MY new Toy

We took Rollie to Petco for a meet and greet.  It is important to get the foster dogs out to socialize them, to get them exposed to potential adopters and so they can see new things.  This way, we can find out if they are other animal friendly, and if they like different types of people, like, Men, or Women or Children.  Since they were raised on the race track we don’t know what the foster dogs reaction to things will be and this allows us to see how they do in unusual situations.  Mr. Rollie does NOT like animals that are not Greyhounds.   Bill thinks he may be workable with larger dogs, but I am not so sure.

So while at the meet and greet, Rollie got antsy so Bill took him for a walk around the store.  They went past the mice, and guinea pigs, down by the birds, and checked out the cat and dog food.  Bill took him around the dog treats where Rollie happily sniffed everything a curious 26 inch tall greyhound could sniff.  Then he got to the squeaky toys. By this time, Bill was distracted, and not focused on the dog.  Rollie began investigating the toys.  He sniffed, looked and examined every toy he could.  Soon he gleefully grabbed a big blue Jack, like what little girls used to play with.  It is probably 10 inches square.  It has balls on the end of each spike and 2 squeak and 2 don’t.  The center of the jack squeaks. He proudly led Bill away from the toys carrying his new toy.  Bill said, I think Rollie found a toy he wants.  I laughed and said I guess he is getting another new toy!  I had already gotten him a Red football that squeaks. 

After Bill bought the toy, they all returned to the meet and greet area.  Ace was also interested in the new squeaker and so were the girl greyhounds that had come too.  Rollie allowed Ace to touch his new toy, then Rollie claimed it as his very own. 

When we got home, Rollie showed his new toys to Macho and River.  Macho of course had to test out the new toy.  Ace played with the new football.  Soon, they all fell asleep.

We try to keep the good toys in the house, especially when it is cold and snowy. Ace is always taking toys out side and we are always bringing them in.  Somehow, Rollie got his jack outside.  He adores playing with this toy.  When he goes to his new home he will be taking it with him.  

Rollie prancing in the yard with his new Jack

New Foster dog - Rollie

Erie Shore Greyhound Adoption of Ohio has a Foster boy greyhound named Rollie who has tummy troubles.  I am Fostering him to see if we can get his tummy troubles under control.  Rollie is a white with Brindle spot dog, he looks similar to Ace.  We have never had a dog that looks like Ace as a foster dog, so it will be interesting to see if we get Rollie and Ace confused like we did Macho and Khan.

His foster mom is my friend and a very dedicated greyhound person.  She has fostered probably close to 50 greyhounds and used to run a kennel for another greyhound group.  Since Rollie has been having tummy troubles since he got here, she has taken him to the vet for his tummy troubles a few times.  He has been wormed a couple of times.  The vet recommended B12 injections, which was done, and put him on special dog food.  This special food is hugely expensive, $120 for 6 lbs!  And she told me it is helping but not fixing the problem.  His tummy is not getting better.  

 A dog with tummy problems can wear on a person’s nerves. Getting up to go to work and finding messes throughout the house is no way to start your day.  Nor is coming home to a stinky house and having to clean up the messy poo.  It is bad enough to have to do this occasionally, but it was becoming a daily routine.  We agreed to take him and see if his tummy settles down here.  Sometimes a different environment can cause or fix tummy troubles.

Rollie came in the group that came with Fog.  He has learned how to live in another home.  I don’t allow my dogs on the furniture, I don’t muzzle my dogs, but his current foster mom does.   So he will have a bit of learning to do.  This will be more like getting a returned dog than an off the track dog. 

Rollie has been here for a couple of weeks now.  He has discovered squeaky toys.  He loved them.  Then one day he threw one in the air to catch it and it landed on Macho.  For whatever reason, Rollie decided to take the toy from Macho and a fight ensued.  A single puncture in Rollie’s shoulder and he broke his bottom K9 on Macho’s hard head.  But other than that, and some hurt feelings, he is ok.  Macho was not hurt. Now Rollie only plays with the toys when Macho is not in the room and he only plays for a minute.  I am hoping as he finds no more problems, he begins to play again.

He has only had two “accidents” in the house in the two weeks he has been here.  I suspect this is more of a separation anxiety and not knowing how to wake humans up to go outside in the middle of the night. 

Rollie is a loving, cuddly boy, who just wants to fit in to the pack.  He loves to eat, he pays attention (mostly) to what he is told.  Rollie like Ace, stays out of the way, but is always aware of where the humans are and listens for a call to come.  He is a happy boy who just needs someone of his own.

I think he likes it here