Newly Adopted Greyhound, A Few Questions And Any Other Advice Welcome&

[Guest lestersmom]

Hi everyone!

(Be patient with me here, I am new to this )

My husband and I adopted a retired greyhound, Lester, 5 days ago and are just so in love with him and need a few pieces of advice. He is 4 years old and seems to be a very mild mannered and calm dog. Not overly affectionate, not bothered by dogs (except really big ones...he gets a little scared), not bothered by children, he's just pretty laid back it seems...at least so far.

Lester has done great in the house, no issues using the bathroom in the house (so far), just follows us around wherever we go, he sleeps all night on his bed, and stays in his crate without problems while we are at work. However, we are having trouble getting him to eat. He has eaten 1 maybe 2 full meals since we brought him home, all the other times he barely touches his food...maybe a couple of bites at the most. He drinks water fine, but food is a different story. We have tried multiple different foods throughout the past couple of days and he isn't interested in any of them. We have tried giving him some cottage cheese & yogurt which the adoption agency said they loved and he won't eat that. We have started to try and teach him basic commands and he won't even eat treats as a reward. (We have tried 3 different types of treats too) And while on the training subject, do any of you have any advice on teaching greyhounds basic commands...especially without treats since he won't eat them for now?

Is he just having a hard time adjusting so he isn't eating? Is praise and love enough to train a greyhound basic commands?

What are some of your experiences you have had during the adjustment period with your greyhound?

I know this will take time for him to adjust, I just want him to be happy (since he hasn't shown much sign of that either) and I'm just slightly worried for him and need a little reassurance that his behavior is normal.

Thanks so much!!!!

Edited July 23, 2014 by lestersmom

[Jenbo]

He's still adjusting. You don't want to keep switching foods because they can have very delicate tummies and just awful paint peeling gas, so stick to one food. And yes, praise and love is enough to teach the basics. Give him some time, the saying is that your greyhound will change at 3 weeks, 3 months and 3 years. It seems our best friends are constantly changing, just not very quickly.

[Guest KTPrime]

In terms of happiness/affection, while I'm sure your grey will get warmer as he gets more comfortable, greys usually aren't overly emotive dogs. As in, they're not going to totally lose it when you come home every day or show they're happy as effusively as say, a lab or a pit. They definitely are affectionate in their own way and the first time your pup rests their head on you it's about the cutest thing that ever happened, but I would say they're much more restrained than many other dogs are.

They tend to show they love you by following you everywhere (looks like you're experiencing that already), and in their own small unique ways. It's super early, so give him a little time to adjust and I'm sure he'll blossom into his true self in no time! It's fairly common for it to take 6 months or so for their true personalities to come out. Also--and everyone else will tell you this--we need pictures! Congrats on your new pup!

[Houndtime]

FIve days is not enough time to evaulate anything, yet. When he is hungry, he will eat. Don't keep changing his food. Stick with one. You can upset his system. Five days may not be the right time to start training him. Give him a chance to settle in. He will be fine. His whole personality is going to change. In a month, he will be different. In six months, he will shine.

[Gryffenne]

Dogs normally will not starve themselves. He could be stressed out being in a new home. I know when I am stressed, I lose my appetite.

 

Some greys have iron stomachs. Some can be pretty sensitive to new foods. I would stick to the food he was fed by the adoption group. Once he relaxes and sets into his routine, if you feel the need to change his food, start gradual. A normal rule of thumb: current food 75%, new 25% for the first week, then try to up the new a bit more. (Example: 50/50) If his tummy handles it (no blow outs, gas, or diarrhea) do that for a bit, then more new food (25/75). If that is handled, go full new food. That's something that I have to do with Sammi, or deal with the consequences (when the pet food scare/mass recalls were happening a few years ago, there was no choice in "gradual" at one point. She actually did fine in that instance. A few other times where I had to feed her something else, it wasn't very pretty. Lynni and River were both able to do a sped up version of switching from what they both ate (2 different kibbles) to the IAMS green bag Sammi eats without issue.

 

To put your mind at ease, get him in for his wellness check up with your vet. At the check up, they usually do a fecal and a physical. So that could rule out anything like worms affecting his appetite. When they weight him, you will have an idea of his weight and what it should be. Most vets have no problem with you stopping in to weigh them once a week, especially new dogs with concerned owners

 

As for affection and playing, just wait Sammi was a shy, quiet little shadow her first few months. Slowly, she started playing with her stuffies. But I couldn't be in the room. Then I could be in the room, but I couldn't be watching. Then i was allowed to watch. Then I was allowed to interact. Lynni came into the house and took over the stuffies the first day she was here. River, like Sammi was, is more reserved. I don't think she has the full idea of what she is supposed to do with them. She will grab one and jump on the sectional with it. Then lay there on it staring at me. Sammi took months to roach for me or snuggle with me. Lynni and River both roached in the first few days and were master snugglers in 2 weeks. (I was also working on sleep startle with them, so I wasn't encouraging snuggling right away).

 

It's been less than a week, so he is most likely still reserved.Your boy's markings and natural body movements may "appear" that he is upset, depressed, just not "happy". Lynni's ears are almost always perked up like little envelopes. She always looks curious, and with her mask of white on her back face, even when her ears are relaxed. River... well with her eyes and her brindle stripes... if her ears are relaxed, she has a "I am plotting to take over the world" mastermind/Evil Genius look on her face. Her whole face changes where her ears are perked or fully alert. Lynni usually has her head up higher than her shoulders (she's also the smallest of the 3 so maybe she's compensating for height ) River, like Sammi, holds her head naturally lower. Like a wolf stalking it's prey. Again, with the markings on her face, depending on her ear position, she can look upset or almost depressed. Yet Sammi, with her markings (red fawn/white face) in the same stance doesn't.

 

ETA~ A fun suggestion for you: Keep a journal/any emails with the group. Even bookmark this thread! hehe

When I first adopted Sammi, I was emailing back and forth with her foster mom a LOT She was my first grey, but not my first dog by any means. I kept those emails. I recently re-read those emails from 8 years ago. Stuff that I had forgotten about, or things that concerned me greatly back then, etc... was a fun read to look back to how we were in the beginning and seeing how we are now

 

I already have a good list of threads about River that someday, I hope, I look back and laugh about.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Gryffenne

[Guest normaandburrell]

We have had two greys of our own and one foster. All three showed poor appetite at first, especially my first dog, who sounds a lot like yours. What helped was that I would put my hand in the food and stir it well, and sometimes even offer the first mouthful out of my hand. I got the idea from the dog whisperer (I know some people hate him) who said it is helpful for bonding for the dog to smell your scent on the food. Of course is the dog is food aggressive you would not want to do this. And if they don't eat, after a few minutes put the food up. They may be interested in it a few hours later.

I agree you should not change the food or even offer too many new treats, or you may be dealing with a dog with diarrhea and a really upset stomach!

[Fruitycake]

It is likely just a bit of the "not so hungry right now" feeling. Our second dog when we got her (not a grey, but adopted) didn't eat anything for about 3 days, then grudgingly ate a little, and it probably took over two weeks before she actually seemed interested in eating instead of doing it grudgingly. Now she's as much a chow-hound as our greyhound is! I'd just give him time and not push it at him. Put the food down, give him a set amount of time to eat (if you want to schedule his meals for a regular time) and then pick up the bowl and offer it again next mealtime. As other have said, he's not going to starve himself. You don't say where you are from, so if you also are in a hot region, heat decreases both of my dogs' appetites so it could be a factor as well.

 

I bet a lot of your concerns are due to his just slowly trying to get the feel for his new home, and watching and waiting to see what is happening. Greys aren't terribly outrageous in their "happiness" expressions a lot of the time, and though Monty does show really great affection for people when meeting them now, he didn't for about the first 2 years that we owned him. Personalities continue to evolve in these dogs, so as Jenbo and Gryffenne say, the dog you see now is definitely not the same dog you'll see in a couple months or years in the future.

 

I wouldn't worry so much about doing training immediately with him, unless there is definitely something you need him to do (or not do). At first, the best thing you can do is to reinforce the bonds of affection, by giving him love when he wants it and accepting his love when he gives it. Figuring out how he likes best to be touched and doing more of that is great reinforcement for all (him because he's getting what he likes from people he lives with, and you because it just feels good to make the critters in our lives happy!).

 

I'm glad everything is going pretty well for you with your new hound (but he may test boundaries as he settles in!).

[Guest roweboy]

Congratulations on your new baby! I've rarely had a dog as wonderful as our CJ. We are fairly new to greyhounds, having adopted ours about 4 months ago. I had done a lot of reading about the breed prior to adopting and I was determined to help our new boy bond. The few few days I kept him tethered to me almost all the time. I fed him by hand the first days and added a bit of wet food to each piece of kibble to make it extra tasty. I wouldn't worry about not eating. They do have sensitive stomachs and sometimes our CJ just seems to go off food for a day. He won't stave himself. If CJ doesn't seem interested at normal meal times I just leave kibble in his dish so he can snack as needed. He's not a voracious hound.

 

Our adoption group sends all the dogs through a 5 week prison training before they go to their forever homes. We haven't really had to do anything in formal training with CJ. He's very well behaved. He doesn't sit, but that's not a big deal since he'll happily and calmly stand. I've taught him a few things, like jumping into my car and then obeying a "wait" command before jumping out of the car. He knows "leave it" and that's been helpful getting him used to our 4 cats.

 

Your dog needs much more time to adjust, so just love him and let him acclimate. He's experiencing a huge change in his life and how does he know he can trust it? Training can happen later if needed. These are very sensitive dogs and just a gentle "Nuh uh" stops CJ. I'd work on bonding with your dog now and training will follow naturally. Don't worry about his eating. We mix some raw ground chicken into CJ's food on occasion which is nearly irresistible for him and if you put some of that with a bit of kibble & feed by hand, your boy will eventually make good associations with you and food. Praise and love will always go further than food. CJ has been so easy that I forget to give him food rewards to reinforce behavior!

[greysmom]

Time and patience. Patience and time. A lot of his "laid back" nature right now is generally being overwhelmed. You will gradually see more and more of his true personality coming out over the next few weeks.

 

Everything you describe is *very* normal and natural for a newly adopted retired racing greyhound. Remember, unless your dog was in a foster home previously, he has literally had his entire life changed in the space of a day. And even if he was fostered, he still needs to get used to *your* home and routine. He needs time and patience right now more than anything. Be calm and supportive, offer him company if he asks for it and space if he needs it. Have comfy beds where you spend the most time, and in the bedroom. Make sure he has a spot that's a "safe place" that he can hang out in when he's feeling particularly overwhelmed.

 

Don't jump right on the training. He's not in a space where he can menatally accept any more new things. Once he settles in and becomes more familiar nad relaxed, he will likely pick up anything and everything you want to teach him very quickly.

 

He won't starve himself. When he's hungry, he'll eat. He might not be used to a home diet as opposed to what he was eating before. Keep offering something tasty on the schedule that you want him to be on. I wouldn't be offering him tons of food or treats yet. If you have his bowl on the floor, try elevating it. If you're elevating it, try setting it on the floor. You can also try a bit bigger bowl, or even a flat plate. Make sure it's not hectic and chaotic around him when it's dinner time. Don't let kids or other animals bother him while he's eating. He also may be more comfortable eating in his crate.

 

When he eats, he'll poop. Since he's not eating, there's nothing to eliminate. This will sort itself out in time, too.

 

Good luck and congratulations!

[Feisty49]

In addition to his appetite perhaps being off because of his new environment, the hot weather can put a dog off food. I know my Annie is eating about half the amount she is offered and eats when the temps aren't in the high 80s and the heat index isn't in the high 90s.

 

As others have said, you don't want to jump from one food to another. Greyhounds often have issues with producing firm poo and bouncing from one food to another will bring that on.

 

Training? Ha! Some love to be trained and learn new things. Others have no interest at all. My girl will come when I call her and she will wait for a treat until I say, "OK," even if it's sitting in front of her. Other than that, she's pretty much turned her back on me when I've gone for other tricks.

 

Looking Happy: I've had Annie three years this month and there are moments during the day when she looks so sad my heart almost hurts. She's not sad. She's looking the way Greyhounds look. And her way of greeting me when I've been out is to stand at the top of the stairs from the entry hall to the living room and gently wag her tail. If I go to her, she'll bump foreheads with me and then goes right back to her bed.

 

You'll see many changes in Lester's personality over the coming months. You'll have so much fun!

[Riverhound]

Joe wouldn't eat for anything when he first came home, so I started adding Romano cheese to his meals, and he gained 10 lbs. then I had to cut him back, and he really missed his cheese!

 

Like the others are saying, don't sweat it right now. Even a skinny arse greyhound can survive losing a couple pounds when they first come home. It's ok.

 

Don't bother with "training" now, just manners. No, dog, you can't take my pizza out of my hand. Lay there nicely and I'll toss you the crust when I'm done!

[Guest lestersmom]

Everyone thank you so much for your responses!!!

I feel so much better and am slowly learning the greyhound ropes!

Thank you, Thank you!!

Edited July 24, 2014 by lestersmom

[dostacos]

Conrad was not too interested in eating day one either. Turns out the adopters added a little "stuff" to his kibble. He started chowing down as soon as we added some wet food to his Kibble. I would feed the same that he has been eating. I have to because Conrad has a 3 page list of allergies

 

My DW thought he had been abused at some point [before the rescue group] because he was soooo laid back. Turns out that is just him. He follows me wherever I go, and won't get up in his crate UNTIL he sees or hears my wheelie chair and when we come home from church he almost jumps into by lap when my DW opens his crate. He has started playing with stuffies, and ROOS when we go outside, as soon as i give him permission

 

Conrad only adopted me on the 5th of May so we are still getting to know each other. so relax and enjoy the experience

[Guest IrskasMom]

Time and Patience is for the next few Month very Important. Yah I said Month . Thank you and Congrats to you for adopting an Ex Racer and coming to GreyTalk. We have very experienced People here , who can help you every Step of the Way . It's a whole different Experience and please enjoy. Hugs to Lester

[Guest CleverJason]

Time and patience. Patience and time. A lot of his "laid back" nature right now is generally being overwhelmed. You will gradually see more and more of his true personality coming out over the next few weeks.

 

For better and worse! The first three weeks with Baron were easy peasy. He was very much like you described. As he started settling in, he gradually showed a lot more affection and orneriness than I would have ever expected when he was new. Beware the toddler phase...once he's comfortable with his new boundaries, he may start testing them. And that's when it gets interesting

[Guest justbasil]

Congrats on Lester! Did you get him from NGAP? If so, I walked your lovely boy a few times and almost adopted him (I have been checking the website since then, and I'm so glad he is finally adopted)!! Where in Philly are you (I'm in Center City)?

 

My boy, Basil, took about 5 days to start eating regularly. He flat out refused to eat for the first 3-4 days, and I started to get a bit worried. I tried hand feeding him some food, or tossing him a few pieces at a time, which he would eventually eat. Then, he would eat out of his bowl, but not all of it. I figured he would eat when he finally got hungry enough to overcome any nerves. Well, he now gobbles up his food (and I have one of those nifty bowls with grooves in it to prevent fast eating); it took about a week or more to get to this point.

 

I had a similar "problem" with figuring out how to train him, since he didn't appear to be food motivated. I just waited it out, and now he will do just about anything for his regular food (but especially for cut up hot dog!).

 

I suppose the short answer, as others have said, is that it's still early! I also started out doing alone training early on, and I think it turns out that I was experiencing more anxiety than he was!!

 

PS, PICTURES please

[SarahsBlackPack]

First of all congrats on your recent adoption! Seconadly, just give him some time to adjust. I wouldn't panic just yet. He's still adjusting to a new home. I would stick with just one food to start with and see how he does. I would try feeding him in his crate to see how he does. At the tracks they are fed in there crates. Just be patient with him. He'll be ok.

[Guest lestersmom]

Congrats on Lester! Did you get him from NGAP? If so, I walked your lovely boy a few times and almost adopted him (I have been checking the website since then, and I'm so glad he is finally adopted)!! Where in Philly are you (I'm in Center City)?

 

My boy, Basil, took about 5 days to start eating regularly. He flat out refused to eat for the first 3-4 days, and I started to get a bit worried. I tried hand feeding him some food, or tossing him a few pieces at a time, which he would eventually eat. Then, he would eat out of his bowl, but not all of it. I figured he would eat when he finally got hungry enough to overcome any nerves. Well, he now gobbles up his food (and I have one of those nifty bowls with grooves in it to prevent fast eating); it took about a week or more to get to this point.

 

I had a similar "problem" with figuring out how to train him, since he didn't appear to be food motivated. I just waited it out, and now he will do just about anything for his regular food (but especially for cut up hot dog!).

 

I suppose the short answer, as others have said, is that it's still early! I also started out doing alone training early on, and I think it turns out that I was experiencing more anxiety than he was!!

 

PS, PICTURES please

I did get him from NGAP! He has finally started to eat which is very relieving!! He even picked up one of his toys and brought it over to his bed today...which is a HUGEEEE step!!! Woohoo!We also set up a live stream to see how he does in the crate while we are at work (we thought he was having no issues)...he isn't destructive but he howls, barks and cries alllll day. This was very surprising to us because we have never even heard him bark until now. So...I worked from home today to start "alone training" (without the crate) because I thought maybe the crate was part of the problem. It's going okay..mainly scratching at the door but I think we are very slowly making progress (he barks much less without the crate)...do you have any advice or have you had any experience on that front?

Also, we are near the Italian Market...so not far from you at all!

[Guest k9soul]

As everyone else has said, it can really take some time to adjust. One thing I thought of is have you tried raising or lowering the dish or offering the food in his crate? Some dogs are really used to eating a certain way and will be more encouraged if it is done in a familiar way.

 

I had to laugh a bit, because my boy was the total opposite. He was exceedingly concerned about getting his food and that no one else would take it away or eat it. I have a lab mix and if I fed them within sight of each other he would look at her and growl and bark. So then I gated her down the hallway from him so she wasn't in sight. He actually ran over to his gate, peered down the hallway, and barked at her then! If I approached his food he would begin gobbling it so fast I was worried he'd choke. I worked on that by adding a yummy thing to his bowl when I approached and he calmed down with that. It just took time for the rest. Now he has no issues at all, eats normally, doesn't care if the other dogs are watching him, and so on. It was amazing to see how he changed and how he is still changing (in good ways) as time has gone by.

 

I have always added a bit of water to moisten kibble when I fed it to help it go down easier, but it also might encourage him too by making it smell more. Best of luck and congratulations!

[Riverhound]

HIJACK ALERT!!

 

 

Congrats on Lester! Did you get him from NGAP? If so, I walked your lovely boy a few times and almost adopted him (I have been checking the website since then, and I'm so glad he is finally adopted)!! Where in Philly are you (I'm in Center City)?

 

My boy, Basil, took about 5 days to start eating regularly. He flat out refused to eat for the first 3-4 days, and I started to get a bit worried. I tried hand feeding him some food, or tossing him a few pieces at a time, which he would eventually eat. Then, he would eat out of his bowl, but not all of it. I figured he would eat when he finally got hungry enough to overcome any nerves. Well, he now gobbles up his food (and I have one of those nifty bowls with grooves in it to prevent fast eating); it took about a week or more to get to this point.

 

I had a similar "problem" with figuring out how to train him, since he didn't appear to be food motivated. I just waited it out, and now he will do just about anything for his regular food (but especially for cut up hot dog!).

 

I suppose the short answer, as others have said, is that it's still early! I also started out doing alone training early on, and I think it turns out that I was experiencing more anxiety than he was!!

 

PS, PICTURES please

 

 

I did get him from NGAP! He has finally started to eat which is very relieving!! He even picked up one of his toys and brought it over to his bed today...which is a HUGEEEE step!!! Woohoo!We also set up a live stream to see how he does in the crate while we are at work (we thought he was having no issues)...he isn't destructive but he howls, barks and cries alllll day. This was very surprising to us because we have never even heard him bark until now. So...I worked from home today to start "alone training" (without the crate) because I thought maybe the crate was part of the problem. It's going okay..mainly scratching at the door but I think we are very slowly making progress (he barks much less without the crate)...do you have any advice or have you had any experience on that front?

Also, we are near the Italian Market...so not far from you at all!

 

Congratulations to both of you! I live across the river in "beautiful" Trenton, NJ, and have two NGAP hounds. I'd like to invite you to join us on our weekly houndwalk

 

in Hamilton Township. We have between 5-10 people and assorted hounds each week, for a walk that lasts an hour-ish. Bug spray is suggested at this time of year! We do have a couple come up for Philly occasionally with their 3 hounds (two greys and a galga). If you'd like more information, please email me at Rachaeltpl AT yahoo DOT com.

[Guest justbasil]

I did get him from NGAP! He has finally started to eat which is very relieving!! He even picked up one of his toys and brought it over to his bed today...which is a HUGEEEE step!!! Woohoo!We also set up a live stream to see how he does in the crate while we are at work (we thought he was having no issues)...he isn't destructive but he howls, barks and cries alllll day. This was very surprising to us because we have never even heard him bark until now. So...I worked from home today to start "alone training" (without the crate) because I thought maybe the crate was part of the problem. It's going okay..mainly scratching at the door but I think we are very slowly making progress (he barks much less without the crate)...do you have any advice or have you had any experience on that front?

Also, we are near the Italian Market...so not far from you at all!

Yay! I'm so glad you got Lester! He is adorable - I love how his ears go in different directions. Basil howled/cried at first, too, especially when he was crated. Along the lines of your thinking, we thought the crate might be a problem. So we started leaving him for short intervals out of his crate to see how he does, and it turns out the crate was the main problem. Now he paces around/looks out the window for the first 20 minutes or so after we leave and then he settles into his bed and sleeps without a peep for the rest of the time he is alone (and even when I do get home, he just looks at me from his bed and then goes back to sleep, ha). So maybe this weekend you could try leaving him for short periods of time outside of his crate and record him to see how he does? (PS I only have had a greyhound for 2 months, so I am by no means an expert, so definitely listen to everything everyone else has to say!).

 

Anyway, would you be interested in introducing Lester and Basil at some point? There are a couple of other greyhounds in the area, too!

 

@ Riverhound - Thank you so much for the invite! The get together sounds like a lot of fun. The distance might be a bit much for my schedule right now (also I don't have a car), but I would be interested in joining from time to time when I have time and access to a car. I'll be sure to email you/check out the GFNJ events page for the details Thanks again!

[maria]

Lester sounds wonderful. Hopefully he has started eating by now! My 10 yo grey Rhoda will immediately stop eating if ANYTHING is bothering her. It never fails to amaze me how a very small issue makes her lay on the sofa and just follow me around with her eyeballs, acting like her life is on the line. No eating and bathroom only if absolutely necessary.

I would wait on training, one thing at a time. Greys are smart and IMHO the best dog breed in the world. They are not much for over stimulation however and they tend to go in shut down mode to cope.

 

I hope you have many beautiful years with Lester!

[silverfish]

Congratulations on the new guy! I agree with these two posters.

 

FIve days is not enough time to evaulate anything, yet. When he is hungry, he will eat. Don't keep changing his food. Stick with one. You can upset his system. Five days may not be the right time to start training him. Give him a chance to settle in. He will be fine. His whole personality is going to change. In a month, he will be different. In six months, he will shine.

 

Joe wouldn't eat for anything when he first came home, so I started adding Romano cheese to his meals, and he gained 10 lbs. then I had to cut him back, and he really missed his cheese!

 

Like the others are saying, don't sweat it right now. Even a skinny arse greyhound can survive losing a couple pounds when they first come home. It's ok.

 

Don't bother with "training" now, just manners. No, dog, you can't take my pizza out of my hand. Lay there nicely and I'll toss you the crust when I'm done!

Some greyhounds take a looong time to fully blossom. I've had a couple who hadn't really shown their true colours until we'd had them a year. Usually it's more like six months.

 

Five days is nothing, and as Riverhound says, don't stress about the training. It's OK doing 'manners', of course. You can also play the 'capturing behaviour' game: if you see him about to go to his bed, say 'On your bed, Lester' and then 'Good boy!' Make sure he really is about to plump himself down though.

 

Even that I wouldn't worry about for the first week or two. For that first little while I just concentrate on earning their trust and affection and giving reassurance. Their world has changed so much.

Edited July 26, 2014 by silverfish

[Guest lestersmom]

Yay! I'm so glad you got Lester! He is adorable - I love how his ears go in different directions. Basil howled/cried at first, too, especially when he was crated. Along the lines of your thinking, we thought the crate might be a problem. So we started leaving him for short intervals out of his crate to see how he does, and it turns out the crate was the main problem. Now he paces around/looks out the window for the first 20 minutes or so after we leave and then he settles into his bed and sleeps without a peep for the rest of the time he is alone (and even when I do get home, he just looks at me from his bed and then goes back to sleep, ha). So maybe this weekend you could try leaving him for short periods of time outside of his crate and record him to see how he does? (PS I only have had a greyhound for 2 months, so I am by no means an expert, so definitely listen to everything everyone else has to say!).

 

Anyway, would you be interested in introducing Lester and Basil at some point? There are a couple of other greyhounds in the area, too!

 

@ Riverhound - Thank you so much for the invite! The get together sounds like a lot of fun. The distance might be a bit much for my schedule right now (also I don't have a car), but I would be interested in joining from time to time when I have time and access to a car. I'll be sure to email you/check out the GFNJ events page for the details Thanks again!

I would love to introduce Basil and Lester!!! Is there a dog park that you go to?

[Guest justbasil]

I can't wait to introduce them! I typically take Basil to the Schuylkill River Dog Park - is that too far for you? I'm not sure of any dog parks between the two of us - do you know of any? There is the Marian Anderson Recreation Center, which might be more equidistant, but I don't think there is any fenced in area for off-leash playing, but a walk would work, too! (PS - not sure if we should move this particular part of the conversation to a private message thing?).