Banjoman

Hi Adam, we ar shur yu will mayke yur Mum reel happee. Wagz frum Chancey and Nutmeg in Reel Engaland.

When I first took Chancey to the vet, when she was straight off the track, he commented on the size of her thigh muscles and how much bigger and stronger they were than "The other greyhounds we see here". Now, seven years later, she has become a rather wobbly old lady whose thigh muscles seem almost non existent compared to when she arrived here. She keeps trundling on, though, and loves her daily walks. She is still capable of taking up the whole length of the settee!

You made the difficult but right decision for what was best for your girl and no houndee can ask for more from a loving owner! Run fast and free Sophie.

I do my best to make sure cats have fair warning I am letting my two out into the garden but the stupid things still come in after the mice. I warn any neighbours with cats that if their cat comes into my garden then I cannot be responsible for its safety. Often I am more worried that a cornered cat will turn and scratch my dog’s eyes. I have found dead birds and a live hedgehog in Chancey’s cage where she’s brought them indoors. Thankfully she’s not brought in any of the Slow Worms that inhabit the compost heaps. She was a nightmare around other dogs for several years after she came to me and always wore a muzzle when out walking. I read somewhere that it took 18 months for a dog to calm down after they finished racing and a good 2 years for a bitch. It took the 2 years and after that time, attending training classes (still wearing a muzzle), for her to relax when out. Seven years after joining my family and age twelve she is quite a staid old lady but if she sees a cat outside on our walk I have to hang on to her.

Elspeth Rose has several hound/mixed breeds colouring books available, I have a couple of them.

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em!

I have found young children seem to accept and get over death pretty quickly even of loved pets. Like the animals they tend to "live in the day" and although they miss them they get on with their lives more rapidly than we do.

Yu’re inna ryte plase Sid. Wagz and Likky kissis frum Chancey (an Irish gal) and Nutmeg.

I think my whippet lurcher runs slower than my pure bred whippets ran because her conformation makes her neither a whippet or (probably) a greyhound.

You can have “red fawn” and “blue fawn” colour coats when registering dogs. “Blue” is actually grey! I have had red fawn and blue fawn dogs, the red fawn is a darker red/brown while the blue fawn is a lighter cream/ grey. Red brindle dogs have a darker background and black markings while blue brindles have grey markings and possibly lighter colour background.

Thinking of all of you.

Nigel yu wer a and awl them kidlets and owld fowks that yu helped and luvved ar gonna miss yu. Mam, yu know we finking ov yu and the fambilee. Likky kissis frum Chancey and Nutmeg. Luv frum Mum.

Ha Pee Birfday Merc. Looks lyke yu having a Greyt day! Wagz frum Chancey and Nutmeg.

Lucy, I know people think I am hard but as far as my animals are concerned making and taking that decision can never be too early but can so easily be too late. I don’t want my pets to have to tell me they have had enough, I want them to go while still enjoying their life, not struggling with it. Whenever I have been thinking it is coming up to that time I have usually taken the snap decision and contacted the vet, asking them to come to the house that day. It is easy to double think things and put them off but you have the Christmas period to contend with too and possible difficulties with access to a vet urgently if needed. I think that says it all from my point of view. Posted with a loving heart. Carol.

Greyhounds ARE big dogs and if they are straight off the track they are extremely strong and Jack sounds as though he was extra large, which for a first time (petite) owner would make life rather more difficult. I had owned whippets for twenty years before I adopted Chancey and knew about sighthounds. I didn’t choose her, she was delivered to my door and even I swallowed a bit when I saw her in the house for the first time and realised how tall she was and she’s not enormous. Even now, seven years later, I look at her and it suddenly hits me at just how big she is, and she’s getting to be a little old lady! No matter how gentle they are under normal circumstances, it is always wise to remember that they have sharp teeth and strong jaws but then any size dog can do a lot of damage if they have a mind to. At 5ft7ins. I could handle Chancey although even I had a problem when she got excited at seeing small fluffy dogs and leapt, screaming, into the air. My hand tight against her collar was my shoulder height and I had to stand really firm so that I didn’t get pulled over. At the same time I had a whippet on another lead. Sadly, you had to return Jack, which was probably the best thing for both of you under the circumstances but I hope the experience hasn’t put you off adopting another greyhound when you are in the right frame of mind to do so. Did you use RGT or another adoption group? Sometimes a specialist rehoming group is better than a more general charity as they are more likely to know the foibles of their breed but RGT cannot take them all off the tracks so I know they turn up in smaller rescues with alarming regularity. Good luck with your next foray into adoption no matter what breed you decide upon.

Ha Pee Birfday Annie, havva Greyt day! Wagz frum Chancey and Nutmeg.

We gots rowst chikkin fower ower suppa! Wagz frum Chancey and Nutmeg.

Looks lyke yu hadda gud Birfday Punkin. Wagz frum Chancey and Nutmeg.

Miss. Jan, we know that Cletus KLTO kayme to the ryte playse fower boff him and yu and the kamperz. He mayde us awl laff and that izza Greyt fing fower ennebuddy to do, speshullee a Cletus howndie that waz discarded bi his own peepuls. Yu luvved him and he luvved yu and we awl luvved him tu. Enjoy chaysing them chikkinz atta Bridge, Cletus. Wagz and Likky kissis frum Chancey and Nutmeg in Reel Engaland. and luv frum Mum.

Rolo whippet would go and whine at the living room door or pace around worriedly then when I got up to let him out he would be in my seat before I had time to turn around! Chancey sometimes does a variation of Milo’s system, she comes to me for a fuss then nips onto the settee that Nutmeg just vacated as she is jealous of any fuss Chancey gets and came rushing over for her share.

Nutmeg barked to be let out just after 7.00.a.m....oh, wait, now it’s just after 6.00.a.m. and she expects to go racing off to the end of the garden, barking her head off at any cat that might be in the vicinity! Sorry neighbours!

Havva Greyt day Sweep. Ha Pee Birfday Wagz frum Chancey and Nutmeg in Reel Engaland.

It’s the most dangerous time of the year, the geese they are calling, and leaves thay are falling all over the grass, and Mum stepped in some poo and fell down on her a..... Nutmeg, just watch what you’re saying!

I have been taken out by my whippets like this. On the rare occasions either of my current two, retired racing greyhound and whippet lurcher, are running loose I stand in at the side of the path so that they have plenty of room to run past me and I have some protection on one side to push them away from me.

Chancey does this most days up against the Leylandii hedge in the back garden and will do the same on Leylandii and other hedges when out walking.