Wendy’s Story
Wendy came into my life in August 2003. The breeders gave her to me as a companion to another puppy that my employer was getting. They had kept Wendy because her double muscles made her abnormal, and not wanted by most people. They also wanted to make sure that if they let her go she would end up at the right home. They knew my employer and knew she would be going to a large horse farm where she could run and would be with other whippets, none of which would be racing. At this time Wendy was eight months old and devoted to the breeders. My other whippet Fox took one look at Wendy when we walked into the house and turned her back to me and wouldn't eat or speak to me for a week. As for Wendy Fox ignored her completely and would leave the room if she came anywhere near her. However after a little while they became the best of friends. It took Wendy several weeks to bond with me, as she truly missed her first family.
............Wendy was shy at first, greeting the clients at the barn with reservations. That has all changed now. Most clients she runs up to or greets in the parking lot. She knows they will pet her or leave their horse blankets for her to curl up on and have a nap.
........ ....Wendy has a wonderful life every morning she comes to the barn with me and hangs out with Fox. They sleep, play or chase whatever they can find including one another. The horses they leave alone, they know they are off limits. They never catch anything, Wendy is too slow and Fox starts screaming which warns anything away from them. Sometimes all the dogs are out including my employer’s whippet and her Chinese crested cross. We take them for a walk in the back field and boy do they play. The Chinese crested really tries to keep up with the whippets. There is nothing better than watching four dogs streaking across field for the sheer enjoyment of it.
.............Here Wendy and Pia are neck and neck while Willis is trying hard to keep up.
..............Several breeders, including Wendy’s, had been in contact with the National Institute of Health in Maryland to see if a genetic study could be done on the double muscling condition to see if a cause could be determined. I was asked by the breeders if Wendy could be part of this study and was happy to agree. It was very easy on Wendy, only requiring a blood sample to be taken and all her muscles to be measured. The study came out this spring and was published on the internet. Wendy’s condition resulted from a double mutation of the myostatin gene; it is the gene that regulates muscle growth. Whippets with a single mutated copy of the gene are among the fast whippets out there. Wendy is not as fast as these whippets; the extra muscles actually slow her down, as she has too much weight to carry around.
It was a shock one Sunday to receive an email from Amy Harmon of the New York Times asking for permission to use Wendy’s pictures in a follow up article she was going to do on the study. She had contacted the breeders thinking they still owned Wendy, as my name was never mentioned in the study. I agreed to this as my privacy was guaranteed since they were focusing on the genetic aspect of the study and just wanted the photos to show the difference between a regular whippet and a bully whippet like Wendy. They flew Stuart Isett, a photographer, out from Seattle, and he spent several hours taking pictures of the dogs. The article was published June 12 2007, and then everything changed. That night the Today Show phoned, again they found me through the breeders; they had bought some of the photographs and wished to show them on their program the next morning. After that it snowballed!
Kim Westad of the Times Colonist came and interviewed us and sent their photographer Bruce Stotesbury to take more pictures of Wendy. Their article resulted in both CTV and CHEK-TV News stations to do stories on her. The biggest thrill was receiving a call from The Today Show saying they would fly us out to New York to be live in Rockefeller Plaza with them. Inside Edition was also trying to have us there, but I had already given exclusive rights to the Today Show. Getting there wasn’t that easy though. I wouldn’t let Wendy change planes so we needed a direct flight from Vancouver and since Wendy was too heavy to fly with Air Canada we had to go with Cathay pacific. Other then not know till the morning we were flying if Wendy was even allowed on the flight the service from Cathay Pacific was fantastic. They really tried to make everything easier for both of us.
We arrived in New York late Saturday night. My sister had flown up from South Carolina to be with us and that was wonderful. We had driver’s everywhere and were put up at the Le Parker Meridian. Poor Wendy was a little overwhelmed at all the concrete and lack of grass. It took her a bit of time to figure out a new dog walking routine, but then she clued in and everything went smoothly. We took lots of walks in Central Park. People everywhere recognized her from the articles and from the internet. We were constantly being stopped so they could take her picture. It was a lot of fun! On Sunday we meet up with a camera crew from the Today Show so they could take some promo shots. It looked like a thunder storm was going to come through so things were a bit rushed as the camera crew wanted to finish before the rain hit. Everything worked out well and just as we finished the rain came. Wendy was actually happy with the cooler weather and we had a good walk back to the hotel through the park.
.............When Monday morning came and we were whisked off to do our interview. We waited in the Green Room until it was our turn, going out once before a commercial break so more pictures could be done. The crowds were amazing people were screaming and shouting, it was unbelievable excitement. We were interviewed by Natalie Morales and Al Roper, they sure tried to put me at ease.
............Wendy was calmer than I was. Actually I think she was still trying to find some of the left over steak that they had just finished barbequing. My sister was thrilled as she was allowed to be right behind their camera crew and managed to take these pictures. Once the interview was over we went to MSNBC for two more interviews. One was another live interview, the other was taped. By the time we were back in the hotel room we were both tired. Wendy had a good nap, and it was well deserved.
In the afternoon we went to Inside Edition and taped a segment for their show. They said they would wait with airing the piece. They took us to a dog park, and filmed Wendy with some of the other dogs there. The park was interesting as it was completely enclosed and had a swimming pool for them to play in. Wendy found it a little overwhelming, with the other dogs coming up to her, but took it well.
Tuesday night we flew home on the red eye, arriving in Vancouver at 3:00 am. Then it was just a ferry ride till we were home. Wendy was very pleased to be with her friends again. Things have slowed down for Wendy, and our routine is back to normal. She has started dog obedience and now looks forward to seeing the other dogs from class each week. We are not the best at obedience but are enjoying it anyway.
And that is Wendy’s life up till now
Ingrid