Someone named her Blanca Guapa, after a rescue by Galgos del Sol on the streets wandering and eating trash strewn about the area; I guess she was lucky cause her buddy was in-side the dumpster with a bad spleen.
She is about 7yrs. I have been told. I had been looking at 9 pictures of the dumpster #15 rescue when I just spotted her....a very cute little white girl;a somewhat roman nose with foxy eyes, and from the pictures on that street in Spain, she seemed very inquisitive about what she was doing there dumped for survival.
I had immediately contacted the G.R.I.N. folks I knew to inquire. I had not been able to get the first galga I feasted my eyes on; so I anxiously awaited the news for getting this 2nd girl. When it was YES, I was so excited. I remember Telma Shaw's comments "She is a very ethereal galga".
I believe it was July 2012 when I discovered the trash pictures from Spain on-line. There were 4 galgos I think. Little did I know at that time, my favorite boy greyhound would be diagnosed with Osteo-sarcoma within a 2 wk. span of the Guapa flight to the U.S.A. When all became said and done, an extremely heart wrenching experience that I was forced to come to terms with and endure just before the arrival of this new girl I had now deposited money on. I honestly have to admit I began to question everything about what I was doing, two weeks before her arrival. Because loosing him was so hard, and unfortunately had to put him down one week before her arrival.....Guapa that is, to Pennsylvania from Spain! Yet it was the right thing to do for him, because amputation of a limb was not an option, when there was no idea where this was spreading?
So, I tried to move myself from the bitter to the sweet, Telma said; and pick myself up to move on. And so the pictures of her on the streets kept me going, but I kept hashing the questions of Guapa in the house; whether Guapa would be O.K. here? At the same time I knew I could not turn back, the flight itinerary, payments, people involved....were all set in stone. Emotionally everything came to a head from the stresses of loosing my beloved greyhound, and it was making me worry about "who" I was getting within a week, and I was still l grieving badly over my P.D. (greyhound)
Was she going to be able to be calm in the house? Who was she? What would she do? Was she going to chase or injure the cat? Would she climb all over things in the house? How is she going to be in the car when transported from JFK International to me? Would she be house broken? Would she jump child gates? Our fence? Would I leave her alone when I went to work with the 3 other greys? Would they fight? I admit, I started to FREAK!
I was saying to myself "You idiot, .....maybe you should have talked to Telma more about these things". Never-the-less, we went from July to NOW, November; and it is now Nov. 25/ she arrives JFK. O.M.G.
I was to excited, a combination of fear, loss, and excitement, and trying to arrange the work schedule to just go get her made me so anxious, .......just had to get her A.S.A.P. The transport of Guapa from J.F.K. to Pennsylvania was not set in stone, and at the last minute, I was finding out I had to drive farther than I thought to receive her. The transport people did become a huge support though, and took alot of worry off my shoulders cause they had kept Guapa over night. "Ty" the transport fellow told me what a "good" dog I had, and he surely eased my tensions. It was a long day, a long night, and Guapa transported well. I met "Ty", it was pretty late at night, and once I saw Guapa.....I got all the energy to drive all the way back home. Whew! In the car I looked at her, she looked at me, and I talked to her all the way. She slept.....I drove.....realizing this happened! Finally.
We arrived home about 1or 2 a.m. do not recall. She went out to fenced area did her business, I put her in my bed with me; she was wonderful with the other greys, and they welcomed her. She was tired. Like an angel...all I can say from all observation and from this point is that Guapa just "fit-in"--there has been nothing to do to "train" Guapa. She has been a little snow white from the get-go. She was fostered well by Kay-lee in Spain, she does have 2 little front teeth missing, and bears the scars of the hard life. Potty training and all the behavior seems to have come with the package. She does understand "No". She does prefer the doggy beds over mine now, and feels better with the pack.
Due to survival mode instinct she does have a keen interest with our Pennsylvania deer population. My only suggestion to anyone getting a galga/galgo is having a collar that is surely one that cannot be slipped over the head. I have used a martingale type small choker, when outside cannot be slipped over the head. I use a cotton web canvas lead of 20ft. also inside my 4-5ft fence until I feel she is trustworthy.....with these darn deer one could poke its body around the cornor, so I am leary. Especially at night.
Guapa has made no attempt at jumping the fence, and minds the perimeters, but Guapa flys when she runs, and plays. If anyone thinks this 7 yr. old is not strongly ATHLETICA, think again. Guapa flys, and gives my male 6 yr. old greyhound a run for his money. She seems more agile, and jumps up and down in a cute way. She can dust these American greyhounds quick.
Guapa loves to ride in the car, go to park, jog with me once in awhile.....loves the woods trail; loves whipped creme at Starbucks. For the most part she is very happy I believe. All the worries are gone and she is settling into life at 10 Webb Drive.
Guapa eats 2x a day, and does patrol food bowls, but it seems to be harmless patrol. When it comes to food Guapa is ME, me, me,!!!! ME over here, me, me! She likes treats, and responds to them. She has learned to share, but can also be quick to be fiesty and finicky with the other greys. We have had to work on share.
Guapa has taken to "Rapid" my male greyhound, and they give each other a run or two. Shhh, don't tell anyone, she sleeps with him alot. Her haircoat is getting softer, and she got a new coat, collars, and pj's.
If anyone asked me, these dogs arrive with their little hand made coat, and passports and are simply easy and ready to move in. THANKS! for my girl to everyone involved.
Debi Page
Guapa's mom.
