Tillie "Grommet" in the Sunroom
Life in the Orchard
Terrapin friend at the Banzai Pipeline
As the second owners to occupy our 4 acre ridge top place tucked into the woods, we started adding to the twenty or so fruit trees in 1994. Flowers, plums, cherries, pears, berries, apples (and the resulting cider) command the bulk of our time around the garden. Our dogs (Whippets and Pointers) don't mind sharing the yard with Alice the cat as long as there is a pasture gate open to gain access to a little more running room. So what's up with that Kennel name, aren't Whippets supposed to be fast? The answer is yes very fast. If you are a fan you already know that when comparing "power per pound" they are among the fastest domesticated animals. However, they really don't spend a huge amount of their life "going fast." The glimpses you find in the title photo and elsewhere on this site pretty much capture what it is like 80 percent of the time around our place...lot's of dog lounging and cat napping. Yes we could have a snappy name that alludes to super duper doggy speed or endurance but the truth is it just didn't seem right, over 10 whippets have lived their lives out in the orchard and they all seemed more like us, beach loungers at heart. What was that story about the tortise and the hare again?
Elvis enjoying a little break between naps
Our Dog Coats for Whippets
Terrapin Orchard Whippets started wearing coats around 1995. Cheryl started sewing dog coats and dog jackets for sale in about 1999. You can see some of the many types she creates below including the "Rain Jacket" for the windy wet jaunts and the "Fleece on Fleece" warm jacket for those cold and/or damp days. All the Terrapin coats are double stitched for durability and long lasting "leasure" wear. Prices can vary so please contact us, changes to our basic designs shown here may require added charges and there also may be shipping and handling added to your bill. Also please understand that because of the demands for some styles, colors and such not all of the patterns on our website are currently available but we will do our best to find what you like.
The All Weather Rain Jacket - "Supplex and Fleece"
Violet enjoys her modelling career
The fleece interior and all weather exterior makes this nice for outdoor trips. The tummy strap can employ a tie system, velcro, or several other fastener methods. Cheryl used Supplex (a 2-ply water repellant material) for the outer fabric and a velcro strap (the button was a finishing touch, not functional) for this one.
The "Fleece on Fleece" Coat
This coat style draws from the same pattern as previously shown. However, the interior and exterior layers are both brushed fleece so have the same texture. The result is a soft and very flexible coat, all the better for staying toasty warm on those chilly winter walks.
How to Get Terrapin Coats for Your Dogs
Cheryl will need some specific measurements of your dog for a good fit. You can either; a) call first for more instructions (preferred since we will need to chat about fabric) or b) get the following dimensions using a cloth tape with your dog standing on a level surface and send us the measurements:
1) length: stretch the tape measure along your dog from the base of the tail to the base of the neck.
2) girth at the chest: measure around the"deepest" portion just behind the front legs.
3) girth at the loin: measure about where you see the tummy strap in the photos on this page.
4) height: measure from the top of the shoulder blades to the floor.
1) length: stretch the tape measure along your dog from the base of the tail to the base of the neck.
2) girth at the chest: measure around the"deepest" portion just behind the front legs.
3) girth at the loin: measure about where you see the tummy strap in the photos on this page.
4) height: measure from the top of the shoulder blades to the floor.
1) Measure the 'length.'
2) Measure the chest.
3) Measure the loin.
4) Measure the 'height.'