Saturday, February 9, 2008

Pandora!

Pandora

Pandora is our youngest whippet. She's a beautiful brindle color with lovely eyes. Pandora came to us from Kathy & Debbie Davenport - Kamada Whippets - when she was around 2 years old.

We first met Pandora when her name was Annie. It was June 2005. She was 6 months old and soooo cute! We had stopped by with Jen and her friend Dawn to see the new 10 week old puppies they had. Just to visit - scout's honor LOL! Here's one of those little cuties....


We visited the other whippets too and I (Laura) fell in love with this beautiful 6 month old brindle whippet puppy Annie. Kathy let her out of her crate and Annie just curled up in my lap! But... at the time we still lived in Streamwood and I took all our Girls outside one at a time on a leash. Besides that, they were holding Annie for themselves to see if she's be good for showing - she was so beautiful! After a lovely visit, we went back home.

17 months later........late October 2006

I was getting ready on a Sunday morning for a teddy bear show where I was selling my bears. The phone rang and it was Kathy. Kathy told me that she remembered how much I loved Annie and would I be interested in giving her a home?

It turns out that although Annie's size was within the standard for a female whippet, Kathy and Debbie felt that she wouldn't show as well as the judges prefer whippets a little larger than Annie was. They had found her a home with a lovely lady who had another whippet from a friend of theirs. Annie lived there for about a year... when the husband brought her back. We're guessing that the couple split up and he just wanted to get rid of the wife's dogs.

To make a long story a little shorter.... the husband made some outrageous claims about both the whippets. He was returning both whippets to each breeder. Although he was entitled to a partial refund due to the contract he had with Kamada Whippets if he could produce the paperwork -- he was not interested. He just wanted to get rid of those whippets.

When Annie came back home to Kathy & Debbie, she was very skinny and smelled like a barnyard! Kathy knew that the husband had 2 large dogs and lived on a small farm. She thinks that the poor whippets may have been made to live outside during the summer. Whippets are NOT outside only dogs! Their fur is not thick, they have thin skin and almost no fat normally! Annie had even less meat on her ribs than normal -- probably because she had to compete for food with the 2 larger dogs and the male whippet.

Also - this family had changed her name to "Pee Pee" - seriously -- that is the name that was on her tag! The husband said they named her Pee Pee because she kept "going" in the house. Let me tell you, she only had ONE accident in OUR house and that was when she first met our other Girls, as a sign of submission. She has not had one accident since then... and that was 15 months ago!

After Kathy told us this entire story, she told us that she remembered when we first met Annie how much I loved her - and would we be able to give her a good home? Of Course!!!!

Since Annie was called "Pee Pee" for so long and then back to Annie - she really didn't mind one last name change - so we called her Pandora. She learned her new name in 2 days!

When Pandora first came to live with us she was very clingy and wanted LOTS of attention. Talk about a "velcro dog"! Pandora was very possessive too. When she would sit with me in my chair, she's growl and snap if any of the other Girls came up to say hi to me. We quickly stopped that by punishing her for that behavior with no attention - she had to go sit by herself. That worked wonderfully and Pandora never behaved like that again.

Now.. Pandora has filled out very nicely and looks like a beautiful, healthy, well filled out whippet. She loves her people, but has enough confidence now to know that she will always be loved. She does not have to be by our sides constantly anymore.

And run? WOW can this Girl run!!! It's her most favorite thing in the world to do. Like Isis, she LOVES to play ball too. Here's a few photos of Pandora having a great time!




Pandora and Athena chasing ball

Pandora leaps for it while Athena watches

And although Pandora is much more self confident now... she still loves to be very near her people LOL!!


Hop on Pop!

2 comments:

Amy said...

I am so glad Pandora found a forever home with you. : ) She looks great!

Unknown said...

Beautiful story! I don't have a whippet, but some very close friend's do. His name is Devo. We just love him! I have a queensland and a white lab. Devo & Maddi (Queensland) are best buds! Two peas in a pod! I'm so glad Pandora has her own pod and forever home! We are blessed to have known or have a whippet. Ty for sharing, Angela