Daily Dose of Cute

Today is Dudley's 6th adoptiversary! I can't believe it's already been six years. In honor of the day he came to live with us, here's one of my favorite videos, shot last summer, of Dudley playing his favorite game: "Chase me!" Actually, it's a variation on "chase me!"—because he's so fast, no human can really chase him very effectively, so it's basically a game of "I will run really fast, then pause near you, wait for you to take a few steps toward me while we both pretend you might be able to catch me, and then I will run really fast again."

The video goes into slow-motion for one of his runs, so you can get a better look at the greyhound double-suspension gallop. While most dogs are suspended above ground at least once per stride at a full gallop, sighthounds are suspended above ground twice in each stride—once in the tucked position, at which point their back feet nearly reach past their front shoulders (!), and once in the fully extended position, at which point the curve of their spines actually reverses (!).

Dudley isn't going full speed here, so it's not as dramatic as it looks at top speed, but it's still pretty damn amazing. Greyhounds are so strong and so flexible, and watching him run is truly one of the great joys of my life.

Video Description: Dudley the Greyhound runs around from one side of the yard to the other, and pauses near a young redwood tree (underneath which he's dug a hole), then waits for me to take several steps toward him before leaping away and running to the other side of the yard again. This happens several times, Zelly the Black and Tan Mutt standing on a stone patio near me, watching, until he is finally out of gas, and I walk up and pet his adorable little wedgy head.

I love this guy so much. I can't even remember life without him anymore.