The best way to make a whippet happy....a cozy cave!

We've discovered that whippets love cozy caves more than anything in the world. Cozy caves are a type of dog bed that has a built-in cover, sort of like a built-in blanket and your whippet can "nest" in the cozy cave without needing assistance with covers. They're just a requirement for any whippet owner, and multiple whippets require multiple cozy caves. The following is a link to the large-sized cozy cave, but you might want to look into the extra-large if you have the space and multiple dogs. Cozy caves rule!!

>> Find Cozy Caves on Amazon

Top 5 favorite chewies at Timbreblue

Ceri wants to know if there are chewies!

My dogs consider the UPS guy "the chewie man" because I order so many chewies from Amazon, and they greet him with enthusiasm! Rini and Ceri can spot an Amazon box from across the room!

Chewing is an essential part of keeping your whippet's teeth clean -- and keeping her entertained! We have tried all kinds of chewies, and there are tons of good ones, but these are the kinds we tend to order again and again.

1- Braided bully sticks

Bully sticks last a lot longer than most chewies, and braided bully sticks last even longer. This brand has very little mess or odor, and our dogs just love them. Beware, they are very addictive and your whippets will quickly learn what the words "bully sticks" mean, and will come running!

• Braided bully sticks: http://amzn.to/1QhCk7c

2- Beef tendons

Tendons are a bit faster to chew than bully sticks, but they cost a good bit less, as well. My dogs absolutely adore them, and I've heard only good reviews from other whippet owners, as well. My dogs go absolutely NUTS when they can smell beef tendons inside an Amazon box -- there is no fooling them! I tend to order the bigger bag and just keep them on hand. This brand is not messy or smelly.

• Beef tendons: http://amzn.to/1XtR6Hm

Also excellent are buffalo/bison tendons, cheaper than beef but a tad more messy. Buffalo tendons should be fine unless you have a white couch or carpet. They are basted, which makes them taste better to the dogs, but can leave a little bit of residue. If you do have light furniture, these would make a nice crate reward treat.

• Buffalo tendons: http://amzn.to/1XtRjdU

3- Rawhide mini bones, twists, and flips

Rawhide has gotten a bad reputation in the past few years, but it's a tried-and-true safe chewie for dogs and lasts a good long time. Whippets adore the tiny twisted bone-shaped rawhides, either plain or flavored.

You can also get rawhide twists (our favorites are Dingo brand) which last a little less time, but are smaller to store.

Chew flips last longer than any of the other rawhide products. Green Cow produces all-natural, made in the USA chew flips in a big 5-pound bag. Our dogs love them and they last for a long time! Natural rawhide bones, twists, and flips have no mess and no odor.

• Mini bones: http://amzn.to/1U4fAaD
• Twists: http://amzn.to/1VhNl6v
• Chew flips: http://amzn.to/1QhC3B5

4- Knuckle bones

Knuckle bones are an excellent way to naturally clean your whippet's teeth. They ADORE knuckle bones, even puppies who are too small to pick them up! Keep an eye on your dog though, if she chews too emphatically she could crack a tooth. Knuckle bones can be a bit messy, so you might want to try them as a crate reward treat. They last months and months!

• Knuckle bones: http://amzn.to/1XtRaXI

5- Chew hooves

Hooves are a natural source of protein, made from trimmed and sanitized cow hooves, and provide a firm chewing surface for whippets with an entertaining shape that helps massage gums and clean teeth. Chew hooves last a long time, and although they occasionally disappear under the sofa, when found again they provide tons of more entertainment for your dog. Chew hooves are another "very hard" chewie that could cause tooth fractures -- keep an eye on your whippet to make sure she doesn't chew too hard. No mess and no odor.

• Chew hooves: http://amzn.to/1XtRbuJ

Let me know in the comments if you have other suggestions for chewies that your whippets particularly loved -- I'm always looking for new ideas to entertain my oh-so-spoiled hounds!

A couple of great dogs looking for homes

UPDATE: Thank you for your interest! These whippets have all been placed with families. Visit our website to find out more about our puppies or submit a questionnaire to start a conversation with us about our whippets.

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We have a couple of boys here available to special homes.

Pepper

  

Pepper is a gorgeous brindle and white boy, two years old, who just wants love. We are helping his owner rehome him due to some catastrophic personal events. Pepper is housetrained, leash trained, trained to use a dog door, and good with other dogs. He will stay in a crate (though not too happily), but left loose in the house has not been destructive at all. 

We didn't breed him -- we just happened to be in the right place at the right time to help him out.

Pepper is a little anxious and really wants to be with you -- touching you! -- all the time. He needs a home with:
-- an owner who is home most of every day
-- another whippet
-- someone who has lots of love to give him,
-- a home where there are not too many surprises and things are on an even keel.

There is nothing he loves better than to snuggle up next to you on the couch while you read or watch TV.




Some of the anxiety will probably ease as he gets comfortable in his new home.He has had a confusing couple of weeks.

Pepper is neutered and AKC registered. I'll get some better pictures in the next day or two.

 Dashiell

Dashiell is a three-month-old Cirpet (cross between whippet and Cirneco dell'Etna - see earlier posts). He is a typical, rowdy little boy, quick to learn and mostly cooperative. He's three quarters of the way to housetrained and 100 percent paper trained. We're working on leash and crate training!

He seems to have more whippet qualities than Cirneco at this point and looks pretty much like a purebred black whippet. He will probably mature out to about whippet size or a bit smaller.



Dashiell would make a wonderful dog for someone with an active lifestyle. He'd be thrilled to live with a runner or someone interested in agility, flyball, obedience, etc. Or he'd be fine in a less active household if he had another dog to play with an a fenced yard. He is energetic, but not Jack Russell energetic, if you know what I mean.



Both of these dogs come with the Timbreblue "lifetime takeback" guarantee -- they can come back at any time in their lives if life doesn't go as planned for the owner. You also get a lifetime of support with any problems or questions; a bag of books, chewies, treats, toys, and other stuff; an invitation to the Timbreblue reunion every October; and support and encouragement from the ever wonderful Timbreblue family of owners.

Dashiell and Pepper have been vet checked and are healthy, up to date on all vaccinations, and microchipped.

I would love to get these boys into their new homes within the next week or so. If you are interested, fill out our questionnaire (under contact us at timbreblue.com) and then drop me a note or call me at 540-464-8046 and we'll talk!

Another Visitor and Some Naps!

If you have not been following this blog and don't know the story of the Cirpets (pronounced Chur-pets), please note that this is an unintended but cherished litter. The sire is our whippet

 Denim and dam is Rowan, the Cirneco dell'Etna. It is a breeding that will certainly not be repeated, but it has been fun to watch them grow and develop. We're considering a chastity belt for Mom.

So our friend Bev came to visit the Cirpets yesterday and they had a ball showing her just how much fun and mischief they could get into!

Daphne claimed Bev immediately. 

  ...and a bone.

Dashiell and Wilkie shared another bone (for awhile...the brotherly love did not last long with a bone in play.)

 Conan, ever sensible, found his own chewie.

  Checked out the situation

   Wilkie looked for trouble

    Recruited brother Dashiell  

And together they claimed the favorite chair. declaring it a girl-free zone.

   

Dashiell nodded off while Wilkie kept watch for intruders.

Daphne didn't care. She knew she was Bev's favorite.

 Conan, as usual, was minding his own business and staying out of trouble, 

  

 And even outlaws have to sleep sometimes.

Timbreblue Talks in Class "Whisper," Bev's constant companion and freestyle dancing queen, was not sorry to see them pass out.

Daphne held out for a little longer before joining Conan for her nap.

The End

Dashiell and Wilkie are still available as of November 12.  Write Sharyn if you're interested in a funny, active companion who will be ready to do whatever strikes your fancy!

Cirpets Take Over the Living Room

Well, Edgar went home Thursday, and he is now Brodie. He lives with the Bartletts in North Carolina, who also have Tiger Lily's sister Cammie and one of the Pelton pups, Cooper. Also Geordie, a rescue, and Britt, from Yvonne Sovereign. I think the Bartletts are officially over the edge now and have joined the Potato Chip Club. We love placing dogs with them because they do so much with them. Brodie is fated to become a therapy dog!

While they were here to pick up Brodie, they got to meet Dashiell too. I didn't bring the whole puppy pack out because I was afraid they might change their minds if they saw the effect all five would have on the living room.

And Thursday my friend Beth came to play with the puppies that are left. Aimee and Juliet had their doubts as to whether Beth would stay once the puppies were brought in.

Conan was his usual sweet self, chewing contentedly on a rawhide and then taking a nap.

 Daphne spent the whole time being photogenic. Her life mission is to be the Cutest Puppy in the World, and she works hard at it.

 By the end of the day, even Siren had decided she wasn't so bad and actually shared a chair with her. This is huge.

And Dashiell was Dashiell. Busy but not insane. 

 

 

Wilkie, as usual, was Wilkie. No further comment.

  

As far as how they are turning out physically, Beth and I determined that Daphne and Dashiell look pretty much like purebred whippet puppies at this point and Cirneco is more visible in Conan and Wilkie.

There was actually no permanent damage to the living room and Beth will recover from the puppy bites and scratches. Most everyone is past the biting stage. Except Wilkie. He and I are going to have to work on that before he has more company. Definitely before Beth will come back.