Hi. My name is Sweet Magnolia, although some people call me Magnolia, or Maggie, and I’m very beautiful. Just look at my picture! Even though I have powerful haunches, I was never a racing dog. My mother was, but then she was injured, so her owner turned Mama into a brood bitch. I heard that Mama didn’t do very well with her first litter of puppies, so her racing owner gave her to a local university for research. The doctors found out that Mama was pregnant again, and took her out of the study, let her have her puppies (including ME!) and found mom and pups private homes.

I don’t remember a whole lot from my early life, but I remember going from one home to the next for the first couple of years. And then my first permanent human mom came all the way from Michigan to Alabama to adopt me. I lived with First Mom for 5 years. I thought I would be with her forever! But one day she got sick, and then she got sicker and one day she left and she never came home. A week or so later Second Mom came with a friend and took me away. I love Second Mom, but I have kind of a hard time getting along with other dogs because I was an only dog for so long, and my foster family already has three dogs (and two cats!).

I did go to another home once, for a couple of weeks, but that mom had to go to work every day, and there were no other dogs (well, they ARE company, even if they are annoying!) and I became very anxious and depressed. I know that I could be happy in a new home if my people would just stay home with me more, and not have any other dogs (although cats are okay) and if they would love me and pet me and throw toys for me and let me sleep on the couch during the day and on the bed with them at night and never make me go to a different room from them. And if they’ll be patient with me while I adjust to my new home.

I’ve been through so much since First Mom left in September, I think it would break my heart to go to a new home just to have to leave again. Second Mom is teaching me to sit, stay, wait for her okay to eat and she’s trying to teach me to shake, although I don’t see the point in that. She laughs at me when I smile at her and chatter my teeth and when I play with the ball like I’m a puppy again. And, don’t tell Daddy, but Second Mom says I’m really good to take a nap with!

UPDATE: Maggie has found her forever home with the Jacobson family!

Final Update:

Sweet Magnolia was born September 6, 1994 as the product of an accidental breeding. The names of her dam and sire are unknown. Here is her story as we know it.

Hi. My name is Sweet Magnolia, although some people call me Magnolia, or Maggie, and I’m very beautiful. Just look at my picture! Even though I have powerful haunches, I was never a racing dog. My mother was, but then she was injured, so her owner turned Mama into a brood bitch. I heard that Mama didn’t do very well with her first litter of puppies, so her racing owner gave her to a local university for research. The doctors found out that Mama was pregnant again, and took her out of the study, let her have her puppies (including ME!) and found mom and pups private homes.

I don’t remember a whole lot from my early life, but I remember going from one home to the next for the first couple of years. And then my first permanent human mom came all the way from Michigan to Alabama to adopt me. I lived with First Mom for 5 years. I thought I would be with her forever! But one day she got sick, and then she got sicker and one day she left and she never came home. A week or so later Second Mom came with a friend and took me away. I love Second Mom, but I have kind of a hard time getting along with other dogs because I was an only dog for so long, and my foster family already has three dogs (and two cats!).

I did go to another home once, for a couple of weeks, but that mom had to go to work every day, and there were no other dogs (well, they ARE company, even if they are annoying!) and I became very anxious and depressed. I know that I could be happy in a new home if my people would just stay home with me more, and not have any other dogs (although cats are okay) and if they would love me and pet me and throw toys for me and let me sleep on the couch during the day and on the bed with them at night and never make me go to a different room from them. And if they’ll be patient with me while I adjust to my new home.

I’ve been through so much since First Mom left in September, I think it would break my heart to go to a new home just to have to leave again. Second Mom is teaching me to sit, stay, wait for her okay to eat and she’s trying to teach me to shake, although I don’t see the point in that. She laughs at me when I smile at her and chatter my teeth and when I play with the ball like I’m a puppy again. And, don’t tell Daddy, but Second Mom says I’m really good to take a nap with!

I’m so lucky! A nice man inquired about me, and Second Mom told him all about me. She says she told him all the good things and she told him all the bad things, too. What bad things?

Second Mom and two other human ladies and I visited The Man today. He is very nice, and I like his home and his big yard. He asked lots of questions; I heard the human ladies saying he had researched greyhounds more than any other adopter, and had written out his questions. They sounded very impressed. And he likes me! I can tell. Still, I went home with Second Mom, which is just fine with me, because I love her.

The Man came over today, and he and Second Mom talked a lot and filled out lots of papers and guess what? I went home with him! I love Second Mom, but The Man lets me sleep in bed with him, and share the couch with him. I think I’m going to like it here. And he is home a lot! He does something they call “work from home” in the mornings.

The Man took me “fishing” with him and his friends! I had a very good time. We went out on the water on something they called a pontoon boat. I got to lie in the sun a lot, and there was even a roof on poles, so I could go into the shade when I got hot. They gave me a fish. Well, that was boring. I just put my head down and went back to sleep.

The Man also takes me places in the car. I really like that! We visit his friends, and they all give me lots of love and attention. Sometimes they come to our house, too.

The weather is getting cold now, the leaves have fallen off the trees, and that white stuff they call snow falls sometimes. I hear people talking about something called “Christmas.” But I don’t feel very well. I have a cough, and sometimes stuff comes out of my mouth when I cough. The man took me to that clean, shiny place they call the “vet” and after a human lady poked at me and put that thing connected to her ears all over me, she and The Man talked. They gave me something nasty tasting, and The Man took me home. I’m glad to be home!

I’m still coughing, so The Man took me to that place again, and they made me stand still up against a wall while something buzzed. Then they showed some weird plastic sheets to The Man. He seemed very upset. He had water running out of his eyes. They are still making me take the nasty stuff, but The Man brought me home again! I love my home. I like sleeping with him, and sitting on the couch with him.

We watched the box with moving scenes in it tonight. The Man said we were watching movies, his favorite Christmas movies. Okay. I can do that. And he talked to me for a long time, about all the fun we have had since I came to live with him, and how much he loves me. Wow, has it really been only six months since I left Second Mom and came to live with The Man? It has been a wonderful six months! As soon as I feel better, maybe he will take me “fishing” again. I’ve been so lucky. First Mom loved me; Second Mom loved me and now The Man loves me, too. I can’t wait for the weather to get warm again so I can lie under a tree and watch The Man do what he calls “mowing the lawn,” something I don’t understand at all. And we can have picnics and, oh, I do hope he takes me “fishing” again.

On December 26, 2002 Sweet Magnolia, at eight years of age, was humanely euthanized.
She had lymphoma, with a huge, inoperable tumor in her chest.
She is sorely missed.
Jester-faced girl
Borrowed from heaven dances
Into my heart

In loving memory of Sweet Magnolia… Lorna Baker

• Listing ID: 13021
• Call Name: Sweet Magnolia
• Pet Name: Sweet Magnolia
• Sex: Male
• Deceased: 12/26/2002