Tag Archive for 'edinburgh'

The GreYt Edinburgh Run

Published on October 9, 2011 in Uncategorized. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Last Sunday, 2nd October, I took part in the (Bupa) Great Edinburgh Run 2011 in order to raise funds for Scottish Greyhound Sanctuary.

the (very hilly!) route

Greyhounds’ lives are risked every time they are raced at the tracks, so I thought the least I could do was risk some blisters & a couple of stitches in order to help save a few more. So, I set up a sponsorship page via Everyclick & began my (rather sketchy) training schedule in the lead up to the big day.

ready to run, in the T-shirt I printed with my ‘45 mph Couch Potato‘ & ‘Born to Run‘ designs along with the SGS logo

I’m pleased to announce I completed the 10K run in 68 minutes (& all in one piece, save for some skin on my right heel!), & delighted to say that I raised over £350 for Scottish Greyhound Sanctuary by doing so!

approaching the finish line

It was nice to think that for once it was the dogs who were at home with their feet up, whilst the human was out making money for them! (Maybe just as well they hadn’t placed any bets on me though..!!)

Max & Molly, & foster dog Buddy, opted not to come & cheer me along when they saw it was raining outside…

…but showered me with congratulatory kissies as soon as I arrived home!

The run may be over, but it’s not too late to sponsor me – my Everyclick page will remain active until the end of October! & of course you can always donate to SGS directly at any time via the ‘Donate‘ button on their website. Thank you, on behalf of all the greyhounds.

Max & Molly: born to run, not to race

Sally’s Story

Published on September 29, 2011 in Uncategorized. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Meet Sally, the beautiful greyhound who has spent the past fortnight with us:

Sally, 15/9/11

On 15th September, 13 year old Sally was handed into an Edinburgh vet to be put to sleep. Though underweight & with terrible dentition, Sally was otherwise in good health. The vet made a few phone calls to various charities, but to no avail – all were either too full or wouldn’t take her on because of her age. However, Scottish Greyhound Sanctuary came through for this old girl, & with their support we took Sally into our home & gave her the TLC that a mature lady like her deserves.

comfort at last

We don’t know too much about Sally’s history, only that she was raced briefly at Shawfield, before being homed by RGT in 2003, & that her elderly owner’s family were unable to cope with looking after her when he no longer could himself. But she is a lovely natured dog – the first thing she did when she arrived at our house was hop right up on the sofa & stretch out, as if to say “now, this is more like it!”

SGS arranged for Sally to have all her rotten teeth removed, & we looked after her here in our home whilst she recovered from her operation (not a small one by any means, given Sally’s age & weight) & got the old girl eating again & starting to put a bit of weight on.

before & after shots(!)

Sally really does amazingly well given her age. Not only does she like to follow you from room to room to check what you are up to, but she gets all excited when it’s time for walkies & keeps up a fair pace once you’re out there too!

out with friends at the park

keeping watch over us in the kitchen

Raring to go!  Sally up Blackford Hill

It didn’t take long before SGS found the special long term home that Sally needed, where she will be able to live out the rest of her days in comfort, without fear of neglect or abandonment. Sally’s new Mum, Jaclyn (another SGS volunteer), reports that she has settled well already & is enjoying the company of Jaclyn’s existing greyhound, Gem, as well as ‘eating like a horse’ & stealing the hearts of all who meet her!

Sally in her new home: Did you ever see a dog look for comfortable?

Sally in the sunshine

Although Sally was only with us here for a short time, she had a big effect on me & we really miss her now that she has gone. I am so thankful that I was in a position to help save this beautiful girl’s life by taking her in that day, & I’ll always remember her twinkly eyes & the way they seemed to say ‘thank you’ every single time she looked at me. I hope they go on twinkling for a long time to come…

those eyes…

We’re at it again! (fostering greyhounds)

Published on June 30, 2011 in Uncategorized. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

I always said I would like to foster again once our circumstances allowed, & now that ‘the event of the year’ (our wedding!) has passed, what better time to get back into it!

So, meet Poppy, the greyhound we are fostering for Scottish Greyhound Sanctuary. She’s been with us just over a week now & it’s lovely having 3 greys in the house again.

Poppy is a 4 year old female ex-racer, who is black with splashes of white on her chest, tail & tootsies. She is a gorgeous girl & very friendly & affectionate towards people. She also gets on well with our own 2 dogs, Max & Molly, who have welcomed her into the house & ‘showed her the ropes’ no questions asked.

She likes to play, & the first thing she did when she arrived at our house was empty the toy box & transfer all the toys one by one to her bed! Over the past week I have gradually introduced her to my dog walking ‘tribe’, & she has behaved very politely towards everyone & seems to be enoying the company of all the other dogs. She got on particularly well with my friends’ lurcher, Clyde, who was staying with us last weekend ;-)

She walks beautifully on the lead, has been 100% clean in the house, & we really haven’t found anything bad to say about her at all! She’s a very endearing dog, & has all sorts of cute little habits like burrowing under our bed at night instead of going to her own one…

Poppy is going to make an absolutely wonderful pet for someone out there, but until then I am more than happy to hold onto her while she waits for that lucky person to come along.

Poppy is one of 14 dogs, currently being looked after by Scottish Greyhound Sanctuary whilst awaiting their forever homes. SGS is devoted to rescuing & rehoming greyhounds & lurchers in need across Scotland. Along with the wonderful online community & many volunteers, SGS are passionate about the welfare of greyhounds & are committed to raising awareness of the plight of these beautiful animals.

Great British Greyhound Walk 2011: An Invitation

Published on June 15, 2011 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

Max & Molly would like to extend you a very special invitation! However, they couldn’t quite drag themselves away from the sofa, so I’m going to invite you on their behalf… ;-) They would like to invite you to join them for the Great British Greyhound Walk 2011. (Maybe they are just conserving energy for it?!)

What?

The Great British Greyhound Walk aims to get as many greyhounds as possible walking together at the same time up & down the country, celebrating  & raising awareness of what wonderful pets greyhounds make. The first walk took place last year, with over 1000 greyhounds walking in tandem, & this year it is hoped the number will exceed 2000!

When?

This year’s event is taking place on Sunday 26th June, with most walks starting off at 10am.

Where?

Walks will be taking place simultaneously all across England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland – Check the GBGW website for one  taking place in your local area. Max & Molly are going to be at the Edinburgh walk, which starts & finishes outside the Braid Hills Golf Centre on Liberton Drive.

The walk starts at 10am & will last around an hour. The route is marked out below (click on the image to enlarge) & is mostly flat, but may be quite muddy if it’s been raining! There is also a shorter route (taking approximately 20 minutes) which may be more suitable for elderly or less fit greyhounds or owners – Max may well end up just doing this walk depending how his arthritis is on the day.

All greyhounds, along with lurchers & their other sighthound cousins, are welcome – we want to make Edinburgh’s event a big success! Although there are some big fields where it might otherwise be appropriate to let your dogs have a run, we would ask that all dogs be kept on lead at all times during the walk, in accordance with the GBGW rules. Dogs should also be muzzled at your own discretion & all poo picked up & disposed of responsibly.

There are some lovely views out over Edinburgh…

The walk goes past Tower Farm Riding Stables so we will likely encounter some horses en route…

… & there are bunny rabbits gallore in the adjacent fields, but if you’re lucky the dogs won’t spot them through the hedges!

The walk also passes by the Edinburgh branch of the Retired Greyhound Trust & some dogs & staff from their kennels will be attending the event – It would be an excellent opportunity to get to know greyhounds so don’t worry if you arrive empty handed , there will be plenty of dogs to go round that you can walk! We will also be selling some RGT merchandise, as well as some special hand printed Great British Greyhound Walk dog bandanas, with proceeds going to the Edinburgh RGT.

There is free parking in the golf range car park, as well as on Liberton Drive itself, & toilets & refreshments are available at the Braid Hills Golf Centre Coffee Shop (although dogs will not be allowed inside). Please bring along something to eat & drink & join us at the picnic area (beside where the walk starts & finishes) afterwards for a natter. We’ll need to count up how many hounds there are & report back so that our walk can be added to the grand total!

We really hope you can make it, & if not to our Edinburgh walk then to one of the many taking place across the UK. Why not let us know what your plans are for the GBGW in the comments below? We also have a Facebook event page, where you can let us know you will be attending & get involved with the pre-event chat!



3 Glorious Years: Celebrating Max’s Anniversary

Published on May 3, 2011 in Uncategorized. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

It’s hard to believe that until 3 years ago there were no greyhounds in my life! Adopting Max changed all that, & he’s definitely got me hooked for life ;-)

Max & I sharing a moment in the sun

My beautiful brindle boy is 9 years old now, but still enjoying life to the full. In fact, in many ways he has grown younger & more puppy like over the 3 years we have had him, showing a much greater interest in playing & toys than he did in the earlier years.

Max with his ‘Mr Funny’ toy - one of his favourites!

Enjoying ‘nomming’ on a stick

Max is such a happy dog, & he shows it! He just loves meeting new people & dogs, greeting them with a smile that spreads all the way from his lips to his ears & a big waggy tail. At Lush’s anti greyhound racing campaign launch last year, Max was the perfect ambassador for what fabulous pets greyhounds make. He basked in all the attention of the passers by, soaking up the sites & sounds of Edinburgh’s Princes Street – people kept asking me, ‘Is he always this happy?’!

my happy smiley boy

He’s had his fair share of health problems, most recently arthritic problems in his toe joints, but he is very stoical about it all, now enjoying walks just every other day so as to rest his joints in between times & avoid further flare ups.

Even ‘the cone of shame’ didn’t stop Max playing with his fluffy bunny!

We take extra special care of Max’s feet

Whether it’s his reduced mobility or a general mellowing with age, Max is the perfect walking partner, walking to heel & sitting at road crossings. He still manages a quick blast around the fields on a good day though, even if he does need to pause for a wee breather afterwards!

Pausing for rest in the grass

Max is such a special dog & there’s not a day I regret picking up the telephone to the RGT & bringing him home with us. Every day Max adds so much happiness to my life, just by being there, & I want to thank him for 3 glorious years!

Looking out over Edinburgh with Max

Introducing Ziggy

Published on March 9, 2011 in Uncategorized. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Max & Molly are currently sharing their coveted sofa space with their ‘cousin’ Ziggy, Martin’s Mum’s dog. Ziggy is a 6 month old cavoodle (a cavalier king charles spaniel crossed with a miniature poodle) who has come to stay with us for a fortnight whilst Margaret is on holiday.

Ziggy

& whilst I can’t say I wholeheartedly approve of the whole designer dog movement (there are after all thousands of intelligent, genetically balanced cross-breeds already waiting  for homes in dog shelters up & down the country), there is no denying that Ziggy is cute, & it has been fun having him around these past few weeks…

Ziggy doing his chewbakka impression!

cuddling up on the sofa

Molly & Ziggy had already been introduced  down in Manchester when Ziggy was only 3 months old, with Molly being admirably tolerant of all his puppy antics, so we knew that the pair of them would get along fine. & it didn’t take long to establish that Max was happy enough to welcome Ziggy into our house as well.

when Molly met Ziggy back in December 2010

Max, Ziggy & I curl up on the sofa together

Ziggy certainly has a lot more energy than our greyhounds, but they have been teaching him a thing or too about the virtues of ‘deep sofa relaxation’! He has also enjoyed meeting & socialising with the other dogs that I walk, in particular my neighbour’s dog, Fidra, an 8 month old border terrier – the pair of them have gotten up to no end of mischief  together on our daily walks at Blackford Hill!

the terrible twosome at Blackford Hill

a brief pause to rehydrate…

…before coating themselves thoroughly in mud!!

a slightly reproachful Ziggy in the bath afterwards!

Many people would be surprised to learn that 2 retired greyhounds could live quite happily alongside a such a small, fluffy & lively young puppy. However, I am beaming with pride at the way my two taken Ziggy in their stride & would confidently offer to look after him in their presence again (though I think we all may need a wee break first…!!).

a full sofa ;-)

Two Hounds Brewing Co

Published on January 31, 2011 in Uncategorized. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Last summer I suggested to Martin that we try making our own elderflower champagne, with a view to serving it at our upcoming wedding this May. So out  we went & picked wild elderflower heads &, using an adaptation of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s recipe, together we brewed up 15 litres or so of the stuff.

The bottles now lie stored in crates in a dark cupboard, & we sample one every few months or so to make sure it is conditioning well. (So far the results are impressive & we’re very much looking forward to serving them at our wedding!) However, little did I know that Martin would enjoy this little brewing experience so much that a whole new hobby would be born…

the label we designed for our wedding champagne

With the help of his friends Chris & Buzz, Martin has now brewed half a dozen or so different batches of beers in our kitchen, from pale ales to porters, & all under the label ‘Two Hounds Brewing Co’. (Can you guess which pair of hounds might have inspired the label?! ) My contribution: I help pick the names, design & stick on the labels, &, well, allow it all to happen in our kitchen!!

a selection Martin’s beers: Requiem Raspberry, Cincinatti Pale Ale, Grinch Robust Coffee Porter, Fidra Bavarian Weissbier, Sunnyside Pale Ale

Of course the beer is all either for personal consumption or has been gifted to friends & colleagues. Although I’m not a beer drinker myself,  it always seems to be well received & a batch never lasts very long!

Cheers! Martin enjoys one of his beers in the custom made glass his brother gave him for Christmas

I have created a printing screen based upon the label design & used it to hand print some cotton bags. Filled with a few beers each, these made great little Christmas presents for our friends & family. & I have even had a few requests for some T-shirts printed with the same design!

combining our brewing & screenprinting skills to make Christmas presents!

Meanwhile, Martin’s brewing habit shows no signs of letting up & I believe the next scheduled brewing is to take place in our kitchen this Sunday… ;-)

Stepping into 2011 in Style

Published on January 18, 2011 in Uncategorized. 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

As usual, this Christmas was an excuse to spoil my dogs rotten! In addition to the usual plethora of treats & toys, & of course lots of cuddles & walks, Max & Molly were the recipients of some very stylish doggy accessories, which they wanted to share with you…

Don’t they look stylish in their new martingale collars?

Their collars were handmade by the lovely Hande of Silly Buddy (named after her beloved, but silly, dog, Buddy). Hande creates unique, one of a kind dog collars (& leashes), which are not only beautiful, but safe & durable to boot. It was a tough job choosing just one collar each for Max & Molly, as Hande has so many fabulous designs, but in the end we went for Elf Owl collars in complimentary collars: teal for Molly & mustard for Max. Hande went to extra trouble to create these martingale style collars, which are just perfect for greyhounds’ long necks & slender heads (& guarantee that the neighbourhood cat will remain safe from any of Max & Mollys’ advances!).

Handsome boy Max in his mustard Elf Owl collar

Molly looks pretty as ever in her teal Elf Owl collar

To go with their new collars, Max & Molly were also treated to some new leads, which were handmade by Kyra of The Mod Dog. Kyra custom designs dog accessories,  & I was attracted to her store because of the sheer variety of lead colours available – no more boring red, blue or black for us! After some contemplation, I chose a teal lead to go with Molly’s collar, & a chocolate brown one for with Max’s. It’s great to know that Kyra donates 10% of every sale to her local Georgia rescue, Atlanta Weimaraner Club Rescue. Both Kyra & Hande are fellow members of EFA (Etsy For Animals), a group of 600+ Etsy sellers who combine their efforts to provide charitable relief to animals.

Molly: “We’re at the park now Mum, can I get my lead off?”

Max’s brindle coat is complimented perfectly by his new collar & lead

Their new collars & leads are a fantastic addition to the previous year’s Christmas presents, which were a pair of all-weather coats handmade by fellow retired greyhound Mum, Terri of Acme Couture. These waterproof, wind-proof coats ensure my dogs can be tempted out for a walk even on the coldest & wettest of days & have been a great investment. Molly’s has suffered a few little rips here & there, on account of her tearing through the woods in it, but these have been mended with careful placement of a few girly flower patches! ;-)

Molly & Max looking cool in all their apparel

So I think we can safely say that Max & Molly will be maintaining their status as the most stylish greyhounds in Edinburgh in the year 2011! Happy New Year!

Dashing Through The Snow

Published on December 31, 2010 in Uncategorized. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

For the past month Max & Molly have been enjoying their walks in a rather different landscape on venturing outdoors. In the last week of November, snow fell over Edinburgh, wrapping it (along with much of the UK) in a thick icy blanket. Record low temperatures & further snow fall have caused all sorts of disruption across the country, but have formed the most beautiful backdrop to our walks & been thoroughly enjoyed, at least by the dogs!

the scene at Blackford Glen, our local walk

Max & Molly explore the snowy landscape

It was wonderful to see Max in particular enjoying the snow, as this time last year he was really suffering with his limp & wasn’t taking any pleasure in it at all.  This time round though, he can’t get enough of it, & as soon as he’s off lead he bounds off, frolicking through the powder like an overgrown puppy! It doesn’t take long before he gets tired & out of breath, but his solution to that is just to stop & immerse himself in the snow for a few seconds to cool off,  before embarking on the whole daft routine all over again…

Max (in the red coat) shows Molly, Danny & Fidra how it’s done!

Molly, on the other hand, has her own unique way of enjoying the snow, preferring to burrow into it with her nose with her bum up in the air! Meanwhile, snow is flowing freely into the neck of her snuggly waterproof coat, soaking her from the inside out & making her a little regretful about her actions afterwards…

Molly fills her coat with snow…

& then needs a little TLC to help deal with the consequences later on!

Unfortunately the icy weather conditions have meant that my dog walking business more or less ground to a halt for a few weeks  with treacherous road conditions making many of my clients unreachable. However, local walks continued, with greyhound Danny & border terrier Fidra regularly joining Max, Molly & I on our outings into the snow. On one occasion we met a gentleman cross country skiing through Blackford Glen – he suggested I get myself a pair of skis & hook myself up to the dogs!

walking with Fidra, Danny, Molly & Max

the dogs at Blackford Glen

Severe disruption to UK postal services has even affected my printing business, resulting in the delayed arrival of supplies, with knock on effects on order turnover times, & then further delays with delivery of orders themselves. Whilst offering to gift wrap & ship directly to recipients has helped counter these problems to an extent, I’m devastated to think that some of my customers will be without  their Christmas orders due to the delays. =(

berries in the snow at Blackford Glen

However, whilst I’m not impressed with the disruptive effects the wintry weather had on my businesses, it has been lovely to see the fun my dogs have had in the snow. ;-)

with Max & Molly at Blackford Glen

Don’t Bet On It!

Published on October 18, 2010 in Uncategorized. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Handmade cosmetic company, Lush, has recently launched a campaign to raise awareness of the plight of the racing greyhound. As an adoptive Mum to two rescue greyhounds & a passionate supporter of greyhound rehoming, I felt strongly about supporting this campaign. So, together with my friend Sheena & her greyhound Jamie, Max, Molly & I attended the campaign launch in Edinburgh last Wednesday lunchtime.

Jamie, Molly & Max

We were joined by individuals & dogs from Greyhound Action Scotland, Gracehounds & Greyhound Rescue Fife, along with the friendly Lush staff down at Edinburgh’s Princes Street store. Together we distributed information about the problems with the greyhound racing industry, as well as introducing members of the public to what beautiful & sweet-natured dogs greyhounds are.

Princes Street, Edinburgh

I don’t imagine there are many types of dog that would remain calm & placid amidst a busy shopping street with noisy traffic passing by, not to mention the drone of the bagpipes from a nearby busker & the one o’clock gun fired from Edinburgh Castle! But Max, Molly & all the other dogs in attendance did us proud & were shining examples of just what fantastic, laid-back pets greyhounds can make.

Molly made a new friend who was (almost) as pretty as her!

everyone & their dogs

Please support Lush’s campaign & do what you can to help end the exploitation & suffering of racing greyhounds:

  • Please don’t support commercial greyhound tracks.
  • Don’t bet on greyhound racing.
  • Get involved with a local group working on this issue. You can find a list of greyhound action groups here.
  • Give a greyhound a loving home. Find a list of rescue groups here.

handsome boy, Tony, is one of many dogs waiting to be adopted in Fife

Full details of Lush’s campaign can be found in this article.

window display in Lush’s Edinburgh Princes Street store