My name is Carol and I currently have two whippets, Chester, who is eleven & a half years old and Delta, a lunatic who is three years old. We all live in Dorset, England, close to Chelsea and Savannah.

I always wanted a dog but could never have one until, in 1989, I bought Rolo, a red fawn parti-colour whippet dog, for my daughter when she was twelve years old. She did his obedience training and I had to work hard at not making him "mine" because we were at home together while she was at school. Three years later I was at last able to have a dog of my own and Chester (solid brindle) is totally my dog, as long as he is with me he is happy. In 2000 Delta came into our lives, the peace was shattered, chaos now reigns.

Last year we made the difficult decision to have Rolo put to sleep as life was becoming a struggle for him, nothing seriously wrong, just age taking its toll in many little ways. As we believe it better to make that decision a little too early rather than too late he was put to sleep peacefully out in the garden on a beautiful Spring morning. His ashes are now buried beneath the lawn where he always used to sunbathe.

We have shown all the dogs at Open Shows and the two older ones at Championship Shows, Rolo managing to qualify for Crufts at his first Champ. Show, much to my astonishment. That was his only moment of glory, Frances handled him at Crufts and he lay down in the ring, not surprisingly he didn't do very well. He found Shows totally boring and would much rather have been out in our local forest chasing squirrels. Unfortunately Delta is no longer up to show standard as he carries his head to one side but he thoroughly enjoys agility classes.

Our whippet numbers are increased when we go for walks with Rolo's breeder and her family of whippets, or when we whippet sit and Dino (9yrs old) spends his holidays with us if his Mum is away. We’ve looked after Chelsea a couple of times too.

Would we choose another breed? Of course not!!!

June 2003.

CAB

Email:  c.a.blight@talk21.com