It's funny, but it seems once people have greyhounds, they won't have another type of dog. (Of course there's always the problem of the one just not being enough).
There are also a lot of quiet greyhound evagelists around and in fact - as my husband has found - once you start talking about greyhounds, lots of people either own them, or have a yearning to.
We'll often stop and happily talk to complete strangers just because they have a hound or two in tow!
And the owners are a fount of knowledge - we'll have detailed chats about how far they like to walk, whether the dogs get on with cats, where they were rehomed from, and how they are just the right size and shape for a dog.
We've also become compulsive greyhound spotters... it's amazing how you usually see at least the one on every long ramble.
Showing posts with label chipping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chipping. Show all posts
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Tails from home
One of the absolute joys of walking dogs from the local retired greyhound rehoming kennels is that dogs come back - to visit that is, not for good.
Other owners come back to walk some of the hounds that are currently enjoying kennel life. (Anyone who is thinking of doing this should BEWARE. You might end up with more than you bargained for).
Pretty's owner was back at the kennels over the Christmas period, she hadn't bought the Pretty with her, but I had a good chance to chat and find out how the dog was settling in.
Turns out that she's become really playful and a bit of a tomboy. She's still a bit nervous around people that she doesn't know, but is already charging up to and dancing at the feet of the people that she knows in the park. She is happily playing with other dogs (and showing off with a turn of speed that leaves them all in her wake). All in all it sounds like she is having a LOVELY time.
Another dog that I got to meet over the Christmas period was Chas. He was rehomed over the summer, and had been overlooked in the kennels for many, many months. This was posssibly for a couple of reasons - firstly he's quite big, and secondly he was a bit growly around other males.
What a difference a loving home can make! I barely recognised Chas - he was looking so relaxed. I had a chat with his new owner and found out that he was settling in nicely. He could still be a bit growly with other males, but that he was getting better all the time. Brilliant news!
Other owners come back to walk some of the hounds that are currently enjoying kennel life. (Anyone who is thinking of doing this should BEWARE. You might end up with more than you bargained for).
Pretty's owner was back at the kennels over the Christmas period, she hadn't bought the Pretty with her, but I had a good chance to chat and find out how the dog was settling in.
Turns out that she's become really playful and a bit of a tomboy. She's still a bit nervous around people that she doesn't know, but is already charging up to and dancing at the feet of the people that she knows in the park. She is happily playing with other dogs (and showing off with a turn of speed that leaves them all in her wake). All in all it sounds like she is having a LOVELY time.
Another dog that I got to meet over the Christmas period was Chas. He was rehomed over the summer, and had been overlooked in the kennels for many, many months. This was posssibly for a couple of reasons - firstly he's quite big, and secondly he was a bit growly around other males.
What a difference a loving home can make! I barely recognised Chas - he was looking so relaxed. I had a chat with his new owner and found out that he was settling in nicely. He could still be a bit growly with other males, but that he was getting better all the time. Brilliant news!
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Greyhounds are addictive
There's been another rash of rehomings at the local retired greyhound rehoming kennels with Greg, an eight-year old black and white boy, going on home-trial and two black and white girls - Pretty and Poppy - being signed for today.
It's the two girls that have made me absolutely certain of one thing. Greyhounds ARE addictive. Both are going to homes that have at least one other hound in residence.
And hey presto, after a quick search on the internet, I've found that there's even a term to describe it: chipping. As with potato chips - the US name for crisps - when you've got a greyhound it's almost impossible to stop at one.
I'd long since suspected this was the case, having met many people at the kennels who have 2,3, 4 or even more dogs. They're often nosing around to find another hound to add to their happy gang.
The most embarrassing discussion with a multi-dog owner was when I was discussing the best way to handle two dogs. I'd recently discovered that in most cases it was easiest to hold both leads on the same hand and walk the dogs on the same side as each other.
The kennel hand I was talking with agreed and said that she always walked her dogs like this. She said it meant that she could put one onto the other side of her if one of the dogs was misbehaving. I commented that I'd found this useful as well.
Only later did I discover that she has SIX dogs. Oh dear, I am such an amateur.
It's the two girls that have made me absolutely certain of one thing. Greyhounds ARE addictive. Both are going to homes that have at least one other hound in residence.
And hey presto, after a quick search on the internet, I've found that there's even a term to describe it: chipping. As with potato chips - the US name for crisps - when you've got a greyhound it's almost impossible to stop at one.
I'd long since suspected this was the case, having met many people at the kennels who have 2,3, 4 or even more dogs. They're often nosing around to find another hound to add to their happy gang.
The most embarrassing discussion with a multi-dog owner was when I was discussing the best way to handle two dogs. I'd recently discovered that in most cases it was easiest to hold both leads on the same hand and walk the dogs on the same side as each other.
The kennel hand I was talking with agreed and said that she always walked her dogs like this. She said it meant that she could put one onto the other side of her if one of the dogs was misbehaving. I commented that I'd found this useful as well.
Only later did I discover that she has SIX dogs. Oh dear, I am such an amateur.
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