Hi From Virginia

[Guest Munca_H]

Hi everyone. I'm totally new to greys. As a teen to adult, we had Cherokee, a Siberian Husky. He was also our first experience with seizures. When my bro separated & moved back home I made him bring his mutt lil B. Cherokee & B were instant friends, bro moved out & I kept B. By this time my parents are retired, traveling & living down @ OBX. I rent the house from them.

 

When Cherokee passed (13 yrs), the house was empty. Eleven days later I adopted a Blue Heeler mix puppy, Shiloh. B was not at all thrilled to have this thing living with us . It took months before I could trust them to be together, though feeding & sleeping were separate.

 

When Shiloh was about a year old he began having seizures. I had a fantastic vet & we worked to manage them. For 5 years we battled seizures, but they came more & more frequent & uncontrollable.

 

January 3, 2011 Shiloh, 6 yrs, passed away. The seizures had taken a toll on his body & mind.

 

April 15, 2011 B, 11 yrs, had a dental appointment. He was anesthetized for x-ray & cleaning. I got a call. B had a 1.5 tumor growing into his jaw bone. After talking to the vet, I made the decision to not wake him up.

 

Eventually, I started researching dogs & then greyhound in particular. As a big bonus, Shis vet is greyhound savvy. I started the adoption process, with the intent to adopt in January after the holiday confusion.

 

The group knows the two concerns I have are no known history of seizures & ok as a single dog.

 

Since Im allergic to cats, I dont want/need a cat-friendly pup. I dont care about color, size, gender or age.

 

December I will have an idea of who is adopting me Until then Im holding off on buying anything. It sure is tempting to start though!

 

Didnt mean to write a novella!! This is the HIGHLY edited version too. LOL

Monica

Edited October 26, 2011 by Munca_H

[robinw]

Welcome from Kitchener, Ontario! You will love living with a greyhound! We'll need lots of pictures, of course

[greytpups]

Hi and welcome! I'm so sorry for your recent losses. Doesn't matter how long they're with us, it's never long enough.

 

Some things you might consider buying if you haven't already are some greyhound savvy books. A lot of people recommend Retired Racing Greyhounds - For Dummies (it's ok, jmho) and Patricia O'Connell's Other End of the Leash. There's also a book by Ryan Reed called Born to Run that may give you background info about their life before they retired.

 

Also, a wonderful greyhound advocate who died suddently in February wrote the following and it may also be useful.

 

This breed has never been asked to do anything for itself, make any decisions or answer any questions. It has been waited on, paw and tail. The only prohibition in a racing Greyhound's life is not to get into a fight----------------or eat certain stuff in the turn out pen.

 

Let us review a little. From weaning until you go away for schooling, at probably a year and a half, you eat, grow and run around with your siblings. When you go away to begin your racing career, you get your own "apartment," in a large housing development. No one is allowed in your bed but you, and when you are in there, no one can touch you, without plenty of warning.

 

Someone hears a vehicle drive up, or the kennel door being unlocked. The light switches are flipped on. The loud mouths in residence, and there always are some, begin to bark or howl. You are wide awake by the time the human opens your door to turn you out. A Greyhound has never been touched while he was asleep. You eat when you are fed, usually on a strict schedule. No one asks if you are hungry or what you want to eat. You are never told not to eat any food within your reach. No one ever touches your bowl while you are eating. You are not to be disturbed because it is important you clean your plate.

 

You are not asked if you have to "go outside." You are placed in turn out pen and it isn't long before you get the idea of what you are supposed to do while you are out there. Unless you really get out of hand, you may chase, rough house and put your feet on everyone and everything else. The only humans you know are the "waiters" who feed you, and the "restroom attendants" who turn you out to go to the bathroom. Respect people? Surely you jest.

 

No one comes into or goes out of your kennel without your knowledge. You are all seeing; all knowing. There are no surprises, day in and day out. The only thing it is ever hoped you will do is win, place or show, and that you don't have much control over. It is in your blood, it is in your heart, it is in your fate-- or it is not.

 

And when it is not, then suddenly you are expected to be a civilized person in a fur coat. But people don't realize you may not even speak English. Some of you don't even know your names, because you didn't need to. You were not asked or told to do anything as an individual; you were always part of the "condo association?; the sorority or fraternity and everyone did everything together, as a group or pack. The only time you did anything as an individual is when you schooled or raced, and even then, You Were Not Alone.

 

Suddenly, he is expected to behave himself in places he's never been taught how to act. He is expected to take responsibility for saying when he needs to go outside, to come when he is called, not to get on some or all of the furniture, and to not eat food off counters and tables. He is dropped in a world that is not his, and totally without warning, at that.

 

Almost everything he does is wrong. Suddenly he is a minority. Now he is just a pet. He is unemployed, in a place where people expect him to know the rules and the schedule, even when there aren't any. (How many times have you heard someone say, He won't tell "me when he has to go out. What kind of schedule is that?) Have you heard the joke about the dog who says "My name is No-No Bad " Dog. What's yours? To me that is not even funny. All the "protective barriers are gone. There is no more warning before something happens. There is no more strength in numbers. He wakes up with a monster human face two inches from his. (With some people's breath, this could scare Godzilla.) Why should he not, believe that this someone for lunch? (I really do have to ask you ladies to consider how you would react if someone you barely knew crawled up on you while you were asleep?) No, I will not ask for any male input.

 

Now he is left alone, for the first time in his life, in a strange place, with no idea of what will happen or how long it will be before someone comes to him again. If he is not crated, he may go through walls, windows or over fences, desperately seeking something familiar, something with which to reconnect his life. If he does get free, he will find the familiarity, within himself: the adrenaline high, the wind in his ears, the blood pulsing and racing though his heart once again--until he crashes into a car.

 

Often, the first contact with his new family is punishment, something he's never had before, something he doesn't understand now, especially in the middle of the rest of the chaos. And worst of all, what are the most common human reactions to misbehavior? We live in a violent society, where the answer to any irritation is a slap, punch, kick, whip, or rub your nose in it. Under these circumstances, sometimes I think any successful adoption is a miracle.

 

He is, in effect, expected to have all the manners of at least a six-year old child. But, how many of you would leave an unfamiliar six-year old human alone and loose in your home for hours at a time and not expect to find who knows what when you got back? Consider that if you did, you could be brought up on charges of child abuse, neglect and endangerment. Yet, people do this to Greyhounds and this is often the reason for so many returns.

 

How many dogs have been returned because they did not know how to tell the adopter when they had to go out? How many for jumping on people, getting on furniture, counter surfing, separation anxiety, or defensive actions due to being startled or hurt (aka growling or biting)? So, let's understand: Sometimes it is the dog's fault" he cannot fit in. He is not equipped "with the social skills of a six-year old human. But you can help him.

Edited October 26, 2011 by greytpups

[retiredracers]

Hi!

 

I live in VA, too. Between Richmond and Charlottesville. What part of VA do you live?

 

I adopted my first grey 13 years ago and I've adopted 11 more since then. I obviously love the breed. I have 5 currently.

 

Sheila

[Guest BlueCrab]

Hello from the DC suburbs - I live in the Rockville area and commute to Tysons Corner VA for work. Congrats on joining the big, happy greyhound family!

[Guest Munca_H]

Thanks for the welcomes!

I know we made plenty of mistakes with Cherokee & the boys. BUT I keep learning and loving and doing the very best for them. Love 'em while you got 'em!

 

I wasn't aware of those two books. Thanks!! O'Connells I've now got reserved @ my library & I'm looking for Reeds on Kindle. I've got too much free time @ work most days. (NOT complaining!!)

 

I am going to print off that summary & pass to my family...then put on the fridge as a reminder!

 

I go horse shows in the Goochland area. I'm in Highland Springs, right near RIC aiport (where I work). I am extremely close so going home for lunch for potty break will be easy enough, until he or she can wait for me to get home.

[EllenEveBaz]

Another welcome, this one from southwest Virginia. The time will pass verrry slowly for you until January!

[MauCarden]

Hello and welcome from up Stafford County way! Even though you won't have your dog yet, their is a weekend event in Fredericksburg Nov. 12 and 13, Greyhound Rocks. The admission is a bit hefty, but there are some very fine speakers and the cause is so important.

Edited October 30, 2011 by MauCarden

[Guest karilynn]

Hi! Welcome I'm in the process of adopting my first grey, too. It's exciting!

 

I wanted to add, I read the greyhound for dummies book and found it very helpful. I really liked Adopting the Racing Greyhound by Cynthia A. Branigan. I liked it more than the greyhound for dummies book. Don't get me wrong, the dummies book has a wealth of information, but the book by Cynthia is more pleasant to read and focuses more on bring home a retired racer and their mannerisms.

 

OH and I bought the book by Cynthia for my kindle and it was pretty cheap, an added bonus!

[3vagreys]

Hi! Welcome I'm in the process of adopting my first grey, too. It's exciting!

 

I wanted to add, I read the greyhound for dummies book and found it very helpful. I really liked Adopting the Racing Greyhound by Cynthia A. Branigan. I liked it more than the greyhound for dummies book. Don't get me wrong, the dummies book has a wealth of information, but the book by Cynthia is more pleasant to read and focuses more on bring home a retired racer and their mannerisms.

 

OH and I bought the book by Cynthia for my kindle and it was pretty cheap, an added bonus!

Our adoption group has meet and greets the second Saturday of the month at Ginger's Eatz and Treatz in the shopping center at Pump and Broad in the west end of Richmond. We'd love to have you visit.

[Guest Munca_H]

Thanks again for the warm welcomes!!

[schultzlc]

Another welcome from VA (south-central this time)!! Getting ready to adopt is such an exciting process, and I wish you all of the best!

[ozgirl2]

Welcome to GreyTalk!! You'll be addicted to here soon enough!!

 

There's a piece missing from the thing greypups posted...

I think it's supposed to be "Why should he not believe that this someone will have him for lunch?" or something like that...

[Guest borzoix4]

Welcome as well From Virginia! I have 4 Borzoi and one ( newly adopted) Greyhound

[Guest twilliams]

Welcome and hello! I actually work in Highland Springs and live in Varina - not far from the airport. We have greyhounds. My daughter also has a greyhound and lives just down the road from me. If you need anything or any information just message me. When I drive to and from work I'll keep a lookout for anyone walking a g/h. Also they just opened a doggy play area at Dorey Park in Varina. Even though I do not go to dog play parks, Dorey is a great place to walk dogs.

[Guest BrianRke]

Welcome from Roanoke, VA! Good luck in your search

[Guest hartwood]

Congratulations on making the decision to Go Greyhound. You will love the journey.

 

Thanks for the mention of our Greyhounds Rock event, Maureen!! It's a gathering that's practically right in your back yard, with greys and vendors, and nationally known speakers, and all proceeds goes to such a great cause!

 

There are a LOT of greyhound owners in your vicinity. Welcome to the fold!

 

Sincerely,

Connie

Stafford County

[Guest Munca_H]

Welcome and hello! I actually work in Highland Springs and live in Varina - not far from the airport. We have greyhounds. My daughter also has a greyhound and lives just down the road from me. If you need anything or any information just message me. When I drive to and from work I'll keep a lookout for anyone walking a g/h. Also they just opened a doggy play area at Dorey Park in Varina. Even though I do not go to dog play parks, Dorey is a great place to walk dogs.

All of my dogs have explored Dorey. It's a fantastic place. Except when my husky, at the end of a 30ft leash, decided to roll in some horse poop. Of course he grinned at me first, almost like he knew there was just enough slack & I was far enough away to do nothing but holler "NO! Don't! D@mmit dog". LOL Funny now, not so much then.

 

This should be a great/fun journey!

[EZHARRY]

Hello from the DC suburbs - I live in the Rockville area and commute to Tysons Corner VA for work. Congrats on joining the big, happy greyhound family!

LOL.

I live in Broadlands, VA (near Leesburg) and work at Bethesda, MD.

 

Welcome to GT, Munca_H.