Update from Rosie (Flyby Rose Maree)

By Fatima |

Thursday, September 30, 2010

I just got an update from Linda and Ray, who have adopted Rosie (Flyby Rose Maree) in July this year. They wrote:
Rosie the hound has settled happily into life on Wellington's South Coast. Overall she's been adaptable - a city girl who can hang out at cafes but isn't afraid to get down and dirty on the sporting field.
Somethings have been a steep learning curve such as Rosie discovering the hard way greyhounds CANNOT run on water when chasing seagulls. And as we then found out she does not swim very well. Climbing steps was a challenge she quickly mastered and now Rosie has a favourite walking route up and down steps and along Island Bay ridgelines. Rain, shine or wind - Rosie is out there twice a day. She also likes a good flat piece of sandy beach to stretch out and run on and she will do that as long as she's not distracted by the enticing smell of rotting seaweed.

Rosie in the mud puddle!!!

In fact, Rosie's favourite hobby appears to be sniffing things - doesn't matter what we are doing - that nose appears. Doing up shoe laces before going 'walkies' - Rosie's snout will be there, sitting on the couch - voila - Rosie's snout appears over the back and snorts in the nearest ear. In the garden evey flower is snuffled, and out walking every blade of grass, or piece of seaweed needs to be checked out. Her other hobbies are sleeping (usually in inelegant positions), gnawing bones and chasing tennis balls.

Here she is with her toys - the draught stop snake and her gorilla :-)

Rosie has quickly become known on the neighbourhood walking circuit with young and old asking about her or to pat her. Encouragingly many people show an awareness of GAP and its work.
We did consider changing Rosie's name as a friend's daughter is also called Rosie, but the two Rosies met, and the 'original' teenage Rosie felt that the canine version was cool enough to share a name with, so Rosie she has remained. :-)
We have declined requests for Rosie to have her own Facebook page (she has to share mine with a weekly 'Rosie update'). We have a list of people willing to dog-sit her in our absence and in fact the only 'person' Rosie has failed to win over so far is Thomas the cat! (But she's working on changing that).

Rosie neatly eating her bone off her outdoor 'table':-)

Overall Rosie is a settled, confident, and well-behaved hound with a sense of humour who appears to be happy with her lot in life.