Greyhounds are the oldest purebred dogs. They have graced the tombs of Egypt, thrones of Kings, and my couch. They truly are 45 MPH couch potatoes, and Whippets are their exact match… only 1/2 their size. Half a Greyhound is still 100% of the fun, they just fit more compactly on the couch, bed and anywhere else they deem squishy. That, and you are much more likely to get your hands on a whippet puppy than a Greyhound puppy. Although I HIGHLY support Greyhound rescue, the folks at Greyhound Pets of America do a great job here in Stumptown finding forever homes for this most magnificent breed, sometimes a puppy just fits in a little better with current pets and can heal a broken heart.

After my Greyhound Trixie died, my husband and I decided to get a puppy for two reasons.

1. Our whippet Qeynos is a total spaz with change and strangers so we thought in his depression over losing his best friend he would be less than thrilled with an adult dog on his turf.

2. I was so heart sick from losing Trixie, she was my very first dog and the decision to put her down due to kidney failure was the right thing to do but just about killed me. I needed another dog, but not one that felt too much like a replacement for her.

Enter Beezly…

At two weeks old, a whippet isn’t very “whippy”, basically just an adorable pudgy peanut. I was in LOVE. I contacted the breeder, Susan Heiniger of Quixand Racing Whippets, and submitted an application to adopt this gorgeous little lump.

I won’t stay on my little soap box too long, but I must stress how important I feel it is to find a breeder and deal with them directly. PLEASE don’t ever go to a mall type pet store chain or other puppy mill supporting business where you get an under socialized and overpriced pup that has come from who knows where. I know they are cute, I know they look so sad in the window you just need to save them, but for every puppy-mill dog that is purchased another unethical breeder stays open. If your going to spend that kind of money meet the breeder, ask them questions and get a feel for thier philosophy and how the pups are treated. Better yet, save some money and adopt a homeless pet. Truly many come from the same people that the pet stores buy their dogs from…

Needless to say Quixand Whippets is an upstanding kennel. Susan was very involved with the pups and picky about where they went. I had the chance to meet many of her racers, and they were all wonderfully friendly, well cared for dogs. For those who are squeamish about dog racing, Whippet racing is not Greyhound racing. It is like any other AKC sanctioned sporting event. Much like a dog show they only compete for titles and the sheer fun of it, no betting is involved.

When we brought Beezly home at 9 weeks old, he was much more whippy, and so freakin cute I couldn’t stand to let him out of my sight… look at that face! Far cry from pudgy peanut, but how would heart broken little Qeynos do with a new pup?

By a month in I knew it was love. Qeynos was smitten. He had a new friend and snuggles like he had never had snuggles before. Trixie had been nearly 10 years older than Qeynos so although he was in love with the very ground she tread, she hadn’t been overly affectionate with him outside of play time. Beezly was the exact opposite, and the two have been inseparable ever since. Nearly a year later Beezly is a 48 lb giant of a whippy (that’s a KING size bed he’s sprawled all over) who just loves everyone and everything… but mostly he loves cat naps!