BROUGHT TO YOU BY: THE GREYHOUND SUPPORTERS OF THE NCR
Volume 4, Issue 1
March 2012
Adopting A Senior Hound - The Golden Years
Inside this
issue:
New Arrivals
2
Continued - Adopt
A Senior Hound
3
St Patricks Day
Parade
3
Diego`s Story
4
Easter Awareness
4
Grey`s Anatomy Heart Murmurs
5
Springtime - Get
Your Grey Moving!
5
About The Greyhound Supporters
6
Upcoming Events
6
How To Help
6
As an Adoption Coordinator, I
usually ask prospective adopters
about the age range of the greyhound they are about to adopt.
Not surprisingly, most indicate
they’d prefer to adopt a younger
hound – so as to increase the
amount of time they’ll have to
share with their new family
member. As an adopter I can
certainly appreciate that sentiment, but as someone who has
adopted several senior hounds I
know the incredible joy that
comes with adopting a senior
hound. It is true that they aren’t
with us as long as we want them
to be – but that is the same for adopting a
hound of any age – it is never long
enough.
My Tai - Adopted at age 9
Continued On Page 3...
April – Adopt a Greyhound Month
The folks at The Greyhound Project are
celebrating the fourth annual National
Greyhound Adoption month in America
this year. They are a non-profit group who
provide information about and support
the adoption of retired racers. They produce a quarterly, “Celebrating Greyhounds” magazine. They use Greyhound
Adoption month to spread the good word
about greyhounds by advocating and supporting meet and greets, public exposure,
and getting people in contact with adoption groups.
While we might not live in the same country, we share the same passion for greyhounds and support the adoption of retired racers. April is a great month to talk
to everyone you know about why greyhounds make great pets and put them in
touch with a local adoption group like the
Greyhound Supporters of the NCR.
Check out the Greyhound Project’s public
service announcement, Cal and his search
for long term commitment.
Chris Kasurak
Page 2
The Greyhound Gazette
Meet The New Arrivals!
Beth
Beth (shown here with her new big brother Casey) is a petite little brindle girl who wins the hearts of all the humans who know her.
Charlie (Explosive Power)
Charlie is a handsome red fawn boy and he found an awesome family,
complete with three kids, three cats and a new mom and Dad.
Miss Sparky Kaboom
Miss Sparky Kaboom is an energetic and feisty 10 year young brindle
girl who found the perfect home and is busy being spoiled and loved.
Spinnaker (Pals Super Sue)
Spin (short for Spinnaker) is an energetic black girl who has laid claim
to the Cavanagh family and is happy to call Ottawa home.
Page 3
The Greyhound Gazette
Continued - Adopt A Senior Hound - The Golden
Years
The rewards of adopting a senior hound are boundless
- not only do senior hounds take to the house routine
more quickly, they also settle in more quickly, their
personalities reveal themselves more readily and they
know when they’re loved and they love in return more
easily. And they have so much love to give.
most without having to be shown and they want so
much to please their new family members. We have
found all of our seniors to be incredibly affectionate
and responsive. They aren’t as demanding as younger
hounds and they do seem to enjoy their “quiet time”
more than young hounds.
That’s not to say that senior hounds don’t come with
“baggage” because some do, but sometimes learning
to deal with their quirky habits makes life even more
interesting. And adapting to them teaches us - Bucharoo Zoo taught us how to deal with “spooks” and
how to take great joy with every small improvement
they make. Clover taught us that greyhounds can (or
should) be on the furniture. Bocuse taught us that
greyhounds find great joy with their people and how
to play “catch the greyhound” in the backyard. Atticus taught us that
drippy noses can mean
a happy hound. Chase
taught us how to have
conversations with a
dog and that time does
heal all wounds. And
My Tai taught us how
slowly the fastest dog
in the world can go
when it wants to.
Every day with a senior hound is a treasure and no
matter how old they are, they continue to evolve as
they settle into the routine of their new home. It is
impossible to describe how one feels to see a senior
greyhound start playing with stuffed toys, assume the
dead cockroach pose, or do something else new – the
impact of these seemingly innocuous actions assume a
whole new meaning when you’ve recently adopted a
senior.
Some people say that older hounds are grateful to
have left their former lives behind and found their new
forever homes, but I think it is we humans who are
grateful to have these wonderful and loving senior
hounds find their way to our homes and hearts.
Laura Simmermon
Aside from some of
their quirkier personality traits, senior hounds
seem to know what is
expected of them alChase- Adopted at age 8
Atticus - Adopted at age 11
Join The Greyhound Supporters In The St Patrick`s Day Parade
Where: Parade begins at Ottawa City Hall (Laurier Ave West @ Elgin St.), proceeds west along Laurier Avenue
West, then south on Bank Street to Lansdowne Park, and finishes in the parking area at Lansdowne. Total distance: approximately 3 km (1.7 mi.).
When: Starting @ 11:00 AM and finishing by approximately 1:00 PM
Formation: Parade entries will form-up on Laurier Avenue West, east of Elgin Street, between 8:00 AM and 11:00
AM. We will be advised of our time and specific location no later than March 5.There will be a Greyhound Supporters van in the formation to offer relief to any tired hounds.
For more information or to indicate your interest in participating, please contact Laura at [email protected]
Page 4
The Greyhound Gazette
Diego’s Story
Pat Prentice has a four dog family. There’s Beau and
Diego the greyhounds, Suzy the blind and deaf terrier, and to top it all off, Reno the Chihuahua. They
live in the country, and all the dogs enjoy the great
outdoors. Suzy even brings the great outdoors in with
her and leaves muddy nose-bump prints all over the
house!
Diego wasn’t always part of such a loving family
though. His story is long and sad, but thankfully you
already know it has a happy ending.
Eight years ago, Pat adopted Beau, her first greyhound. Being out in the country, she found it hard to
socialize Beau with other hounds. Her adoption group
put her in touch with a woman who owned a grey
named Diego, but Pat and the owner never managed
to get together. Pat eventually made a trip down to
Iowa where she and her family were chosen by Tia, a
beautiful brindle. When Pat returned to Canada, she
found out Diego’s owner was moving and couldn’t
bring him along. The woman offered Diego to Pat,
but, having just adopted Tia, Pat couldn’t take Diego,
and she lost track of him.
Diego moved in with another family, who eventually
fell on hard times. Diego was lost in a custody struggle and neglected. For a time he lived in a barn. The
family managed to get him back, along with another
dog, Suzy, a blind and deaf terrier. Diego was rescued, but because of unfortunate circumstances, they
could not keep the dogs. Oddly enough, they decided
to advertise on the Kijiji Web site, an online marketplace.
At this time, Pat had just lost Tia. As anyone who has
ever lost a dog will know, this time is one of the hardest. Pat had a sudden inspiration to check on Kijiji for
greyhounds, knowing she wanted another one in her
life. Against all odds, a greyhound was listed but he
came with his terrier friend, Suzy. Pat decided to take
both. The unknown greyhound needed some vet
work, but they were both in good health. The owner
confided to Pat that she had the grey’s original collar
and tags. When Pat saw the tags, she immediately
recognized the name and address of the former playgroup pal that had moved away. The rescued grey
was the same Diego she had been offered eight years
before!
Diego settled in with the family it seems he was always meant to be with. His big eyes are always asking
some hidden question. His fondest desire is a bed –
usually whichever bed one of the other dogs happens
to be sleeping on. Diego knows how to get his way,
and Mom and Dad are happy to
oblige him.
It was a long journey for Diego
to his forever home, but he’s
now retired happily and Pat has
all the joy only four dogs can
bring.
Pictures (Left) Diego (Right) Suzie
Chris Kasurak - As Told By Pat Prentice
Easter Awareness
Every year Easter seems to sneak up on me. If your family celebrates Easter, there are a few precautions to take
to make sure you can enjoy the holiday without a trip to the vet. Like Christmas, Easter is a season full of surprises – hidden chocolates, gifts tied with ribbon, and inquisitive hounds who get into everything. Stay aware
and don’t leave chocolate or ribbons where your dogs can reach them.
Chris Kasurak
Page 5
The Greyhound Gazette
Grey’s Anatomy - Heart Murmurs
One of the many tidbits that new or expecting greyhound owners are likely to read is that greyhounds
commonly have heart murmurs, and that they are
usually not serious. This information is something
that vets familiar with the breed should know. However, most greyhound owners never look further into
this interesting abnormality. Still, just like knowing a
bit more about your car can make driving more comfortable, knowing a bit more about your hound’s genetic peculiarities can make you a little more comfortable with your dog’s health.
Greyhounds have larger hearts than other breeds.
They can also have thicker heart walls. Typically, this
thickening comes from hard use, like in marathon
runners. In greyhounds, even dogs that have not had
a life on the track can show thicker than average
muscles in the heart. As well, greyhounds’ medical
test figures, including platelet count, white blood cell
count, and blood viscosity, are different from other
dog breeds.
So what should we know about heart murmurs as
greyhound owners? A regular heartbeat has a familiar
sound, lup-DUB. The sound is caused by the heart’s
valves closing as blood moves through the heart and
out to the body. A murmur is an irregular sound in
the heart caused by the valves flapping as they close.
Murmurs are graded from 1 (low) to 6 (high), and
most are not cause for concern as they do not cause
symptoms.
Ohio State University ran a study in 2006 to investigate the causes of the murmur that so many greyhounds experience. Although the study doesn’t explain exactly what causes the greyhounds to have this
murmur, they do note that the dogs with a murmur
were as healthy as those without. In their study, 67%
of the hounds had the same murmur, and none
showed any indication during their testing of heart
complications beyond the murmur. The study explained that the murmur takes place in the valve on
the top of the heart when the heart is emptying. It
also confirmed what you may have read in books
about greyhounds – a low-grade murmur doesn’t necessarily mean a trip to the specialist. However,, some
heart murmurs can indicate serious heart problems,
and x-rays or ultrasounds can be helpful in determining the condition of the heart.
For more information or for references, please email
[email protected]
Chris Kasurak
Springtime - Get Your Grey Moving!
If your hound could speak, he would certainly let you
know that springtime is amazing! It means so many
things–longer walks, more space to run, visits to new
areas that are inaccessible during the winter, and no
more salt on walkways.
Indeed, spring time and warmer weather mean more
time to enjoy long walks. To be honest, winter walks
can get a little bit boring. So the spring is a time to
explore new areas, go for a walk downtown or in a
new park, and break the routine. Your best friend will
appreciate the change.
If you are a runner and begin to train for a new season, please keep in mind that your hound will need a
few short practice runs before he can go for a long
run. Give him a chance to enjoy the sport at his own
pace, and remember that he or she is retired. Also,
do not forget that if you need hydration, your hound
does too.
If you like to take your hound for a run in a fenced
area that was unavailable during the winter, thoroughly inspect the area before your first time out. It
would be too bad to see you friend slip under a fence
and run away right before your eyes.
Finally, whatever you do, remember your dog’s flea
and tick medication.
Spring is a fantastic time, so make the best of it for
the entire family, hounds included.
Louis Lavoie
A couple of Ottawa Greys cooling off in
fresh spring mud puddle at playgroup.
GSNCR
3 Sage Crescent
Ottawa, ON K2J 1Z7
CANADA
Phone: 613-216-8097
E-mail: [email protected]
About The Greyhound Supporters of the NCR
The Greyhound Supporters of the National Capital Region (GSNCR) was established in the summer of 2005. We are a
“not-for-profit” group comprised of individuals interested in the health and welfare of retired racing greyhounds.
Our primary objective is to facilitate the
adoption of retired racers into loving
homes and provide on-going support to
the local greyhound community. We also
work towards raising public awareness
about retired racing greyhounds and raising funds for canine-related causes established to improve the health and
physical well being of racing greyhounds
globally.
Upcoming Events
March 10th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
St. Patrick’s Day Parade – Join the Greyhound Supporters in the Parade
How To Help...
Info: [email protected]
The Greyhound Supporters currently accepts
donations of the following.
Info: http://www.bark-ottawa.com/UpcomingEvents.htm
-Canadian Tire Money
Info: [email protected]
-Old Cell Phone
-Used Printer Cartridges
-Pro Plan Canine Weight
Circles
Please
contact
[email protected] for details.
March 16th at 5:30 pm - BARK at the Races
March 18th from 9:30 am to 11:00 am - WAG Drop-in Social
March 24th from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm - Indoor Playdate
Info: [email protected]
March 25th from 11:00 to 1:00 - West End Toe Nail Clipping Clinic
Info: [email protected]
March 31st from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm - Collar Making Workshop
Info: [email protected]
April 13th from - Canine Health Seminar - Chiropractic Care
Info: [email protected]
April 21st from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm - Indoor Playdate
Info: [email protected]
May 20th from 9:30 am to 11:00 am - WAG Drop-in Social
Info: [email protected]
WE’RE ON THE WEB!
WWW.GSNCR.CA
May 27th - Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind - Dollar$ for Dog$ Fundraising Walk
Info: [email protected]
June 3rd - 3rd Annual Family BBQ & Fundraiser - Info: [email protected]
A Note From The Editor
The Greyhound Gazette is for dog lovers of all kinds. Please share it with your
friends. We would love to hear your stories about your hound, and we welcome any
tales, recipes, or tips. If you've got something to contribute, please send it my way.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, the Gazette email address has been
changed to [email protected].