In the spirit of Greyhound Adoption Month, we sat down with three greyhounds and their adoptive owners to get insight into what it’s like to have a retired grey in your home.
Kim and Spud
They say that foster failures are the best thing to happen in the greyhound world, and Kim and Spud are testament to that.
Spud found his way into Kim’s home during COVID, just a few months after her beloved family dog passed away. Not ready to open up her heart again to another full-time pet, she came across a greyhound adoption program that was on the lookout for foster homes.
“I wasn’t in the headspace at all to have a dog and a long-term ‘fall in love and open my heart’ thing. So, I put in an application for being a foster home,” she said. But, when Kim first laid eyes on Spud, it was love at first sight. In just two days, she was approved for fostering, and Spud had a new — temporary — home.
Despite her very strict instructions to self — “this is going to be a business relationship; I’m going to help you settle into home life and help you find your forever home” — just one to two weeks in, her foster relationship failed. “He just settled in a little too well, too fast, and he was just so goofy and silly,” she said. They were loveable qualities that transformed this ‘business’ relationship into a long-term one.
Spud has been Kim’s sidekick for three years now, and she hasn’t looked back. “It was kind of meant to be, and he is such a perfect little angel. I’m really proud of him,” she said. Though they share a small apartment, it’s really all the space they need. “He just wants two 15-minute walks a day, and then he sleeps the rest of the time. You don’t need a garden; you just need a big couch. That’s what I tell everyone.”
Luke And Poppins
Most greyhound owners come to be with their loving pets when they’re at a mature age. Poppins was an anomaly and came into Luke’s life as an eight-week-old puppy. “My mother-in-law actually rang up and said, ‘I’ve got information about a possible Greyhound puppy litter that would need to be adopted’. She asked if we would be interested,” he said. “We thought it would actually be quite perfect because it’s quite rare to get a greyhound pup.”
She settled in right away. “Poppins is a comfort queen,” said Luke. “She likes to sleep a lot and likes to be comfortable when she’s sleeping — quite often, you’ll find her on our bed or on the lounge or something like that.”
It’s a common trait of greyhounds and something that Luke believes all potential greyhound owners really need to take into consideration before adopting. “They’re definitely inside dogs. They definitely like to be inside, and they like to be part of the family. They do really like to be comfortable, and there’s a little bit of thought that needs to be put into that”.
For all her comfort-seeking, Poppins is also an excitable dog, only too happy to meet new visitors to the house or new people on a walk. She attracts attention, both for her stellar physique and personality, and her extensive wardrobe. “Poppins is quite the fashionable greyhound,” said Luke. “She’s got a huge variety of coats and shirts and rain jackets and all that stuff. Greyhounds have got such a low percentage of body fat that, if you feel like you need a jumper, they probably do too.”
Ariane And Ramond
Ramond isn’t the first greyhound to come into Ariane’s life, and he won’t be the last. She was introduced to the breed when her father-in-law adopted a greyhound and fell in love when she was asked to babysit him. “I just became completely besotted with this dog,” she said. “To the point that when they came to pick him up, I just cried for about a week, and James, my husband, just said, ‘so I guess we’re getting a greyhound, then?’”
He was right, and very soon after, Gordon joined the household. Though a long-legged dog, Gordon was very talented at manoeuvring himself into small, safe places; it was a comfort for him when he first arrived. “Over time, he just came out of his shell, and he was the most beautiful dog,” said Ariane. “He had a strange obsession with delivering shoes to people. Gordon would run to see the person who’d come to our house and then run away and select a particular shoe for them. It was really oddly specific”.
Unfortunately, Gordon was around for a good time, not a long time. About a year after Gordon passed, Ariane and James adopted Ramond. “He literally walked into our house, got on the couch, and looked at us and was like, ‘okay, cool. I’m here’,” said Ariane. “He didn’t need any adjustment. He was born to be adored.”
Now, Ramond is an identity in Mount Lawley, well known at all the cafes, bars, and pubs. “He’s a fabulous ambassador for his people,” said Ariane. “He’s much more independent than Gordon was,” except when he’s decided he’s had enough on a walk. “On Saturday mornings, I take him to Kings Park, and my husband goes for a run, and I take him for a walk. If I get into the hour mark, that’s a miracle — often, he’ll just stop and lie down. I have to call James to come and get him”.
Gordon and Ramond couldn’t have been more different personality-wise, but they shared common greyhound traits — they didn’t need much exercise, slept a lot, and they were fastidiously tidy. For Ariane and James, they were the perfect breed for their inner-city lifestyle.
Thinking About Adopting A Greyhound?
There’s no better time to start meeting potential adoptees than this April, Greyhound Adoption Month. During this time, Greyhounds as Pets WA (GAP) is raising awareness of their rehoming program post-race-retirement, and all adoption fees have been reduced to just $75.00. It’s a small price to pay to find your new best friend and give a greyhound a happy forever home.
There are two ways that you can go about adoption — a straight adoption or fostering with a view to adopting. The latter involves introducing a behaviour-tested greyhound into your home and gently easing them into their new life before welcoming them into your family on a permanent basis. Dogs who’ve already been through this process in a foster home are available for a straight adoption.
Which Greyhound Are You?
Currently, GAP has a variety of greyhounds looking for their forever homes. Not sure which pup is most suited to your family? Take our simple personality test to see which of the dogs you most align with before reaching out and making an enquiry about having greyhounds as pets.
Learn more about Greyhounds as Pets and visit their website greyhoundsaspets.com.au.
This article is sponsored by Racing and Wagering WA
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