Whippets in the Wild

Somewhere in the world whippets run free in the wild. This according to Ben Walker of the Associated Press. (So why haven't I seen this on Animal Planet?)

You've heard of Chanel, the 2 year-old whippet who won the Hounds class at the Westminster America dog show? Well, apparently she was captured in the wild, because the article in my paper, by Ben Walker, said she was "clocked at 35 mph in the wild". Hmmm, I wonder if she misses it? Visualizing packs of little skinny sight hounds frolicking in the jungle (or was it the plains, Ben?) makes me giggle. Thanks Ben, I needed a laugh today. And congratulations, Chanel.

The article also said a crowd favorite was another sight hound--a greyhound--who chases balls and chews up his water bottle--unusual behavior for that mild-mannered, couch-potato breed. It's good to know my friend Mel's greyhound, Rudy, has a soul mate somewhere in the world. Rudy is a big, goofy guy whose favorite pastimes include dragging pillows outside through his dog door, and suckering other dogs to chase him so he can laugh as he leaves them in the dust. Rudy could probably survive "in the wild"--he loves to chase squirrels and Mel suspects he would even eat them, given the chance. Unfortunately, if a sight hound runs away in the heat of the hunt, he may not be able to find his way home (they hunt by sight, not by smell).

So my advice to Rudy and Chanel is: stay home. Stay with your people and eat that fancy dog food and three kinds of treats they give you. Ignore the Call of the Wild! Play with your 15 toys and leave the stoopid squirrels alone!