Mumsnet Talk

Pointy hounds include-
Greyhounds (Grunds)
Whippets (Whippys)
Lurchers
Italian Greyhounds (Iggys)
Salukis
Afghans
And any others I have forgotten. If you are a new pointy hound owner, an old and experienced owner or looking into getting one of these fabulous creatures, come and have a seat (that's not taken up with a hound).

Share advice, stories and shopping tips!
AK Creations
Bonnie dogs
GRWE shop
Our very own Scuttle's Milgi coats
Silver Peacock

Jake
I didn’t really want you,
I wasn’t really sure,
And I’ll admit I had my doubts,
When you first came through that door.
 
Not small, or cute, or fluffy,
With big, soft puppy eyes,
But tall, and thin, and bony,
With bald, pink, bulging thighs.
 
You weren’t the kind I had in mind,
Not in any way,
“Perhaps it would be better if I took you back today,
Before we know each other,
It really won’t be kind,
To keep you here for one more day,
And then to change my mind.”
 
But against my better judgement, I decided you could stay,
And quickly I discovered you were kind in every way,
Your gentleness and patience, they really stole the show,
“Why these dogs are wonderful, I must let others know!”
 
For you’re my gentle giant,
Who just needed the chance,
To show us all what you could be,
To wipe away that history,
And dispel our preconceptions, which put us all to shame,
And so we come to know and love,
What lies beneath that frame.

And now I’ve come to understand,
What I missed right at the start,
That greyhounds need that great deep chest,
To house their great big hearts!
By Denise Dubarbier

Come The Day

Come the day I take that final bend,
Can I count on you to be my friend?
To see I’m treated just and fair,
It means so much to know you care.

For, what the future holds in store,
Now that I can race no more,
Should be addressed for every hound,
Who parts the punter from his pound.

Tell them I don’t ask for much,
A kindly word, a gentle touch,
Somewhere warm to lay my head,
A meal each day to keep me fed,
Not just life- but quality,
This is how it aught to be.

Do not see me swept away,
I long to live another day,
With peace of mind, tranquillity,
And those who care surrounding me,
So tell them all- you have that choice,
I beg of you to be my voice.

By Denise Dubarbier.

Lovely poems, describes them beautifully.

Potential/previous owner here but have just been adopted by a stray cat so will need to wait a while again

I've come to settle down on a bit of the cushion not taken up by hounds.

<Parks self> (on floor as sofa seems to be erm... occupied)

<Muzzles DS2 to prevent him 'washing' and 'loving' licking the dog again>

<Lights Yankee Candle>

Arf at DS licking hound!

Foster Callie's back from the vet. She has had nearly all her teeth removed - the vet said it was like a row of dominoes, and once one was out, the others came very quickly as most were loose/rotten. She's managed to eat a little bit tonight, bless her, and is looking a bit zonked (understandably) near me on her duvet. She's got painkillers and ABs for the morning and will go back in a week for a checkup.

I really do love those poems, especially the first one. I can remember feeling very uncertain about greyhounds initially and even more so when Andy first turned up and I thought "What on earth have we done?" Now I can't imagine life without a pointy in it.

Signing in to pointy love from a campsite in France. We have been away 3 weeks now and I am heartsick for my whippety baby. He on the other hand is having the time of his life on holiday with his brother. Counting down until I see him again on Saturday.

Callie! Poor girl, she must be so sore. I can imagine she'll be in line for a lot of loving over the next little while.

We took ours with us to France, Lost (we just got back), the whole pet passport thing makes it really very easy - I was quite surprised. One thing we wondered though, our dogs seemed to react very confused towards some of the dogs in France - do you think that dogs evolved to "speak" in different lanuages like people depending on which part of the world they come from ? Can you imagine it? A french poodle might bark with a nasally sounding "Bonjour", whilst a nottinghamshire whippet might bark with a gruff "hey up me duck" .

Our two got lots of stares over there though. I think sighthounds are quite an unusual sight there and we heard a few times comments about "chiens très grands" (they really are not, being a whippet and a whippet x grey).

Oh poor Callie how will she eat now? Does she have to have soft food from now on or will she be ok with crunchy things? Or is that a silly question?

Bonjour Lost! Hope you're all having a good time, what's the weather like?

Magrat that's something I've always wondered, if dogs speak in different languages. I wonder if there's been any scientific research done on this? Am laughing at 'Hey up me duck' though, being from Lincolnshire and about as close to Notts as you can get without actually being in it, that language is very familiar

Magrat you've just reminded me, my mum was friends with a few students over here from Japan who were living in Sheffield, by the time they left to go back to Japan they had picked up a few yorkshire phrases, like 'Hey up duck', and 'cheers lovey' and other classic yorkshire phrases. It was hilarious listening to them use them because of course their accents were Japanese

Well they're out anyway! I'm not entirely convinced they were ready. The woman we saw didn't appear to know what she was doing, "Well I think it looks healed enough." I'd just opened my mouth to say maybe she should ask a colleague to come and have a look when she snipped them out. Then she went and got a 2nd opinion but the 2nd opinion just said to keep a close eye on it and keep it clean. I got the feeling he thought they weren't quite ready either, he looked slightly disapproving.

You know that thread 'What would your dog do if people burst your door down'? I always thought Sprocket would either greet them happily or just stay in bed. But now I'm not so sure. A van pulled up in front of our house and a couple of blokes stood there looking at the massive dip in front of our garden wall, Sprocket stood at the window, staring, head and ears up. And he growled it was very quiet, more of a faint rumble but still a growl. I feel quite honoured/pleased in a way, because it says to me that he knows he's home and he felt he had to protect it/us. I feel quite teary now of course I'm probably talking bollocks and in actual fact he just didn't like the look of the men but still. . . .

Oooh, brave Sprocket. How was he when the stitches were removed? Did he squeak or squawk?

Andy says to pass on his best wishes, and says to look forward to the scar

Callie is amazingly perky this morning. She has demolished some pilchards and is getting her ABs and painkiller wrapped in morsels of pate so is very happy. She has just had a little second breakfast of some mashed rabbit and that went down without touching the sides.

Yes, Cunny, know what you mean about it being home for them. Andy is VERY protective of the house - would cheerfully eat anyone who tried to get in.

Watching!

He was fine Scuttle his ears went up a few times but that's it, no squeak or squawk! Very proud of him. He's well 'ard init

Ooh, impressive!!!

I've just found out a lovely random fact. Trent Reznor, of Nine Inch Nails is a huge fan of rescued greyhounds and apparently has several, and regularly fundraises in the USA and helps publicise greyhound adoption. Johnny Cash's version of his song "Hurt" is one of my all time favourites.

What a legend.

DH met a producer a while ago with 3 greys - they had a knowing chat!

Think I ought to join this thread. Currentlygot two lurcher bitches. Hazel ( greyhound/collie/bedlington/pointer) and skipit (whippet/collie). Both 50% soppy tart 50% ruthless killer. Both outside dogs having lost indoor privelages by constantly skanking food and eating it on the bed and sofa.

Welcome to the thread Hazel Hazel sounds like an interesting dog, I bet she's gorgeous! Yy to soppy tart, give Sprocket the slightest bit of affection and he's yours

Yes she is very lovely she looks like a deerhound in miniature.

Love my Whippy. Gentle Mr William - my gorgeous fawn 2 year old ...

Haha ohh bless her, she sounds beautiful!

Welcome iMoniker Mr William is a brilliant name and he sounds beautiful too! Fawn is my second favourite dog colour after shiny black. Is he a pale fawn or more orangey?

They all sound beautiful-pics? Pics?

So we've cancelled our plans for the weekend. The builder is tiling our kitchen. Billy doesn't like him and I cannot fathom why. He's an old friend, we're relaxed with him, the DCs love him, he's calm, friendly to Billy in the right way... and Billy returns the love by growling and barking at him. I can't leave them alone together! DH is in LA. 'Tis going to be a long one...

Betsey how odd! I would love to know what goes on in dogs heads. I hope your plans weren't anything too important or exciting? at your DH. Does he get to do any sightseeing at all when he travels to places?

Nah. Not usually. Just airport > hotel > club > airport > hotel (sometimes) > home! I have to say, I'm not that jealous of him when he goes to LA but am well jealous when he goes to New York.

We're members of ZSL and there is a family festival at London Zoo this weekend. It's free to members to get in. We were going to go and my neighbour walk Billy but I just can't trust it to work! Never mind! School uniforms need sorting...