Owners’ stories
The families
Everything below was written by owners, and is printed with their permission and first names. We ask every family for an update and a photo each year; 34 of 40 replied in 2026.
Every September we hold a picnic and Fast CAT practice day in our back field for Ashgrove dogs and their people — this year, 22 dogs came. There is also a private owners’ group on Facebook, where most of the questions at 2 am get answered by someone who has had the same whippet.
In their words
We drove up from Brooklyn three times before Saw Kill came home. Ellen told us straight that she’d never be safe off leash in the city, and she was right. She runs the fenced dog run at 7 am like it’s the Derby.
Dana, Brooklyn NY — Saw Kill, Rivers litter (2024)We co-own Kinderhook. Ellen walked us through our first show and never once made us feel like amateurs, which we were. He finished in August.
Starling was raised with Ellen’s cats and lives with our two. The cats run the house. She knows it.
Vesper got her DCAT in two seasons. Ellen came to watch the run that did it.
Fennel is ten and still sleeps under the duvet with his head on the pillow. When he had his murmur diagnosed last year, Ellen wanted the echo report before we’d even got home.
Gail, Rhinebeck NY — Fennel, Herbs II litter (2016)They told us about Monty’s left ear before we ever met him, and dropped the price without being asked. Four years on, he is the best dog we have had.
Esopus runs Fast CAT most months and sleeps the rest of the time. Ellen still asks for her times.
Priya, Kingston NY — Esopus, Rivers litter (2024)Roeliff passed his therapy-dog test at two. The hospice staff say he knows which rooms to go quiet in.
Helen, Poughkeepsie NY — Roeliff, Rivers litter (2024)Ember is five and has never once knocked our daughter over. She leans instead.
Marisol and Javier, Poughkeepsie NY — Ember, Lanterns litter (2021)