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

GREYHOUND RESCUE
Fostering Greyhounds in the South Lake District, Cumbria

Lexi

Lexi arrived on Friday 22nd April 2011
Went to her new home on Monday 5th September 2011.

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

Lexi is a cute black and white ex-racing Greyhound who was born on the 21st July 2006. A little nervous of strangers she walks nicely on the lead and is getting used to all the new noises in the big outside world. Once she gets to know you she becomes a very loving and affectionate dog who sticks to you like 'glue'. She travels well in the car and from what we've been told she is okay with other breeds of dogs. Lexi is microchipped but arrived with no paperwork so when she visits the vet shortly to be speyed she will be inoculated again to bring everything up to date.
Lexi is being fostered by Peter and Anne and is living with their greyhound Prince, their lurcher and Collie X until she finds her forever home.

Lexi's Diary

22nd April 2011
Stuart collected Lexi and Ebony this morning, both travelled well in the car and didn't mind the wait while Stuart nipped into Morrisons supermarket on the way home to do some shopping. Both were fine left on their own in the car.
Lexi, we have been told is quite a nervous dog until she gets to know you then will stick to you like glue. During the period of getting to know you and the 'big outside world' she needs to have her collar on quite tight so she can't pull out of it and we recommend using a harness with her so she can't shake her head from the collar and run off.
When Stuart got home she was introduced to our greyhounds in the garden, shown in the house and had a drink because it was a hot day. Lexi has a nip mark on her back, from what we are not sure, but it is fairly recent and been treated with an Iodine solution, we think by the colour. It looked okay, but when she goes into the vets next week to be spayed we will get them to check it over for us, just in case!
After all the introductions with our Greyhounds and Ebony off to her new foster home Stuart, along with his book settled on the patio in the sunshine for an hour or so to read and give her chance to settle while I finished off doing the bedrooms ready for our new bed and breakfast guests staying tonight and Peter and Anne arriving with Dylan who was being adopted today and collecting Lexi, who they are going to foster. Lexi, after standing a while and watching what was going on soon lay on the dog bed in the shade of the wall and bush and settled.
Photographs taken and everything collected for her off she went with Peter and Anne to her new foster home. Lexi was unsure of me when I'd finished my work, was fine by that time with Stuart, but wary of Anne and Peter so the golden rule of 'No touch, no talking to and no eye contact' came into motion giving Lexi the time to weigh up what was happening and she settled better. As Anne or I walked towards her she backed away, but as she was still on the lead we could gently bring the lead towards us so we could stand by her and she could get used to us. She will be on the lead a lot outside even in the garden until she becomes accustomed to us and realises we are no threat to her. Jumping in the back of their car was easy for her and she quickly lay on the bed in the back and settled for the short journey home.
Early evening we received an email from Anne letting us know that Just to let you know that Lexi was fine. They introduced her to their dogs one at a time and all was okay then they took them all for a walk and she was very good on the lead. There was just one time a car went by and she skipped to the side but it wasn't a major pull and she soon settled down.
She had something to eat and is drinking OK   They let her have a good look around downstairs but then she settled in the crate and lay there panting, which is nerves. That subsided as time went by and she is beginning to make eye contact with them, which is wonderful. Lexi has only been in her foster home a few hours but Anne mentioned in her email she had a feeling she could get attached to this one!!
23rd April 2011
We received an email this morning from Peter and Anne letting us know that Lexi had a good night last night. She elected to stay downstairs in the crate which they thought she might do. This morning she had a good meal and she has been on two short walks with no problems. They are taking her to the quieter places to begin with while she finds her bearings and her confidence increases. She walks beautifully on the lead, you just need to be aware that she could get spooked by something at any time so a short lead for a while is essential. She is very inquisitive and is continually popping in and out of her crate to see what is going on!   She manages the stairs okay; just needs a bit of guidance getting back down. She has such a sweet nature.
24th April 2011
We received an email from Peter and Anne this morning letting us know that Lexi is fine but she is like a frightened rabbit ! They are moving around very slowly with no sudden movements at the moment because otherwise she flies off - she is just so vunerable and your heart goes out to her that something may have happened to her in the past to make her so frightened.
Last night she came up stairs with them all and eventually settled in a dog bed in their room. Apart from a couple of wanderings round she was fine all night   She ate all of her meal this morning with their 3 dogs
and that went really well. They are keeping the crate door open all the time unless they go outside and she goes in there particularly when she comes back from her walk then she bolts straight in there. She pops in and out to check what they are doing from a distance They are letting her have the freedom of the house and she came upstairs to them this morning and Peter sat down and she actually approached him for the first time which was lovely. She's getting the hang of the stairs and is managing coming down them now on her own.
Lexi is brilliant on the lead and walks along gently by your side giving little glances up at you. They are trying to stick to quieter routes for their walks where she doesn't encounter too many new experiences all at once. It isn't always the things you would expect to spook her that do though Last night a noisy bus quite nearby didn't bother her, but then she was really spooked by something when there was nothing or no one about - maybe it was just shadows! She does seem scared of her own shadow, bless her. they are keeping her on a short lead and feel very confident with the tight collar and lead she came with as they buckle together so they don't feel the need to get a harness for her at the moment.
25th April 2011
We received an email from Peter and Anne today letting us know they had a bit of a scare with Lexi last night. Having left the wound on her back alone she decided to have a go at it and took the scab off leaving a red raw swollen bloody sore the size of a 2 pence coin!
They put an Elizabethan collar on her and she spent an undisturbed night in that, and this morning it has shrunk back, dried and is starting to form another scab. In fact it maybe she has done the wound a favour because there was some trapped fluid under the scab so by taking the scab off the fluid has gone and she's cleaned it nicely. Anyway, she has the Elizabethan collar on at all times now except for her
walks and at other times when they can keep a close eye on her.
Although Lexi is rather nervous of most things surprisingly enough she didn't mind them putting the Elizabethan collar on at all, and just lay there while it was fitted, This surprised them as it is quite a noisy
affair with it being right by the ears.
This morning a little cloth flag fluttering on someone's car aerial spooked her and even taking a poo bag from your pocket can unsettle her. However, this morning Peter burnt the toast and set the smoke
detector off and she didn't even bat an eye at that !!
26th April 2011
We received an email from Peter and Anne this evening letting us know that Lexi was wormed first thing this morning and today, she seems a little more settled because she's been spending more time out of the crate, lying on the beds with the others.
27th April 2011
We received an email today from Peter and Anne letting us

Click images for a larger view

Lexi in our garden
22nd April 2011

. . . and again . . .

Lexi enjoying the sunshine while waiting for Peter and Anne to arrive who will be fostering her till she
finds her forever home.

Lexi relaxing with Errie
in her new foster home
29th April 2011

Discovering the settee
for the first time
24th May 2011

Lexi with her bone
14th June 2011

and this time she's tucking in.

Relaxing with Prince
22nd June 2011

know that yesterday evening they took all the dogs round High Dam. Lexi was a different dog walking through the woods. They had the whole place to
themselves - not another car in the car park when they arrived. She was so much more relaxed and although very interested in looking all around she just moved so freely - the first time they had seen her
like that outdoors. They think she may not be used to being in built up areas so they wanted to check out this theory, and it seems it may be the case - there are so many new experiences in the big outside world and it will take her a while to get used to the new ones, however, in time she will and will take them in her stride, but it may take her a little longer than some of the other dogs. When they arrived back at the car park a car started up and drove out and this really spooked her - the first time the whole evening !
Today she has been very reluctant to go out and tonight they took Errie, their collie x with them because she wasn't going anywhere on her own!
They have been trying tonight to watch her constantly and not use the Elizabethan collar at all and hopefully the last outing of the day will be better and she will go for a walk. It's difficult because they don't want to take chances with the wound on her back, which is now looking so much better - one lapse and
they could be back to square one!
Inspite of her fears they say she is a cracking dog !
29th April 2011

We received an email this morning from Peter and Anne letting us know they took a photo of Lexi on her bed in the house this morning. She is a different dog indoors now - far more relaxed. She isn't bothered by the normal domestic noises - vacuum cleaner, washing machine, TV or even the smoke alarm!

Outside is still a different story and sometimes she is very reluctant to go out at all. They are consciously not reacting to any of her skittishness and hopefully as she gains confidence she will begin to realise that there is nothing to fear when she is out with them.
The wound on her back that she came with is healing really well and they are still being very careful to make sure that it continues to do so - putting the Elizabethan collar on whenever they can't watch her.
Lexi and Errie, their Colie X are becoming real friends and happily lay together and give each other licks !

Later we received a futher email letting us know they gave Lexi's ears a good clean last night as they were so dirty. She will feel much better as a result and Anne will do them again shortly to remove any more dirt that has loosened inside and come out.
3rd May 2011
We received an email today from Peter and Anne saying they are very relieved that the incessant wind has at last died down, because poor Lexi was affected badly by it - it made her far more nervous of going outside and they think because she was in a rush to do her toilet and get back indoors she probably didn't
empty herself and they had quite a difficult time with a very distressed dog and 3 accidents indoors.
She loves here walks in woodland as she is really calm there so they are taking her there whenever they can. Wide open spaces either in built up areas or in the countryside seem to really bother her at the moment and she is constantly checking around her and behind her the whole time to ensure she is safe, bless her. Lester and Ben who we fostered earlier were nervous dogs like Lexi and they did the same for a while. Now the wind has gone Peter and Anne are going to try getting her used to being in the garden again. It doesn't seem to be traffic and people unless they are shouting or making sudden noises. However she does seem quite fearful of men and is terrified of bicycles and scooters on pavements.
They are all set to take her to the vets tomorrow morning for her spaying and the first of her inoculations. The cut on her back that she came with has healed beautifully with only a tiny little scab in the middle now, but it will more than likely leave a tiny triangular scar.
Lexi is eating very well, but they are still waiting to see her wag her tail - bless her, she hasn't managed that yet!
4th May 2011
We received an email from Peter and Anne saying Lexi went to the vets this morning to be spayed and weighed in at 26.8k. While being spayed the vets also checked the healing wound on her back, which was fine, some of her back teeth were cleaned as there was some gingivitis, and she had her first inoculation, which was given because she arrived with no paperwork. Since being back home she has settled back in and has had a bit to eat and drink and been out to do her toilet okay.
7th May 2011
Lexi went back to the vet this morning for a check up following her spaying operation and all was healing nicely with the redness almost gone. Cleaning her teeth worked wonders because she is now enjoying her dog biscuits which she wouldn't tackle before.
The last couple of days they feel Lexi is beginning to turn a corner because she is now much more willing to go out for a walk - they have been taking her for frequent short walks to get her over her fear of the outside world and it is beginning to pay off. She is far less nervous outdoors although she still jumps at the odd thing.
She responds very well to her name now and enjoys being made a fuss of - although they are still waiting for her tail to wag for the first time!   It hasn't been easy for her having spent so much of her time with them in the Elizabethan collar - first because of the sore on her back and then after her spaying.
9th May 2011
Received an email from Peter and Anne today letting us know they'd had a couple of thunderstorms, which didn't seem to bother Lexi at all, and when she met a cat at close quarters she was very interested and squeaked, but didn't lunge at it and actually wagged her tail - at least they now know it will wag!
11th May 2011
Received an email from Peter and Anne today letting us know that Lexi has really come on in the last few days and is far more confident compared to even a week ago She has discovered she likes a cuddle -
she lay in Anne's lap this afternoon as she finished getting her ears nice
and clean and even let her trim her dew claws, which were very sharp without so much as a murmur   They are still having to use the Elizabethan collar because the minute they take their eyes off her she
goes straight for her stitches, but they do try and leave it off as much as possible. They gave her the Frontline yesterday - the first totally dry day since the wound on her back healed completely.
13th May 2011
Peter brought Lexi to us this afternoon as they are going away for a few days and taking four dogs in the caravan is a bit too much. Lexi will be fine here and although shy to start with she will soon be enjoying the freedom of our large garden and running to stand by the gate to greet the bed and breakfast guests as they come and go. Although only here a week the experience of following the other greyhounds and seeing our guests and their dogs come and go will be good for her.
20th May 2011
Lexi has been no problem at all during her week stay with us and was a pleasure to have here. She was rather shy and reserved at first, but we all ignored it. She came for her food and ate from the same dish and place in the kitchen each time so she knew it was 'her place'. We had no accidents from her, she loved roaming the garden and followed the others everywhere. It didn't take her long to work out our routine nor that when our bed and breakfast guests come and go the other dogs go to greet them at the gate and are often made a fuss of. Lexi hung back most of the time, but towards the end of the week she was beginning to mingle with the others for attention. She walked lovely on the lead with the others and when they were all told to 'side and stay' because a car or milk tanker was approaching so not to move till it passed, she did as the others did and quietly waited till they were told to 'walk on' and off they went again. The only thing we had to watch out for was when she was nervously wandering around the garden Coaly wanted to 'chide' her for it, and dogs do this by nipping the neck to tell them to stop being silly and behave. As Lexi, when she is nervous darts about a bit we were worried that Coaly might actually misjudge his distances and nip her, so we put a muzzle on him when he was outside with her. She's a really nice little girl, we will miss her when she goes back to Peter and Anne's tomorrow, and she will make someone a lovely companion.
21st May 2011
Peter and Anne called in to collect Lexi this afternoon following their return from holiday. Lexi certainly remembered them and gave them a lovely greeting. Jumping in the back of the car with their other dogs off they drove to take them all for a walk then off back home.
22nd May 2011
We received an email from Peter and Anne today letting us know that this morning Lexi was on her back with legs waving in the air and thoroughly enjoying a tummy rub - a first for them.
25th May 2011
We received an email from Peter and Anne this morning letting us know that last night Lexi discovered the delights of the sofa, and they think she will be there from now on whenever Prince and Celt aren't in residence - which is quite rare !!
She is still a little wary of strangers and can be a bit jumpy when introduced to new things in her life, but she is getting better as each day passes as she is introduced to more and more new people and surroundings. Peter and Anne say she is really nice and now she knows them she is so easy to look after and is a real pleasure to have.
5th June 2011
We received an email today from Peter and Anne letting us know that Lexi is fine   She is very relaxed indoors and is interacting more with them - coming to them regularly for some fuss, following them around the house and even barking at Peter if she thinks he's a bit slow getting her meals ready. They now feed her with Errie, so there are two 2 dogs on each side of the room because Lexi was getting a little grumbly if any of the others wandered into her side of the room. No problems at all now and she loves her meals, but it looks like all her nervous energy prevents her putting much weight on.
Lexi has had quite a lot of encounters with new people over the last week or two and has let some of them stroke her. Sometimes Peter and Anne feel she is really making progress, but then other times something upsets her and they seem to go back a step. There is still no sign of her wagging her tail or any playful interaction with their 3 dogs.
14th June 2011
We received an email today from Peter and Anne saying they were quite concerned about Lexi's nervousness as it doesn't appear to be getting any better, and sometimes she seems worse. They continue to ignore her fearful behaviour and not pander to her reluctance to go certain places but sometimes it is very difficult.
Indoors she is an absolute dream - no problem whatsoever. She is calm and really affectionate now - a really lovely natured dog who immediately responds to her name. Taking her out is such a different story

She is so fearful of people and at times she is very difficult to manage. Children seem to cause her the most problem and as they live on an estate and particularly when the weather is nice they just can't avoid them She has had no bad experiences with any while with them but the sound of them playing make

Lexi a bag of nerves. The other day they took her down to their allotment with Prince and two bones for them to enjoy in the sunshine Prince quickly got stuck in but Lexi just could not relax and stood tethered the whole time as a couple of young children were playing in a tree about 40 yards away Today they tried her with a bone in the garden and though obviously very interested in it she again would not settle Even when they brought her into the utility room with it she could still hear the neighbour's children nearby and for ages she walked round firmly holding it in her mouth After about half an hour she finally felt safe enough to lay down and enjoy it.
Recently when walking her if people are coming towards her and up behind her she panics and gets behind you and tries to back away The best way to handle this is to stand still and say nothing, give her time to watch what is happening. If she's jumpy say and do nothing and when she has quietened down praise her for being quiet before saying 'walk on'. This way you are praising the good behaviour and not re-enforcing to her that she has a need to fear.
Nervous dogs learn four phases and each must be obtained before the next can proceed. The first is to trust you, the next is that their kennel (your home) is safe, once they feel that they need to be sure their yard or your garden is safe and once they realise that then they need to work out that while they are with you the big outside world is also safe as you are there to look after them. It's a lot to take in and for some dogs its a long slow process.
Being unsure of children is because children often move fast and have higher pitched voices, voices and movement the dogs haven't come across before in kennels, so it is a new experience to take in.
Dogs, like humans learn things or to learn to cope with things in stages, they learn a certain amount then 'plateau' while what they've learnt has time to sink in and be retained, then they learn another batch of things and 'plateau' again while that information is being digested and stored. If you didn't, you would 'burn yourself out'. When teaching children with disabilities as was my son Mark, who was born with Down's Syndrome along with working with nervous dogs or dogs with issues we often don't notice this plateau has been reached until we say to ourselves 'I'm just not getting anywhere' at which point, the plateau is often reaching it's end, and the children or dogs leap forward again before reaching the next plateau. This is what has been happening with Lexi.
Peter and Anne love her to bits and think she is a beautiful dog with the most amazing eyes when she trusts you enough to look into them. None of her behaviour is a problem to them, and if you worry about it, then they sense it and it makes them worse, so the best thing to do is smile, laugh and think it's all so cute. Personally I find it very satisfying when a dog like Lester, Ben, Ted or Lexi finally bonds with you because when they do they are worth their weight in gold!
16th June 2011
We received an email today from Peter and Anne letting us know that Lexi in the past couple of days has been much better while in the garden and on their walks.
22nd June 2011
We received an email today from Peter and Anne letting us know that for the first time Lexi and Prince have both been on the sofa together and are obviously quite happy about it!
There have been one or two firsts in the last few days This morning Lexi was playing happily with a tennis ball - chasing after it when Anne rolled it along the floor and pouncing on it and throwing it in the
air - a lovely sight !
After seeming to go backwards for a while she seems to have gained confidence and has a different gait about her when walking outdoors. Since walking her next to Prince who is much older and just plods along instead of Celt who is younger and more bouncy she is enjoying being outside more. She now stops and sniffs, the delights of which Prince has introduced her to, and a thing she was never able to relax enough to do before. Although still easily frightened by some things she seems to find her walks much more enjoyable.
The other day while they were out walking a whole hoard of cyclists taking part in some event came up the hill on the other side of the road as they came down. One cyclist is usually enough to spook her but she just stood there and watched in amazement as they all whooshed by them - as Peter and Anne did watching her !!!
4th August 2011
Peter was telling me today that since all the children broke up from school for the summer Lexi has gone back a step. She is really unsure of their shouting, playing and running around, so much so some days she doesn't want to go for a walk and is happy to stay in the house and garden. However, on these occasions they walk her with Prince and once she's through the garden gate she settles - it's just going through the gate she doesn't like when there are children around.
5th September 2011
This morning Lexi went to her new home where we hope she will have a long and happy life with her new family that includes Billy the greyhound.
8th September 2011
We received an email today from Lexi's new owners letting us know how Lexi has settled in, She's been playing in the garden with Billy today and she makes everyone laugh when she wags her tail. They say she is going to enjoy the rest of her life with them and she's not coming back to us (sorry!). She is eating her food well and some of Billy's, but he doesn't seem to mind, and she's met her Gran and Grandad and they love her.
4th October 2011
Another email arrived today letting us know that Lexi is really coming out of her shell now, loves playing with Billy and her owner's mum, dad and brother. She gets lots of cuddles from the friends and family, and loves pinching Billy's toys. She loves going for walks with them and has been out for lunch with their family where she was very good - the cafe staff brought Lexi and Billy a plate of sausages!!
2nd November 2011
We received a surprise visit this morning from Lexi, her new owners and Billy the greyhound she lives with. Didn't they both look smart in their bright red coats and Lexi looked so well and relaxed. It was just wonderful to see her like this, a far cry from the nervous little girl who first arrived.
22nd December 2011
Received an email today wishing us a merry Christmas and to let us know Billy and Lexi have already got 5 christmas presents each under the tree!