Guest 540iGuy Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Hello All, I am new to Greytalk. I am planning to adopt in the near future, and I am in the research mode at the moment. I am reading every Greyhound book that I can get my hands on. I have the retired greyhound for dummies book on order, and it should be in next week. I figured a good place to get more info would be from Greyhound owners. Thanks, Sean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Javagirl Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Welcome! You're on the right track by reading up ahead of time and GT is definitely your place for all things greyhound. You're about to make the best decision of your life. Soon you'll be giddy with anticipation and then reading all the threads on poop, kibble, statuing and chewing everything in sight. Personally I love the Dummies book the best. Don't forget to post all the pictures of your 'maybe' hounds - as in 'maybe this one' and 'maybe that one'. Kristyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 540iGuy Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Welcome! You're on the right track by reading up ahead of time and GT is definitely your place for all things greyhound. You're about to make the best decision of your life. Soon you'll be giddy with anticipation and then reading all the threads on poop, kibble, statuing and chewing everything in sight. Personally I love the Dummies book the best. Don't forget to post all the pictures of your 'maybe' hounds - as in 'maybe this one' and 'maybe that one'. Kristyn OK, I have some pictures of some that I have met that I could post. I even have the pictures of the first greyhounds I have ever met, that made me think of getting one. I had never met a greyhound before, and one day I was at the local pet store (getting fish food), and there was a greyhound that was just about glued to a little boy and girl. I asked the lady that worked at the store about the dog, and she said she had a bunch of them in the back that had just come from a track in Wisconsin that recently closed. She said that she would bring me out one, and she brought out this black one, that was so mellow, and did not want to leave my side. Such a nice dog. At the time I could not have a dog where I lived, and I traveled a lot for work. Now things have changed, and I would like to adopt one now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 540iGuy Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Here is a pic of the fist greyhound I had seen in person. I guess they got a little banged up in transport, and I dont know what has happened to them. Of course I hope they found good homes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 540iGuy Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Here is a pic of me at the most recent Meet and Greet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greytkidsmom Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 You are at the beginning of the best love affair ever... We read Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies from cover to cover before bringing our girl home and are so glad. It really prepared us for what to expect so we could enjoy every minute with her. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 540iGuy Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 You are at the beginning of the best love affair ever... We read Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies from cover to cover before bringing our girl home and are so glad. It really prepared us for what to expect so we could enjoy every minute with her. Good luck! Haha thanks. So did you just adopt recently? Is everything going good? Any troubles yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyglo Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Hello from Jersey - You might like Celebrating Greyhounds magazine, if you haven't already discovered it at the site in this linky. Best wishes with your research and possible adoption process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyhound1 Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Welcome from Florida. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FountainLady Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Welcome from Michigan! It's nice to see that you are in the research stage - but I can tell that you already realize how special these critters are! They will only change your life forever, but it's not like this is a bad thing. You will soon find that there is a secret brotherhood between Greyhound owners, and you're going to meet some of the nicest, caring people along the way. There is a support group of unimaginable size waiting here on Greytalk for you, to help you along, and offer support and guidance when needed. And you have to be fore-warned .... they encourage chipping. (Greyhounds are like potato chips, you can't stop at just one!) Even the hard core, strictly single dog owner (I have always had one dog my entire life), soon breaks down and adds a second one. Hang on - you're in for a wonderful ride! Again .... welcome! Quote CORY and CRICKET - Solitary Tremble & CASPER - Pj's Mia Farrow* With CAPT. GUS - Solitary Trigger, RAINY - Peach Rain, PUP - Red Zepher, DOC - CTW Fort Sumpterand MAX - Shiowa's Silver Maxamillion / Afghan .... all waiting at the bridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KsFrets Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Hi Sean, It's great to see other guys here! (You know you are in the middle of hundreds of crazy dogladies on this forum...oh oh...I'm dead now!... ). It's fun being a crazy dogguy though. We adopted ours in January...lookout though, it's hard to stop at just one!!! I can tell from your picture that you are going to make a very special doggie very very happy soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 540iGuy Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Thanks for all the welcomes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammystroops Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Hi! Welcome! I have an Aunt that lives in Des Moines. Anyhoo....as you get to know people here on GT...you will soon learn....that one is not enough! best wishes on your quest for adopting one of the best breeds ever! Quote In loving Memory of: Chip, Wendell, Tessa, Moose, Moody, Noble Storm, Thunder, Gracie, Duke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chynagirl Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Another welcome from Florida. I've had dogs my whole life and I loved them all dearly but there is just something about a greyhound. To watch the personality of a full grown animal evolve before your eyes is just so awesome. Neither one of mine is the same as when they first came home. Good luck on finding "the one". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GreytMuse Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Keep asking those questions! Welcome to GreyTalk and I hope that we can help you with your greyeducation and decision-making! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Che_mar_Cody Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Welcome from PA!! From a girls point of few it's nice to see more guys on the form!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 540iGuy Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Another welcome from Florida. I've had dogs my whole life and I loved them all dearly but there is just something about a greyhound. To watch the personality of a full grown animal evolve before your eyes is just so awesome. Neither one of mine is the same as when they first came home. Good luck on finding "the one". As far as personality, what are the typical changes? I hung out with a few greys today, and one of them seemed very "on", and focused on squirrels. He had only been off the track for a couple months. He also seemed aluf (sp?). Then there was another dog that was very laid back, but spent more time with me, and that dog had been off the track for a couple years. There was another one, and it was the instigator to the other dogs. He was very ornery with the dogs, but very nice to humans. I guess I like parts of the personality of each of the dogs, but not one sticks out yet. Welcome from PA!! From a girls point of few it's nice to see more guys on the form!! Thanks, wink wink. Glad to be here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilysmom Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Another welcome from Florida. I've had dogs my whole life and I loved them all dearly but there is just something about a greyhound. To watch the personality of a full grown animal evolve before your eyes is just so awesome. Neither one of mine is the same as when they first came home. Good luck on finding "the one". As far as personality, what are the typical changes? I hung out with a few greys today, and one of them seemed very "on", and focused on squirrels. He had only been off the track for a couple months. He also seemed aluf (sp?). Then there was another dog that was very laid back, but spent more time with me, and that dog had been off the track for a couple years. There was another one, and it was the instigator to the other dogs. He was very ornery with the dogs, but very nice to humans. I guess I like parts of the personality of each of the dogs, but not one sticks out yet. Welcome from PA!! From a girls point of few it's nice to see more guys on the form!! Thanks, wink wink. Glad to be here. Each greyhound is different as you have witnessed. Some have higher prey drives (hence the interest is squirrles) than others. My female has a higher prey drive than my male. She turned 10 if February and is just now starting to settle down. On the other hand my male has always been the laid back pup of the two. It seems the males tend to be a bit more laid back. Remember when meeting a greyhound just off the track, they have never been in anyother environment than the farm or track and only know other greyhounds. Everything is new to them and it can be very confusing and a bit over whelming for some. Take your time, you will know when you meet the pup you are supposed to bring home. Oh, welcome to GT, you will love it here! Quote Praying for all the missing greys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyGreys Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Welcome to GT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest houndstooth4 Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Welcome to Greytalk! We started our love affair with greyhounds in the Quad Cities, not too terribly far from you, and recently lost her due to a suspected brain or spinal tumor. My heart is really broken still over Treat being gone, but I wouldn't give back a second of the time we spent together. The changes that happened in our lives because we adopted her have been unbelievable. Treat was not only a heartbreaker at meet and greets (you mean she's not available for adoption) she was an excellent therapy dog who visited nursing homes with us (something I never thought I'd do) and particpated as a READ dog. We took some great trips with her and met some amazing other greyhound people, who, I must say, are the best! As to your question about the personalities, they have a lot of different personalities, and certain dogs and people will just click. The one thing that I have to stress above all others is to go with the dog that chooses you. Treat decided from the beginning that she was going home with us and that we were hers! She was absolutely right! She might not have been perfect, but she was perfect for us. Trust me when I say that a dog who chooses you will feel absolutely right. I wish you lots of good luck, and I hope we'll be seeing pictures of you with a new hound soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg1229 Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 A suggestion from one guy to another...Maybe you can start with fostering. I've fostered off and on for years. I've seen a lot of greys act one way in the meet and greet situation but in a fostering setup you get to see their true personality come out. My first girl was the a shy girl and is still very "clingy" to me. My 2nd one was one of my fosters I had come through, very reserved in public but after about a month she really became out going once she relaxed here. The third and final one, ( yeah, right) was very shy at the kennel and I have a thing for the shy ones. But in the month since she has become a family member she is getting goofy and a trip to have around. So I say if you aren't sure, foster..... And welcome from Phoenix, here's to a first of many furrkids in your future Greg Quote Isis, Always in my Heart Bijou, My Sweetest Angel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chynagirl Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 As far as personality, what are the typical changes? I hung out with a few greys today, and one of them seemed very "on", and focused on squirrels. He had only been off the track for a couple months. He also seemed aluf (sp?). Then there was another dog that was very laid back, but spent more time with me, and that dog had been off the track for a couple years. There was another one, and it was the instigator to the other dogs. He was very ornery with the dogs, but very nice to humans. I guess I like parts of the personality of each of the dogs, but not one sticks out yet. That ornery one describes Chyna perfectly. You can do just about anything to this girl but sometimes with the other two she's a . But she can melt your heart when she puts her head in your lap and looks up at you adoringly with those big brown eyes of hers Heston, on the other hand, was very aloof and snarly if you got too close. With baby steps, it took about a year for him to totally come around (most of it was sooner but the complete transformation was about a year). Because he was so snarly I guess I wasn't always comfortable with him until I eventually realized that he was all bark and no bite. I just had to build up his trust with patience and love and little by little he started to warm up and started coming up for neck scatches and eventually kisses (which I can't resist). Now he follows me all over the house with his nose attached to my hip, it still amazes me that this is the same dog that I thought would never be affectionate. It's funny that you mention the focus "on" because both of mine are completely different when I take them to gatherings. They don't really make great meet & greet dogs because they don't pay attention to people as they are too busy surveying everything that is going on. So meeting them outside of their home doesn't show you how affectionate these two really are. That's one of the reasons I think I agree with "Greg1229" and the fostering idea because the one that seems aloof "could" be the perfect one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsugrad Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Greetings from Gainesville, Florida! You are smart to do all of the research you can before actually adopting a grey. We adopted our first GH in December. He has been absolutely wonderful! Even if you've owned dogs before, the books on retired greyhounds are a must. It's important to know the routine, the lifestyle, etc that they have had in their past life before they come home to you to be your pet. Our dog came to us straight from the GPA kennel at the Derby Lane race track in St Petersburg, FL. Living at the track for most of his life, there were many things that he had never seen before when we brought him home. The biggest one...shiny wood and tile floors. It has taken him a while to get used to walking on these slippery kinds of floors, but he's made major progress in the last month. Some dogs don't have a problem with this, ours did. Every dog is different. Our GH has been extremely well behaved. He's never chewed up anything in the house, he learned the whole housebreaking thing in 2 days, he is gentle and loving with our old-man whippet that we have, I could go on forever. This is the 4th diff dog breed that I've owned in my life and I can honestly say that it's been the best. I can't see myself ever having another dog besides greyhounds. We absolutely adore ours, and can't imagine life without him. Definitely meet and spend time with as many GH's as you can before making a decision. Good luck!! Quote Rita, mom to Dakota (Dakotas Dream) & Wish (Kiowa Wish Wish) and my angels Toby (Sol Marcus) and Robin (Greys Robin Hood) Forever missing our beloved Robin and Toby "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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