BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 13 Oct 18 - 05:15 PM

We have noticed that if she is in our back garden, where she seems to like lying on the grass, she will only come back inside if I put her lead on, which I think is because that is all she has ever known. Still she has only been with us for 7 hours so very early days.

Overnight will be interesting!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 14 Oct 18 - 07:20 AM

Well, there were no problems through the night except that the contents of our kitchen land fill bin were on the floor - easily remedied! We could see that she spent some time on her bed, and she has found a space on the wooden floor where she likes to lie down and watch. There were new noises for her to experience this morning - washing machine and music, and of course the smell of Sunday breakfast made her very interested!

During her walk I stopped and shared yesterday's adventure with another greyhound owner while the dogs said hello. She has to make a return trip to the animal rescue centre in a weeek's time to have stitches out from being spayed and second injections.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 14 Oct 18 - 07:26 AM

Aha, she froze at one point on her walk this morning, with her natural instincts on overdrive, and looked up - at a squirrel, so I just turned around and walked her away.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Senoufou
Date: 14 Oct 18 - 08:25 AM

It all sounds as if it's going well. She must love being in a proper home at long last, with cooking smells, interesting walks and lots of affection.
This is such a lovely story.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 14 Oct 18 - 08:46 AM

My wife came upstairs just now and said that she was in sleeping position on her bed, so definitely making herself at home here!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 15 Oct 18 - 08:59 AM

Day 3 - her nose is ever closer to one of the fluffy toys we bought, and she beds down without prompting on the mattress we bought for her. In fact she spends extended periods of time there watching every move we make!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Senoufou
Date: 15 Oct 18 - 09:50 AM

It must be rather weird at first for a new animal in a household.
Any new Siamese kittens we've had (always two at a time) have initially found a 'safe spot' to retreat into while, like Dreamy, they'd keep watching and assessing everything that went on around them.

I remember Minty and Murphy as tiny kittens crawling backwards under a table in the study, their little eyes like saucers. They stayed there for ages getting a 'feel' for the house.

Dreamy sounds intelligent and alert Bonzo.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 15 Oct 18 - 12:44 PM

Yes and she has taken a fancy to our kitchen landfill bin so we are taking steps to stop that. We started getting her used to being left on her own today, my wife went to the pharmacy at our local shops and was gone for about 30 minutes. I stayed upstairs and when I heard my wife's car I crept downstairs to find dreamy still on her bed! So we'll gradually increase the time she is left. I don't forsee much of a problem because greyhounds are naturally lazy!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 15 Oct 18 - 04:07 PM

Oops, she's taken a liking to the plastics & cans recycling bag, so we'll need to put it much higher out of reach!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: robomatic
Date: 15 Oct 18 - 09:00 PM

They can run, but can they jump?

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Oct 18 - 09:59 PM

In my house all trash containers are up out of reach. The kitchen trash can is on top of the dryer, in the bathrooms there are small trash bins on the counters, in bedrooms and office they're up on tables. My chocolate Lab goes for the trash, and if you think it has been a while and he has forgotten—think again. He is very patient, hoping you'll leave things where he can reach them.

The lab used to have a martingale collar when he was still the pet of my best friend in the neighborhood. But every so often he'd get a look in his eyes and would face her and pull backwards and it slipped off of his head. Then the chase ensued. When she was injured, hit by a car as a pedestrian in a parking lot, her children asked if I'd watch him until they could board him, but I told them we were happy to have him until she was ready. And the first thing I did was get another Gentle Leader head collar because he can't pull out of that. (Long story short, after four months of hospital and rehab, she knew he was too much so the splendid boy has remained with us.)

I let the two older dogs off of their leads in the driveway as we approach the house after a walk, but the youngest one doesn't get that freedom yet. And since we always walk right before a meal, they're always excited to get into the house to be fed.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: peteglasgow
Date: 16 Oct 18 - 03:45 AM

our rescue lurcher came to us with a clearly visible break on her front 'wrist' It was healed and doesn't seem to cause her much bother (she can run around fine) She saw a cat on a high wall out the back and jumped out of our yard (4 foot jump) and then out of the next door yard (a 6/7 foot jump) yes, she can jump. however, she won't reach up to take things off the table (or get on the bed) as she has has learned not to.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Senoufou
Date: 16 Oct 18 - 04:29 AM

After the evening meal, we empty the kitchen bin and the larger one in the utility room into the wheelie bin outside. Then the catflap is locked. Our cats are too elderly now however to bother much about overturning bins in the house (they used to when younger).

There are so many dodgy things in bins aren't there? Plastic to chew and swallow, sharp opened tins, unsuitable odds and ends of food, meat bones and so on.

It must be lovely Bonzo to wake up in the morning and greet your new mate Dreamy! Don't animals fill a house with that 'something extra'?
We couldn't imagine having no pets at all.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 16 Oct 18 - 03:49 PM

You are so right Senoufou!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: keberoxu
Date: 17 Oct 18 - 01:27 PM

Stilly, is the Labrador Retriever in question
the same one
who hunts down, and swallows, women's knickers?

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Oct 18 - 11:41 PM

Yes. And socks and wash cloths and mittens and dish towels. I'm careful to keep anything like that up and out of reach.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 18 Oct 18 - 04:45 PM

Dreamy wandered into our garage today and took a fancy to a car cleaning sponge!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 20 Oct 18 - 06:46 AM

It's such a beautiful day that she'll be getting an extra walk this afternoon at a park recommended by friends. There are such things as "dog parks" and a small number have an area enclosed by a high fence which would be ideal to let her have a run - well worth paying for if there is one in Surrey.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Oct 18 - 12:43 AM

Dog parks were all the rage here for probably a dozen years, but now people are realizing that there are lots of contagious things that get passed between dogs, and there is less traffic. Check around with your vet and ask if they're seeing any of the flu and such that dogs can get, and if the dog park is wise. At least so soon - I'd let her get settled in and really imprinted on you before I took her to someplace with lots of other people and dogs. Make sure she feels comfortable with the current environment.

I brought home a new dog (blue heeler) on June 2 of this year, and I think it is only in the last few weeks that I really see her relaxing more as she is thoroughly comfortable with our routine (though she is still a hyper herding-type dog). They spend more than a few weeks watching you carefully to see if you're really seriously going to love them and keep them (it's kind of wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time). I literally saw the whites of her eyes more in the early days - open wide, ready to respond to unknown threats or who knows what - we don't know her story before the shelter, and then she spent at least 2 months there. That alone is quite traumatizing. Now she loves the routine of everyone waiting to be told they can eat, once their bowls are filled, and she accepts that I "herd" her back to sit beside the lab instead of letting her hover as close to my feet as possible. She's "one of the dogs," and being part of the pack, with or without other dogs, is important as they get used to a new place. (If you have access to any of Cesar Millan's "Dog Whisperer" videos, they're very helpful.)

You have wonderful loving days ahead with this new pooch, but there is a period of adjustment.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Oct 18 - 01:57 PM

Have you had a good weekend with Dreamy, Bonzo? The weather has been fabulous here in Norfolk, warm sunshine and no chilly winds. Perfect for going out for a long walk with your dog.
Every day that passes, I'm sure her confidence and trust in you will increase.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 23 Oct 18 - 07:38 AM

Yes we had a wonderful weekend taking her to different walking places. She also demolished a fluffy elephant toy by shaking out most of its stuffing!I need a new pair of knees though - the muscles haven't settled in to their new excercise regime!

We went to see Rachael McShane (ex Bellowhead) & the Cartographers Sundy lunchtime, which meant leaving her alone in the house. We arranged for a dog minder to come in to spend some time with Dreamy and she was good as gold - she sleeps for England!! When we got back she looked up from her bed as if to say "Oh it's you"!!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 23 Oct 18 - 10:59 AM

All done so she's good to go for a year before her next booster vaccination. The vet commented on how calm she was! We sat outside the vet room in the sunshine for a while and watched several other dogs in the queue, There was one beige coloured greyhound - I was very tempted but we just don't have the room.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Senoufou
Date: 23 Oct 18 - 12:49 PM

What was the accommodation like in the animal shelter Bonzo?
Individual kennels with staff taking the dogs out for a run, or did each dog live with a volunteer?
I bet Dreamy thinks she's dreaming!
So pleased she's calm and easy to handle.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 23 Oct 18 - 12:59 PM

I didn't see tha actual accommodation, but I understand that greyhounds are kennelled in pairs, and as with racing greyhound kennels they are both indoors and heated!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Oct 18 - 02:05 PM

I'm pretty sure that after at least two months in a noisy stinky concrete kennel that her first few nights or weeks of dreams our blue heeler transported from her bed here back to that place. I'd see her twitching in her dreams and when she woke up she would wag and be so excited to be here. Not a normal waking sensation, but one to expect from a dog making the adjustment.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 27 Oct 18 - 08:13 AM

Aha, Dreamy has discovered the sofa!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Oct 18 - 10:19 AM

The ultimate sign of having settled in Bonzo!

We saw a lovely greyhound out today wearing a nice warm jacket. The weather has turned very cold now, and I thought of you and Dreamy.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 27 Oct 18 - 10:56 AM

Yes she wore her fleece jacket today!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Oct 18 - 12:44 PM

I bet she felt snug and warm in that.
We had on our fleecy jackets too. Blooming bitterly cold!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 28 Oct 18 - 10:24 AM

The plot thickens - our Sainsbury's home delivery this afternoon included a nan bread, not the very tasty one ordered, but a very ordinary substitute. In a moment when I was outside and my wife wasn't looking, said substitute nan bread was snatched by a certain greyhound who started to demolish it! I could not prise open her mouth so that which was not eaten was spat out with wrapping and quickly grabed by me!!

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Senoufou
Date: 28 Oct 18 - 11:11 AM

Oh the naughty little thing! hee hee. Maybe try her with a vindaloo to go with it?
She sounds like a real character Bonzo.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Oct 18 - 08:41 PM

My Labrador retriever is the WORST about snatching bread from anywhere it is left within sight or smell. I have to always set it up on top of the toaster oven or in the microwave, someplace he can't reach. Every so often someone forgets, and he reminds us that he never stopped watching.

Subject: RE: BS: Waiting for the right greyhound!
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 Jan 19 - 05:50 PM

Sorry to hear about the fireworks. Your Dreamy has countless pet dogs for company. It's a darned shame.