Fog's Down!

I always invite my former foster dogs to come and run in the yard and to get some greyhound guidance from my dogs.  All greyhounds and their owners are welcomed, but I especially enjoy seeing my former foster dogs.

Craig said Fog was getting grumpy, so I told him to bring him over and let him run in our yard, and so he can get some greyhound guidance from River and the boys.   Fog’s yard isn’t finished yet, so he has no room to run right now. Fog came to run in the yard Thursday evening. After a few minutes, he started running, with Macho hot on his trail.  YAY! Macho hardly ever runs.  Soon, River was out running with them, which means she quickly stopped them, but they got a couple laps in!   On my deck there are 7 dog beds.  So after the run, he trotted his happy self right up onto the deck and laid down on his favorite bed.  This is not running….

 I told Bill to go get the gator.  The gator is a John Deere yard truck. (Normally, when a football player gets seriously injured they haul him off on the extended gator), we have the compact version.   For some reason, the hounds love to run with the gator. I accidentally found this out many years ago. 

Gator outside of fence

So when I am too lazy to walk the dogs, I drive the gator outside the fence, calling the dogs.  I drive it around and around and back and forth and they run around and around and back and forth and wait for me to catch up with them.  It is great fun for the dogs, they are almost gleeful, that they can chase the gator.  So, Bill drove the gator for about 10 minutes, and Fog chased it.  Then Bill stopped, Fog got a drink and he looked at Bill like, “you’re not done are you?” so Bill let Craig drive the gator.  I should note that everyone loves to drive the gator, it brings out your inner child, and Craig was no different.  Fog had a great time.  Fog paced Craig for about 5 minutes, and Fog was slowing down, so Craig  stopped.  As Craig closed the gate, Fog was waiting for him.  Fog all of a sudden let out a yelp and laid down. (OMG did we kill him?)  Bill and I looked at each other like WTH? And Bill went heading to the fence to see WTH happened.  As he is walking across the yard I said to Bill, look at his tongue. (my cocker spaniel died from a heart attack, it was tragic.  The vet said when a dogs tongue turns from pink to Black, the dog’s heart is not working).  Bill and Craig are now on the ground one on either side of Fog.  Sandy and I are standing on the deck, secretly panicking.  I holler to Bill, how is his tongue.  Bill says, it is pink! (yay) Craig and Bill are touching fogs legs, feet, back trying to find any problem.  Nothing.  No yelping, not even raising his head.  He is breathing, his eyes are normal looking.  WTH is wrong?  I want take over, but he is not mine.  I tell Sandy to take this bowl of water out there and see if he will drink.  Bill takes the water and trickles it from his fingers into Fogs mouth.  No reaction.  Then, Oops, a little too much water, like a splash in the face and he pops his head up and then starts drinking!  Again I send Sandy out to the fence with a wet towel and tell her to rub him all over with it. 

Fog loves this attention, two men sitting with him, and the new lady rubbing him all over with a cool cloth, ah, this is the life.  I see him looking like he is enjoying the pampering, and by this time, my dogs are looking for their evening treat.  So the evil foster mom, gives a treat to each of my dogs and sends them onto the deck.  Fog knows the evening routine here, and sees they are eating something, and sits a little higher, almost getting up.  I say to myself, ok, he is fine.  So I give Sandy a treat and tell her to take it to Fog.  She does, he eats it and follows her up onto the deck so he can get another.    All is well. 

Saturday, Fog came to the meet and greet and had his new collar, happily coming for some loving from me, and hanging out with River and the boys.

Our dog's dog's dog

Ok, Fog seems to be living happily ever after, and this IS a good thing.  Secretly hoping his folks adopt another dog to keep him company, they will find 2 greyhounds are nearly easier than one.  But time will tell.

I thought I would share this story.  Many of my friends have heard this story, but it is the beginning of my greyhound experience.

We adopted Oliver.  He was two. Ollie looked a lot like Macho, Black with a white chest, but Ollie was taller than Macho.  The top of Ollie’s head came to my waist. Ollie didn't know how to be an only dog, and didn't like being in the house alone, and would have nothing to do with a crate.  He would skip over baby gates, so he had full run of the house.  Ollie quickly learned how to open the doors, we had flip handles at the time.  He would hit the handle with his nose and let himself out. Fortunately, our neighbor saw this and would keep an eye on him and let him back in.  We changed the flip handles to round handles and Ollie chewed on them so much they are no longer round.  I called the rescue group, “what do I do?”,they said get another greyhound.  Ginger had just been returned after being in a home for 4 years, I said, we’ll take her.  She came in, jumped on the couch, said, this is good.  And she taught Ollie how to be a house hound.  Ginger died 6 months later.  Realizing Ollie still needed a friend, I called the rescue group.  Mindy was available, Mindy was a brindle female.  Some time I will tell you about me and Mindy.  She was my best friend.  Anyway, Mindy was two, Ollie was 3.  So we got our dog a dog. They liked each other, except, Mindy loved to play.  Ollie didn't understand the concept of play.  So while he had company and that was good for him, Mindy needed a playmate.  Another call to the rescue group, get a dog she can play with.  Ok,  She understood I needed a dog that would play, and when she told the kennel manager we wanted a boy who would play with a girl, and white and brindle, the kennel manager immediately said, “take Ace”.  So we got our dog’s dog, a dog.

Ace-now

Ace was so shy, we couldn’t even pet him and hugs were out of the question. He’d walk by and we’d reach out and pet his back.  He would wait till we were at least 20 feet away to eat.  But Ollie liked to hang out with him, and taught him that human touch is good.  Mindy loved to play with him, and he loved playing with her.  They would spin inside or outside and gallop across the yard chasing each other every day no matter what the weather.  Ace would watch Ollie and Mindy getting cuddles and petting and eventually came to expect petting and hugging.  Ace loves going to meets and greets cause he gets petted by lots of people and hugged by small children.

Mindy died in 2010 on a Monday and Ollie died on Friday, the same week.  Both had cancer, Mindy’s was a fast growing cancer, and Ollie’s was a slow growing cancer.  The vet said Ollie had to have been in a lot of pain for many months, but loved us so much he didn’t want to go. Ollie would get a hug in the hallway every morning before breakfast.  After Ollie died, Ace started standing in the hall, in the same place Ollie did, and look at me with his most beautiful soulful eyes, wanting me to hug him like I did Ollie.    Ace is now 9, and every morning he gets his hug.  He is looking for a playmate.  River is too alpha, and Macho, like Ollie doesn't understand the concept.  Our dog’s dog’ dog, now needs his own dog, but four forever dogs are too much for me! So we foster...

Fog's got a boy!

Part of the adoption process with ESGAO is the foster family speaks with the adoptive family during the weeks following the adoption, to see if there are problems or questions that the foster family can help with.
It also gives the adoptive family someone to share their dog stories with, so their friends don't have to get sick of hearing the stories.
So I called Fogs' adoptive family and they relayed this story.  I may have some of the details wrong, but it is a cute story nonetheless...
Friday night, Sandy's 18 years old son came home from work and finally met Fog.  They enjoyed meeting each other, and life went on.  Later,  Fog went upstairs and found the son in his room, sitting on his bed.  Fog put his nose on the bed, thud, and looked at son. When greyhounds want attention and you are somewhere they can't get to you, they use their heads to bang to make where you are, move so you pay attention. Soon, Fog decided he needed more attention and looked at son, (no one said no), and ventured to put one paw on the bed, and paused.  No one said no, so the other front paw went onto the bed.  Pause, and then, the rest of the dog got onto the bed!  (He never ever even tried to get on the furniture here, and my dogs don't get on the furniture.)  By this time, Mom is seeing what the dog is doing, and Fog, goes and curls up right next to the son on his bed, puts his head on the sons leg and looks at mom.  Son knows Fog is not allowed on the furniture, but he gives mom the look, "can't he stay here???" Mom agrees to let Fog stay on the bed, but only the sons bed, no other furniture.
Everyone went to their designated sleeping spot until morning. In the morning, they took Fog outside and he had breakfast.  Then, he went upstairs and started scratching at the sons door.  The son was not up.  They let Fog into the sons room and Fog leaped onto the sons bed, and stood over the son, wagging like crazy and licking him.  Son is sleeping and stunned to find big dog standing on him, wagging his tail and kissing him on the face.  Mom said, well, you needed to get up, I guess we've found a new alarm!

I have no new pictures to share, but this is Fog sleeping after he got here.