Hello, my name is Lily (Sweet Ways), and I'm a 2 year old black and white greyhound. I have recently come through the wonderful GAP programme, via lovely Kaye in Cambridge and then gorgeous Ginney in Te Aroha, who was my foster Mum.
I have now been in Whangarei, the winterless north for 2 months with my forever family and I'm doing more than ok.
They, I might tell you, are a strange bunch. The leader of the pack appears to be Margaret, she's a nurse and the fellow she lives with, Evan, is a crusty old sea captain and X Deer culler. I must admit though, he has come in quite handy for bringing home fresh fish and venison. I'm living the good life and have packed on a few pounds I might tell you!
As you can see from one of my photo's, I had a wee ooopsy, before I headed North. Just a wee altercation with a fence while acquainting my self with a rabbit in Te Aroha. That's all healed up now, although I still do have bad hair days!
The other critters in my pack are Pip, a 10yr old whippet, Ralph, a 4 yr old Labrador and Morris, the extraordinary Cornish Rex Cat.
He really is a hoot. When I first arrived I really just wanted to eat him. He looked so much like those white fluffy things I remember chasing. But once I got to know him, it turned out he really was a quite a special wee chap. Now, we are even sleeping on the same bed, my bed that is! He's always trying to smooch up to me though, now THAT'S a bit scarey!
There are a few paddocks where I live and these seem to have a few big brown things in them. I have learnt that if I chase them Margaret gets hysterical and squawks loudly (quite funny really) and throws things at me (like my lead), I have cloth ears however and don't take much notice. But for the sake of peace and quiet, I have decided not to chase them anymore, they were no fun anyway.
Speaking of cloth ears! Margaret tells me my next project, now that I can sit so beautifully before food and walkies, is to learn some re-call. I really am a shocker.
The deal is though that I stay on the lead (boring) until I come when I'm called. And man you should see the exciting places we go walks . Up in the pine trees in the mountain bike park. There are sooo many rabbits and quail and pheasants to chase. Pip and Ralph are allowed off, it's not fair. Admittedly they do come when they are called.
Did ya see the photo of us 3 sitting so beautifully??? That was Evan bribing us with a chocolate
Aren't we clever?!
biscuit the other morning. I know, I know €¦.chocolate is bad for us€¦.soooo nice though.
I have developed quite a voice you know, and bark excitedly at Ralph and Pip when we are playing tug o war and chasey. Margaret says being noisy is a sign that I am settling in. She's trying to teach me to bark at people and cars that come onto the property, but that's Ralphs job being the guard dog, far to insignificant a job for a hound anyway.
Well, I hope you like the wonderful photos of me and my new family.
I think I'm a bit lucky to have them you know, don't tell them that though.
I'm still playing it cool and being a bit aloof at times, just to keep them on their toes.
Like.. did you see how she dressed me up in that green scarfy thing, I mean to say. Can't a hound have a bit of respect !??
Margaret Lindsay, Whangarei