A to Z Challenge: G is for...oh, it's too easy...Greyhounds!

 

 

This letter was almost too easy. I only had to think about 2.2 seconds to come up with the topic.

 

Everyone knows I'm a dog fanatic, and for the last two years, I've become a sighthound--specifically a greyhound--freak. So I'm sorry, but you will have to suffer through more pictures of my furbabies in this post.

 

 

 

Some general information about greyhounds first of all. They are sighthounds. Whereas most dogs operate first on scent and hunt thereby, sighthounds visually spot their prey and their speed does the rest. Incidentally, the greyhound is the second fastest land animal. They can hit 45 miles per hour in three strides, which is why they can never be off-lead in an area without a secure fence. You will not catch them by foot if they take off.

 

Often people assume greyhounds are in need of a lot of exercise and space to run. They're actually okay on leash walks. It is true that they LOVE to run, but they also sleep 18 hours a day. Hence, they are often affectionately nick-named, the 45 mile-per-hour-couch potato.

 

This is Chase.

 

 

 

Chase has lived with us since June of 2012, and I can't imagine life without him. He is highly emotional (he hates it when we leave, and when we come home in the afternoons he throws a party). He loves all forms of touch (behind the ears, on the belly, at the base of the tail), and I swear he understands what I'm telling him (he listens like a champ).

 

His racing name was Starz Megabucks (a mouthful!), but since we don't have kids, I like my animals to have human names, and "Chase" definitely fits him. Chase ran 74 races and won 7 of them, and he regularly placed 2nd, 3rd, or 4th. He retired due to a hind leg injury, but he was basically mandatory retirement age anyway (around 4 and a half).

 

Chase was adopted by another family for about five months after he retired, but he was returned when the owners fell on financial hardship. Sad for them, but a huge blessing for us. He has changed our lives in such wild and wonderful ways. He's our goofy, crazy, gentle, FAST, and playful "son" who loves to eat and squeak toys and sleep like a dead roach.

 

(Yes, he is sleeping here)

 

If you're interested in adopting a greyhound or a sighthound, there are hundreds of adoption agencies around the country.

 

Chase came from Greyt Expectations out of Lusby, Maryland.

 

For greyhounds, Spanish greyhounds (galgos), Borzoi, Italian greyhounds, Salukis, Irish wolfhounds or Afghan hounds, I highly recommend The Sighthound Underground.  

Favorite Things Friday: Meet JoJo

As many of you know, The Sighthound Underground is a rescue near and dear to my heart. We adopted our little Trinity through this wonderful charity, and I sometimes have the privilege of helping them process incoming applications for the dogs. Unfortunately, I'm not one of the heroes or heroines flying to Spain or Korea to rescue dogs and bring them back to the US, nor do I drive any dogs from Virginia to Florida or New York to Missouri to transport them to their new homes. But the other volunteers in this organization do. These are people who love these dogs and will do anything to get them into the right homes.

One of the facets of SHUG that I admire the most is the willingness and dedication to rescue dogs internationally. In previous blogs, I've talked a little about the terrible fate befalling most galgos (Spanish greyhounds) in Spain, but that's not the only country from which SHUG rescues. My featured dog of the month is JoJo, and she comes all the way from Kuwait possessing great exotic beauty and mystique (as you do when you come from Kuwait)! JoJo is a type of sighthound called a Saluki (well, she's actually a Saluki mix, but that just adds to her mystique, right?).




Isn't she a charmer? 




In addition to these pictures, there is a short video of JoJo on Petfinder. Go here to see her sweet, wagging tail in action!

Salukis are readily found in the Middle-East, and much like the galgos of Spain, they are used for hunting and flushing quarry. Unfortunately, many of them also end up wandering the streets as strays. They are fast like most sighthounds, and possess a great deal of agility and endurance. They are also sweet-tempered, gentle, and very loyal dogs. Sociable, sensitive, and dignified, Salukis make wonderful additions to YOUR home! (Disclaimer: As with any breed, one should research and make educated decisions about what dog is right for them and their lifestyle).

So back to JoJo...She's around two years old, and when she arrived from Kuwait (where she was rescued from the streets), she had a leg injury (or it may have been something congenital), but it is now completely healed. She still doesn't use her one front leg but is in no way slowed by it. Currently fostered in North Carolina by a foster family (but as I said before, this is the underground and legs of transport can be arranged anywhere throughout the US), JoJo is very sweet and desperate to be loved (although she will need a little patience ). She has bonded with her foster furry brothers and sisters, loves to sleep on the bed and couch, although her crate is her safe place. She's a quick-learner, intelligent, loves short walks and having her chest and ears rubbed.  She is also house-trained, spayed, and up-to-date on all of her shots.

JoJo would do best in a quieter home without small kids. She does get a little nervous with loud and fast movements. 

JoJo's adoption fee is $300, and interested applicants should rush over to The Sighthound Underground and fill out an application. So what are you waiting for? JoJo is waiting for you!

By the way, I am once again participating in the April A-Z blogging challenge! I met wonderful people online last year, and I had a lot of fun participating. If you're interested or if you just want more information, you can sign up or read about it here.  The idea is to blog about a topic every day in the month of April starting with each letter of the alphabet.

Favorite Things Friday: Rya

It's time for favorite things Friday! Since it's the third Friday of the month, that means I feature an adoptable dog!

This is Rya the galga (female Spanish greyhound).  Rya was rescued from Spain where she spent her whole life as a hunting dog and a brood-mama, but now she's retired from all that mess and ready to find her new home!

Rya is eight years old but very spunky! She recently got into a pretty big tussle with one tough kitty, so she needs to be in a cat-free home. Having said that, she is small-dog safe, and she's as sweet as she can be with everyone else in the non-feline world.

Her adoption fee of $650 covers all her shots and vet care (including spay/neuter) and transportation costs. She is available for adoption anywhere in the US or Canada through Sighthound Underground. Send them an email or application if you're interested!

Favorite Things Friday: Sighthounds! Meet Reyna...

I've decided to dedicate my Friday blogs to my favorite things. The first Friday of the month I will feature something inspirational; the second Friday of the month will feature my wine of the month (I really have a closet longing to write for Wine Enthusiast or Wine Spectator--ha!); the third Friday will feature a sighthound of the month (specifically, one that needs a new home); and the last Friday will feature my favorite book of the month.

So today is Sighthound Friday, but before I reveal my dog of the month, I want to take a minute to talk about her breed and the plight these dogs are currently facing. The galgo is a Spanish greyhound. They look pretty much the same, they act pretty much the same, and have pretty much the same temperament as the American retired racing greyhound. In Spain, the galgos are used for hunting, much like we would use our American hunting dogs (to flush quarry, lead hunters to them, etc.). The difference is that the galgo is not typically considered a companion animal in Spain. They are utilitarian only, and when the hunters (galgueros) are finished for the season, the dogs are discarded, abandoned, or killed (I won't even go into the unspeakable ways many of these dogs are killed, let alone how poorly they're treated in general).

There are now several organizations in Spain attempting to educate hunters and the community at large about these dogs and they fact that they're not just objects to be thrown away (many galgos are actually thrown down wells and left to die). Galgos del Sol and Baas Galgos are working hard to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome these beautiful dogs. Part of the rehoming process involves several organizations here in the states. These organizations work with the Spanish ones to ship the dogs to foster and adoptive homes here in the U.S. One of the organization is The Sighthound Underground. SHUG boasts volunteers all over the country who foster and transport these dogs when they arrive at various airports (some even fly to and from Spain to accompany the dogs' travels). SHUG also transports sighthounds (Afghans, Salukis, Borzoi, etc.) from places like Qatar and Korea.

Finally, I want to reveal our dog of the month. This is Reyna.

Reyna is a four-year-old galgo who has apparently had a very tough life thus far. More than likely she was badly abused by a male hunter, as she is fearful of men. Now, this is not to say that she will always be this way--she needs to have her trust in men rebuilt, but she might do best with experienced dog owners, a single lady, or a household of women, etc. According to her foster mom, Reyna is quiet, crate-trained, and dog-friendly. She is loving and affectionate to those she knows and approaches familiar folks for pets. Having said that, Reyna has been overlooked at adoption events because it takes her a little while to warm up to new people.

In the right home and with a lot of love and patience, Reyna has the potential to overcome her fear of men. She does need to be in a cat-free home, as she's trained to hunt fast, furry critters, but other dogs are fine.

If you are interested in Reyna, you can submit an application through The Sighthound Underground. Reyna's adoption fee is $300.