Welcome Specs

Specs is doing very well with my pack. Ignoring the cats, getting along well with Athena, Kelly and Shadow. He walks well on lead and crates like a dream. He woke me up last night wagging his tail in his sleep. He's that kind of boy.

He has a bit of a tender stomach, so we're working through that with Nutro Sensitive Stomach food and some medication for the Big D. He always lets us know when he needs to go out and hasn't made a single mistake in the house...hasn't even acted like he was thinking about it.

Sent him out to do his business this afternoon when I got home from work. It was raining just a bit and he really didn't like it. I had to shoo him off the porch. Then he stood in the yard and barked at me a few times. Guess he's not a water dog. Finally, he gave up and found a bush to pee on. You'd think after 5 hours in the crate Nature's Call would outweigh a little shower. He's now crashed out in the den with my guys.

I picked up Specs on Sunday and he has been a very good boy. He is a very quiet,laid back boy but will play out in the yard. He has been very good with the other 3 greys in the house. He sometimes is a little timid at first but warms up quickly. He has had no accidents in the house and is crating during the day while I am away. He has not had any problems in the crate except he tore up the bedding but has been wearing a muzzle and has had no problems with that. He does not seem to like being an only dog. We are going to test tonight to see if he is cat safe. But the home he was in had 2 children under 7 yrs old. They said that he was great with the kids. We will see what the week holds for Specs but I think he is going to be a very good boy for the right home.

As the Nose Drips

I have been a remiss foster mom, not posting about this great boy sooner. However, Mr. Spec (aka specky, specmeister, the inspector) has not been too forthcoming with his inner Spec until the last day or so. You see, Spec is one of the "shy" ones. Thus the name of his first post. When greys are nervous, they get the drippy nose. Spec has progressed from a gusher to just a drippy faucet in just one week's time - GREAT progress!

Please understand, though, initial shyness in a grey is not a bad thing. It is a good thing and you should consider yourself blessed if you are lucky enough to earn the love and trust of this type of dog.

You see, the shy ones are a little slow to come around and trust, but if you are patient and loving, then you will have the most incredible greyhound. We actually know first hand. Our first greyhound, Emma, was very much like Spec (even in the looks department). The first several weeks in our home, she would not come to us and always kept a barrier between us and her, but by finding something she loved to do (anything that involved putting her leash on), we were able to coax her into trusting us. Eventually, she became the best dog in the history of dogdome! She even ended up being the first to greet people at the door.

Spec will be the same. He has an inner silly, playful greyhound, that can't wait to come out. We are already seeing signs of it.

He gets along swimmingly with our two other dogs and shows no interest in our cats or small dogs we encounter on walks and at Petsmart. He also shows no fear of small children. I think Spec's ideal home would be as an only dog (a cat or two or another laid back grey would also be fine) in an environment that is more on the laid back side. I don't think Spec would be happy in a chaotic environment.

So, I will keep posting and will get some pics of the specmeister loaded in the next day or two.