Whippets, Then & Now

Yes, this is what I looked like in 1993 in case you're wondering.

I'm scrapbooking these days about Whippets and "all the whips I've known before, who been in and out of my door"...think Willie...ok, moving on...

It all started with Sam. A crazy fun loving whippet who landed on our doorstep and immediately took over the house.

Sam had run away from an abusive situation and followed a Postal worker to the Post Office one morning. He had a tag around his neck with a phone number. The Supervisor called the number only to be told that they no longer owned Sam and that Sam and his sister Delilah had been given away because of a new baby in the household. Supervisor called the number given and a gruff sounding man said he'd be right down "to get the dog". When he drove up in his ratty old pick-up truck, he left the engine running and threw Sam into the back.

The Supervisor called the original owner and told her what had happened, she grew very alarmed and said she'd try to get Sam back. The mean owner wouldn't give him back and not only that, informed her that he'd given away Delilah. Poor Sam.

My former roommate Christine had told her Supervisor that if they were looking for a home for Sam she'd be happy to provide one. But it wasn't meant to be that day. A few months later Sam once again ran away, this time he met up with some nice Skytrain employees who called the original owner because he was still wearing the same tag. This time she didn't call the mean man but called the Post Office instead and asked if the Postie that was interested in Sam a few months ago would still be interested in giving him a home.

The Supervisor radioed Christine on her route and told her "your dog's at the office waiting to go home with you." Christine ran to finish her route so she could go and pick up Sam.

All of this happened while I was enjoying a trip to Hawaii (of course). I had flown home to Seattle and gotten in late and it had delayed my trip home until 3:30 a.m. Christine was supposed to be housesitting at her brother's when I got home so I wasn't expecting anyone to be there when I opened the door. I turned the light on and this skinny little guy with a long nose came out of my bedroom (apparently he liked my bed) and walked over to me and wagged his tail. Surprised, I said, "well who are you exactly? "

Christine called from her bedroom, "that's Sam and he's ours".

Sam never went back to the mean man. Instead he filled our home with his crazy antics and compassionate loving nature. He could open a fridge by himself, tie his leash up in knots and take out the garbage like nobody else. He lived with Christine for 8 years. He was the joy of her life. Oh, and he had his own TV which he turned on for himself. He was very smart.

Sam had a job volunteering with Pets and Friends which he did for 4 years at a Care facility. He loved the people there and they loved him. He was rewarded well for his work and for his sweet demeanor. Sam was the first whippet I ever got to know and he taught me a thing or two about whippets and what warm loving dogs they are.

Sam loved the ladies. When my aunt came to visit from Holland he immediately made friends with her. She thought he was funny looking and needed some meat on his bones but they became instant friends.

Stay tuned...more whippet stories ahead.