Elektra's teething

Elektra has been teething for months now. She got her first two teeth just after turning 6 months old. Five (5) months later, those were still the only teeth she had.

Yesterday, she finally broke through the top right incisor and top right front tooth. Today, she broke through the top left incisor and the top left front tooth is right behind it. Seriously, this child is teething 4 teeth at the same time. It's a small miracle she's in such a good mood all of the time despite dealing with such mouth drama!!!!

$1M for Italian Greyhound Rescue

Italian Greyhound Rescue is entirely a volunteer organization that holds fundraisers and actively solicits donations to help defray the vet costs of iggies coming into rescue. As with every breed rescue organization out there, Iggy Rescue is always hurting for operating funds to care for the hundreds of dogs they save every year.

Our beloved Italian Greyhounds (fondly known as Iggies), IO and Napoleon, came to us via Italian Greyhound Rescue. Clearly, we have a interest in wishing Iggy Rescue success in what it does else we wouldn't have our two lovebug dogs today!

All American Pet Brands is hosting a cutest dog competition in which the grand prize is $1 MILLION. One of owners of a rescue iggy, Luther, has submitted Luther's picture into this contest. Luther's owner has pledged that every penny of the winnings, after taxes, will be donated to Iggy Rescue.

HOW TO VOTE:
Go to: http://www.cutestdogcompetition.com/gallery.cfm
SEARCH for Luther
2 pictures of Luther - in an sherlock holmes outfit - will be displayed along with a few other dogs named Luther.

VOTE FOR BOTH of the pictures of Luther, the Italian Greyhound!

Please vote every day!

A little bit from Luther's owner about Luther and why she wants to donate her earnings to Iggy Rescue:

Luther was found, wandering along a highway outside Minneapolis by a Minnesota Shelter when he was a weanling pup 8 years ago. My daughter adopted him and then gave him to me when he was 4 mos. old. I was recovering from major spinal surgery. and have spent literally years in bed then and since. Little Luther was just a delight! I've always felt Luther adopted and rescued me, and not the other way around.

The shelter tried to find his owner by placing newspaper and TV ads featuring him, but no one came forward. All we know is that this wee boy was alone, nowhere near a neighborhood where his family might have been. His nose was all covered with cheese.

We have 3 Cairn Terriers, Possum, Tiger and Woody. Possum took baby Luther totally to heart, and even nursed him, kept him loved and cuddled and licked clean, and to this day, has daily played gently with him, she on her back, waving her short little legs in the air, and showing him great alligator jaws. She is now nearly 15, and their relationship remains very close.

So he is a foundling, raised by a paralyzed lady in bed much of the time, taught the dog rules by his loving adopted mama, Possum. My husband Phil is here with us most of the time, caring for me and the dogs.

Yes, Luther's a rescue. He is now adopted.

All the money we may win goes immediately to the Italian Greyhound Rescue Foundation. Except...

I will have to hold back enough money to pay taxes as the money would legally come to me and would be reported by the contest to the IRS. I can't afford to pay taxes on a big chunk of money like that. IGRF would get ALL the rest. Every penny.

So he is a representative of all Rescue IGs, and all I'm doing is trying to bring as many IG lovers together as I can, to make a large enough voting mass to win this contest. I figured if people wanted to join in, we might just do it. If not, little lost - time is mostly all. I do have lots of that.

Hi Axel!

I'm so behind on my blogging, but here is a picture taken by Dave or Nancy's iPhone of Baby Axel on his birthday.

Axel William

We think he looks like a really good blend of both Dave and Nancy! And we think he looks a teeny bit like DJ.

All in all, he is a beautiful baby! He looks *awesome* for just having been born a few hours before!

Oh baby!!

The East Coast Steaks are thrilled to hear that the West Coast Steaks welcomed Axel William into the world at 12:43 PM PDT today!!! He is 8 pounds even and 22 inches long.

Happy day!! We can't wait to meet you, Axel!! XOXO to Mommy Nancy and Daddy Dave!