Anniversaries

by lennearbNo Comments
This week we've been celebrating a couple of important anniversaries around out house. First, the six month anniversary of Gandalf's adoption. As you may know, Gandalf's adoption was a bittersweet experience. While we were already in love by the time we had hoisted him into the car (no jumping for that boy if he can get someone to lift him up or give him what he wants), we had always envisioned bringing a greyhound home to be a companion to Sirius Black. Bringing our first one home after Sirius was gone was a reminder not only of that loss, but also of the various factors that had prevented us from adopting a greyhound earlier. Despite this less than optimal beginning, Gandalf has brought us so much happiness. His goofy behavior and affectionate personality are beyond endearing. Watching him discover, sometimes excitedly and sometimes skeptically, life beyond the track, has been extremely rewarding. Second, or perhaps it should have been first, on October...
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Fourth of July Is Almost Here!

by lennearbNo Comments
Now time for an annual reminder—it's almost the fourth of July! Why does that matter? Because it's the day our Founding Father's signed the Declaration of Independence? Well, sure, although the exact date of the signing is disputed (it may have been later), but more importantly because of this quote from a letter independence advocate and declaration signer John Adams sent to his wife Abigail after the Declaration had been approved: "It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other." It seems people have taken Adams's advice to heart. Independence Day is now celebrated from coast to coast with fireworks shows and other loud celebrations. In many neighborhoods, people also set off personal fireworks and firecrackers of varying legality. In many areas, fireworks will start tonight, if they have not already, and will continue through next weekend. During this time, it's important to keep...
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New and Notable

by lennearbNo Comments
I gave a workshop for new and prospective dog adopters last weekend. One of the topics we covered was socialization. Socialization is key for puppies, but is more important than many realize for newly rehomed adult dogs. (It can also be important for moving with your dog, but I won't cover that in depth here.) Regardless of their background, your home is not exactly the same as your new dog's previous home and will include new things to which your dog needs to be socialized. This is increasingly important to keep in mind in our area as more and more rescue dogs are brought into local shelters and rescues from other areas of the country. For dogs that come from an entirely different background, whether an outdoor life, a rural area, or a racetrack, the reality of everyday life in a city or suburb is filled to the brim with new experiences and stimuli. What do I mean? Let me give you a...
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The First Days

by lennearbNo Comments
We got our new dog! We adopted Gandalf on Saturday after meeting several dogs available from rescue group (Greyt Expectations). We selected Gandalf, at that time named Las Vegas Express, for his age (2 years on March 29) and apparently easy-going nature. Despite having just arrived from the track, he was social and interested in everything that was going on. Overall, we had a wonderful opportunity to meet a number of dogs, get great greyhound advice, and pick up some supplies, including a new dog bed that Nefertiti immediately claimed as her own. And in the end, we came home with our new dog, which was what we really wanted. Something I expected but did not get: A dog that didn't eat for a few days, due to the anxiety of transition. He ate treats at the rescue, on the car ride home, in the house, and would happily eat any and all food he was offered more or less immediately. Something I...
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Preparations Underway

by lennearbNo Comments
Written March 29, 2017. As many of you know, we lost Sirius Black to illness back in February. Every loss is unique, and this one continues to hit us hard. When I am not concentrating, I still find myself glancing around the room, looking or listening for what Sirius is up to, and it's a new blow every time I don't see him and everything hits me again. That being said, we are a dog household, and, within the Sirius-shaped hole in our lives, is a dog shaped hole. Therefore, we decided to move forward with a process we had been exploring for some time, and we are hoping to bring home our new retired racing greyhound this weekend. At this point, we don't know the age, sex, or size if the dog we will be adopting. Nor do we know whether the dog has been in foster or will be coming directly from a track environment. This means there will be more...
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Staying Put in 3Ds

by lennearbNo Comments
When we are learning a new skill, it can be helpful to break the pieces down into parts. The same is true when we are teaching a new skill. That's what I will try to do here, for teaching your dog to "stay." Every dog knows how to stay. Don't believe me? Even the most off-the-wall crazy puppies and young dogs sleep sometimes, and, when they do, they stay in one place, at least for a little while. What gets them up? People moving around, having slept enough, food, or a noise outside are all possibilities. Basically, anything that makes staying in one place seem like less of a good idea than moving around. These tempting alternatives are the same that we face when teaching a stay. They fall into categories often broadly described as the "Three Ds": Distance, Duration, and Distraction. Distance refers to the distance between the person asking for the stay and the dog. Really, this is not so surprising. We...
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A Painful Goodbye

by lennearbNo Comments
I have spent the last week looking for words more elegant than “I feel like someone ripped a hole in my heart,” but I haven't found any. Perhaps there aren't any. Last fall I shared a bit of the experience we had been going through with Sirius Black. After he went blind, it was initially diagnosed as SARDS, a poorly understood condition, but one that has few side effects besides the blindness itself. Over time, he should have adjusted to the blindness and generally resumed generally normal activity. He didn't. Over the last few months, his condition gradually deteriorated. He could walk less far and became confused more often. Eventually, he could not walk or even respond at all. Looking back, we can even spot signs of deterioration in June of 2016 or possibly earlier; before he showed overt signs of blindness. Frequent vet visits and repeated tests brought us no closer to a firm diagnosis, while gradually eliminating possibilities that promised...
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Day 31: Social Play

by lennearbNo Comments
Play is important for dogs. However, not all dogs are instinctively good players, and not all dogs are good play matches. If possible, try to find good play matches for your dog(s). Puppies and teen dogs may benefit from socialization classes to build or improve their social skills, and even some adult dogs may do well in social play classes. Negative interactions with dogs can be harmful to social skills, especially for young dogs and teen/young adult dogs in sensitive socialization periods. Look for positive interactions, and don't be afraid to step in—calmly—if you feel a situation is getting out of hand. Thanks for joining me for 31 days of dog training! Keep training!...
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Day 30: Safe Spaces

by lennearbNo Comments
It is important that your dog have a safe place in your house to go when necessary. This could be a crate, dog-safe room, or other location. For Sirius, he goes in his crate when we leave the house, because it is the safest place for him to avoid dangers such as stairs while unsupervised. Safe spaces may also be used when contractors are in your house, when your dog needs a quiet area, or for other reasons. Your dog's safe space should be just that—a safe space and not a punishment. Ideally, your dog would know how to go to his or her safe space on a cue. ...
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Day 28: Go for a Walk

by lennearbNo Comments
Nice weather? Take the opportunity to get out of the house. Undesirable behavior can be a result of excess energy. When bad weather—cold, dark, snow, etc.—reduces outside exercise time, these problems can become more pronounced. When you get a chance to enjoy nice weather in the winter, take the opportunity to burn extra energy through outside exercise. ...
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