K9FUN home of the Hunseder Hound Hacienda

Pearl

Love at first sight. That's Nick and Pearl.

October 2009, we went to a tour of the Dorsey kennels in Avondale. Knowing that the Phoenix track would close down in December, we wanted to see the kennels again once again before anything happened. There are dozens of hounds there, and we've done the tour before. But this time was different. Nick saw a little girl with a great personality. When he sat down in front of her kennel, she wriggled closer and put her head in his hand. She was a real sweetie. We did something we never did before, we asked to adopt her when her career was over...fully expecting it would be a couple of years.

We watched her races on the internet broadcasts from the Phoenix Greyhound Park. What a racer! We've captured one of the races and posted it to YouTube. She is ahead from the beginning and quickly puts seven lengths between her and the next dog and easily wins. In November she pulled a muscle and was not racing when the track closed in December. In February on Valentine's Day weekend we made a trip to Avondale just to see her. Her trainer must have seen how special she was to us, because a couple of weeks later he contacted us and asked if we could take her now. Really?!? Woohoo!

We were a little worried that she was so young (not yet 3 years old at the time), but she came home and fit right in. She's very smart and learned quickly the rules of the house. She figured out the doggie door the first day and never had an accident in the house.  Not bad for right out of the kennel and never in a home. She's definitely Nick's girl. Every night she comes right to bed and jumps up next to him and presses herself to his side, where she stays all night long. She's content to spend the afternoon in Debbie's office, but snuggles with Nick at every chance.

Pearl, the world is your oyster.

We lost Pearl on August 16, 2016.

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