Update from Riley (Elite Impact)

By Fatima |

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

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Riley and his sister Bayley :)

Handsome Riley (Elite Impact) went to live in Cambridge (Waikato) about 5 weeks ago -and we just got an update and some cute pictures from his new parents:

Riley is doing very well with more tail wags each day. His favourite pastime naturally enough is running and he alternates either chasing or being chased by his new Labrador/Chesapeake cross sister Bayley.




Nothing on the kitchen bench thats edible is safe from him so we now consequently have an extremely tidy kitchen bench and the pantry door is never left open :) . We have found that he is great for teaching teenagers to not leave food, half eaten packets of chippies or even drinks laying around!

Did someone mention food...?

We have noticed that he is a bit of a ladies man and where I will receive a tail wag and a quick lick in the morning, my partner is awakened to copious amounts of Greyhound kisses whether she wants them or not :)

Handsome boy :)

Meet amazing Pedro (Private Pedro)

By Fatima |

Sunday, September 25, 2011

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Pedro (Private Pedro) has recently arrived to GAP and is looking for a forever home. He is stunningly handsome hound who had a stellar racing career and is now looking forward to his well earned retirement. He was trained by Pam and Denis Schofield (my Louie's trainers!) - he has had 156 starts and many wins and placings.  Truly amazing athlete! He is beautifully behaved, soft doggie who reminds me of my Louie :)

I could not resist giving Pedro a kiss :)

Sue (Beryl's Mum) tool a lovely video of Pedro, link to it is below. Pedro was neutered the day before this video was taken and didn't feel like doing anything much except enjoying lots of cuddles :)
Click this link to see Pedro's video: http://youtu.be/6qFARuxocVA

Update from foster care: Wally (Boatswain Wally)

By Fatima |

Saturday, September 24, 2011

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Wally wearing a dragon hat!

We just got an update from Wally (Boatswain Wally), who is in foster care with Marion and Stuart.
They wrote:
We are really loving looking after Wally, he is so very well behaved. He is lovely on the lead and has great manners.  Wally is a very gentle and patient cuddle monster :)

Wally in the shower -not exactly thrilled,
 but he coped really well!

Wally LOVED the snow !

Just arrived to GAP shop: limited edition martingale collars!

By Fatima |

Thursday, September 22, 2011

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Gap Shop has just got some great new designs of martingale collars in ! These are limited edition (only 5-10 of each will be made). So if your hound would like one of these below, get them quick! :)
(you can click on pictures to see full size)

Blue with quotation marks

Oriental orange

Oriental cerise
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GAP Shop Manager Sheila and myself ( Sheila's design assistant! :))  have been discussing the design aspects of GAP martingale collars, and we decided that we would keep most of the designs changing all the time. We will keep a few favourites tho :)
We now have dozens of various patterns and colors - to see the full range and collar details, please look at the GAP Shop Page .

All proceeds of collar sales are going directly to the hounds who are waiting for homes in GAP kennels. So go on- treat your hound and help more of them find forever homes !

These cost $35 per collar (plus $2 for postage)- contact Sheila at GAP shop shop@greyhoundsaspets.org.nz or phone (07) 858 3210 evenings and all day Saturdays.

Update from Rusty Taylor p.p. (Pampered Pooch!)

By Fatima | 0 comments

Handsome Rusty (Classy Fort) went to live with his new family in Taupo just under two months ago. We have just received an update and cutest pictures from Chez, Steve and Lauren:

We are so lucky that Rusty has joined our family! He is the most wonderful hound and he has settled into our lives like he has always been with us or was meant just for us!
 We have so much fun with him, he is a natural comedian and pulls the funniest faces when we try to understand what he wants from us but fail – then he takes any frustration out on a quacking duck toy we bought him for a moment before he tries again to get through to the stupid two-legs! 

In his Hello Kitty pyjamas!!!

One particularly endearing feature he has is when if we don’t notice that he wants out attention, say we’re cooking and he knows that he’s not allowed past a certain point into the kitchen, he stamps his feet until we know he is there – how clever is he? 
In two months he has been with us we have only heard him bark 3 or 4 times; we’ve even left him overnight with a packet of chippies on the coffee table (having overlooked them after a late night watching UK soccer on Sky!) then found them completely untouched the next morning -how gorgeous is that? :) 

Snuggled on two of my beds :)
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On the sun lounger on the deck (brought my own beanbag!)

 Rusty's chilled and laid back attitude to life in general has made him a favorite of anyone who has met him so far, he is so gentle with anyone he meets- he even let 25 children under 5yrs whom i work with cuddle him to bits just 3 days after we picked him up - they got up close and personal looking at the tattooes in  his ears!! He loved every bit of it :) . 
He loves his grub, cuddly toys and his bed, he is so full of fun and love, obedient, quick to learn and please - -he stole our hearts with just one look!!!  Even my husband (who said before he met him "just remember, he is a dog, not a child") is completely smitten with him - see photo below! 



Cuddles with Dad!

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Snoozing with Dad  :)
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Having a chat with Dad :)

He shares his love around all three of us but has secretly told me he loves him Mum the best!!!! A big THANK YOU to GAP and to Rusty's trainers for allowing us to adopt Rusty and completing our mad Taylor family which he has joined in with gusto!
In fact Rusty is so wonderful that we are now considering adopting another hound, if we can find another like him (impossible!) and one that he will get along with (should be OK on that score as Rusty is so easygoing). Watch this space!

Holding hands with Mum :)

Go on I dare you not to fall in love with me!



Cockroaching!





Picture of the day!

By Fatima |

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

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Very patriotic Stanley (Chile Will He)  about to go for a walk around Terrace End in Palmerston North! :)

Our new foster greyhound Tyler (Glaze)

By Fatima |

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

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Cutest little Tyler (Glaze) has just arrived to our house today and is just LOOOOVELY :))) He is also our Lucy's half-brother! Yes - for all of you who are wondering, Tyler has a curly tail too :) Tyler is a bit older than Lucy, he is 4 yrs old.
He is very playful and cute, and loves his bed, as you can see in the picture below:

I will blog about Tyler later on this week:) He sounds like a lot of fun! He also LOVES his toys - I will have to try to take some pictures of him 'killing' his toys -watch this space!

Update from foster care : Rodney (Royal Rodney)

By Fatima | 0 comments

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Rodney's foster carers sent us a couple of his pictures :) Isn't he a lovely boy?

Pedro and Lucky arrive to GAP! :)

By Fatima |

Monday, September 19, 2011

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Last Wednesday, Sue (Beryl's Mum) and myself drove to Wanganui Greyhound Racing Track to pick up two very special greyhounds: Pedro (Private Pedro) and Lucky (Mint Octane).
They are two gorgeous big black boys - both of them with an impressive racing career . Pedro had 156 starts! Truly amazing dogs - it was a  priviledge to have an opportunity to meet them.  I hope I can foster one of them (I have my eye on Pedro :) They are both cute as anything and very cuddly too :)
They were trained by Pam and Denis Schofield (Louie's trainers :))) but they hitched a ride down to Wanganui with another trainer, Ian George (who has transported a few of GAP hounds now :)

Sue took a few pictures - thanks a million Sue!

Lucky kissing Ian goodbye :)
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Lucky is 36kg racing weight - HUGE doggie :)
Pedro is similar size!

No pictures of Pedro (he was still in the van ). I will see whether I can take a video and pictures of both boys this week. :)

Some cute pictures :)

By Fatima |

Sunday, September 18, 2011

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In last week I received some cute pictures from various greyhound owners, so I thought to share them here :)

Beautiful Babe (Sexy Babe),
who belongs to GAP Kennel Manager Sonja, and can often be seen chilling out in the GAP reception room

Romeo (Arctic Romeo) having fun with his girls :)
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Spring is in the air :)
Check out the white blossom on the tree in the backgroud :)

Look at Romeo's tail :))) LOL!
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Lace from Masterton sunbathing in spring sunshine :)
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Gorgeous Lace

Catching up with Leah !!!

By Fatima |

Friday, September 16, 2011

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This Wednesday, while at the GAP kennels, I found out that our gorgeous ex-foster girl Leah was boarding there for a few days as her parents were away.
OMG -I got so excited! Leah is so special, and she was one of our favourite ever foster greyhounds. We fostered her last year, and in May last she was adopted by a lovely family from Porirua. We have not seen her since - so it was so awesome to be able to catch up with her at the kennels!!!
Leah is still as gorgeous as always :) She is now 11 years old, and just precious. :)

Sue (Beryl's Mum) took some pictures of Leah and me:

Foster carers desperately wanted....

By Fatima |

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

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We need foster homes ....

Greyhounds As Pets (GAP) desperately need more foster carers... At the moment -there are only a handful alltogether, NZ-wide. :(
The issue is even more serious as kennel space at GAP kennels  is VERY limited ; foster homes are essential in helping get more greyhounds into the programme.

While the majority of our hounds adjust easily to life as pets the transition is made easier by a period in foster care. And as soon as one greyhound goes into foster care - it frees a kennel space in GAP kennels for another ex-racer.

GAP foster carers introduce their hounds to normal pet life - this would include meeting other dogs, visits to the local park, toiletting, walking up stairs. Foster carers are fully supported with everything their dog needs (food, gear, vet etc) plus advice on hand from our Kennel Managers.

Some facts on fostering:

• It is perfectly fine if you work! Greyhounds get adopted in similar situations and it is good for them to learn about it. As long as you have time to walk and socialize your foster greyhound before/after work, that is perfectly fine.
• If you have other pets, or no other pets -that is great too: greyhounds get adopted in all sorts of situations, and we need various foster homes: some with other dogs, some with cats, some with lifestock etc
• It is not a problem if you are  a few hrs drive away from Manawatu - you dont have to be near.

 For more information visit GAP website foster page, where you can download a foster care guide:
http://www.greyhoundsaspets.org.nz/default.asp?page=help_a

 or contact me directly . My housemate Rachel and myself have fostered over 85 greyhounds in last two years (well, we managed to count 85, but it is possible we forgot a few :))) We both work, have one cat and two greyhounds ourselves. And every single one of our 85 fosters has been a pleasure to have around. :)
We  feel priviledged to be able to foster these lovely dogs, and help GAP get more ex-racers into homes.

So please, do consider fostering -the difference you will make to greyhounds' lives is HUGE.

Update from Lucy (Pure Desire) and Wizard (Wizard Appeal)

By Fatima |

Monday, September 5, 2011

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Wizard & Lucy from one of our recent wanders
on the Coastal Walkway in New Plymouth.

Graeme , Kim and Kyra from New Plymouth just sent us an update on their two gorgeous greyhounds, Lucy and Wizard :

 Lucy (Pure Desire) was the first new addition to our family ( we adopted her about 3 1/2 months ago) and she settled in really well - it certainly didn't take her long to become part of the family at all, even going as far as helping Kyra with her homework by eating it! We even had to write that cliche of a letter to her teacher to apologise for the dog eating the homework. Lucy has been a pleasure to have around the house and she loves to play with her toys when she is not too busy stealing shoes and stashing them in her bed or eating half the dictionary that she stole off the bookshelf. :)
Kyra had also wanted to get a cat, however after the arrival of Lucy it quickly became obvious that we'd need another greyhound...mainly because we saw no reason to get a cat when we could have 2 lunatics in the house, and so Wizard ( Wizard Appeal) arrived with his curled back ears and slightly strange ways. On first meeting Wizard we all thought he was a bit dense, but very loving. After having him in the house for about 6 weeks now it seems that he's not dense at all and just likes to walk into lamp posts and door frames to get the sympathy vote. :)

Both Wizard and Lucy get on really well together and love to have races around the back yard and thoroughly enjoy their walks together, especially the early morning one as that's when there's only one of us walking them both...and it usually means that I come back from the walk looking like a mobile cats cradle. Both Wizard and Lucy are well loved and have settled into life with us very well - we certainly wouldn't be without them now!

Beautiful Wizard
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Lucy looking regal

Meet Lucy's litter brother Bentley (Cool Thief)

By Fatima |

Friday, September 2, 2011

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Bentley and Lucy :)

Lucy's litter brother Bentley arrived to GAP and is up for adoption! :) So exciting! He is so similar to Lucy, so affectionate, waggy, and with lovely temperament. He is great with all other dogs, and with cats too :)
I know many are wondering whether he has a curly tail as Lucy's :) Yes, he does have a curly tail, although not AS curly as Lucy's :)

He is just gorgeous, affectionate, friendly doggie :) He is also very good looking, red fawn color.
A few days ago, we took Bentley for a run at Kyrewood, where he had MAJOR fun in the water jump with Fiona, Lucy and resident Corgi Benjamin. :) He loves water  :)

Ben The Corgi, Bentley and Fiona

Best mates - Ben and Bentley :)

Happy boy

Fiona, Ben and Bentley
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