My design studio has a new partner. Meet Bindi, the retired Greyhound.

Her job (apart from acting like a 60kmh couch potato), is to make critical creative appraisals, take trips to the café and generally be an all-round dogs’ body. She been on the job for 3 weeks now. So far, so very good.

Like me, she’s quick. Unlike me, she has been associated with royalty.

Here are a few more Greyhound facts:

• Greyhounds are one of the oldest breeds of dogs. There are drawings of dogs resembling greyhounds in vases and tombs dated from the Ancient Egypt 8000 years ago.
• The greyhound is mentioned in the Old Testament ( Proverbs 30:29-31)
• The greyhound is portrayed by Homer ( Odyssey, 800 B.C.—the only one to recognize Odyseus upon his return was Argus, his greyhound).

Did you know that there is an NZ organisation that specialises in finding homes for retired racing Greyhounds? GAP (Greyhounds As Pets) is an independent charitable trust established by Greyhound Racing New Zealand to find pet homes for retired racing greyhounds.

Cutting loose on Nelson's Back Beach

Bindi can move!

Ronan overlooking Takaka Hill, Nelson January 2011