Update from foster care: Billy (Sambo Warrior)

By Fatima |

Friday, June 24, 2011

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Billy and Jolie sharing a bed :)

Cute little Billy (Sambo Warrior) is being fostered by Jacquie, Tony , Drew and their greyhound Jolie (Snowie Secret) in Pirongia (Waikato). They just sent us an update on their foster boy, who has been with them for just under two weeks now:
Billy is very soft, and not as confident as Jolie, but he is improving with Jolie's help! :)
Have just had a break in the rain and watched him and Jolie hoon around the yard like a couple of speed freaks. Tail is high and wagging! :)
He’s progressed from being afraid of the cats to being OK with ignoring them – as long as they’re being quiet. If there’s any hissing involved, he goes in the other direction.
We took him for a walk to the local dog park because he’s seemed so reassured to be on a lead. He was a total delight on the lead, and was very intrigued by a goat tethered by the road on our way home. He kept giving us these ‘did you SEE that?’ kind of looks, LOL!

Billy's first outing :)

"Take your dog to work" day

By Fatima | 0 comments

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Some of our hounds went to work with their humans yesterday, as it was International Take Your Dog To Work Day.
For me, it is so wonderful to hear this -my employer (a big NZ corporation) has a 'no pets' policy, which is so sad and alien to me (I come from Europe , where dogs are pretty much allowed everywhere...)

So here are some of the doggies who went to offices and other workplaces yesterday:

On pictures below is Simon (Atonement), lying down on the job as an Information Librarian in the Christchurch City Libraries contact centre. He was so well behaved he fooled his Mum's colleagues into thinking she had him perfectly trained to 'stay' but he was actually just too lazy and relaxed to move. At lunch time he got up just long enough to eat a toasted cheese sandwich and have a walk in the park before a couple more hours on the phones - flat out of course! :) In case you are wondering what the headphone-type thing on his head is: it is a contact center headset :)

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Jenny and Molly went to work at their Mum's
school and had their picture taken for local papers!

Baz (Swift Brutus) also went to work with his Mum Sheila:  he spent the day at Hillcrest High School library while his Mum went about her duties as a school librarian. (picture below)
They also featured on Page 3 of Waikato Times today! I found the article online:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/5192197/Work-a-stretch-for-an-old-dog

Baz and Sheila :)

I am waiting for a few other pictures to arrive -so watch this space ! :)

Beautiful boy up for adoption: meet Shottie (Thrilling Shot)

By Fatima | 0 comments

Shottie (Thrilling Shot) is just the cutest little guy :) He has just the loveliest demeanor, and loves everybody :)
Shottie was a great racing dog, earning over $25,000 in 54 starts. Now, he has mastered 'the lean' and is ready for his forever retirement home. :)

I have just stolen some of Shottie's pictures off his trainer's Facebook page; these were taken just before Shottie arrived to GAP.

Playing with GAP greyhound Riley (Utar Big Rig)

Shottie and Riley :)

With another friend :)



Shottie and GAP hounds Mouse (Sugar Mouse)
 and Riley (Utar Big Rig) playing with their spaniel friend



Shottie and GAP greyhound Sarge (Sergeant Scream)

OMG! Crocodile in the water!!!
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Hugo (Young Valiant) and his new family :)

By Fatima |

Thursday, June 23, 2011

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Our foster boy Hugo (Young Valiant) went to live with Tonia, Jade and Guinness in Hastings. Tonia just sent us some pictures of Hugo and his new siblings :) Seems they are having loads of fun together :)

Jade and Hugo :)

Jade and Hugo playing
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Hugo has always loved his bed :)

Running madly witth his brother Guinness The Cocker Spaniel
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Hugo's new brother, gorgeous Guinness :)

Update from Bella (Lil' Boss Lady)

By Fatima | 0 comments

Bella (Lil' Boss Lady) recently went to live with Ward family in Auckland. Her Mum just sent us this update:

Bella (used to be Bossy) is settling in well to our home. The first thing we did was change her name - Bossy was so inappropriate! Bella has a lovely gentle nature but her playful side is beginning to show through too. She adores children and loves our six year old daughter and her little friends.

She spends hours sleeping on her back with her legs in the air which is highly amusing to witness. We have all fallen in love with her and even our neurotic poodle has accepted her in to the family with no problems. I think we've found our dream hound!

Update from gorgeous Romeo (Arctic Romeo)

By Fatima |

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

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It is exhausting being so good looking!

Handsome Romeo (Arctic Romeo) now lives in Lower Hutt with his new family. We just got an update and some gorgeous pictures from his  Mum , who wrote:

Romeo is a beautiful dog who is just happy to be here and embraces life, and happy kids who have a dog that adores them as much as they adore him :) He is an absolute darling, very funny, and sweet – he settled in very quickly, which is awesome and is snoozing next to me at the moment.

I take him for a walk every morning and he holds his head just a little higher when people stop and fuss over him... oh, hell, they don't even have to stop, they just have to pause on the other side of the street... he knows they're looking at him. :)

Romeo with his little humans :)

Today I discovered that he likes to chase tennis balls, and kinda fetches: he brings the ball back and drops if where ever he feels like it. He'll do it twice, and then go lie down on his bed. Quite frankly I can't blame him... fetch is a mindless game for lesser dogs. :)

He runs like a lunatic around the garden in a big figure eight -three times, then, you guessed it... he needs another nap. :)

Romeo in mid crazy. Looks a bit mad, definitely in a weird position...
 he was making a tight turn at speed!

When he's not asleep, he prefers to be hugged and stroked and generally made a fuss of by all of us. He's been cheeky from the beginning. Being such a quiet dog, he sneaks up on doorways and pokes his head around to see what's going on... pretty funny to see him do it.

He is very obedient. Very easy to walk (he'd sooner be asleep.) He leaps in the living room when I throw his stuffed giraffe to him, leaps and smacks it with his paws, then bounds about with it and eventually retires to cuddle Gerry the giraffe on his bed.:)
So, happy family all round.

Romeo and Gerry The Giraffe

Even Missy the snooty cat is okay with Romeo.
 It'd be hard not to be, he is very respectful of her :)
 She does stalk him sometimes tho -as in the picture above!

Romeo and his Dad :)

Pictures of some recently adopted doggies :)

By Fatima |

Monday, June 13, 2011

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I have just received a few pictures from new owners - have to share them here :)

Calli (ex 2Spot) :)
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Lucy (Pure Desire)
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Another Lucy (Skippy Bojangles)
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Lilly (Tara Lilly) at a recent GAP run in  AKL
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Lilly (Tara Lilly) with Riley (Utar Big Rig) and his Dad Graeme
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Finally -pictures below are of Nugget (Pepper Law) who was adopted  a while ago, but has just moved to South Africa!!  Her Mum Carla sent me these pictures of Nugget in her new home:

Reunion at the airport :)

With her little sister Toffee

Cute Sporty (Know Sporty)

By Fatima |

Friday, June 10, 2011

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Sporty (Know Sporty) was fostered by Ashley before coming to GAP. I asked her to send me a brief writeup about Sporty, and this is what she came back with:

Sporty has two sides to his personality: his 'melt your heart, I love you, give me more pats' side and his 'lets go play, it is all ON!' side.
Sporty loves beds, blankets and big fluffy cushions. I often caught him carrying the dogs' fluffy cushion around!!!
Sporty had a good race record, with 104 starts, 11 wins and 24 placings. He is still an active dog that likes going for jogs and playing with toys. I started teaching him a little agility while he was here (going through hoops and jumping over small jumps made from firewood with a broom on top :) .

He is an awesome dog, really fun and cuddly, he loves kids and would be a good dog for kids to teach to fetch and maybe a little agility too.

I loved fostering  Sporty; he is an absolute dream, one of the hardest dogs for me to give up, and I am sure  will be an amazing pet. Whoever adopts this lovely dog will be very lucky!

Sporty in his racing kennels, just before retirement :)