Hi Readers, I know its been a while since my last post but everybody at the house of hound has been so busy over the past few weeks. We have been preparing for/attending the 2012 RNA exhibition (also known as the "ekka" to Brisbane locals). It was 10 days of pats, talking about greyhounds, cuddles, strawberry ice creams and smooching the public to build awareness of what greyt pets we greyhounds make.
We took a lot of photos this year and I have picked out a selection of my favourites. I hope you like them -
There were 10 days of sunny blue skies and cool weather for the show.
We drove to the show with Ozzy navigating from the back seat...
... while a lot of country folk bought their horses along.
Just follow the signs to the top attraction in the dog pavilion!
Sue with Ozzy ready for action on day one.
Yours truly in my favourite position on the couch (just to watch the donation tin of course).
Prancer sucking up to auntie Gail.
Clearly the breaking of the drought has lead to massive pest issues. Does anybody have any dog safe snail bait I can borrow?
So many school children, so many pats! hopefully our fur will grow back soon as some of us look like a much loved teddy bear.
Some of the members of my personal protection squad in the lounge.
A couch eye view of the ekka.
Obey the Grey! Audrey demands pats using her hypnotic powers on visitors to the lounge.
Mum with Aunties Jo, Gail and Marnie.
The pest situation is getting ridiculous. I wonder if the bounty on roos is still in place?
Jay Jay's secret to his bouncy personality is out of the bag.
Greyhound sweepstakes day. Auntie Brook's dog Dougal, Peter the RQ steward, Auntie Gaye in the ring with Maggie and Tibby with his ribbon.
Ozzy trying to get a part in the next ice age movie!
Prancer shares a joke with Aunty Angela on the lounge.
Reason 165 to own a greyhound - you can always tell which end to feed.
This clever chap works guarding the beer deliveries from Brisbane's version of
Barney Gumble.
We get asked a lot "are those dogs child friendly?", we ask "are those children dog friendly?"
Prancer having a deep and meaningful with a visitor to the greyhound lounge.
Michael from the RSPCA with Gail, Dreamy and Prancer.
Prancer isn't too sure what to make of this human/wolf hybrid that dropped in to say hi.
Dad wouldn't let me go into the haunted house as he said I would get too upset. He tells me its full of psychopathic veterinarians, red haired clowns and Chinese crested zombie dogs. The horror!
Ozzie check out the
guide dog merchandise for sale on our friends stand at the show.
Jay Dee has a break with her Mum during a rare quiet moment...
... while Ozzy snoozes under Dad's cap.
It appears Prancer's theory on pugs being delicious may be true. I found these for sale during my lunch break.
Wally gets some love during the show.
Crowds flocked to see
me the lounge, about 400,000 humans visited the show.
We think this lady was trying to put Wally under her jacket so she could take him home.
Two of the Ekka' lovely showgirls visited us for cuddles. Yet another reason to come back as a GAP greyhound.
This husky was hoping for a placing in the best adolescent bitch class at the show.
Judging day for the horses in the main ring.
Me with some of my fans.
Assistant minister for sport and racing Tim Mander called in to visit, seen here with brother Eddie.
Some of our terrific volunteers for people's day.
And the crowds kept coming!
Prancer's brat pack impersonation kept us all amused at the show.
Eddie cam out and about in the show grounds.
One of the many fruit and vegetable displays, this one was an award winner for the boy scouts.
Um, I thought they had a lot more tasty stuff on the inside?
One of our rather large cousins called by the lounge as he waited for his blue ribbon photograph to be taken.
Jay Jay was very happy to help sort out the contents of these sample bags for some visitors.
"Darling, where did you get that fabulous snood?" Pumpkin asks this stylish visitor.
Ozzy seeks some quiet reassurance from Dad during the day.
The live lambing display is always a hit with the kids, these guys were all born during the show and are believed to be be both cute and tasty!
A young GAP fan could start a new fashion craze!
I always thought human puppies were whelped like we hounds. It seems they also have some sort of larval stage?
Bree does some quality control work on the Price Charles hospital's strawberry ice creams.
Reason 203 to own a greyhound - We don't need hair straighteners!
Ozzy was amazed by the interest in the greyhounds and won many new fans at his first ekka promo.
Pumpkin gets some medical treatment for being too cute.
I think Minnie is letting me know she is available by the placement of that flower.
The head of Prancer's fan club was upset to find he was on his day off but delighted to finally meet him again next day.
Silly hat day in the lounge!
We are all exhausted after ten straight days. Here I share the couch (sort off) with volunteer Milly who has worked very hard promoting GAP and greyhound adoption.
Some of our favourite quotes and questions of the show -
- Have you drugged these dogs?
- Is that dog on the lounge animatronic ?
- Why are they so well behaved?
- And our favourite from some young schoolgirls - These dogs have the best room here with a lounge and a telly!
Well Readers, that's its for me for now. I need to have a few days snooze to recover from the stress of watching over the greyhound lounge. Until next time - Murphy.
The early arrivals with their humans.
Here be greyhounds!
Heading off on the walk.
Eddie & Ozzy towing Mum along so they can be at the front of the pack!
What a beautiful spot to walk your human.
Cooling off as the day warmed up.
We met these guys on the walk, luckily we greys dry off really fast!
"I'm not sure about the toppings on this one!"
Hounds for as far as the eye can see.
Taking a break during the walk.
People loved seeing so many hounds together and came over to chat.
Midway rest break (for the humans of course!)
Ozzy hadn't seen waves before and wasn't sure about them.
While Eddie knew exactly what to do.
Jay Jay enjoyed walking many different humans today.
Somebody said there was buried treasure here and the dig was on!
"thats a fine hole you've dug there". Sadly no doubloons were found.
We met Roman who is a GAP dog from South Australia on the walk. His owner now lives in Brisbane and was there by chance today.
Eddie and Ozzy voguing!
Having drinkies after the walk.
The team met some of the local children in the park while we cooled down.
You can see all the way over the the sandbanks on Moreton island from our beach.
