A Tooth in Need

A racing grey with pearly whites,

                                                                                                 A lofty goal for some to preach,

                                                                     Yet yearly care to keep them there,

                                                                            With brushing often, we should teach.

Resting

Another day in paradise; reclining on our soft beds, wolfing down sumptuous meals, and being unconditionally loved creates an aura of heaven on earth.  It has been a somewhat tiring day though, after running full tilt outside.  Emma and I are curled up on our beds as tight as caterpillars in a cocoon with only one thing in mind, and that is to sleep.  As we are just about to surrender to unconsciousness, Mom rushes into the room with excitement rolling off her like a wave.  We almost thought she had won the lottery.  She didn’t, but she has news to share.  Tomorrow morning, we are traveling to New Jersey to see her friend, Lori, and her grey, Winona.  (Nona for short.)  The excitement is contagious, and at once we are out of our beds frolicking madly around her.   

The next morning, we jump without hesitation into the back of the van.  Pressing our cold noses up against the chill of the windows, a foggy haze appears adding a dreamlike quality.  We roam from window to window inhaling the thrill of the unknown.  Soon, we settle with the soft rhythms of the road and the gentle sounds of the cars whooshing by, and before we know it, we have arrived.

The Three Musketeers

We feel it the minute the car pulls in, there’s another greyhound close-by.  It’s a  sense unique to us dogs, knowing each other.  Mom opens the rear hatch, and we exit checking our surroundings using eyes and noses.  There, behind the fence, are Aunt Lori and Nona!  Nona attracts our full attention.  After sniffing all parts of each other, leashes are released, and then we go.  All three of us streak around the yard; first, to sniff and go potty, then wildness begins.  We dart around the woodpile, fly past the trees, and zoom at high speed in tight figure-eights.  Finally, drained from this explosion of energy and sauntering over to Mom and Aunt Lori, we rest.

We pass the evening in familiar geniality, all of us reacquainting ourselves.  Plunking down on the living room floor, we hounds soon fall off into a deep snooze.  The next morning is an early wakeup, and soon we are in the van again, all five of us.  We hounds are unaware of our destination, but after a sleepy ride, we arrive in Philadelphia at the National Greyhound Adoption Program’s  Veterinary Clinic (www.ngap.org). 

It's Finally Over

We have visited this place before.  It is a large building in an industrial complex with spacious dog runs outside.  We spy no greys playing outdoors today, but we have seen them there before enjoying the space.  We know it because we come here each year to have our teeth checked and maybe some shots given.  Our moms like this facility because it was established to give vet care to retired racing greyhounds.  The doctors understand our particular anatomy, especially the type and amount of anesthesia we are allowed.  If we only need a cleaning, we are put in a light sleep, and sometimes if our teeth aren’t bad, we don’t have to sleep at all.  If teeth need to be pulled, the docs put us in a deep snooze.  

We three are sent in to see the vet.  The doctor gives us each an exam and checks out our mouths.  Poor Nona has to have teeth pulled this time, and it turns out to be 11.  OUCH!  Unfortunately, many of us tend toward problems with our teeth due to poor feeding and mouth care practices when we were on the track.  Luckily for Emma and I, all we need is to get our teeth cleaned.  I don’t know how they do it, but we go to sleep for a little while, and we don’t feel a thing.  The three of us finally come out from our visit with clean mouths, and a recommendation from the staff for our moms to cleanse our teeth with a special solution between brushings.

Nona Snoozing

    

As we pile into the car again, we are happy that we are on our way home.  We were not allowed to eat this morning so when we arrive at Aunt Lori’s, we are starving.  We all chow down, are blissfully happy, and are soon asleep!  

Next day, Mom, Emma, and I are on our way home.  We had a great visit with Aunt Lori and Nona, and hope to see them again soon.  I am not too sure how to rate the doctor visit, though.  It’s fine with us if we don’t go back for a while.


                                                                Respectfully Submitted:  Kiowa 

So I'm Ready to Adopt

                                            

                                                                                                   The greyhound of my dreams awaits,

                                                                                       I anticipate the day,

                                                                                       After I have chosen wisely,

                                                                                       Lay bare my heart to a grey.

 

OK, so you’ve made the decision to adopt a greyhound.  You might think that there are no more questions to ask.  However, it’s just the opposite.  What is your lifestyle?  Is it fast paced or do you work out of your home and can spend more time with an animal?  Do you think a younger dog with more energy is for you, or are you leaning toward adopting an older one that might be a bit more lay back?  Do you want a smaller greyhound or are you into large dogs?  Do you have a preference for a male or female?  What type of temperament are you looking for in your dog?  Maybe overwhelming questions, but it is good to know how your life and the dog’s life will coalesce.

I didn’t know anything about the greyhound breed when I read that first article in the newspaper.  After I met some greyhounds in person, I was totally hooked by their sweet demeanor and sleek beauty.  I foIlowed my heart, but still didn’t know too much when I made that first call to a greyhound rescue.  Luckily today, many of the people I meet interested in greyhounds know something about the breed.  The levels of knowledge may differ, but many of them have educated themselves to make sure a greyhound would be a good fit for their family.  Smart!  That is something every family interested in adoption should do.

When I adopted my first dog almost 25 years ago, I didn't have the luxury of searching a greyhound adoption website.  My experience was much simpler.  I contacted the rescue, asked questions, and decided if I wanted a male or female.  The rescue person picked one out for me.  When the dog came in, they notified me.  That was the extent of it.  Today, the greyhound rescue websites are sophisticated.  Many of them show pictures and temperament write-ups about available dogs.  Some greyhounds have been in foster care, and that affords more insight into the animal.  This gives the adopter much more information to work with when choosing a pet.  

One of the big questions asked during a Meet & Greet is if I prefer a male or female greyhound.  I believe that each has its own positives.  When I was asked what gender I wanted for my very first dog, I did ask for a female.  My thought being that she would be smaller than a male.  She was, but that is not always true.  I have seen some large girls over the years.  Usually the females are smaller than the males, but bigger dogs can be as graceful if not more so than the smaller ones.  Each creature brings forth its own personality no matter what the size.  Teaching my boys to heel in many cases has been easier than my girls.  Although the boys are larger, the girls still have extraordinary strength and minds of their own.

I read an article recently in Celebrating Greyhounds that addressed the issue of differences between males and females.  In this article, called Battle of the Sexes, the author, Deb Levasseur, certainly hit the nail on the head for me with my present girl, “The dainty, pretty, tiny girls are usually the higher-energy types.  They are very smart little spitfires, extremely cute, and fun to train.  They are perfect hiking and exercise companions……and can be bossy little divas.  Girls are usually guilty of taking beds, toys, food, or treats from the boys.  They often bump their adoptive brothers out of the way to bolt through the door to pee first or nudge their way in for petting and attention.”   Oh yeah, that’s my Emma exactly!  Was the author looking through our window?

Although she nailed Emma, I have had three other females that were not like this at all.  Two were extremely shy and had to be coaxed out of their shells over time, and the other was a happy-go-lucky girl that was not very pushy at all.  So again, we can only generalize as to these differences. 

I have found that greyhound males are very often lovers, wanting lots of rubs and pets.  Deb Levasseur also agrees.  She goes on to address the concern that male dogs lift their legs when they pee.  Some adopters may be hesitant about getting a male for that reason.  I have had 4 males, two have squatted and two have lifted their leg.  Ms. Levasseur says, “The vast majority of Greyhounds are easily trained within a few days and reliable after about 30 days.”, and I definitely agree with that.  My boys were trained within a short time.  As long as you are consistent, the dog will learn quickly.   

Intelligence of the male or female vary from dog to dog, although I do think the girls assimilate information easier.  Many of the girls, though, understand what you want but have their own agenda.  I have found that most of my boys were lay back and basically followed orders.  I add the caveat that these observations were developed by watching my own animals.  Every dog is different, and again these could be viewed as generalizations.  

Occasionally, a greyhound comes along with a few issues.  Remember, these dogs have never been in home situations before and have been crated most of their lives.  Thrust into this new environment, some take longer to acclimate and fit into a home than others.  With love and patience, most work it through and realize improvement.  Understand that all adopted greyhounds need time to really feel at home.  Don’t give up on them as they will blossom into the animal they were meant to be. 

Greyhounds tip the scales at being over the top fantastic.  Whether you choose a boy or a girl, you cannot go wrong.  Do your homework though, assess your family needs, and then adopt a greyhound.  There are so many that will fit into your life and make it wonderful.  Each of my dogs has given me different gifts, and each gift reveals a little magic about who they are.  Your greyhound will surprise you with the same.  

Resources:

Deb Levasseur, Certified Dog Trainer and Behavior Therapist, Ask the Expert: Battle of the Sexes, Celebrating Greyhounds, Summer 2015,

A Greyt Young Life

                                               

Born to run from the start,

                                                                                                       Chasing bunny around the track,
                                                                                                       To catch our only goal,
                                                                                                       A family to be our pack.

Many of us, as greyhound owners, wonder what our dogs’ young lives were like.  Watching them play, we can only imagine how cute and funny they were.  They do retain some of their puppy attitudes, but I still wonder how Kiowa’s and Emma’s lives before the track played out.  To that end, I did some reading up on greyhound farm life and the beginnings of our dogs lives on the race track.

National Greyhound Association (NGA) puppies are born on farms.  They are born in climate-controlled buildings, remain with their mother and siblings, and are handled frequently by their caretakers.   After weaning and reaching between 6 to 10 weeks old,  the litter moves to an outdoor pen called a “run” where they can play and run with each other.   This first run is usually 100 feet long.  As they get older and stronger, the runs increase in length to 300 feet, and the breeders are always checking on a dog’s lure enthusiasm.  Each puppy is tattooed.  The right ear has the puppy’s month and last two digits of its year of birth and a letter indicating the sequence of that dog in the litter.  The left ear has their NGA registration number.  Greyhound puppies remain with their littermates on the farm for about a year.

Between 4 and 18 months, the dogs are put into individual crates, and during this time their training really begins.  Training with a drag lure starts when the puppies are 10 to 12 months old.  This is done at a special training facility where they are sent for their formal race education.  Here they learn routine, and have paddock turnouts 3 to 4 times a day.  The dogs begin by racing in straight lines.  They graduate to learning to run in small circles, and finally they are introduced to the schooling track where they learn to break from the box and run with other dogs.  Now they are ready for the professional track.

At 18 months, their training completed, they are sent to a track.  At that time, they are given six chances to finish in the top four in their maiden race.  If they are too slow to take the top four, they are retired, adopted or euthanized.  If they succeed, they are graded: A, B, C, D, E, or J. If a greyhound finishes or fails to finish first, second, or third in a number of races that greyhound moves up or down one grade.  The best running dogs are sent to more competitive tracks while the ones that don’t win are moved to lower graded tracks.  They can move up and down in the grades depending on their performance.

Kennel compounds are located at each track.  They are independently-operated and house the greyhounds that are needed to operate that track.  Greyhound owners who want to run their dogs are required to lease their dogs to these kennels.  The kennel owner and the dog owner share in the greyhound’s earnings.

Our dogs had quite a working life before becoming pets, and they have earned the right to be lazy now.  If you have a fenced in yard or take your dog to an enclosed area, you can sometimes see the glint in the eye of your dog a moment before he starts to run in circles or figure eights.  Greyhounds run not to win but for the pure joy of it, and we as their companions get to share in that joy.

Resources:

D. Caroline Coile, PH.D, Greyhounds, A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual, New

York: Barron’s, 1996 

Dr. Jim Jeffers, GreySave volunteer, Illustrated History of Greyhounds, GreySave.org

Joee Kam, Raising Baby, Celebrating Greyhounds Magazine, Fall, 2014

A Greyt Commitment

                                                                Only one grey to love

                                                                My heart needed more

                                                                Another was needed

                                                                To balance the score

Taking a dip

                                                                    

Rusty & Kazi in Key West

With the holidays approaching, my husband and I were engulfed in the festivities and the antics of Rusty and Kazi, our two amusing greyhounds, when the unthinkable occurred.  One afternoon, when I was home with the dogs, my large male grey, Rusty, vomited and then proceeded to have an episode that I can only describe as odd.  Backing up suddenly and having no control of his body, his fear was palpable.  After vet visits where no apparent culprit was discovered, death followed at home 48 hours later.  He was 10.  No explanation as to cause was offered by the vet.  We were devastated.  

My Kiowa

Time marched on as it will, and our grieving lessened.  We were lucky to still have our female greyhound, Kazi, and kept her close to our hearts.  In February, we traveled to the Florida Keys as was our usual trek.  Kazi was immersed in her typical Keys dog activities: the dog park, the beach, and visiting Key West.  We all seemed on the mend from our shattering blow.  Our month in Florida over, we looked forward to getting back into our routine.

In March, I got the itch for an addition to our greyhound family.  Upon reaching my favorite greyhound rescue site, a face with a spectacular nose jumped out at me.  His expression insisted that I come and pick him up.  Every four legged wonder had been a blessing to us, but this sweet face spoke to my heart, and I was immediately captivated.  Within a short time, he was home.

Kazi relaxing

One day soon after, Kazi vomited.  Being sensitized to any change in behavior after Rusty’s issue, I rushed her to the vet.  Her blood work was not good, and x-rays were taken.  She had a massive cancerous tumor on her spleen and liver.  Unthinkable!  How could this be happening again?  Nothing to be done, we took her home and loved her.  She seemed comforted knowing we had another greyhound to love and within two weeks, she left us at the age of 9.

Here's Emma!

The sorrow was more poignant this time.  The second loss hit me harder than the first.  Not that my love was stronger, but the loss of two wonderful dogs was hard to bear.  We grieved again.  Kiowa, our new grey, helped fill the void, and we felt blessed to have him especially at that moment in time. 

Almost a year passed, and a need for the balance of two dogs overcame me.  Many beautiful female faces stared back at me when I revisited the rescue website.  But February was again upon us, and our Florida visit loomed ahead.  It was not the time to adopt another dog.  

Kiowa & Emma at home

Back home, my desire renewed, I again began a search.  Finding a little black girl who was just turning 2 years old in May, our search fruitful, we were smitten.  She is delicate and beautiful and a joy.  Easy to teach, easy to love, an easy addition to the family, she was meant to be with us.  We named her Emma, and she, as well as Kiowa, is the love of our lives.  

Each greyhound, we have been lucky to parent, has been special to us.  Starting back in 1991, we had very little choice of temperament, color, etc.  The only thing chosen was the dog’s gender.  We got what we got and loved them in spite of themselves.  Many of our greys have had some type of issue, but all were workable with kindness and caring.  Luckily today, there is much more information available to help you make the best choice for your family when picking a greyhound to adopt. 

Love at first sight

To our considerable surprise neither Kiowa nor Emma seems to have any complication.  They are happy, well adjusted, and play with toys and each other.  They love us as much as we love them.  We have had Kiowa for over a year and know what to expect from him whereas Emma has only been with us for a month. As time goes on, more of her personality will surface and watching her develop will be ours to experience.

My balance

Having eight dogs over our lifetime of greyhounds, each one of them became a unique gift.  No two were ever the same, and their differences, peculiarities, temperaments, strengths made each their own little adventure.  I have been privileged to have been given the opportunity to be their caregiver.  Each one has a piece of my heart, and I know that my devotion for these special dogs was one of God’s purposes for my existence on Earth.

A BLUE and GREYhound WEEKEND

                                                            

Kiowa checking it all out.

                                                                               
                                                                                         The historic blue and grey

                                                                                         Lesson for our day

                                                                                         Accept a different way

              

Meeting a Galgo

My greyhound, Kiowa, and I stride into the building, excited and on point, poised for any surprise.  We are primed and eager - I, wearing my greyhound jewelry, Greyhound Dogs XXF sweatshirt, and other odds and ends that depict my favorite breed, and Kiowa, ears up, nose at the ready keen to sniff out this new adventure.  Dogs and people abound.  The dogs are greyhounds, galgos (a breed of Spanish greyhound), and greyhound want-a-be’s, and the people are all garbed in greyhound paraphernalia.  We are at Greyhounds in Gettysburg,  a greyhound reunion of sorts, held yearly in April in Gettysburg, PA.  

SHOPPING!!

This reunion’s goal is plain and simple fun.  Greyhound owners go to all extremes to make their greys happy, and this is certainly one of the ways they can do it.  For the dogs and humans attending, there are doggy activities like speed greyhound runs, crazy dog tricks, agility demos, a Gettysburg Battlefield walk, and a fenced area where muzzled greys can romp safely.  For people, there are talks, a banquet, demonstrations, food, get-togethers, and SHOPPING. 

Walking the aisles of this convention hall, I experience the nirvana of endless vendors displaying their wares.  I can buy all manner of things: beautiful dog beds, martingale collars, leashes, dog coats, and numerous other objects which Kiowa cannot live without.  Lucky dog. 

YUM!

The vendors, lined up like greyhounds in their starting boxes, prepared and anticipating the sale of their goods, lure us in with everything greyhound.  I see lawn ornaments depicting greyhounds in one booth, jewelry of many designs, yet all rendering a common theme in another, clothing for the fashion conscious greyhound owner, handmade leather pocketbooks, and scores of statues and pictures of greyhounds in flight.  What more could one need?  We, both dog and human, are consumed by the sheer abundance of all this greyhoundobilia.  

The extensive shopping is only part of the fun.  This event begins on Thursday and runs through the weekend to Sunday morning.  During that time, greyhound owners and their dogs experience a special camaraderie born of the connection that exists between greyhound lovers and also between the dogs themselves.  Kiowa has probably not seen this many greyhounds in one place since he left the track.  As he approaches each dog, his excitement is palatable.  I put myself into his doggy skin and feel his joy.  So many butts to sniff, so little time.   He seems to think, “I know that I should not be pulling, but who knows when this will happen again.  Maybe never.  I have to find out if any of these greys are my long lost relatives.”  Sniff, sniff, sniff.

Listening and Learning

As for us greyhound companions, we are also sniffing out, in a sense, friendships old and new.  In other circumstances, we might not have much in common as we come from all different walks of life. But the moment knowledge of greyhound ownership comes into play, our connections to each other are clear. Conversation is not difficult and flows like a river with no barriers.

On Friday and Saturday in addition to vendors, the main building houses an  area relegated to scheduled talks concerning topics from greyhound medical issues and galgo rescue to dog superfoods and book discussions/signings.  We sit in folding chairs with the greyhounds nestled at our feet.  Some of us share a dog bed with our pooches as we all listen attentively to the speakers.  Some dogs sit up alert with ears standing at attention absorbing any sound of human voice.  Some are lying down with heads either on or between their paws.  No sound comes from the canine group.  They are too well behaved to disturb the quiet in the room, all of us riveted for any new information.

Hot Dogs and Beans

A Chilly Afternoon

Social gatherings during the weekend are also an opportunity for dogs and humans to bond.  At the Harley-Davidson dealer, a hot dog and bean gala is in progress.  YUM for all.  Voices mix with chewing sounds as humans and hounds partake in conversation and food.  As voices quiet to hear a leader announce raffles being drawn, a spontaneous “roo” erupts from one grey followed by a chorus of roos from the rest of the four legged crowd.  ( A roo is a sound made by greys, and soon all greyhounds need to join in.)  All the humans in attendance break into laughter.  A Brew and Grey event and an ice cream social later in the weekend are met with just as much joy.

By Sunday, greyhounds and humans are ready to make the trip home.  Saying goodbye for another year can bring varied feelings to participants of this joyful weekend. But with great memories to sustain every person and dog, anticipation for the 2016 event will infuse us all.   Come out next year, and join us. 

We're exhausted.

            For information, go to greyhoundsingettysburg.org 

Trippin'

                                                           

                      

                                                             

                                                             New adventure, how nice

                                                         New smells to entice

                                                         New places to see

                                                         So lucky to be me.

Who doesn’t look forward to a new adventure?  Something to take you away from your normal existence.  Someplace that you can free yourself from your list of must-do’s and chronic responsibilities.  When I worked, I would be lucky to have a week to go on a vacation.  Now that I am retired, there is more flexibility in my schedule.  I know…I know, you’re saying that now I’m always on vacation, which is partly true, but there are still those responsibilities that you can’t get away from.  

A few years ago, my husband and I decided to visit Florida for a month.  We were not sure if we would like being away for that length of time, but we thought we’d like to give it a try.  Our dogs, of course, had to be with us, so the search began for a dog friendly rental on the Florida Keys.

After visiting the Keys on several occasions, my husband and I grew to love the slow pace and eclectic people that live there.  The gentle breezes and warmth radiates a tropical island feel without ever leaving the country.  Plus, our friends live on the Keys.  So the hunt began, trying to find a pet-friendly house on a Key that was close to our friends.

My search concentrated in the lower keys, midway between Marathon and Key West.  Not only did we need a pet-friendly home, but we also needed  a reasonable rent.  To make matters worse, we wanted it for February, the most popular month to get away from the winter freeze.  My work was cut out for me.  I spent two weeks online, sending emails with not much success.  Finally, we obtained a home within our budget.  It boasted two canals bordering the property.  And, best of all, it was completely fenced!  What a plus.

My husband was charged with the job of finding dog-friendly, clean hotels on our route.  On our first trip down, we stayed in one doggy hotel, and I mean not fit for a doggy.  We knew our mistake as soon as we walked into the lobby, but it was too late by then.  However, our accommodations on the way back were much better.  Even the dogs agreed.

Packing for a month is not easy, especially if you’re me.  I like to plan and make lists, but I wasn’t sure what I would need.  Now, four years later, I have lists to follow so packing is much easier.  I give myself plenty of time so when I remember additional items to bring, I can just add them.  Of course, my husband waits to the last minute to pack.  I guess that works for him because he has me.

Our dogs, Rusty and Kazi, joined us on this first adventure, and what an adventure it was.  We stopped twice each way so they became quite adept at sleeping in strange places. (They had been used to going to greyhound reunions so hotels weren’t foreign to them.)  They were both great travelers in the car also so they got right down to what they do best, sleep.

After arriving in our new digs for the month, we familiarized ourselves with our new home and area.  The home was a stilted home so the dogs had to negotiate a set of open stairs.  This was a concern at first, but I soon found that they had no difficulty climbing them.  They both made themselves at home, and I loved that they could go up and down the steps and walk the yard freely.

The Florida Keys is a very pet friendly place.  We took our dogs almost everywhere with us.  Many restaurants with outdoor spaces will allow your pet to accompany you.  It makes life much easier to have this freedom.  Unfortunately for the dogs, we would have to leave them home at times.  When we did, they dutifully entered their crates, but were certainly not happy about it.

We also took the dogs to a dog park on the next Key.  This was an experience for both the dogs and us.  We, unfortunately, do not have the benefit of a dog park near our home, so enjoying this park on a frequent basis became a habit.  Rusty and Kazi were dogs with quite different personalities.  Rusty was very outgoing, and Kazi was shy and kept to herself.  Their experiences at the park kept us laughing.  Rusty jumped right into the play of chasing the ball with a group of dogs.  However, Rusty did not quite get the ball chasing part.  He found it much more fun chasing the dog that was chasing the ball.  He got himself so excited that I had to give him several time-outs (like a little kid) so he could get a grip.  

Kazi on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with the dogs in the dog park.  She would prance around the perimeter of the park and sniff.  Sometimes, I couldn’t see her, and when I called her name, found her hiding behind a palm tree.  Poor girl.  What different approaches each of the dogs had to their fun.  I do have to report that after several years of going to the same dog park, Kazi eventually came out of her shell and would sometimes run with the group.  Usually, she would find a little dog to befriend and that seemed to make her happy.

I know that going to a dog park would not be high on some of your lists.  We, however, have been lucky with this dog park in Florida.  Our dogs have been safe and happy playing there, and we have had many hours of fun watching them.

This year, we took our grey, Kiowa, to the dog park.  He approached the idea of the dog park in a way that was partially reminiscent of both of our other dogs.  He is like Rusty in that he follows the lead dog running, but he doesn’t get himself so excited that I have to take him out of the fray.  He does check out the perimeter of the park by sniffing it all at first, but unlike Kazi, he never hides behind a palm tree.  He is the type of dog that likes to be in the mix.  He doesn’t want to miss anything.  It is a pleasure watching how joyous this makes him.

As I write this, we are still in Florida and enjoying the warm breezes and great weather.  Kiowa is getting walks locally and in Key West where he is very popular.  People on vacation without their dogs need a doggy hit by petting any dog they see, and there are many vacationers in Key West.  He is with us most times when we visit Key West and is happy to join in the fun.  We have even gone to a dog party.  People were invited, of course, but we mainly had it so the dogs could get together.  They had fun playing, and we had fun eating and drinking.  What a life!

When we finally have to leave this idyllic place, we not only will have many warm memories to share with friends, but Kiowa will be able to dream of playing in what I am sure he thinks was heaven.

  

Making New Doggy Friends

                                                            

                                                    

Best Buddies

                                                   
                                                                                    Making friends, an easy task

                                                                                    If you are a greyhound like me,

                                                                                    Being introduced to someone new

                                                                                    Is always a source of glee.

I don’t know about you, but when I watch my dogs interact with other 4-legged creatures, it is always a source of joy and amusement.  They have their own set of rules and regs when it comes to introducing themselves and finding out about another animal.  These creatures seem to be very astute at their methods.  I, on the other hand, just watch in amazement.

Dogs seem to know who they prefer, who they can take or leave, and who they want to avoid.  In that way, they are like us.  However, they seem to  especially enjoy the meeting process, whether it be at a Meet & Greet, on a walk, or at a dog park.  

Kiowa and Bella

Greyhounds live with other greyhounds all their young and then racing lives.  They know other greyhounds very well but are not introduced to other breeds.  That is why when confronted with different breeds of dogs,  they need to stop and regroup a bit.

We have had seven greyhounds over the years, and Kiowa is our newest. He is a fun loving boy, likes to play with toys, enjoys other dogs, and is a great ambassadog for our Meet & Greets.  We have dear friends who, like us, love their dog dearly.  Their previous dog was a dalmatian, but in the past year, they have gotten a chocolate lab.  Her name is Bella, and she is a wonderful dog, happy and full of life.

Bella in quiet moment

A few days after Kiowa (Kiowa Stop Matt) came to live with us, our friends came over with Bella to meet him.  Bella came running into the yard, happy and go-lucky.  Kiowa was just watching her.  I could see the little wheels turning in his head: what is it, it has 4 legs, a dog…maybe, it's crazy, it’s like a Mexican jumping bean, licking my face, OMG.  This was his first meeting with Bella.  The humans couldn’t understand why they just didn’t run around and play.  How dopey were we?  He was probably trying to figure out what it was.

That was Kiowa’s first meeting with Bella.  The second, third, etc. meetings went the same way.  He was still trying to figure out what it was.  It kept licking his face every time it came over to the house.  It ran around him and the humans, bothered him by licking him incessantly, and wanted him to do something.  Unfortunately, he wasn’t sure what.  Did I mention that Bella was a less than two year old CHOCOLATE lab.  She is a love bug, but tends to have an unlimited source of energy.

There they go again

It went on like this for a while.  I don’t know when Kiowa finally realized that Bella was a dog or what he was supposed to do with her, but he finally did.  All of a sudden one afternoon, he stopped in the yard, looked at her, and had a twinkle in his eye.  And then it began - the figure-eights in the backyard with Bella at his heels.   

Bella loves this, and so does he.  She follows as close as she can and then when he is too far ahead, cheats and cuts short the path.  They have great fun running, and the humans have great fun watching.

Being upside down is just as much fun

As time has gone on, Kiowa has sort of figured out how to control Bella’s incessant energy.  When, after their run fest, he can’t take it any longer, he opens his mouth and puts it around her neck gently.  She falls on the  ground, and he holds her there with his mouth.  OMG!  She can’t get enough of it.  I can almost hear her saying, “Oh, big boy, I love it”.  The minute he lets her go, she jumps up and resumes her antics.  He may put her down several times, but up she jumps.  That’s Bella.

I'll jump up when you let me go

Kiowa does enjoy Bella’s visits.  He seems to love her as his friend and understands the way she is.  He is so lucky to have a doggy friend like her.  She is always happy and animated and up.  We as humans want friends that are positive and look at the bright side of life, don’t we?  It makes us happy and able to face life with a positive attitude.  Our dogs must feel the same way, or I would like to think so.

Do any of your doggies have a play group or a special friend that they enjoy playing with?  Watch them at play and see their glee as they chase and nip and tumble.  It is joy in a dog’s life.