While we were on vacation, Rollie was able to stay with another foster family. I thought it would be better for him to be in a home than in a kennel with my dogs. Being in a kennel would be too confusing to him after not being kenneled since he retired. While with the foster family, Rollie cut his leg on that awful ice hiding under the dreadful snow. They rushed him to the vet, and the vet stitched him up and sent him home. The foster family opted to keep him until the stitches came out. Although we have been home for a couple weeks, Rollie just came back to us on Saturday. He walked in, said hello to my dogs, peed on the floor, and went and laid down in favorite bed. He and my dogs are acting as if he never left! I guess he feels comfortable here. So yesterday Khan came over with his family. Khan doesn’t have a yard to run in yet; although, the fence has been picked out and paid for, the installers don’t want to install it in the snow and cold. So Khan gets to go walking and running with his Dad and Human sister. We always invite our foster dogs to come back and run in the yard and spend some time with my dogs. So Khan came over yesterday to run in the yard. There is probably 4 inches of snow in the yard and it was less than 20 degrees yesterday. Khan came in said hello, gleefully greeted Bill and me and then went out with his human tweener to play and run in the yard. Well, my pack wouldn’t have that, so they went out to play and run in the yard too. (My dogs don’t like snow). Many times they all came in and went out, and many times, Khan would walk from person to person to get cuddled, petted and loved. Khan is NOT the Khan that was my foster dog. His new family took him from a skittish dog to a happy, confident and proud retired greyhound. I was so proud of him and very thankful that Khan found them. They obviously love him very much and he seems to feel the same way about them. Their love and kindness has brought the best out of him. This is what we, as foster parents hope for when our dogs get adopted. I am so happy for all of them! My dogs were very tired after spending the afternoon running and playing in the snow. They didn’t get up till 830 this morning. Even Rollie, the eating machine, slept until 8:00 which is two hours after his normal eating time. I can only hope that Rollie will soon find a family that will love him and teach him as well as Khan’s family has.

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

Dedicated to the ones we loved

sky, thor, macho

To all the greys I've loved before
Who traveled in and out my door
I'm glad they came along
I dedicate this blog
To all the greys I've loved before

twiggy

 To all the dogs I once caressed
And may I say I've held the best
For helping me to grow I owe a lot I know

Ollie

To all the dogs I've loved before

fog

To all the dogs I've loved before
The winds of change continue blowing

And they just carry them away

To all the greys who shared my life
Who now are in someone else's lives
I'm glad they came along
I dedicate this blog
To all the dogs I've loved before

macho

 To all the dogs I once caressed
And may I say I've held the best
For helping me to grow
I owe a lot I know
To all the dogs I've loved before

ace,macho,duke,river,effe

To all the greys we've loved before
Who traveled in and out our doors
We're glad they came along
We dedicate this blog
To all the greys we've loved before

ollie, mindy, kacey

To all the greys we've loved before

Thor, Rest in Peace 

A home for Khan

The first Saturday of each month, Erie Shore GreyhoundAdoption of Ohio has a Meet and Greet (M&G) at Petco, near Rocky River Ohio.  Bill and Ace normally go, and if we have a foster dog, the foster dog gets to go too.  So, on December 7, Bill loaded the Retired Racer Bus

with Ace and Khan and went to the M&G. We get a lot of interest in greyhounds and a good bunch of adoptions from this Petco.  This is the Khan’s story of how he got adopted.

Ace and I were standing in this store, which had all sorts of interesting things, critters, rodents and dog treats out on a big table.  Ace said we can’t help ourselves.  Since I had never been in a store, this was all pretty scary to me, but I was on my leash and Ace said it is fun to go there.  There were a couple of girl greyhounds there, Rain, came up from FL with me, and a couple others I didn't know.  It was nice to see some different greyhounds.  Anyway, I was standing there, and a human girl came up and started touching me in the nicest way.  Soon she was petting me, rubbing my back, using the right amount of pressure and oh my, it felt so good.  I leaned against her to let her know that felt good.  I lost my mind for a minute and pressed my whole body weight into her.  I felt her brace to hold me up, but she didn’t stop petting me.  Soon my man, who was talking to another man handed her my leash.  I was worried, but there was something about her that told me, I would be fine.  Plus my man was watching and I don’t think he would let me get hurt.  The girl took me to look at something called Ferret, and small rodents.  We looked at birds and something called cat. Then we looked at dog snacks and returned to the man and the other greyhounds.  Before I knew what was happening another man was petting me.  He reminded me of the girl and she was standing next to him.  I liked him, and he was petting me too. So I pressed against him so he could feel how strong I am and that he could pet me.  Next thing I knew, the girl was petting me again and the man was writing.

Soon we left.  It was fun being at the store with Ace, the man and other greyhounds; it was hard on my feet.  It was nice to get back to the lady and my bed.  I don’t know why we go to stores.

A few days later, my man took me for a ride in the car, by myself.  We went to see the girl and man that were at the store!  It was so nice to see them again.  I was so happy, I pressed against the girl and then the man, which is her Dad, and back to my man.  Then a cat came by and told me that the cat is in charge.  It scared me when it hissed at me, but I was brave.  Soon, my man left me at the house with the Dad and daughter.  On the way out, my man told me to be nice cause these people want me to live with them.  My man said he would be checking on me and if there were any problems, I can come back to his house.

I like living with the new man, and his daughter.  My soon to be Dad is Larry, and my sister is Alyssa.  I will officially be theirs in about another week.  Larry walks me and I got to meet some neighbors.  Soon the fence will be finished and I can run in the yard, once it warms up.  Larry and Alyssa love me a lot and I am starting to get into their routine.  The cat comes and hisses at me sometimes, but I don’t want to bother it.

Larry has purchased a new collar or two for me and is getting me a couple of new coats.  I am a happy pampered pet.  I hope all the dogs that came to Ohio with me get good homes like I did.

I am Khan

Prelude:  Khan wrote this about 10 days ago.  I was waiting to post it till I got a new picture of him.  But in the meantime, we have received an adoption application for Khan.  So, I thought I would post Khan's blog before he goes to see if he wants to live with the new people.

 My racing name was PGs Khan, they call me Khan.  I am 3 years old and taller than the dogs I live with.  I am Black.  I have 4 white feet and a white chest and underside.  My teef are beautiful and my front top teef are vewy long.  When people rub my chin, they can feel my top K9s.  I have white hairs on my back.  The man says, I want to be grey, so, I am growing in white hairs.  The lady says I have a Red undercoat, which she can see when I am in the sun light.

I like getting petted.  I like being gently held and petted and have words said to me.  Macho and River lay on the floor with the lady, and they look like that is heaven.  I would like to try that, I think.  I watch them and want to ask her to lay with me, but Macho and River will not allow her to get on the floor without one of them being right there.  They have made it clear that that they get most of the attention.  The lady takes time with me and sits on the stairs so I can come to her.  I stand with my side against her and she rubs me.  I press harder against her cause it feels so good, and she just keeps petting and holding me.  It is the second best part of my day.

Khan in the snow

The bestest part of my day is running in the yard.  They have a nice yard here, and I have figured out that I can run.  Macho will sometimes run with me, since I am faster than him, he gets grumpy then he cheats while running.  The best part is having the yard to myself and the lady comes out to watch me run.  She tells me I can run, and jogs in the yard to show me what she wants me to do, and I go and show her how fast I am!  I love the feeling of running.  I am fast, it feels so good:  I am a confident, proud, happy dog when I am running in the yard.  I run 8 figure 8s in the yard when she is watching, then I run to her when I am done.  She rubs me and tells me I did good, and she hugs me.  I am hot and panting, but she doesn’t care, she just keeps petting me and talking to me.  I like that.  Then she asks if I am done and together we walk back to the house.  I hold my head high and my arch is out of my back when we walk together, I know she is proud of me.

The other part of the day I like is the food part.  We get fed twice each day.  I have figured out where MY bowl is, and that the humans won’t take the food away while I am eating.  They don’t like it when I eat the other dog’s food.  I know it is theirs, but for a while, they were leaving part of their food just for me. Not anymore, so I don’t get to eat as much as I did when I first got here.  We also get treats here.  The others line up for their treats.  I stay on the bed next to the man’s chair, where I am safe and out of the way.  The lady makes sure I get treats too.  If I am feeling especially insecure, I will go in the other room when she brings a treat for me.  She leaves it on that bed, and keeps the others away from it so I can get it.  I sleek to the bed and snatch the treat and eat it.  She likes us to have Milk bones.  I don’t really like Milk Bones, but they are fun to crunch.  After I crunch them, I eat the big pieces and leave the crumbs for the others.

At the end of the day, we all go upstairs and go to bed.  We sleep on dog beds on the floor.  It feels good to lie down knowing the other dogs are with me.  I know that if I get scared the humans will get up to comfort me, and that if I need l go out, I can tell Ace and he will get the man up.  I feel safe, loved, and content when we are all sleeping together, and look forward to what things I can do tomorrow.

I hope the people that adopt me are patient and kind.  And I hope they will occasionally take me for a walk.

A New Attitude?!

Thank you everyone for the kind words after the last Blog.  I appreciate it.

This is a happy blog about Khan. 

Erie Shore Greyhound Adoption of Ohio had a booth at a show called the Christmas Connection.  It is held each year and thousands of people go to buy unique gifts from private vendors.  We go to encourage people to consider adopting a rescued greyhound, and to raise money. 

This year, the foster parents were encouraged to bring the foster dogs.  Bill and I signed up to take Khan on Saturday afternoon.  Saturday, was only a couple days after the “treat” event.  I was feeling that this may be too much for Khan to handle; but, we agreed if he panicked one of us would bring him home and take Ace back. 

We had a couple problems getting him to come through the entrance, but a little love and encouragement got him through the entrance uneventfully.  The entrance for vendors is at least 1000 yards of polished concrete until the first booth. Our booth is near the huge Ferris wheel and 500 feet from the first booth.  River can’t do the show because of the polished floor, Bill had to carry her in last year.  Macho is afraid of the Ferris wheel, so he can’t go.  Lots of things against us.  Anyway, Khan pranced across the long unending stretch of concrete.  We got to the show, and he didn't want to walk on the carpet that covers the walkway from vendor to vendor!  More love and assurance and he was walking again, not so proudly, but walking on his own.   We arrived at our booth and set to work.  Khan allowed everyone to pet him, wore the donation jacket and was all around a good guy.  When he got overwhelmed, he would go to the back of the booth and lean on another group member, or do the greyhound sit on a lap of a member until secure.  Then he would go and get more attention.  GOOD GUY!  Near the time for us to leave, he was trying to walk down the aisle way.  I realized he needed to go out, so we headed toward the 1000 yard walk.  Of course, people want to pet him and ask questions, so we didn't get to the walk to the entrance for about 10 minutes.  Right in the middle of the floor he stopped and pooped!  I told him we had to stop and clean that up, and I got on the floor to pick up the poo.  He was straining to get away.  I stopped picking up poo, and reached out and gave him a big body hug and told him it was ok.  He relaxed, and I finished, and out we went.   We returned and then shortly after, our time was over and we returned home.  Fog was there, along with a couple of the dogs that came on the hauler with Khan.  And Duke and Effy were there, they are the friendliest greyhounds. Maybe they all chatted.

Khan in his new collar

Khan was tired.  He didn't even eat standing up.  I put his food near him on his bed and he ate, laying down.  At 9, he marched up the stairs, without help, encouragement, or permission and went to bed.

He got up at 730 the next morning.  His legs and feet were obviously sore. He gingerly came down stairs went out came in and went back upstairs.  I fed the other boys.  River and Khan came down at 930, the time she normally gets up.  I fed them, he stood and ate and went back upstairs to sleep. When he got back up 4 hours later, he had a whole different attitude.  He is coming for attention.  I don’t have to be in view for him to come in or go out.  He will come for treats.  This evening, he even took a treat right off of my open hand!  He’s got a new attitude!  He seems happier and more confident.  Bill said Khan conquered some of his fears at the show this weekend. I think he realizes that he is safe with us and even if something scares him, we are there to support and protect him.