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New Member With New Foster-To-Adopt Grey!


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Hello! My name is Genevieve and my husband Michael and I have just fostered our first greyhound fresh off the track from Tijuana. Her race name is Boltz but since we're planning on adopting her we've given her the name Xena, after our favorite warrior princess.

 

Michael and I had been wanting a dog for a very long time but until recently we'd been living in apartments with no-dog rules. Then in October we were finally able to buy our first house, a 2k sq ft 2-story with a yard and a pool, which for LA is no small feat! It's super exciting and we are loving this new life. We already had one kitty, an older male named Mr. Tumnus who is my baby. Seriously, I've had him longer than I've known my husband, haha! And more recently we rescued a stray 4 mo old kitten named Westley.

 

We started the process with Fast Friends, a local greyhound adoption agency, back in December but it turned out that adoption rates were high and they ran out of dogs! Last week I got a call from the adoption coordinator that we could come help out with a retirement day and start out fostering with the goal of adoption if we were up for the challenge. My husband and I have had dogs all our lives and I'm an amateur animal trainer so even though we have no greyhound experience, we were definitely up for it.

 

On Saturday we went out to retirement day and got to help freshly retired dogs through the process. They got bathed, nail trimmed, vetted, had their pictures taken, and then went through a small animal test. I saw Boltz/Xena and I immediately fell in love with her. She was so calm and gentle but so eager for affection and loved everyone who came to greet her. I also have such a soft spot for brindles! She also passed her small animal test with flying colors, which was very important for us with our two kitties. At the end of the day we got to take her home and it was magical!

 

It's been very interesting helping a dog learn to be a pet rather than a racing machine but so rewarding and everything is going very well! Tumnus is being a very chill old man cat and Xena is much more scared of him than he is of her (she got swatted by one of the cats during her test, haha) and frankly she's pretty happy just staying out of his way. He rules the house and she seems to have figured that out very quickly!

 

As for Westley, he's still a skittish kitten and he's stayed upstairs which I'm totally fine with. We put a dog gate on the stairs so it's a doggy off-limits area and Westley has had no reason to come down. Eventually we'll get them acquainted and we need to work with him to make sure he won't try to run, but otherwise everything is going great!

 

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What a pretty girl! Congratulations!!!!

 

And welcome to the Cult of the Greyhound! :welcome

Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora)

52592535884_69debcd9b4.jpgsiggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr

Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly

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She's gorgeous! Love the white feet.

 

He rules the house and she seems to have figured that out very quickly!

As it should be. :)

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Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey

remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter

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Thank you for the warm welcomes!

 

Xena is continuing to settle in and things are still going really well. Today she got to explore upstairs and got to meet Westley the kitten face-to-face. She didn't want to get too close and she refused to look at him, which is good, and I convinced him to sit quietly in my lap. By the end of the meeting he was playing with his toys while she stood nearby. Then later in the day while I was letting her roam around with her muzzle on, she wandered by him without noticing he was there which was too close for his liking and he hissed and swatted her. She yelped and went running, the poor thing, but I think I like her being scared of the cats. It's much better than the other way around.

 

Westley is still concerned but he's not as scared as he was the first day or two. He doesn't run from her anymore which is *really* good. If we can just avoid that urge to chase I think we'll be just fine.

 

We're developing a regular potty schedule and she's gotten very good about going immediately when we let her out. So far she's only had one accident and it was entirely our fault so I feel like her housetraining is pretty solid already!

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It all sounds good, especially on the cat front. Once Xena gets secure with the basics of her new life, be prepared to watch her personality begin to blossom. You love her now -- in six months you'll wonder how you existed without her. :)

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Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey

remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter

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She is very beautiful, and looks like my Phoebe's twin! Even down to that white spot on her nose, and the neck being white, and toes...except that Phoebe had to have the white tip of her tail amputated last year....:( And of course at 8 years old, Phoebe's face has greyed considerably.

 

I've had three dark brindle females, I obviously have a weak spot for them. :)

Phoebe (Belle's Sweetpea) adopted 9/2/13.

Jack (BTR Captain Jack) 9/28/05--11/2/12
Always missing Buddy, Ruby, and Rascal.

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I just saw your post. Congrats to your beautiful new friend and Welcome to the world of crazy greyhound lovers.

Sorry for butchering the english language. I try to keep the mistakes to a minimum.

 

Nadine with Paddy (Zippy Mullane), Saoirse (Lizzie Be Nice), Abu (Cillowen Abu) and bridge angels Colin (Dessies Hero) and Andy (Riot Officer).

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