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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

A new Cushion for Pointies!

986 replies

SpaghettiTwirlerAndProud · 22/04/2012 20:44

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!

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!
:)

OP posts:
Scuttlebutter · 06/06/2012 17:21

I am very sorry to say that we are devestated. Our darling girl was PTS quietly at home this afternoon - she was 13 and had recently had a stroke which had left her very frail. She went very peacefully. Our other two are also very subdued - Andy just hopped on the bed to give me a cuddle and put his head on my leg and his paw onmy foot as though to reassure me. I'm in bits as you can imagine, though I am taking great comfort from the fact that she was absolutely adored for every minute of every day she spent with us - for a small dog she brought an enormous amount of joy and love.

LostInWales · 06/06/2012 17:41

Scuttle I saw your post on FB but didn't like to come on here until you had posted. I am so very very sorry for your loss, I'm sure you are all heartbroken at the moment but I hope you can take some comfort from how very lovely you made her life. Sad news like this always make me think of Julian Cleary when he went on room 101 and asked that dogs be put in, everyone was so shocked because he obviously loved his dog very much but he said it was because they didn't live long enough. Lots of love and thoughts going to you and a sneaky (hug).

Scuttlebutter · 06/06/2012 17:47

Thank you Lost, that means a lot. I am very sorry you won't now have the chance to meet her when we are down in Pembrokeshire - she was an amazing character. Even last night when she was very poorly, the boys would not walk round her to get to me in the study - had to be escorted! Like most Welsh males, they preferred to have a feisty, small female in charge of them Grin

TheCunnyFunt · 06/06/2012 18:34

Oh Scuttle, I stand by what I said on FB, you gave her a fantastic life and she was so happy with you, DH, Boola and Andy. She was a very lucky dog to have ended up with you guys as her family and I'm sure she knew it.

Sprocket sends a lean your way and I send hugs :)

MagratGarlik · 06/06/2012 23:18

So sorry to hear this, Scuttle. It sounds like she had a great life with you.

Scuttlebutter · 07/06/2012 13:14

Thank you Magrat, and Cunny.

Lost how is the patient this morning? Any more comedy outfits?

Scuttlebutter · 07/06/2012 13:15

Oops, comedy outfit question to Lock not to Lost. Gahh.... Blush

TheCunnyFunt · 07/06/2012 17:19

How are you all doing today Scuttle?

There was a brindle Lurcher found just near us the other day and was handed to LGT, luckily he was chipped and so his owners were found :) his name was Turbo :o

BehindLockNumberNine · 07/06/2012 19:25

Hi Scuttle, how are things today? Thinking of you xx

The patient is doing fine, smearing cream onto the sofa as fast as we can smear it onto him...
No more comedy outfits, instead we are watching him like a hawk. Last t-shirt he had on (yellow mountain bike one) had a label in the neck which irritated the wound and now all t-shirts are viewed with extreme suspicion in a way only a pointy can view at things suspiciously...
It is healing though, still pink and tender looking but not as raw and not as big... (and he is loving the whole 'I-shall-pretend-to-swallow-this-tablet-but-will-spit-it-out-as-soon-as-your-back-is-turned' game)

Scuttlebutter · 08/06/2012 13:41

Is Sprocket having a Kong, Cunny? We tried ours with them but they abandoned them in disgust after a few minutes as it was too much like hard work. It sat on the bookshelf for ages gathering dust, and I must admit it had something about it that just kept making me think of unspeakable acts in a S/M dungeon (maybe that''s just meBlush) as it was black and menacing and sort of prickly looking. think I'd better stop now. Grin

Lost, how is whippetty dog doing? Am worried that we've not heard from you for a couple of days - hope he is alright.

Andy is miffed since his bed has been commandeered ready for visiting photographer. We were going to do website photo shoot today but weather is appalling - really dreadful gales and lashing rain. So have rearranged for tomorrow. Lots of beautiful coats and bandanas ready to be pictured. Andy is looking forward to being a model since it will involve the administration of copious quantities of sausages. Smile
We are missing our darling girl dreadfully - was awful when we collected sample coats from machinists as there were lots in her size that she was going to wear for pics. Sad

TheCunnyFunt · 08/06/2012 14:19

Funny you should mention that actually Scuttle, literally just bought him one not 2 hours ago :o I put a small handful of treats in and he got them out quite quickly so I took it back, and mixed up some paste, cheese and some liver treats, stuffed it and placed it on his bed, about half an hour ago, not heard a peep from him since :o I'll go check on him, hang on. He's still at it :o

I am so going to buy Sprocket a bandana. He will look so cool with one on :)
Scuttle I can't imagine how difficult that must be for you :(

RainySmallHands · 08/06/2012 14:51

Oh Scuttle, I am so sorry Sad You must all be heartbroken.

I hope your two boys are keeping your spirits up. I remember when we lost our lovely GSD girl suddenly, the worst part was the immense silence that she left behind. I kept catching glimpses of her out of the corner of my eye, but of course, she wasn't there anymore Sad.

I can't wait to see your website Smile. I seem to be spending more and more time perusing collars and coats online....it's getting quite a habit! Bought a ball and some treats today, much to DH's Hmm

Lock, we went to a RGT kennels in Crook, Durham. The lady is away for the weekend now so we won't be able to take the DCs until next week or later, but there are more dogs arriving on Monday so perhaps she will have more dogs lined up for us. Not that that is a good thing, of course! Might have to do what cunny suggests and close our eyes and ask the lady to choose. And you're right, cunny, those dogs are the lucky ones Sad

I am becoming a bit of a greyhound bore now. Me and my friend google! Did you know greyhound racing is banned in many US states (38?)? And that greyhounds have a 270 degree field of vision? Blah, blah....

And, did you all know about the data site? You might be able to see if any of your hounds are seconds cousins Grin

LostInWales · 08/06/2012 15:03

Still here Scuttle Grin, whippety boy seems to be better now, three days of d and v, uck. Time to go and buy some more cheap duvets from Tesco I think. It is very much like having an extra child really, I hadn't thought they could get tummy bugs just like their human brothers. My heart breaks for you Scuttle, I never realised how much love you could have for a dog until I had my own, you must miss her so much, she would have made a stunning model.

I'm looking forward to a bit of retail therapy too, can't wait for the website to be up. The marching bandannas are a brilliant idea.

Well the weather is foul here today. Pup and I were up at 7 but once we had enjoyed our breakfasts we decided to give the day up as a bad one and go back to bed Grin. I'm getting the most woeful looks when I suggest going out to the loo. No walk today as we are predicted gusts of 70-80 and I don't want us to fly away. Time to go and stuff our kong I think.

TheCunnyFunt · 08/06/2012 15:11

Rainy my Sprocket and Scuttles Andy are brothers (same father), and Betsys Billy is Sprocket and Andys nephew (I think?) :o

My mum has a very good friend that lives in Stanley Crook :)

BehindLockNumberNine · 08/06/2012 17:50

Haha Scuttle, that is excactly how I view Sam's kong.... it is alltogether too butplugish... Yuck!
And of course for Sam it is far to much effort. Although if you stuff it with peanut butter he will go the extra mile. But he has not had peanut butter since becoming ill and I am nervous to give it to him...(heck, am nervous to give him most things)

Booty would have made a fantastic model, I can justabout imagine how sad you must be feeling.

What is the function of a bandana for greys? Other than a fashion statement?

I am currently badgering dh to allow me to buy a second collar for Sam as the first one is in the wash after yet another fox-poo-rolling adventure. Yuck!

We had our walk during a brief dry spell this morning only to discover travellers have moved onto our beloved zoomies field.
So we went into the woods instead but of course zoomies are trickier there...
And when we followed a narrow path and our way was blocked by a thin branch of a forest fern Sam lifted one leg to climb over it, put the leg back down again and looked at me pathetically... Honestly, a butterfly could have moved that twiggy thing!!! Daft excuse for a dog, just daft.

Scuttlebutter · 08/06/2012 18:26

Lock, they are such divas aren't they? Grin

Bandanas are purely decorative (a bit like pointies then) and serve to add a jaunty/piratical/cute accent to a hound on days when it is too warm for a coat.

Rainy, we all spend HOURS on that site - comparing family trees!! You will be joining the club... Grin

TheCunnyFunt · 08/06/2012 18:37

Rainy, here's one to blow your mind, Sprocket and Andy's father died in 2010, he has around 4200 offspring, and he is still fathering puppies now

MissBetsyTrotwood · 08/06/2012 19:31

We've just got back from camping (don't ask - lovely break, saw lovely friends but weather terrible.)

Oh, no Scuttle I'm so sorry to hear this. She was such a lucky dog to have been loved for so long and so well by such fabulous owners. To die well is the last loving gift we can give our pets...

x

RainySmallHands · 08/06/2012 21:02

That's one BUSY dog, Cunny! Do they freeze the little wrigglers?!

Isn't there concerns about inbreeding? Or are there tight restrictions? But presumably that would be an issue for pedigree dogs, too? Mmmm, might go see my friend Google...

RainySmallHands · 08/06/2012 21:18

Ooh, apparently...

'Few canine breed studies on inbreeding have been undertaken but McCarthy and Blennerhasset (1972) made a study of a small sample of racing greyhounds in Eire and found an inbreeding coefficient of less than 1% per generation or less than 0.22% per year. Since man is permitted to marry a first cousin, leading to an inbreeding in any progeny of 6.25% the racing greyhound is hardly at risk from inbreeding. Indeed studies on most numerically large breeds would show that inbreeding over five generations would generally be around the 3-4% mark. My own analysis (Willis, 1989) of 276 Boxer champions in Britain showed a mean value of 4.2% with over half the animals being

RainySmallHands · 08/06/2012 21:37

Beware, I believe everything I read online. 'Tis an affliction.

TheCunnyFunt · 08/06/2012 22:07

Yep they freeze em! My boys dad lived in Australia and Sprocket is Irish :o I've said to Scuttle before, imagine that conversation with the kids, "Mummy, where's daddy?", "Well, daddy's not with us anymore. Infact, he died 2 years before you were even concieved!" "Shock"

Tbh I don't think there would be much (if any) inbreeding with greyhounds, because they are bred so carefully which is why they rarely have serious health issues, which you generally get with inbreeding.

Maybe that bit you c+p did say that but anything with numbers and percentages just goes straight in one eye and out the other with me Blush :o

TheCunnyFunt · 08/06/2012 22:09

Welcome back Betsy! I would ask if you had a nice time but I don't think I dare :o

TheCunnyFunt · 08/06/2012 22:09

Ooooh I get my ring a week today!!!

RainySmallHands · 08/06/2012 22:17

How exciting, cunny! Will you be posting a finger photo?

You're right about the inbreeding, the coefficient for the labrador was something like 6% IIRC, so the greyhound figure is negligable in comparison.

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