We have a teenager in the house…

[MerseyGrey]

…and he’s a real cuddlebug! He makes Buddy look cold and distant .

His name is Buster and he’s staying with us for the weekend. He was injured during racing so he was retired and surrendered to Cheshire Sighthound Rescue in September. After Buddy died, we donated some of his things to rescue and chatted to the lady who runs it.  She told us that she needs volunteers to walk her dogs (which we did the next day!) and she must have seen us coming because then she said she needs people to take them into homes to see how they get on. So here we are.

He’s a roacher. He’s a leaner. He’s a countertop surfer. He found the sofa very quickly and we discovered that he is adventurous when he bounded up the stairs to have a good look around. Fortunately he was harnessed up to go for a walk because he had no idea how to get back down!

He has the waggiest tail I have ever seen. Here are a few photos of him - I don’t have too many from last night because I couldn’t get him to keep still so they are all blurry. We have been for our morning walk and he is currently recovering (the roaching video is from a few minutes ago) but we are off out again in a few minutes for a puppy play date and puppaccino with lovely Lizzie, another grey who lives in our village. Enjoy the pics!

 

[ramonaghan]

I remember when we watched a young adoptable greyhound for a weekend. Her name was Sweep. Do you take your toast with just butter or jam too?

(P.S. Buster is gorgeous and it sounds like he's got oodles of personality to boot. )

[MerseyGrey]

1 hour ago, ramonaghan said:

I remember when we watched a young adoptable greyhound for a weekend. Her name was Sweep. Do you take your toast with just butter or jam too?

(P.S. Buster is gorgeous and it sounds like he's got oodles of personality to boot. )

 Peanut butter and jam! Returning him is going to be hard but having seen him with Naomi who runs the rescue, he is so excited to be there so it’s not like I’m returning him to a cold comfortless kennel. 
Oh, how I’ve missed the smell of farting dog!

[ramonaghan]

9 minutes ago, MerseyGrey said:

Oh, how I’ve missed the smell of farting dog!

 

[Remolacha]

Oh yeah, that lady at the rescue has your number   He looks like a lot of fun!

[MerseyGrey]

Yep! We are a pair of suckers but as I sit here looking at an upside down greyhound, I find I don’t mind being manipulated too much 

[LBass]

He's gorgeous and clearly full of personality. That would be an great opportunity offed, not manipulation.  

[EllenEveBaz]

Oh, he is STUNNING.  And seems like such a sweetheart.  When I saw "teenager" in your post title, I thought you meant a 13-year-old, but he's obviously much younger than that.  He looks strong and eager on your walk.  

In the United States, that roaching with a front leg extended is called the Statue of Liberty Pose.  All Buster needs is a torch of liberty and a green patina and he'd be a dead ringer for the statue.    

Short term or long term, you're doing a good thing.  Buddy would be so pleased and proud of you.  

[FiveRoooooers]

 for toast!! I mean, yay for fostering! I mean, aw, never mind  Have fun with your gorgeous snuggle bug zippity do boy 

[GreyPoopon]

Buster is _very_ cute. Have a fun weekend.  

5 hours ago, EllenEveBaz said:

In the United States, that roaching with a front leg extended is called the Statue of Liberty Pose.

I've always thought of it as the Full Travolta. 

[Remolacha]

3 hours ago, GreyPoopon said:

Buster is _very_ cute. Have a fun weekend.  

I've always thought of it as the Full Travolta. 

Stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive. 

[MerseyGrey]

I LOVE the new ‘like’ button!

I should have clarified that he is a teenager in dog years. He is three years old. Our play date yesterday went well, but I didn’t have much doubt about it. He seems to be fine with other dogs of similar size to him but is a bit too interested in smaller dogs and tends to fix his stare on them. Lizzie’s parents have lots of experience with sighthounds and showed us a technique that they use to distract their hounds - they drop treats on their heads which scatter to the floor around them. It’s enough to help break the stare with Buster so they think he’s workable with small dogs.

He spent last night in our bedroom, much to Dan’s distaste! Dan drew some definite boundary lines for what he would and wouldn’t accept as dog owners, and sleeping in the bedroom is a step too far for him. As we tried to get Buster settled, he started barking at us from his rug, and Dan would have decamped to the living room immediately but I suggested we ignore him to see if he would quiet down and he did (making me look like the Dog Whisperer, which I most definitely am not ). After a few changes of position (floor next to me, rug, floor next to Dan, floor next to me, rug, Dan, rug, me, me facing a different way, rug) he settled down and I didn’t hear him again until I woke up at 5ish. As soon as I put the light on he was up and over to me, tail wagging  and so excited to see me. It was a lovely greeting.

We need to work on the stairs. He was up and down a few times yesterday, all with his harness on so we could guide him. But then he did it without his harness and decided that he could manage coming down as well as going up before we could stop him. He went a bit too fast and slipped down the last few steps which has knocked his confidence a bit so we ended up awkwardly carrying him down this morning. I might try and work on that a bit today @ramonaghan don’t suppose you’d do a information video on getting Doolin to come down the stairs too, would you?!?! That’s one of my favourite videos from Instagram this year .

Today I’m also going to see how he reacts to the hoover. So far we’ve tested the tv, radio, cooker, kettle, microwave, washing machine, dishwasher and dehumidifier and he perks up at the beeps but is otherwise unphased. I might see how he is with the nail grinder too as he doesn’t mind having his paws held but we’ll see how the hoover goes as I don’t want to overwhelm him.

Other than that, we are going to have lots of cuddles. He is so snuggly and loves contact. It’s very nice having a kitchen companion again. I’ve missed the black nose that appears at my hip when I’m preparing food

[FiveRoooooers]

🍞🍇

Plusalso  for kitchen helper 

Edited November 12 by FiveRoooooers

[Banjoman]

Ellen, how can you say “No.”?

[LBass]

That sounds like a wonderful settling in.

[Mercsmom]

12 hours ago, GreyPoopon said:

Buster is _very_ cute. Have a fun weekend.  

I've always thought of it as the Full Travolta. 

I call it the John Travolta.  same idea.

He's amazing!  Beautiful, affectionate, already roaching  

So you have him for the weekend.  I see.  Uh huh. 

 

[EllenEveBaz]

Quote

Returning him is going to be hard but having seen him with Naomi who runs the rescue, he is so excited to be there so it’s not like I’m returning him to a cold comfortless kennel.

Jeter was the ultimate people dog.  He set up an instant soul connection with everyone.  He was living a greyt life at the adoption kennel -- running, playing, getting attention from staff and visitors, excelling at I-pee-on-your-pee..  But the staff thought he was also natural for home life.  As joyously friendly as he was to other people, he made it clear that I was his person.  It was kind of like having the most popular guy in high school like you.    

Just sayin'.

Quote

I've always thought of it as the Full Travolta. 

Even better!

[MerseyGrey]

Well, I WAS loving the like button but it looks like I’ve overdone it on my like rations and I’m not allowed to like anything else today .

He has gone back and it was a wrench to say goodbye. He was excited to be there - he couldn’t see Naomi but when he heard her voice he put his jumped up to the reception counter to find her. But he also did a big lean on me when I had to hand him over. It didn’t last too long though. He quite happily trotted off without a backwards glance so he is ok, and we’ve arranged to take him for another walk next weekend

[FiveRoooooers]

22 hours ago, EllenEveBaz said:

In the United States, that roaching with a front leg extended is called the Statue of Liberty Pose.  All Buster needs is a torch of liberty and a green patina and he'd be a dead ringer for the statue.    

I'd always heard it labeled The Flagpole!

19 minutes ago, MerseyGrey said:

and we’ve arranged to take him for another walk next weekend

^^ This! 

[MerseyGrey]

It shall henceforth be known as the Travolta Liberty Flagpole and we shall hope and pray that nobody confuses it with anything that is less than wholesome.

[ramonaghan]

18 hours ago, MerseyGrey said:

We need to work on the stairs. He was up and down a few times yesterday, all with his harness on so we could guide him. But then he did it without his harness and decided that he could manage coming down as well as going up before we could stop him. He went a bit too fast and slipped down the last few steps which has knocked his confidence a bit so we ended up awkwardly carrying him down this morning. I might try and work on that a bit today @ramonaghan don’t suppose you’d do a information video on getting Doolin to come down the stairs too, would you?!?! That’s one of my favourite videos from Instagram this year .

 My weirdo goes down the stairs without help; it's going up that he's reluctant about! 

[Time4ANap]

I just saw this. Looks like a great weekend. The adoption group has your number - trust me.  

We've only had one dog go back to the group after arriving here and that was because there was a big issue with the other dogs. They almost never leave here once they arrive. 

[GreyPoopon]

6 hours ago, MerseyGrey said:

It shall henceforth be known as the Travolta Liberty Flagpole and we shall hope and pray that nobody confuses it with anything that is less than wholesome.

 

11 hours ago, EllenEveBaz said:

he made it clear that I was his person.  It was kind of like having the most popular guy in high school like you.    

It's so awesome when they pick you. I've had it happen a few times, sometimes when I didn't think it was going to, and it always felt wonderful. I usually held out for a connection even if it wasn't, erm, exclusive.

ETA: Have fun next weekend.  

Edited November 13 by GreyPoopon

[Jerilyn]

How did I miss this exciting news all weekend?  He seems like a very sweet, good boy. And handsome too! I'm glad you'll be visiting him again next weekend.