I felt the need to share this with the community.
After losing our cherished boy Lander at the age of ten last July 2014, we immediately went searching for another rescue. My wife wanted a female this time and for me, with my heart so broken, any dog that needed a home was OK with me. We fell in love with Frannie a 2.5 year old from Florida who only raced seven times and did poorly. As we were contemplating taking her home, the adoption agency informed us of her sister, with whom she had spent her entire life, was also up for adoption. Chloe and Frannie had raced from the same kennel, lived together at Becker Veterinary College for a semester and had been languishing at the adoption center for over six months. The center did not want to break them up and most people only wanted one dog. My wife and I took both. Having never experienced two greys and certainly never having litter mates, we were so excited to watch them develop in their new "forever home".
Frannie and Chloe love each other dearly and it is so wonderful to see how they display that caring. Frannie is adventurous , leads on the walks and always has her ears up ready for adventure. Chloe, is her protector, quiet, following behind and keeping an eye on her sister. She only comes forward when they feel threatened by another dog, then Chloe "blocks" and barks if she has to, to warn the other dog away from Frannie. Frannie whines a bit. They share everything, even their most prized smokey bones, never possessive of toys, even the newest, coolest squeaky toy is given to her sibling if she ask for it.
This is all background for what happened last week. While sleeping on their respective beds in our Den, Chloe had a nightmare and awoke startled. She stepped on a sleeping Frannie and startled her as well. When Frannie jumped up and barked at Chloe, Chloe gave her such a reprimand as I have never seen. Not a dog fight but a real angry exchange. Frannie left the room and went to the kitchen. I found her there, trembling and heart racing. I comforted her for a bit then opened the mudroom cupboard where her treats are, she went into the room and leaned against the back door asking to leave. When I offered her a cookie, she refused and instead laid against the door to the outside and stayed there. It was clear she wanted out of the house! I would have expected that she went up to her crate ( her safe zone ) but no, she wanted to actually leave! So I asked her if she wanted me to take her out to her kennel to settle down. When we got the the kennel she stiff necked me and asked to walk down the driveway..... without a leash, my dear Frannie would have ran away from home. My heart was broken. After a short walk I insisted we return to the house where she went directly to bed. For the next three evenings she refused to lay in her TV room spot and stayed upstairs. Fearing she would no longer stay with us, two nights ago, I had an idea, I locked both crates so when she went up to hide, she found them locked I placed her day bed near me at my end of the TV room while Chloe stayed in her normal spot at the other end. Finding her crate closed she came back downstairs, noticed where I had put her day bed and immediately settled in for the next two evenings on her bed in this new location away from her sister. Yesterday I moved the bed back to where we started and last night they slept side by side, while my wife and I watched television. Back to normal.....
I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but this is why we love greyhounds.... all they want is for someone to care.
