LetSleepingDogsLie
PrimaryResources:
GreyhoundsforDummies–page53–SurvivingtheFirstNight
AdoptionHandbook–page5
DearAdoptiveFamily,
Iconfess,Ihavesleepstartle!AndIneedtohavemyboundariesrespected...I’maretiredracer
named“YourNewGreyhound”.I’mheretoteachyouabout“sleepstartle”Andmyneedfor
space.Theseneedsareverycommontonewgreyhounds(orothercanines).IntheRetired
RacingGreyhoundsforDummiesbooktheycallit“sleepaggression”(page53,lastparagraph).
ButIamnotaggressiveatall,eventhoughIhavethesecharacteristics,soIprefertheword
“startle”.Idon’tmeantohurtanyone.Ihavetotakeyouwaybacktoourdaysintheracing
kennelstoexplain.Aracinggreyhoundisgivenhisownspace:akennel,cage,crate,whatever
youprefertocallit.Itisoursafespot.AnditisTOTALLYOURS.Wesleepandeatinit.Thething
welikebestisthatwecancloseoureyesandsleepandsleepandsleep.Undisturbed!
Greyhoundslovetorun,butwealsolovetosleep!Alot!Inourkennels,wecantotallyletour
guarddown.Wedon’thavetowatchtoseewhatorwhoiscoming.Sogreyhoundsattheracing
compoundaresafe,secure,happyatrestinourcrates.Bythetimethekennelworkersarrive
earlyinthemorningtoturnusoutandfeedeveryonebreakfast,wearewideawake.Mister
I’mALoudMouthhearsthetruckpullupandhewillbetheonethatstartsusbarkingtogreetthe
kennelpeople.(Wefigurealoudhellodeservesagoodbreakfast!)Sonooneevergets
anywherenearourkennelswhenweareasleep.Wearewideawake.
Duringtheday,ifwedozeoff,ourkennelworkersareverysavvytowakeusupbeforereaching
intoourcrates.Weneverwakeupwithahumanhoveringoveruswhilewelayonourdogbeds.
Soaretiredracinggreyhoundthatisfreshofftheracetrackisnotusedtobeingtouchedwhen
asleep.Somewilloutgrowit.Butthatisonereasonwhysomeadoptedgreyhoundspreferto
haveacrate,oradesignated“safebed”thatwecanretreatto.Thecratedoorcanbeleftopen,
sothatwecomeandgoasweplease.ButtheruleisthatNOONEtouchesuswhenwearein
thatspot.Thisisa“mustteach”forchildren,andalsoforadults,especiallythesmothering
kind….Yousee,IbitmyForeverFriendonhisfinger.Ihurthim.Ihadnoidea,itwasareaction.
Mynewbestfriendisabigdogloverandhewassoexcitedtogreetme.Hedoesn’tknowyetto
respectourspace.Heisnewtogreyhounds.Iwassoundasleepandhelovinglyscratchedmy
whiskers.ItSTARTLEDme!SoIgrowled,snappedandactuallybithim.I’msorry.That’snotme.
Itisjustmyinstinct….
Soletmewarnalladopters,especiallywhenyourgreyhoundfirstgoeshome.GiveusdogsTIME
andSPACEtoadjust.(Evenifwewerefirstfosteredinaprisonorahome.)Pleasestayoffour
PrisonGreyhounds
www.prisongreyhounds.org
beds.Wewillgetupandgreetyouwhenweareready.Don’tbesoquicktotrytoshowushow
muchyouloveus.Intimewewilllearnwecantrustyou.Wehavealifetimetogethernow!!!
Allthisdoesnotmeanwehadaroughlifeattheracetrack.Wedidn’t.Itjustmeansthatlifeis
different,andIamsharingmyhousewithpeoplenow.Andplease,nohandsorfingersreaching
intoourcrates.Soifweareasleep,wakeusupfirstwithaloudclap,orfootstomp,orrattlethe
crate.Callourname.(Wecansleepwitheyespartwayopentoo.)Themoststartlingthingisto
betouchedwhenasleep!AnduntilIreallyknowyou,pleasegivemeextraspace.Letmecome
toyouatfirst,ratherthanapproachingme.Grabaleashifyouwantmetomove…NowI’m
goingtogomakeamendswithmyNewBestFriendtoday.Iknowthatneitherofusmeantany
harm,wearebothjustlearningabouttheother.
Love,
YourNewGreyhound(Status:recentlyadopted)
PrisonGreyhounds
www.prisongreyhounds.org