Our
two Afghan Hounds, Sparkie and Katie, or "The Girls" as we sometimes
call them, have been a source of extreme joy to us and it's probably safe to
say that they take extreme enjoyment from the life they lead. This little
photo album will give you an idea as to why both things are so. Note that
all of the images below are "clickable links" -- each one will take
you to a larger version of the photo.
It's
said that a puppy is love. A puppy also is TROUBLE, but that's another
story. Just look at Katie when she was three days old. (She's the one
with the white feet.) 
And we fell in love with Sparkie even before we met her. All it took was
this picture of her in her exercise pen 
and this one of her posing for her first owner. 
No wonder her tail is so curly! We just couldn't wait to take these frisky
critters home. 
Hey, these hound dawgs
are a bit of an armful, aren't they?
Well,
The Girls settled into their new dwelling in short order. Sparkie wasted
no time in climbing up on anything that would give her a commanding view, like
her house training crate. 
Sparkie and Katie quickly became the best of pals, while in training, 
while visiting with special
friends, 
or just catching up on some much-needed rest. 
It
doesn't take long for an Afghan Hound to start growing up and for their hair
to start growing out. At about six months, they have an extreme case of
the "fuzzies" and their proportions are, well, cute. Witness
Katie the lawn puppy 
and Sparkie looking equally punk. 
Notice that curly tail?
It
also doesn't take an Afghan Hound very long to settle into a routine, particularly
when that includes taking over your house. Sparkie found new objects to
climb 
and both pups quickly discovered the joys of being couch potatoes. 
Now wait a minute, here! 
That's going too far!
The
Girls are great travelers and really love the great outdoors. 
What dog doesn't? Picnics 
are great fun. Hey, there's Sparkie on the table again! (That's
why we sometimes call her Sparkie-Table-Dog!) And Katie in her usual
pose... 
Hikes 
are also fun. Or hanging out at a cabin
in the White Mountains. 
Hello! Who's that outside the window? 
Eventually,
much as "ugly ducklings" become graceful swans, Afghan Hound puppies
shed their goofy looks and become the elegant creatures that we see riding in
convertibles or appearing in fashion ads. The little terrors they can
be as puppies give way to perfect angels (especially when they're asleep) 
and they often turn out to be perfectly glamorous. 
Sparkie
and Katie are practically inseparable, whether they're hanging out with us at
the park 
or taking a walk on the ASU campus 
or trying to crash the ASU University Club. 
Afghan hounds do enjoy the finer things in life!
But
their very favorite thing -- other than dog cookies that is -- is to go for
long walks in the cool mountain air of Arizona's high country. 
Of course, hanging out on the patio at home in Tempe
is also pretty cool! 
As
Sparkie 
and Katie 
have matured, they've gotten even
more beautiful (if such a thing were possible), turned into accomplished couch
potatoes, 
become more attached to each other 
and more attached to
us 
and we to them.
It's
true: A puppy IS love, but adult dogs are even better. We're really
stuck on Afghan Hounds as a breed. They're sensitive, affectionate, playful,
clownish, intelligent (contrary to popular myth), and often stubborn.
They demand a lot from their owners, both in terms of care -- for example they
are VERY grooming intensive -- and caring -- they are emotional creatures and
require a LOT of attention. If you're not prepared to make a lifelong
commitment to these very special dogs, you shouldn't even consider owning them.
But if you are willing to give them the care and attention that they require,
every bit of energy you devote to these magnificent animals is repaid to you
manyfold. Our love affair with "The Girls" will continue for
as long as they live. Can you see why?
To
go to a gallery of all the "thumbnails" without annotation... 
