Are you a Greyhound, Whippet or Lurcher owner? Come and have a seat on another new Pointy Hounds cushion!

[TheCunnyFunt]

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 :o).

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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 ought 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.

You're welcome!

Is this the group PeanutPatty?

www.facebook.com/groups/374160792599484/

ShyDog and I are still working on her staying home alone and she is getting there slowly. We are using DAP spray and plug in, kong/bone, and a nice walk before whenever possible. While we've been working on it she's chewed my ironing board, laptop cable, and dining table. Wasn't that fussed about the ironing board I have to say! But my absence from MN has been due to her chewing the laptop cable. A new one finally came today!

In this heat what are you all doing about walks? I have been trying to take Shydog before the school run so it's not quite so hot, and much later on an evening when it's cooled slightly. Am I right in thinking they have more danger of overheating? I've been very cautious with her!

Ours are not big fans of the heat. We've been doing early mornings too. They are also noticeably much grumpier with each other, and are right off their food.

I'm currently doing a course of classes with one of ours - and tonight was supposed to be the grand finale when we all show off our carefully taught clicker tricks, but that won't be happening. Bless her, she's not liking the heat and (can't believe I'm writing this!) has been walking away from her sausages and other clicker treats .

With my sensible grown up head on, I'm not too worried as she's really enjoyed doing the training, we've made excellent progress, the heatwave won't last for ever (repeat other soothing, positive phrases ad infinitum) - but on this occasion I just fancy releasing my inner 12 year old and having a whinge!!

Why do they always pick the thing you really can't do without to chew?

Good to hear she is making some progress. We are 7 weeks in now and there's been a distinct shift this week. Lurcherboy has started going in the garden on his own and playing with toys again, for the first time since we lost oldgirl. He seems a lot more relaxed generally and is quiet for school runs now. I think it's probably just the cummulative effect of us being totally consistent in our handling of him. Can't think of any other reason for their being a sudden shift.

Found a much better book about SA, Don't Leave Me by Nicole Wilde. It explains the concept of Isolation Distress, as opposed to Separation Anxiety and it's really helped. I knew he didn't fit the profile for true SA, but couldn't quite get my head around what exactly was at the root of the problem. In the book you work through a list of questions to assess the likely root and sure enough - it's Isolation Distress. So not that he's particularly over-attached to anyone in particular or even the whole family, as in SA - he just doesn't like being completely on his own. Good news is that getting another dog often really helps or even resolves the issue in cases where the dog has always lived with other dogs previously, so we hopefully we are doing the right thing getting a pup.

I've been walking Lurcherboy first thing, then spending some time playing with him and training him in the shade in the garden for a few minutes at a time throughout the day. He doesn't seem bothered with another walk come the evening, so we haven't taken him most nights.

Aw Scuttle, what a shame when you've been working towards it. You gp ahead and have a whinge.

Lurcherboy is right off his food as well and hasn't been eating his kong or ball dispenser treats. Fortunately, this doesn't seem to have set him back, as he's mostly too hot and lethargic to move when I go on the school run.

It actually got hotter at school pick up this afternoon. I thought the middle of the day was supposed to be the hottest, but there were people looking close to expiring in the playground after school.

I feel really ungrateful, because I've moaned as much as the next guy about summer washouts, but I prefer something a bit tamer. Warm - not tropical - is definitely my preference.

Ha ha Scuttle, release away. I don't like the heat either. Greys are a native breed to this country aren't they? Definitely not cut out for the heat, just like me.

Am I the only sun worshipper who is loving the heat then?

Our two get walked at 7pm and 9pm everyday anyway, regardless of the weather, so that hasn't changed. They just miss their lunchtime walk ATM. They even avoid the garden which is due west facing so gets full sun all afternoon.

I love the sun too MagratGarlik! Been far too long without it, but I'd prefer it slightly cooler. I need better clothes though as I only own two skirts and a pair of running shorts, everything else is trousers.

Peanut has been quite panty but still eating well and jumping like a loon when I get home from school runs! I walk him at 6.30am and anywhere between 5.30 and 8pm so that hasn't changed either. I haven't taken him running with me in this heat and he's not really been in the garden despite the door being constantly open.

Hand - it is! Have you signed up? If not there is a welcome note and an instruction to verify yourself! It's a great advice network.

I walked the dog today at 10am but through the woods where it was much cooler. Struggle to get out really early when I am home alone with the DC. She also gets two other toilet pootles up the road. Trying to get her out for a second walk daily but not always that easy and in her mind the mutt is happy with the one.

I've been hosing mutt down after walks in the garden which seems to have helped her cool down. It's not an ice cold blast. I've been leaving an extra water bowl and pulling all the blinds/curtains. Luckily we have tiles floors downstairs so great for keeping cool.

Oh no Betsey! What a horrible thing to happen! How are they both now? And the DS's? It must've been scary for them to witness.

Moose it sounds like Lurcherboy has turned a corner, let's hope he carries on improving, you sound like you've been doing your best and also it seems as though you have the patience of a saint!
Wrt the weather, yep, lunchtime is definitely not the hottest time of day anymore, round here it's about 4pm when it's at its hottest!

Magrat you must have all been so bloody worried! I can't believe the people in the nearby tent didn't try to catch him or at least come and tell you he'd taken himself off for a walk.
I love the sun too :o it's far too chuffing hot but I love it!

Thank you for voting for Sprocket last week everyone, unfortunately he didn't win, we were in the lead late Saturday night, checked it early Sunday morning to find another pointy had zoomed from about 10-15 likes to 136 in around 7 hours he ended up winning with 150! But, I had a think, and decided to have a go at a 'Nowwearehere' style picture myself and I don't think it came out too bad!

Cinnamon, how are you getting on with Peanut so far? He sounds lovely, and very excitable for a Greyhound :o

Sprocket is fine with the heat, he pants more than normal when outside but other than that he hasn't really noticed it! I've started putting a small handful of Harringtons in with his CSJ so we're officially on our way to changing his grub. He seems to like it so far which is good :) the 5kg bag I won is lamb and rice.

Poppy tripped over his legs yesterday and he yelped, jumped up and immediately sprang up onto the sofa out of the way, I was really pleased with that reaction, so much better than the multiple snapping incident back in January when she last made him yelp by accident.

Cunny, I don't have much patience at all actually. I've had some really low moments along the way, where I didn't think I had the patience to see it through. At one point I got so anxious about him potentially upsetting the neighbours that I started to feel permanently sick and stopped going out - only rushing to and from the school when I had to and leaving it to the last minute so I was there and back in under 10 minutes.

I am so relieved that we are finally seeing some progress though. As I said, not 100% sure what caused the shift - but I like it!

Sorry Sprocket didn't win. I've seen a few people asking for votes on certain pointy forums, so the winner must be off one of those.

I love your Nowwearehere picture - even though I don't know what Nowwearehere means.

Love the pic TheCunnyFunt :)

Peanut is doing well, he bit one of my minded children on the bum Monday which was a bit stressful. She was jumping around squealing and he just got excited he sort of scraped her with his tooth but it bruised quite badly. Her mum has agreed as long as he's muzzled while her kids are here she won't take them away but the summer Hols are coming up so she may be looking during them I don't know. I genuinely don't believe he meant to hurt her but that doesn't change the fact he did.

Other than that he's doing really well, no accidents in the house for a week, sleeps well at night, is still very close when food is around but a firm no and he leaves it. He's started to play with the cuddly monkey we bought him but so gently and he'll give it up to me to throw which makes me feel happier after Billy. He still poos more in the garden than out but will go, particularly on our morning walk. The cats are getting used to him, one is now coming in when he's around and rubs herself on his front legs. The others are still nervous and two are still hissing when he comes near. He does kind of run with them if they run in the garden but doesn't seem to be chasing them. It seems like we've had him so much longer than 3 weeks though! Dh is very put out that he's clearly my dog, gets much more excited to me than dh and follows me everywhere!

Cinnamon, he sounds like such a puppy still. I suppose he's never been around squealy, playful children before. As long as you keep on reinforcing the right, calm behaviour, he'll get there in the end.

I know I shouldn't, but I do love that he's your dog - not your dh's after everything you went through.

My feeling is that it serves your DH right Cinnamon!!!!

DH has agreed that mistlehound is definitely my dog - even though she was getting SA when he was out of the house early days - because he was the one that was home all the time... .

We're in Devon this week. Who needs the continent when its like this? We've been keeping the dog cool by taking her swimming regularly - she'll go out a little way completely on her own, but she'll swim out a long way with me quite happily. We got a shade tent for the beach (what a good thing that was for this holiday!) and she'll lie on the beach and warm up for a bit then retreat to the shade where she goes to sleep quite happily. We can take her in a big field to run free in and a nice quiet lane to pootle down. We have managed a couple of longer walks but its a bit too hot to do them really.

Names... mistlehound has a name very similar to that of a collie cross 3 dogs ago - the 2nd collie cross came with mistlehounds name - so it had to be changed as it was too similar - and we called her puppy for several days. We contemplated 'humbug' for a while as it would have been good in relation to her markings but we thought we'd feel really silly going and shouting 'humbug' at the top of our voices... She got another name that also related to her markings at the time, but was actually remarkably good in relation to her nature too....

Hi mistle, sounds like you are having a fantastic time.

Ds1 is still dead set on calling the puppy Vinegar ... I have absolutely no idea why.

Well, this morning, despite the heat, I have been really brave and baked liver cake for Lurcherboy. Spent the whole time gagging and retching rather pathetically and how does he repay me? He freaks out at the smell. He's running around the house, ears back, tail between his legs, sniffing and looking really worried - in between rushing in the garden to sniff out there and jump at everything super skittish stylee. He's the same when we give him a big raw bone. He acts like he's scared off it, dumps it in the middle of the lawn then spends a good hour running up to it and running away before eventually giving in and eating it whilst cowering like something terrible could happen any second.

Yes I did join the training group on FB, am reading along as things get posted and finding it very informative.

Shydog has been off her food too until I had the brain wave of adding warm water to it and letting it cool, she's now back to eating it happily again!

Mistle we have a little shade tent, I agree they are fab for this heat. I LOVE this weather, I get very down in winter and am definitely in my element at the moment.

Moosemama I laughed out loud at lurcherboy being suspicious of his tasty treats. They are daft aren't they!

Yourhand, I have honestly never seen anything so ridiculous - daft dog!

Liver cake is cooling on the top of the grill now, so he won't go in the kitchen.

TBH I'd react the same way to liver cake! [vom] I love my dog but no way will I be cooking liver for her. She can have bones, stinky sardines, etc but I draw the line at liver.

I said the same, but have been spending ££s buying hand-made organic liver cake from a lovely lady on ebay and need to save my pennies as there may be a pup on the horizon.

Just hoping he'll actually eat in now, given his reaction to me baking it.

Wouldn't mind, but generally people love my baking.

I've been laughing out loud at the scary liver cake!

So funny that he won't go in the kitchen in case the scary liver cake monster attacks...

I know. I've had all the windows open to let the smell out and he's still being a bit wussy over it.

Have just been reassured by other lurcher owners that he is not alone in his foody weirdness.

He's a funny boy. Think he has an extra sensitive schnoz for a sighthound. There is always much sneezing whenever I cook with garlic or onions. He becomes a proper drama-queen, dramatically sneezing and rolling around in his bed, before sweeping out of the room with a disgusted look on his face.

The other odd thing he does is, if his toy lands within about a foot of where he's weed or pooed - even if it's been cleared up - he refuses pick it up. He just continually circles around it until I move it a few inches for him.

We had the issue with a bone that mistlehound spent more time chasing off the flies than actually attacking the bone (although DS had chosen a particularly large one which I think was rather off-putting) - she really goes for it with flies and will search them out and chase them. She's much better at catching them than she is rabbits too (possibly why she's so keen on chasing them???)

I'm wondering whether there's a teeny tiny bit of saluki in with the mainly greyhound - there are just some bits of fur and colouration that are really saluki like - particularly the way her muzzle is dark - there's almost a line under her chin between the dark and the tan.... There's not much in there though - not enough between the ears (although she did run straight to our 'camp' on the beach today when she decided DH was not worth staying with on a 'walk' up in the woods nearby....) She minced into the sea today in a way that you could almost hear her saying 'its cold... it's on my knee's... its cold..... OOooooh its on my tummy now, even though I've pushed my tummy as high as it will go.... '

:o :o at scary liver cake! Dogs can be so weird sometimes!