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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted -  14/10/2004  :  09:57
Jack is making a lot of friends in Barlick. I don't know why, maybe it's his face markings but people on the street feel the need to stroke him. Women in particular fall for him.

As you know, I had a bad experience with Joe, the lurcher from Irlam. I was very wary about taking another feral dog on but I'm beginning to think that Jack will make it as a member of the team. He's good at coming to hand when off the lead but I'm not saying he'd take any notice if he was distracted.

He's fast and very agile and seems to have lungs as big as a bucket, I haven't heard him pant as though he's out of breath even after a hard run. As for jumping, he's like a cat. Here he is on his favourite perch. Someone asked me the other day why I don't stop him doing it. It's easier to clean the drainer twice a day!


[This topic started as Jack's blog but in Jan 2008 I had to put him down because he started attacking strange dogs.  His successor is Black Jack. a Patterdale pup, no point erasing Jack the Lurcher from history....  he was a good dog and what happened wasn't his fault.  He had too bad a start.....]


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
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softsuvner
Regular Member


604 Posts
Posted - 07/04/2009 : 09:24
black dog

I hope Jack won't mind another dog slipping into his thread.

Day Three of Project Dog dawns and I have to say, I'm exhausted already! Kilroy was a recent retiree, running his last race in February. Usually retired greyhounds have spent a bit more time in Retirement Kennels or even foster care before they have to face this strange new world. 
In many ways, Kilroy is as naive as the average puppy, but like all greys he is intelligent and eager to learn - as long as it doesn't require the expenditure of huge amounts of energy!

A friend and I introduced him to my house in the recomended way - making sure he understood that the house is now his kennel and toiletting is done in the garden. He tried to cock his leg in the house a couple of times in the first 30 minutes, but nothing since, not even any accidents overnight - looks like house training can be ticked off..

There have been plenty other small dramas since then, the price of not being vigilant in the kitchen turned out to be the loss of a fruit cake!
 
Being a bit old fashioned I held to the "no dogs upstairs/in bed" view of things. He wasn't at all happy at being left downstairs on the First Night. It resulted ina long and tiring battles of wills which was sort of concluded about 2 a.m. with the application of the water spray. Last Night - no problems.

Today I just must do some shopping, so first we will have to step up the nipping out and back routine for combating separation anxiety. 
This will probably take the rest of the day! I knew getting a dog would be a challenge, I imagine it does eventually get easier.

One thing I have conceded from the start - I put a "throw-over" on the sofa and told him he could use it, so far he won't go near it  - wonder how long that will last!

Malcolm  


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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 07/04/2009 : 09:51
Oh Good! Jack says he has no objection to sharing with Kilroy... as long as he remembers who owns this blog! You're doing all the right things, it will soon get to be second nature for both of you. Don't confuse him by having more than one master. TLC can come from anyone. More of it the better. He will soon be on the sofa and why not? Main thing I have learned over many years is that dogs have no problems in being deprived of attention as long as you are there. They soon learn that they can't have all your time. Jack is laid on my foot as I write, he knows the signals that mean we are moving into a different phase of the daily routine. Dogs love routine and clear boundaries. Don't worry about marking when he first came in, that's a good sign, he's making it his territory. As for the fruit cake, like whippets and lurchers, greyhounds are natural thieves and opportunists, nothing you can do about that, you'll just have to cut down on opportunity. It's not a fault, just a natural consequence of hunting instinct.


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
tripps
Senior Member


1404 Posts
Posted - 07/04/2009 : 11:26
Malcolm, Can you reveal his racing name or earmarks, then we can look at his racing record?  If you don't wish to, then that's OK.

Edited by - tripps on 07/04/2009 11:27:09 AM


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moh
Silver Surfer


6860 Posts
Posted - 07/04/2009 : 11:47
What a lovely dog _ I still miss Sam very much, but will not get another dog as we are too old and they are very tying.
We are 'dog-sitting' a friend's Westie in a couple of weeks whilst they go cruising the Carribean.


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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 07/04/2009 : 16:43
I am old and I like being tied.......


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
softsuvner
Regular Member


604 Posts
Posted - 07/04/2009 : 17:13
Thanks All for the encouragement, we seem to be progressing on the "home alone" front. He seems to be fine as long as he can occupy the cramped space in the hallway by the front door. Obviously he can hear me coming back and sort of see through the distorted glass of the door. However I have discovered that his favourite position is to lie with his backside against the door and his head amongst the bike boots and shoes. The only theory so far might be that he spent some time in a tack room!

Tripps - no problem, you will find him under Mardocs Mcilroy, he was originally Irish and raced at Clonmel. He was never a top line dog but he ran nearly 60 races, the industry had their money out of him and he still bears a few scars not to mention the old "bare thigh syndrome" which we are working on.

Moh I understand your feelings. Just after Christmas my parents lost the last in a long line of dogs - Sally the Physcho Yorkshire Terrier who had been with them over 10 years. They weren't going to have another dog after the previous one died but my sister and I persuaded them ( as in didn't give them any choice !) and I am convinced that grumpy little Sally helped to give my Dad some kind of mobility and a purpose to fight his arthritis over those years. 
Wonder if you will feel the same when the dog-sitting comes to an end!

Malcolm 


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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 08/04/2009 : 07:21
If you're a dog-person they always win in the end. Jack has moved out of the rocking chair and is laid where he can see me. Ready for the Barlick inspection walk...


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
moh
Silver Surfer


6860 Posts
Posted - 08/04/2009 : 11:12
I doubt it - it may make us more determined.  The exercise was good though - don't get out as much as we did for walks.  We enjoy travelling and the only person who looked after Sam for us was our daughter Diane who died last July.


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softsuvner
Regular Member


604 Posts
Posted - 08/04/2009 : 20:25
I understand what you say Moh. A neighbour (who is also handily my plumber)  met Kilroy last night and straight away offered his and his wife's services for dog-sitting any time I need it. They had a dog for years and after they lost him couldn't face getting another. A kind offer and I am sure that K would appreciate it.

Malcolm


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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 09/04/2009 : 07:29
It sounds as though he is putting himself up for adoption....  Smart dogs greyhounds...


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
Anni
Regular Member


634 Posts
Posted - 10/04/2009 : 13:51
My pooch is looked after during the week by a (nearly) 81 year old man in the next village.  He couldn't afford a dog these days, but always having had them, he missed the companionship. 

This is a total win-win situation. 

The pooch is not alone when I am out at work.  He has companionship and gets out twice a day for a stroll and gets to talk to people who would otherwise pass him by. He doesn't feel as though he is on the "old-age scrap heap" because I couldn't have kept the pooch without his help.  I know the pooch is well and looked after when I am not around.  She knows she has two homes with two sets of rules and regimes. She knows she has  two masters (sort of because she thinks she is the boss anyway) and is not confused by this.  The benefits of"shared" ownership are immense.

 


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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 10/04/2009 : 16:49
Sounds ;ike the best of both worlds to me. Does the old bloke always know which set of rules the dog is working to?


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
softsuvner
Regular Member


604 Posts
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 09:34
An excellent scheme.

Mind you I wouldn't trust my boy to some pensioners, like my parents.
My Mum thinks that greyhounds look half-starved and we had many battles over the years about meals for their own dogs. It usually started off by "well she only has one meal a day". Careful interrogation would reveal that "well she does have a sweet biscuit when we have our morning coffee..."! There seemed to be no end of these "extras" although they did stop just short of offering her brandy and cigars after a meal!  The dogs weren't daft. they never turned anything down.

Malcolm


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Anni
Regular Member


634 Posts
Posted - 11/04/2009 : 10:11
What a great way to start the day Laughing  Two posts which brought a big smile to my face and many chuckles Laughing


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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart


36804 Posts
Posted - 12/04/2009 : 06:55
There's an old bloke in Barlick who gives custard creams to dogs. He always looks hurt when I stop him trying them on Jack. He's never had anything sweet and much better for him.


Stanley Challenger Graham




Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk Go to Top of Page
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