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| Will you be my Buddy? |
It has long been my intention to rehome a greyhound. Elegant, quiet and profoundly lazy this is the breed of dog for me.
And other pluses:
they are not smelly and their hair doesn't get absolutely everywhere (blonde Alsatian bum fluff is impossible to remove from car upholstery or any item of black clothing that you own).
And they are less likely to suffer from hip problems than other dogs. Result.
On the downside:
Even the laziest dog will need to go out for a walk, despite cataclysmic rain and wind. Scotland suffers weather of Biblical proportions from about October to May. Do I want to be out in horizontal rain early in the morning and late at night? Well, it would force me off the computer, wouldn't it? And at night you are only taking them out so that they can do their doings.
They need food. Food is smelly *memories of Chappie dog food* Solution: don't feed the dog Chappie.
They sometimes have accidents. On carpets. Maybe I could have the back sitting room refloored in something....mopable? We've been talking about ripping up the carpet and replacing the wooden floor beneath. Spensive, but fits with Victorian character of the house. But so would a roll of linoleum.
If you feed them Chappie dog food, they fart Chappie-flavoured farts. Vile. Beyond vile. But then, I live with Tartarus and Sonshine. Some mornings it's as if there are whales singing to each other in my house. Would a dog fart be that much more irritating?
When taking them out a walk, one needs to bag their poopies. And I never really mastered the politics of handling.....unsolid poopies. Do people accept that you cannot scrape this stuff into a bag without the use of a fish slice and that you sometimes HAVE to leave a...puddle.... behind? I used to look round apologetically and then walk off as fast as I could.
Ditching the cheap dog food might solve all these problems
If you fancy a weekend away, you need to factor in dog-sitting. My day carer and her hubby The Grass Fairy might be able to look after a dog. But we often go away WITH my Day Carer and Grass Fairy. Maybe we could just go somewhere that a dog can go too?
If you go away on holiday, you need dog-sitting or kennels. Well, that's not the end of the world, is it? Besides, I haven't been abroad since 1997. Unless you count the Isle of Man last summer? And we could probably have taken a dog with us there.
Insurance! Not something that I've ever had before. For a dog. Not the end of the world either. I might just take a savings account and put in some money every month and use it for vet care, when required? Anyone try that? Does it work?
So, want to see the dogs that have won my heart?
http://www.greyhoundrescuefife.com/
I'm thinking of Bluey or Buddy. Or Bluey AND Buddy. Or Bluey or Silver or Buddy. Or Bluey AND Silver AND Buddy........
....just remembered another plus of owning a rescue dog: You change a wee dog's life.
Get one, get one! My father has a rescued greyhound (and is very involved with Dumfriesshire and Cumbria Greyhound Rescue) which regularly features in my dogs' blog;
ReplyDeletewww.hestaonthehill.blogspot.co.uk
Yes, my dogs have a blog. That's normal isn't it? Greyhounds are perfect companions and as they're so easy to look after and SO lovable, finding holiday accommodation for it will be no problem - people will be falling over themselves to have it to stay! As to the rest of your downsides, pah, what are they in comparison to what you receive from man's best friend?
I've looked at their site Caroline - and yes, you are right, the upsides will outweigh the downsides! Your dogs have a blog - what a great idea!!!
DeleteAli x
I dunno, the dog poop is a big downside for me :( Cats are perfect - they'd prefer to deal with personal hygiene themselves, thank you very much! And they don't need walking, either, just a cat flap or a human willing to act as door opener :D
ReplyDeleteYeah, but cats shit in other people's gardens and are the reason why I have to garden wearing gloves now. A dog poops out in the open where you can see it...and hopefully bin it aftewards!
DeleteAli x
You are just a big softie. There is enough dog shit on the island, so not for me. Our neighbours have 2 rescue greyhounds and they are beautiful dogs.
ReplyDeleteDo the neighbours dogs worry your chooks, Wally?
DeleteI would love a dog but we live in a flat and aren't supposed to have pets (it's the law!). So please, please get one. Agree with Inner Whispers it's picking up the warm poo, in one of those doggy bags obviously, that grosses me out.
ReplyDeleteAfter having changed some hideous nappies, I think that picking up a dog poo (via a plastic bag!) will be ok. I hope, anyway!
DeleteAli x
get two!
ReplyDeleteNo. Seriously.
We got the two collies at the same time. They keep each other company when you're out. They are less likely to get bored. They don't bug you all the time.
Or get one....
We feed the boys dry food with the odd treat. They don't miss the stinky wet stuff.
Forget insurance...put pennies aside. There are so many disclaimers you are less likely to waste your money.
If you want one, and can handle it, get one. :D xx
Dry food seems to be the way to go, Sage. I would love two dogs, but it's a lot to ask of my Dog Sitters to take care of TWO if I disappear off for a wee weekend away!
DeleteI'll start with one and see how I get on :-D
Ax
We have two dogs: one terrier, one lurcher, both rescues. Sage is right that two dogs will entertain each other. We had the terrier first and she would sometimes get bored and seek entertainment if we went out and left her, but that hasn't happened since we got Lurcher boy (just over a year now).
ReplyDeleteYou're right that greyhounds need less exercise than some other breeds, but also that they do need some. And yes, dry food will solve some of the other issues :)
We have never regretted getting the dogs. They have absolutely enhanced our lives :)
I am hoping to go up and take a look next weekend, with Sonshine. But I don't want to bring one home until Tartarus gets back. It might be a repetition of the Squirrel Saga, when he came home and I had 6 grey squirrel kits to hand-rear :-D
DeleteAli x
Feed him Butcher's tinned food (tripe mix and chunks in gravy). If you go away somewhere furrin, you can leave him with me :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the dog-sitting offer, but you're toooooooo faaaaaaaar away. Just getting to your place is the equivalent of going 'furrin' <3
DeleteAli x
They are gorgeous. I have no tips. We are however also considering getting a dog, so we can cry about dog poo together.
ReplyDeleteGEeeeeeeet a dooooooooog!!! Look forward to us weeping together!!!
DeleteAli x
I dog sit for Olive the whippet puppy!!
ReplyDeleteWhippets are also lovely - very toasty to snuggle into!
DeleteAli x