Only just seen those kind comments below, thank you so much, they brought tears to my eyes! I can't believe how long ago it was, it seems like only yesterday. Monty has certainly helped us all heal though and I don't know what we'd do without him. Alfie is still greatly missed. Thank you again xxx

Dearest Amy, i so understand how you feel, its been nearly 9 months now since i lost my beloved Monty boy and i am still grieving for him. i miss him so very much but i try and keep all the happy pictures in my mind of his smiley face and his little furry paws and then i smile through my tears. Alfie will always be a part of you and nobody will ever be able to erase your memories of him and one day you will be able to think of him and just smile without the tears. he was a very special boy and he was very lucky to have had you as his mummy. with love to you and a big hug, Ina Rossi Toby and Mc Kenzie. xxxx

Hi Amy, I know from reading your comments how long you had been waiting to have your own Greyhound and although I have never met you or had the pleasure of meeting your beautiful Monty I was so, so sad when you lost him. You will aways have the lovely memories of him and he will always be with you. Kind regards xxx

A couple of days ago it was 8months since Alfie was PTS. I miss him so much every day and I wish he was still with us. I love you beautiful boy, forever. xxxxxxxxx

Really?! Oh my gosh, she was gorgeous! Bless her, aw that's made my day. I wish we could have her!!! I really hope she goes to a good home, although I'm going to be begging my dad now ;)
xxxx

Wow Amy. Alfie's litter sister she raced at Perry Barr and then Peterborough 103 races in total
Pam
xxxxxxxxxx

Ruthie who was brought in yesterday is one of Alfie's litter mates!

Thank you, again, to both of you. It eases my guilt when I read things like that (:
My mum and I popped down for an hour at the end of the day and It was so good to be back again. We just wandered around fussing them all and all of them took our hearts. Kiki was a darling, but I do believe she may have a home, which is great! They're all so tiny!!! My mum loves Katie, and I do agree she has bags of personality. I love Robbie too, he's gorgeous. Then we met Matt, and oh boy I couldn't leave him alone. He is amazing and he just made me feel so happy. My mum and I also fell in love with Micky, we felt so sorry for him and he just loved having some fuss.
I think it's going to be between Matt and Micky, if we were to have any of them! I honestly can't wait for another greyhound, though Alfie will always be my baby boy. I felt so bad when I accidently called one of them Alfie :(
We should be back up again this weekend I hope!
xxx

Dearest Amy
please don't feel guilty about getting another grey, Alfie will always be with you in your memories of him but you have a lot of love to give and there are hounds out there who deserve to be loved and cared for by someone like you. i knew that i was going to have to say good bye to my beloved Monty before too long and i actually got Kenzie before i lost Monty to help me fill the terrible hole i knew he would leave behind...we all have been in your shoes and know how much it hurts so anything that stops the pain is a good thing. much love Ina xxxx

Hi Amy
Please dont think bad about looking for another grey. Duncan (my husband) always says, "get another one as soon as possible, there are plenty looking for homes. It will soften the blow a little". Your new grey will not replace Alfie, he will always be in your heart, It will be a new beginning and the start of a new chapter for you all and your new grey.
love
Pam
xxxxx

Hi Amy

I'm sure it helps to know that so many people are thinking about you at this time - it's true what they say about joining a family when you adopt a greyhound from Daybreaks. Don't feel guilty about thinking about a new greyhound. No-one can ever take away the 2 months that you gave to Alfie and there's always another greyhound who needs a loving family. Mand x

Thanks again to everyone, your comments really touched me and my Mum. I feel bad that I'm already a little excited about looking for another grey, it's not even been a week and I feel like I'm trying to find another to replace Alfie :'[ We're collecting his things tomorrow from the vets, I'm keeping his ashes and scattering them once it's been a year in the spot where we used to run together. It's hard, but we're getting there.
Thank you again so much for all your support, I honestly don't know what I would've done without all your kind words.
Much love, Amy xxx

Hi Amy, im so very sorry to hear about Alfie, my heart goes out to you, sending you lots of big hugs XX

Oh Amy, I'm so sorry, I was only thinking about you last night and wondering how you were getting on. Don't know what to say, you must be devastated but be comforted by the fact that Alfie had a very happy time with you and your family and enjoyed his time as a much loved family pet. I just can't believe this news, take care of yourselves. Love Ann

dearest Amy and family, i can't believe what i am reading and i am so sorry that you have lost your lovely boy Alfie. i know how much ihe meant to you and how proud you were of him and i also know that you gave him the happiest two months of his life, and by letting him slip away so he will not be in pain you showed just how much you loved him, he is now running free at rainbow bridge and i am sure that my two boys Monty and Lenny will be there to look after him for you. a big hug, my heart hurts for you so much. love Ina xxxx

Hi Amy
Its a shame you couldn't come to the kennels tomorrow as I will be there all day. I would have loved to see you. Maybe I will see you soon
Pam
xx

Thank you so much to everyone for your support, it's been comforting to read everyones comments. It just feels unfair that we only got to spend two months with him, but as you've stated he was indeed loved greatly. We're hoping to come up next weekend, or even before, we were going to come tomorrow but I have rehearsals all day. Hope to see some of you there.
Thanks again to everyone, it really means a lot to me xxxx

I miss Alfie so much! he was part of the family and we loved him so much

Amy and family.
I really cant believe this has happened to Alfie. My heart breaks for you. You and your Mum waited so long to have a grey and having found Alfie your life was complete. It seems so wrong that he only enjoyed his retirement for a couple of months. You must console yourself by knowing he had a fantastic couple of months with you, most probably the best 2 months of his life. He truly was loved to bits. He is now at Rainbow Bridge running free from pain. Until you meet again.
All my love I am thinking of you with tears running down my face. So very very sorry
Pam
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Amy, I'm so sorry and my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this horrible time. Beautiful Alfie is free from pain now, and you should be proud of yourself that you gave him such a fantastic loving home for his short retirement. Em xxx

Hi Amy. I'd been following the story of Alfie and I just wanted to say that I was sorry to hear the news that you'd lost him after such a short time. Take care. Mand x

Dear Amy, I am so sorry to hear that his life has ended so soon after only a few months enjoying life as part of your family. I know how broken hearted you will be and my thoughts are with you. Run free at Rainbow Bridge special boy xxx

Alfie was put to sleep late in the afternoon. I am absolutely devastated and can not believe what has happened. I can''t think of what life is going to be without him, we only had him just over two months and it doesn't seem fair that he isn't with us anymore. I wished he could have the treatment, but the chance of it working properly was only around 30% and I know Alfie wouldn't have liked to live in the conditions he would have been in. It just wouldn't have been an enjoyable life for him.
I'm missing him greatly already and it just feels so wrong.
Thanks for everyones support, we appreciate it greatly and we're hoping to come back up to the kennels soon.
Thanks again everyone xxxx

Hi Amy, me again. I have had a McTimoney animal chiropractor highly recommended to me. I have not used her myself but fully intend to with my two. She specialises in dogs and her name is Paula Stokes and she is based in Redditch - if you google her you'll find her, if not give me a shout...

Oh Amy, I am so sorry to hear this news, I have got everything crossed for your beautiful Alfie. Much love, Em xxx

Hi Amy, a greyhound we homed a while back had this happen - he was running in a field and fell and slipped a disc. He also lost control of his bladder etc and at the time prognosis was quite poor but several years on, he is ok now albeit a bit wobbly on his legs but his aftercare took a lot of time and patience.

I gather Alfie slipped on the kitchen floor after speaking to your dad a short while ago and that he is not insured. Treatment will be costly and I am sure the vets will advise you the best course of action - I know prognosis can be poor and his aftercare will be a lot of hard work but I know he is worth it as I know how much you love him. Keep me posted....... My fingers are crossed for him.

Oh no Amy you must be devastated. We will keep everything crossed for him. Keep us posted
Pam
xxx

The vets operated on him from lunch time today and they rang saying he may have slipped a disk. He has lost control of his bladder, kidneys and bum and it's really not looking good.

Hi Amy
It sounds like a touch of cramp. Greys do suffer with this even whilst racing. Once retired they are not so active so they are likely to have cramp from time to time. The famous greyhound vet from Australia, John Kohnke said at a seminar I went to, that lack of moisture causes cramp and other ailments in the greyhound. Make sure he is having plenty of fluids. If he doesn't drink much make sure he has plenty in his food.
Pam
xx

Hi Amy, Willow has had a sort of similar problem (with her neck in her case) she would scream horribly when getting up or turning over on her bed, but lots of trips to the vets and x-rays proved there was nothing sinister there, the vet seemed to think lots of greyhounds get this problem, apparently unexplained pain (which incidentally they never complain of when they are actually at the vet). Willow just had a spell of very restricted exercise and some anti inflammatories and she's just fine now, so try not to worry too much, I'm sure it's just greyhound-itis. Love to Alfie

Amy, just to follow up on Ruth's comment, when i first had Rossi it happened to him and he absolutely screamed the place down and seemed to be in some sort of spasm, after a while it just went away...turned out to be cramp, they forget that they are no longer in training and try and dash around like madmen on not previously streched and warmed up muscle and they end up in agony just like we do when we get bad cramp. hope Alfie will be fine before too long. Love Ina xxx

Hi Amy, mine have done this in the past usually because of cramp.

We had to take Alfie to the vets last night, I was walking him and he just lay down whimpering. The vet couldn't work out the source of his pain as he didn't yelp at all when she checked him over, but he had been howling and screeching when he was trying to get comfortable on his bed before we took him. He was given some strong pain killers and has been taken back this morning. We believe there is something wrong with his back half, but it could be his spine, his hips, his pelvis or his muscles. I will update you later on. Vibes for my special boy, he is feeling very sorry for himself :(

We've had Alfie, oh what, a month and a bit now? It's like he's always been here! He's settled in very very well and has become a lively big boy, not quite a docile as when he was at the kennels! But I love it, he's perfect for me haha. He gets pleanty of big walks and I usually take him down a secure pathway and let him run alongside me, seeing as he doesnt bother to run when i let him off. I've started to try and teach him recall and he was getting pretty good at it! Then we didn't do it for a few days and he forgot, oh well! Everyone we meet loves him and we get a lot of stares when I pop up to Tesco to buy something, popular boy. He is SO nosey and wants to say hello to everyone and everything. He's good with other breeds but we still watch him carefully as we don't want to take any chances just yet! Can't wait to take him to the fields and let him run free one day, he's already proved to me how fast he can run!!! I love him to pieces and when he looks at me with those big brown eyes its hard to resist giving him a kiss and a cuddle.
He still loves jumping up and putting his huge paws on your chest when you walk in, but he doesn't do it as much now. He's HUGE! haha.
Thank you to everyone at the kennels and my mum and I are hoping to bring him up in half term and walk those looking for homes again. I've missed being up there!
xxxx

Ina, sorry I haven't been here, it's been crazy! Thank you, I couldn't wait to pick him up after camping and he is defo coming with us next time if we can!!!

I can't believ it's been...what...nearly a month since we've have Alfie! It's like, as everyone always says, he's been here forever. We really can't imagine what it'd be like without him. He's currently snoozing behind me on his side and taking up the whole of the room! I no longer notice how big he is, until he bounds up to me when i return home from school! He's great fun to walk and is such a good boy with small things, a quick correction and he'll soon forget there was a squirrel there. He's a bit of a tinker though, often taking everyones food and nicking plastic bags that have things in. He ate half my brother tea once and also grabbed a mushroom out of the bin...though he didn't find that tasty at all! He even almost destroyed my little sisters birthday cake!!! But it was saved just in time (;
He does need to go to training classes, obviously, but he knows 'wait' and 'bed'. He's a star and I love him to bits!!
We're joining you on Sunday for the walk, lets hope the weathers nice and dry. I'm sure he'll be pleased to see everyone and he's very keen on meeting everyone who walks past!! See you all there !
xx

Amy, i spent some time with your lovely boy today and he is so very sweet. i bet you can't wait to get him back home again? he's been ever such a good lad and had a lovely long walk with all of us today. Ina x

Happy 4th birthday Alfie, it's mine (Toby) soon on the 17th and my brother's (Rossi) on the 22nd! have a great day with your new family and get spoiled to bits. love from Toby Rossi and Monty and our mum and dad Ina and Paul xxx

Wow its his birthday today. Happy Birthday Alfie, your first in your wonderful new home. You will be spoilt to bits.
Love Susie, Sammie and Dino Dewar and not forgetting mum and dad, Pam and Dunc xxxx

Happy birthday Alfieee!
You're going to be a spoilt boy today! Haha x

Ahh yes, we wont be taking it off permenantly just yet! We popped it back on when we left and he saw a chicken, so it's a good job he had it on!
x

Keep the updates coming. We all love to hear about them. Be careful about the muzzle. I think it best you keep it on for a few more days just in case his thought pattern goes back to his racing days!!!
Pam
xx

I was trying to resist popping updates on here so much, but it's so hard not to! We're so proud of Alfie as today we went to Hatton Country Park. He had a great time and everyone wanted to stop and pet him, got chatting to lots of people and found some had greyhounds too. We subtely spread the word of Daybreaks! Haha! Everyone said how beautiful he was and he was so well behaved, he's not bothered about other dogs and in the end we decided he didn't need his muzzle on for the rest of the day, he's that good! (;
We had no accidents last night, though he did whine a teeny bit but he soon went back to sleep. He's currently snoozing under the stairs after his long day out, we popped into pets@home on the way home and got him a few things. Got him a nice bone to chew on after his dinner!
Thank you everyone, we'll be helping out as much as we can now! Maybe we will join you on a roadshow one day (:
xxx

Amy, i am so happy to hear that he is settling in so well, he's got a lovely home with you and he'll not want for anything. hope to see you both soon. Ina xx

So so glad Alfie has settled in well. Maybe you would like to help on our roadshows soon
Pam
xx

Oh Amy, I am so pleased you have FINALLY got your grey - Alfie is a very lucky boy indeed, and so beautiful too!
Em x (Kevin and Sadie)

Thank you Ina and Pam (:
It's great to have him home, we've had a great time these past five hours and he's really settled in. He's hilarious and such a character. He's currently asleep next to me after eating his yummy tea, which he waffled down in a few seconds! He helped us clean the floor afterwards too! Haha.
We've been on two walks, to tire him out a bit. He's been good with the rabbits so far, not going past an invisible boundry we made, though has yet to meet them. He's great on his walks, though doesn't understand what pavement is and just loves walking all over peoples drives!! He's yet to have an accident in the house and whined to let us know he wanted to go outside to the loo. He'd seen a squirrel on our longer walk and wanted to chase it as it ran, though I felt bad as he whined at it. I still don't believe he's ours to keep, but he's just so gorgeous and funny!!
We're still planning on coming up at the weekends and walking the others when we can and we'll be joining you on walks etc.
We'll be updating a lot! (;
xxx

Amy and Mum. Well done in finally persuading your dad to let you have your own grey. You have waited so long and I am sure your dad will soon love Ewan/Alfie. He will have a spendid home and be much loved. Ewan was a top class racer and he finally gets his wonderful retirement home. Look forward to seeing you all soon
Pam
xx

Hi Amy, how lovely to read that you are finally going to be the very proud owner of one of our gorgeous greys. i am sure you and your family will have a great time with Ewan/Alfie and that even your dad will come to love him in time. have fun..Ina, Rossi, Toby and Monty xxxxx

Thank you skinnyme! (so sorry i don't know your name! everyone seems to know me haha). I'm sure i'll be updating everyone a little too much (;
x

Homecheck was fine, the family was really nice and It was great to see them after meeting them at the Easter Fun Day. We're hoping to get him tomorrow if we can board him at the kennels when we go camping. So excited! We're considering calling him Alfie.
x

Amy, so pleased you are finally going to get your Grey. Hope your home check went well.

We can't wait to bring this boy home, he's absolutely gorgeous! He's so handsome and lots of fun, I just can't wait to get the home check over and done with! Fingers crossed for this afternoon when the lady comes over!!!
See you soon pretty boy! We're thinking up names for you!!
xxx

It was raining so we had to take his photo in the kennel. He is a lovely big handsome boy.