More on the Weather...

Today is something like the 5th day in a row where it's raining.  I've not seen rain like this since leaving Maryland in 1993. Locals say it hasn't rained like this in New Mexico since the 1970's, maybe the 1960's.

Last night, early this morning, we had a rip snorter of a storm roll through. It was probably the most violent storm we've had in the 20 years that we've been living in this house. We were seeing lightning every couple of seconds and there was one that was so strong, it shook the house.  Excepting for Nampa, the dogs were shaking in their paws.

Javelin (L) & Jib (R) in Front Yard

We've had several inches of rain and it is commonly said that 1" of rain = 12" of snow.  If this weather holds, we're going to get a normal winter here, which is something we've not had since before the Maxies lived in the house next door. That was in 2004, I think.

Look at the photo of Jib & Javelin running in the snow in the front yard. In places, the snow was deeper than they were tall.

Javelin was returned to us as a yearling in 2003 after her "owner" bugged out, abandoning her and the other greyhounds in his possession.  Thankfully, Laurie Soutar took them in.  She kept Javelin for the coursing season and then returned her to us after Jan 1, 2004.  In 2006, we had a good snowstorm at Christmas, when we got about 24" or so.  But, we really haven't had a normal winter or snowfall since.

Nick in the Front Yard

I don't know what the neighbors with their donkeys are going to do if we have a normal winter & normal snowfall.  They won't be able to get out of the neighborhood in their small, yellow car to buy feed for the donkeys.

In a normal winter, there are times lasting several days, sometimes a week, when we cannot get out with the 4WD Toyotas. Sometimes the snow has been so deep that State government has been known to send around front end loaders to DIG OUT people! One year during Bill Richardson's term of office, the State was dropping livestock feed to herds of cattle which were stranded without feed.  I seem to think that happened the year we had 11 feet of snow in our front yard.  It can get bad out here.  The neighbors with the donkeys have no experience with a normal, East Mountain winter and our normal snowfalls.

Well... I'm kind of curious as to how the shelters for the donkeys, which appear rather ramshackle, will hold up with a foot or more of snow on them.  I'm also wondering how their fences will hold up. It may be an interesting winter.

We're Gonna Have Puppies... at some point in time

Plans are in the works for the first ever, co-breeding between Windrock Greyhounds and DM Greyhounds! Woo hoo!

The dam of the pups will be DC DM Summer Squall of Scatpak FCh aka Javelin and the sire has yet to be determined, but there are several candidates. Javelin is a multiple Best in Field winning greyhound with Field Championships in both AKC and ASFA lure coursing. She is also a breed ring champion and within 5 points of her ASFA LCM (lure courser of merit).

I am the breeder and a co-owner of Jav. It was very, very tough to make the decision as to which bitch puppy to sell, way back in 2002. Do I sell Javelin? Do I sell Jib? Javelin? Jib? In truth, if circumstances had been different, I'd have kept both of them! One thing is certain, even tho' Javelin no longer lives with me, she has a great home and she gets many more opportunities to do stuff than if she stayed here. At least, I get to see her.

Javelin is a very intelligent greyhound. She's quite clever and, when here, was always into something. Her intelligence lends itself to talent in the coursing field. I had the opportunity to take her open field coursing, once, and she did OK. However, free coursing is more her style. Take her out on the mesa and she's off and hunting. She is quite the accomplished huntress when free coursing. BTW, Javelin took her first "game animal", a field mouse, when she was 6 weeks old. I love this little bitch! I am really looking forward to raising a daughter or two here at Dyno-Mutt! Javelin truly represents the hounds that Dyno-Mutt breeds and raises.

Jav has been health screened and DNA'd. Her health screening results can be found here on the OFA website. In addition, you can follow links on OFA to see the health testing results of her relatives, including a littermate or two.

Javelin's close relations include:

DC DM Flying Jib FCh: Group Placed (Group 4, Judge George Heitzman) breed ring champion, Multiple BIF winner in ASFA & AKC lure coursing, open field breed winner

Ch DM Dots N' Dashes: Multiple group placements (17 or 18), open field pointed

Ch DM Ocean Meets T'Sky: Finished his championship with back to back majors by going WD at the GCA's Eastern Specialty (judge Lena Tamboer) and WD at Morris and Essex KC (judge Gayle Bontecou).

Reservations are being currently accepted on pups from this highly anticipated breeding. Feel free to contact me for more information.