Smiles

Prologue – Smiles stayed with Gang for two years before he found his forever home. These chapters about his life were written in 1998 and 1999.

Smiles was born September 1997. He’s a tall boy, still gawky and adolescent looking. He’s a fawn brindle, though more fawn than brindle. He has a wide forehead, with a long nose, and very expressive, though at this time, cowed eyes. No hair on his butt, I’m guessing he’s about 62 lbs.

His left front foot is messed up for life — probably fractured. It appears that he damaged the bottom growth plates on the radius and ulna (the two bones in his “arm”), which kept the joint from forming properly. The worst problem is with the ulna — the smaller, outer bone. There’s no head on the end of the bone, which is why his foot turns out — there’s nothing to keep it straight.
Smiles has not had much of a life until now, and he just doesn’t know what to do — with himself, with me, with the other dogs. His appropriate name, though we’re thinking about changing it to Miles, is his reaction to trying to be liked, and doing the right thing. He pulls back those gums and displays those pearly whites, whenever you call his name. But it’s not a happy action. It’s a submission reaction. He does it because he wants you to know he’ll do whatever you want him to do, and he’s hesitant about doing anything at all.

The first day

Smiles came right up to me, but there were 15 greyhounds running around, and his first love, Heather, was right there. When Heather’s van pulled out and away, Smiles ran right into the pasture where all the dogs had been. He sniffed and walked and ran around the pasture, looking and looking. But no one was there. I tried to approach him to provide comfort and tell him all would be OK, and he started to run from me and cry at the same time. My heart was breaking. I didn’t push the contact, I just kept talking to him and calling his name, while I played with the other dogs.

He eventually wandered part way over, and parked himself some distance away in the grass. Watching our every move, and moving himself if it looked like I was going to approach him. I would check on him every hour, and invariably find him either laying outside in the grass, or hiding in the dog trailer.

I got the swamp cooler hooked up so it would be cool in the trailer, and brought in food and water bowls. He had six dog beds to choose from, and was doing OK. Just feeling confused and lost.

That night, I physically brought him into the house, and he did lie down when we all went to bed. At five in the morning, I got up to check on things, and he had gone through the dog door to the outside. Old habits die hard.

Day Two

He started to take the daily walks with us around the property. He started to come into the house on his own and settle down. He stopped jumping up all the time when I went over to pet him. He actually searched me out for some loving. He currently is behind me while I’m at the computer on a dog bed — having decided the dog bed nearest the dog door is where he wants to be. It always amazes me how a little love is just soaked in by these guys. They beg for it without begging for it, and then take it in and eventually give it back ten-fold.

Day Three

I called Heather to find out a bit more about him, and why he was so tentative the last couple of days. He’d broken that leg on a farm. They were going to put him down. One of the employees took him home, and kept him outside with her pitbull for a year. Then she had a baby, and no longer wanted to have dogs around. Dr. Weir found out and took him in.

Heather was really the first home, and personal attention, he’d ever had. So he was going through a bit of a depression when she and all the other dogs left. He had kept going to the pasture and doghouse, even hanging out in it, versus with me and the other dogs in the house. That was where Heather and the other dogs had spent some time when they were here, so he was looking for them.
But as with all men, his fickleness didn’t take long to manifest. He is now in love with me. And I don’t harbor any thoughts that he won’t be in love with someone else very soon.

Day Four

He still follows me everywhere and is very attentive to what I want. But he is now playing with all the stuffed toys. He has found the basket, and he has taken out every single toy, and they are all over the yard and all over the house. And if I try to put them back into the wire basket, he takes them right out.

He’s also starting to get curious and is putting his mouth on anything not tacked down. My sneakers go outside, my fig newtons get eaten, muzzles move around — anything. And he’s so adorable about it!
I can’t get him in the car yet. I figure I’ll let him settle in before I work on him with that. I also want his first trip in the car to be for a walk, not the vet.

Day Five

This morning Beauty got out of bed, and Smiles jumped in, rotated once, and settled down right next to me with a sigh. He is really feeling at home. And he is really turning into a friendly guy. The Leslie’s from Ohio came to stay in my guesthouse, and Smiles was their meeter and greeter. He is just being Mr. Friendly.

He’s going to be a keeper for someone. I need to cat test him, though Heather said he was not cat safe. But we’ll give it one more try. I have a cat that will scratch a dog, so that usually discourages any bad behavior by the dog.

Chapter 2

This boy has totally settled in. And what an adolescent he is!

He has to sleep in the bed every night now. He totally hogs it. He is big and filling out. About 75 lbs. right now. He places his head somewhere on my legs, and I am pinned in for the evening. You can move him all around though, push at him with your legs, and he never makes a peep. Just wants to sleep with you. During the night, he has to change his position a lot too. And it always is to get closer to you. How endearing is that? When a big butt lands right on your left shoulder because he just can’t get close enough to you. This is love…

Since Beauty is my girl, and she sleeps with me at night, I have to let her in the bed first, and then let Smiles in. I’m not sure she understands that he is just too insistent to deal with, and it’s easier to just let him sleep in the bed.

The few times I’ve not allowed him to sleep in the bed, he’s made himself such a baby. Whining and pacing and whining and putting his paw on the bed. He’ll go lay down on the dog bed with much noise. And then sometime in the evening he will start it all over again. Yes, it’s just easier to let him sleep with me. And he is warm and he is just too sweet.

He’s scared now though that I didn’t let him sleep a couple of nights in the bed, and so he gets in the bed about 2 hours before bedtime and stakes out his claim. No lie. He is not going to miss one night. Guess he’ll need a home where sleeping on the bed is OK!

Car

He loves the car now, and is very good in it. I can take him on errands, and he lies down with the other dogs and waits for me while I go to the Post Office or the bank. Because he is only two years old though, he still steps on Winslow’s head or legs a lot. Winslow is such a good boy though, he never complains.

Walks

Loves those walks, and lets me know every morning that it is time to go. And if I don’t take them — him — he barks and barks and whines and whines, letting me know his displeasure. He will walk off lead and stay with me, until Winslow spots something, and then he’s off like a flash. But once the running has stopped, he turns right around and runs right back to me — his new Momma.

His eyes

I’m going to try to describe these eyes. He has a broad forehead, and the huge eyes to go with it. Not only are the eyes big, but they angle back, giving him, when he gazes at you, a look of complete concentration. His amber pools have huge pupils, and when he looks straight at you, he doesn’t break the gaze. That gaze is both straight and hesitant. He’s always asking, “Do you love me as much as I love you? I love you, you know.” He is such an expressive boy — with his eyes, his body, his barking.

His talking

As a youngster, he feels it is his duty to make sure I understand when it is time to go out, which is most of the time. He will bark and bark and do twirlies, and throw toys around until I get dressed and take him (and everyone) out!
He is the most endearing boy, and really gets to you. He has such a need to be loved, and expresses it all the time.
He’s very photogenic, and very settled in, and very lovable.

 

He really needs a household that totally takes him in, and babies him and adores him. He knows he deserves to be adored!

Chapter 3

A big part of my life with the dogs is our walks. They look forward to them, and so do I. We try to do one a day, usually for a couple of miles. I have a few spots, all with some hazards for greyhounds, but it’s hard to find a non-hazardous place for greyhounds to walk. Cactus, twigs, rocks, barbed wire, rabbits, rattlesnakes, ditches — you name it — there are many hazards to greyhounds. However, in as controlled a situation as I can get, I let these guys off leash. And their personalities emerge.

Winslow
The biggest couch potato ever. He lies around at the house, and doesn’t get up unless I am making peanut butter treats, or am going in the car. But when we are out on a walk, in the middle of nowhere, he is in his glory. He is yards ahead of us, ears pricked, looking everywhere for that telltale movement. He gets so far ahead, I often have to call him back to me. He’ll stop, give me an exasperated look, watch me take a step or two nearer to him, and then turn and keep going. He’s saying, “Ok, you got closer, you can see me – I got things to see!”

Buster

He’s the old man in everything but his heart. His back end is all messed up but that doesn’t stop him from moving and shaking. He’s right up there keeping time with Winslow. You can tell that this boy made time in his younger years. At least when I yell Buster’s name, he has the decency to turn around and run back to me — sweetheart that he is. And Buster can really turn it on too. The couple of times I’ve tried to leave him home, he dashes out that dog door and beats my car out the gate. Buster is really the man about town when he is out and about. He has purpose in every movement. HE is going to be in charge and going to do it all. And his body is not going to stop him.

Smiles

He is so adolescent, and so happy with everything. He will run with Winslow and Buster, and then turn right around and run full bore to me. Then he walks by my side for a while, and then he’s off again with the boys. His loyalties torn. “Be with me, and get lots of love…” “Be with them and be one of the boys…” It’s just too cute — and he can really take off, even with the leg deformed like that. He is a trickster though, as he loves to see things that aren’t there, and get Buster and Winslow all worked up running after him — after nothing.

Beauty

My baby girl. She just stays by my side. Leaping and hopping and being Beauty. She watches the boys run, but looks at me and says, “they’ll be back those silly boys.”

Blue

Blue pulls at the end of his leash, which is attached to his harness. He still wants to go after everything he imagines is out there. But I fell for that once, and he ended up with a fractured hock. So Blue stays on leash, and dreams.

Today Smiles decided he needed to chase a raven. And the raven decided that it wanted to be chased, and led Smiles and Buster and Winslow up and down the sage-studded red dirt. Swooping just low enough so they could see him, and teasing them into thinking they might even catch him. Wild nature met untamed hearts and the beat of freedom from wings and paws drummed to the heavens.

Today was a good day, in the company of my greyhounds.

 

Chapter 4

This dog really is something else. Everyday he acts so much more human, it’s almost scary. I rewrote his Available For Adoption section on my Web site — you should check that out — it’s very cute, I think, and I’m hoping I’ll find someone to adopt him soon, as he really doesn’t want to leave here. And the longer he stays the harder it will be.

He gives me these looks of love that are so deep, and so scorching. When I’m hugging my Beauty, he looks at me and asks, “Why don’t you love me as much as you love her? Look at the way I love you,” and he gives me one of his looks. That fantasy movie, “The 10th Kingdom,” was on this past week, and I swear it kept making me look at Smiles and wonder if he had a spell put on him and he really was a human in a dog’s clothing.

I’m looking all over for him today, and he’s not around me. Which is very odd for him, as he is always aware of where I am, especially when I’m giving his treats. So I’m outside in my pajamas calling his name, and there is no response. I call again. No big dog running his heart out towards me. Now I’m getting worried. This is NOT like Smiles at all. And then I hear this little peep, and I look at the sound, and there he is on the other side of the fence, in the yard of my bad neighbor. How did he get there? Did he jump the fence? How else would he get out, everything is always closed up.

So I threw on my robe and clogs and ran outside and he ran down the fence line, and as we approached the remote gate I saw that it was open just a little bit, and he had found that opening — and being the smart boy he is, he got out, and found an opening in the other fence to go and sit near the house until I could find him.

Heart stopping and funny all at the same time.

Chapter 5

He is such an adolescent. One minute I’m laughing at him, and the next I’m yelling at him in exasperation. He is starting to express himself even more, and testing his limits too.

Some examples:

On our walks

Most of the time he has to be right next to me, plastered against my side. He’s nice and tall and I can run my hand on his back when we walk. It’s a very nice feeling. Then he decides he’s going to run with the big boys a ways ahead of me. And he takes off like a shot, and runs past the boys making everyone think he has seen something. Everyone gets all riled up, and Smiles runs back to me, with a grin on his face, saying, “Look what I did! Aren’t I clever, I got them all excited over nothing.”

He does this throughout the walk, exasperating me and the other dogs who continue to believe him when he says he sees something.

In the house

He has a lot of energy, as all youngsters do. And he loves to run through the dog door, bounce off the couches and chairs, and get all the sleeping dogs snapping and growling at him before I’ve even gotten off my chair at the computer to stop him. He’ll then pounce on the sofa, and look at me, tongue hanging out, saying, “Wasn’t that fun? Can you believe how acrobatic I am?”

At night in the bed

I don’t even try to not let him sleep in the bed anymore. My god, if momma’s boy doesn’t get to sleep in the bed, then momma and all the other dogs will not get any sleep either. Whine, whine, whine. And he is a bed hog. After all, he does believe it is his bed. He HAS to have a portion of his body on yours, or it’s not sleeping together.

Those eyes

He can do those moony eyes that seem to look right at you and through you. You just have to hug and kiss him and forgive him everything when he gives you those eyes.

Thank dog this is a dog and not a guy!

Chapter 6.

This boy has been with me a long time now. I think almost a year. At first I thought he’d be an easy adoption. Gorgeous and smart, everyone would want him. But no one has really requested him, and the longer he stays with me the pickier I get about his home. This boy is only going to someone as special as he is.

When Smiles first came to me he wouldn’t leave my side, was tentative with other people and insisted on sleeping with me. Well, really sleeping on top of me. He was exhibiting some very classic anxiety issues, and “velcro” dog behaviors.

 

He’s starting some new behavior patterns, lately, that are very interesting. And indicative of him growing up.
He’ll be three in September, and he doesn’t have to be in the same room with me anymore. He’s getting more content to stay on the overstuffed armchair, sprawled out and acting king of the world – or at least the chair, much to Beauty’s chagrin.

He loves to meet other people now too. Before he was hesitant with strangers, he’d bark and run from them, as he smiled away, if they came on the property. But now he wags his tail and immediately falls in love with them and them with him. When people come to stay in my Guest House, he’s the first one there and on their beds to greet them. They just adore him. And thank goodness, once in a while now, I even have some room in my bed.

But he hasn’t stopped being such a snuggler. If I’m on the couch watching a video, he’ll drape himself over my legs, or over my shoulder or fully on top of me if I let him. He really can’t get close enough. And I don’t mind that kind of adoration.

And he is just so smart. He hears when the cottage cheese container is being opened, no matter where he is. He knows all the signals about going in the car, and doing errands, and he is there bouncing up and down, insisting it’s his right to go in the car every time we go somewhere.

His exuberance for life never wanes, and he has no compunction about telling me how he feels at all times. Either through whining, or barking or smiling at me – usually when I’ve reprimanded him for making so much noise.

But he never fails to make me smile…this Smiles boy.

Chapter 7.

I took all five dogs to the lake recently. This is Lake Powell, which is a man-made lake from Glen Canyon Dam. It is surrounded by rock, no trees, and a little beach. We went with friends who had 3 mixed breeds that love to swim. The spot we were directed to was very isolated. We walked over some desert ground, through Joshua trees and other cactus, to a little cove that lead to the water.
To get to the water, you first had to jump down about 4 feet over some rocks to get to the 6 feet of beach that bordered the lake.

Slick rocks surrounded the entire cove. The dogs were ecstatic in the sand that was above the rocks. Running circles and kicking it up. Then when I went into the water, they all stood on the rocks above me, trying to figure out how to get in.

Smiles, in particular, went farther out than all of them and looked like he was going to do a kamikaze jump into the water. I called him back, and tried to get him to come down to me. He wanted to, but was scared of the slick rock in front of him. I grabbed his collar, and got him close enough to me so I could lift him down to the sand.

He immediately ran into the water, hopping like a bunny, realized he was getting all wet, and ran back out and shook on me. Then he ran back in again, trying to jump over the water with big huge leaps to follow the other dogs that were swimming around in front of him. But as soon as he got over his head, he turned around and swam right back. He was a natural swimmer, but not having land under his feet made him very nervous.

He got to the sand, turned and looked at me with a “Why are they out there swimming, and I’m here? I want to go out there!” He then proceeded to jump back up the four-foot drop and run around in the sand, while he was all wet, agitating all the other dogs, until everyone was riled up, and then Smiles plopped down in the sand, spent.

I took this brief respite to try to swim out to my friends, but I was no sooner out of sight of the dogs, than they were all on the rock looking for me. So I swam back to the cove, and one by one each dog came over to me to lift him or her down. Except Smiles, who now jumped down into the cove, ran into the water until it was over his head, and then ran back out again.
Gus was the best swimmer, though a scaredy cat about it; Kenya the most fearless egging everyone on to keep swimming; Winslow had the worst dog paddle I’ve ever seen; Beauty didn’t even try; and Smiles was just, well, Smiles – full of energy and life and fun!

I’m sorry I don’t have pictures, but it would have been too hard to handle all of them and take pictures too. It’s a day we all soon won’t forget!

Chapter 8.

I can’t imagine a walk without a dog. They know what walking is all about. The pleasure of wind in your face, and sand under your paws and smells at every juncture. Every part of the walk holds treasures for exploration and discovery. To the spot, right there, where Winslow is peeing. And the spot, right there, where Beauty is pawing. And the next spot, and the next. All new, all exciting, and all there for their pleasure.

Smiles is particularly fun to take on a walk, as he is always looking for mischief. He still hasn’t quite learned his manners, and will impatiently jump out of the car before anyone else, unless I really lay down the law BEFORE I open the door. He’ll dash out of the car, at 100 miles an hour, only to turn around on a dime, and run back to me, pogoing in front of me, while saying, “let’s go, let’s go, we’re here, this is fun, come with me, play with me, be with me.”

Smiles feels that he is my boyfriend on these walks, as he stays plastered to my side, and doesn’t let any of the other dogs get close to my leg. Except when he decides to start trouble, and pretend to see something to chase, and he takes off at 100 miles an hour, and all the other dogs strive to catch him and catch what he sees, and he turns around and runs back to me, saying, “I got them this time. Nothing there, and I was the fastest. Did you see me? Aren’t I the cutest?”

“No”, I tell him, “you are a pain in the ass.” But yes, a cute one. Aren’t they all?

I have to be careful if anyone else is walking their dogs, as Smiles is still not totally trustworthy at all around other dogs. I believe because of his living with a pit bull, and not getting the initial responsible instruction from humans, he has the need to get aggressive with other breeds, particularly if those other breeds are running and playing and making lots of growly noises.

I have friends I hike with, whose dogs are always tumbling and playing, like normal dogs do. I then keep Smiles on leash and muzzled with me, because if I take my attention off him for one second, and the other dogs, in play, roll near him, he has his mouth on them. It’s quite disconcerting to see a snuggly, lovey dog turn into a potential lethal killer, but Smiles has that dark side to him. He does only want to please me, so I know I can stop him with a look or a word, but it always bubbles right at the surface.

So Smiles spends most of his walk trying to trip me by getting as close as he can, and constantly looking at me for reassurance that I think he is the best dog, and the best boyfriend. And why can’t a girl find a guy like this dog?

Chapter 9.

Greetings From Las Vegas

Prologue

My favorite adopters, Chris and Carla, take me in whenever I go to Las Vegas. They have adopted me, in addition to two greyhounds, Lady and Foster. I have my own room and bath, and many dogs to share the bed with when I go to Vegas every month to do Gang stuff. They have been watching Smiles for me, and this is his Las Vegas story as told to Carla and Chris.

Las Vegas Vacation by Smiles

Last month I overheard Claudia say she needed a break from you-know-who. As I was pondering who this being might be, I found myself in Las Vegas.
I am presently spending time with my “other” family. Claudia jokingly says they have joint custody of me. I guess it’s their turn now. Carla and Chris are good people. They love it when I smile for them and encourage me to talk to them a lot, not like Claudia who is always putting one hand on my nose, and the other to her lips and making this “shusssssh” noise. Carla is teaching me how to sing, “How Much is That Doggie in the Window.” I’ve already mastered the “woof-woof” parts.
In addition to my singing lessons, I’ve also been given the very important job of “keeper of the pillows.” I personally call it “King of the Pillows” and everything else, but they if they just want to call it “keeper,” that’s fine. I keep Chris’s pillows warm for him while he’s away at work. (Sometimes when he’s home also.)

I share their affection with Schuylkill the Great Dane, as well as Lady and Foster, two other Greyhounds. There is also a bird and a lizard, but I’m not allowed near them. Too bad the tortoise is hibernating; I really would like to get to know him better.

My best play buddy is Lady. She loves to play – even more than I do! She likes to sneak up behind me and bite me until I chase her around and around the house – through the living room, the family room, and the kitchen. She wears me out!

Sometimes Carla sneaks me out to run errands with her. The best place I’ve been so far is the fire station to visit Chris at work. Fire fighters love dogs! We’ve also made a group outing to the dog park. It was fun running with all my friends as well as meeting new friends. I don’t know why everyone got so nervous when I wanted to say “hello” to the little guys, though.

Here are some things I’ve learned since being here:

 

The top of the bed is much softer than the bottom.

• Never head-butt a Great Dane.
• Never lie where a Great Dane wants to sit.The more expensive the T.V. remote control, the yummier it is.
• Christmas gifts are fun to open.
• Humans don’t like it when you open THEIR Christmas gifts.
• Swimming pools are cold this time of year.
• Girl dogs fight dirty.
• Couches are more comfortable when you share them with company.

And the most important thing I have learned…

• Doorbell = pizza man.

Gonna sign off now, gotta go warm those pillows some more.
— Smiles, the Vegas dog.

 

 

Chapter 10.
Smiles isn’t here this month, and his presence is sorely felt. I didn’t say missed, but felt. When he is here, he is a whirling, noisy dervish. If I make any move like we are going somewhere, then he gets very vocal about the fact that he is coming with me.

Movements he watches for and goes ballistic over include:

 

 

• Me putting on shoes
• Me taking off pajamas
• Me going to the bathroom
• Me saying OK to get off the phone
• Me getting up from the computer chair
• Me picking up my wallet

 

He watches and waits for the cues and then goes ballistic. By ballistic I mean:

• Whirling in 360’s
• Jumping up and down like a pogo stick
• Crying – arhhhhhhh at the top of his lungs
• Barking
• Rooing
• Breathing hard
• Jumping on and off the bed
• Running out the door and back in the door
• Crashing into other dogs

 

The other dogs – Winslow, Beauty, Kenya, Summer, Possum and Al just ignore and tolerate him. They close their eyes when he goes into one of his whirling routines, as his tail whips and whips their faces. And they get out of his way when he starts running in and out of the house.
When I have 6 dogs here and Smiles – it just gets a little bit much. So he’s back with Carla and Chris for a Vegas Vacation. And it is nice and quiet here today, and his presence is sorely missed.

 

We took a last walk around the yard today, and I tried to capture his antics. But of course, he wouldn’t leave my side – so I got a picture of me looking down at him. And a picture of him sprinkling a bush – about the only time he left me. A picture of him with Kenya and Possum. And a picture of him in his throne after the walk.

I let him sleep with me the WHOLE night since he was going to be leaving. He squeezed Beauty and me into one corner of the bed, while he stretched his entire body out, with his head on one of the pillows. Of course, he had to be touching me the whole night too. Don’t need the electric mattress pad on when Smiles is sleeping with me.

 Chapter 11.

Pool Bum

While Kenya has been a Beach Baby, Smiles is turning into a Pool Bum. He’s been vacationing with Chris and Carla, because the Gang is just full to overflowing, and they like putting up with his antics.
Smiles’ days include:

Playing with Lady
Lady is very sure of what she wants when she wants it. And if she wants to play, then she will not leave you alone until you play with her. So it’s a matter of do you get bitten while you’re laying on the couch, or bitten while you’re running around the house with her on your heels. Her favorite spots are the neck and the back of the leg. She’ll just reach out and grab and hold on. Sometimes, when she tires of running after Smiles, she’ll reverse direction, and then runs right into him going the opposite way. She loves to pick on Smiles. And he is very tolerant and lets her.

Laying by the Pool
Smiles has his own corner of the pool, where he sprawls out on a floral pad that is supposed to be for the humans sitting in the chairs. He waits until the sun has warmed up the pad just a little, and the air is still a bit brisk. Then he parks on the pad, and lays around for an hour or two until the sun gets too hot overhead. He’s got the system down.

Water Breaks
I gave Chris and Carla a stainless steel bucket to keep filled with water outside for the dogs. Now this is the only place Smiles will drink water from. There’s just something about drinking out of a bucket – I guess it’s kind of like drinking from a keg vs. a bottle. So Smiles now wakes Chris and Carla up at 3am to go out and drink water, even though there is water right next to where he sleeps at night. I told them to squirt him next time he does that.

Exploring
Chris planted a citrus tree, and ringed it with strawberries for Carla, and Smiles thinks it is there for him. He spends a bit of his day sniffing it and wondering what this new thing is. And checking to see if the strawberries are ripe yet so he can taste-test them.

Napping on Dogs
Smiles must always be touching. If he’s not touching Chris and Carla, then he’s touching Schuykill or Foster or Lady. You can’t get a picture of Smiles without him laying on someone. It’s a good thing he’s such a likeable guy, and no one minds being laid on by him. It is one of the things I miss about him, as he does love to sleep in the bed – always touching!

Chapter 12.

With all I had going on with the Gathering, Chris and Carla (my wonderful adopters who provide me with my own room, bath and dog sitting when I visit Vegas every month) said they would watch Smiles for me. They also own Schuykill, the Great Dane, two greyhounds – Lady, the shy, Valley Fever girl, and Foster, the man about town, Valley Fever boy. Here is Smile’s update from his stay in Vegas.

 

 

Greetings From Las Vegas…Still

Chris and Carla have been very kind to me by letting me stay with them for so long. While I miss Claudia, she was getting a little bit short tempered with me what with all she had going on, and my demands for her FULL attention. She was always putting her hand on my nose and saying NO – the NO’s got louder too. I guess she doesn’t like me yakking at her all the time when I don’t get the attention I KNOW I deserve. Hey, I’m just a guy that knows what he wants, and lets people know just in case they have forgotten.

Now Chris and Carla are a bit confused as to what type of dog I am. I am a Sight Hound–NOT the working dog they have mistaken me for. We were all staying on Claudia’s property during the Gathering, and I must say I was enjoying myself reclaiming the couches and chairs, when they dragged me off to the Gathering in Kanab. OK, I like a party just like the next guy. But then THEY stuck me behind the tables in the vendor booth. I had to WORK! Greeting everybody that came to the Greyhound Gang booth with my ultra-charming smile and enduring endless compliments and pats on the head. Now many of my fans can say they have met me in the flesh. What an exhausting 2 hours! Then I saw Claudia and leaped over the T-shirt tables to get to her. I just know she wanted me next to her side, not stuck in some booth!

Things are no different now that we are back in Vegas. Work, work, work! The big Great Dane Schuylkill is not getting around so good these days. So my job is to motivate him with lots of howling, barking, jumping, wiggling, and anything else that comes to mind to get him up to go potty. I don’t know what would happen if I weren’t here. If that weren’t enough, I have to carry on like it’s the end of the world every time the doorbell rings! Will this madness never end? I even have to remind the humans when it’s time to toast up some frozen waffles for us poor overworked, under-appreciated SIGHT hounds.

 

I’ve been hearing some strange words around here lately. Such as “specialist” and “therapy”. They are even putting me in the pool and telling me that “This will help you after the surgery.” All the while people have been looking at my one leg that does not point the same way as the others. I don’t care what it means, as long as I’m getting some special attention. I have heard that Claudia is coming to town to stay with me for a while and treat me like the prince I am. And life is good!
I would write more, but it’s time for me to go “fluff” the humans’ pillows.

 

Chapter 13.

UPDATE FROM VEGAS

Smiles here again.

I’m still not sure what exactly has happened. But something has happened to me, and I’m not particularly happy about it.

I’ve been at Chris and Carla’s and I’ve been hearing big words, whose meanings I don’t know, like “specialist” and “surgery”. But I was getting a lot of attention, and heh, that’s what life is all about – being adored.
I was very excited one morning when Chris decided to surprise me with a ride in the car. OK, it was early, I mean really early, like 4 a.m. in the morning. But I’ve never been one to pass up ANY ride. I live for rides. Plus how could I turn down bonding time with him and me? I mean, I want to please the guy, even if it is some god-awful hour.
I vaguely remember stopping at a vet’s office and prancing in, figuring this was some kind of surprise party for me. It was a surprise all right. I vaguely remember getting a shot.

The next thing I know is I am waking up in a small cage with a bandage from my toes to above my elbow, and boy does my leg hurt. I had to spend the whole night alone at the vet’s office. I was one unhappy dude and I made sure my vet knew. “Where are my people? What am I doing here?” I shouted for all to hear.
Thank Dog, Claudia and Carla picked me up in the morning. My leg is still bandaged, but I am with the people I love. And I’m letting them know that. They cannot leave my sight, or my vocal cords start working. We sleep downstairs on the pull-out sofa, and I get hamburger and rice made for me. I think I could even convince them to hand feed me, if I tried a little harder. Claudia and Carla make good nurses.

 

Then, when I think I have it made in the shade with two women’s attention fully devoted to me, Claudia leaves. I am bereft. I run out into the garage and try to get in the car there. I know she left by car, I know I can catch her if we just get in this car. Carla drags me back into the house, and makes me lay next to her on the couch. OK, I like this. Who cares that Claudia abandoned me!
After our nap, I realize how quiet the house is. Why are Lady and Foster gone? I wonder if they went to the vet. I ask Carla, and she tells me that they are vacationing with Claudia so I can get bed rest, and be quiet, as I have 6 weeks to make sure everything heals really really well.

I have to go back to the vet’s office every few days. They take off the old bandage, look at my leg (they won’t even let my lick my own leg), then they wrap it right back up again. This last time they put a stiff splint on, then wrapped it up. I guess it’s not so bad. The bandage is really pretty this time, and everybody is making a BIG deal about me. Chris and Carla even slept downstairs with me for several nights. Mostly cause I raised a big ruckus when they tried to get me to sleep downstairs with Schyukill the Great Dane. My place is upstairs in the bed – they KNOW that. So I go up the stairs very slowly with them, and I have talked Chris into carrying me down the stairs. He needs the strength training anyway, but don’t tell him I said that.

I can still run very fast, though I’m not supposed to. They are threatening to keep me on a leash in the house. But heh, I’m a guy with energy to spare. And they sure get after me for chewing on this bandage, but heh, it’s cramping my style. When they yell, I just smile and all is forgiven. Have you seen my smile?

Dr. Whitnee Chun is my Vet. She is wonderful. She kisses me and tells me what a good boy I am even after she sees what I have done to the bandages she puts on me.
I have to go elevate my leg now, and there is one little loose piece of bandage I need to work on, I’m sure they won’t mind.

Chapter 14.

As you know by now, Smiles had surgery on his leg. The specialist from California, Dr. Tommy Walker, says he can fix Smiles’ leg, and make him feel better. It’s not that he feels so bad right now, but we’re trying to prevent future bone cancer and spinal issues because of the problem with his front leg.

Basically, when he was around six months old, and playing on the greyhound farm, he fractured his leg. He was going to be put down, but a farm worker took him home. It was not fixed, and the radius stopped growing before the ulna, causing his leg to grow in a deformed way. He didn’t let that stop him, but when he would try sharp turns, he would be in pain and limp.
We had consulted with vets, and the initial thought was to just let things be, as the injury was 2 years old. Eventually the leg would have to amputated. But this vet said he could help, and that it would benefit Smiles. The surgeon was going to go in, and put in plates to provide stability, strength and straightness to his leg. So we gave it a shot.

The surgery was quick, and the cost for the surgery work was $3000. The recovery time is the most important. Smiles goes back to the vet 2-3 times a week to get the bandage changed and to be checked over. The splint will be on for 4-6 weeks, and he needs to be kept as quiet as possible during that time to give the bone the ability to heal.

Do pay special attention to Smiles fashion statements as an invalid. His vet, Dr. Whitnee Chun, is the Versace of the vet wrap world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 15

Dear Claudia,

I have something very important to ask you.

First, let me say how much I love you and appreciate everything you have done for me. If it weren’t for you, I might still be outside in that yard, with that pit bull, in Colorado…or worse. You took me into your home, did your best to teach me how to behave, shared your bed with me and allowed me to practice my singing anytime I wanted. I also know that you are the reason my leg is a lot straighter now. Nobody else would have done that for me.

I have done a lot of soul searching; and I believe Chris and Carla need me to stay in their lives forever. It’s not that you don’t need me, but I think they need me more.

Of course this is all up to you. I’m sure that it has been very lonely in Kanab without me.

 

I have written a poem to show you how kind they have been to me.
They feed me when I’m hungry,
They keep water in my dish,
They let me sleep on anything,
Or anyplace I wish.T

hey sometimes let me lick their hands,
Or even lick their face,
Despite the fact I’ve licked myself,
In a very private place.

They taught me how to come when called,
They taught me how to sit,
They always let me go outside,
So I can…go potty.

I’ve been with them through so much,
Through laughter and through tears,
I hope to live here till I’m 100,
That’s 700 in dog years!

I’ve given this a greyt deal of time and thought. I am certain that this is what I want. If you decide that you can survive without me I would sure like to stay here. Don’t forget, you can always come visit if you miss me too much. And I promise to sleep with you when you are here.
Please send your answer as soon as possible, before they realize it was me that put the dent in the wall.

Love,Smiles

 

 

My dearest Smiles,

Life without you daily telling me how much you love me, and what it is that would make you a happy boy will be very hard. But I will try to adjust.

We have had a few wonderful years together, and through it all you have been stalwart and funny and silly and a real chum. I had often wished that I could just pass a magic wand over you and turn you into a boyfriend. You would have made the best boyfriend. You love to snuggle and always touch, you are very communicative and you adore me. And you are just so handsome – I always look at the eyes and smile first – then the gorgeous, buff bod. You meet all my requirements!

 

 

As long as Chris and Carla promise that they will be my friends forever, then I am happy to have you call their home yours. After all, it’s my home away from home too. They really do take in all us strays, and love us very well.
Your poem was quite eloquent, and I think that perhaps you have a future as a published author. However, don’t you dare get published before me, that would be unforgivable.

 

 

I’m going to go cry now. I’ll see you this weekend, you goofy head.
Love,Claudia