This week at work we had an Irish Wolfhound in doggie daycare. I’ve wanted to see an Irish Wolfhound since I saw a drawing of one in an encyclopedia as a child (a drawing of the tallest dog in the world). Kiva was not only extremely tall - much taller than me when she was standing on her hind legs - but had the longest tail I’ve ever seen on a dog. Between two and three feet long! A truly epic tail that could’ve swept the ground had it not been curvy. (Here's a photo of an Irish Wolfhound standing next to a chihuahua-poodle mix):
Kiva was a sweet-tempered giant. Irish Wolfhounds are said to be loyal to their humans and very successful hunters of deer, elk, boar, and wolves.
Irish Wolfhounds were famously traded between royalty as early as 391 BCE. That was when Roman statesman Quintus Aurelius Symmachus wrote a thank-you letter to his brother for a gift of seven of them. Later, in 1652, Oliver Cromwell issued a declaration that Irish Wolfhounds were not to be exported from Ireland.
The Irish Wolfhounds were such successful hunters that in 1786 Ireland declared itself finally free of wolves. Sadly, the wolfhounds paid the price for being too good at their jobs. In 1836 the Irish Wolfhounds were included on a list entitled “Notices of Animals which have Disappeared from Ireland”.
In 1863, Capt. George Graham decided to revive the breed. To do this, he used some dogs who were supposedly descendants of the extinct wolfhounds. He bred in Scottish Deerhounds and Great Danes and a little bit of Borzoi. There was a one-time cross to a Tibetan Mastiff named Wolf. Two of Wolf’s daughters are behind every Irish Wolfhound alive today. (Photo of a Borzoi):
The breed gained official Kennel Club standing in 1886.
In other dog news, my brother adopted a dog two weeks ago! She’s an eight-week-old puppy named Pixel. She’s part Catahoula Leopard Dog, and part German Shepherd.
Catahoulas are named for Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, and are the State Dog of Louisiana - a designation they earned in 1979. They’re big dogs. The males can weigh up to 110 pounds, and the females up to 90. They are shepherds and hunters, thought to have originated in the mid-1700s. Teddy Roosevelt used a Catahoula Leopard Dog while hunting.
In news of our dog Bonz, we have been enjoying the avian life on our morning walks.
We often see a Great Blue Heron at our little lake:
We have recently seen what I believe is a loon:
Loons mainly breed in Canada, and migrate to coastal areas. But they like to vacation (it seems) in Colorado - like so many humans. I didn’t hear this one, so I can’t be sure, but he moved like a loon.
Finally, the insane soap sale of this week is Ginger Patchouli. These bars are part of our “manly” collection - requested by some customers at the Albuquerque Rail Yards Market last summer. They’re on deep discount this week. The patchouli in them is very subtle - if you’re looking for hippie era patchouli, you’ll be disappointed. But if you’re looking for a delightful bar with a hint of patchouli, these are your bars! Here’s a link that will take you directly there: https://www.serenasoaps.com/product-page/ginger-patchouli-3-oz
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