Winnebago checking in

So, what's been happening?

Well, thanks to Sarge's Nickname game I am Winnebago for the next week.

Secondly, the Lady Of The House has a truly STINKING cold and is coughing and sneezing EVERYWHERE! YUCK!

But she still took me to the greyhound walk that was organised by Perry Barr Retired Greyhound Trust in Burton-on-Trent yesterday.

I got to wear the Winnie the Pooh bandana she bought me at Crufts.

Now maybe it was that, or maybe it was the steroids I've been on since last autumn, but I got very feisty with the dogs gathered outside the library in town and barked at ANY hound that looked at me.

The LOTH was bundled up in a big grey waterproof and her pink scarf and got to talk croak to her friend Jane (in the green coat) who came along with her two greyhounds Jack and Sophie.

I got a bit friendlier when we started walking. The Man Of The House walked with me and the LOTH took charge of Jack. But a few of the hounds weren't too keen when the walk included a few steps.

Jack and one other greyhound had to be carried up. But I was fine.

We also met up with Rolo Hound - who the LOTH has tweeted with but never met before.

Rolo's dad and my MOTH were showing off their matching backpacks from Pedigree - part of the Play Again campaign for JointCare+

Rather than make this post too long I'll share my other news about the lovely Ann from Zoolatry and how she has helped us another day.

Love and licks, Winnebago

Oh! The inhumanity!!

Yesterday was a pleasantly warm Friday - and the Lady Of The House was still at Crufts - and so when the Man Of The House suggested some time out in the garden I was thrilled.

Little did I know he had an early spring bath in mind for me.

Please note (on the picture above) the high tech, green showering device that is apparently deemed suitable for a dog of my standing.

You will also note that I am STANDING by the bins. Nice.

However, despite my long face (longer than usual maybe) I didn't really mind and my new pink dog shampoo did make me smell beautiful and made my fur super-soft.

When I was dried the MOTH also let me put on my new Union flag collar - in honour of Olympics year - which the LOTH bought me back from Day 1 of Crufts. It came from the lovely folks at Perry Barr Retired Greyhound Trust so I am glad the money went to their funds.

The LOTH is at Crufts all weekend, but it's only about 45 minutes drive from where we live so she comes home every night and I watch the coverage with her that the MOTH records between 6.30pm and 9pm.

If you want to read the stories she is covering (frankly, I wouldn't bother because I don't get a mention) you can go to the news and features section of her Lost and Fond website.

I am joining the Saturday Pet Blog Hop today which has a snazzy new badge to show how it connects pet bloggers all around the world.


This blog hop is kindly hosted by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.

If you'd like to join in and make new pet blogger friends, please follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste this week's new Linky code into the html editor of your own blog. The list will automatically update on everyone's blogs as new sites add themselves over this weekend and we can all hop from blog to blog and find out everybody's news.

Thanks again to our three hosts for putting on the hop!

If you follow a new blog after finding them in the blog hop - please let them know that you found them on the Saturday Pet Blog Hop.

Also, I'm afraid there are a couple of rules to make it fair for everyone: If your blog is not pet-related your link will be removed and links promoting giveaways that are unrelated to the pet blogger hop will be removed. This is a way of making friends and building our blogging community.

Galloping Greyhound Gourmet gets my vote

What a fab day!!!  The dog show and fun day organised by Perry Barr Retired Greyhound Trust was flipping fabulous.

Lots of great stalls - many of them fund-raising for good greyhound (and other animal) causes - and the Lady Of The House had a good run of luck on the tombolas which made her happy.

There were also a couple of rings were judging of dogs in various classes was going on - one ring for greyhounds and one for lots of other lovely breeds who (sadly for them) were not greyhounds.

My personal favourite bit, by a greyhound mile, had to be the Galloping Greyhound Gourmet who makes all sorts of tasty treats and had a few tasting plates available -yummy!

For dinner I'm about to tuck into a portion of a wonderful casserole she had whipped up made from rabbit, venison and three types of rice!!

But if you visit her website you will also find that she sells a cookbook called A La Bark Baking which raises money for homeless dogs as well as teaching you how to bake some of the same treats that the GGG does.

Maybe an idea for a Christmas pressie for the dog lover in your life?

A fun Saturday for Greyhounds in the West Midlands

Just seen on Twitter another great event for a good cause if you are in the Midlands and looking for something to do tomorrow.

Perry Barr Retired Greyhound Trust is holding a family fun day and companion dog show which will also raise awareness of the great work they do and boost their funds.

Hey! There are even some classes for dogs that AREN'T greyhounds - you can't say much fairer than that.

The show starts at 9am and admission is only 50p - it's £2 to register to enter a class. If the weather turns nasty on us again it's indoors too!

So get along to Solihull Riding Club, Four Ashes Road, Bentley Heath, Solihull B93 8QE

Inspiring story of Ruth Boswell and Daybreaks Kennel

Over at Solihull in the West Midlands you will find the Daybreaks Kennels, home of Perry Barr Retired Greyhound Trust.

How they came to be there is an inspiring story of one woman's devotion to helping greyhounds.

Yet, Ruth Boswell wasn't even particularly interested in dogs when her husband persuaded her to give a dog a home in 2001.

The website for Daybreaks Kennels run by Ruth Boswell

But since then she's offered a loving home to many retired greyhounds and even given up her job to making running kennels a full-time occupation.

Please read her amazing and touching story here. It just goes to show how anyone can become addicted to living with greyhounds.