Pointy hounds thread! For new, old and prospective owners!

[SpaghettiTwirlerAndProud]

Share stories, advice and ask for help if you need it! There are a few resident hound experts (myself not included) in the doghouse, so, feel free to share! :)

Well... surely he is used to his name? And moving house is stressfull enough? Maybe I am being overly sentimental but personally I would not rename an adopted hound, his name is part of his past, part of him...And if he is used to it... He will have enough changes with the housemove...

But perhaps it is just me. Am hormonal and irrational atm...

Actually I see what you mean. We'll leave him as Bert for now then. Maybe think about changing it at a later date.

Well no, I may be totally wrong, and too soft, and thinking too much of the rescue houndie as a 'person'.

It did not sit well with me personally (and I have no imagination so I was happy Sam was a half decent name and thus did not even think about changing it).
However, two of Celia Cross grunds rehomed last summer (owners frequently visit the kennels with goodies so we bump into eachother at times) changed their adopted dogs' names. Betsy became Lexie and Presley became Dexter (Dexie). And as they sound so similar to the original names the dogs have more than likely not even noticed their names have changed...
I love love love the name Bert though!! That is as cool as the name Dave for a pony at dd's riding school

Let us know when you can meet him, am keeping fingers crossed he will be home soon

Well Jill told me that she'll arrange to pick them up within a couple of days, and then bring Bert straight here before he has his visit to the vet. She said he'll hopefully be with us within the week! I hope he'll be ok and doesn't pine too much :( poor lad.

Awww, poor little thing.. Although really, he is one of the lucky ones - he potentially already has a good home lined up for him. Will keep everything crossed for you all. Is dh excited too? Black was his favourite colour was it not??

He didn't really have a preferance. Just not brindle . He did fall in love with Robbie though who is white and fawn. Tbh I don't know if he's excited, I've barely seen him today, he's on call for work, got called out at 4pm and still not home. Black was always my preferred choice though, I just think they look so sleek and elegant, and classy.

OMG!!!!!! OMG!!!! So exciting, Spag. Your new dog is the half brother of one of ours - same sire - Brett Lee, and therefore the great nephew of our other dog. We have Avago Andy and Boolavogue Gold - Andy is also jet black with a distinguished white chest mark, though the dear boy is now going a little grey round the muzzle.

Wow really? That's amazing, such a coincidence! Our dogs are family :o

Maybe he's 'the one', maybe he's the reason Robbie wasn't suitable and why Sox was chosen on the day I phone to say we do want him. Because fate knew that the right dog for us is (hopefully) Bert/Brett/Bertie.

Scuttle what's your opinion on changing his name then? And also my list?

Lots of people do change their dog's name. It's easier if they come from a racing kennel rather than a home, as they won't actually have had their name used so much if you see what I mean, whereas say an older dog who's been settled in a home environment for a few years - they would have a fixed idea of their name and could ignore it at will/come when called/recognise it. When our bitch arrived her name was Beauty but we ended up with calling her Booty - very similar but not exactly the same and she was fine with that. We found out that Boolavogue Gold had been known as Chaz in a previous home though we've always known him simply as Boola and these sound as different as chalk and cheese, yet he's appeared to cope with that.

For ease, I would probably stick with either the dog's existing name or one very similar, but if you really dislike it, or think it doesn't fit, or have another name you really want to use, then go for it. A name with two syllables is easier and think about the embarrassment factor when you are at the vets'. Do you really want them calling out Algernon, or Plumptious - what I call the "school register test"

Have to say, I think Sprocket is a very cool name.

Have just been looking again at Sprocket's photo. He has little white tide marks (like trainer socks) on his feet - Andy has these too. Awwwww..

Also ours answer to a variety of names around the house. Git, the cloud fairy, Madam, my little princess, my darling boy, the Dowager Duchess, Stinky and Stonky, satanic creature of the night, prince of darkness, spawn of Beelzebub, "you evil boy" (when they've farted) are all used regularly depending on context. Mysteriously, they generally seem to know when we're talking about/to them...

I take it you think he should be called Sprocket then? "just been looking again at Sprocket's photo" :o
I do really want to change it, I guess I'll feel he's more 'ours' iyswim? But we'll wait and see.

I was reading Brett Lee's page, and he died 2 years ago, if my maths is correct he was 11.

Smart dogs they are :o

Why can't I see Bert's picture...... [sob]

He sounds lovely...

He sounds fab, it's so exciting getting a new one.

Our boy had his x-ray and hasn't broken any bones or got hip displaysia (sp?) so all is good, we think he's torn a ligament so we've been told not to let him run about. Ha, ha, ha, ha - running about is his favourite thing. Vet has suggested that we don't go to parks etc with wide open spaces where he can do that fab bounding that looks so elegant, but stick to woods and take it easy.

BehindLNN - I'd so love to show off how beautiful he is, but I prefer to keep MN anon.

Holy crap. Jill's just rung me, she's collecting the pair tomorrow and she wants to bring him straight here in the afternoon! I know what she meant now when she said she'll bring him straight to us. Just need to call DP and let him know.

Sorry most I didn't mean to ignore you just then, that's fab that nothings broken, but a pity about the running. At least if he's anything like greyhounds he won't mind just resting, and slobbing out on the sofa :o

Well DP has just shocked me to the core! I just called him to tell him what Jill told me, and he said "Yeah that's fine, I guess that because he's been in a house for so long they don't want him in a kennel any longer than he has to be." I thought he'd grumble about it being quick and we haven't met him yet etc etc.

Well that's that then!

So Operation Grab A Grund is edging closer to a successful outcome. My nerves can't stand much more of this! I think you'll know when you meet him if Sprocket is the right name. I had Buddug (Welsh name) in my mind for Booty when she was due but within a minute of meeting her I knew it wasn't somehow the right name for her.

NMP, so sorry to hear about your hound. Hope he recovers fully.

Lock, you need to login to the Greyhound Data site - very simple, it just needs an email address and a password. You will then experience the joys of seeing adverts for greyhound semen, and an automatic dog massager. As well as the priceless joy of scanning the pedigree and full race history of any registered greyhound. As a time waster it's unparalleled (well, perhaps not as much as Pinterest, but not far off).

Well lock you won't have to wait much longer to see a picture of him, my camera is itching, same as my fingers are itching for the tape measure and laptop :o

Scuttle for now I have got one of those ID tubes that have a little piece of paper inside and have written 'Bertie' on it with phone number and address.

I was digging out the next size clothes for DD out of her wardrobe and came upon a pair of trousers, blue with chocolate spots on, it is almost a perfect pattern match to the house collar I bought for when Robbie arrived!

Woohoo Spag - that is brilliant.... Bertie Sprocket will be home soon....

Cool, thanks Scuttle - will make a cup of tea and settle down for some greyhound oggling... (perturbed about the semen though...)

You know I've been thinking. I reckon 'Sprocket Burton' is much less embarassing at the vets than 'Bertie Burton*'.

*not my actual Sname but very close.

Hey did I tell you guys about what my grandma said when I told her we were getting a grund, about recycling?

Yup, the name has to pass the vet-calling-out test!! Our first dog Dillon had a lovely bit of alliteration going on as our surname started with D. Bit better for Sam :-)

I've just had a thought, do you reckon I should get him a tasty treat for his tea tomorrow? Like a tin of sardines or something? What do you get them in, oil or sauce or what?

I wish we had a pet shop open on sundays, I could've got him a pigs ear or 2! Damn it I knew I'd forgotten something from town today.