Serena and Dulce came to us as retired greyhounds. Lexie was never on the track. Her mother was a retired racer who was given to the rescue group VERY PREGNANT. She gave birth to 12 puppies -- and that black creature in the picture above was named Tiffany at birth. That was October 17, 1995. She came to live with us in early 1996 -- a very young very ungangly puppy. Always a mix of puppy and greyhound -- she was fast like a greyhound, but she sure wasn't elegant. She was not nervous, she didn't need any adapting from the track to the home -- she was a puppy and as a puppy she was sure the world loved her. And it did -- she always got along with everyone -- she was the most trouble free puppy we've ever had -- no housebreaking issues, no training issues. While she got along with the non-greyhounds, I always felt she was most comfortable with our other two greyhounds.

When Serena passed last year Lexie definately missed her company. They weren't particulary affectionate, but they were always together -- they slept on the couch together, the only dogs who slept up on the couch -- they generally went outside together, and they ran together.

My favorite Lexie story -- when it rains we towel all the dogs off as they come in. And we've had up to 16 dogs at one time -- so the toweling process can take awhile. Most of the dogs just put up with it --- but Lexie LOVED IT. She would run up first and get toweled off -- and then towards the end of the line, she'd miraculously appear for another rubdown. One day I watched her -- she'd head toward the living room when we released her from the drying station -- she would circle around and go outside again, and then stroll up the ramp to get another massage. And we always gave her another one -- she'd earned it :)

On December 19th -- two months to the day we helped Serena to the Bridge, Lexie was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the humerus (Serena died of osteosarcoma of the shoulder). Lexie did very well -- not in a lot of pain, and the pain pills seemed to help when the pain got to her. She was pretty steady on her feet -- didn't have the problems going up and down the ramp that Serena did. She was very needy and loving -- always pushing her nose into our hands for petting. Last week she started to hesitate at the top of the ramp -- I had to go outside and make sure she knew I was there in case she needed me. She was fine as long as she knew I was there. Saturday when I went to work I gave her a pill, checked her leg and all was fine. Saturday afternoon when I got home the leg was at least twice the size it had been, and by morning it was 3 or 4 times bigger. She was definately in pain -- and we knew the time had come.

So, now we're without greyhounds. It's been 15 years since we've been without greyhounds. I don't like the feeling -- we have four dogs, all old friends who are comforting and loving -- but I miss having a greyhound. It's hard to explain it if you've never had one, but I miss their presence, miss their comfort, miss the serenity.

We've had many many dogs in our married life -- but we miss greyhounds and Shiba Inus the most. I hope that we haven't seen the last of either breed in our home. But no one will ever replace our 1st greys: Dulce, Serena and Lexie.