Very sad news, thinking of you all. Xxx

So sorry for your loss xxx

I am so so sorry to hear about Lush - I remember taking her home - she is running free with Basil and Maggie my two pictured with her in the last photo.... :-(
biggest of hugs xx

I'm so sorry. 6th Sept seems to be a bad day for losing greys :( RIP to your lovely girl.

Yesterday 6th sept, my lovely Lush (nee Kirsty) had to be put to sleep after her kidneys lost the fight. She was a marvellous girl. 5 years and 6 days was not long enough to have with her.

I haven't even started to miss her properly yet as the decline at the end was so rapid it hasn't really sunk in.

Happy birthday Kirsty!

Thank you all for your kind comments about Bob. He was my Gentle Giant and the loss is felt by the whole family.Lush (Kirsty, as was) is going a long long way towards helping fill the gap (and the one on the sofa). She's really bonded with Guzzi, follows him everywhere, and is settling in more every day. The cat is not so sure but we're working on it. Looks like Ruth's picked us out another good 'un.

Hope all works out well for Kirsty, nice to see she has a four legged friend to keep her company. xxx

Thanks so much to Ruth for finding a lovely new home for the gorgeous Kirsty so quickly. Ruth is an absolute star! We were so sad to bring Kirsty back to the kennels but it was right for both us and Kirsty and it was a very hard decision. Kirsty is a lovely, gentle, friendly girl and we really miss her. I know she will be happy with her new family especially as she has a doggie companion. Loads of good luck and love to Kirsty and her new family.

So lovely, well done Kirsty! x

Well done little girl and well done auntie Ruth for finding this little one her forever home in a flash.

Hi Louisa. I'm so sorry that things haven't worked out for you and Kirsty. I'm sure it was a really tough decision you had to make. Take care. Mand

Oh bless, so chilled with all your hounds xxx

oh bless her she looks so settled in your lounge Ruthie, maybe she just needs a home with another hound in it to settle her....what a hard decision to have to make for her previous owners :-(

Kirsty has come home with me after being returned today through no fault of her own - she has settled in well with my 6 greys and with her being cat friendly as well as stuffed alligator toy friendly, I am sure it won't be long before she finds a home! Fingers crossed for the viewing tomorrow x

ps hugs to Louisa and Craig who made the difficult decision to return Kirsty - they have done the right thing even though it has been very hard for them.

oh my little girl don,t worry it,ll happen if only i could get my hubby to say i could have some more take care xx

So sorry to hear it didn't work out for you all. xxx

Little Kirsty is a poppet and I am sure will soon have her forever home.Sadly things didn't work out for her and her new family due to difficult circumstances and no one is to blame least of all Kirsty.Sadly sometimes things are not meant to be.Wishing everyone well and I am sure Auntie Ruth will find the ideal home for this baby.

Oh dear, sorry to see that Kirsty has come back.

has Kirsty come back ? :-( xxx

Oh no why is Kirsty back?

Hiya,
just thought you would appreciate hearing about my boy Reubes. Like Kirsty he howled & cried when left at first. I decided to get my dog crate out (had a Boxer before & he used it all the time). First time Reubes saw it, he crawled in & stayed there for over 2 hours!! I had to coax him out with my best treats. Needless to say we had a very peaceful night and that didn't change - whew!! If you have never used a crate before, you may feel they seem small, cramped, cruel even, but I think R proved the point that he liked the security it offered him, (it is a huge Grey sized crate btw). We put it away once we got Grey no2 - Blossom, cos they slept together! - Oh thats the other cure - a kennel mate - one grey is never enough you know!!
luv t

Some brilliant advice there already.....I found this just know and thought it was good advice too - I think it is quite similar to what tiggersmum has said.
It may seem like a real problem at the moment, but persevere and you (both) WILL get there and you know it is so worth it!

http://www.grassmere-animal-hospital.com/gh_separation_anxiety.htm

Hi Louise Greyhounds have such a different up bringing to 'real' dogs- our whole world is strange and can be scarey to them, Kirsty will have always had a greyhound friend to keep her company so it can be hard for them to come into retirement and settle straight away. At night like Deb said most of us have them in our bedrooms but if you don't want that then put her bed on the landing and a childgate on your door so she can come and see you but can't get to you, during the day make sure she's had a good brisk wealk of 45 mins to an hour so she's nicely tired then leave her with a Kong or two (if she's on her ownotherwise you need to separate dogs so there aer no squabbles over Kongs when you're not there)- stuff the Kongs with things like mashed potato with liver, cheese, chicken etcetc so it'll take her a while to get it all out and she'll have to use her brain and greys get very tired when they have to think .. sleep on an old tee shirt or similar and leave that on her bed so it smells of you and you can ry the Dap diffusers. Don't make a fuss of her when you're going out and even leave your coat and keyts outside so you give her no sighnals that you're leaving, when you return again just ignore her until she is quiet then call her to you and make a quiet fuss of her. You can start getting her used to being alone when you're in the house by using a childgate, giving her a Kong while you're sitting reading a book then don't look at her or touch her, leave the room, shut the gate behind you, come straight back, don't look or touch or speak to her, do this a few times unrtil she stays lying on her bed and with her Kong then go out of the room, stay in sight, come back etc etc, next step would be go out of the room, out of sight, come straight back, etc then out of sight for a minute, come back etc etc .. build it up gradually, if she gets upset go back a step. A crate can be helful too in the early days- not to 'shut her up' but to giver her a safe place to go to, speak to Ruth about how to crate train her if you think that might help her and come to one of our training classes :) Oh have a look for the 'understanding a greyhound' which I think I posted on the training class bit - they are very different to other dogs :) Best wishes julie x

Hi Louisa. Have you tried leaving a radio on for Kirsty when you're not around? We bought a small radio for the kitchen when we first had Gent and still leave it on now when we go to bed or go out. We left it at a volume that would just mask those strange house noises and make him feel like there was someone there talking to him. Another thought is the Adaptil plug-ins. They're totally odourless to humans, but to dogs mimics the smell their mother gave off when they were puppies and can have a calming effect. Ruth will have them at the kennels (or your local pet store). Glad to hear everything else is going well, she sounds like she's been spoiled rotton - just as it should be!! Mand x

You could try giving Kirsty a kong stuffed with treats when you leave her.If you only give it when you go out she then overtime might associate getting a lovely treat when you go out.if it is packed tight it might keep her occupied for a little while.
You could also leave a radio on during the day.

Night time I think is an individual choice some of us have our dogs in the bedroom with us and that does the trick but if this is not what you prefer just keep doing what you are doing.
Kirsty is very lucky to have found you and it will take time for her adjust to her retirement but she will get there and be the happier for it.
It would be great to see you on one of the walks and if you can you all might benefit from a few training classes with the vouchers the kennels have given you.
What an exciting time you are all having!

Thank you for all your lovely, supportive messages. We collected Kirsty on Saturday morning and we talked to her all the way home to try and keep her calm and then took her through the house to the garden to do her business! We both stood in the garden saying ‘wee wee’ and ‘busy’ but she was too interested in all the new smells and sounds. The neighbours must have thought we had gone mad!
After 20mins we gave up and decided to show her round her new home. She excitedly paced around for a good hour, checking out the views from all the windows, licking both our TV remotes, and sniffing everything. We showed her her luxurious bed with a plush liner and gorgeous throws (which looked more inviting than our own bed), but she had a sniff, took her pheasant toy and plodded off into the sitting room where she lay stretched out on the carpet in the walkway into the kitchen. This has been her spot ever since and because we were soft, we bought her a dog mattress for the spot she had chosen, which she seems to love.
She is such a well behaved girl and is really affectionate in her own quiet little way. She follows us around everywhere and puts her head into our lap when she wants a cuddle. My family have had labradors before so I am used to them bounding around and being really excitable but she has a quiet way of showing affection. I am really looking forward to her getting to know us and me getting to know her subtle signs of what she likes and when she would like a cuddle.
She has been perfect on the lead. We need to practice her coming when we call her name – when it is wet and cold outside she really doesn’t want to go out for her evening comfort break! The only thing we have had issues with is her howling and barking when we leave her and at night which is a worry as we don’t want to annoy the neighbours and we don’t want her to be distressed. We did expect some howling as it is a scary time for her and everything is new but she will soon learn her routine and that we are only gone for short periods. The howling is getting better every night.
We are totally falling for Kirsty and I can’t wait to get to know her better. Looking forward to meeting people at greyhound walks! With love from Louisa, Craig and Kirsty! xxxxxxxxxxxxx

One more sleep to go!!!! Will be thinking of you all. Someone told me it's great having a girl, they're so much fun to buy for -pink, pink and more pink! Have fun and let us know how you get on. Mand x

Hi Louisa. Reading your last post has really made me smile. It's a great feeling isn't it? I remember feeling like that when we were waiting to get Lola (Lass as was). Anyway you have cheered up my dull afternoon at work! I wish you all the very best as you embark on your this fantastic adventure of bringing Kirsty into your lives. I'm sure you'll have loads of fun. xx

Hi Louisa, I felt exactly the same when I adopted Twiggy... six years later I love her more than ever! Wishing you lots of great times with your lovely Kirsty. xxx

I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve! I don’t think I will be able to sleep tonight as I am so excited about picking Kirsty up tomorrow. Her bed is all ready with luxury throws and cushions! She will be very pampered! Bring on tomorrow!

Hi Mand. Thanks so much for your lovely message – you have made me feel much less nervous…and really excited. Saturday can’t come quick enough. I had my home visit last night which went (all the volunteers are so kind and friendly). Hopefully I will see you at one of the greyhound walks as this sounds really fun and a great way to meet like-minded people. Best wishes from Louisa xxxxx

Hi Louisa. You're so right that Kirsty chose you, it was a lovely sight to see her fixing her feet firmly in front of you both - she knew exactly that she wanted to go home with you! I can sympathise with you feeling nervous, I was in the same position as you almost 3 years ago. My partner had owned all sorts of different breeds over the years from large dogs to small ones, but a Greyhound was my first dog and it was daunting. I had no idea what I was going to do with my boy Gent when I got him home and Stefano, was stuck at work, so I had to bring him home on my own. I was advised to talk to him in the car on the way home. By the time I'd got home, I'd rambled all sorts of rubbish to him and was sick of the sound of my own voice! In the end though, I think he was more relaxed when we got home than me. He went outside for a wee, checked out the garden and the house and then slumping onto his bed, falling asleep and only moving when I went to the fridge! It's been pretty much the same ever since (food, walks, sleep, follow Mum to the fridge!). We had our second Grey a year later, because I felt I wanted a little girl to bond with. Emily is technically my dog and Gent is Stefano's, but strangely since we've had Emily, my bond with Gent has become a lot deeper. They are the most amazing dogs and have incredible personalities (Gent is generally a steady-Eddy, whereas Emily is our pocket rocket!). Someone told me that I would have a second Grey and I didn't believe them, I suspect the same will be for you too. I'm not sure where you live, but check out the Greyhound walks, there's usually one fairly close to most people. They are really useful for the humans (there's a wealth of information and experience on two-legs, plus just generally a lovely bunch of people) and the Greys love it too - they wag their tails furiously and can't wait to greet each other. Everyone at Daybreaks are so helpful and are always there if you have any queries. As you can tell, the website is also helpful, with plenty of Greyhound owners only too happy to offer up advice if you feel you need it or share a laugh with you if something funny's happened. Hope you don't have to wait too long before you can bring your little girl home. Take care. Mand x

Hi Mand. Your blue boy was very handsome and your advice yesterday was great as it is so hard to know which greyhound is right for you as they are all so lovable. I think Kirsty chose us in the end and I am so pleased because she is gorgeous. I am very nervous because this is my first dog (Craig has had dogs before) but it will be great when she is home, I’m sure. Many thanks, Louisa xxx

Hi Louisa. I was visiting with my blue boy yesterday when you were with Kirsty in the run. It was so sweet watching how she behaved around you. You could just tell that she was 'the one'. Have lots of fun together. Mand x

Wishing Kirsty lots of happiness in her new home, she is a very pretty girl. xxx

So excited about taking you home! xxx

Well done kirsty, good luck x

Ah, lovely news. Good luck sweetie. xx

gorgeous girl and cat friendly, there is bound to be a home waiting for her :-) xxx

Well done Kirsty! She passed her cat test :-)

still love you - very friendly- maybe see you wednesday xx

kirsty i love you- you are such a gentle loving girl- i have a real soft spot for the blackies having had one myself-i keep asking hubby if i can have another but he,s not bending xx

ooh kirsty sounds like a dream.bless her,hope she finds a lovely home soon.x

Kirsty has been home with me every night this week and has been the perfect house guest. We have our 6, Tina our friend's dog and Red and she has got on fantastically with them all. She is totally housetrained and sleeps all night and loves her food. She has never tried to steal any food off the side even when it has been left out just to see what she would do! She has met Sara's dogs Charlie and Cracker who are non greys and is brilliant with them. I hope someone falls in love with her soon.

I have brought Kirsty home again tonight and she has settled so well. Clean throughout the night last night and very chilled out with our 6 and Red who we are looking after at the moment.

I have brought Kirsty home with me this evening as I had no spare kennel to put her in. She has settled in really well here. She is a lovely gentle girl who can be a little nervous sometimes.

Such a pretty girly, she seemed a little shy yesterday....

This little girl walks very well on the lead and is a real poppett. Hope you find a home soon my pretty. Xx

Love the name ( its the name of my riding instructor)

She looks a pretty girl xxxx