Only I could tell that he was actually getting a little restless and fed up.  It's not that much fun for a dog being asked to stand still for an hour and a half, having strangers come up to him all the time, especially as he is half blind with PRA.  However, he has always done this - ever since we got our two wonderful pets from Kerry Greyhounds, we have been keen to give something back, and we and the dogs have regularly given our time to collections and fundraising events to help yet more lovely greyhounds find their forever homes.

My dog was pulling a little on the leash, telling  me that he would rather be over the road scavenging for lost chips (french fries).  It's his eyesight, they were actually cigarette butts, but he never believes me unless he checks them out for himself.  Thankfully he is not such a scavenger that cigarette butts will do...it has to be chips, pie crusts, dropped sausages or ice cream cones to float his boat!  Yes I am well aware all this junk is not really good for him, but he is almost blind apart from the tunnell distance vision now, and if he enjoys his walks more because a few bits of fried potato are involved then I can't deny him.  The rest of his diet is pretty healthy, so I don't worry about it.

Mind you, as soon as someone approached to put money in my collection box and pet him, he was back on parade.  Tolerant, greyhounds are, and will more or less do anything you ask of them.   The more they are socialized and taken out and allowed to meet people and other dogs, the better.  Some dogs who are only taken out purely for exercise, to fields, paddocks or wild places, will not be so accommodating when you want to take them somewhere busy and bustling.

Greyhound Couch Potato

who love to spend most of their lives lying on beds or sofas, but have the odd mad five minutes when they tear up the ground and spin like tops and shake cuddly toys (stuffies) and play the fool.  This is true, but it is amazing what variations there can be amongst the community we call greyhound.  Anyone with a multi-greyhound family will tell you they are all different.

Of course much of this difference is down to their previous nurture (or lack of it).  One of our hounds, Pingu, was rejected for racing and handed over to a rescue charity, so he has no experience of racing life, nor of anything much but a loving pet home.  He came to us an outgoing, well-balanced dog, quite demanding of affection, very active and hardy (for a greyhound) and without guile or cunning.

Conversely our other greyhound Slinky had had a much more chequered past.  He had nine races, came third about three times, mostly fifth out of six, so was not the greatest of racers.  Handed over to travellers after this, he was presumably used for coursing.  He still has a strong powerful prey drive even though he is not at all interested in running for its own sake.  When he came to us he showed obvious signs of abuse, and was almost starved to death and terrified of sticks.  So it is obvious all of this will have affected his temperament.  He is still very frightened of bangs and explosions, and is not at all sure of horses (his traveller past?)  But I imagine he has had to live on his wits much more than Pingu, so he is quite cunning and clever in his way.  At home he is very much the more intelligent dog, but lazy, kooky and cute.

So although there is a sort of template for the greyhound, and they all spend a lot of time in bed, when they are awake there are many different personalities.  How much this is down to innate nature and how much is to do with previous treatment is of course down to nature or nurture.

But the abuse that some of them have gone through is just unthinkable for us pet greyhound owners.  We have a greyhound, Slinky, who came to us with lots of fears and scars, terrified of anyone with anything resembling a stick, almost starved to death, and with a dent in his skull that the vet has confirmed must have come from a blow to the head.  He is not alone in this.  It is not a legend that many greyhounds are found with their ear flaps cut off, so that the cruel swines who abandoned them cannot be traced from the ear tattoos.  This really happens, and sometimes even worse.

Yet these poor damaged dogs manage most of the time to learn, albeit slowly sometimes, to love people.  They come to know the difference between the abusers who hurt them and the loving people involved in their rescue and adoption.  Their bravery and resilience is truly humbling.

These dogs were rescued from a Mexican Racetrack by Greyhound Pets of America/fastfriends.....Every semester the RVT students at Mount San Antonio College play a part in the rehabilitation process so they can be fostered and hopefully adopted. We only get about 16 per semester to save. These animals you are seeing would most certainly have been killed.

Cherrybrook Pet Supplies in Bedminster New Jersey was the scene of a Meet and Greet with the Greyhound Friends of New Jersey. These greyhounds are rescued racing dogs looking for permanent homes. Cherrybrook Premium Pet Supplies - The Natural Choice for Healthy and Happy Pets - has all your nutritional, dog show and grooming needs.

This is Laddie earning his keep by collecting donations for his fellow Greyhounds.

Layla is looking for her forever home she loves people and is good with other dogs. She was found abandoned in a out of the way car park near to the motorway this is a video I made when I had her on a overnight stay she really is a sweetheart and is now looking for her forever home. www.royalheartgreyhoundrescue.co.uk

photoslideshow of dogs rescued by lexus greyhound rescue set to hallelujah sung by pat senior

Great news, Ted has found a home!

This is Laddie stopping briefly to be pet but then wandering around aimlessly not sure what to do.