We had a new, most gorgeous Greyhound at the dog park yesterday, by the name
of Teemu (pronounced Taymu, and named after hockey player Teemu Selanne).
He's four and had a good racing career, which ended when he broke his toe.
What struck me was that he was actually taller than Pan, and quite possibly
the tallest Greyhound I've ever seen. Very, very nice too. Friendly, wants
pets, without being all pushy and obnoxious about it. Also, his owner put a
Greyhound muzzle on him when she turned him out to play, and he was trying
to manipulate all the other humans into taking it off for him (didn't work).
I'm seriously wanting to dognap this guy; he's is such a sweetie.

The owner volunteers with Greyhound rescue, and demonstrated the power of
the squaker. I have *got* to get me one of those for an emergency recall.
I just played the noise here (http://www.networksplus.net/nga/supply.htm -
scroll down to Artificial Training Lure), and the dogs came absolutely
charging.

Suja

On Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:41:21 -0400, "Suja" wrote:


We had a new, most gorgeous Greyhound at the dog park yesterday, by the name
of Teemu (pronounced Taymu, and named after hockey player Teemu Selanne).
He's four and had a good racing career, which ended when he broke his toe.
What struck me was that he was actually taller than Pan, and quite possibly
the tallest Greyhound I've ever seen. Very, very nice too. Friendly, wants
pets, without being all pushy and obnoxious about it. Also, his owner put a
Greyhound muzzle on him when she turned him out to play, and he was trying
to manipulate all the other humans into taking it off for him (didn't work).
I'm seriously wanting to dognap this guy; he's is such a sweetie.

Just how tall is he? And good for them for using a turnout muzzle.

The owner volunteers with Greyhound rescue, and demonstrated the power of
the squaker. I have *got* to get me one of those for an emergency recall.
I just played the noise here (http://www.networksplus.net/nga/supply.htm -
scroll down to Artificial Training Lure), and the dogs came absolutely
charging.

Yep, squawkers (aka predator calls) are often useful for finding lost
greyhounds, though dogs that have been off the track for a while often
don't get too excited by them. A squawker didn't help when Matty was
lost, but his fear drive overpowered his prey drive every time.

Mustang Sally

"Suja" wrote in message
...

The owner volunteers with Greyhound rescue, and demonstrated the power of
the squaker. I have *got* to get me one of those for an emergency recall.
I just played the noise here (http://www.networksplus.net/nga/supply.htm -
scroll down to Artificial Training Lure), and the dogs came absolutely
charging.

That was interesting. I clicked the link to hear the squawk and Jake
(Dalmatian) came running. Ricki Lee (lab/chow) was rolling around on her
back, kicking her feet and couldn't be bothered. So Jake went and got her
and brought her back. I squawked it again, and Jake went partially insane,
Ricki Lee wandered off.
Karla

"filly" wrote in news:ZECPi.14647$gC2.3826@trndny09:


That was interesting.


After your review, I tried it.

Annie perked up. Looked at me and gave me only the second ever howl she's
ever done. It occurred to me that the first time was when a child on the
street was honking a party favor like crazy....and it sounded a lot like
that.

As cute as her teeny little howl is, I'm not entirely sure that she is
doing it out of pleasure, or even arousal. She looks a bit disturbed when
she's doing it, so I quickly closed the window.

Thread Drift: anyone ever notice how some dogs LOVE the bonding of a good
howl (Finn was like this) and others are simply unnerved by it?

Tara

"sighthounds & siberians" wrote in message:

Just how tall is he?

Well, Pan is 31" at the withers, so I'd estimate him to be somewhere between
32 and 33". I was surprised. It isn't often that Greyhounds end up being
taller than Great Danes, even if mine happens to be one of the
not-so-ginormous ones.

And good for them for using a turnout muzzle.

I've seen it used before, but usually when the dog is new to the owner, and
they don't know how they'll react to running dogs. This owner said that the
dog is fine (including with little dogs), but has a tendency to nip while
playing.

Yep, squawkers (aka predator calls) are often useful for finding lost
greyhounds, though dogs that have been off the track for a while often
don't get too excited by them.

What exactly is it supposed to sound like? It kinda sounds like a duck call
to me.

A squawker didn't help when Matty was
lost, but his fear drive overpowered his prey drive every time.

Poor puppy! How did you find him?

Suja

On Fri, 12 Oct 2007 10:42:34 -0400, "Suja" wrote:


"sighthounds & siberians" wrote in message:

Just how tall is he?

Well, Pan is 31" at the withers, so I'd estimate him to be somewhere between
32 and 33". I was surprised. It isn't often that Greyhounds end up being
taller than Great Danes, even if mine happens to be one of the
not-so-ginormous ones.

Not a Dane expert, but one of our adopters recently took in an 8
year-old blue merle female; I can't remember why she was being given
up. Anyway, she's quite a bit larger than their greyhounds, but their
GHs are female. My Matty was 31" tall, and one of our
adopters/volunteers has a male that's 31" at the withers. Last year
there was one at the track we deal with that was around 32", I think,
with a race weight over 90. That's about as big as GHs get.

And good for them for using a turnout muzzle.

I've seen it used before, but usually when the dog is new to the owner, and
they don't know how they'll react to running dogs. This owner said that the
dog is fine (including with little dogs), but has a tendency to nip while
playing.

We use turnout muzzles here because we have 4 male greyhounds and they
get very competitive when running outside, particularly the newish
young 'uns. Nick (10 year-old GH that was returned two years ago and
stayed due to urinary issues that made him unadoptable) was diagnosed
with bone cancer a couple of weeks ago, so he now goes out unmuzzled
in case the Beaver Brothers get out of hand before we can get to them.
Music has surprised me by putting himself between them (that's my
boy), so there haven't been any problems. But lots of ex-racer owners
use turnout muzzles with multiple greyhounds on a regular basis. I
definitely wouldn't take a greyhound to a dog park without one, even
if the dog was fine with other dogs of all sizes.

Yep, squawkers (aka predator calls) are often useful for finding lost
greyhounds, though dogs that have been off the track for a while often
don't get too excited by them.

What exactly is it supposed to sound like? It kinda sounds like a duck call
to me.

Different types have somewhat different sounds. I just tried mine and
nearly got trampled. It's called a predator call and there's a
picture of a fox on the box but it does sound like a duck call.

A squawker didn't help when Matty was
lost, but his fear drive overpowered his prey drive every time.

Poor puppy! How did you find him?

Tasha found him. Don't tell me you never heard that story.

Mustang Sally

"sighthounds & siberians" wrote in message:

Not a Dane expert, but one of our adopters recently took in an 8
year-old blue merle female

Good lord! A pox on whoever dumped an elderly Dane.

Last year
there was one at the track we deal with that was around 32", I think,
with a race weight over 90. That's about as big as GHs get.

This one was right up there, then. The other larger GHs I've met have had
poor track careers, so it surprised me when I heard that he actually did
quite well. I had always assumed that being so big would be a handicap.

Nick (10 year-old GH that was returned two years ago and
stayed due to urinary issues that made him unadoptable) was diagnosed
with bone cancer a couple of weeks ago,

I'm so, so sorry, Sally. You're long overdue for a break in the bad news
department.

so he now goes out unmuzzled
in case the Beaver Brothers get out of hand before we can get to them.

What exactly do they do? And do they only do it to other GHs or to dogs in
general?

Music has surprised me by putting himself between them (that's my
boy),

What a good boy! Is this new behavior for him? Are Music and Nick
especially close?

Different types have somewhat different sounds. I just tried mine and
nearly got trampled.

Heh. At least you know it works!

It's called a predator call and there's a
picture of a fox on the box but it does sound like a duck call.

It definitely does not sound like a fox. I've got waaay too much experience
in that department. I swear, there was a fox here that would come right
around the house, mark, and stick his tongue out at Khan (who is of course,
going crazy).

Tasha found him. Don't tell me you never heard that story.

My memory not being what it used to be (understatement), I'm sure I've head
it before and retained none of it. Getting old truly sucks.

Suja

Tara wrote in
.196:

Thread Drift: anyone ever notice how some dogs LOVE the bonding of a
good howl (Finn was like this) and others are simply unnerved by it?


Zoe is the only one of my 3 who howls, and she does it very rarely. But I
swear she looks embarrassed at the end, as if she didn't realize that
something so primal could take over her normally civilized self.

--
Catherine
& Zoe, Queenie, & Max, 3 black dogs of varying sizes
& Rosalie the calico cat
www.ourladyofperfection.blogspot.com

In article ,
ceb wrote:
Zoe is the only one of my 3 who howls, and she does it very rarely. But I
swear she looks embarrassed at the end, as if she didn't realize that
something so primal could take over her normally civilized self.

We have 8-way group howls a few times/week. Huskies, you
know.

The fever gone? You forgiven?
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

On Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:51:59 -0400, "Suja" wrote:

This one was right up there, then. The other larger GHs I've met have had
poor track careers, so it surprised me when I heard that he actually did
quite well. I had always assumed that being so big would be a handicap.

They're definitely slow on the turns and lack agility, but once they
get going they're sort of like freight trains on the straightaways.

Nick (10 year-old GH that was returned two years ago and
stayed due to urinary issues that made him unadoptable) was diagnosed
with bone cancer a couple of weeks ago,

I'm so, so sorry, Sally. You're long overdue for a break in the bad news
department.

Thanks. I love all the dogs our group takes, of course, and if one
gets returned and stays here it's just like any other of our dogs, but
Nick was Renee's (our friend who lives with us) from the moment she
saw him. It's going to be particularly hard on her to lose him at
this time, while she's treating for her own cancer. Nick, though, is
doing pretty well on Deramaxx - has a big honkin' tumor you can see
from the kitchen window when he's outside, but still happy and waggy
and running at times.

so he now goes out unmuzzled
in case the Beaver Brothers get out of hand before we can get to them.

What exactly do they do? And do they only do it to other GHs or to dogs in
general?

It's mostly Stan, the shy guy (funny how people assume that shy/spooky
dogs are that way with other dogs - NOT). His brother sometimes joins
in but has gotten much better about this particular behavior. He
barks in the other greyhounds' faces, when standing still or running
alongside them. There isn't any biting, but the barking is very
obnoxious and clearly irritates the other dogs. It's difficult to
correct - if I'm standing outside with the dogs, he won't do it, and
if I go to where the dogs are in the yard when it's happening he'll
run away. So I generally interrupt him from the porch.

Music has surprised me by putting himself between them (that's my
boy),

What a good boy! Is this new behavior for him? Are Music and Nick
especially close?

It is, yes. He's the alpha, but that's not without challenges from
the Butthead Brothers and he doesn't normally get involved in what
goes on between the other dogs. Nick and Music do get along very
well. They've taken a couple of trips together and when walked on a
tandem are right in sync with each other.

It definitely does not sound like a fox. I've got waaay too much experience
in that department. I swear, there was a fox here that would come right
around the house, mark, and stick his tongue out at Khan (who is of course,
going crazy).

Oh, my. I wouldn't know a fox if I heard one, but my dogs would go
nuts if a fox did that.

Tasha found him. Don't tell me you never heard that story.

My memory not being what it used to be (understatement), I'm sure I've head
it before and retained none of it. Getting old truly sucks.

OTOH, it surely beats the alternative. I turned 50 this year, and
being postmenopausal I definitely am noticing all kinds of memory
deficits (losing one's train of thought right in the middle of a
sentence is so embarassing), but I'm still pretty happy about it.
Anyway, your memory loss just means I get to tell one of my favorite
stories again. Matty got out of the fenced yard about 5 years ago,
when adult ADD DH varied his routine and went inside before closing
the gate (at that time the gate was across the driveway), promptly
forgot that he hadn't closed the gate, and let the dogs out. Matty
wasn't particularly prone to trying to escape, and we've never
discussed exactly how/why he went out of the gate, but I suspect DH
yelled for a dog or two to come back and Matty the spook got spooked.
It was a Tuesday evening and DH drove around looking for him, as did I
when I got home from work, but that's pretty useless when a greyhound
gets loose - they tend to stay within a mile or so of home, or they
take off and end up miles away in very short order. DH made posters
the next morning and we got some help and plastered them all over town
and all over the town to the north, about 5 miles away, which is an
old resort town that had just closed for the season and was fairly
deserted. By that afternoon we were getting calls on sightings, and a
couple of times DH saw Matty but Matty was so spooked he ran. Long
story shortened, the police in the neighboring town called on Thursday
morning and said they'd just seen Matty and would wait there to show
us where he'd been seen before heading into the woods. I stayed by
the phone and DH said something told him to take Tasha. The police
showed him where Matty had been, DH told Tasha to find Matty, she put
her Siberian nose to the ground, and off she went. DH figured she
thought it was just a grand adventure, but Matty had been seen there,
so he had nothing to lose. A couple of times she seemed to want to
plunge into some brush where DH couldn't follow. After about 10
minutes of walking, Tasha stuck her head into some brush and Matty's
head popped out. DH sat on the ground while the dogs talked - - Matty
was very skittish - - and after 5 minutes or so asked Matty if he was
ready to go home. Tasha very likely saved Matty's life, as he would
not have approached us, let alone a stranger, or let anyone approach
him. If she hadn't found him, we'd have had to trap him somehow.
Needless to say, Tasha had never had any training at tracking.

Mustang Sally