Pictured above at the 2005 Royal Adelaide Show - Best of Breed

'Australian Champion'

Elwick Summer Love
'Poppy'

 We have always had a soft spot for the Greyhound, after obtaining Leah (a blue racing greyhound who didn't make the grade as a racer)  we fell in love with their nature and character. As we were into obedience at that time Marilyn decided she would see what it would be like to train a 'grey' in obedience.  What a large learning curve that was;  Leah did get to trials standard and got everyones interest although she didn't obtain any titles. As time past we thought we may get another one  at some time - perhaps a show one as we were now into showing with the GSDs.

  After watching a couple of male greys imported from Finland at the Royal Adelaide show we decided we needed to talk to the owners of these very  regal looking animals.  The style and grace of these 2 magnificent dogs was something to watch as they just appeared to move effortlessly across the ring almost floating.  After speaking to the owners - Chris and Gail.  A year went past when we got the call that a puppy was available, Gail Wilde of Elwick Kennels in victoria had a litter and at 12 weeks of age a white with brindle patches female arrived at our home; Elwick Summer Love.   This sweet puppy became known as 'Poppy' and she sat on Marilyn's lap for the hour drive from the airport to our home.

Poppy settled in very well and now has become an important part of our kennel.  She became a champion at the age of 13 months.  At her first Royal Adelaide Show in 2004 she took out Puppy of Breed, a year later  2005 she was Best of Breed and to our surprise beat her father and grandfather she was even called out in the final 8 selection for the group judging on General Specials Day.  In 2006 she repeated this feat, in 2007 and 2008 she was Runner Up Best of Breed, to another greyhound bred by Chris of Xilone kennels.

Poppy is now in semi retirement at age 5 as 2008 has not been a really good year for the gracious grey with character being very ill on a couple of occasions.  She has recovered from bloat and  is now nearly back to her best.  (Pictured below Runner Up Best of Breed 2008 Royal Adelaide Show)

Poppy (pop star) has a very outgoing character NEVER RESERVED OR TIMID and is a very much 'in your face dog' going up to everyone for a pat.  She does have a stubborn streak though and can be very pig headed at times but we still love our very elegant grey with all the right curves.

(Pictured benched at the Royal Adelaide Show)

---ooOoo---

 The Greyhound Standard:

GENERAL APPEARANCE: Strongly built, upstanding of generous proportions, muscular power and symmetrical formation, with long head and neck, clean well laid shoulders, deep chest, capacious body, arched loin, powerful quarters, sound legs and geet, and a suppleness of limb, which emphasises in a marked degree it distinctive type & quality.
CHARACTERISTICS: Possess remarkable stamina & endurance
TEMPERAMENT: Intelligent, gentle, affectionate and even tempered
HEAD & SKULL: Lon, moderate width, flat skull, slight stop.  Jaws powerful and well chiselled
EYES: Bright, intelligent, oval and obliquely set. Preferably dark
MOUTH: Jaws strong & with a perfect, regular and complete sissor bite, ie the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth & set squarely to the jaws.
NECK: Long & muscular, elegantly arched, well let into shoulders
FOREQUARTERS: Shoulder oblique, well set back, muscular without being loaded, narrow and cleanly defined at top.  Forelegs long & straight, bone of good substance & quality.  Elbows free & well set under shoulder.  Pasterns moderate length, slightly sprung.  elbows, pasterns & toes inclining neither in nor out.
BODY: Chest deep & capacious providing adequate heart room.  Ribs deep, well sprung & carried well back.  Flanks well cut up.  Back rather long broad & square.  Loin powerful, SLIGHTLY ARCHED.
HINDQUARTERS: Thighs and second thighs, wide and muscular, showing great propelling power.  Stifles well bent.  Hocks well let down, inclining neither in nor out.  Body & hindquarters features of ample proportions & well coupled, enabling adequate ground to be covered when standing.
FEET: Moderate length with compact well knuckled toes & strong pads
TAIL: Long set rather low, strong at root, tapering to point, carried low, slightly curved
GAIT/MOVEMENT:  Straight, low reaching, free striding enabling the ground to be covered at great speed.  Hind legs coming well under body giving great propulsion
COAT: Fine & close
COLOUR: Black, white, red, blue, fawn, fallow, brindle or and of these clours broken with white
SIZE: Ideal Height - Dogs - 71 - 76 cm (28 - 30 ins)
                            Bitches - 78 - 71 cm (27 - 29 ins)
FAULTS: any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to it degree
NOTE: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles full descended inth the scrotum.

The Greyhound: taken from an article wriiten by world renown Hound Judge Ms Dagmar Kenis Prodham of Solstrand Hounds for the breed feature in 'Our Dogs' 9th June 2000; pg 23.
"first of all the Greyhound in not finely built. But I also see it as the first of many references to the overall shape of the Greyhound, a dog built on long lines, where there is one continuous smooth curving line from the head to the tip of the tail.  The underline also flows, the curves along the brisket to the tuckup and on to stifle and hock. The Greyhound is not an angular dog, but a curvy dog."

"I would call these Key Points in the greyhound standard.  Here we find the first of many references to the musculature, and also to the necessary overall balance, where the parts of the body fit together in complete harmony.
Long head and neck, clean well laid shoulder, deep chest, capacious body, arched loin, powerful quarters, sound legs and feet."
This article was prepared for the Greyhound Club/SE Hound Club judging seminar Felbridge Village Hall, April 19, 1997

Pictured above - 2004 Minor Puppy in Show at the Whippet & Greyhound Championship Show
& below
at the 2006 Royal Adelaide Show (Best of Breed) with Marilyn