Shhhh – I’m going to let you in on a few secrets of greyhound adoption. While all hounds are wonderful as pets, some are just a bit more special.
These secrets – are you ready. Here they are:
Oldies, Black, Bashful and Boys – all doubly wonderful as pets.
Golden Oldies
“Everyone is the age of their heart”, and these young at heart hounds are only asking to bask in the sun and be with you, so that their last years are spent with love.
Greyhound Gang has always had a special love for special need greyhounds. That group includes Golden Oldies, or seniors, as they are sometimes called. Greyhound breeders discard them when they are done racing and raising offspring, and are no longer economically viable. Many of these gals have raced 50 – 100 races and whelped and raised 50 – 100 plus puppies.
Since 1999, at our Greyhound Gatherings – Kanab we have always honored them with gifts and extra attention. These gals have the most love and joy in life to give to those who are open to loving them. Looking for Love will take you to pictures and text about just a few of these incredible, loving hounds. Every adoption group can get Golden Oldies for placement. Ask yours!
When you adopt an older hound, male or female, Greyhound Gang will provide a sample of Get Up & Go glucosamine, plus, plus our excellent booklet, When I Am Older. We have many information booklets to help you, help your hounds.
These gals have seen it all, so they will move into your house easily and quickly. Finding a soft place to call theirs, they will watch your every move, and learn their new life. The joy you’ll see when they realize they have a yard and your attention will be palpable. Some might feel loving older hounds brings too much heartache, as they leave us sooner than later. I say that love for a day, a week, a year, is worth any pain. Love doesn’t come everyday, but love always comes with an older hound. And Love is All You Need.
Black Boys
They’re beautiful. They’re black. And they’re looking for homes. Hard to believe, but these are the dogs who are passed up in the adoption groups, time and time again. When they are well loved, their coats are so shiny and sleek, you can see yourself in the reflection. When you walk down the street, you are immediately cool, with a sexy dog by your side. When you are home, and they look straight at you and into your soul, you know you are loved.
Bashful Hounds
Bashful is just another word for “Can you really love me?”
Two things play a part in the creation of a shy dog – Genetics & Environment. Shyness usually appears because of the genetic predisposition of sire and dam. Then the environment kicks in. If shy dogs are not handled a lot, and properly, during their formative years, then shy traits just get exacerbated.
However, “Shyness is a strength to build on, not a character flaw to be stamped out,” someone once said. There is no one more loving than a shy dog who has learned to trust because of you. There is nothing more satisfying than watching the day by day growth of a dog who at one time wouldn’t look at you, or trembled if you came near. Your patience and persistence will pay off ten-fold in a dog who worships the ground you walk on. Who could ask for more?
Best homes for bashful hounds are those which are quiet, with another out-going dog, greyhound preferably. Greyhound Gang offers a booklet with lots more information – Shy Greyhounds Steal Your Heart for only $1. It’s also available on Kindle.
Boys Vs Girls
During the years I did front-line greyhound rescue, I asked for boys. I’d have ten boys at my house, and not a problem. I’d get in that one girl, god forbid two or more girls, and the squabbling would begin. Or the sneakiness. Or the bitchiness. I’d adopt out 5 boys for every girl. This Psychology Today article backs up what I’ve been saying about too many girl dogs in a household.
Guess which dog is Maddie, and which is Ned in this picture. See what I mean? I talked all my adopters into boys. Ask them. Here are adopters’ pictures. Give me boys any day. Please do think about adopting a boy. A black boy, preferably. Don’t have a clue, but they get picked last. And they are gorgeous. Ask any black boy.
Bev Doan, a former greyhound adoption group president, sent me this tongue-in-cheek email about “The Difference Between Boys and Girls.” It still makes me laugh.
Boys:
“I’m relentless in my need and desire to be in your face, on you, over you, under your feet, behind you, in front of you, next to you. You adopted me and now you will have no rest from me, ever. I may just lift my leg on everything you touch, in tribute to you, every time I think you are looking at some other dog. If you’d let me, I’d probably nurse. I will be a perpetually needy child, demanding attention, affection, and constant affirmation, no matter how old either one of us gets.” High maintenance, and wussy.
Girls:
“Thanks for liberating me. You go ahead and do your alpha thing, but let’s just be equals in the ways that really count. Show me the ropes and I’ll settle right in. Who are the players? Where’s my spot? What stuff is mine? What time’s dinner?
Here’s the rules:
1. If you wanted a clown, you should have adopted from the circus.
2. I ain’t a blonde.
3. Talk to the butt, the face ain’t listenin’.
4. I can out-pee almost any dog on the planet in my quest to pee last.
5. I won’t lick you if you don’t lick me.
6. I’ll always be close by, but call me. We’ll have lunch if we’re both free.” Low maintenance, and always in charge.