last post

So this is my last official blog for this class. I just want to say that I learned so much from this class and had fun at the same time. Thank you Lia for all that you have taught us!

Adopting a greyhound

Here are some greyhounds that are currently available for adoption!!!

It costs around $250 dollars to adopt a greyhound (an ex-racer). The thing is, many greyhounds are put to death each week because they were never able to be placed with a family in time. If you are unable to adopt a greyhound you can foster one until a permanent home is available or you can help support them by making donations.

There are several places in CA where you can go through the adoption process.

Check out some of these profiles on these available greyhounds. Remember, there are many many more available and waiting... these are just a few.

You can go to this website to contact someone if you are interested in actually going through with the process. Enjoy!

http://www.greysave.org/adoptables.php

Luke
Racing Name:Primed AZ Bouchy
Age: 2 Sex: M Color: Brindle
Small dog/cat tolerant: Y/N

Luke is a very sweet boy who likes to stay close to his people. He is very affectionate and loves to snuggle. He loves his toys and will carry them around the house or outside and then pile them up around him on a dog bed. He likes to toss the toys in the air so that he can catch them. He loves tossing and catching his toys and then taking off at a run. He enjoys chasing balls. Luke is great with most other dogs, large and smallish (he has lived with other hounds and a miniature pinscher) but cats and tiny, fluffy dogs are a problem for him. In the house his favorite thing is to be near his foster mom and dad and give the stuffies a good going over.

Dove
Racing Name: Costar Lonesome
Age: 2 1/2 Sex: F Color: Brindle
Small dog/cat tolerant: Y/Y

Dove is a pretty, perky and petite greyhound. She has beautiful brindle coloring from head to toe. Dove walks easily on the leash and seems to love her car rides. She lives with another older greyhound and is learning what appropriate behavior from her surrogate mom is. When Dove arrived she was a bit nervous and apprehensive but has come along very nicely. She is very energetic and rambunctious, but settles down quickly when she gets a few “loves.” She is not a counter surfer, and uses the doggie door. Dove loves to play with stuffed toys, but most of all she LOVES people. Dove would do very well in a house full of children and other dogs. A quick learner, a good eater, a sloppy kisser and a happy, loving personality…what more could you want?

Swiftie
Racing Name: BW's Swifty
Age: 5 1/2 Sex: F Color: Black
Small dog/cat tolerant: W/N

Swiftie is a darling little black girl with white on her chest, toes and tail. She settled into the home quickly with only a couple of accidents. She was using the doggy door by day four. She gets along very nicely with the two big greyhound boys in the house. At this point Swiftie has discovered a number of reflective surfaces in the house. She seems very curious about that other greyhound she sees, even putting her little paws on the bathroom counter to get a closer look at the dog in there. Currently her favorite toy is a tennis ball with a squeaker in it. She doesn't play with stuffed toys or the boy dogs, no matter how hard her foster brother tries. She will give little kisses and lots of tail wags to the humans in the house. Swiftie is confident, affectionate, very curious, and eager to please. She is not possessive of her food or bed. She likes car rides and gets in and out very well. She walks beautifully on the leash except when she sees smaller animals. She REALLY wants to get them. She would probably do well in a house as an only dog or with other large hounds.

Paula
Racing Name: Primed AZ Paula
Age: 3 1/2 Sex: F Color: Brindle
Small dog/cat tolerant: Y/Y

Paula is a sweet, shy, and feminine girl who is enjoying her life away from the track. She rides well in the car and is perfect on lead. She gets along fine with the three greyhounds in her foster home and sometimes sleeps snuggled up next to them. Paula is working on trusting her humans. She loves to play with stuffies, tossing them in the air and catching them. She loves to chase squirrels in the back yard.

Rockette
Racing Name: Rocken Racoon
Age: 3 1/2 Sex: F Color: White and red fawn
Small dog/cat tolerant: W/N

Rockette is a real cuddle bug. She may not give kisses, but she'd like nothing better than to get as close to you as she can, even in a lap. She is a cockroach sleeper. Though she doesn't like to share her bed, she has two roommates that like to snuggle up with each other and invade her space. She is a really smart little girl--the doggy door was a breeze for her and she has had no accidents. She doesn't seem to be interested in the outdoors unless to take a walk, which she loves. We're working on her walking and it is very much improved. She rides well in the car but does have to look out the window to see things. She has just discovered squeaky toys. She is learning to share toys; her doggie roommates like to steal toys and play tug of war. Rockette is a very nosy girl and has to check out everything in a room, including looking out windows. She has checked the counters, but doesn't display much interest in them. She might be good as an only dog, as long as she has plenty of cuddle time.

Stella
Racing Name: Bella Stroll
Age: 4 Sex: F Color: White and black
Small dog/cat tolerant: Y/N

Stella is sweet and gentle. She loves the other dogs and runs and plays in the yard. She hasn't figured out toys yet but starting to show interest. This girl is a jumper, very agile and quick, and would likely excel at learning a canine agility course. Stella thinks baby gates are just a small hurdle to be conquered. She is very smart and is housebroken using a dog door.

Barclay -- Adoption Pending
Racing Name: HK Clay
Age: 2 Sex: M Color: Brindle
Small dog/cat tolerant: Y/Y

Barclay is a very handsome brindle boy who is quite easy going. He is living with two cats, two greyhounds, and a golden retriever. He loves his new life and seems quite grateful. In particular he likes having great food, soft beds and plenty of company. He has made himself so comfortable at the foster home he plans to stay there and make it his Forever Home.

Glenda
Racing Name: Bella Grand Tyme
Age: 2 1/2 Sex: F Color: Red
Small dog/cat tolerant: Y/Y

Glenda is a lovely red greyhound with a sweet and loving personality. She loves being retired and has quickly settled into life as a couch potato. She is housebroken and has learned about stairs, mirrors, and she uses the dog door. She is content following her family around and receiving lots of love and attention. She loves to play with stuffed toys and enjoys playing in the grass and chasing lizards. Glenda would make a wonderful companion but would do better in a home where someone is around or with another dog.

Medical Hold Greyhounds

Myrtle
Racing Name: RD's Hurdle
Age: 3 1/2 Sex: F Color: White and brindle
Small dog/cat tolerant: W/N

Myrtle is a cute, little waggie-tail girl, with a coat soft as a bunny's. She loves to snuggle and gets along well with others. She seems a bit intimidated if a new dog comes into the house. She will growl at first if they come too close but warms up to them after she realizes they mean no harm. Her broken leg is still splinted but the splint may come off in a couple of weeks. She was housebroken with a dog door from the first day. She loves her toys and like to stockpile them on her bed.

Major -- Adoption Pending
Racing Name: BA Major
Age: 2 3/4 Sex: M Color: Brindle
Small dog/cat tolerant: Y/Y

Wyatt
Racing Name: Higher Learning
Age: 3 1/2 Sex: M Color: Red
Small dog/cat tolerant: Y/Y

Wyatt’s career-ending broken leg brought him to GreySave’s medical program and to the home where he is rehabbing and making great progress. Wyatt comes in a small package with a dynamic personality and nothing keeps him down. He is a gentle, playful boy with kisses for everyone. He conquered house training in record time. Despite activity restrictions, he is exploring his retirement with gusto and is one happy boy. He has charmed his two greyhound housemates, even the grouchy female. They accompany him on his short walks without complaint. He is curious about but not particularly interested in squirrels, cats, and small dogs. Wyatt makes sure that every moment of his walk counts, nothing interferes. Wyatt won’t be available for adoption for a couple of months but will be a great companion when he is ready for his Forever Home.

Greyhound training

If you are seriously considering getting a greyhound, check out this book. It will help you in training your greyhound. Just any dog training book won't do. It's called "Greyhound Savvy"

‘Learn How to Make Your Greyhound Happy, Healthy and Obedient’

Unlike many other dog books, ‘Greyhound Savvy’ contains all the useful knowledge, advice and tips I learned from Greyhound experts and Greyhound lovers (like you and I), rather than just generic advice about dogs. It’s jam-packed with the most effective tips and techniques for looking after your Greyhound.

Put simply, it contains everything you need to know about finding and living happily with your Greyhound - whether it be a puppy that needs training or an older dog or ex-racer with learned behaviors

At last, fast and effective solutions to common Greyhound problems...

‘Greyhound Savvy’ is easy to read and understand with step-by-step instructions for looking after your Greyhound.

Discover:

• When to give your Greyhound attention and when to ignore him – and why this is critical to good behavior
  
  
• How to talk to your Greyhound so he will listen – it’s all to do with tone of voice but does not involve shouting
  
  
• Why your Greyhound can’t resist chasing anything that moves and effective ways to keep him under control
  
  
• The sure-fire way that is guaranteed to get your Greyhound to respect you – and doesn’t involve shouting or spanking
  
  
• How to show your Greyhound who’s boss - just by the way you hold him

Check it out and you will see results!

Enjoy!

Why I love greyhounds

Why do I love greyhounds? They are awesome! That's why. Here are a few stats:
Greyhounds make such great pets! They are intelligent, affectionate, "laid back" and super clean. Although they are classified as large dogs, they are relatively inobtrusive, polite, and easy to live with. Most do well with cats and other small animals and most are super good with children. Other friends of mine own 2 greyhounds and they have 2 toddlers at home. The toddlers will lay on the greyhounds and pull at their ears and they don't even move. It's so cute.

Also, about 60% of ex-racing Greyhounds have no interest in cats, about 20% can easily be trained to be cat compatible, and only about 20% are not able to live with cats. Greyhounds have virtually no "dog" odor either, even when wet! They have short hair, don't shed much (athough they do shed a little), and do not require grooming (other than an occasional bath and nail clipping). Greyhounds are generally very healthy dogs, and live for 12 to 15 years. They also don't need a lot of exercise, but will enjoy as much as you have time to give them! They are family, community dogs and just like being around you. They don't have to be entertained or be the entertainers.

So a bit from my previous story...the morning after our stay at the people's house I took the greyhound for a walk. She was so cute!!! She walked right by my side and didn't pull at all. (If she saw a squirrel that would've been another story!!!) It was funny though. She actually walked slower than I would have preferred, and every time we approached a shade spot she walked over to it and layed down.

More to be continued...

How I fell in love with greyhounds

It all started back in college, when I was about 19 years old. Back then it was always an issue of saving money. Well, because I had friends all over I did a lot of traveling and so did they. I was living in Michigan at the time in the city of Grand Rapids. Although Grand Rapids has its own airport, and an international airport at that, my best friend still opted to save $100 dollars by flying in to Chicago instead of Grand Rapids. It was a 3 1/2 hour drive to Chicago from Grand Rapids. Another thing to note is that back in the day we all drove old cars that were about ready break down any minute because we didn't have the money for much more than that.

Well, on my way to Chicago with a friend of mine we are driving along the freeway when all of a sudden the car stops accelerating and smoke starts coming out of the engine. We were in the fast lane and there wasn't a place to pull over. So we came to a stop and started backing up traffic. This was just the beginning. Fortunately, not long after that a highway patrol tow truck pulls up behind us. "Car trouble? I'll tow you to the next exit for free and then you'll have to take it from there." "Okay," we agreed, just happy to get off the busy freeway.

So he drops us off at the next exit at an empty, abandoned bus station. So we're in the car pondering what to do. Luckily I had just gotten my first cell phone the day before and it sure came in use!!! Perfect timing on that one, right? But I didn't have a phone book with me and I didn't know how to call information!

So we sit there for about 5 minutes thinking about options when a couple cop cars pull up from the back of the lot, park, and then open the doors of the car to let out their K-9 dogs to do practice attacking techniques!!! The cops are wearing this mesh glove thing and they practice again and again releasing these "hungry" dogs to go "attack" the other cop as a practice! It was kinda scary. So we're sitting in the car thinking. Well, we can't go anywhere, the car is dead. We can't get out of the car. There are attack dogs surrounding us, and we aren't wearing the mesh gloves! What to do, what to do... if we could only flag down one of the cops to ask if he could help us. But they were so into what they were doing they didn't even notice us. They probably thought we were just an abandoned car without people in it.

Finally we were able to flag down one of the cops when he came closer. We told him our situation. He called information for us and we were able to call the airport and have them contact our friend who we weren't going to be able to pick up anymore, or at least for a very long while. It was already night by this point. Then the cops left! That's the only help they gave us! This abandoned bus lot with K-9 dogs became darker and darker as the night went on and it was time to figure stuff out. So with the limited numbers of our friends that we knew by heart we called and through them got other numbers of people we could call to try and help us. (remember, I had just gotten my phone the day before- my first phone- and I didn't have any phone numbers programmed yet).

So finally we contacted someone that my friend had class with who's sister's boyfriend that studied in Japan last summer knew someone that lived at the Indiana border very close to where we broke down. "Oh... okay, sure. I'll just call some random stranger and ask them to help me get my car towed and drive me to the airport to pick up my friend, or better yet all the way back to MI?" We didn't know anyone in the area, and weren't familiar with the area, all the towing places were closed (as far as we knew)... so we went with it. We called her and told her our situation and she asked us where we were. "I don't know," I said. "Let me go out and check." I was kind of afraid to step outside of the car. It was dark. What if some K-9 dog or something jumped out at me. So I went to the street area and looked at the closest intersection and reported back to her the street names. "Get back into the car!!!" She said. "What?" "That is one of the worst areas you could be in! Stay in the car. We'll come pick you up." So at around 8 at night this random stranger comes to pick us up. She had also called for a tow pick up that was 24/7 on her way over. She came with her husband and waited with us until the tow truck came. Then she drove over with us to the shop where they dropped off the car and then we drove all the way back to her house.

She treated us just like family. When we got to her house she introduced us to her son... and then her greyhound!!! That's when it all started. This dog was like a little angel. He loved company but he wasn't hyper. He came over and rested his little long nose on your lap or shoulder just to be close. How precious! We asked a lot of questions about greyhounds and learned a lot about this amazing breed! We fell so in love with this greyhound... and the family! It was like we had known them for years. They put us up in the guest room for the night and the next morning we had breakfast together and then took the dog for a walk and hung out a bit more before the end of our wonderful visit. The car needed a few days to get fixed so they agreed to drive us 2 hours if someone from Grand Rapids would pick us up halfway. How nice! Ever since then my friend and I have been greyhound fans. I'll have to tell you more about greyhounds later.