BS: Greyhound at full speed

Subject: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 03:50 PM

We have rented a doggy friendly cottage near to Ely so that our beautiful grey can have a holiday and run free in their 8 acre secure field. So this morning I experienced 34 kilos running towards me at upwards of 40mph, and the amazing thing was that at the last moment she veered off to the left to miss me!!

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 04:11 PM

Jaysus, Mrs Steve doesn't weigh much more than that... was it running down a very steep slippery hill?

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 04:24 PM

She's a good-sized dog! Has she adjusted to home life and having her own people?

My dogs race toward me and veer to run into me or jump up! That's how my knee got messed up a couple of years ago, when the Lab ran into me full-tilt through a narrow doorway.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 06:09 PM

Beware of running dog/standing human collisions. I have a 65 pound (30 kilo) mixed breed who is prone to running around in tornado-like circles of ecstatic doggie bliss. When doing so, she tends to pay more attention to the joy of being a dog than where she's going.

A few years back, while under such a spell, she rammed head-first into my left leg. The impact broke my left ankle and the fall broke my left wrist. Both breaks had to be surgically repaired. Six weeks wearing a brace for the wrist. Six weeks in a hard cast and six more in an orthopedic boot for the ankle.

Nowadays, when my dog has crazy running fits, I don't assume she's going to veer off at the last second, but begin firmly commanding her to "STOP!" before she gets near me. Or, if there's a tree in close proximity, I get behind it.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: keberoxu
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 06:15 PM

Stilly,
this would have been
Zeke who eats ladies' knickers?
That fellow has much to answer for ...

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Sep 19 - 06:55 PM

Why do you always remember the stuff that is best left forgotten?

My knee has been through several uncomfortable treatments and is about to go back for the next set of gel shots. When I started to tell the knee and hip guy about the injury - "My chocolate lab came charging through the door and hit me square in the knee" he responded "say no more! I have two labs." He's living dangerously.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Mr Red
Date: 02 Sep 19 - 03:03 AM

Six weeks in a hard cast and six more in an orthopedic boot for the ankle.

You should have joined the amateur dramatic society - then you could appear in a big cast.




I'll get my coat, from the hat lady................

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 19 - 09:39 AM

BWL, It's a testament to your big heart in not holding your injuries and recuperation against the happy pooch. Same here with Zeke - accidents happen and we learn to watch out for the dog direction of travel that sometimes illustrate too well the Newton's law of motion, where the acceleration of a smaller solid body colliding with a larger human body results in the transfer of energy and your sudden acceleration to the ground.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 02 Sep 19 - 10:14 AM

Bonzo, glad things are still going well with your rescue dog.

While we've had dogs doing "loopy runs", I don't remember a collision but we never had one quite that big.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 02 Sep 19 - 10:46 AM

Just got back from afternoon session in secure field, which is at the back of our cottage. Mainly trotting and sniffing this time - twice around the 8 acre perimeter then straight to sleep on the sofa afterwards!

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: peteglasgow
Date: 02 Sep 19 - 11:23 AM

all sounds proper - and beautiful - longdog behaviour, bonzo. while ours is great at leaning when stationary she is also safe at veering round me wthile zooming. last weekend at shrewsbury folk festival i was lying around in the heat, listening to birds of chicago and eddie reader with snoozing greyhounds, our lurcher Rosa and a big retriever pup nearby. very lovely. apart from the occasional accident - yes, my knee too with a previous labrador cross - dogs are just totally superior to us ridiculous, over-complicated and self-obsessed humans.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 02 Sep 19 - 03:10 PM

Did your dogs react to the music at all?

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 19 - 05:28 PM

Years ago my family had an English Pointer who used to sit on the sofa with his chin resting on the back and listen when we played the piano.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 05:51 AM

How amazing, our grey doesn't seem to react to music, other than the sound of a can of Chappie being opened!

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: peteglasgow
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 09:26 AM

no, no response to the music from Rosa or other dogs - it was all laid-back stuff though, maybe she wouldn't be so happy with anything too loud or high -pitched.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Charmion
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 10:30 AM

Again, I am grateful for our increasingly sedentary cats -- despite their habit of lounging in the dark at the top of the stairs.

They are black.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 11:04 AM

Just back from afternoon session in the secure field. Now this field is called "Pond Field" for good reason - and it was discovered by our greyhound before I could distract with a treat! Fortunately there is a hose on site with options for hot & cold water so I was able to remove the worst of the mud - rather smelly mud unfortunately, and she has already started to lick off the rest!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 12:01 PM

What is her demeanor when you head out to that field? Do you walk her on a leash and then let her go - does she start off running right away? Tell us more about these trips to the field.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 12:18 PM

As the field is connected to the cottage garden where we are staying, she is off leash until her time is up - that's 30 minutes in the morning slot and 45 minutes in the afternoon slot, although she's so far had enough after 30 minutes in the afternoon. I was expecting her to run off straightaway but she seems more far more interested in smells. This afternoon I saw a rabbit in the distance which she missed, I think because she was attracted to the pond. Hopefully tomorrow she won't give an encore!!

The cottage owners would be well used to greyhound antics as they owned one recently. 2 large doggy towels are supplied here for cleaning!

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 05 Sep 19 - 12:12 PM

Visited Ely for the final time before we go home tomorrow, and what a pleasant place it is - free parking, friendly people, cathedral and river - all new experiences for our greyhound!

Not looking forward to homeward journey tomorrow, although Dartford crossing is prepaid, may use Blackwall Tunnel to avoid Friday getaway at Dartford.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Neil D
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 02:57 AM

My buddy's lab nearly knocked me out once. I was bending down to pet him as he was jumping up to greet me causing my jaw to experience impact with the top of his head. I had to grab a nearby table and hold on till the room quit spinning. You could chop meat on the top of a lab's head.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 08 Sep 19 - 05:57 AM

I felt that - I think the top of a grey's head is the same!

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Sep 19 - 09:55 PM

My chocolate lab lived his first three years with another family, and they apparently taught him that a kiss has to be on the lips. Try as I might, when I bend over to greet him for a kiss, when I turn my face and offer my cheek, he maneuvers around and gets me right on the lips. Every. Single. Time.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 11 Sep 19 - 05:22 AM

How funny!! My distance glasses suffered from 34 kilos of greyhound on top last night, so a trip to my opticians for straightening if possible!!

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Sep 19 - 12:10 AM

"If I had a dollar for every time I heard this excuse. . . " you may not be the first patient with this problem!

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: leeneia
Date: 12 Sep 19 - 09:52 AM

" lounging in the dark at the top of the stairs."

Charmion, put some light at the top of the stairs before you too, have a tale of breaks, surgery and casts.

Plug in a night light. No receptacle? Buy a battery-powered light. Run a string of white Christmas lights from a receptacle around the corner. Or go whole hog and have an electrician install a receptacle.   

In other words, take control of your environment.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Sep 19 - 12:29 PM

I have a string of LED xmas lights around the lip of the step from the halls into the den. It's a single step but a real shock if you miss it - or stub a toe on the way out of the room.

Every time I have the electrician in I have a laundry list of things that need attention, and I always feel like I've pampered myself when I go ahead and have the work done. This summer the electricians where here to put a light fixture back into a restored room (ceiling collapse) and put the smoke alarm back in order; after that, we worked on the outdoor plug in back and my non-functioning bathroom plugs (in the old days any rooms with wet areas were wired through one ground fault breaker in the circuit breaker box - and that breaker was failing.) I have GFI plugs in those rooms now, so it seemed redundant, but that's the way it is.

Company here for dinner last night, one disabled friend (very short, brittle bones) and another with allergies, so the dogs spent most of the evening in the yard. One friend went out and threw the bumpers and they love it when he comes to visit. At the end of the evening I let them in and of course they approached the two people who were the reasons I put them outside to begin with. The lab was very gentle in greeting my disabled friend, and the blue heeler didn't jump on the allergic one, so I guess they were on their best behavior.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: leeneia
Date: 13 Sep 19 - 12:22 PM

Sounds good, Stilly.

What does 'threw the bumpers' mean?

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Sep 19 - 12:46 PM

Boat bumpers, to keep them from damage when they're next to a dock. It's what the dog toy looks like. Dog and bumper from Instagram.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: leeneia
Date: 15 Sep 19 - 09:22 PM

I get it. Thanks. (Nice dog.)

For people who have dogs with behavior problems: have you ever watched videos of Victoria Stilwell, the dog trainer, on YouTube? I enjoy seeing her techniques.

Some people might think it's cute, but I consider jumping on people a behavior problem.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 19 - 10:30 PM

I started watching Cesar Millan (The Dog Whisperer) when my pitbull first arrived and people were trying to scare me out of keeping her. He specialized in "dangerous breeds," and while it became clear very quickly that this pitbull was gregarious and harmless and very very smart, it still made sense to be pack leader and one way was to walk them regularly and another was to be in charge of the food.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: leeneia
Date: 17 Sep 19 - 03:15 PM

I enjoy watching Cesar Milan too. And I'm happy for your dog.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Mrrzy
Date: 20 Sep 19 - 10:23 AM

I have a great memory of our basset hound running all out, jowls and ears flying, while his friend the Afghan hound ran in circles around him, also running full-tilt across the field. Sun and planet game.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Sep 19 - 11:18 AM

So yesterday I went over to the city shelter during their no-fee adoption event and brought home a 4-month old boxer/pit mix pup. The lab is fine with her, the blue heeler is jealous when they are competing for my attention, but out in the yard they race around together.

I looked at the adult pitbulls, but as they get older they have more set opinions about other dogs. My first dog was a pit and introducing other dogs into her environment when she was a big pup was great - she loved other dogs and they played well together. At the shelter they have red zone dogs they adopt (personally I think that is a mistake - those dogs are dangerous to people and should be destroyed - very few people are Cesar Millan with his skills in working with those dangerous dogs) and they mark them with varying degrees of friendliness. Some love people but not dogs (orange), some are selective in which dogs they don't like (also orange, with a yellow dot added). The "green dot" dogs are the ones determined to be friendly all around and are allowed to go out into the larger kennel areas in groups. This pup has a green dot.

Her first few minutes in the house were spent as expected, and especially with a pup, they seem to instinctively know to stand still or roll over and just let the others smell everything they need to. Butt, ears, and interestingly but not unexpectedly, when she rolled over, both dogs carefully examined her shaved belly where she had been spayed three weeks ago.

She's needy right now and she climbs on everything. I've managed to trim three nails so far. She's figured out the dog door (flap) and we're working on the sit before meal time. Her first vet visit is paid for by the city, and her name will be set in stone at that time. I shared a photo and asked my grown children if they wanted naming rights and my daughter popped up quickly with "Biscuit." Her brother concurred. (I tend to name them with food names -- Cinnamon Sugar, Poppy Seed, and the current Pepper). When they were kids they discovered the power of naming an animal and I discovered that when they name them they're much more welcoming of the animal. My son named our cat Clementine (she was a tiny little thing, like the tangerines) and my daughter was indignant that I accepted it immediately, so she was strategic in shouting out a name for the new pitbull - she suggested Cinnamon Sugar for the red-nosed brown and white Am Staff Terrier. Her brother didn't protest because that's his favorite breakfast, cinnamon sugar on toast. :-) Smart girl! I named Pepper, but asked for input on this new one. It looks like Biscuit will work (though right now I seem to be shouting "Puppy" out the back door to bring her running.)

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Sep 19 - 12:29 PM

Puppy is a perfectly fine name.
Its better than Fire.

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Sep 19 - 12:01 PM

I've settled on the name "Cookie." The US version of Biscuit. :)

Subject: RE: BS: Greyhound at full speed
From: keberoxu
Date: 25 Sep 19 - 04:32 PM

"Cookie" is the perfect name for an outgoing, affectionate family dog.