Junkyard Dogs

It appears that our highly refined, regal greyhounds have been turned into junkyard dogs. Living in the city is taking its toll on all of us! Last week our dogs got two bad report cards, two days in a row. Dad has reported back to us that our dogs have lost their minds. Two days in a row they went crazy barking! Yes, barking! I know this doesn't sound very unusual. But you need to know . . . Our dogs don't bark! Well, they never did before. I would have loved to just witness this.

Apparently there was a landscaper in the yard directly next to Dad. He was planting some trees in the yard and our hounds went nuts - barking and charging the fence. Then the next day, there was a small terrier two yards away and again, they went nuts. What on earth has gotten into them? Back in Andover, they wouldn't even acknowledge other dogs in the neighborhood. Other dogs would be in their respective yards, barking away as we walked down the street, and our hounds wouldn't even turn their heads. Now that's the greyhounds that we know and love. Maybe the dogs just aren't used to seeing other people or animals so close to "their" turf. Living in Hartford is much closer quarters than what they were used to in Andover. Well, if that's the case . . . We will certainly solve that problem in Eastford! Seeing other people will NOT be a problem out there so our dogs should go back to being the snooty, "I don't see or hear you" greyhounds that we are used to.

The hounds, however, are getting used to their walks through the golf course. This is much different than their usual strolls in the woods and they seem to like it. There are more smells to investigate, more people to meet, and more squirrels to hunt. In the woods, Bentley doesn’t have a fair chance at the squirrels - too many trees for them to seek shelter on. But on the golf course . . . well, they are in trouble.

This week we took a walk right after the rains. Nobody was in the entire park and we let Bentley go hunting. I don’t think I ever saw Bentley have more fun. He was in attack mode and I didn’t think he was even capable of running as fast as he ran. We had a ball watching him stalk and chase squirrels. I only wish I had video proof. It is amazing to see the difference in prey drive between Bentley and the little clueless wonder who still doesn’t even notice squirrels.