DIY Network

Introducing Lily From "Barkitecture" episode DBAR-106

Lily, aka 'Fountain of Youth.'

This is Lily. She is a beautiful greyhound and at one time, she was a champion athlete. She competed in stakes races throughout Florida, but has now retired. Fortunately, Lily has found a loving home with Kate and Paul Honebrink. In this episode of Barkitecture, greyhound adoption and tips on their care will be discussed. Lily will also be getting a custom crate of her own.

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The Honebrinks foster greyhounds.

Lily

Lily, or 'Fountain of Youth' as she is known in racing circles, used to race in Naples, Florida. She began racing at two-years of age and retired when she was four. She was very lucky because the company that bred her works with a rescue association. That's when the Honebrinks came into the picture. They adopted Lily from the Greyhound Pets of America. The Honebrinks also foster greyhounds from the rescue.

Dr. Karen Tobias and Kenny Alfonso are on board to offer some helpful hints on caring for greyhounds and to build Lily a cool, new crate.

A dog crate with style.

Crate Plans

Dog crates are generally unattractive. They are made of plastic or metal fencing and used just for function. Kenny wants to treat Lily's crate like a piece of furniture. It will look cool, but also be functional. Paul and Kate have a lot of nice pine furniture in their house. Kenny will integrate that into the design. He will make a frame out of metal...and use some expanded metal for the open areas for good ventilation. For a decorative touch, a punch-tin panel made of copper will be added. That will give the dog crate some serious style.

The crate is big and there isn't a lot of time to build it. Using angle iron precut to length will speed things along. A relief cut will be made, the leg bent and the corners spot welded. Stretchers will be added and at that point the frame is complete. Then, the wood parts and expanded metal will be cut. The punch-tin design is transferred onto the copper. Then, it’s time for assembly. Lily can then move in!

Barkitecture Tidbits:

• Greyhounds are site hounds. If they get outside and see a cat or squirrel in the yard, they will charge off after it.

• Because greyhounds were bred for racing, they have more red blood cells than normal and therefore make great blood donors.

• Greyhound Pets of America currently places more than half of the dogs that enter their system. By 2007, they hope to place every adoptable animal in a loving home.

RESOURCES :

Greyhound Pets of America
Website: www.greyhoundpets.org

The American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
Website: www.aspca.org

Petfinder.com
Website: www.petfinder.com