When most people think of a farm dog, breeds like collies or heelers are generally the first to come to mind. Most wouldn’t consider a Whippet to be farm dog material. But in the case of my Whippet, Eva, that couldn’t be further from the truth. She is always by my side when I’m outside taking care of my plants and my animals, and she takes the role as my helper very seriously.
One of the things that first attracted me to owning a Whippet was their looks. I thought that they looked very regal and unique, and their speed was captivating. Nicknamed the “Poor man’s racehorse”, Whippets are known to reach speeds up to 35 mph. After researching more about the breed and learning about their laid-back and quiet nature, I was sold.
I purchased my Whippet in March of 2019. After searching for this particular breed in shelters with no luck, I began looking for a reputable breeder to buy from. It took a while since this breed isn’t very common, but eventually I found a breeder that had a planned litter. However, when her dog failed to get pregnant, I began searching elsewhere. As fate would have it, I ended up finding a Whippet breeder who was even closer to where I live, and already had puppies available.
I contacted the breeder right away and was told that I would have to send an application to be approved. This was very responsible on their part in my opinion, and I gladly sent them the application. While I waited to hear back, I looked through the pictures of their puppies on their Facebook page and instantly fell in love with a tiny, brindle puppy that they called Claire. I knew right away that she was the one I wanted and thankfully she was one of the few that had not yet been spoken for.
My family and I went to meet the breeders and the puppies a week before we could take the puppy home. The breeders were wonderful people who truly loved their dogs, and I felt good about getting a puppy from such caring and responsible dog lovers. The moment they put the puppy in my arms I knew for sure that it would be the perfect match.
I named my puppy Eva. Most people wouldn’t know it, but she is named after a variety of potato. Naming such a fast breed of dog after a potato might not sound very fitting, but when these dogs aren’t sprinting around at breakneck speeds, they are known to be couch potatoes, wanting nothing more than to cuddle with you on the sofa.
From the day I brought Eva home she became my little shadow. She goes just about everywhere I go and is heartbroken whenever she can’t accompany me somewhere. In fact, when she was still a tiny puppy, I left her on the deck while I planted seeds in my raised beds in the backyard. She was so desperate to join me in the garden that she squeezed her narrow body through the railing, jumped off of the highest point of the deck, landed perfectly in the yard, and raced right over to me. Ever since that day she has always been finding unique ways to get to me whenever an obstacle is in her way.
Eva loves to watch me plant and pick veggies. She will stand by me all day when I’m outside planting. Sometimes when I’m pulling weeds she even tries to help. She will gently take the weed in her mouth and start yanking them up. I have to keep an eye on her though, since she can’t always tell the difference between a weed and the plant that I’m trying to grow. She is also right by my side when I'm washing off the freshly picked produce, leaning against my legs while I'm working at the sink.
There is nothing more satisfying than watching tiny sprouts emerge after planting them. Eva seems to find joy in it as well, and happily follows me in and out of the house as I’m carrying the flower and vegetable transplants from the indoor grow lights to the outdoors once it gets warm enough in the spring. No matter how many trips I make in and out of the house to gather my plants she is right under my feet, excitedly thinking that she’s helping. She knows the whole routine and as soon as she sees me pick up a tray with seedlings, she runs right to the door to wait for me.
Eva also helps with pest control. She is an expert at catching and eliminating bugs that could potentially damage the crops. Squirrels are a big issue in my area. They often dig up my plants or take bites out of what I’m growing. When Eva’s outside they know to scatter because she will chase anything that moves. While she hasn’t caught one yet, she has come very close. In fact, she was so intent on catching a squirrel once that we ended up having to take an emergency trip to the vet. She ran after one at full speed and in her excitement to catch it she ran right into our brick retaining wall. Her arm split open and she was left stunned. It was a terrifying sight because not only was she not moving at first, but her muscle was exposed. We rushed her to the vet, and to my relief they fixed her up very nicely. She was left with a thin scar, but otherwise has made a full recovery.
One of my favorite things about Eva is her personality. She is extremely smart to the point where it seems like she understands English at times. She learns tricks very fast, has excellent leash manners, and even knows how to give hugs on command. She is a lovebug too, always looking for an excuse to cuddle with someone. She is also a natural born athlete and loves to play, and can almost always be found with a tennis ball in her mouth.
Another trait of Eva that I greatly appreciate is the fact that she is very quiet. She almost never barks and when she does, it’s usually only one or two sounds and that’s it. No matter how much commotion is going on outside while we’re working or how loud the neighbor’s dogs are barking, Eva will not make a peep. As long as she’s included in whatever her family is doing, she’s content and at peace.
No dog is perfect, and there have been times where Eva has caused a few minor problems on the farm. She has a strange obsession with corn. I grow Glass Gem Indian corn and when I first found the ears going missing, I blamed it on the squirrels. But one night I caught the true culprit in the act. Eva had been climbing up the retaining wall so she could reach the corn. When she thought no one was watching she would stretch out her long neck and carefully pluck the ears off the stalk. She would then race off with her prize and eat it in private. Once all the kernels were eaten off, she proudly brought me the empty cob.
Eva’s fascination with corn didn’t end there. One night she fetched the entire corn stalk. All of the ears had been stripped off the stalk (thanks to her) so she promptly ripped the stalk out of the ground, carried it onto the deck, and proceeded to shred it up while she lounged on our patio furniture. As disappointing as it was to lose some beautiful ears of corn at the hands of my own dog, I couldn’t be mad. She was so happy and too proud of herself with her personal harvest, and all I could do was laugh at the sight of her with the giant corn stalk. My lesson was learned, and I now know not to plant corn where she will be able to reach it. Instead, I bought her a squeaky dog toy that looks like corn, and it has ended up becoming one of her favorites.
Other than stealing my corn (and the occasional gourd) Eva is great to have as a helper. Having her with me as company when I’m planting, picking, and washing produce is very comforting and I wouldn’t have it any other way. She is the best dog I could have asked for, and it is obvious that she loves the farm life just as much as I do.
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