Feeling Sad Today -

[cleptogrey]

your fostering right???? fostering is an excellent time to see if this is the RIGHT dog for you. if he isn't, you are still providing a very very valuable service for the pup- getting him ready for home life and having some insight, which hopefully will be passed on to the new owners. when the right dog comes along you will know.

 

annie has always growled when someone or dog gets too close to her. she too was a foster- but her innate skills in playing ball and relationship to our other grey got her a place in our home. i was not too thrilled about adopting her- dh fell in lover w/ her and it was HIS birthday present! as it turns out she has 1/2 of my males' lineage and 1/2 of our late females' ancestors. but we i dealt w/ a hesitant traveler,she hates obedience training(i love working a dog in obedience), a dog freaked out by most men(my son-in-law) and a growler when she even electively sat down next to you. 3 years later she still has her issues, but LOVES dh to death- and is the perfect companion to our male and most of the issues are on the back burner.

 

would i adopt her again??? well, i'm still married to the same person and still have the same male greyhound- the adoption works, i made it work.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

When I first got my grey she was like Rocket. Didn't want anyone in her space. We've worked with her over the years, and now she's generally fine with people leaning over and petting her while she's laying down, some she'll even wiggle and go belly up for. I am, however, the only person who can poke, prod, and just about sit on her with impunity. We've had her three years and she'll still occasionally snap at DH for getting too close, even if she allowed him even closer just the day before.

 

Snappy though she might still be with him, she does sometimes cuddle with DH. Usually it happens if he's laying on his back on the couch, she'll climb up and lay between his legs with her head on his stomach. She'll sleep either in that same position, or between us, when we let her sleep on the bed.

 

I will say though, that having a hound that is a rare cuddler does make it more special when it happens. Over labor day Jayne and I spent the night at a friend's house in another town. She slept on the bed with me, but instead of just staying by my legs, or pressing her back to me, she wedged her muzzle between my arm and my chest with her nose just touching my chin.

[charbess]

Thanks for all the wonderful feedback!

Honestly, I think I am just fearful of signing the adoption papers. I have had some bad experiences in the past - one dog I had bit my son in the face and another bit everyone!! Rocket is really a fantastic dog - great with all kids, all adults, all dogs, and he seems to have a low prey instinct.

He follows me around the house, has started to play and lets me hug and kiss him when he is standing up. It seems his only issue is that he growls if I sit next to him on his bed. He is fine if I pet him while he is on his bed - as long as I don't sit on his bed.

All of your comments put things in perspective for me - he is being very loving. I'm just used to having a small dog (yorkiepoo) that I can pick up and snuggle with. I ultimately hope that he will put his head on my lap and maybe even get on the couch with me to snuggle.

For now, I am grateful for the wonderful dog that he is.

Just airing my concerns actually made me realize how much I do love him.

 

Funny I should be reading this...I am fostering greyhounds as well as owning them, or should I say, being owned "by them." Just for laughs, I fostered a senior Yorkie for six weeks. That little guy should have been called Velcro...I couldn't give him the slip no matter how hard I tried. If I was on the chair, he was on the chair, if I was in the bathroom, he was in the bathroom...I even bought him his own set of steps so he wouldn't need me to get him on and off the couch...it didn't work! Now, the greys are affectionate in their own way, on their own schedule and when it suits them. None have been outright rude...I do have the credit card for food and treats and they know it. If I want a cuddle, I schedule it on their calendar. Unlike with Sammie the Yorkie, I've never had to say PLEASE, GO BACK IN YOUR SHELL. And, I find I like that in a dog. Don't give up, but be careful what you wish for!

[Guest WhiteWave]

Some Greyhounds are more cuddly than others. It took a good 6 months before Ronon would. Joey I got as a puppy, so he is a big time cuddler. Both will lay with me on the couch and both sleep with me at night. Joey will climb into my lap when I'm sitting in the recliner.

 

I had one foster, a big goofy male and he would cuddle with anyone and I've had others that never cuddled. Just like people, every dog is different, even those of the same breed.

[Guest jetska]

charbess - that Yorkie sounds like my cat!! we call her the limpet or the barnacle and if you sit still for more than 10 seconds she will be on top of you... visitors think its charming but I get quite annoyed with her at times~!

[Willowsmum]

Our boy sat in front of the china cabinet with a " What the ...?" caption over his head his first few weeks and we just let him be. My husband

recalls I was worried he wouldn't bond with us. 2 years later, he's not a "cuddler", but he will whimper for pets, will flop over for more,

and will play air snap or swat his paw if we stop and he wants more. When " the interview is over" he gets up and goes to his bed. We don't pet him on the bed, only on his many varied floor spots. He follows us around either in body or with his eyeballs (which I find adorable) and does welcome home greetings, occasionally a happy dance. We also get head butts or nosey-pokes when he wants to play. I think that's pretty affectionate for a grey. I'm sure there are some who cuddle, but I think grey-love comes in its own forms, and takes time. There's nothing wrong with wanting a pet to snuggle up with, but your dog may not be that type. OTOH, if you give him time he might show you fondness in his own way if you know what to look for. One great thing about an adopted dog is you don't have to wait for them to grow several years to see what type of dog they will be. Don't keep a dog that doesn't do it for you, but you might want to pull back a bit and give him time to trust you before you decide.

Edited September 15, 2013 by Willowsmum

[charbess]

Really depends on what you want in a dog. Nothing wrong with being a good foster home and not keeping this one yourself, although I know it would be difficult to see him go to another family.

 

It's not uncommon for a new dog of ANY breed to be a bit touchy about his/her sleeping spot; many get over this with time and familiarity but some always want "let sleeping dogs lie."

 

Affection-wise, I've had greyhounds who became more demonstrative as they settle in and greyhounds who didn't. My newest girl has wanted to snuggle and kiss from the beginning but even she can't hold a candle to, say, a golden retriever or a boxer.

Surprised to hear boxers are snugglers...is that pretty par for the course?

[winnie]

Surprised to hear boxers are snugglers...is that pretty par for the course?

 

My barn owner has two boxers (and has owned boxers for many years). Major snugglers!

[Guest Rocket]

wow - thanks for all the kind notes!

Rocket has turned into my velcro dog! He is a mama's boy big time. He lets me hug on him a lot and he follows me everywhere.

We are doing very well

The plan is for adoption asap ))

Funny how him not liking to share his bed was an issue.

He is a fantastic dog in a million other ways - he comes out of his shell more and more each day.

Today, he jumped up on the coach while my son was reading.

Amy

[ramonaghan]

Great news! Good boy, Rocket.

[Guest maidmarcia]

This is a bit silly. How long has Rocket been with you? How would you feel about a person who acted like your best friend after spending a small amount of time with you? It would be weird no? And here we are talking about a different species with a communication gulf much greater that that between humans that are strangers to each other.

 

Cut the dog some slack - its early days yet.

 

The growling? Why should the dog trust you? How long a track record do you have with this dog to earn it's complete trust? I am guessing you missed the dog asking you to keep your distance when he was down and yet you still approached. Of course he growled. There are some dogs that cozy up right away but most don't.

 

But... you have a dog that follows you around the house. To me this is the most important sign that an incredible relationship with a Greyhound is about to begin. I have a Greyhound that when he wanted his space growled, and barked and snapped - he can be an absolutely terrifying creature. But he always followed me and to this day he will not let me out of his sight and as a result of this characteristic and his particular disposition has the manners and off leash reliability of a well trained Border Collie.

 

As for the snuggling, it took 18 months but this finally happened:

 

 

If you don't have the patience than maybe it is the wrong dog for you - nothing wrong with that. But you may also find that a longer term investment may yield a greater dividend in the end.

 

 

OMG. Sorry, this is off topic but...that is too eerie.... Look at this picture of my Licorice!!!

 

 

 

They look so alike! And same collar!!!

 

 

CRAZY

[KickReturn]

Wow - Licorice and Hester are very similar including the heart shaped patch. Licorice has a bit more black on his rear end but wow - that is remarkable.

 

What is Licorice racing name? Hester's is Skidbootsahoot. The first black and white dog in his direct ancestry is Crazy Parachute - runner up in the 1959 Derby. He's a Kiowa Sweet Trey puppy.

[Guest k9soul]

How amazing that they even have the same collar!

[Guest maidmarcia]

Wow - Licorice and Hester are very similar including the heart shaped patch. Licorice has a bit more black on his rear end but wow - that is remarkable.

 

What is Licorice racing name? Hester's is Skidbootsahoot. The first black and white dog in his direct ancestry is Crazy Parachute - runner up in the 1959 Derby. He's a Kiowa Sweet Trey puppy.

 

 

OMG THEY ARE COUSINS!!!!!

Sorry for my excited freakout!!!

Licorice's mum is Kiowa Sweet Baby, his sire is Jimbo Scotty.

 

I believe Kiowa Sweet Baby's mum is Kiowa Sweet Trey!!!!!

 

That's such a crazy coincidence, along with having the same collars!!!

[Guest jetska]

Totally love the loveheart patch on their sides I was chatting to someone who had just adopted a grey at the park the other day and asked what her racing name was, she said 'well that's all in the past now', I was like 'but she's from the same racing kennel as my foster dogs, if I knew her name I could tell you who she was related to'

[Guest Rocket]

Rocket seems to be warming up - this week he has started jumping up on the sofa and putting his head on my lap! He growls if I do too much petting, but it's a start. I guess he is starting to trust me.