While emailing with one of our puppy homes earlier this week, it hit me that these pups are not only the first 'great-grand-pups' of our foundation whippets, but that their grandparents and great-grandparents are - or have been - some of our most remarkable hounds.
Having had the pleasure of the company of such amazing whippets is a blessing, and I'd like to share some fun facts about where these new pups come from. You can click on the webpage links to find out more about their ancestors, too:
Great-Grandma Penelope
For those who know us well, you know this girl is the dog who truly is the core of our foundation. The last of our original whippets who is still with us (at 15.5 years old!), Penelope is truly a one-of-a-kind whippet.
She came to us a bundle of energy, sassy smarts, and independence that challenged even my seasoned-dog-trainer mentality and skills. She is the smartest dog either of us has ever known (and that is saying a lot, given that between the two of us, we've owned German shepherds, collies, Dobermanns - breeds renowned for their high IQ's).
Penelope is a dog who never, ever gives up. She has the desire to be THE BEST at everything - from showing, to racing and coursing, to obedience, to motherhood, to #1 Demo dog while teaching with me, and being the supreme alpha-bitch of the household, she will not take "No" for an answer, and doesn't know the meaning of the word 'quit.'
Penelope is the Great-Grandma to BOTH the Mighty Rattlers and The Deadly Viper Assassins, on Brie & Scarlet's sides.
Great-Grandpa Timmy
(Dec. 16, 2006 - Dec. 4, 2019)
(Dec. 16, 2006 - Dec. 4, 2019)
Ah, Timmy. What can I say? Our first whippet boy - Timmy was THE quintessential whippet. Goofy, sweet, smart, full of drive, and easy on the eyes. The ultimate couch potato, I used to joke that I needed a giant spatula to get him off the couch - where he would spend hours and hours and hours...
...UNLESS it was a running day.
Timmy was one of the rare hounds that both instinctively took to the lure (he was full of drive for the bunny), but also had manners on the race track or coursing field. Timmy always 'ran the lure', not the other dogs (never once committing a foul in his distinguished running career).
Timmy's sense of humor was unrivaled among our hounds, and luckily he passed that down to many of his progeny. He remains greatly missed to this day.
Timmy is Great-Grandpa to BOTH litters, on Brie & Scarlet's sides.
Great-Grandpa Jett
(March 11, 2007 - May 15, 2019)
Jett was our resident alien - he was forever wide-eyed and full of wonder at the antics of the human world; but he was also the most loving, faithful of hounds.
Jett let us know early on that while he would go to the ends of the earth for us, he really did prefer just to be a homebody - and to be close to us. While I tried to convince him that 'all the whippet things' were fun (showing, racing, obedience, etc.) - and he did try them all with me, and for me - his true place was just at our feet or by our sides on a walk through the foothills.
A quiet dog, who assumed a benevolent alpha role early on, Jett was a very special boy who revealed his true personality (with a jolly side to it) to those he trusted most.
Jett is Great-Grandpa to Scarlet's litter.
Great-Grandma Bella
(Dec. 14, 2008 to July 6, 2022)
The very recent loss of our granni Bella still hurts deeply. Bella was our first show champion, and she and I spent a lot of time together traveling to and from shows, and in the ring together.
Bella was a shy girl - but NOT a quiet wallflower, by any means. She was the most talkative dog either of us have ever known. Bella talked about everything - often giving folks the impression she was unhappy; but mostly, she just really liked the sound of her own voice. And she'd experiment with different sounds and intonations regularly, to see if she could get a response from her humans.
We still miss the sounds of her making her bed (she'd talk and moan and fuss as she fluffed her bedding), and letting us know when it was dinner time, time to go out, time to get up, time to go to work, time to go home...well, you get the picture.
Bella is Great-Grandma to Scarlet's pups.
Grandpa Johnson
Johnson is a dog who knows what he wants - and aims to get it. He possesses (and passes on to his kids and grandkids) what we call the 'affection gene.'
We noticed very early on that Johnson loves attention. And not in the "Oh, sure, my whippet loves to be snuggled" type of way that every whippet owner knows and talks about. With J, it's almost an obsession. He will lean into you persuasively, or just sit and stare at you until you start petting.
And if you stop, he'll paw at the air (but only at the air - not being obnoxious or touching/clawing/pawing you!) beseechingly until you cave in and go back to more petting.
We thought this was a Johnson-only trait until we had and kept the first of his daughters, Trinity, who does the exact same thing (only on an even more intense level, if that's even possible).
In talking with Johnson's breeder, it seems that his dad, Nolan, also had this trait...and it's something that made him nearly irresistible to people.
Johnson is Brie's dad (yes, she inherited the 'affection gene' - though not quite as intensely as her sister Trinity), so is grandpa to the Deadly Viper Assassin Squad pups.
Grandma Lychee
We have a phrase to perfectly sum up Brie's mom, Lychee (a daughter of Penelope & Timmy): "She is a little chickadee, sitting on a sunflower, under a rainbow." She can brighten even the darkest of days with her sweet personality.
Lychee spreads joy wherever she goes...something about her sweet, enthusiastic - but sensitive - energy is just infectious. She spreads fairy sprinkles all over the place, wherever she goes.
But Lychee is anything but a delicate flower when it comes to running the lure. In fact, she's our fastest hound ever clocked, coming in at over 33 mph in her heyday.
We are really happy that Brie inherited so much of her mom's sunny personality!
Lychee is grandmum to the Deadly Viper Assassin Squad (Brie's pups).
Grandpa Bok Choy
Son of Penelope & Timmy, Bok Choy embodies parts of both of his parents' remarkable personalities, and has passed many of those loveable traits on to his progeny.
Bok Choy is affectionate and full of personality. Even at 11 years old, he's not above getting 'silly' and giving us a "Rooo-wooo-woooo!" when he's extra happy.
A big dog, Bok Choy had no trouble finishing his Oval Track Racer title in style. In essence, just like his mom Penelope - Bok Choy is a dog who excels at everything he tries!
Bok Choy is Scarlet's dad - so Grandpapa to the Mighty Rattlers.
Grandma Theo
Daughter of Jett & Bella, and a perfect combo of both of her parents, Theo does not disappoint. In the conformation department, Theo is quite possibly the best whippet we've ever bred. She's got her mama Bella's amazing curves in all the right places.
Though she never formally competed, she also has a strong drive for the lure, and loves to chase.
From Jett, she got her mellow demeanor, and the ability to charm any person - any time.
Theo is a smart, easy-going, happy girl that's a joy to be around.
Theo is mom to Scarlet, so granni to the Mighty Rattlers - Hopi, Baja, and Sidewinder all look like little miniatures of her!
Jennifer thanks for the family history. We have two Horsetooth Whippets, they are half siblings but we can see a lot of the characteristics you listed in both of them. They are defiantly not the same, but each have varying degrees of these wonderful attributes. Can't wait to find out what kind of combinations of character we will have with these pups.
ReplyDeleteI've actually compiled a list of what I call my whippets' "super powers"...and have found a lot of the traits get passed on. One day (in my 'spare time'...hahahaha!), I'll put it all in a database, along with every pup whose related to each of my whippets, and send it out to all the owners...would love to see how many of them share specific traits and quirks!
DeleteSomething to look forward to, awesome
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