A few cute photos of Kobe

By Fatima |

Friday, June 29, 2012

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We just got an update and another few pictures from Kobe's parents in Auckland:

 Kobe continues to do really well and has cemented his part in our family. Photos attached are taken at our local beach (Kennedy Bay, the only dog beach in the area where they can run off lead anytime all year). 
He has his morning walks there -  he will chaise stones and go fast and hard for about 5 minutes before he wants to go home to tuck himself up into bed for the day. I'm sure you will remember he is a real foodie……and he got sick of the dry food we were giving him within a week. We now get Jimbos delivered and he is really thriving on the fresh meat and the variety. People comment on how shiny his coat is and although he was a whooping 42.5kilos at last weigh in, he is in fantastic shape, hes just a really big dog.  :)
  

Postcards from Lace: GAP run in Ashhurst yesterday :)

By Fatima |

Monday, June 25, 2012

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Gorgeous 10 year old Lace is staying with us for a few weeks, while her Mum and Dad are visiting friends in England. I thought to post some pictures of her here, so that her parents can see how their precious girl is doing :)
Today, Lace insisted on dictating a post to me, so here goes:

Hello Mum and Dad!
Hope you are having fun over there, I have seen some pictures on your Facebook (and have to admit I just HAD to lick the computer screen at that stage :)
Geee I am tired! Yesterday Fatima took me, Cobby and Lucy to a GAP run in Ashhurst Domain. We had SO much fun! There were many greyhounds there and I made sure I met them all. :)
And yes, we run like lunatics:

You can click on photos to see them in full size. On this one, I am at the very back,
BUT that is only because I was sniffing something on the ground and started last !!!

I met famous ex-racer Fancy Spider! I thought he was quite cool, but...

...he has this long and VERY odd-shaped tail that he wags constanly so you need to watch it!
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Me with Cara (Thrilling Paris) and her Mum Roseanne :)
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Cara's Dad handled me when we had to be on lead. I like him -he also handles
me at the Canine Good Citizen class we attend every Monday (but that is another story -watch this space!)
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Me and Fancy Spider again :)
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Me with Cara and Carlos (Captain Carlos). Cara and Carlos came from the
same racing kennel in Waikato and loved catching up. When I told them I would be doing a
blog post, they both asked me to say hello to their trainers
Maxine, Mike and Sam (they are both sending loads of virtual licks :)

Carlos is very handsome young man I have to say! He spent most of the time hooning around, and then rolling in the grass:

Captain Carlos :)

Carlos with his Mum

Yes, I had to wear a muzzle! I tried to explain I did NOT need one -but apparently, on all GAP runs,
when we run free we need to be muzzled. I was more than happy with that :)
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From left to right : shiny black doggie is Brinkley (Expenditure), Fancy Spider is next to him,
 me :), and finally Carlos

Brinkley (Expenditure) is very handsome too
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After a long walk through the bush and by the river, we came up to a small cafe, where everybody wanted to have coffee! To be honest, all I wanted at this stage is to go back to the car and have a nap. Oh well, never mind, I used the time to make friends with Sticky (Sticky Boy), a gorgeous white spotty boy currently up for adoption:

Sticky and me :)

We were all exhausted when we got home! We all got our coats on and went to sleep :) We did not even stir until we smelt the dinner being prepared!
Until next time, Lace xxxxxxxx

Beautiful Jade is looking for forever home

By Fatima | 0 comments

Lovely and gentle Jade is currently being fostered by Sonja and Irene , GAP Kennel Managers in Sanson. She hangs out in GAP reception, where she has her bed in the crate. She is 11 years old , a big girl at over 30kg.  Jade doesn't like cats and is selective about what dogs she likes. She hangs out with Sonja in the office all day (and sleeps in there at night because she feels 'safe'). She curls up in the smallest spaces! Sonja and Irene are toilet training her and trying to integrate her slowly to pet life.
Jade would love a quiet, no fuss home, with a soft bed and gentle owner.

"Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog.” – Sydney Jeanne Seward

Update from Layla (Know Life)

By Fatima |

Friday, June 22, 2012

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Gorgeous Layla :)

A few days ago I got an email from Georgina, who found my blog online :). Georgina has adopted a greyhound a while ago - her Layla (Know Life) came straight from the trainer, not through GAP.
Layla's litter sister Sky (Know Option) was homed via GAP, and her other sister Star (Know Wonder) is up for adoption at the moment (you can see her on GAP website ).
I asked Georgina to do a writeup and send me some pics of Layla:

Layla is an absolute gem. I got her through her trainer straight out of racing, and she came home to live with me complete with complimentary muzzle! She met my cats and they introduced her to the prospect of claws and they have been best friends ever since. :-) She is more scared of them than they are of her. The all share a rather massive beanbag in front of the fire ever night. :)
She comes when called, waits when asked, loves a good snuggle on the couch and is the best dog to have around my little boy. We found she struggled being alone (having never been alone before) so we got a rescue pup (lab x). To be honest, I wish I had got another greyhound, but dont tell Max that!

Layla and Max :)

Teaching her to sit was a mission, but one day the penny dropped and she now shakes hands too. The transition from kennel dog to home dog was easier than I thought. She loves being pampered and stroked, and she adores the fire and her bean bag. And she will do anything for a kind word.
She is incredibly gentle and kind. And my shadow. I love her to absolute pieces.

Meet our foster doggie Alex (Cool Idol)

By Fatima | 0 comments

Gorgeous Alex (Cool Idol) arrived only a few days ago and he has settled right in! :)
He is a lovely doggie - awesome in the house, very clean, walks beautifully on the lead. He also comes when called already and is very responsive :) Alex is a true couch potato, loves his bed, but he is also very playful, he loves to play with toys and a rugby ball, and run around with his canine friends :)
Alex loves our  dogs and is very excited to meet other dogs out and about :)
Today I took a few pictures of  him:

Alex and his rugby ball :)

With his friend Ben The Corgi

Postcards from Lace

By Fatima |

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

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Gorgeous 10 year old Lace is staying with us for a few weeks, while her Mum and Dad are visiting friends in England.
I thought to post some pictures of her here, so that her parents can see how their precious girl is doing :)
Lace LOVES living in our (ever changing!) pack  -  she shares beds, car seats and toys with our greyhounds and our foster greyhounds. She goes walkies with our pack, and also attends Canine Good Citizen classes with them too :)
(you can click on pictures to see full size)

Sharing a couch and a blanket with Cobby :)
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It did not take long for Lace to find the warmest dog bed :)
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Exploring the garden with our foster boy Alex (Cool Idol)
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Bedtime :)

Meet lovely Lilly (Lil' Larrikin)

By Fatima |

Sunday, June 17, 2012

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Lovely Lilly (Lil' Larrikin) recently arrived to GAP and is up for adoption. She is the gentlest, cutest girl. Lilly just retired recently, after an awesome racing career, with 95 starts and many wins and placings.
Her trainer sent me these pictures of Lilly (taken at her racing kennels) and also the writeup below:

Lilly is a gentle old soul with the heart of a puppy, a dog who loves cuddles, and is always up for a good lie down. She is easily handled, lead trained, compliant, and used to being around other dogs. She LOVES food, she will eat until she busts if the opportunity ever presented! :)

Lilly LOVES to be with kids, and is friendly with everyone,  although she is not one to jump right in, she needs a little time to digest anyone or anything new. But once that is out of the way -it is all fun!

She loves to run at speed on her hind legs (which is hilarious to witness) and she loves to spin round in a tight circle when you come home, and also when she gets excited. :) She loves long walks (anywhere), she has visited the beach, play parks, and the river. She is a very good traveller, and loves going for rides.

Lilly loves to be with people, but she doesn't like being left alone -she needs to have company (either human or canine) to be at her happiest. She does not like loud abrupt noise, or big moths. No fireworks or duck shooting please.

Lilly is no longer racing  (due to age) and she is left behind in the kennels every race day. She misses going to the races and being amid all the activity.
It is now Lilly's time to retire and enjoy just being Lilly. She needs a loving home and family that will be there, just for her. Once she feels safe and secure, she will give back ten fold.
She will always make you smile. :)

Farewell beautiful Angel (Ruawhata Road)

By Fatima |

Friday, June 15, 2012

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One of our favourite pictures of Angel

A very special post just in from Nan and Susan from Hamilton:

We lost our beautiful Angel (Ruawhata Road) on Saturday the 9^th of June. She was nearly 13 and a half years old, and we had the privilege of sharing the last year and a half of her life with her. The moment Angel came in to our lives, we wondered how we ever lived without her. She was a bit nervous, which is very understandable considering the sudden death of her trainer who she had lived all her life with, but it didn’t take her long to figure out that we had a lot of love to give.

 It took the cats a few days to decide she was okay, but our griffon Molly liked her from the start. When Molly went blind about three months after Angel arrived, Angel somehow figured out that Molly couldn’t see, so every time Angel got up to move around, she would look for Molly, and often stop and stand still so Molly could wander underneath her! 

We took Angel everywhere, and she charmed everyone she met. She was eagerly awaited every month at the local market, and well known amongst all our friends. When Molly passed last August, Angel really came in to her own – it was probably the first time in her life she was the only dog in the house, and it turned her into a bouncy puppy. When either one of us came home and Angel heard the garage door, she was waiting for us to say “Is that my Angel?” and once we said it, she would bound over for a cuddle. 

She captured the heart of my 81 year old mother who came to visit from the states- after a week with Angel, Mom was busy buying GAP Christmas cards to send to all her friends, and a calendar to “take home a greyhound of my own,” in Florida. Its not surprising really, because she had the knack of making everyone she met fall in love with her. Even the vet said “Greyhounds are one of the best breeds of dogs and Angel is one of the best greyhounds I have ever met.” She was a charmer.

These two pictures (with Susan) are pretty much good-bye shots as it was just before her final trip to the vet on that sad Saturday:

Some people might hesitate getting a greyhound who is almost 12 years old, but I can tell you, as hard as goodbye is, it is worth it. I would swear she was extra grateful to have a warm loving home to rest her old bones and enjoy her last years- and she managed to show us that love every day. She was a one in a million hound, and will be very sorely missed.

Update from Barney (Swanky Lee)

By Fatima |

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

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I arrived at my new home in Upper Hutt on Saturday the 26th of November 2011 at around lunchtime and by dinnertime I knew I was on to a good thing. I have my own room, toys a plenty and every so often I even get my favourite dinner EVER - salmon! I have a couple of teenagers to run around the section with who certainly don't mind when I go absolutely crazy and run around and around the house like a madman. To top all of that, I have a new best friend, Kayla, who gives me constant hugs and tons of love.

When I'm not fast asleep on my mattress in the sun I'm hanging out for even a scrap of bread or with Kayla who is teaching me lots of new tricks like sit, shake, down, stay and spin. I look a bit awkward when I sit down and can't hold the position for long but I'm making progress!

The only bad thing around here is bath time. Getting a good ol' massage is excellent and I'm not complaining! It's the water, I absolutely hate it! I'm such a wimp!

Well I have to get back to my cruisey life now. I love my new family lots and I know they love me to bits too.

- Barney Griffin