RGT South Lakes, Cumbria Greyhound Rescue - Retired Greyhounds make great pets

GREYHOUND RESCUE
Fostering Greyhounds in the South Lake District, Cumbria

Dakota
is looking for a new home

Dakota arrived on Wednesday 9th December 2009 and is currently looking for a new home.
Telephone 015395 52394 or email if you would like to rehome Dakota
or one of the other Greyhounds who are currently looking for adoption.

Dakota's arrival and a brief history
Click images for a larger view

Dakota is a beautiful 7 year old brindle greyhound who is house trained, neutered, inoculated and microchipped. He was born on the 25th November 2002 making him 7 years old and has been living in a home since December 2007 but sadly came back into 'Rescue', but we don't know why. He is a very loveable chap, getting used to being cuddled, walks nicely on the lead and travels well in the car.

Dakota's Diary

9th December 2009
This afternoon we collected Misty and Dakota and brought them both back home in the car. Both were introduced to Indi and Sandy before getting in the car and when they jumped in the back both lay down for the journey home and not a murmour was heard from either. Once home we took them both for a walk then into our house and out in the garden for an explore and do any more toilet they wanted before bringing them back in the house.
10th December 2009
We are going to keep Dakota on the lead around our garden for a while because he came to us with no name so he has to learn that and he has a cut on his side and top of his leg where he jumped a wall or a fence to get into a field after some sheep so we know he can jump if he wants to. With having two new foster dogs arriving the same day we think it best he stay on the lead until he knows us, knows the garden and realises that our house is a nice place to be. With regards the sheep we will work on that one as we did with Joe and Sandy so it won't be long before Dakota leaves them alone as well. At least we've been told without waiting to discover it ourselves!
11th December 2009
Stairs are no problem for Dakota and he went up and down them without any of our help, but the first time he came down he got half way and stopped and we thought we would have to give him a hand but with an encouraging word from us he managed on his own. After that he ran up and down with the others as if he'd been doing it all his life.
This evening as we walked around the corner of the pub we came face to face with a terrier off the lead and Sandy, who dislikes small dogs running around his back legs got a bit uptight and set Dakota off who was walking along side him. We were not sure if Dakota was reacting to the dog or Sandy prancing about barking by his side. However, we backed away and used the pub wall to keep him out of site of it until they put the dog on a lead and went into the pub. We were going to take them all in the pub after our walk but with the terrier going in there and Sandy becoming stressed we decided to take him and Misty home and take Indi and Dakota in the pub to see how he reacted to it without Sandy being around. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived back at the pub the terrier had left and there were no other dogs in there to watch his reaction. He was really good in the pub, said hello to a few people who came across to stroke him then lay on the floor and watched all that was going on. People were amazed when they discovered we'd only had him a couple of days and this was the first time he'd been in a pub.
19th December 2009
Since Misty left this morning Dakota has been very unsettled, walking around the place looking for her and whimpering for over two hours before he settled.
20th December 2009
We had a lot of snow last night and when we let the dogs out this morning Dakota went crazy running around and playing in it. When he came back in the house he left a trail of blood across the conservatory floor and upon examination he'd caught his foot on something and sliced a thin bit of skin off. It bled quite alot but after a while we managed to stop it and bathed it with Hibiscrub to ensure it was clean. Trust him to go and do somthing like that - the problem is they can't see what

Click images for a larger view

Dakota in our field
10th December 2009

. . . and again . . .

Enjoying the snow
in our garden
5th January 2010

lies beneath the snow and it was covering the steps making the edges difficult to see. Dakota was obviously being a typical greyhound!
22nd December 2009
Dakota is beginning to recognise his name and because of the others now understands that when we stand in the conservatory doorway and clap our hands it is for him to come back into the house. This evening after he went outside for the last time he came running back in with the others and climbed on to the settee next to Sandy. Sandy gave him a grumble but Dakota simply ignored him, climbed on and cuddled down for the night.
23rd December 2009
After Tess arrived, and to introduce calm following her charging round the living room with the others I sat on the settee and watched TV. To my surprise Dakota climbed on next to me and cuddled down resting his head on my lap, which was a first! He lay there for ages letting me stroke, massage and cuddle him. I did this all over his body because to begin with he was a bit funny about us touching his back legs. I don't think he's had a lot of cuddles and body contact so his grumbles were because he didn't know what we were doing so I made a point of touching him all over especially his back end and tail to get him used to the idea that it is a nice feeling and nothing to be worried about - he just loved it.
24th December 2009
Dakota has really settled since Tess arrived, seems more mature somehow and tries to cuddle up to the other dogs. Perhaps the change in him is because he's found a new companion in Tess who allows him to snuggle up next to her as he used to do with Misty and that relaxes him!
3rd January 2010
Dakota's hair is very thick and we've been wanting to give him a bath for sometime but with the b & b guests and Christmas approaching we've not had the chance because we needed to do it so he could dry as quick as possible with it being so cold outside. We wanted to bath him because after you've been stroking him a while your hands feel rather greasy and we wondered if this might help in removing some of the blackheads on his stomach, which appear to be drying up. When you rub his tummy the odd one falls off in your hand so the combination of cleansers and antiseptics seem to be working. Once in the bath he seemed to enjoy it but only for a while and towards the end of rinsing him off his back legs began to give way causing him to sway from side to side. However, out the bath, a good rub down and off he went to lay on the dog bed in front of the kitchen fire to dry off. With him laying there it didn't take him as long to dry as we thought and wished we'd bathed him earlier, but we weren't to know he was to lie in front of the fire - the perfect spot on a cold winter's day!
7th January 2010
Dakota, like the others was a bit quiet coming home in the car after we left Tess with her new owners. It had been a long day so after we got home and fed them it was asleep in front of the fire for Dakota to warm up again - he so loves to feel the heat of the fire on his back and will sometimes lay his head on the hearth as a pillow so he feels the warmth on his head.
8th January, 2010
Dakota is a bit unsure of men when they approach him, and he makes us laugh because he seems a bit confused with Stuart. If Stuart walks past him with a smile on his face Dakota is fine but if Stuart has no smile Dakota will back away from him. If Stuart leaves the house, goes upstairs to the office or even to the toilet he has to remember to say to Dakota 'stay there, back soon' otherwise Dakota will pace the floor near the door and wimper until he returns - a huge welcome then he settles again. Stuart says he hasn't noticed him do it when I leave the room!
9th January 2010
Dakota is really getting to know our routine now and happily goes in the garden with the others to do his toilet and comes back to the house when called. He loves going for rides in the car and bounces all over the place with excitement when he knows he's going out for a walk, which can sometimes continue for the first twenty yards or so until he settles down and walks nicely with the others. It's nothing to worry about though because he's just a happy chap! He now knows his dish of food is put on the step in the kitchen so he doesn't try to get the other's food before his dish is put down and once he's eaten it all he knows not to touch the other's food but to go into the garden to do his toilet.
10th January 2010
This afternoon we did a home check and took Dakota in - he was very interested in the different smell that was coming from the hamster cage so the little girl took the cage into the kitchen then he settled. From the way Dakota reacted to the cat on the wall when we stopped at the pub on the way to re-home Tess a couple of days ago we don't think he is cat friendly so the family let their cats out as well while he was there. Apart from that he was a little shy of the gentleman but was happy for the lady and little girl to sit on the floor with him and stroke him, so much so, that everytime they stopped he nudged them to continue. The home check was a pass - we just need a cat friendly dog now!
11th January 2010
This evening we noticed some red between Dakota's toes on his front left foot. He wasn't too keen on me looking at it so Stuart held his collar so we could take a better look. In between his toes it looks a bit sore, don't think it is a cut but it was difficult to see so we bathed it in Hibiscrub a couple of times and we will keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't become infected.

If you can give Dakota his forever home please contact us - details above