Ohhhh . . . . . DMBFiredancer!!!!!

Loves Vintage · Aug 11, 2009

We need to talk! About greyhounds!!! I saw your post in the Furbabies thread. I used to be the same way and would always make a beeline toward greyhounds whenever I saw them out and about. I still do, actually. I am absolutely in love with greyhounds.

Anyway, so it sounds like you''re renting a house or an apartment in a house now, with a no-pets clause in yoru lease. Have you been living there for a while? You might consider sending a well-crafted letter to your landlords to let them know that you have an interest in adopting a greyhound (describe the breed in case they are unfamiliar with their calm, gentle nature) and that you would like them to consider amending the lease to allow you to adopt one. If you have been there for a while (and maybe even if not), it always makes sense for a landlord to try to keep a good tenant happy, rather than having the place empty for at least a month for showings, then finding a new tenant (which is always a risk.) Maybe they will agree? Also, most adoption groups will do a home visit, and will want to know that your landlord allows pets.

Have you looked at greyhounds that are available for adoption at a group in your area? Is your DH on board with the idea?

Also, do you have a fenced yard? When the day comes that you are able to adopt, fenced backyards always do help, but when I adopted my first greyhound, I lived in a condo and did leashwalks and it was totally fine. Fences are just a bit easier, especially when it''s snowing out.

Sorry for going on and on, but I am a self-proclaimed crazy-greyhound lady, and I would be remiss if I didn''t take an opportunity to try to help someone adopt!!!!

Loves Vintage · Aug 11, 2009

Bumping . . .

DMBFiredancer · Aug 11, 2009

Date: 8/10/2009 3:08:50 PM
Author:Loves Vintage
We need to talk! About greyhounds!!! I saw your post in the Furbabies thread. I used to be the same way and would always make a beeline toward greyhounds whenever I saw them out and about. I still do, actually. I am absolutely in love with greyhounds.

I am so glad I came to check this forum tonight - thanks for bumping it! I thought I was a kook for being so nuts about greyhounds! Whenever I am out, I get like a little kid when I see one - and I always feel weird about going up to people like a 12 year old "Um...can I pet your dog?"

Anyway, so it sounds like you''re renting a house or an apartment in a house now, with a no-pets clause in yoru lease. Have you been living there for a while? You might consider sending a well-crafted letter to your landlords to let them know that you have an interest in adopting a greyhound (describe the breed in case they are unfamiliar with their calm, gentle nature) and that you would like them to consider amending the lease to allow you to adopt one. If you have been there for a while (and maybe even if not), it always makes sense for a landlord to try to keep a good tenant happy, rather than having the place empty for at least a month for showings, then finding a new tenant (which is always a risk.) Maybe they will agree? Also, most adoption groups will do a home visit, and will want to know that your landlord allows pets.

Sadly, I have tried that. When our kitty Bela made her way to our doorstep and decided to adopt US, I wrote the landlord a letter. We have been here for a few years now and are excellent tenants. In the letter I offered ANY AMOUNT of money as a pet deposit. Seriously, I would have given them anything. But they just quoted the line from our lease that said no pets and that was it. Since the letter wasnt certified, I threw it away and brought the cat in anyway. Luckily she does not go in the window that they would see her in if they came by. A dog is just WAY too risky since they do come by about once every month or so to check on the property.

Have you looked at greyhounds that are available for adoption at a group in your area? Is your DH on board with the idea?

I am constantly looking online at them and have gone to the adoption days at the local pet store just to see them, but its hard for me knowing I cant have one yet. I feel like a woman who really wants a baby but cant have one yet...except its a dog I want. Silly, huh?

I''ve looked into volunteering but some of the events are pretty far away from me. I just applied to volunteer at a local shelter, even though there arent greyhounds there - just to get to work with dogs in some capacity at least.

Also, do you have a fenced yard? When the day comes that you are able to adopt, fenced backyards always do help, but when I adopted my first greyhound, I lived in a condo and did leashwalks and it was totally fine. Fences are just a bit easier, especially when it''s snowing out.

We have an awesome huge deck that has a 4 ft concrete barrier around it - I would think that would still be too low but we are on the 2nd floor. We live in So. California, so snow (and rain) are never a problem

Sorry for going on and on, but I am a self-proclaimed crazy-greyhound lady, and I would be remiss if I didn''t take an opportunity to try to help someone adopt!!!!

Don''t be sorry one bit! I am glad you wrote!

How many greyhounds total do you have now?
One day I hope to have at least 2, if not more! I cant wait for my kitty to have a brother or sister grey one day!

Loves Vintage · Aug 11, 2009

Oh, no, that''s too bad! Hopefully, you''ll be able to find a greyhound-friendly place in the not too distant future. That''s really great that you''re looking into volunteering, and I know what you mean about wanting to adopt a grey, but not being able to. Right now, I have only one greyhound, but I''d rather have two or more. We also have a beagle-mix. DH is ok with two. Considering he is not an animal person, I guess that''s a fair compromise. We also have three cats. They were mine before I met DH.

The most greyhounds I''ve had at one time is three, one of which was a foster. I am not allowed to foster any longer (per agreement with DH) because I get too attached, and it is just as well, because I do get attached very quickly. Having the three was perfect for me. I used to love taking them for walks in my old neighborhood. People, kids especially, would always stop and ask about them. Don''t ever feel bad about stopping people with their greyhounds. Most greyhound people LOVE to talk about their greyhounds.

I think you are right to want at least two. Most greyhounds seem to like the companionship. They''ve always been around other greyhounds, so they are used to having friends around. There are quite a few members of my greyhound forum that have 4 or 5 and some up to 10 greyhounds!!! I don''t think I''d ever want that many!!

Oh, have you ever heard a greyhound roo? Look up greyhound roo or rooing on youtube. Lol!! It is the best thing ever!!!!!!

Btw, Bela is gorgeous. I can''t believe she was a stray. Good for you for taking her in!!

DMBFiredancer · Aug 11, 2009

Date: 8/11/2009 11:56:38 PM
Author: Loves Vintage
Oh, no, that''s too bad! Hopefully, you''ll be able to find a greyhound-friendly place in the not too distant future. That''s really great that you''re looking into volunteering, and I know what you mean about wanting to adopt a grey, but not being able to. Right now, I have only one greyhound, but I''d rather have two or more. We also have a beagle-mix. DH is ok with two. Considering he is not an animal person, I guess that''s a fair compromise. We also have three cats. They were mine before I met DH.

The most greyhounds I''ve had at one time is three, one of which was a foster. I am not allowed to foster any longer (per agreement with DH) because I get too attached, and it is just as well, because I do get attached very quickly. Having the three was perfect for me. I used to love taking them for walks in my old neighborhood. People, kids especially, would always stop and ask about them. Don''t ever feel bad about stopping people with their greyhounds. Most greyhound people LOVE to talk about their greyhounds.

I think you are right to want at least two. Most greyhounds seem to like the companionship. They''ve always been around other greyhounds, so they are used to having friends around. There are quite a few members of my greyhound forum that have 4 or 5 and some up to 10 greyhounds!!! I don''t think I''d ever want that many!!

Oh, have you ever heard a greyhound roo? Look up greyhound roo or rooing on youtube. Lol!! It is the best thing ever!!!!!!

Btw, Bela is gorgeous. I can''t believe she was a stray. Good for you for taking her in!!

I just looked up rooing on youtube and I cant get enough!!! TOO CUTE! Do they "roo" alot? Watching just makes me want one even more!

Is your beagle-mix in the furbabies thread? My hubby and I love beagles, too...we always say that if we could have a lot of dogs, we''d get 2 greys, a beagle, a weimaraner, and a dachshund. But realistically one day we''ll end up with 1-2 greys and our kitty.

My hubby was never a dog person until he saw how excited I get with dogs - he even told me that. So I think thats very sweet! He has always told me that we could move anytime so that I could get dogs. The problem right now is that we''ve got it TOO good here. The rent is ridiculously reasonable for the area and what we have... so we are going to stick it out a little longer.

I totally know what you mean about fostering. I couldnt do it - I could never give them up! I worry about volunteering for me - I am so afraid to get attached and come home crying every time I go!

Thanks for the compliment about Bela - we think that she was left here by someone who was moving.We had put signs EVERYWHERE to try to find her owners. A neighbor said they were pretty sure she belonged to a woman who moved out. Sad that someone would just leave her but maybe her new apartment didnt take pets? Still....

Tell me about your greyhound! What is he like?

I''d love to hear! Does he sleep a lot? Is he constantly begging for attention? I assume he gets along well with the beagle?

Loves Vintage · Aug 12, 2009

Here''s Lucy!!! She and Jasper do get along well. Sometimes they even sleep on the same bed, but they usually prefer their own space. Jasper is a real sweetheart, but all greyhounds are really. He''s very calm and laid back. He is very, very lazy and appreciates a nice plush dog bed!! He does appreciate attention, but he is not super-needy. His personality is still coming out. They say it takes up to a year for their personalities to fully come out after they''ve retired. Oh, and he LOVES stuffies with squeakers. He will just stand with a stuffie in his mouth, and will chew on it repeatedly (squeak, pause, squeak, pause, etc., etc.) until he eventually kills the squeak. It''s very cute. He will also retrieve a tennis ball, which is fairly unusual for a greyhound.

He hardly ever roos! I actually thought he wasn''t a roo-er. We would play videos of other greyhounds roo''ing, which usually gets them started, but he never would! Last week, I dog-sat for the other two fawn greys in the furbaby pic of Jasper. They love to roo. Once Jasper heard them, he was finally compelled to roo. It was really funny though, because he almost seemed like he was forcing himself to roo!! By the end of the week, even Lucy was letting out little rowl-type noises. I was calling them Lucy-roos! Beagles aren''t supposed to roo!

Oh, and those two fawn greyhounds in the picture with Jasper, they are brother and sister!! They raced at the same track. My friend adopted the boy first, and when the girl became available, they adopted her too!