog person or a cat person? Eight people voted: six of you were dog people but two prefer cats. That was slightly disappointing....

Grooming

What's in a name?

My foster-carers have renamed me after reading a list of Biblical, Hebrew & Christian names for dogs. My new double-barrelled name is Ranita Edna (a dog which will never grow up and will make you joyful with its barking). I am so glad that the bipeds appreciate my singing.

Guest blog from Poppy

My name is Poppy and I am grateful to Blondie for giving me this opportunity to reach out to a wider audience than is possible from the kitchen door.  The Master is nowhere to be found in this corner of the world.  In spite of extensive sniffing round the locale, his whereabouts are still a mystery to me.  If any four-footed friends reading this would have a good sniff and happen to pick up his scent, please post a Comment on this blog.  My foster-carers do their best but you know how it is! 

Global hit hopes for pooch music

The makers of a chart-topping song only audible to dogs say they hope it can become a global hit. A Very Silent Night was a Christmas number one in New Zealand, and raised money for the country's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. A spokesman admitted he did not know how the CD - recorded at a frequency inaudible to humans - sounded to dogs.

Household help

Does your computer screen need a clean? Click here for a free screen-wash.

A Web 2.0 question

If a dog makes a podcast, is it a barkcast or a woofcast?

Me and my pal Denis

Poll

I have added a poll to my blog asking if you are a dog person or a cat person (see right). I won't hold it against you if you give the wrong answer....

Slow learners

My new people are very kind to me, but they are somewhat slow on the uptake. If I appear reluctant to go outside for a walk when it is cold and/or dark, it's because I'd rather stay in my warm cozy basket. But do they catch on? No! they just carry on even more enthusiastically.

Still, I do like the back garden - particularly the top patio. It's a real sun-trap and I lay down for a few minutes today to enjoy it. Paul tried to take a photo of me, but I was too fast for him!

New trick!

I climbed the stairs for the first time this evening! It was a bit boring downstairs as Alison had moved all the interesting food and shut the door. Then she went upstairs so I followed her up - and she was very surprised! I like lying on the floor upstairs as there are radiator pipes under the floorboards so they are nice and warm. Alison gave me a dog treat after I went back downstairs and told me I was a clever dog. So I went back upstairs - I'm quite happy to repeat this trick - but didn't get another treat :-(

Another busy day

Yesterday was a very tiring day - lots of new people and experiences. I went to visit Paul's Mum and Homer for a few hours while my people went to the gym. Apparently this will be my hotel when Paul & Alison go away without me. Then in the evening people came round to watch the film Amazing Grace. Most of them came to stroke me but I stayed in my bed. I'll post on dog-related films sometime in the future.

Bedtime for Blondie

Happy new home, Flash

When I lived at the Midlands RGT I shared a kennel with Flash. He is going to his new home today. He is a very lively boybut we met his new people last Saturday and I think they'll cope.

Toys

My people have bought me a toy called a Kong but I'm not very sure what to do with it, so I surfed the Internet. Apparently it is the Ultimate Training Toy and I was quite interested in the recipes to stuff the Kong with.

Dogbook

Alison added me to Dogbook (on Facebook) yesterday, and a kind librarian stopped by to pet me.

Busy day

Paul tried to make me go out into the cold garden at 6.15am this morning! When he took me for a walk a bit later at least he put my coat on when he realised it was minus 2 degrees. We went for a walk in Bradgate Park this afternoon and I met my cousin Millie, who is very small, and her people. Then I explored a bit more of the house.

New home

Travelled today to my new home - which Paul & Alison refurbished for me last year. I am lying in my new bed listening to Classic FM while my people pop in regularly, pretending they are not fussing.

Famous greyhound owners

Read Potter author rehomes Fife pooch, which describes how JK Rowling came to provide a new home for a retired greyhound previously cared for at a centre in Fife.

Some facts about Greyhounds

The national Retired Greyhound Trust website has some useful facts about Greyhounds. It says that the Greyhound is the only dog mentioned in the Bible and is one of the oldest breeds in existence, having been traced back thousands of years to the early cave drawings.

The joy of greyhound ownership

I think that Paul and Alison have probably read this article, The joy of greyhound ownership, by a lady from the BBC who adopted a greyhound two years ago. She warns that "the biggest drawback" to adopting a retired greyhound is that "they are indeed addictive, and I have become a total greyhound bore".

Welcome

Welcome to my blog! I am a retired greyhound who is looking forward to going to stay with Paul and Alison on Saturday. I have been looked after very well by the kind people at the Retired Greyhound Trust Midlands Branch and enjoyed sharing a kennel with Flash.