This is Willie and BlueBerry, my four-legged children

     In February of '97 I  went to the Houston Livestock show with my children on a school fieldtrip....while I was there I happened upon a booth set up by Gulf Greyhound Park. In that booth was a volunteer and her greyhound. This was my very first contact with a grey! I had never even seen one other than surfing channels on tv and coming across greyhound races.

     Needless to say I was hooked immediately! The first thing that occurred to me was that these dogs had more personality than I had ever seen in a dog. Then I was struck with the gentleness of these wonderful creatures.

     Ok, so I had to leave the booth and take my kids around to see the other exhibits at the Livestock show... that done and the field trip over I at once ran to my husband and told him all about these greyhounds I had seen. I don't know what it was that day that convinced him that I was serious when I told him I HAD to have one of these greys...but I'm thankful to it whatever it was. He took me right back down to the livestock show and to where the booth was. Unfortunately the booth had already closed. But a kind security guard was nice enough to round up a Gulf Greyhound Park brouchure for us, so as soon as we got home we called them and it all started.

     It took about 2-3 weeks to find a grey they felt would work best in our home with our small children and various animals and the fact that I was hesitant about adopting a dog that had broken his leg slowed things up. Well, when all was said and done, I finally agreed to "meet" this broken boned dog and give him a chance to win my heart.

     So we piled the kids in the truck and headed off to the racetrack where Willie lived. The lady manning the adoption center that night took us to the back and lead us to a concrete, fenced in area where the dogs are turned out for exercise. Then she brought in this 2 yr old, scrawny, skinny, shy thing and said "This is Willie, why don't you get to know each other." I have to admit, I wasn't all that impressed immediately with this shy animal......he wasn't at all like the dogs I had seen at the booth. But hey, that feeling of disappointment disappeared in about 2 minutes. Willie slowly walked over to us and nuzzled our necks..........ok, a couple minutes later and I was in love!

     The lady got all the paper work started, talked with us for a while and sent us home to buy a crate before we could take Willie home with us.

     The next day we went back to the racetrack and brought home our first greyhound....not knowing what a joy he would be or how he would fill our lives with so much love.

      I don't know what to say about Willie, except that we really aren't so sure he's a dog.   He pouts and if he has decided that you haven't given him enough attention he gives you the cold shoulder until you get on the floor with him and completely baby him for a while.

     Oh, and Willie loves his couch!   Notice I said HIS couch.   We lost it long ago.   But if there is one little thing on the couch (and yes, this means another dog too!), he will stand there and look at you, look at whatever is on the couch.....and if you don't get up and move it immediately he'll do it again, only this time add a little whine to it.   Now, if you are heartless and STILL don't move the offending article, he'll just PLOP, and honey, I do mean PLOP...with a very loud thud....in the middle of the floor, usually RIGHT where you need to walk!   Doorways are a favorite place!   There he'll stay until you do his bidding.

      Willie has brought a lot to this family since he joined.   I can honestly say that adopting him was one of the best things I've ever done!