An Obtuse Hello!

[cmc333]

I would think this poster if from somewhere around Pittsburgh, from the use of "youse". Unless there is another redneck hillbilly area that uses made up words!!

 

Welcome from an ex redneck hillbilly from SW PA!!!

--Connie--

[TheFullHouse]

Welcome, that was the most entertaining introduction I've seen in a while. As far as the vet goes, we didn't have to provide a letter either, they just called our vet.

[Guest FrostyBottoms]

Welcome! i can tell already that i am going to enjoy reading your posts!

 

 

 

[Guest eL_jEfE]

I'm being a lazy bum.

 

I wanted to reply to a couple of posts, but I didn't want to type this 10 times.

 

Sooooooo...

 

My home visit was today. I think it went well.

 

I'll step back a bit though.

 

This has been a comedy of errors.

 

I applied at one place and thought they forgot me or were merely passing. It were about three weeks ago.

 

It seems to be based about 3 hours away. Given the price of gas these days, I'd almost excuse that. I started entertaining other places. Hense, I went to a meet and greet. I suppose that went OK in hindsight. I was a bit mad at the time because people weren't friendlier. I'm not sure what I expected really.

 

In their defence, it was beastly hot, and I wouldn't want to have to sit out there either. I asked a group of people about adoption. I was directed to someone. I talked to the ringleader, he name dropped some folks that do meet and greets in my town. As I walked away, I interpreted that as "You should probably go to them." I stood around a bit, looked at some penned-in Greys, no one elce seemed to want to talk to me. Eight people sitting around with dogs, one skinney nerdy guy with no dog, looking at the dogs. I kinda expected to get approached by someone. Didn't happen. Then again, I'm not particularly outgoing. That is hard for me. This detail will come up again later. The whole group dynamics bugged me at this thing, and I don't know enough about those folks to realy be talking about them. Things might be the way they were for a reason. Conversation can be hard for me, the Ringleader probably had things to do, and whatever. Looking back, the name dropping was probably more making conversation. I was hot and miserable too, so take the above with the appropriate sodium chloride.

 

As an aside, I was supposed to meet a friend for lunch that day in the same town, got stood up and pretty much left livid. The whole day felt like a "wash."

 

At this point, I was feeling brushed off by TWO greyhound groups, and one friend. For reasons I won't address here or anywhere elce, I'm already running high-stress these days, so it doesn't take much to set me off. That is not a normal state of affairs for me, and I recognise it. Honestly, I'm good with it, I'm just on seven second delay sometimes. I do that to keep from being mean to people. It is an odd balancing act, but trust me, any time I even try to lash out, I end up regretting it. So I do my best to not do that.

 

That has a lot to not do with greyhounds, but it does.

 

My wife controls the checkbook. I handed her monies to put a deposit down for one of two agencies I was going to REAL mail my application to. E-Mail is nice, but I'm not even all that good with computer stuff. Besides, you can't ignore real mail! That said, turnaround time for said check was at least 72 hours given work scheduals. I was feeling pretty dispondant about the whole adoption thing. So I did what I always do. I busted out with the video games.

 

And I was blasting zombies in the head (Wii style!) and cranky, but oddly happy and not wanting to deal with anyone. The phone rang. As horrid as it sounds, I glanced over at DW and said "I'm not here, and I don't care who it is." She answered, I heard indication it was for me, and then she said "It's the Greyhound people."

 

I felt like Richard! I can't NOT take that, and I wanted to anyways! Yep, the original place wanted me! They just weren't able to contact me! So the last four paragraphs were all for naught. All that getting mad, beating myself up, ect... If I could have waited a little bit more, I could have saved myself a TON of emotional crap.

 

And let this be a lesson to anyone who reads it. I learned it the hard way, and I'm passing the savings on to you.

 

And speaking of passing those savings on, I have more!!!

 

I was not ashamed, I had a list for this nice lady and the handsome guy she brought by. He flopped down on the floor and was a model of placid for the most part. I can't remember his name, but he was this handsome greyhoundie. Mostly white with some tiger-stripe patches. He politely declined my offers of milk-bones and the ice-water. He was still fresh! The cats weren't impressed, but they are going to have to get over that.

 

The discussion was interesting to say the least. Remember when I said WAY back in my original post that reading will only take you so far? I was dead-on right about that. When I was in school to be a lab-tech, everyone had lupis (for example) as far as I was concerned. That was all I read about. Same goes for greyhounds. The truths were easy. Not out of the house off a leash, elevated food ain't a bad idea, ect...

 

What you see here is uber-stuff. Not everyone has lupis (as I've learned) and not every dog has to have, say the raw diet. Just for example. I make no judgement there. Not every dog has seperation anxiety. On a personal note, if you read something enough, you start believing this is the way it's going to be. It wouldn't get mentioned if it wasn't important.

 

On the other hand, every application wanted to know what kind of dog I wanted. I misinterpreted that too. I continually read that the beasties don't even come out of their shells for a while, depending on the dog. How could I ask for a doggie that would be [insert X] if we didn't even know what they were going to act like in retirement? I didn't understand they were looking at ME and not the dog.

 

I still maintain reading is good, but practical experience is good too. And face it, to a new person this board and the two books I've read gave me a TON of information. I've finaly hit the point where I can mentally relax about this a bit. And all it took was someone stopping by with a doggie.

 

I wish I would have known that in advance, because I wouldn't have scrubbed out the tub just on the merit someone other than me might look in there. Yes, I too cleaned the house to a level of um, I cleaned! We just sat and talked. She didn't walk into every room or anything.

 

So I guess my point is, letter 1) Relaxing is good. Looking and going in informed will serve me well, but it might not even happen. Don't get bent out of shape BEFORE things happen. Have a contingency plan, but never damn things BEFORE the fact. Work taught me that, I just never considered applying it elcewhere.

 

And number Relaxing is GOOD!!! I don't tell anyone elce about this stuff, cause they aren't greyhound people. I explained the adoption process to a couple of co-workers and they looked at me like I was an idiot. I could get a pit-bull at half the cost and a quarter the hassle. That isn't what I want. Remember me not being good at conversation? Yep! I got this all of my chest. And thanks to anyone who reads it. With some luck and time, my next post will have a picture.

 

No it won't. I'll open a new thread for that. I'll introduce my beastie properly.

[Guest Greyglo]

I'm still trying to get over eight people at a M&G who didn't talk to you. I sometimes wonder if people will start looking for my "OFF" button....

[Guest LokisMom]

Congrats on the good home visit and the lessons learned.

 

I wish I was surprised about the M&G people but have seen it happen. It is unfortunate and I am sorry it happened. We will be waiting anxiously for pictures.

[Guest Javagirl]

Some groups are good at Meet and Greets and some aren't, it's really strange. I have to say though, it's really off putting and doesn't set a good example for their group when they aren't friendly. I've definitely run into one particular group at a pet store (while I was randomly shopping with my greyhound) who was very offensive and was very rude when I said that I had gotten my hound from a rescue group in a different county. Rather than be happy that another community member had a greyhound one woman at the M&G launched into a monologue about the politics of the groups and who had "stolen" M&G locations from their group (none of these stories are true - just bitter spins on the actual events I later found out). My mother, who went with me, patted me on the shoulder and said "I'm going to let you take this one." And went to check out the fish. It was so confrontational! I merely said I was new to the community and had no knowledge of prior events and went to get my biobags... I would never consider joining their group or helping out with M&Gs now and that's really their loss because I hear they are struggling - but I can't say I'm surprised.

 

But that was a good lesson too, if you choose your group wisely you will get a wonderful support group and community along with your greyhound. I'm so so so happy that I made the choice I did.

Kristyn and Ladd

[Guest LindsaySF]

I still love reading your posts!

 

I'm glad the home visit seemed to go well, and I hope you have been able to de-stress a little since then.

 

About the M&G, that has happened to me too. Actually by the very group I ended up adopting from, and am now on the board of directors. I decided to give them another chance, and I'm glad I did.

 

In my case, it was pouring buckets and everyone was soaked to the bone. The volunteers and their hounds were all huddled under a tiny tent, and few people were up to socializing. They didn't know that I had driven over an hour to be at that event, and that I was not just some random person passing by. I also was very meek and didn't ask many questions. They said they didn't have any cat-friendly adoptables there, so I just took a brochure and kind of wandered away.

 

Now being on the other side of this (now I'm a M&G volunteer), I now know that they probably didn't think I was seriously interested in adopting. I mean, I didn't ask a lot of questions (I had done tons and tons of Greyhound research up till then), I had not yet filled out an adoption application, I just wanted to see what dogs were available. And I'm somewhat shy, so I didn't know how to break in and get a conversation going. I guess I was relying on them to take me under their wing and do it for me.

 

Maybe this is what happened? Not trying to excuse it, just throwing the thought out there. I would see if you get a better response by phone or email.

 

Have you heard from the group that did the home visit? Are you going to get a houndie soon?

 

 

 

 

 

~Lindsay~

[Guest houndstooth4]

I'm glad the home visit went well! I can't wait to see pictures of a new hound at your house, and I admit, I'm another person who is entertained as heck by reading your posts! I will also say that I'm in a bit of shock over the reaction of the people at that M&G. I wish people at those would remember that they are making an impression on people about a wonderful breed of dogs, and that the way the people behave is just as important as how the dogs behave. I'm sorry that you had such a bad experience with them. I'm also glad that you finally heard from the original group and that hopefully soon you'll have a hound gracing your own couch!

[Guest eL_jEfE]

Whoooo!!!!

 

Just got off the phone with the home visit lady!

 

ETA for the houndies from Florida to Upstate NY is Saturday. Specific details are sparce, but they are keeping me posted.

 

It won't be this weekend for me, however. I have to work, which is a whole differant rant I could go on for a few days. It was SUPPOSED to be the start of my vacation.

 

At any rate, I've got a good week to round up all the stuff I'm going to need for the home comming.

 

 

 

 

[Guest shelbygirl07]

congrats!!!!! you will be very pleased with your Grey!

[Guest gennygrey]

HI ,

 

Good luck with your adoption process.

[Guest adoptagreyhound]

CONGRATULATIONS! Can't wait to see pictures!!

[Guest houndstooth4]

You must be so excited! It will be a long week, I'll bet!

[Guest FrostyBottoms]

Can't wait for the pictures!

[Guest LokisMom]

Yay for you!!!

[greg1229]

Congrats...Enjoy this week of going to the bathroom alone...You won't get this chance again til you retire..

[Guest VanillaBean]

I too thoroughly enjoyed your introduction! I can't wait to see some pictures. When this is all done and over with, you will sit back and wonder why you worried at all! The best is yet to come!

[Charla]

Fantastic! Now when are you planning on getting your second hound? Just like chips , you can't have just one

[Guest greydogluvr]

Greetings from Gainesville, Florida! Good luck with the whole adoption process!! I remember the night before the "home visit" where one of the GPA reps was coming to our house to do a home study to make sure we would be suitable greyhound parents...my husband and I were laughing, because it was a Saturday night, and here we were scrubbing kitchen counters, vacuuming, and cleaning the bathrooms in anticipation of the GPA rep and his personal greyhound coming the next morning to check out our house! You would have thought one of our mothers was coming for an extended stay or something!

As you know, this group on GT thrives on pictures, so we want pictures--lots of em--right away. Good luck!!!

I remember the anticipation of the home visit. I too scoured and scoured. Then I remember the adoption rep saying, some of the best houses are not the cleanest ones. I thought for sure I would never be approved. I guess I read too far into the comment. I have to admit I am a clean freak but I was sort of hurt by his comment. BTW I did get approved and have been in love ever since. Good Luck. Can't wait for pictures and updates. Welcome

Edited June 30, 2008 by greydogluvr