queenwinniesmom

Lucy, I'm late to this thread too, but I've been thinking about you and Spirit so much. I honestly don't have any advice, as I don't know for sure what I would do. But since you know your sweet boy so well, and his well being is uppermost in your mind all the time, you have to know that your decision will be what is best for Spirit.

Jerilyn, what beautiful and perfect tribute. It must have been so hard to write, but I hope it brought you some comfort to celebrate your precious Lila, and to share her with us one last time. She was so very special, and I can't imagine how much you will miss her. You were meant to share each other's lives, and it could never have been long enough. The pictures made me smile---her beauty, her silliness, her elevation of being a pesto to an art form. And the alpacas.....oh, Lila, sweetheart, your friends and family will miss you too.

I love the cards---I'm in too!

I'm so sorry for your loss of Jack. It's really hard sometimes when we see dogs who remind us so much of the ones we've lost. Lots of us post pics on special remembrance days---birthdays, anniversaries of loss. And National Black Dog Day! It's a perfect time to remember our beautiful black dogs. So yes, if you have more pictures, it would be great to post them. My special black angel dog is Winnie, the tripod queen. That's her in my avatar. She's been gone for quite a while. And our Angie, who is another beautiful black dog, reminds us more and more of Winnie all the time, especially as she is getting more silver. We sometimes think she is channeling the Queen.

Hi, Dragongirl 25, I'm just seeing this post now---I'm usually just in the chat club---but I thought I'd reply if you would still like more info. I think it's great to talk to lots of people, because you can see the differences in experiences as well as the similarities. I've been obsessed with Galgos since about 2011, a year before my first trip to Spain to volunteer at Scooby, the largest animal shelter in Spain. I've gone back every year to volunteer there (except when I broke my wrist in 2015), and once at Benjamin Mehnert, in 2013. I was supposed to go back in May, and was broken hearted that my trip had to be cancelled due to the virus. I'm hoping I can return next year. I love Spain, and love helping the Galgos! We kind of seamlessly transitioned from ex-racers to Galgos, starting in the 90's when we began fostering Greyhounds, till 2015, when we adopted our first Galgo. When we lost our last Grey, Calvin, in 2018, it was the end of an era---over 80 fosters, and 9 adopted ex-racers, and now we only have our 3 Galgo girls from Scooby. Angie, our first, I adopted without meeting her, but with Kiva and Laila, I picked them (or they picked me) when I was volunteering and staying at Scooby in 2016. It is my happy place, and I'm in heaven being surrounded by, and totally immersed in, hundreds of Galgos. They are all so different! And I kind of think that many Greyhounds are as different from each other as they are from Galgos. It's funny, though, each one of my girls has started taking on some traits of angel Greys who have gone before them. I do think there are some basic differences, of course, and one of the main ones is that more Galgos are likely to be shy or traumatized due to their lives with the galgueros. It's pretty complex. They are also more of endurance runners, as their lives depend on them being able to chase the Spanish hares. If you can, I'd really recommend watching the film, Yo Galgo. It was---hopefully still is---available on Vimeo. I believe there is a charge to watch it. It's a magnificent film by Yeray Lopez, which sheds light on their history, their plight, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful. I think everyone who is interested in learning more about Galgos should watch. It is available with English subtitles. Here is a link to the film's website: https://skinnydogfilms.com/yo-galgo-documentary There is also a Yo Galgo Facebook page. I'd also recommend checking out the Facebook pages and/or websites of the rescue groups in Spain, and the groups in the US who work with those rescues to bring the dogs to this country and place them through their groups. Scooby has my heart, so you can find them on Facebook here: Protectora y Santuario Scooby. There are many other Spanish groups, but Fundacion Benjamin Mehnert and 112 Carlota Galgos, I've volunteered with and think highly of. Like others have said, there are quite a few US groups that are great---SAGE and SHUG are two that I've worked with and transported for. Grateful Greyhounds, which is in the NY area and places Greyhounds and Galgos, is very good as well. I will say that the rescue groups here are always busy. They are, of course, valuable sources of information, but may not be able to spend a lot of time on in depth, on-going conversations. It's not that they don't care, it's just that they have SO much going on, and so many people and dogs depending on them. I hope some of the info helps. You can always PM me here or on Facebook (Nancy Young Hanson), or let me know if you'd like my email. I always love talking about Galgos! And I'm always excited when someone wants to adopt a Galgo---they need all the help we can give them---and no, it doesn't matter where in the world they are if they have captured your heart.

Leaving early tomorrow, with an abundance of caution. Yes, it will be very different, but we love the Finger Lakes and this event so much that we are looking forward to it. Reserving is fine, and we'll just visit our favorites too, maybe have a glass outside, and buy the wines we already know we like. And apparently, buy something to eat so we can drink the wine! Won't hurt. Hope to see you, Laura!

Thanks, Elizabeth! We've been to some of those. Hector Falls of course. And Montour Falls, we saw some years ago, but I'd like to re-visit it again. So cool to see a waterfall behind someone's house! And the little town is worth a visit. I'd forgotten about it. We went to Taughannock Falls a couple times, but it's been a while, and I'd like to do it again. I'm not sure Doug could do the walk all the way to the Falls though. Are you going to do it on Sunday? Lodi Point sounds really interesting! I'm going to research it further---this is what I'm looking for. The Museum, we'd have to leave the dogs in the trailer, and I don't think that's an option. I'm wondering when we'll get our E Booklets. Larry, if you're reading this, can you give us an idea? We're leaving on Monday. Thanks!

That would be great! Jeannine, you should have gotten the masks by now. We got ours at least a week ago. When did you order yours?

Tricia and Jen, it would be great to see you guys---from an acceptable distance, of course. We need a change of scenery too. We reserved our trailer when we checked out last year, and found out we get a 7th night free when we stay 6 nights. And since Doug is now retired, and we lost our Simon kitty, we can stay longer, so we'll be there from Monday to Monday. We just didn't know it would be so different. Any ideas for other stuff to do, scenic places to see?

I was wondering if anyone here is planning to go to Grapehounds. We are. And are cautiously optimistic. The virus spikes and scaling back of everything is worrisome., and we plan to be really careful. Of course, it will be very different, but we're ready for that. Staying at Sned Acres campground for the 4th year, we think it's the perfect place to just relax---and definitely social distance. We'll probably be spending more time there, which is fine. We just feel like we need to get away from home for a while. In the past, we've come home with a ton of wine, but I think that will change this year, though there are certain wines from certain wineries that we know we like. We won't be able to taste as much on site, so we'll see how getting a bottle or a glass and sitting outside goes. Oh, we got our masks, and love them!

Aw, such lovely pictures. I love that there is Irish, Spanish, American and British.

Hi, Mimi! Yes, it's good to see you here. How are you doing? We've missed you. And Happy Birthday, sweet Burdette!

Hi, Larry! We are planning to go to Grapehounds. Even with the necessary changes, it is an event that we so look forward to. And this year, we really need it. We got our T-shirts, and love them---so well done. And the graphic is beautiful. We are going to register soon. I was wondering---we are planning to order the Grapehound masks. If we do, will they be mailed before the event? We could really use them now.

We watched it again. I'd seen it twice last year, but it bears repeating. Didn't he do an excellent job? It was especially poignant to me because my 3 Galgo girls watched it with me.

Buddy, I think we might follow you on Instagram, if we don't already. We just did!

Isn't that a croton? They are so beautiful, but I've never been able to keep one alive. We don't have any house plants. I can't keep ANY plant alive! We DO have lots of ornaments.

Angie and Kiva checking out the lemons and limes. We're into boosting our Vitamin C.

Aw, Charlie, I'm not sure why, but that made me laff an laff.

So nice to see that!

I needed to get in touch with her in the past. You could try messaging Bec J. Maier with Greyt Glass on Facebook. They are friends, and she didn't mind when I reached out to her there to get in touch with Sherry. Apparently, she's used to it.

I always love this story, and had forgotten some of the details. Like Whiskey being Dude's half brother! And he and Nigel coming to Vermont on the same haul! What a wonderful group GT'ers are. We miss you Whiskey.

That is incredible! We haven't been to Dewey since I started going to Spain in 2012, but one thing we always did was get up at sunrise to try and get some good pictures. Of course, we never got any pictures like this!

I am loving this thread! I haven't gotten the hang of posting pics again, or I'd post my angel Lydia. We were so blessed to have her with us till she was 14 1/2, and I loved looking at her beautiful silver face every day.

And the picture perfectly captures his gorgeousness.

Just seeing this. What a lovely article! And it makes me feel that I'm not a wacko. Well, maybe I am. I speak Spanish to my 3 Galgo girls. Well, English too, but I kinda thought they didn't have too much loving Spanish spoken to them from the galgueros, so I tell them some every day. Actually, a lot. Here is what I say most often: Sabes cuanto te amo? Te amo mucho. Porque tu eres una buena Galga. Tu eres muy hermosa, muy cariñosa, muy jugeton, muy lista, muy fuerte y muy valiente. Translated: Do you know how much I love you? I love you a lot. Because you are a good Galga. You are very beautiful, very sweet, very playful, very smart, very strong, and very brave. I said this a lot to Kiva when she first came, because she didn't seem to think she was any of that. Then I add their names, with their Spanish middle names---Evangelina, mi pequeña Corazon (heart), Esquiva, mi pequeña Milagra (miracle), and Laila, mi pequeña Mariposa (butterfly). And sometimes Laila won't sit until we say Sientaté! But I also say, There's no whining in Galgos! There was also No whining in Greyhounds!