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Salukis of letters
or strictly speaking mostly extracts from emails between Coco and his cousin Jabari.
This exchange of correspondence began with an email from Jabari - but Little Sis has told me to reorganise the page so that the latest correspondence is at the top and the first is at the bottom.
Coco's Blog and Salukis of letters are long overdue for an update. Please can we have the latest adventures? Have been waiting very patiently! 15/8/10. A very flattering contact message from Peggy and Cousin Georgie.
Dear Peggy, Georgie and Puppy, 16th August 2010 
I am very flattered by your request for news of my latest adventures. I am very sorry to have been so remiss as to neglect my correspondence duties but keeping Tuppence, hereafter to be known as 2p (or not 2p in the house) under control is taking all my time. I've also been helping the OG and BT reorganise the garden so that it better suits salukis. 2p is a great help in this as she is an even better digger than me.
I will do my best to find time to publish the details of my encounter with a herd of truculent cows and their calves in the Yorkshire Dales very soon.
I hope Georgie is having a great time with the beautiful puppy (see right). The OG and BT were so taken with him that they have talked about kidnap. In fact I think they were considering offering to swap me for him!
I have been keeping a low profile recently because I have turned from a feathered saluki into a smooth saluki since 2p arrived. My breeder says I look like I've just dropped a litter, when all I've done is allow the little madam 2p to nibble whichever bit of me she chooses. I realised how naked I've become when I saw my brother Jumbles at a show recently and he still had his lovely long feathered ears and tail.
Hope to see you at a show soon, and with a bit of luck the Old Girl might remember to bring Georgie's trophy.
Love from Coco. PS We would all love to see more photos of Puppy.
Following sending a donation to the Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service for their sterling efforts when we had the chimney fire on New Year's Day we had this lovely reply:
Dear Coco, 27th July 2010
I have sent a copy of your letter and extract from your blog to Red Watch, Ilkeston with another copy going to our communications officer in the hope she will publish it in our monthly newsletter and it receives the wider audience I think it deserves.
I was saddened to read on the blog that Pip has subsequently died and I'm sure Stevo, Mark and Ben will be too. Keep up the good work at the shows Coco because I'm sure Pip will be judging from the heavenly green fields.
Once again, many thanks.
Yours sincerely
A.C. Sharp (Area Treasurer)
Dear Coco and Miss Tuppence (who I don't know yet) 30/5/10
Thank you for your email. Scotland is a very exciting place to invade but I'm not really sure what all the fuss was about on Sunday. Do you have any idea what a CC is? No? I didn't either. On close investigation it's a big piece of card! Alan was so pleased with this card that he nearly strangled the judge - he was trying to kiss her and she was trying to escape! Jacki was so excited with this piece of card that she shrieked down the phone to Lisa and then to her mum. As it was my birthday the next day, I was allowed to choose a new squeaky toy and we had a party with roast chicken and champagne.
The rest of our holiday was much more exciting. Scotland is full of things to chase and Thistle and I made sure that Perthshire was completely free of all wildlife before we came home. We climbed mountains, paddled in lochs and had a big field of our own to run around in.
On the last day Jacki decided we needed some culture and so we visited a castle. Culture means you can't chase the ducks on the lake, pee on the statues or the flowers, or dig holes anywhere. We were just about to go for our sandwiches when a big crowd assembled outside the castle, so we had to investigate. A man in a skirt came out and strangled a tartan octopus, which made a really awful noise! Thistle said this was traditional Scottish music, but you can't believe everything he says. We were almost back to the car when Jacki said "Oh God a peacock". All I could see was another boring blue statue. However, when we got nearer it jumped straight up in the air, landed on a wall and made a really ear splitting noise - WAAAAAAAAAAAA. Jacki, who had been walking a reasonably well behaved dog, found herself flying a saluki kite. It was the best thing I had seen all day and I'm putting one on my Christmas list. I'm sure you can buy them at Tesco as Annoying Flamingo (my favourite toy) came from there and I love him.
Please tell The Son that Forest is a boy's name and really wouldn't suit a pretty, blonde female.
Hope to see you soon - please bring Tuppence with you. Love Jabari
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Dear Jabari JW ShCM CC (and Thistle and Jacki and Alan) 23/5/10
We have all just seen the fabulous results from SKC – not only the Dog CC but BOB. Well done. We couldn’t be more pleased for you. Expect you will be floating home sometime after your holiday. Congratulations.
I am off for a walk with my new girlfriend Tuppence. The Son is very cross they didn’t think to call her Forest after Nottingham Forest, his favourite football team. They could have done because her kennel name is Forest Maiden of Altaya, but they weren’t bright enough to think of it and the Son was in Egypt when she came home and got named.
Hope you will still be talking to Thistle and the rest of us now you’ve joined the elevated ranks of dogs who cannot go in Special Beginners anymore!!!!
Lots of love, we are so excited
From
Coco, Tuppence, John and Caroline
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Dear Jabari, 23rd March 2010
Thank you for your email. Please forgive me for not replying sooner. You’ll never believe it. I’ve been very poorly too. Now I know I’m considered a bit of a wimp, but I haven’t been putting it on or exaggerating how bad I’ve been just to get attention. I had quite enough after my unexpected success at Crufts. Do you think I got the sympathy vote for being a bereft saluki? Things returned to normal on Sunday at the SGHC Limited Show when the judge put me last twice! And I didn’t misbehave at all.
I had been off my legs since last Tuesday when I came over all funny and started to feel too hot to be bothered to move. I got taken to the same vets I went to for my jabs when I still lived with my sister and Breeder. I was only going for my boosters but the Vet gave me jabs for antibiotics and painkillers instead. Unfortunately the painkiller one hadn’t kicked in in time to stop the antibiotics one being excruciating and making me cry. And it did no good. I got worse and worse until I was so poorly I had to be carried into the Vets on Thursday and again on Friday to see their Specialist when my temperature had shot up to 40 degrees C. I was much worse than poor old Pip had ever been and couldn’t face eating anything or drinking anything. I just wanted to die and the Old Girl and Big Toy were quite sure that was what was going to happen. The Vet wanted to put me under but we all know what happened to Pip when they did that to him, and they refused to let him operate on me while I was so poorly. So instead I had to have treatment without anaesthetic! Happily I cannot remember too much about being catheterised for a urine sample, although the Vet took the precaution of surrounding me with nubile young assistants in case I tried to jump off the table. I’ve had a thermometer shoved up my bum so many times in the last week by all and sundry that I am resolved to bite the next person who tries! The Vet took blood tests as well and then gave me a shot of steroids. I am not fully recovered but the steroids made a big difference and my temperature came quite quickly back to normal, and I resumed moving about and eating and drinking. Haven’t tried running again yet, and am feeling quite guilty about teasing Pip for being lazy when all he would do was move from bed to bed. When you haven’t got any energy and you are feeling ill you just don’t feel like running, or being naughty, or want to play. I am still on steroid tablets but as I get these covered in cream cheese I don’t mind. I’m glad they have stopped giving me the painkiller tablets as they made me feel a bit woozy.
I agree that the lanky streak of naughtiness, my Big Toy was VERY NAUGHTY at Crufts. But he was worse than you imagined. He so wanted to avoid showing me, he was prepared to risk scalding himself by throwing hot chocolate all over his trousers, so that it looked like he’d had an unfortunate accident. He was especially naughty because it wasn’t even his own hot chocolate, and he didn’t even offer to pay for another one for the person who had just bought it.
I was in trouble with our grand matriarch for not turning up to be shown under her on Saturday. But if I’d been well I’d have behaved badly and embarrassed the BigToy. As it was I was too wobbly to perform. You wouldn’t recognise me at the moment. I spent most of the Limited show in a soft crate that Becca escaped from on its first outing by tearing all the way down the side of the zip. The Old Girl was preoccupied with doling out trophies to other salukis, mostly I think to Cousin Jamaal and his little housemate Miyaz, so forgot that I could get out any time I wanted to. Somebody suggested zipping the crate up until she pointed out the tear. But they didn’t need to worry as I didn’t move at all for hours.
The suit still has a chocolate stain after lots of washes. I think he should be made to wear shorts for any future shows and give us all a laugh.
It was lovely to see you all at Crufts and I hope you are enjoying lots of fun and down time. I completely agree with Thistle. I had fully anticipated that DFS would provide padded benches at the very least, but I couldn’t find one anywhere.
Hope it isn’t ages before I see you again – Hound Association of Scotland? – although I think that’s more about the Big Toy and Old Girl having a weekend away in a fancy hotel than about me.
Keep playing,
Love from
Coco.
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Hello Coco 14th March 2010
Well done at Crufts - Jacki commented on how well behaved and beautiful all the Salukis were on the day.
However, the same can't be said for someone not a million miles away from you, who was VERY NAUGHTY. If he really wants a new suit there are better ways of going about it. Jacki favours the Charity Bag and stuffs in as many clothes as she can for the "poor little orphans". Although they would need to be really tall poor little orphans to wear his suit. I think the Saluki method of rolling in the mud and chewing holes in the offending garment would probably work best for him. Secretly, you have to admire him for saving his really worst behaviour for such an important occasion and I don't know how we can possibly compete with a stunt like that.
I had a lovely day and give hugs and kisses to all my favourite people and some people who I'd never met before - which was a bit of a shock for them! Thistle did a lot of sleeping and commented that as DFS had sponsored the show, you think they could have supplied some comfy sofas for the Salukis to curl up on. They obviously missed a great advertising opportunity!
We've been allowed to play wild games and get dirty this weekend as we have no more shows for ages and being good and looking beautiful for a whole week is really difficult.
See you soon. Jabari
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Dear Coco 15th February 2010
We were all very sad and Jacki cried when she got your mum's email on Saturday, so we are really pleased that Pip is going to fight to stay with you and we wish him all the good luck in the world, because we know he deserves it. After reading about his new diet, I thought I would share with you my favourite things to eat:-
Cheese Scones - home made of course. Jacki always make a special one for Thistle and me and puts our initials on them so Alan doesn't eat them.
Sausage Rolls - Alan is in charge of dog show catering and we always have these. Just eat the sausage and leave the pastry in the picnic for someone else - it's a nice surprise for them. Thistle even takes one into the ring with him, but not if Jacki's showing him as she finds it difficult remembering which way to go, where to stand and what shape a triangle is, never mind the added responsibility of a sausage roll.
Bacon and Scrambled Egg We sometimes get this for breakfast when we go on cottage holidays. We need a hearty breakfast, especially if Jacki has seen an ordnance survey map and finds "a nice little walk". Sometimes it's ages before the map finds the way home again!
Yorkshire Pudding - even better if you can get some gravy on it. We mainly get these if Jacki's mum comes for lunch.
Alan's Speciality Corned Beef Hot Pot - just spit out the vegetables you don't like.
The new car is lovely and Alan bought a special boot liner to keep it clean. It fixes with Velcro and Thistle and I have discovered how to remove it and stick the Velcro onto each other, which is quite fun. Alan is not amused. Jacki doesn't say much but I know she's giggling inside.
Well all this talk of food is making me hungry - must go downstairs and see if there's any chance of supper.
Love Jabari
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Dear Jabari, Monday 15th February 2010
I am sorry I haven’t written for a while but I guess your mum will have told you that my mate Pip is still not well, and I have been travelling around the country visiting different specialist vets and colleges with him or on his behalf. On Friday we left home at 6.30 am and didn’t return home until about 7.30pm. I was a very good boy and didn’t really fuss about spending most of the day in the car. While Pip was having his biopsy we went to a business park next to a nature reserve where there was loads of space to run and I met a charming cocker spaniel called Lottie who played with me for ages. Then after we’d taken the biopsies to Cambridge University we found a pub that let dogs in and had some lunch. They let dogs in to provide entertainment for their own 2 dogs who liked to terrorise visiting canines. The regulars were most amused when I tried to climb onto the Big Toy’s knee to escape from these admittedly smaller livewires.
The pubs in Cambridgeshire that do let dogs in are always really friendly and welcoming (I know this because I have now been in 2 of them). This one was called The Black Bull at Brampton. talking@theblackbull-brampton.co.uk and they were all lovely and very concerned about Pip. We were in good cheer as we had convinced ourselves that he was going to finally get a diagnosis of haemolytic anaemia and start getting the right treatment which would lead to his full recovery.
The journey back to Birmingham from Cambridge was a nightmare with hold ups on every major road, and then the Old Girl got a phone call from the Birmingham vet who’d had the results of the biopsy from Cambridge with the worst possible news. I finally got to see Pip at about 6pm and he looked awful. He said he felt awful too. He was too tender to travel in the back with me so he travelled on the back seat with his head on the Old Girls knee.
After many discussions with breeders and family the grown ups rang the local vet to arrange for the vet to come today to put him to sleep. Pip obviously got wind of this and immediately on Saturday afternoon set about proving the vets wrong. We went for a ‘last’ walk in the field. I had a good run round, but Pip just stayed with the Old Girl and ate half a box of winalot biscuits. He even insisted on some of them being thrown for him to catch. This impresses the hell out of me as I cannot get the hang of opening my mouth at the right time. When they toss a biscuit or treat to me it just bounces off my nose and then I have to grub around for it on the ground. Pip clearly felt the need for some exercise after eating all those biscuits and refused to get in the car. He insisted on going and seeing the ponies in the next field, and then took us all to the field opposite ours across the river. This is the one he used to cross the river to reach to escape from me. On our return home he ate loads more food and then went to sleep. He says it is a blessed relief to feel comfortable for the first time in ages now that he is on painkillers. Apart from a couple of winces when he moved about during Friday night he hasn’t complained about anything. I tell lies. He complained when we were at the local country park yesterday (on another long walk led by Pip,) and the Old Girl wouldn’t let him go and play with 2 miniature schnauzers who had really taken his fancy.
He’s on loads of medication – antibiotics, steroids, painkillers and something to stop the steroids doing nasty things to his stomach. I don’t know if it’s the result of all this medication or the rich diet he is devouring, but he’s turned into a farting machine. At least we think it’s him. Silent but deadly. Visitors need gasmasks, and residents need to be deoderized before they leave. If you hear rumours of a shortage of chicken in the East Midlands it will be down to Pip who seems to be allowed kilos of the stuff every day, and cake! At the rate he’s eating the grocery bills will soon match the vet’s bills. That’s another lie. 5 nights for 2 on the QE2 back in 2006 cost less than 1 night at the Willows. And he didn’t get to bring the dressing robe and toiletries home with him.
Pip is just licking his lips and reminding the Old Girl it’s almost time for his mid morning snackette as it’s almost 2 hours since he finished his breakfast – potatoes, liver, chicken, rice and sausage. It’ll probably be something a little lighter for elevenses – Madeira cake in goats milk with ham and cheese to make it a bit tastier. I promise you the cake wasn’t our idea but was recommended by his Breeder. His father’s Breeder swears by custard creams for getting a bit of weight on a saluki. She’s a big joker, but I think she was serious about this. Unfortunately for Pip the Big Toy refuses to share his custard creams with anybody. If there is any fairness Pip will eat his way back to good health, and I’ll get my running mate back again. I know I make a lot of noise, but I’m not up to being top dog yet and I feel very lost when I have to go out without him. The world looks so much scarier when he isn’t by my side and I can’t hide behind him. Must not get maudlin’.
I have been in trouble with my third reader! I didn't even know I'd got a third reader. The Old Girl took me by the scruff of the neck and threatened to keep me permanently attached to the horrible halti unless I made amends. But she didn't need to threaten me. I am mortified to have given offence, especially when I learned my third reader had had such a sad time herself recently.
Love to you all. Big hugs to Jacki and Alan. Hope you haven’t done too much damage to the car yet. How many cupboards does it have?
Coco
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Hi Coco 12th January 2010
I would be quite happy for you to publish the highlights of my emails. Jacki says I ramble on a bit and you will probably need to edit them. You should see the rambles she sends to Kim (my brother Jamaal's mum) with pictures too!
Not sure she has a dusting habit. She wanders around flicking a duster while looking for other things to do. Apparently Thistle used be good at houswork when he was a puppy - riding round on the hoover, taking the duster out to clean the garden, taking cushions out to give them a shake and he even licked the windows right to the top, climbing on the table if necessary. However once he realised he may get the job permanently, he soon gave up.
We are getting a new car tomorrow. Alan is as excited as a saluki with a new squeaky toy! Jacki lost interest after asking what colour it was and how many cupboards it had. The old car keeps breaking down, it's full of dog hair and some puppy chewed bits of it, so it's about time it was replaced.
My next dog show is on 6 Feb at N Yorks events centre - are you going to that one? I have sent you a picture of me in the snow - which is now vanishing.
Love Jabari
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Hi Jabari, 11th January 2010
What a grand idea but don’t wait for the next New Year. Come immediately and chase with me if your infection hasn’t turned you into a wimp like Pip who won’t move. If you are doing a ‘dying duck in a thunderstorm’ routine, stay with Jacki and Alan and just send Thistle. I am going stir crazy here, reduced to tossing my head about as if I’ve got ear trouble too, just to get a bit of attention. In fact, if you are under the weather, what about swapping. You send me Thistle and I’ll send you Pip. I’m sure he’d get better much faster under your Jacki’s ministration than he will with the Old Girl and Big Toy phaffing around him.
Your Jacki sounds like a hoot to live with, so on second thoughts perhaps I could come to you. I bet I could still be naughtier than her. Speaking of which, I’m thinking about publishing your witty missives, if you agree, on a salukis of letters page to the blog. Don’t think of this as an invasion of your privacy – it would only be thee and me and maybe Little Sis who’d read them.
Must go, Pip is off his food so I’ve twice as much to get through eating. At this rate I’ll gain almost as much weight as the Old Girl did in one week of festive good cheer. I don’t know what I’m going to do with an unwanted stone, but at least my coats will still fit me.
Hope you feel better soon. Love to everybody, even the horses.
Coco
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Hello Coco 10th January 2010
I have just finished reading your New Year blog - it sounds like you had a very exciting time and I think I will come and stay with you next New Year. (Alan and Jacki said I can and I should ask if I can bring Thistle as well)!!
I also have an ear infection, so I sympathise with Pip. It first started when I was at the SGHC show in Nov, it went away and then it came back. Judith (my lovely vet) said it was Jacki's fault for not putting in enough ear drops the first time. Jacki muttered something about vets not knowing how impossible it was to put ear drops in such a drama queen. She has now resorted to waiting until I am asleep and sneaking them in while I'm lying down - this is working quite well and lots of horrible black stuff is coming out.
A strange thing has happened this last week - all our neighbours have started to dress like Jacki - wooly hat, wellies and a huge fleece. Alan says she's not a fashion icon and its just the snow that's made them do this. He feels certain they probably brush their hair in the morning (unlike her) and don't spend their weekends tramping through mud and horse poo!
Hope Pip soon gets better.
Love Jabari
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Hello Coco 21st December 2009
I have just enjoyed reading your latest blog - thanks for giving me a mention. Thistle and I have decided that Jacki is easily the naughtiest one in our house. Just like in your house, Saturday was the day for the Christmas Clean. She sent Alan off to the stables to get him out of the way and then took a duster upstairs and promptly went back to bed! After half an hour Thistle went up and put his cold nose on her as he was very excited by the snow and wanted to play out. She got up and we ran around the garden while she got dressed. The duster came back downstairs.
Then she decided a walk would be nice - so off we set. All "Jacki walks" lead to her mum's house, which is lovely as she has a huge garden (small field) for us to play in and Jacki gets coffee and cake. In the meantime Alan came home and we had all vanished. He phoned Jacki's mum - but we hadn't got there yet, so he decided we must be "local" and made a pot of coffee for our return and he waited and waited. Eventually Jacki's mum remembered about the phone call and Alan came to collect us. Jacki got a lecture about not taking her mobile phone out with her (flat battery as usual) and not leaving a note. The duster went back in the cupboard!
Yesterday we went to a show and she couldn't run round the ring as she had so many clothes on - so she stopped to take some off! Needless to say Alan and I won and Jacki and Thistle got wrong for "not taking it seriously enough"
I have found the Christmas presents - but they are all wrapped up (one squeaks, so I think it must be for me)! Hope you have a lovely Christmas and get lots of new toys and dog treats.
Love Jabari
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Coco responded
Dear Cousin Jabari and Aunty Jacki, 18th November 2009
I might see you at Hull this Saturday?, but the Big Toy has said that if I behave like I did last weekend at the Huntingdon show, Hull could be my last outing. Our joint Grand Matriarch Lisa said I'd been the naughtiest she'd ever seen, but the Old Girl said she couldn't actually see any difference from how I usually behave. The judge really didn't like me and put me last behind cousin Jazmyn and two gorgeous youngsters (apologies to - my third reader!) who can't be above 7 months old. And it was my first birthday. The weather was horrible too, with loads of muddy puddles. Of course Pip loved running thro' them and ended up with very dirty legs which shows up so horribly on you paler dogs.
Hoping for more fun at the weekend.
Love from Coco
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Dear Cousin Coco 18th November 2009
I have been reading your blog with interest - it's given me lots of ideas to try out on my owners and I can't wait for the next installment! I like the picture on your website of Pip racing with my brother Jamaal. See you at a show soon.
Love Jabari
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