Heartman Returns

This month we got Heartman back with us. It looks like he is here to stay now. Ann just had too many dogs, and Heartman was just one too many Wolfhounds..and it also didn't help that Heartman loved to bark at the horses on the farm. Well there are no horses here so everything is fine. Of course he has been here for short stays two times in the past so this was like coming home for him and Sailor is ecstatic to have another Wolfhound to play with. Heartman is two years old, so he is not that far from puppy-hood himself, and enjoys rough-housing with Sailor. Sailor chews on Heartman's face without mercy, but Heartman is so very patient with him.

Of course all is not as smooth with Guido. Heartman doesn't back down when Guido tries to boss him around, so there has been a few disagreements between the two. We keep them separate during the day, to make sure nothing too bad happens while we are gone. But for the most part they at least tolerate each other.

Last week we took a long weekend and went to our favorite beach in Yachats. We stayed in the dog-friendly house that we have been to several times before and of course all three dogs came with us. They had a great time, and so did we. Here's a few of the pictures we took of them while we were there. The first one is all three dogs romping on the beach, then WHW and Heartman, then Sailor and Guido and finally Heartman relaxing at the beach house.

How I Learned to Love Irish Wolfhounds

It started about 10 years ago, I had been divorced for a couple of years and was in my own home. I had two cats that were part of my divorce settlement. At that time, I had lost both my parents, my oldest brother and left a ten year marriage within an 18 month period. I was doing long distance walking/running and wanted a partner that I could count on being willing to go for a walk anytime and I started exploring different dog breeds. I wanted a dog large enough to be intimidating, but gentle enough to get along with my aging cats and large number of small children who lived in my neighborhood. I was working swing shift in a metro hospital and would use my spare time to read about the various dog breeds from a book I bought at a hospital book sale. I became curious about the Irish Wolfhounds. My sister and I attended a speciality dog show in the Seattle area. There were about 90 Irish wolfhounds there and I couldn't get over how quiet and laid back it was. Through that dog show I met some breeders and was screened to see if I would be a good owner or not. They wanted to see if the dogs liked me or not, apparently I passed and about a year later Romeo a wheaten wolfhound puppy came to live at my house. I haven't looked back, and can't imagine my life without one. My original breeder and I have kept in touch over the years and we are about to get our third dog from her Yachats who is featured on this site.

When my husband met me, he had the good sense to realize that the wolfhounds would be part of his life as well. In spite of Chiani chewing up his glasses and wrist watch a few months after we began our relationship, he has grown to love and appreciate the breed. This will be his first wolfhound to raise from a puppy, and I am excited for him. It will be good to have the new puppy to help balance the sadness of Sketch's cancer. She remains a happy loving dog and tolerates all that we are doing to prolong her life. Irish Wolfhounds don't usually live much beyond 7 years and you learn that every day is precious from observing their short but stellar lives. They are shooting stars and you make that bargain to love and let go and value every day you have with them in your life.