Remember, Remember the Ease, Ease of Fostering with Echo, Echo the Greyhound
Of course he doesn’t know he is called Echo. He was the number on a tattoo in the ear of a dog that ran fast. But oh my goodness — he is adorable! Now I remember why I loved adopting a greyhound! Echo ran about 120 races and his last one was in the middle of May — just a month ago. Unfortunately, as for most of these greyhounds, that was it — end of career, end of life. But not, thanks to FLR! And I am the lucky lady that gets to foster him and see how he adapts to life in a home — and try not to fall in love with him :-).
So, before he arrived last Thursday, I rolled back the rugs and put over the throws, in preparation for a hound not used to a home — and any ensuing accidents. And after 4 days, I have rolled them back! Totally amazed, but he has not done anything indoors — I hope I haven’t jinxed that this evening by mentioning it! Without being house trained, he has completely house trained himself! As regards sleeping, the first night, I lay there, thinking “He is going to whine or something.” Nope, he didn’t keep me awake — I kept myself awake worrying he would keep me awake — as there was not a sound! And so it has been the last 4 nights.
I didn’t take him for a walk the first evening, but did take him out the next day, aware he is new to cars, bikes and everything. Walks beautifully on a lead! Hoorah — as I mentioned in my previous blog, it is one of the upsides of the whole greyhound racing nonsense, but they do often walk well. And he is a fine example. And is fine with any dogs we have met, large (St Bernhard) and small (pug)!
The ‘Kissing Gate Challenge’ and ‘Mission Fatten-Up and Soft-Fur’
We have partaken in a little ‘Kissing Gate Challenge’. The metal kissing gate is, I fear, too similar to the trap they go into to race. So we had a little stress going through that initially. Spice didn’t like narrow entrances or footpaths for a little. But after about 4 attempts, we got through wonderfully today (and got through before, just this time straight through).
Lots of sounds are new. With Spice, it was trains, cars, bikes etc. With Echo, his ears go up when people are speaking in the next door garden, or when a noisy motorbike (which was also hard on my ears), went by. These sounds are probably new to him. The dishwasher and kettle seemed to go unnoticed, even the washing machine. My own compositions I played on the computer he didn’t flinch at. But I left it a day before putting the TV on.
He stared, then went out of the room, then came back — and did this a few times. I think this photo was taken when David Cameron came on. I put the TV on yesterday and I don’t think he even moved.
I think what all of this shows, in an honest account, is how amazingly adaptable these hounds are. It is amazing. Yes, there are sensitivities and it is a bit scary. But after a couple of days I believe Jasper, now Freddie, learned to be house trained. And Echo within a few days, is geting at home in a house. And yet people may fear the opposite as they have grown up in kennels. They may not all be as easy as him, and he has been sensitive to new sounds and people, but wow, this is just a few days. I look at Spice after 5 years and she looks like she has always been a pet. Echo learns from her, which is great, but she went through it too..And I think some of you that are following these blogs have greyhounds, so this may remind you of those first days and what yours did!
And as for Mission Fatten Up — as he was in a kennel, he is a little on the skinnier side, so I am on Mission fatten him up and get his fur fluffy. I think he is gradually doing both and his fur is quite cute and fluffy already. Mission is to get that better over the coming week with soups of potato, carrot, broccoli and cabbage, mixed with biscuits and omega oils!
If you are interested in adopting a greyhound, like Echo, or adding another to your pack of greyhounds, Fall in Love with a Rescue, based in Berkshire, can help. They have many types of sighthounds, but probably more greyhounds coming in as so many need saving.
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