Say Hello to Kizzy
It was a bit of a surprise when in early December my husband Michael suggested he bought me a puppy for Christmas. I say 'bit' of surprise because he had been casually dropping dogs and breeds he liked into conversations while out having a few drinks. This is the person who has in the past announced on more than one occasion "this is the last dog, too much hassle etc, etc". I would grunt in a 'whatever' kind of way.
Not ones to sit around once a decision is made, we were straight onto the Pets4Homes app on our phones to see what pups were available to be collected just before Christmas as we had two weeks holiday and time to help it settle in properly. By the end of the night I had arranged to go and see some whippet puppies some 50 miles away the following day.
Why a whippet? As a teenager I grew up with parents who had four whippets in the house. My Grandad and Dad had both raced greyhounds in the past and had moved onto whippets as they were smaller. They had bred from 'Kizzy' their first whippet and kept all three girls, because my Mum couldn't decide which one to keep.
Here they are; left to right Candy, Katy and Crystal about 5 months old.
...and this is my Mum with all four of them. Kizzy is on the right.
She was a beautiful girl, a fantastic racer and known to have a huge dislike to a family friend who happened to be a butcher and called round every Thursday evening with our meat. He would have a cuppa and a chat on his way home. Kizzy would grudgingly let him in, grumbling the whole time and not letting him out of sight. He would sit in the armchair to drink his tea, but the moment he tried to get up to leave she would bark and snarl at him. She never bit him, as Mum would pick her up and chastise her, but she never, ever allowed him to visit without this happening. You would think she'd appreciate a butcher more than anyone wouldn't you?
So, after 27 years of having Elkhounds, I decided that I would like something smaller and less hairy. A little whippet, and she would be called Kizzy too.
This is the litter I went to see. There were only two girls left, both all blue (grey) and practically identical. How could I choose?
In the end the breeder helped me out and said that 'Kizzy' had a lovely personality and she would choose her over the other. The deal was done. I think she is the one far right.
This is Kizzy the day I chose her - age 5 weeks
and at 8 weeks when she came home
Our Christmas was intentionally quiet, not just for the puppy but because we don't do family gatherings very well. This gave us time to get to know Kizzy and try to get her into a routine. Not easy with a shivering whippet who did not want to go out into the cold, wet, windy back yard to do her 'business'. It's a lot better, but still working on the house training thing.
The sleeping part is a doddle!
so is the 'looking cute' - and pathetic
I still can't believe I actually bought a pink Argyll jumper for a dog. But it did the trick
She is a lovely little thing. Pestering the life out of our older Elkhound Keesha, who has taken a while to come round to he fact that the pup now lives here and isn't just visiting for Christmas. Even going as far as sitting next to her on the sofa..once!
She loves these two toys. Her Reindeer and Crocodile. Always soggy with dog drool.
I will continue to post a few pics here and there as she grows and tell you about her whippetty ways.
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