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Maggie, our Italian Greyhound
It’s official: we have become certifiably insane. We’ve become “those people” who dote on their dogs like they’re kids. We’re officially held hostage by an incredibly cute, cuddly, loving, affectionate…damn, there I go again! We’re being held captive by a vicious animal.
How the heck did this happen?
I guess you could say we are “pet people”. We have “Kasey” a black cat we got free from a pet store when we moved in together in Nashville 14 years ago. She’s old, but sturdy…and still plays like a kitten.
Ten years ago our 90 lb. pure black German Shepard “Max” joined us as a puppy after we rescued him as a stray on the streets of downtown Tampa. Max truly believes there are flesh-eating zombies roaming the streets of our quiet suburban neighborhood. I know this because he alerts us to any movement in front of the house with his low “woofs”. These certainly warn us of impending doom, for which we are eternally grateful and reward him with food.
I can’t leave out Jake, the three foot corn snake Tucker and I found under our boat in our back yard as a baby. “Let’s keep him for a couple days to check him out” turned into a year and a half and about two feet longer than he was. In short, we’ve never paid for a pet, they kind of “fall into” our family.
Then there was the fated day a year ago that Maggie came into our lives. It all started with a casual trip to Petsmart after the three of us had dinner one night. We were considering getting a kitten to keep Kasey company during the day. Evidently it wasn’t “kitten season” as we were told, they didn’t have any. Unfortunately Italian Greyhounds don’t follow the same biological clock.
We saw the minuscule greyhound playing with her sister in the window and my wife thought we should just play with her for a minute. I want to make it clear this was my wife’s decision (something she has to be reminded of occasionally now).
A mere 30 minutes later and something like a gazillion dollars on my Amex and we were on the way home with a dog who has more family history than most people I know. That’s when we all started losing our minds.
Italian Greyhounds need sweaters. Who knew?
If you don’t know much about Italian Greyhounds (I.G.’s or “Iggies” as we have since learned), they are incredibly affectionate, loyal dogs. They sleep quite a bit, normally burrowed under any available blankets. If you are available they much prefer to curl up on your lap or beside you on the couch, so close you would think they are an extension of your body. They wake up occasionally, look up at you with these eyes that could melt the polar ice caps, then nuzzle back down and go directly back to sleep.
I.G.’s use a lot of ingenuity when they want something, and they’re sneaky. If they can’t get something by stealing it they’ll find a way to get you to get it for them. Think it’s funny? Get an I.G. and find out for yourself. I took this video after finding Maggie outside of the bathroom where we kept her as a puppy. Everything would be intact, but she was just out. I set up the video and walked out the front door. Came back 10 minutes later with her out…the video is priceless.
These dogs have a real personality. It is said I.G.’s train their owners, not the other way around. When I first read that I thought it was funny, now I understand. Maggie is actually more like a cat than a dog. She doesn’t do anything that isn’t her idea, so it makes getting her to do things a strategic challenge. The funny thing is she doesn’t refuse defiantly, she does it with almost a comical, mischievous look on her face, tail wagging as if to say “look at the cute human, he wants me to actually give him the remote control I have successfully stolen from the coffee table. Poor man, he doesn’t understand this is mine now“, just before taking off at roughly the speed of sound.
She loves to be chased, and at a top speed of 27 mph, I’m not catching her. I recorded this video at 3am Christmas morning after Maggie decided we had been gone too long at my folks house and wanted to play…I had to run some energy out of her before going to bed.
She’s an incredibly smart dog. She has as many toys as a toddler, and we typically have to pick up after her nightly after she’s taken them out of her toy box (yes, she has a toy box) and spread them around the family room. When she wants to play she’ll go through her toy box and find just the right toy to play with. This is a meticulous process that is really funny to watch. She’ll pick up each toy, put it aside, dig out another one, put it aside, another one…and so on until she finds the one she wants and brings it over, tossing it casually onto your feet then standing there waiting for you to throw it for her.
She has her “bear”, her “flamingo”, her “mouse”, her “glove”, her “lion”, “rope bone”, etc. We can ask her to bring us any of these and about 90% of the time she gets it right. As long as you’re playing she’s listening.
So, what'd you have for dinner?
She rules the house, no doubt about it. She simultaneously annoys the heck out of everyone and makes them laugh out loud. It’s pretty hard to get mad at her, and it doesn’t matter if you do since she won’t stop what she’s doing anyway. Max is incredibly patient with her for an old dog, and Kasey tolerates her (and then they sleep together with Kim on the couch).
So as you might have gathered we’ve become “those people”. I guess I have to willingly admit that. I know I’ll catch some flack from some people for it, but I can’t help it. I’m secure enough in my manhood to say my dog has me wrapped around her…um…paw?
I’m not alone either, she owns Kim and Tucker too, oh yeah…also my Mom & Dad, everyone else who comes to the house, our entire neighborhood, and one of my co-workers who has threatened to steal her if I turn my back for too long. What a dog. My only regret? I wish we had one more 
Maggie in full gallop
"I should get a treat for my patience with this small human"
Leave a reply
Jessica
December 2nd, 2009 at 00:07
I have an IG too, and you have nailed them down perfectly. Bella has a toy basket full of toys, and every day without fail they are all scattered over the house.
Maggie is gorgeous
Here’s a picture of Bella:
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii198/fellzor/bella/100_1490.jpg
Chris
December 28th, 2009 at 21:53
Congratulations! She’s beautiful!
jackie
January 6th, 2010 at 11:37
what a great story – I’ve seen your prison break video and racing videos on Utube – I have a sweet little IG girl – Named her “Trixie” – (don’t know if you’re old enough – but Honeymooners – ed norton’s wife – Trixie – remember when the cartoon “Tom & Jerry” – did the Honeymooners as mice?? Trixie looks like a mouse right now !! ) I too have a menagerie of rescued pets – I was hooked when I saw Trixie at a local place too….
Merle
January 9th, 2010 at 17:33
I have an Italian Greyhound named Gia and love her to death. I really enjoyed your stories and videos as you really did capture their personalities. I have two other dogs but none of them have stolen my heart the way Gia has. I had another IG who died suddenly after 7 years and it broke my heart. There’s something so loving and magical about this breed. It’s IG’s for me for life.
Lucy
April 8th, 2010 at 16:17
We just got our 1st IG. She is 8wks old and and such a doll. We love her to peices already. She loves to play with her toys, she hides them under our foot stool. I have noticed little things about her personality already. She want’s to do what she wants!!! She also will not go to sleep during the day anywhere else except the couch. I have tried to get here in her bed. She is totally reluctent to do it. So i go this brainy idea to put her bed on the couch. So now she is in her bed on the couch as i’m typing. Her potty training is going quit well. Surprisingly. YAY!! She is great! We love her. I loved your story and you pin pointed the breed just right.. We will continue to enjoy our babygirl..
Kirsty
July 12th, 2010 at 10:47
I loved the videos of Maggie. She is adorable. Thanks for sharing it.
We will be getting our first IG this weekend. Her name is Olive and she is silver-blue with white markings. My husband was not convinced until he met her (he is a Golden Retriever person) and fell in love too.
Stacy
October 16th, 2010 at 02:58
As owners of three IG’s, our family loved your story & videos. Our oldest IG, Bud, was able to scale a four foot wire enclosure at three months old. The enclosure was in our garage & we discovered his climbing abilities by hiding in one of our vehicles & watching his method of escape. We’ve since added latice work to the top to contain our boys! Our middle IG, Lou, looks just like your Maggie in his color & markings. Our youngest (the troublemaker that I call “the mosquito” because he buzzes around the other two & nips at them to get attention), Chick, is the bounciest dog I’ve ever seen. Even at 2:00 am when I typically take them out for “private time” in the backyard, he bounces around the yard; definitely a happy little guy.
Have fun with Maggie, & just know that there are many of us crazy dog people out there that understand!
George
December 2nd, 2010 at 15:07
A friend of mine sent me your youtube post in the past and now this. My little “Piccolo” is my heart. I used to circle the globe six to eight times a year and since I’ve gotten him, I find myself doing as many day trips as I can, just so I don’t have to be away from him. I’ve had Loro Piana cashmere sweaters made for him, he is driven around in the back of a big Benz…and he won’t get in and out of the front doors, the back door has to be opened just for him. He’ll sit and wait until it is opened for him. What have I become?
http://georgezaharoff.com/2009/03/08/how-a-dog-changed-my-life.aspx