Let's talk about greyhounds and children. Statistics show that a fair number of the returned dogs had some unsavory interaction with a child.

Most retired racing greyhound have not been around children. Greyhounds have no reason to dislike children and in fact most greyhounds really seem to enjoy being around them. Until they are accustomed, the activity level of smaller kids may make the dog nervous. While living at the race track, greyhounds have their crate which is only theirs, they don't ever have to share that space with anyone. They come into a home and they are given a dog bed or in some cases allowed to get on furniture. Soon this area becomes their own and they can require a transition period to become used to sharing their space. A small child walking over or tripping over a dog or even just startling a sleeping dog to give affection can cause an instinctive defense reaction and result in a bitten/snapped at, frightened child. With some stellar monitoring and consistency, children and greyhound can be wonderful companions. It's important to remember that no matter how much we love our dogs and consider them family members, they are animals.

The following are some general guidelines to help develop a happy relationship:

• LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE - Do not or let a child, jump on or even pet a sleeping greyhound. Some greyhounds sleep with their eyes open. When a sleeping dog is startled it may growl or come up with teeth before it is fully awake and realizes that the culprit is its best friend. If you must wake your sleeping greyhound, call its name and have it walk to you.
• DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN CRAWL UP TO, RUN UP TO, LAY ON, KISS, HUG, PET, JUMP ON A DOG THAT IS LAYING DOWN AND/OR SLEEPING. Greyhounds do not understand the meaning of a child (children) rushing, crawling, running up to it or trying to kiss or hug it, when it is laying down (even if it is awake!). A dog may choose to get up and walk away, do nothing, growl or it may even snap or bite. Greyhounds sometimes sleep with their eyes open so it is very difficult to tell if one is asleep or awake. ALL of these behaviors are a warning to some degree that the dog does not like what is happening to it and they are trying to tell the child (children) to knock it off in the only way they know how. They may start off with simply leaving the area or turning away from the child, this will escalate to a growl, or defensive posturing and will then likely escalate to the point that if it isn't stopped they will bite. Dogs (ALL dogs) have teeth and will use them if they feel threatened. It is up to you as the parent to understand the body language of your dog and to enforce the rules of the house with the children so that this type of incident does not occur. Few if any dogs will "just bite" someone, they usually have been giving warning signs for weeks or months that have been missed or dismissed before they finally resort to a bite, greyhounds are VERY docile, for them to resort to biting a person it takes a LOT of stress, ignored warnings and eventually fear for their own safety to make them do it. In very rare occasions a dog can be just wired wrong and be a biter. This may be recognized prior to placement in a home however circumstances can perpetuate a biting dog.
• PRIVACY & QUIET - All dogs are entitled to privacy and quiet when they eat and sleep. Children must be instructed to not bother the dog during its "quiet" times. This has to be consistently enforced. The greyhound's crate is his / her "room" and should be respected, they will quickly learn to go there when things get too busy as long as they can count on being left alone while they rest in their crate. If you choose NOT to use a crate, then a room or area of the home should be set aside for the dog as it's private area, this is where their bed should be and they can also be fed in this area.
• CRATE - Do not let your children crawl into the greyhound’s crate. Initially, we recommend that you utilize the crate when your children are actively playing. It is also a good idea to use the crate when children have friends over to play. This way your new greyhound has a chance to experience and get used to children while in the safety and security of his/her crate. The use of a crate or some other method of confinement when you are not DIRECTLY supervising the dog/child interactions is mandatory. A muzzle can also be used. Just as you would not leave a toddler or infant alone unsupervised, children of any age and dogs should never be left alone unsupervised.

• FEEDING TIME - Do not let your child take away the dog’s food or interfere with its mealtime in any way. If you have very young children it's recommended that you feed your greyhound in its crate to avoid any chance of a children interfering with him/her while eating. Food is a high ticket item and can become an issue especially if the dog has not been taught to respect the kids as superiors not equals.
• DOOR BOLTING - Be extremely cautious about leaving doors and gates open (this goes for car doors also). Greyhounds move so quickly that they will be out the door and down the street in a blink of the eye. Teach your children and their friends about the importance of keeping doors and gates closed at all times. Make sure you have a hold of your greyhound by the collar before any door is opened to let anyone in/out of your house. It is a good idea to actively teach your dog the command for "wait" and use it consistently, this will reduce their desire to bolt through open doors. It can be started with letting them out of their crate and going in their crate and then built upon every day with your potty walks. Make the dog stand and "wait" they are not allowed to pass through the opening without the release command (usually a word like OK is used). If you are going out, attach the leash then say ok, let's go out. If you are letting them out of the crate, they must wait even after you open the door until they get the release command "OK, come on out". The key is be consistent, reward the positive behaviors and your dog will learn quickly what is expected of him/her.

• KINDNESS - A child old enough to have a dog share their home is old enough to treat it with kindness. If they are unable to understand this, they may not be ready to have a dog as a pet. Many times rough housing with a greyhound can go bad simply because the dog just doesn't understand the game.
• FURNITURE - We suggest that dogs should not be permitted on the furniture or to sleep with anyone on their bed for at least 6 months, they should NEVER be permitted to sleep with a child until they have been totally established in the household, this can take up to a year. This is true for any breed of dog, not just a greyhound, to allow them equal status (by letting them sleep with a child) you place them on equal footing which can cause many behavior problems that are avoided completely by removing this temptation.
  
• BACK TO SCHOOL - We highly recommend dogs that live with children be taken to obedience school by an adult, to learn basic obedience and to aid in the establishment of whom is in charge (you and the other two legged people in your home!). Most basic obedience classes are held in the evening, one class a week for 6 to 8 weeks. Many veterinarians or boarding kennels may also be able to recommend an obedience class.

These are general guidelines and all dog/family relationships are different.

Meet Boston!

Boston is a 3 year old, light fawn girl. She's a sweet heart with a little bit of an overbite (which I think is too cute!) She had a nice career back in 2009, after which she returned to farm-life, until she came to our group. While at the farm, her owner spent a lot of time working with her. He taught her great kennel and leash manners. She kennels on command and is one of the best leash-walkers I have seen in a while. Most of the time, if she gets ahead of you, she'll look over her shoulder and check where you are at and slow down. It's pretty cool. At home, she's very playful and has, over the past few days, taken all of the toys out of the toy box. She kennels while we are not home, and does just fine with that. She has had perfect house manners, not having a single accident. She sleeps on a dog bed in our room at night and has not tried to get on the couch or in the bed. She gets along great with our 3 greyhounds and did fairly well with the small dogs at the dog park. Placement with small dogs would be on an individual basis. She's quite interested in the cats, so a home without cats would be best. She does fine with children.

Overall, Boston is a fun, affectionate, silly girl who would make a perfect addition to someone's family!

Meet Cindy!

This is Cindy, or as I often call her, Cindy Lou Who, like from Dr. Suess, LOL. She's a wonderful, almost 2 year old red girl. She's currently fostered in my "working home" with 3 other greyhounds and is doing very well. She kennels when we are away, and does just fine going in and chomping down on her peanut butter filled kong. She's very friendly and shows that she would likely do well with children. Not too much bothers her. Initial introductions suggest she will likely be small animal friendly, but her formal cat test will be this week sometime. She hasn't really shown any interest in toys yet. She has not gotten on the couches, but does like to snuggle in the bed. She's a good snuggler! She walks on the leash nicely. No pulling, just the occasional side move when she gets distracted. :) She gets along great with our greyhounds and has been a perfect houseguest. All in all, Cindy is an absolutely wonderful greyhound who would make a great addition to someone's family!

By the way, this picture was taken after being in our home less than 24 hours. She's such a laid back girl!

I Rescued a Human Today

I rescued a human today.
Her eyes met mine as she walked down thecorridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail,not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid. As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident Ihad in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them. As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life. She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship.A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that allwould be well. Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one. I rescued a human today. ~Author unknown~

Greyhound Profile - Flynn

This is Flynn. He is a 2 year old, smaller black, male greyhound. He is such a sweet, friendly boy. He is really doing well is his foster home, with 3 other greyhounds and foster parents who work all day. He kennels pretty well for eating and when his foster parents leave. He really like toys! He grabs stuffies randomly and will just shake them all over the place. He is also learning to play fetch with a jolly ball. He has shown no interest in getting on the furniture or in the bed. He frequently comes up to people for lovin' and nips at our hands when he wants to be petted. He is a really fantastic, handsome, sweet, cute boy who is looking for the right home.

Greyhound Profile - Pepper

Pepper is a 7 year old, black, male greyhound who never raced. He is small dog and cat friendly. He is a very sweet boy who gets along good with the pack at Lesley's house. No kennel needed for this boy. He is also a smiler. Pepper was previously treated for heartworms, but is all clear now. This boy had a rough life till DJ found him and brought him back to health. Unfortunately, due to life changes Dj cant keep him anymore, so he is here. Anyone interested in a ready made pet, Pepper is it!

So very sorry it's been so very long...

Wow, it was way too long between posts, but at least I have a reason for it this time..

First, to follow up on the kamikaze cat issue. When my in-laws came for Christmas, our two cats moved back to Mississippi with them. So, now we are a 3 dog, no cat household and things have been much calmer. We don't get to cat test anymore, but we can take any foster.

Now, for the reason behind my long delay. We started a new greyhound rescue group. You read that right. My very good friend Lesley and I left GPA-LA/MS and started a new group. This happened in January after their were some policy changes that we did not agree with. This was not just a whim, but had been heading in this direction for a while. There was a point right after Christmas where it looked like everything would be settled, but it all fell apart and we moved on.

So, now I am the Vice President of It's a Grey Area Greyhound Adoption, Inc. We are incorporated in Louisiana and are filing for 501(3)c status. Pretty cool, huh? I am very excited. It has been a wild busy ride, but so worth it! We got 4 dogs and have placed 2 already. We took in an older dog from another program after the passing of his owner and we have a young girl coming. Everything has been moving so fast and we have accomplished so much in such a short time. I built the group a website (http://www.itsagreyarea.com). As a part of that I designed our logo and we have t-shirts of our logo and a fleur de lis version for sale online (http://www.zazzle.com/itsagreyarea*). I just registered us for Petfinder. I don't have the link for that yet, but it's coming soon.

Now you can see why it has been a while :) Our hounds are fine. Berry White seems to be showing some signs of arthritis, but we are dealing with it. Anna is just herself, but we have apparently solved her eating issues. Apparently, it's fine if we have the same dry kibble all the time as long as I wet it and give her a spoonful of wet food that we change every can. We just started Dax on melatonin, in an attempt to grow some hair on him and see if it makes a difference attitude wise.

That is where we are now and life is good! Oh, I almost forgot, it snowed today! Berry White LOVES the snow! I'll put some pictures up here to go with this...(our house; Anna; Scarlet; Dax; Berry White; Berry White)

Dairyland Greyhound Racetrack is Closing

Dairyland Greyhound Racetrack is closing. There are a lot of false e-mails circulating saying, 400, 500, 900! dogs will be put down if people don't jump and do whatever. Well, it's not true. My understanding is that Wisconsin is 100% committed to adoption and the dogs will be safe. Some will race other places, some will be bred, some will move into adoption programs. Other tracks are also closing soon, so more e-mails will be coming around. Know that its fair to say that those dogs will be taken care of as well.

Below is the official response of GPA National to the closing of Dairyland.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Dairyland Greyhound Racetrack Closing
An e-mail has been circulating recently with some figures and statements that to the best of our knowledge contain outright bogus or misleading information about the closing of Dairyland.This is the information I can share with you all regarding this tracks closure from our volunteers heavily involved in assisting these greyhounds:
1) Currently the number of dogs at Dairyland (DGP) is unknown. A State official indicated they would have a list ready in 2 weeks. 900 was the number given in a recent newspaper article, but we anticipate that number is high and the realistic number is somewhere between 300-500 dogs.
2) There is confirmation from the track veterinarian, who is a State of Wisconsin employee, that no dogs will be left behind. The facility will stay open as long as it takes to find adoption groups for all the dogs that are left at DGP.
3) Hauls are being organized to move the pet dogs out of the track prior to the closing to relieve some of the burden. This is going smoothly. Racers can't be moved until January 1st, since racing will continue until Dec. 31st. A haul going east through Ohio is scheduled to leave Dec. 5th. Another haul is leaving for Canada around the same time. Both of these hauls are going to groups that are approved to accept dogs by the State of Wisconsin.
4) All of the regional adoption groups are all ready in communication with each other and are strategizing how to move the dogs and increase adoptions. Its a good team and confidence is high in their abilities to get the job done. The groups are from WI, IL, MI, MN, IN, OH and IA (the neighboring states), but we anticipate support from well behind that perimeter.

Rory Goree
President
Greyhound Pets of America - National

What is your new adoptive greyhound thinking?

I have seen this passed around the greyhound community in multiple places many times. I thought I'd share it here as well, in case anyone missed it. It's great advice for any new adopter, and some old ones who missed the memo :)


This is an excerpt from a 1998 seminar given by Kathleen Gilley. It bears remembering.

"What is your new adoptive greyhound thinking?

This breed has never been asked to do anything for itself, make any decisions or answer any questions. It has been waited on, paw and tail. The only prohibition in a racing Greyhound's life is not to get into a fight----------------or eat certain stuff in the turn out pen.

Let us review a little. From weaning until you go away for schooling, at probably a year and a half, you eat, grow and run around with your siblings. When you go away to begin your racing career, you get your own "apartment," in a large housing development. No one is allowed in your bed but you, and when you are in there, no one can touch you,
without plenty of warning.

Someone hears a vehicle drive up, or the kennel door being unlocked. The light switches are flipped on. The loud mouths in residence, and there always are some, begin to bark or howl. You are wide awake by the time the human opens your door to turn you out. A Greyhound has
never been touched while he was asleep.

You eat when you are fed, usually on a strict schedule. No one asks if you are hungry or what you want to eat. You are never told not to eat any food within your reach. No one ever touches your bowl while you are eating. You are not to be disturbed because it is important
you clean your plate.

You are not asked if you have to "go outside." You are placed in a turn out pen and it isn't long before you get the idea of what you are supposed to do while you are out there. Unless you really get out of hand, you may chase, rough house and put your feet on everyone and every thing else. The only humans you know are the "waiters" who feed you, and the "restroom attendants" who turn you out to go to the bathroom. Respect people? Surely you jest.

No one comes into or goes out of your kennel without your knowledge. You are all seeing; all knowing. There are no surprises, day in and day out. The only thing it is ever hoped you will do is win, place or show, and that you don't have much control over. It is in your blood, it is in your heart, it is in your fate-- or it is not.

And when it is not, then suddenly you are expected to be a civilized person in a fur coat. But people don't realize you may not even speak English. Some of you don't even know your names, because you didn't need to. You were not asked or told to do anything as an individual; you were always part of the "condo association"; the sorority or fraternity and everyone did everything together, as a group or pack. The only time you did anything as an individual is when you schooled or raced, and even then, You Were Not Alone.

Suddenly, he is expected to behave himself in places he's never been taught how to act. He is expected to take responsibility for saying when he needs to go outside, to come when he is called, not to get on some or all of the furniture, and to not eat food off counters and tables. He is dropped in a world that is not his, and totally without warning, at that.

Almost everything he does is wrong. Suddenly he is a minority. Now he is just a pet. He is unemployed, in a place where people expect him to know the rules and the schedule, even when there aren't any. (How many times have you heard someone say, "He won't tell me when he has to go out." What kind of schedule is that?) Have you heard the joke about the dog who says, "My name is No-No Bad Dog. What's yours?" To me that is not even funny. All the protective barriers are gone. There is no more warning before something happens. There is no more
strength in numbers. He wakes up with a monster human face two inches from his. (With some people's breath, this could scare Godzilla.) Why should he not, believe that this "someone," who has crept up on him, isn't going to eat him for lunch? (I really do have to ask you ladies to consider how you would react if someone you barely knew crawled up on you while you were asleep?) No, I will not ask for any male input.

Now he is left alone, for the first time in his life, in a strange place, with no idea of what will happen or how long it will be before someone comes to him again. If he is not crated, he may go though walls, windows or over fences, desperately seeking something familiar, something with which to reconnect his life. If he does get free, he will find the familiarity, within himself: the adrenaline high, the wind in his ears, the blood pulsing and racing though his heart once again--until he crashes into a car.

Often, the first contact with his new family is punishment, something he's never had before, something he doesn't understand now, especially in the middle of the rest of the chaos. And worst of all, what are the most common human reactions to misbehavior? We live in a violent society, where the answer to any irritation is a slap, punch, kick, whip, or rub your nose in it. Under these circumstances, sometimes I think any successful adoption is a miracle.

He is, in effect, expected to have all the manners of at least a six- year old child. But, how many of you would leave an unfamiliar six- year old human alone and loose in your home for hours at a time and not expect to find who knows what when you got back? Consider that if you did, you could be brought up on charges of child abuse, neglect and endangerment. Yet, people do this to Greyhounds and this is often the reason for so many returns.

How many dogs have been returned because they did not know how to tell the adopter when they had to go out? How many for jumping on people, getting on furniture, counter surfing, separation anxiety, or defensive actions due to being startled or hurt (aka growling or biting)? So, let's understand: Sometimes it is the dog's "fault" he cannot fit in. He is not equipped with the social skills of a six- year old human. But you can help him." from people who will never have the joy in their lives of knowing they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an angel as they will ever get. How EMPTY my life would be!

Dax update #3, this weekend, and a photo

Last night, Dax and I did not sleep. Some how Tim slept through the pacing. Dax's wrap had come off, and I don't know if he was just freaked out by the stitches, they itched, or hurt when they touched stuff or what, but he would not stop pacing. No panting, just pacing. I ended up wrapping it after I let him go potty, and that settled him some. Ugh, what a long night.

Stitches were removed this morning. That was relatively uneventful. We did get to see our vet this time. She took them out and said his tail looked good. Hopefull, we are on our way to recovery!

We get foster #11 tomorrow. We are not sure who it will be yet, as some one is coming to look at the two possibilities as I type, but someone is coming tomorrow. We are meeting Lesley at the Howerton's. They are fostering a brother to their dog Rita, and we get whoever the other person does not chose.

Lastly, a photo. A little while back, we had a photo made of Dax and his 3 brothers for the GPA-LA/MS 2010 Calendar. It was quite a shoot. Sorry I missed blogging about it. A lot was going on at the time. Anywho, the shoot was chaotic, but went well and we all got some good shots. All I was worried about was a picture of all 4, and that's what I got. So, without further ado, the "Lago' boys! From left to right: Dax (Lago Dave), Andrew (Lago Andrew), Fox (Lago Fox) and Bud (Lago Bud).

Trust

I've often intended for this blog to serve as more than a place for me to write about my dogs. I also wanted it to be a place to share information with others about greyhounds. A resource of sorts. Because of this, every once in a while, I am going to try to post some valuable information about greys here. Something people can use. Nothing has happened to prompt this particular post, but it's something that goes around in the greyhound world. It has come around to me again recently and it's important. This is why I am posting it here.

On a side note, Dax's Birthday was Sunday. I have pics to post and stuff to write, but I'll do that when I have some more time - this will be a quick post.

"Trust - A Deadly Disease", by Sharon Mathers

There is a deadly disease stalking your dog. A hideous, stealthy thing just waiting its chance to steal your beloved friend. It is not a new disease, or one for which there inoculations. The disease is called trust.
You knew before you ever took your Greyhound home that it could not be trusted. The people who provided you with this precious animal warned you, drummed it into your head. A newly rescued racer may steal off counters, destroy something expensive, chase cats, and must never be allowed off his lead!
When the big day finally arrived, heeding the sage advice, you escorted your dog to his new home, properly collared and tagged, the lead held tightly in your hand. At home the house was "doggie proofed." Everything of value was stored in the spare bedroom, garbage stowed on top of the refrigerator, cats separated, and a gate placed across the door to the living room. All windows and doors had been properly secured and signs placed in strategic points reminding all to "CLOSE THE DOOR"
Soon it becomes second nature to make sure the door closes a second after it was opened and that it really latched. "DON'T LET THE DOG OUT" is your second most verbalized expression. (The first is NO!) You worry and fuss constantly, terrified that your darling will get out and a disaster will surely follow. Your friends comment about who you love most, your family or the dog. You know that to relax your vigil for a moment might lose him to you forever.
And so the weeks and months pass, with your Greyhound becoming more civilized every day, and the seeds of trust are planted. It seems that each new day brings less mischief, less breakage. Almost before you know it your racer has turned into an elegant, dignified friend.
Now that he is a more reliable, sedate companion, you take him more places. No longer does he chew the steering wheel when left in the car. And darned if that cake wasn't still on the counter this morning. And, oh yes, wasn't that the cat he was sleeping with so cozily on your pillow last night? At this point you are beginning to become infected, the disease is spreading its roots deep into your mind.
And then one of your friends suggests obedience. You shake your head and remind her that your dog might run away if allowed off the lead, but you are reassured when she promises the events are held in a fenced area. And, wonder of wonders, he did not run away, but came every time you called him!
All winter long you go to weekly obedience classes. After a time you even let him run loose from the car to the house when you get home. Why not, he always runs straight to the door, dancing a frenzy of joy and waits to be let in. Remember, he comes every time he is called. You know he is the exception that proves the rule. (And sometimes, late at night, you even let him slip out the front door to go potty and then right back in.) At this point the disease has taken hold, waiting only for the right time and place to rear its ugly head.
Years pass--it is hard to remember why you ever worried so much when he was new. He would never think of running out the door left open while you bring in the packages from the car. It would be beneath his dignity to jump out the window of the car while you run into the convenience store. And when you take him for those wonderful long walks at dawn, it only takes one whistle to send him racing back to you in a burst of speed when the walk comes too close to the highway. (He still gets into the garbage, but nobody is perfect.)
This is the time the disease has waited for so patiently. Sometimes it only has to wait a year or two, but often it takes much longer.
He spies the neighbor dog across the street, and suddenly forgets everything he ever knew about not slipping outdoors, jumping out windows, or coming when called due to traffic. Perhaps it was only a paper fluttering in the breeze, or even just the sheer joy of running--
Stopped in an instant. Stilled forever--your heart is broken at the sight of his still beautiful body. The disease is trust. The final outcome, hit by a car.
Every morning my dog Shah bounced around off his lead exploring. Every morning for seven years he came back when he was called. He was perfectly obedient, perfectly trustworthy. He died fourteen hours after being hit by a car.
Please do not risk your friend and your heart. Save the trust for things that do not matter.

Andrew was adopted and Howlidays is coming!

Once again, too long since the last post, but things are calming down in the next few weeks, so I should get to being more regular again.

On March 7th, Andrew was adopted. A wonderful family with two kids adopted him and he is doing so well. He did just fine with their cats and plays well with the kids. Another cool thing is that they should see his brother Bud at some events around New Orleans. I hope they do. When we handed Andy over, we did so at the Meet & Greet in Denham Springs. I knew right away that they would be fine for Andy. They even let him choose his own first toy at the store! It was so cute!

Other recent news, the hounds spent 8 days at Lesley's. We picked them up yesterday. Overall, they did well. Berry White chose to sleep in an open kennel every night and even jumped into an upper kennel once! Anna slept with Lesley in the bed most of the week. Dax, well, he's Dax. He couldn't figure it out the first night, so she crated him, then he cried. She brought him back to her room again, and then he was okay and slept on a dog bed there the rest of the week. Everyone ate well and behaved well. It was a good first experience leaving them somewhere. Thanks again Lesley!

Now for this weekend.... it is the Howliday event at Ebro, Florida. The event is being held by the GPA-EC group, which is where most of GPA-LA/MS's hounds come from. Event info can be found at http://www.gpaec.com/howliday/. I'll take plenty of pictures and share them here.

WAY BEHIND!

I am so sorry it has been so long since my last post. Just been busy and haven't spent much time on front of the computer. Oh well, I'll fill in the gaps.

On Jan. 11th, we were brought foster #7, Be Ending, who goes by Bender. He is a tiny, shy black boy. He has done well. We crated him while we weren't home. He actually seems to like the crate. He feels safe there and I can't blame him, since he is so shy. We've had him a few weeks now and he has improved dramatically since we got him. The last 3 days he has even started to venture into our bed for what verge on snuggles. He will only come in the morning when we are waking up, but it's a step in the right direction. He has not tried to get on any other furniture. He comes up for loves. He is a sweet, sweet boy, just shy. He does get excited, hop and bark when it's time to eat. He's happy, just not confident. He'll do well in a quiet home with a patient owner who does not expect immediate affection. He is starting to bond with me, so it's time to move him. It's hard to say that, but he's getting too attached and he can't stay here. He needs to get a home ASAP. The right one just hasn't come yet. He may be moving to a new foster home this evening, but we are waiting on arrangements to be made. If we do pass Bender on, we are getting Dax's brother Andrew! I'll get into that if it happens. To foster a sibling would be such a cool thing!

Berry White has been doing well. No issues since the last episode and he even played VERY hard Friday night with some friends and his soccer ball and he was just fine the next day.

We, for the most part, solved Anna's eating issues. We switched foods to Beneful Healthy Radiance, which all hounds now approve of and we started giving Anna a little milk with her food. After gaining 10 pounds in a month, we are cutting the milk back. She is eating regualrly, except when schedules get screwy on the weekends. Then she gives us some trouble sometimes.

I talked about everyone else, so I'll say Dax is doing just fine as usual. He's just Dax. My big, blue, snuggle boy.

Yesterday was the LSU Vet School Open house. We went. We brought Bender and Anna. Bender, adn two other greyhounds, were meeting a potential owner there. We think he will adopt one of the girls, but we won't find out until later today probably. Hopefully, someone will get a home out of this. We had a good time though. We participated in the Parade of Breeds, which wasn't much, but we got to show off the hounds to quite a crowd, so that was good.

I think that's all for now. If I forgot anything, I'll post it next time, which will hopefully be sooner rather than so much later. Sorry again for the big delay. I'll try to be better.

A greyhound in the White House?

The country is a buzz. Obama has won and promised his girls a "puppy" by the spring. Well, one has allergies, so their breeds are limited. Also, Obama has expressed interest in rescuing a dog. As you can imagine, there is now much discussion in the greyhound community about the possibility of a greyhound in the White House and what that would do/cause?

I think there would be positive and negative effects. I must also say that it is a bigger deal because of them getting the dog post election. To be frank, I doubt they will adopt a greyhound. There are too many political connotations and too many people that would be pissed off by it and trying to read something into it. Is he pro-racing, anti-racing, or does he even give a crap? I just think it would be too political. I do have some worry that people who do not need and should not have greyhounds would end up with them in a sort of 101 Dalmations sort of situation. There may be some cases of that, but the fact that many if not most groups require home visits, a lot of that would be prevented with the exception of direct from the track adoptions an such. On a positive note, there would be increased awareness of the breed and how great they are as pets, as well as the plight of many former racers and the like. I could go on more, but I won't. This is a sticky subject. I am torn as to which I would prefer, yes or no...

I would like to wih the Obama's the best in their dog choice. Please rescue. Purebred or mutt does not matter, but NO DESIGNER BREEDS. I just cannot support that at all.

Gus is home - and now there were 3....

Last Friday night, Gus went to his new home in Mississippi. Last I heard, he was doing very well. His new Mom and Dad loved him from the get-go and he will surely be spoiled.

I must admit, I do not miss him as much as I thought I might. As I have said before, he may not have caused any trouble and my hounds did not mind him, but he was not right for our pack. He is a greyt boy, but never to be my greyt boy. When they left with Gus, my 3 immediately went to sleep. It was like a weight was lifted from them. The last few nights, it is not a mad dash to get in the bed and everyone doesn't have to sleep with us. It's just no big deal. That goes back to me saying he did not really "fit" here. My hounds are not "needy". They all like attention, but none of them are velcro dogs. Gus is. He wanted to constantly be in contact with SOME human. Mine normally do not, but became jealous because he got all this attention. This bothered them and I ended up with a house full of velcro dogs! No one ever got snippy or anything, there was just always a hound there. I am by no means suggesting my hounds are not spoiled rotten and the center of attention in my house, but it's just different. Some of you will understand what I mean.

Either way, Gus is in a happy home. My home is settled again. Life is greyt!

Gus is going home!

Gus is being adopted! He goes to his new home in Jackson, MS on Friday! We love him and will miss him, but I am so happy to see him go to his forever home and know that we played a role in that. It is greyt news! I'll post more about it after we meet his new family.

more life with the hounds... more Gus

I really don't have anything in particular to write about, other than wishing that I could commit to writing something regularly, even if it was about nothing.... We still have Gus. On the 20th, he weighed in at 72 pounds! We just finished a round of de-wormer today. Nothing major. He is doing well. He is very stubborn sometimes. Loves attention of all kinds and follows whoever comes to the house and leans on them. He is very sweet. Tomorrow we will have had him 6 weeks. He is a greyt dog. This is where the questions really start to come in about, "Why don't you keep him?" "How can you let him go, he is so great!?" And so on. We get this with every foster. Seems to be more with Gus since we have had him so long. He is a fine greyhound. He does well with our hounds and they don't mind him. I love him to pieces and treat him like my own, but he isn't. I don't feel compelled to keep him, I mean there are times, but generally, I don't feel like it's right. It's one of those, I wouldn't mind if he stayed, but it's cool if he goes too. We have had a foster that we were so glad it left. Others, we have liked a lot, but didn't go well with our hounds... the situation is different with every hound. Gus is special. He has his sad story, but that does not compell me to feel any different with him as it does/might some people. In the end, he is just like any other greyhound. He really is. He is just your average goofy boy greyhound. At this point, he looks like a hound that just left the track not long ago. You would never know what he has been through. You know when the hound is right. Most people don't really get to "pick" so to speak as we have. We adopted Berry White and Anna in "love-at-first-sight" moments and Dax was only from a picture and a description. I knew when I saw him that he was different and would take work. He was so shy, and still retains some of that. BUT he is my boy. My boy. Gus is not my boy. And I know that every dog you have isn't. I will let him go. I will let others go. Maybe 3 is our comfort level. I don't know. Four for this long has not been hard. I think the reason we have no fallen head-over-heals for Gus is because he is too needy. Clyde was KINDA like this, but not as much. As T (my husband) said the other night, Gus needs more love than we can give him. He needs to be with another dog, but maybe just 1, so he can get more attention. Something. Gus is a greyt hound, but he is not our greyt hound.

Gus is still here...

Just wanted to give an update. Gus has been with us for 3 weeks now, and we MIGHT have a home for him.... (fingers crossed) He is doing very well. No accidents. We are moving out of the crate as we speak. We still have to keep him under wraps when we feed all the hounds. He started stealing some stuff, but has not hurt anything. He stretches, plays with the hounds, plays with toys, snuggles, climbs up in our laps, he is just all around a FANTASTIC hound! If we only had 2, he would so stay! Our house just can't handle 4 on a permanent basis. He is just such a love and will be the hardest to let go. He is up to 65 pounds! Which is about a 10 pound gain for him. He looks and feels much better. We are working on walking on a leash, which is his only problem right now.... he pulls quite a bit. He is just so loving and affectionate! A near-perfect hound! I hope the potential home works out, as he has a few restrictions on him: must have another dog, preferably a grey, and must have a privacy fence. No 4' chain link - he would probably climb it (as he climbs baby-gates like no one's business, when he feels like it). Otherwise, he is fine with cats (as we have 2) and should be fine with small dogs... just curious. He doesn't need a crate. He's a good boy. If anyone is nearby and interested, he is available...

I have included some updated pics...

Our foster Gus and Hurricane Gustav

So first Gus, and then to Gustav.

Back on August 12th or 13th, there was a raid by animal control in a nearby town. Link to the story can be found here. Anywway, many animals were taken, including 3 greyhounds. They were very malnourished and underweight. Our group got the greys and is taking care of them now. They now have new names and are working on new lives. The first male is now called Ernie. (they were all retired racers, so we know who they were and I won't get into the backstory too much.) Ernie has already been adopted by our Baton Rouge placement rep's. He is a 3 year old brindle boy. They now have 6 greys in their house! Next is a 4 year old white and brindle female who is now being called Bella. She is being fostered with Dax's brother Bud's family. If things work well, they are considering keeping her. And we are fostering a 3 year old red boy who is now being called Gus. (how ironic huh?) Gus is quite sweet. He is adjusting pretty well. No accidents so far. He doesn't chew or steal. He did a little counter-surfing at first, but we have curtailed that so far. He crates well. He does jump over baby-gates though. He will most likely need a home with another greyhound and with a 6' wood privacy fence. We think he would jump a 4' chainlink with little effort.


And now in Gustav....we have been watching for the past week as things have progressed and now we are preparing for a potential hit. It could be quite a big deal. We are just watching the weather and waiting. We have food until into next week for both us and the hounds. We are far enough inland that we don't have to worry about storm surge, flooding or anything like that. We are just hanging in there. I will try to post throughout the storm if possible, if not as soon as I can once it's over.

Happy Birthday Berry White (written a few days late)

Just a quick note. July 31st was Berry White's 8th Birthday. July 29th was also Berry White's 2nd Gotcha Day. He turned 6 just two days after we brought him home. He was our first greyhound and his presence has forever changed our lives. We love you Berry White, Berry, Mr. White, and the many other names you take. You are the sweet kissy, lover-boy of the house. You are Daddy's heart-dog. We can't imagine our lives without you. You will be the first of many. You got treats on your Gotcha Day and new toys on your Birthday. Enjoy big guy! We hope for MANY more years to come!