Beech Hill House
Beech Hill House B&B
Witherslack
Grange-over-Sands
Cumbria LA11 6RH
WEB SITE
Dogs welcome, large or small, one or more. A Greyhound haven!

The voluntary work Jenny and Stuart started in July 2004 is a memorial to their darling Penny. Without her coming into their lives none of this would have happened.
VISIT THE BRANCH by APPOINTMENT ONLY
Please ring for an appointment to come and see the greyhounds and have a chat. You are most welcome, but as we run a bed and breakfast it is essential you ring and arrange a date and time to visit.
T: 015395 52394
email us
ADOPTING A GREYHOUND

When adopting a greyhound the suggested donation is £150.00 which goes towards neutering, inoculations, upkeep etc. Some people give a little less, while
others want to give more. We are quite flexible with this, and with this we provide:
Martingale Collar, Lead, Muzzle and 4 weeks free cover with the insurance company PetPlan
List of Greyhounds by the date they were homed with links to their diary pages
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VIEW LIST OF GREYHOUNDS BY RACING NAME


Facebook
Become a friend and view Our Profile to see what's happening at the branch and to follow some of our ex-foster greyhounds.
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CAN YOU TEMPORARILY FOSTER A GREYHOUND FOR US?
Fosterers are a valuable part of greyhound rescue in that another greyhound is living life away from the kennels and taking the first steps towards getting used to the family way of life. If you live in the South Lakes or the surrounding area and would like to foster a greyhound until we can find him or her a new home.
please contact Jenny or Stuart
T: 015395 52394 or email us for more information
DOG WALKING
Would you like to become a registered volunteer and walk a Greyhound?
Volunteers offering to take a Greyhound for a walk, an afternoon out or a stop-over play a very important role here at the branch.
please contact Jenny or Stuart T: 015395 52394 or email us for more information and to see how you can help.
TINS & CARTONS OF DOG FOOD WANTED
for those in our care until we find them new homes.
(also pilchards in tomato sauce, sardines and tuna in oil, dog biscuits, Dentastix)

May we thank all who have donated, it's much appreciated.
Please contact Jenny or Stuart
T: 015395 52394 or email us
DONATE - GAIN20 GREYHOUND FOOD
which is what we use for the greyhounds in our care until we find them new homes.

May we thank all who have donated, it's much appreciated.
Please deliver to:
Beech Hill House, Witherslack, Cumbria LA11 6RH

PETS AT HOME
Become a VIP member and nominate Greyhound Trust South Lakes as your chosen charity.
If you nominate our branch as your charity the 'lifelines' you collect each time you make a purchase either in store or on-line will go to our branch.
Each quarter we receive a voucher to the value of the lifelines nominated to our branch which we can spend at the Kendal (Cumbria) Pets at Home store on items needed for the dogs in our care while looking for new homes. Thank you.

GREYHOUNDS AS PETS
BOOK 'CARING FOR YOUR RESCUED GREYHOUND'
by Jenny Stott - - - £10.00 plus p&p
BUY ON-LINE using PayPal or telephone: 015395 52394
(credit & debit cards accepted)

FOSTERING GREYHOUNDS
IN CUMBRIA FOR
GREYHOUND RESCUE

Below is one of the 82 dogs we fostered for Dumfriesshire & Cumbria
Greyhound Rescue between July 2004 and the 5th December 2009.
On the 9th December 2009 we became the SOUTH LAKES branch
of the Retired Greyhound Trust for whom we are now fostering.
Sandy(2)

Sandy arrived on Sunday 4th November 2007
Went to his new home on Sunday 4th November 2007
But his new owners (us!) didn't realise it until Saturday 30th August 2008

Sandy's arrival and a brief history
Red Greyhound
Sandy has been in foster care since the 4th November 2007 and really does deserve his 'forever' home because of his past experiences. When you read his story please bear in mind that the Sandy of today is NOT the Sandy when he first arrived. With hard work and patience he's turned into an adorable, loveable Greyhound who is full of character and who just wants to be loved and looked after. Because he's been with us so long he seems like one of the family as he knows a large number of commands and understands our routine, In the time since he arrived he's made vast progress and has come on in 'leaps and bounds'. Please don't be put off by his story but come and see him. Give him a chance and you will fall in love with him as others do when they meet him. Unfortunately, those people either had enough Greyhounds already, wished they were ten years younger or never had a garden for him to run around in. Sandy is still frightened of some dogs off the lead or when they show aggression towards him when out on his walks (as do many other dogs) but teaching him to be focused on what we are saying is helping him come to terms with his fears and anxieties.
Sandy is a beautiful fawn ex-racing Greyhound who needs an owner who is calm, confident and pack leader material because Sandy needs someone to look up to because he needs reassurance with the 'big wide world'. Sandy has come on in leaps and bounds since being with us and is a very loveable and affectionate Greyhound to the people he knows - they all fall in love with him but he is wary of strangers and we've noticed he often responds according to the way they approach him. Avoiding eye contact on approach and being relaxed and confident usually gets a welcome within a couple of minutes, un sureness usually makes him back off and perhaps bark until he's sure he's not going to be hurt and people who don't like dogs - well, he will often back away from and growl. If people don't look him in the eye and ignore him on approach within a couple of minutes he will be your best friend and from that point onwards eye contact isn't a problem. It may be some time before Sandy can be let off the lead other than in an enclosed area where no other dogs are likely to enter (other than Greyhounds or the dog he goes to live with if there is one) because he struggles to read their body language at a distance and panics, therefore his ideal home should have a garden for him to run around in in safety because 99% of his walks if not all for the foreseeable future will be on a lead if he isn't muzzled.
Sandy when he came to us weighed 74lbs (33.8k), was inoculated and microchipped. He was born on the 18th March 2003 and has a couple of fairly big injury scars on the inside of his back legs but these don't seem to affect him in any way. When he first came into the Dumfriesshire and Cumbria Greyhound Rescue kennels during September his behaviour indicated it may take some time to re-home so he was in kennels for a couple of months before coming to us. He was very nervous and due to Sandy's history and background needed socializing with people and other dogs which members helped him with whilst in kennels. Sandy is a strong Greyhound who pulled on the lead until we discovered the harness but he loves being stroked and cuddled and it was felt that once in a foster home where he could be given the attention he needed he would turn into a lovely pet.
Since coming into foster care Sandy has settled well and has turned into a lovely companion who shows his affection for you by looking you straight in the eyes but he has one or two quirks, which need time to resolve. He has a lovely face and when he looks at you he makes you want to cuddle him. He loves being cuddled, can't get enough of it. He knows his name, now understands numerous commands, travels well in the car, no longer pulls on the lead on his regular walks but still pulls in new places or if something upsets him. He gets on okay with children and we believe most other dogs but care is needed around small children as he can be quite boisterous at times if he gets excited, doesn't realize his own strength and hence his present nickname 'Hooligan'! Sandy loves being with people once he feels safe around them but is still wary of some who approach him direct. He can't cope at the moment with strangers who look him in the eye or if they bend over to stroke him with their palms facing him, however, if they leave him alone and ignore him to give him chance to 'weigh' them up he will come to them of his own accord because he can't resist affection. People who, a few minutes before were being barked at will now find him by their side wanting a stroke. Sandy is an excellent guard dog who tells you with a loud deep bark that someone is coming to the door and when people see him they think he looks quite fierce but if they come in he's often the first to back off until he feels it's safe to reappear.
Sandy doesn't like being told off or if you do something he's not sure of that scares him so will sometimes give you a little growl but we ignore it, tell him 'that's enough' or 'pack it in' and carry on with what we are doing but at the same time talking to him quietly and reassuringly to remove his fear of what's happened and once he realizes you are not going to hurt him he forgets it ever happened. Since his arrival we've been touching him a lot and man handling him a bit during play etc. so he gets used to the fact that we are not going to hurt him and that our hands are there to give delight not pain.
Sandy feels very safe and is relaxed in his home, going for walks in places he knows and loves trips in the car as it gives him the security he needs. However, at the moment he finds the big wide world very daunting and frightening so walks in new places can make him nervous, pully on the lead (which was resolved with the harness) and occasionally, if he meets strangers where he feels cornered he may growl at them to make them back off. Having said this he never curls his lips and it's that low growl he does when he's frightened, which we feel is more 'bark than bite' and the odd occasion it's happened I quickly tell the people he's okay, not to look him in the eye, he's just frightened and possibly been hurt in the past and they seem to understand.
Sandy needs a home where he will feel secure and be loved but he needs an owner that will be his 'pack leader' to give him food, security and guidance and one that will be loving and understanding but not pander to his fears.
NEWS - on the 3rd March 2008 we discovered Sandy was born with no scrotum so he was still a WHOLE dog and many of his behavioural issues may well be because his testicles were inside and too warm. On the 7th March an operation found reasonable sized testicles either side of his kidneys. To us we feel it marks a turning point because once his hormones settle we are hopeful of an even greater improvement.
Sandy's Diary
4th November 2007
I met Sandy at Carlisle Racecourse where Dumfriesshire and Cumbria Greyhound Rescue had a stand for the day. As I was on my own and Sandy is believed to be quite a difficult dog he stayed in the mobile kennel until I was ready to take him home, however, during the day I kept going over to say hello. He seemed quite shy and frightened laying there watching everything that was going on. When it was time to leave he was a very pully on the lead as we walked through the crowds to the car, almost as if the crowds frightened him. As soon as the car door was open he was in like a shot, had a good sniff around then lay down for the journey home.
Sandy is a really strong dog and pulled me all the way down the drive and into the house when we arrived back. He said hello to the other Greyhounds and we let him walk around the garden on the lead to do what was needed. Sandy seems a very nervous dog and wanted to cock his leg in the house at every opportunity. To reduce this need and to settle him we kept him on the lead so we had more control with him and to stop him pacing the place because of nerves.
Stairs and wooden floors are no problem to Sandy and when it came to going to bed once he realized which was his he soon settled down.
5th November 2007
Sandy ate his breakfast well this morning and when it was time to take him for a walk Stuart and I did it together because of his strength and pulling on the lead. We put his box muzzle on in case we met other dogs because if he saw something and wanted to go we may not be able to hold him. Stuart walked with him and I went in front with a water spray. Each time he pulled I sprayed him to make him stop pulling and Stuart brought him in 'close' to his side. He soon got the message that if he walked ahead of Stuart and pulled he got sprayed but when he walked close to Stuart he was praised. By the end of our walk we had a very wet Greyhound but one that didn't pull quite so hard.
We did a home check late this afternoon and arrived home as the fireworks were beginning, which was bad planning on our part. However, Sandy showed little outward signs of being frightened other than wanting to get down the drive from the car as fast as he could and straight into the house. Once inside he was fine.
6th November 2007
Well the penny has finally dropped because Sandy is no longer wanting to cock his leg everywhere and has today suddenly started going to the back door asking to go out. This is wonderful and quite unusual for a new Greyhound to do so soon after coming here, especially one who when he arrived was constantly wanting to 'mark his spot'.
Had a visit from my son Mark who has Down's Syndrome today and Sandy was fine with him. Went over for a stroke and showed no outward signs of being bothered when Mark was a little rough with him or decided to shout - it's almost as if he knew something wasn't quite right, as do most of our foster dogs and he was almost making allowances for it.
7th November 2007
Because of what we were know about Sandy and other dogs this evening we took him to dog training classes so we could see for ourselves what he was like. We went armed with water spray, muzzle and his 'Foster dog in training' coat so people would know what we were doing. We took Indi in with us to be a calming influence and walked through the door half expecting Sandy to climb the walls after the dogs once he saw them but no, nothing. We couldn't believe our eyes because he just walked in and stood with us in a corner so he could watch. There was no pulling, eyes bulging, growling nor stiffness. He was a little tense but that was nerves as he'd probably never seen so many different kinds of dogs all in the same place at the same time. There were about twenty different breeds ranging from a 17 week old terrier, who by the end of the session was trying to climb up his legs to a large fawn dog much bigger than Sandy who was very 'full on' and 'in your face'. Sandy took each one in his stride, gave them a sniff, mingled a bit then watched what the others were doing. We were very surprised and extremely pleased. When the second session began we were asked if Sandy and Indi would join in as they were doing 'distracted recall' so they needed as many dogs on the floor as possible to make it work well. Sandy stood with the rest whilst hooters were going, things were dropped on the floor and the dog whose turn it was, was to run through the other dogs to it's owner on the other side without bothering the dogs or being alarmed by the noise. Sandy was a star, Indi was a nervous wreck with all the noise, which surprised us but Sandy stayed cool and calm. I can't say how pleased we were with this because it was the opposite of what we expected.
After the class we took Sandy to the pub for the first time. He didn't seem overly bothered but it was a little quiet and when one of the locals walked in and wanted to stroke him he backed away. When the gentleman went to stroke the others Sandy stood watching and when the gentleman was standing at the bar ordering his drink Sandy went over, gave him a sniff and allowed him to stroke him.
8th November 2007
We've got a guard dog! I'd just let them all out first thing when Sandy suddenly barked through the gate at a delivery man coming up the steps with a parcel. He has a loud deep bark that's enough to frighten anybody away and it took us quite by surprise! He's just like Squire though who used to do the same. Stands there barking being a good guard dog but as soon as the person walks towards him to say hello he backs away.
This morning was the first time I went for a walk on my own with Sandy and the others. I must admit I was a little wary because of his strength but holding the water spray in one hand and the occasional tensioning of the lead with the other was sufficient to stop him pulling and we all had a pleasant walk. Even though last night was such a success at training class we haven't actually seen any dogs whilst out walking so to be on the safe side we are still going to put his muzzle on until we see how he behaves when we come across other dogs out walking if Indi decides to bark at them.
9th November 2007
We had our first visitors in the house today since Sandy arrived and we were quite surprised that he shied away when they came to say hello to him as he'd shown no real signs of this earlier. He did a Lester! Looked very sheepish, backed out the room and disappeared for a while before coming back to stand in the doorway to take a look and weigh up the situation. However, once the visitors ignored him they soon found him by their side wanting a stroke, which indicates he needs extra time to work out if they are okay or not. Maybe something has happened in the past that makes him wary if people approach him a certain way.
10th November 2007
Sandy has found the toy box. He carries some of the fluffy toys round the house and the old bones to his bed! At night time its just like having children again putting them all back in the toy box for the evening.
We think Sandy would be alright left on his own because when one of us leaves the house he lays on the mat by the front door for a while waiting to see if we come back. After a while he moves away and goes to his bed but when we return we get a wonderful welcome. This can be quite a bouncy welcome as he behaves as if a long lost friend has returned so the other Greyhounds get pushed out the way as he's so overjoyed at seeing us. We will need to work with him on this so as to greet us at a more gentle pace but it obviously shows he's very happy here.
13th November 2007
We did a photo shoot today with three red Greyhounds one of which was Sandy and boy, what fun we had - it was a mad house trying to get all three of them do do what we wanted but we got the picture in the end. The other two Greyhounds were Max and Red. Red visited us with his owners especially for the occasion.
14th November 2007
This morning we took Bobby to the vet because he'd hurt his foot so we took the opportunity to take Sandy in as well to be weighed. Although he had been fine at the training classes we decided not to risk it so we put his muzzle on in case there were other dogs in there. He weighed 74lbs (33.8k). The vets were quiet apart from one little terrier who Sandy wanted to say hello to. Sandy was fine with it and the two of them ended up being the best of mates. It was so lovely to see.
16th November 2007
Took a trip over to see Mum today which Sandy liked as he loves travelling in the car but when he got there he was very wary of going into her house. However, once in and left alone to watch what who was who and what was going on he soon settled and joined in with the others.
17th November 2007
It was a mad house this morning because we ended up with 12 Greyhounds and 14 people in my kitchen and conservatory. Sandy was so funny because as each person and Greyhound arrived he did his guard dog bit but tended to stay in the small dining room at the front of the house where he could see who was arriving and warn us but keep out of the way when they came in. He sounds so fierce when he barks because his voice is so deep but it's all talk because if anyone moved towards him he raced off in the opposite direction. He had me in stitches because of the number of times he did it. People were trying their best to say hello to him but I advised them to ignore him as he would come to them when he was ready, which he did, and our guests were then able to say hello to him as he mingled with the other Greyhounds.
18th November 2007
Had a long day today because we went to Dumfries where the Annual Greyhound Show and Christmas Fayre was being held and we had a stall with our calendars and greeting cards. Stuart was also setting up a studio there where he could take family and pet photographs for people.
Sandy never wore his muzzle and got on with all the Greyhounds and other dogs at the show - he does tend to want to sniff them all and the smaller dogs end up with their back ends off the floor which we are trying to encourage Sandy not to do. He wandered through the crowds when being taken to the ring for his events and to be shown off during the 'Parade of the homeless' and he made us so proud as he looked so confident and he behaved perfectly. When we were at our stall if anyone came to see him specifically he went a little coy and hung back but after a few strokes and cuddles he came out of his shell and enjoyed the attention.
Yazmin one of the models from the 'Long Legged Beauties' Greyhound calendars was at the show and entered our Greyhounds in some of the events. She and Sandy came third in 'Best 6 legs' - Sandy wore red and white bobbles round his ankles whilst Yazmin wore a Father Christmas outfit, which we think the lady judge thought a bit too raunchy!!!! Sandy was perfect on the lead walking round the ring with his bobbles on his legs and was enjoying every minute of it. He also had his photograph taken outside with Yazmin for a newspaper photographer who was sending it to the Scottish Sun Newspaper along with an article about the show.
19th November 2007
Sandy loves going in the car so much so that whenever we go for a walk he always waits by it in anticipation as we walk past it in the drive on our way to our walk. When we go in the car we now prepare ourselves when opening the door because he jumps in as soon as there is enough room for him to get in and if we are not careful because of his strength he tries taking us with him. We now know to let go of his lead as we are opening the door and take it off once he's in - he's getting in that car and there is no chance of him being left behind.
20th November 2007
We took Sandy out for his walk this afternoon without his muzzle for the first time today. We met another dog, which we didn't know and all our Greyhounds wanted to say hello, however, Sandy wasn't over pully, did a bit of a whimper at not being allowed to go over but he did as he told with only couple of squirts of water from the spray bottle. We were very pleased with the result as I must admit I was a bit wary of taking him out without a muzzle in case we saw another dog and he decided to go. I knew that because of his strength I wouldn't be able to hold him along with all the rest.
22nd November 2007
There was a bit of a cafuffle between Max and Sandy this evening. We were a little later feeding them and whilst I was preparing their food I was interrupted by a phone call so they didn't get it straight away. The incident occurred because the food was out and Max didn't want Sandy eating his dinner - or visa versa. We've had a couple of grumbles from them before at meal times that I've nipped in the bud but I think Max and Sandy were both getting anxious at not being fed so I missed the vibes with being on the phone. Thankfully it only lasted seconds because I split them up and neither were hurt but we decided that from now on we will feed Max on the step in the kitchen and Sandy in the conservatory to reduce the risk of it happening again. Afterwards Sandy seemed very shaken, went very quiet for an hour or so laying on his bed looking quite frightened. When Stuart went to get him to take him to the garden to do his toilet because he wouldn't come to us when called he growled at him (just like Paddy used to do when he was frightened). However, as this is his natural reaction if he thinks someone or something may hurt him, and he thought that because of the incident we were not pleased with him it made him scared. We ignored his behaviour, acted as we always did and by the end of the evening he was himself again laying on his bed on his back with his legs in the air wanting a cuddle.
5th December 2007
Over the past few days a small lump appeared by the side of Sandy's left eye and has become a bit larger today. It's about as big as a pea at present, feels quite hard and seems to move but it's not weeping and it doesn't bother him. However, for peace of mind we are taking him to the vet tomorrow to have it examined.
6th December 2007
The lump by the side of Sandy's eye was examined by the vet this morning who didn't think it was anything nasty as it was too hard and seemed to move when manipulated. The vet seemed to think it may be a cyst or it may be a blood blister that was healing following a bang to the head. It's situated whereby a knocked on the side of the head would appear and it's this reason he thought it could be a blood blister. He suggested we keep an eye on it to see if it got bigger, began to look angry or started to bother him. He said he couldn't take a cell sample because it was too hard and it may go as quick as it arrived, however, if it didn't and it stayed the same it could be removed the next time he needed an anaesthetic but he didn't want to give him one at the moment.
Since splitting Sandy and Max up at feed times things have been fine and both are now quite happy at being around each other in the kitchen whilst I'm preparing their food. It seems they have sorted their 'pack order' out, come to realize each dog is given their food by order of whose been with us longest and the penny has dropped that there is no need to worry at meal times because all will be fed.
9th December 2007
Sandy was a bit pully on the lead during our walk this afternoon and not settled at all, which we think was something to do with Carrie going to her new home this morning, especially as they used to enjoy playing together.
10th December 2007
Sandy was much more settled today and didn't pull on the lead at all during our walk, that was until we walked past a parked car with a dog in it who decided to bark at us as we walked past. Sandy decided he wasn't going to stand for this and tried pulling me towards it but I
Red Greyhound
9th November 2007

Red Greyhound
9th November 2007

Red Greyhound
9th November 2007

Red Greyhound
During a photo shoot
13th November 2007

Red Greyhound
and again
13th November 2007

Yazmin with Greyhound
With Yazmin
Greyhound Show in Dumfries
18th November 2007

Yazmin with Greyhound
Third Prize Winners
'Best 6 legs'
With Yazmin
Greyhound Show in Dumfries
18th November 2007

Fawn Greyhound
Relaxing
16th December 2007

Fawn Greyhound
. . .and again.

Red Greyhound
. . .and again.

Click images below for a larger view

Greyhound face
Sandy
12th February 2008

Fawn Greyhound
Surveying the summit of the
Kennedy View Point whilst
on holiday in Ireland
12th February 2008
Fawn Greyhound
. . . and again
12th February 2008
Fawn Greyhound
In the garden
15th May 2008
stopped him with the water spray.
13th December 2007
Sandy has finally plucked up the courage to lay on the settee so long as no other dogs are in the room at the time. If there are, then he simply lays on one of the beds instead. He certainly knows his position in the pack is near the bottom especially when Bobby and Indi are concerned!
Sandy has really taken to me wrapping my arms round his neck and having his head stroked whilst my face is next to his and listening to me whispering in his ear - his favourite place for asking this of me is when I'm on the loo! Funny thing is some others have done the same, one in particular was Lester who was also afraid of people!
14th December 2007
This morning instead of letting Sandy jump in the car as he's done in the past with lead following so as not to take me in with him I decided to take off his lead, hold his collar and make him wait until I told him to move. He did very well until I let go of his collar when he jumped in the back of the car so fast he only just managed to stop himself from going over into the driver's seat! Think I will have to fine tune how I do this with him and let him go a bit earlier so he doesn't get quite so excited.
Sandy has developed a lump on the side of his face, which the vet thinks is the result of a bang probably caused by hitting himself as he dashes through doorways so fast and because of its position. It's about the size of a large pea, is hard and seems to move under the skin. We took him to the vet because it became larger and was very noticeable. The vet didn't think it cancerous because it was hard and was too hard for him to take a cell sample. He was sure it was a dried up blood blister and thought it would disappear it time but we are to keep an eye on it in case it gets bigger or causes him pain, which it doesn't seem to do at present. When Stuart measured it for me it was 18.2 mm wide and 8.2 mm high.
16th December 2007
During our walk this afternoon we came across two horses standing near the gate and both Max and Sandy wanted to go and say hello. They both stood looking up at them, then sniffed and touched noses when the horses leaned over the gate to see them. It was lovely to watch. A bit later we met a man out walking wearing an overcoat and cap. Sandy wasn't sure of him at all and when the man came towards us to say hello Sandy barked and growled at him as he bent forward to stroke him. The man backed off with a start so I explained about Sandy and eye contact etc. and we talked a while standing a few feet apart. This gave Sandy the space and time to weigh him up and a few minutes later the man was amazed when he looked down to find the dog he was stroking was Sandy!
Stuart did a photography shoot today and by the time the model was leaving she was so taken with Sandy as he followed her around that she wanted to take him home with her - funny quirks and all!
20th December 2007
As it was very cold this evening we decided to wrap all the Greyhounds in blankets when going to bed because last night they woke us during the night and it felt a bit chilly. When it came to cover Sandy he was on his bed with his back against the wall and with the blanket over him I leaned over and pulled his back away from the wall to tuck the blanket in behind him. He looked up at me in wonder but he let me do it and as I was tucking him in it suddenly dawned on me that I couldn't have done that a few weeks ago without him growling at me so we are definitely getting there.
25th December 2007
Father Christmas arrived last night and left Sandy a soft squeaky toy and a huge dinosaur bone, which Indi helped him unwrap as he didn't seem to know how to take the wrapping paper off. He loved the squeaky toys and played with them on and off all day finding the fluffy reindeer his favourite. When he realized one of the presents was a bone, well, that was that - he found it wonderful as did all the others with their bones and we had a very happy crunchy Christmas day!
11th January 2008
The lump on the side of Sandy's face isn't quite as prominent and appears to be getting smaller because it now measures 15.2 mm wide and 6.1 mm high which is really good news.
17th January 2008
Max went to his new home this morning and after he left Sandy went very quiet and subdued. Max's re-homing had upset us so him leaving and the way we were feeling was having an effect on Sandy. As it was Stuart's birthday and we were feeling upset we loaded them all in the car and went out to spend some quality time together. We stopped at the Windmill Inn at Ings for a drink after taking them for a walk and took them all in with us. We half expected Sandy to bark at the first person who tried to stroke him and would have to put him back in the car so as not to disturb the peace but no, he was very good and surprised us both. He enjoyed the fuss given him by the staff and the landlady brought them all some dog biscuits, which they loved. When people walked past he would look but that was all and he ignored another dog laying by it's owner's table nearby until it stood to leave. As it walked past our table Stuart had the water squirty bottle hidden under the table but aimed at him in case he decided to bark or lunge but again he surprised us by just looking at it as it walked past. Sandy seemed very settled there and was quite happy laying on the carpet by our feet.
Back home we gave them all a pig's ear then Stuart caught Sandy cocking his leg against the coal shovel in the kitchen. This came as quite a surprise as he's not done anything like this for weeks and Max not being there had obviously unsettled him. He stopped when Stuart shouted at him, I showed it him and told him it was not the thing to do then put him outside whilst I cleaned it up. When he came back in he looked very sheepish at the shovel and us before going to his bed in the living room.
Had a visitor this evening and of course Sandy warned us of his arrival, however, as soon as he spoke Sandy recognized his voice and from that point he was all over him. Sandy couldn't get enough attention and was so pleased to see him. It's a pity the gentleman already has three Greyhounds because he's admitted that if he had the room he'd take Sandy as he loves his beautiful friendly nature.
This evening we went to the Strickland Arms for a bar meal and took all the Greyhounds in with us. Bobby settled on the mat in front of the fire, Indi lay on my coat under the table and Sandy stood near Stuart. Sandy was very good when people said hello at first but became uneasy after a while with everyone walking past him as it was very busy. After a while we decided he'd had enough and took him back to the car where he happily jumped in and settled till we came back with a few chips for him. By taking him places like this is good as the more he visits and the more people he sees then over time he will come to realize there is nothing to fear. Back home they settled for the remainder of the evening then Sandy went to bed on the landing next to Bobby, which was a first.
22nd January 2008
The lump on Sandy's face has almost gone and is now quite tiny.
7th February 2008
Contacted Kevin Wilson from Bay Dog Training this afternoon asking for confirmation of our thoughts and advice about Sandy's behaviour towards things especially other dogs when outside. Our problem is finding people who are willing to work with us in this area and it was bothering us. Kevin confirmed we were on the right track and his behaviour is insecurity with the big wide world. As a result he asked if we could take him to the weekly agility classes when we get back from Ireland, which are held in one of the local parks so Sandy will be able to watch other dogs charging about outside and we can monitor and work with him under controlled conditions. Kevin also wanted us to review and improve our leadership skill with him if at all possible. However, in this respect he waits at the door and allows us to go out first, he will let us take a bone from him, he will let us take his dinner off him and he allows us to take his toys from him so he knows we are above him in the leadership ranking.
8th February 2008
This afternoon I left Emma and Sandy with Indi and Bobby in the house whilst I went to the post office. It was the first time he'd been left and I was away about 3/4 hour but all was okay when I got back and I received a wonderful welcome.
9th February 2008
Sandy for the first time started playing with Stuart on the floor. He loved this new form of play but it was funny because no matter how low Stuart put his head Sandy had to put his lower, which caused him a bit of a problem when Stuart lay his head on the floor. This shows Sandy regards Stuart as being higher up the pack order than himself.
11th February 2008
This morning we travelled to Ireland by ferry for a few days and Sandy took the journey in the car as a happy day out. He was quite nervous when we let him out at the ferry terminal to do his toilet, pulling a bit on the lead and unsure of all the people milling around. A little boy kicking a football against a wire fence spooked him a bit making him keen to get back into the car and safety. He was fine in the car on the ferry and ate most of his food on the the beach close to Dublin before travelling the rest of the way to the cottage. After making sure the small paddock, which is to be his temporary garden was secure, he had a good sniff round then we showed him round the cottage. He was a bit unsettled and 'clingy' for a couple of hours but we ignored his behaviour and once all the bags were unpacked and we sat down with a cup of tea he settled in the living room with the others.
When we let the dogs out last thing into the courtyard garden to do their toilet Sandy stayed out slightly longer than the others and when Stuart called him he came running in and jumped on the settee to settle down with something in his mouth. To our horror it was a rat! Stuart thought it dead but as they can act dead to encourage their attacker to release their grip we got Sandy back outside and told him to 'leave' and Stuart forced him to open his mouth. The rat dropped out - dead and stone cold! It got put in a poop bag and in the dustbin. How he'd found it goodness only knows but it was a big, fat and thankfully dead rat and the last thing we wanted at midnight! The thing was, he looked as pleased as punch when he came running in the cottage with it and jumped on the settee thinking he'd found a midnight snack!
12th February, 2008
This morning started a bit chaotic. I'd taken all the Greyhounds to the paddock and as they came back in the cottage Sandy saw Stuart and went running to greet him. He was so pleased he charged into the kitchen and jumped the three steps into the living room and skidded across the tiled floor into one of the chairs. Although he didn't cry out he went with quite a bang so we checked him over and found blood on his leg. One of his dew claws was hanging off so because it was Sandy we put a soft muzzle on him and I held him whilst Stuart cut the nail off. I was so proud of him, there were no growls, no flinching - nothing. He let us take his nail off and bathe the area before putting some antiseptic cream on it. It bled for a couple of hours so we bathed it two or three times and put more cream on it until it stopped. Each time he let us bathe it without his muzzle, which was wonderful as he now realizes we don't hurt him but are there to help.
After lunch we took a drive to the beach, which he found daunting to begin with but settled after a while to enjoy his walk. A couple of dogs walked past who unsettled him so we walked in a huge circle so his back was to them and used the car to block his view till he settled, then we continued our walk. Back in the cottage he quickly settled and when we let him in the courtyard garden later in the evening he went looking for another rat!
13th February 2008
Had a bit of a fright this morning because when we walked into the Courtyard garden checking for anything they may have done late last night Sandy spotted the door in the far corner open and did a runner to investigate. Stuart dashed after him calling for my help. I went out the other gate to cut him off in case he turned left out the garden and as I came round the corner of the buildings saw a black dog run across the yard. At first I thought it was Indi and by the time I got to the area where I'd seen her she was gone. I called Indi then realized it may be Emma so I called her name and she came running happily towards me, whereupon she was praised and we both walked back to the cottage to find Stuart returning with Sandy. Sandy had turned right into the owner's garden and was after their cat who was wise to the situation and jumped the wall out the way. Sandy realizing he couldn't make the wall turned to go up the side of it and round the top back into the Courtyard garden but met Stuart en route who caught him with a rugby tackle! A good start to the 13th! In just over twenty four hours we've had the rat, the dew claw and the escape so we are hoping for a more non-eventful remainder of our stay.
21st February 2008
We were invited to lunch today by the owners of Warren Farm and because Sandy has been so good we decided to leave him in the cottage with the others. We were away about three hours and came back to find all was well apart from a couple of shoes on one of the dog beds!
22nd February 2008
Sandy has enjoyed his stay in Ireland and the experience did him the world of good. He quickly made himself at home in the cottage, enjoyed his walks along Duncannon beach, along the top of the Kennedy View Point and around the fields by the cottage once he been to each location once and each following time he got better but we still had to watch him if people and other dogs were around as some seem to affect him. We had really good weather with sunshine most days so he got out and about a bit in the car, which he loved and in the evenings if we went out for a meal he and Emma came with us in the car leaving Bobby and Indi in the cottage.
Last night all four Greyhounds slept in our bedroom - the cases were packed and sitting in the hall waiting to go and they decided we weren't sneaking out without them!
The journey home was long but good and when we got home Sandy did a tour of the house to make sure all was well then settled in the living room pleased to be home again
23rd February 2008
Took Sandy out for his walk today wearing a harness and boy, what a difference - he walked nicely by our side, took smaller steps and didn't try yanking us over to the side of the road if he wanted a sniff. All that was needed was slight tension on the lead and he would stand still and wait. He was a pleasure to take out.
24th February 2008
Didn't make it to the outside agility class as we hoped because it was raining when we got up so didn't think it was going to be on, however, we are aiming to take him next week.
27th February 2008
We took Sandy to the vet this afternoon because whilst in Ireland we noticed a hard scaly lump on the top of his right front leg similar to that they sometimes get when sleeping on hard surfaces. As we couldn't remember seeing it earlier we had been bathing it twice daily with Hibiscrub. Last night he tried chewing it so we thought it best he saw the vet. As he was only going from the front door to the car I attached his lead to his collar, he waited till we were out the door then pulled as hard as he could to get to the end of the drive, however, I stopped him in his tracks, got him back inside the house to start again - this time with the harness and what a difference. He waited nicely at the front door till I went out first then he walked gently down the drive to the car.
At the vets I put a soft nylon muzzle on him just in case there were other dogs in the waiting room but although he looked at them he didn't try pulling towards them and just watched. He did us proud in the vets because when he was being examined he never growled or grumbled once - he looked out the corner of his eye at the vet a bit wary as she was examining him but that was all. The vet said although the lump looked angry where he'd been licking it and because it was a lump on its own and not growing into the bone around the top of his leg she didn't think it was anything nasty. She advised we carry on bathing it with Hibiscrub twice a day as before but in between put some ointment on as well twice a day for two weeks to see if it heals. If it doesn't and still looks angry after two weeks they may take him in and remove it under anaesthetic. If they do then they will send the lump away for analysis to be on the safe side.
29th February 2008
We have a regime of Hibiscrub in the morning, cream before his lunch time walk to distract him from licking it off, Hibiscrub at tea time and cream again when he goes to bed. The hard top of the lump has disappeared but Sandy, he makes us laugh because as soon as he sees the cotton wool being soaked with water and Hibiscrub or the tube of cream appearing he disappears with his head down of to his bed. We get a very sheepish look as we approach and during administering the wash or cream but after we lift his head, give him a kiss and a stroke and off he goes again as happy as Larry. He's just so frightened of being hurt and so excited at not being. We've really moved forward in this area because he's now realizes that whatever we do to him we are NOT going to hurt him, however, to be on the safe side he still acts on the side of caution but we don't get the growls anymore and if we did we would just tell him 'to pack it in' and we continue what we are doing, which we think he knows. All the same he's just so happy at having done what has to be done and coming out of it okay - what a character!
2nd March 2008
This morning we took Sandy to the agility classes on the park. At first he was very nervous and with his muzzle on he met the other dogs in the class and was fine. He sniffed them including the Terrier who didn't like being sniffed so she snapped at him - he just backed off! He watched them charging around the agility course and even ignored the Collie who insisted on barking at his owner all the way round the obstacles. A small hurdle was set up just for him and we took him over it a few times to give him something to do and to help him relax. The railway line runs along the side of the park close to where we were and boy, wasn't he funny when a train went past. We stood to allow him to watch it and you could see from the look on his face that he'd never see one of those THINGS before. We had a job to get him to jump his hurdle for a while after that because he kept looking in the direction the train had gone to see if was coming back to get him! At first when he saw other dogs in the park playing in the distance they bothered him but after a while he seemed less interested in them - all good signs. The only problem we had this morning was right at the end when a man and his white Terrier came to meet his wife who was with her dog in the class. Sandy fixed his eyes on it and pulled heavily towards it. Stuart thought he wanted to get it so squirted him with cold water, turned him away from the dog and told him to leave. It's almost as if he feels he has to protect his pack - the dogs in the agility class when he was around all became his pack so the white Terrier became the intruder - most interesting, because he did a similar thing on the beach in Ireland when Bobby went over to say hello to another dog running about in the sea - it was almost as if Sandy was worried the other dog might hurt Bobby.
3rd March 2008
Don't know what it was that happened over the weekend, maybe it's now that Sandy walks lovely on the lead wearing his harness we've been able to watch his behaviour as it really is. Maybe, it was the thought of how he would cope with the operation if it were necessary to remove the lump on his leg, and how did he cope being neutered whilst in the kennels prior to coming to us. I don't know why but something niggled me something shocking, which led me to enquire as to whether Sandy had ever been neutered. It couldn't be. The chances of the same thing happening again were so remote. No it couldn't be. However, enquiries last night revealed he was born without a scrotum and was therefore, a whole dog. When we found this out we couldn't believe it. We were quite shocked because exactly the same had happened to our lovely Paddy, and it may have been thinking of Paddy and the way he had been that triggered the similarities and questions this weekend.
First thing this morning we phoned the vet and booked him in to be neutered with the vet who operated on Paddy. Paddy was born with no scrotum and the behaviourist believed that 95% of his behavioural problems were because his testicles were inside and were therefore too hot. If this is the case with Sandy, then once we get those testicles out of him and his hormones settle down then we stand a very good chance of his behaviour improving as the behaviourist said it would, and did, with Paddy.
5th March 2008
It suddenly dawned on us this afternoon that we've heard no growls or grumbles from Sandy for some time, no matter what we've been doing with him or where we've been. This is a real step forward and a huge milestone because it shows that at last he trusts us.
7th March 2008
This morning Sandy went to the vet to be neutered and to have the lump on his leg looked at again where he weighed in at nearly 81lbs (36.8k). The operation went well and reasonable sized testicles were found either side of his kidneys. He received a cut about 5" long with 6 stitches which was shorter than they anticipated because of the location of his testicles. However, he's also got 3 stitches in his groin because when he was under anaesthetic and flat on his back a lump appeared in his groin, which the vet thought was a testicle but it turned out not to be the case. The vet never touched the lump on his leg she saw a few days ago because she said treating it with the Hibiscrub and the ointment she gave us was working so wanted it left alone.
When we called in to collect him this afternoon he looked very sorry for himself. He wouldn't climb in the car so I had to lift him and once home he wouldn't climb out so I had to lift him again - and he's no light weight! In the house he met Faith who had arrived whilst he was at the vets then just wanted to lay on his bed in the living room and sleep. Later he had a little food and some liquid then very gingerly walked into the garden to do his toilet. He managed the stairs okay on his way to bed, but only just.
8th March 2008
Last night we put a muzzle on Sandy when we turned the lights out because we didn't want him licking his stitches but we needn't have worried because he never moved all night. He very sheepishly came down the stairs, still looked very sorry for himself but ate a good breakfast then went back to his bed. Emma was being re-homed this morning so everything was done to keep Sandy as quiet as we could.
9th March 2008
Sandy had his muzzle on again last night but he doesn't seem to want to touch the stitches so if he's okay today I don't think we will bother again tonight. He's been more his happy self today and at one point we had to calm things down when Faith was goading him to play with her - the last thing we wanted was the two of them charging round the house together and him breaking his stitches.
10th March 2008
This morning the lady who was re-homing Faith called to collect her and within a couple of minutes Sandy had remembered her from a previous visit and was her best friend. She thought Sandy lovely (and he is) and admitted she had taken quite a fancy to him the last time they met, saying if she'd been a few years younger she would have had him. It's funny but she's now the third person to have visited our home and met Sandy and seen what a loveable chap he is - and wanted him, so we know the right home is out there somewhere, it's just a case of waiting but until that day arrives he's my 'big adorable boy'.
12th March 2008
The lump on Sandy's leg has almost gone and his neutering wound seems to be healing nicely so he's back to his normal happy, playful self again today. In a way I'm glad Faith went to her new home on Monday because if she was still here it would have been a nightmare trying to stop them charging around the house together.
16th March 2008
Badger arrived yesterday, who is a playful eighteen month old dog and both Indi and Sandy took it upon themselves to put him in his place because Bobby decided he'd had enough and took to our bed where he slept most of the afternoon in peace. Badger kept wanting to play and sometimes quite amorously with Sandy and Indi so they've both been putting him in his place and after that each time Badger came anywhere near them there was a low growl that warned Badger to go and play elsewhere Hopefully as soon as Badger is neutered this amorous play will cease. Last night when Badger was pining and pacing the place Sandy was very good and stayed in his bed. We could hear a low growl every so often but that may have been him trying to settle him because Indi was doing the same.
17th March 2008
This afternoon Sandy went to the vet and had his stitches removed. Whilst there the vet also checked the lump at the top of his leg and was pleased to see it almost gone. Sandy never wore his muzzle into the vet this time and was very good because he ignored the other dogs in the waiting room and waited his turn by laying patiently on the floor.
18th March 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDY - 5 TODAY
Spring is in the air and we have one very happy, playful Greyhound today whose been emptying the toy box all morning, charging in and around the house and garden then laying on the settee on his back with legs in the air fast asleep - best way to spend your birthday! May be it was because he had his stitches out yesterday or perhaps it's because Badger hasn't been around to share our affection because he spent most of the day in the vets being neutered. Sandy was a bit growly with Max at first but after a while they settled and became best mates. With Daisy, Emma and Jazz he was fine and now another dog is here he's being a bit growly again. It could be because of Badger's age he feels he has to put him in his place, it could be because he's a dog or it could be he's not keen on sharing my affection. With a new dog in the house they need a bit more of our time to settle them in and perhaps with Sandy being here a while he feels as if his nose is pushed out. Having said that, he's coping very well when told to stop being grumpy, which he couldn't have handled when he first arrived so that is a big move forward.
27th March 2008
This afternoon we took Badger to the vet for his stitches out and when we got back he became very excited with the freedom now they were out and he started dashing round the house with Sandy. So as not to cause any damage we opened the door so they could play in the garden if they wanted. This, with hindsight, was a mistake because although Badger wanted to play, we don't think Sandy did and, from the kitchen where I was speaking to someone on the phone, heard a tussle start in the garden. Cutting the telephone conversation dead I ran into the garden to see the two of them on their hind legs having a disagreement but when I approached and took a collar in each hand they easily fell away from each other and it instantly stopped. My first thought was 'Oh no this is a trip to the vet' and, with Sandy being the bigger and stronger dog we thought the blood was from Badger. Having got them both back in the house Stuart and I examined them to find it was Sandy who was injured. Badger didn't have a scratch on him so the incident seemed to be that of a teenager going 'over the top' with the adult trying to calm things down.
Poor Sandy had a nick on his head, his nose was bleeding, his foot was bleeding and he had heart shaped wound above his front left leg that needed treatment so we phoned the vet who said to bring him straight in. The vet was the same one who neutered him and took his stitches out and she is very good with him. She gave him a thorough examination including inside his mouth and the nick on the top of his head because of his nose bleed, which thankfully stopped within a couple of minutes of it starting. The nick in his head hadn't damaged his scull and the tooth mark in his foot, although deep would heal itself but she suggested we bathe it regularly with diluted Hibiscrub to reduce the risk of infection. The heart shaped wound, she wanted to staple so a nurse was called and the two of them lifted him on to lay on the table so they could do it. Before lifting him I put a muzzle on him and warned them that if he growls to just ignore him and carry on. Sandy was a super star and I was just so proud of him because he just lay there and let the vet shave him, clean the wound and put five staples in it. Although I held his collar and stroked him he didn't growl, flinch or even twitch. He knew we were all trying to help him and I was just so proud of him.
28th March 2008
Badger and Sandy were back to being friends again by the end of the day which started with grumbles from Sandy every timeBadger went anywhere near him, which I suppose is understandable because of what happened and the way he was feeling.
29th March 2008
Yesterday afternoon Badger went to his new home and although Sandy seemed okay to begin with he became very quiet and sullen in the evening and when I went to him in his bed he gave me a very frightened look and a low growl, which is
something we've not experienced for a while. He did it again two or three times during the evening when I went over to say hello. At first I wondered if it was his injuries but they hadn't bothered him yesterday and usually if he's poorly he seems to know we are trying to help him. It suddenly occurred to me this had happened before and always on the day a dog is rehomed - he was missing Badger and perhaps blaming us for him going. I think before he was fine the following day so we just left him and lo and behold this morning he was back to his normal self. It just goes to show how insecure and sensitive he is if something as simple as one of the Greyhounds going upsets him.
2nd April 2008
This afternoon we took Sandy to meet Flash, Tiger and Ben for an hour or so with a view to leaving him with them while we were away on holiday later in the month. Sandy was a little grumbly with Ben to begin with, but soon stopped. Sandy settled and lay on one of the beds to find Ben come over and stood over him, showing his dominance over Sandy.
7th April 2008
Sandy went to the vet today and had the 5 staples removed and the other injuries checked – all seemed to be healing fine.  When you stroke him where he was injured it feels as if there is bubble wrap under his skin and the vet said that was air that had collected under his skin caused by the operation or injury.  After he was neutered it did it and it went to his back because air rises to the highest point.  It will disappear in time.  At the vets he met 2 Labradors and said hello – he was fine.
16th April 2008
Late this afternoon we dropped Sandy and all his belongings off with Dan, Christine, Flash, Tiger and Ben. There were a few grumbles between Sandy and Ben and Sandy backed against the front door behind Stuart's legs out the way but giving Ben a grumbling. However, after the initial meeting things began to settle and after a while we left saying to Sandy to 'stay there, back soon'.
17th April 2008
Shortly after arriving in Portugal we phoned Dan and Christine to see how Sandy was as we were quite apprehensive about leaving him. Not that they couldn't manage, but Sandy is a big dog, has a couple of issues and Sandy made four dogs in the house and sometimes having the extra one can tip the balance between being able to cope and struggling. Sandy was fine.
19th April 2008
Spoke to Dan this evening who said Sandy was okay and at that moment in time was laying on the floor at his feet whilst they were watching television. Dan commented at what a strong dog Sandy was but he didn't say more so I wasn't sure if something had happened to prompt the comment.
25th April 2008
Although we'd spoken to Dan and Christine whilst we were away who said Sandy had been fine the first two or three days away we missed him and although the rest of the time I tried to put him out of my mind I found it very difficult so when we were on the plane coming home we both commented that we were really looking forward to seeing all the dogs again. When we arrived home we literally dropped our bags inside the door and went to pick them up.
Having collected Bobby and Indi from a friend we drove over to collect Sandy. When we arrived Ben the German Shepherd was in the garden and we were greeted by three very happy Greyhounds. Only having two hands it was very difficult greeting three dogs. We can't explain why we got the greeting we got from Flash and Tiger because we see them often so it may have been Sandy's greeting that was infectious because what a welcome. At one stage I realized he was looking me in the eye and I was standing up! He'd jumped up and put his feet on my shoulders so he could get closer to me and give me a lick and I hadn't even noticed him doing it. To say how big he is and how excited he was to see us he was very gentle. However, feet are meant for the floor not my shoulders so we made him stand on all fours before we greeted him further.
This was the first time that Dan and Christine had fostered a dog but they said Sandy had been fine, even when they'd left all four dogs in the house and went out. With having four they hadn't taken them anywhere in the car but with a muzzle on Sandy had had some runs in the paddock with the others - the muzzle was more for Ben's sake because during Sandy's stay there had been one or two grumbles between them. He'd only been allowed in the garden off the lead the past couple of days because until then there were sheep and lambs in the field over the fence and because their fence isn't overly high they didn't want to risk him jumping it or teaching Ben, Flash and Tiger how to do it!
The grumbles between Sandy and Ben didn't overly concern us with regards the monitoring of Sandy because Ben is a 'whole' dog who has only been with Dan and Christine since just after Christmas. They thought he was about four years old but the vet thinks he's older. Not only that but when he first came to live with them Tiger ignored Ben for the first month, wanting nothing to do with him so he may have reacted to Ben that way whereas Sandy reacted to Ben his way - by grumbling!
Now the family was complete we went home and fed them then we went for a bite to eat so they got a trip to the pub. When we got home we lit the fire in the living room and sat and watched television the rest of the evening so they all knew things were back to normal. Bobby climbed on the settee and flaked out. Indi got up next to Stuart and Sandy crashed out on the bed in the corner of the living room. It wasn't long before we realized that although they had enjoyed their 'holiday' they were glad to be back home and in the case of Sandy the experience would have done him the world of good.
27th April 2008
Sandy was good in the pub tonight, but barked at a lady who went to stroke him. She looked him in the eyes as she went to do it so he never got the chance to have a sniff and 'weigh her up' before she touched him, and this is why he did it.
1st May 2008
We think we have worked out why Sandy grumbles at us when we are sitting on the settee with him - its because we are putting pressure on his feet. There isn't much room on the two seater settee with Sandy and one of us so we think the grumbling starts when we move and he gets pressure applied to his feet somehow. This will explain why he does it even if it's obvious he's enjoying a cuddle.
Sandy has started doing a Bobby with our new foster dog Prince who is only 2. Prince is a happy little boy and being the age he is, can be quite bouncy and playful at times so tries to get down the stairs first no matter who is in front of him. When its Sandy, Sandy stops dead and blocks the way then turns his head towards Prince and does a low growl at him. This makes Prince stop and the rest of the journey down the stairs is at a sedate pace - it's exactly what Bobby used to do up until a few weeks ago before he became a bit unsteady on his back legs if he was pushed into.
Click images for a larger view

In April 2008 Sandy spent the week with Flash, Tiger, Ben and their owners whilst we were in Portugal. Below are some pictures of his visit.

Greyhound and Alsation
Christine with Sandy and Ben
Greyhound greetings
Christine with Sandy, Flash,
Tiger and Ben
Greyhounds
. . . and again
Greyhounds
. . . and again
Greyhounds
. . . and again.
Greyhound with Alsation
with Dan.

Greyhound with Alsation
and again.
Sandy is going to appear in the June issue of the Dog's Today magazine - here is a copy of what is being included.
Sandy in the Dog's Today Magazine
Click the image to enlarge
2nd May 2008
It was my brother's wedding in Harrogate today and Sandy and the others had to stay in the car most of the time during the wedding because the hotel didn't let dogs in. We let them out frequently for short walks around the hotel grounds and Sandy met a few people we knew when the photographs were being taken on the lawns. It was the first time he'd encountered a situation like this and to say it was all so strange he handled it really well.
3rd May 2008
Last night Prince and Sandy slept in the back of the car in the car park behind the Harrogate Brasserie where we stayed the night. Bobby and Indi came in with us but we thought four Greyhounds were a bit too much! Both Greyhounds were fine last night in the car and gave Stuart a lovely welcome when he got them out first thing this morning and took them for a short walk. After breakfast we took them all for a long walk in the park close to the hotel as they'd been in the car most of yesterday, then after lunch we headed for home. On the way back we stopped near Blubberhouses where we took them for a walk in the woods then in Gargrave stopped off to see if Mum had got home and to have a cup of tea with her. When we finally arrived home it was tea time so we fed them and after that they just crashed out in the living room for the rest of the evening.
5th May 2008
Today we attended an event at the Owl Sanctuary in Barrow-in-Furness where Dumfriesshire and Cumbria Greyhound Rescue had a stall. It was lovely weather and we all had a really nice day. Having arrived shortly after 10am we left about 4pm. Two or three teenagers took to our stall and were fascinated with the Greyhounds so before long they were constantly taking them for walks around the event but we thought it best if we took Sandy - just in case! He showed no interest in the owls nor the sheep, pigs or donkeys but we thought it best not to walk near the peacocks, rabbits and guinea pigs!

15th May 2008
When Sandy saw the post van arriving this morning he was in my office and decided to bark at the post man as he was walking towards the house. As we don't want him doing this we've recently started spraying him with cold water and telling him to 'Hush'. The water spray seems to be doing the trick because as soon as he sees it he's more interested in not being sprayed than he is barking, he sometimes gives a low grumble as an objection to which we spray him again and say 'Hush'. The moment he's quiet we say 'Quiet, Good Boy, Quiet' and we think slowly, the penny is dropping. We are doing the same when visitors arrive as we don't want him barking at everyone that comes to the door. He makes a really good guard dog and lets us know when anyone comes but we don't want him being quite so loud and bouncy so if the water spray works that will be a good thing. The only problem is we need two people to do it because one needs to be in the small dining room where Sandy is and the other person needs to open the door to let the person in. One can't do it because there is a glass door in between and Sandy knows we can't spray him from the other side of the door.
18th May 2008
Sandy was a bit jealous of the attention I was giving Scooby when he first arrived especially as I had to watch him so much and do everything with him because he wouldn't go anywhere near Stuart. Sandy used to push his way between us when we were having a cuddle but now that Scooby is settling down a bit so has Sandy. Sandy loves being cuddled so if there are any going he likes to be in there having some - he's like it with everyone!
I must remember to keep the curtain shut across the glass door leading into the hall because Sandy has started barking to let us know the paper's have arrived - only problem is they arrive very early and well before our alarm goes off. He didn't do it in the winter as we routinely shut the curtains at night so he wouldn't have seen them being delivered and it would also have been dark but I don't alway shut the one across the door in the summer so I'm going to from now on to stop him waking us up.

27th May 2008
Sandy is our only foster Greyhound at present since Scooby went to his new home. He has become very playful and started chasing his tail again as he did the last time we had a few days on our own, that is with three dogs instead of four! The last time it happened as soon as a new foster dog arrived he stopped doing it again so we will watch to see if he does it again.

29th May 2008
We've had a number of visitors this week and are amazed at how many have noticed a difference in Sandy. We see him every day so don't always see the changes but our visitors have and commented about how he's changed since they last visited. Sandy still warns us when people arrive, which is a good thing but is very responsive to the water spray when we ask him to hush. When our visitors enter the house he becomes very friendly with them almost instantly, looks a lot more relaxed, the affection he shows them is unbelievable and he's constantly by their side wanting a cuddle.
Some friends came round for a meal this evening and Stuart had to dash to the shop last minute to buy more butter. He'd put some butter in an open dish and left it near the edge of the table. Sandy decided it was too good an opportunity to miss and ate half before he was spotted. He hadn't jumped up to get it but as he is so tall he could reach the dish with his tongue. We've had Sandy nearly seven months and it must be the first time in as long as I can remember that he's tried to pinch something - he must be settling in!!
Sandy is getting on wonderfully well with Jinky who arrived last night. They run and play together and if one comes for a cuddle the other snuggles in as well and they don't mind, which is lovely.
7th June 2008
Today we did a stall at Caton Gala arriving at 10.30am and leaving around 5pm. Sandy was really good and went for two or three walks with people around the showground. There were loads and loads of dogs there and our stall was situated a few feet away from the main dog show ring so every breed you can imagine walked past our stall. Sandy showed no concern for the dogs and Stuart took some photos of him sniffing some as they walked around the edge of the ring. Perhaps he was overawed by them all and he was more concerned with all the people milling around, many of whom wanted to say hello to him, which made him feel a little unsure so he spent spells laying in the back of the car behind the stall with the door open just watching all that was going on. Here he could enjoy watching the world go by in safety!
8th June 2008
Today I was taken out for lunch as it was my birthday. It started at 12.45pm and we didn't get back till 4.00pm. Because we went with friends all the dogs were left at home and it was the first time Sandy had been left for that length of time with the others. When we arrived home all was well except a wee by the door, which we think was excitement at seeing us come home - who did it we are not sure.
13th June 2008
We were driving out of Homebase this afternoon and wondered why Sandy was behaving the way he was - he's seen a rabbit sitting on the grass the other side of the road and his eyes were fixed on it. He knew he couldn't get it because he was in the car but he did look funny staring and it as it was hopping along in the grass.
1st July 2008
Since opening our house up for bed and breakfast a few days ago we had our first guests arrive this afternoon and having strangers walking around the house will be an eye opener for Sandy and will do him the world of good - and keep us on our toes!. We've put a lot of thought into how we can get the guests in and around the house without Sandy barking at them at the window and and how to handle him when they are strolling up and down the stairs when he's in my office with me. I know he's seen a few models in the house when they've been for photo shoots with Stuart but paying guests is a different ball game. When we see the guests arrive instead of shutting the dogs out of the conservatory as we've done in the past so they can see who it is walking in the house this time we shut them all in the living room so the sight of strangers entering the house goes unseen and the guests can be welcomed in peace. This seems to have worked today because when he does see them walking around the house he's been okay. From what we've seen with Sandy it's when he's startled that causes him to bark as if to say ' Oh, you made me jump' so if we can avoid these scenarios until he gets used to all the comings and goings it will be good. We've moved the safety gate off the studio door and lengthened it to go across the archway leading from the kitchen into the living room and studio so when we are working in the kitchen they can move between the studio and the living room yet still see what we are doing without being in the kitchen. Sandy and the other dogs handled this arrangement very well today and I'm sure it won't be long before the change in routine becomes the routine!

30th August 2008
This afternoon Sandy went to his new home, where we hope he will have a long and happy life. Well actually, he went to his forever home on the 4th November 2007 because it was our home! Sandy knew it, but it took him nearly 10 months to get the message across to us. Sandy is the first foster dog from the 70 we've had that we've adopted. We always said we only wanted 2 of our own to allow us to foster 2 at a time and we've been very strict with ourselves about this, but earlier this month when we took our Bobby to the vet for his annual checkup the vet commented his heart wasn't quite as strong as it had been six months earlier. I think this is what did it and Stuart and I came to the same decision almost on the same day. We've had Sandy 10 months and in that time we've turned him from a nightmare into a lovely dog. Yes, he still has a couple of issues but nothing major and nothing that can't in time, be sorted. There are a lot more dogs out and about much worse than him now! I think if Sandy was to be re-homed now we would be worried in case his new owners didn't heed our advice and something happened that would undo all the hard work we'd done. With Bobby now 13 years old and becoming more frail and with all the work we'd done with Sandy it seemed the most logical thing to do so after 13 months of being on the Dumfriesshire and Cumbria web site looking for a home he's now got one!!!!
READ ABOUT SANDY NOW WE HAVE ADOPTED HIM
 
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