Dogs- new readers begin here.
The May bank holiday marks four years since we took on board the dogs – two rescue greyhounds, Rosie and George (aka Bigboy).
Our first meeting with them was a bit chaotic. George, we noticed, seemed to have a limp on his rear left leg, although he was boundy, he seemed to be protecting it. It was explained that he damaged the leg in Ireland, and the local Vet mended it, badly, so he was booked into a specialist vet locally to the refuge to have the repair re-done.
Rosie was about six, and had/has behavioural problems and had largely spent those years in dog refuges or re-homing centres. Occasionally she would be selected by potential owners only to be returned as unsuitable. This history gave her a dislike of people, and strangers (who only then let her down), and dogs – many of which bullied her. She was registered to a dog charity called DAWG in Bristol which specialises in Lurchers and Greyhounds, but in desperation, it was decided to give her a new start in Ireland in an affiliated re-homing charity. Having spent some time there, she was sent back to England as an unsuccessful dog rehoming, and in the van and on the ferry travelling back she met George and they bonded! Even after this time, she is still very nervous around strangers, and any callers or unusual voices send her into the deepest part of the kennel with the shakes – even the vet on a recent visit.
George was about 18 months old, and had suffered this broken leg but precisely how, we don’t know. It could have been cruelty or it could have been over eagerness to run which put too much strain on the leg, anyway it was a nasty break which needed a lot of metalwork to heal it. Both dogs have ear tattoos which indicates that they were, or were intended to be, racing dogs. We haven’t tracked the dogs to individual races.
In the meantime, we had decided to adopt a dog, or dogs, we quite liked the idea of a bonded pair. We. thought about various dog breeds, as you do, but the idea of an ex-racer greyhound was appealing. Sandie saw the photo of Rosie, and it was explained that the charity would quite like to re-home both dogs together, if we didn’t mind – we didn’t! Both dogs have typically greyhound characteristics – i.e. they are 40mph couch potatoes as they have been called. They do not shed much hair, and their coats are wonderfully soft and tactile. One walk a day is sufficient and a fairly short one as well – if it is a longer walk they both lose interest and want to lie on their couch. George is also a big wuss and will not walk through water (even puddles), and certainly not mud.
George had his operation and he recuperated and was released to us with strict instructions about his continuing recovery. That weekend was a bank holiday and a warm one. A walk! Brilliant idea – along the river, past some houses, onto the main road and back to Merryhall. Shortish and not too demanding. The river walk was fine, but coming to the houses he didn’t want to go past them. Coaxing and encouraging him didn’t work so we dragged him. One of the houses had a dog which barked which unnerved him. We eventually got him to the road to join the main road and we realised that he didn’t understand cars, and was naturally very frightened of them. After much more coaxing we got him to the main road and he seemed to be enjoying it, and spotted Sandie ahead of us. Suddenly, a motor bike with a loud exhaust went past and that spooked him. He ran down the embankment dragging me after him and attempted to jump the bordering hedge – I rolled down the bank still gripping the lead and anchored him. Slowly, we disentangled him, me and the lead and led a very frightened dog the short distance back home. So much for not stressing his injury!
Over the next twelve months we realised that we had some learning to do, and that he didn’t know what a walk was for. We very gradually got him to walk, then walk a longer distance, then play with a ball which was the best physiotherapy we could have devised, and gradually he joined the doggy race.
We bought them winter coats in anticipation of long winter walks, we insulated the kennel so that it is permanently five degrees warmer than outside even without the additional heating which kicks in if the temperature drops too much, and they both love the car so that walking became an option again – except that George didn’t like new surroundings and especially dark places.
No long after we had them, maybe a couple of months, Rosie was off her food, and swallowing was hard work, and she developed a swelling on her neck. The wonderful vet, David English (from Northern Ireland) diagnosed cancer and told us to take her home and when the time was right, to bring her back for euthanasia. Her dam burst, we rushed to Boots to get dressings and took her to the vet, who laid his head on hers and mournfully apologised at length for a wrong diagnosis – it was an abscess and she lived! She lived but still had trouble eating which we compensated for by making her food more liquid and easier to swallow. The vet retired, and we didn’t like the new ones, so we changed practices, and both dogs were recommended for dental work. Rosie had eight extractions and now eats much more easily and readily and eats as if she is enjoying it.
In the meantime, George’s wirework after his second operation was poking through his skin so a third operation was scheduled to remove said wire. The operation was easy, carried out by a referral specialist vet, the recovery was also easy in theory, rest and gentle exercise, the problem was George who continually licked the wound, or took dressings off, or just plain played up for the next three weeks, until eventually after drugging him overnight with a homeopathic firework calmer, we managed to get the scar healed properly.
Those weeks were a nightmare of keeping an eye on him at night to stop him nagging at the wound, taking him to the vet for more dressings, and our mounting frustration at not stopping his (perfectly natural and expected) behaviour.
We got there and he is now the puppy he never was. He was always lithe, fast and furious, and strong but now he’s that and some more. He must have suffered pain from when we took him in with the metalwork playing up, and now we have solved the problem, he is also far more loving and grateful for us. It helps explain why on cold mornings he was unnaturally reluctant to walk.
The dogs get on very well with few spats between them – the pecking order has been well established. They love hunting together and have had two Jack Russell dogs between their teeth unfortunately with one suffering a punctured lung. If they were not on leads, and came to investigate in an intrusive or aggressive way that is their problem. It didn’t endear us to the locals, so whenever possible they have muzzles for added security and (our) peace of mind (the dogs not the locals). Two great fun dogs which give us endless pleasure.
