When Flight Deck, a retired racing greyhound, saw the dog that gave him birth, there was little doubt the mother recognized him. “I think she knew. There was something there,” said Deck’s new owner, Jan Duppstadt of Millsboro, who, with her husband, Dale, has 11 cats and, now that they adopted Deck, four retired greyhounds. “It’s interesting seeing their interaction. She bosses him around, like she definitely knows it’s her kid,” Duppstadt laughed. The couple agreed to the adoption after their friend Sandi Roberts approached them with the idea, following Deck’s retirement. Roberts is president of Greyhound Pet Adoptions of Delaware. When Roberts learned Deck was ready to retire from racing, she called her friend, prefacing their conversation by saying, “I know your inn is full, but ...” Mrs. Duppstadt had to agree. They had reached canine capacity, but after a little thought and reconsideration she and her husband decided they’d like to take Deck, as long as he got along with their cats. He did. On March 2, he became part of their family. “It was an emotional day for me. Last night I said to Dale, ‘Whoever thought when we adopted her, going on three years ago now, that we would have one of her puppies?’ He’s a puppy from her very last litter. She had four litters of six to eight puppies each,” she said, explaining female greyhounds from the best blood lines race first, then are bred. She has found Deck to be the easiest to raise. “He’s very laid back,” she said. The other two are Speedo Tuxedo and Loomis. The family also has a Rough-Coated Wheaten Terrier named Cali. “Greyhounds are wonderful. They don’t bark much and they can be comical. All the dogs really have their own personalities. Each one of them is so different, like little people. The cool thing about them is, they really have a sense of humor. They love to do things to make you laugh, to make you happy. They are really, really neat,” she said, adding Loomis is going to be 9 next month, but still acts like a puppy, giving his owners a distinct look, grabbing toys and running to the middle of the room to prance and wish them a good morning. The adoption success story is one Roberts, as president of Greyhounds Pet Adoptions of Delaware, loves to share. She praised the organization for working to place retired greyhounds in caring homes. “We love these dogs and go above and beyond to do what’s best for them, from the farm to the track to the couch. I couldn’t be prouder to be part of such an amazing network,” she said, recounting how she first heard about Deck. In February, she posted on Facebook about a greyhound named PJ Flight Deck – his full name — who raced in West Virginia. In 2020, she visited the Mardi Gras Casino & Resort, a casino and greyhound racing location in Charleston. She was in the state to pick up dogs for Greyhound Pet Adoptions and while there, she placed $2 bets on PJ Flight Deck, even though she knew nothing about the dog and little about greyhound racing. But, she liked his name. It worked out. He won a couple of times. “Aside from putting a little money in my pocket, I took it as a sign that Deck was destined to become a GPAD dog when he retired — maybe even come home with me if the timing was right,” she wrote on the Facebook page. She discovered the dog’s mother was Flight Jacket, adopted a few years ago by the Duppstadts. Roberts became Facebook friends with Deck’s trainer, Mike Taylor, and asked him to tell her when he was finished racing. When she learned that time had come, she hoped he would get a home close to his mother. That’s when she contacted the Duppstadts. “We consider the dogs our clients, not the adopters, so we set them up for success, including foster homes mirroring the house they will be adopted into. I don’t buy that these dogs are rescued. A lot of people have read things and heard things about greyhounds being discarded or mistreated at the track. In all the trips I have made, the dogs are well cared for at the track. Because of that, they come to us ready to be great pets. They don’t act like an abused dog,” she said. GPAD, run by volunteers and with a board of directors, has been in existence about a dozen years and placed almost 500 greyhounds in Delaware. The cost to adopt is $425 and the dogs are spayed or neutered, have any necessary dental work and vaccinations. Anyone interested can see www.gpadelaware.org or attend a Meet & Greet at Petco in Millville from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 25. Those who have adopted will be outside the store with their greyhounds to answer questions. Greyhounds have the ability to run 45 mph and move fast, but as pets they just want somebody to love and feed them, Roberts said. They don’t need a great deal of exercise. Because they are sprinters, they run short distances and are finished, so two, one-mile walks daily is sufficient. They don’t like to be left alone, so are good for those who are retired. “The drawback is, they hunt by sight. They were originally bred to chase jack rabbits. If they see a plastic bag they will run after it, but when they are walking on a leash, they usually are very good leash walkers. They are good car riders. They are very gentle dogs, They don’t bark or shed a lot,” Roberts said. “There is so much ugliness in the world today, but adopting a greyhound brings so much joy. It touches people in a positive way. I love being part of this adoption group. These dogs see into your soul.”

Join us for a greyhound and sighthound “ fun run” at JB Hunt Horse Complex (March 28th 2021 9am to 3pm), the covered arena, on the NC State Fairgrounds! The address is 4601 Trinity Rd, Raleigh. For greyhounds, we will have a timed, straight line run. For all other breeds, we will have lure coursing & agility. There will also be “playtime” once or twice throughout the day. The cost is $25 per dog. You can purchase advance tickets on our website https://www.trianglegreyhound.org/tgs-store?category=Fundraiser+Tickets

Unfortunately, I’m not a nutritionist and if my clients in the UK ask for advice about feeding, I direct them to the website ’All about Dog Food’ at www.allabboutdogfood.co.uk for impartial advice. THE END Only joking, I always have lots to say, let’s start at the beginning, yes racing. I’ve been busy reading The Ultimate Greyhound Edited by Mark Sullivan 1999, Charlie Lister on Greyhounds by Julia Barnes 2004 & Training and Racing the Greyhound by Darren Morris 2018. I love these books, they seem to let the resurgence in Dominance Theory pass them by. It’s like a book of joy for someone like me who doesn’t believe in Pack Leader Theory or Dominance in Dogs over humans. So after reading about what happens when the dogs are working, I’ve tailored my response to what I believe should happen in retirement. Do feed your dog at the same time everyday whether this is once or twice a day. Until I got Penny I would feed twice a day to maintain even blood sugar. So what changed? Well simply put Penny couldn’t handle it and quite honestly a toilet call between 2am - 4am proved my other half couldn’t either. Then I read ‘The Ultimate Greyhound. Racing trainer Mick Darcy, an American, feeds once a day and I wondered if cutting her meals to just one meal a day could help us too. If I’m doing a training session I will of course feed her then too, we all love a snack when cramming for exams and I’m a positive reinforcement trainer. I usually train with 30 small pieces and we work for no more than a few minutes. So far her weight has been maintained, she has her last walk around 10pm and we have all benefitted from a good night’s sleep. Feed the dog in front of you, having a big breakfast and some training treats when needed might be all that is required, especially if you feed at 7am and at 10pm your dog still needs a poo! I still advise twice a day, but life isn’t that simple sometimes. Also the dogs basic needs have to be met, so you have to be around for when it’s time to eliminate the waste. I have a dog walker and Penny has “on demand” opportunity for breaks when we are home. Do keep your dog company. I have seen and read lots about greyhounds being kennelled in pairs. They don’t eat together as such, but it might be reasonable to assume some staff at small kennels will stay and supervise one kennel at a time, while others will tether some dogs outside, so all the dogs have their own space but the whole block gets fed together under supervision. For my singleton dogs I’m quite happy to hang around while they eat, whether I’m cleaning the food prep area or we are playing an enrichment game with their meal (I love games and hand feeding). If you have a multi-dog household, I would suggest supervising to make sure everyone has their share. Don’t allow others to muscle in; I have recently visited a home whereby their new dog was staring down a long-time resident dog through the patio doors. He would back off and she would race in from the garden and steal the food, eventually he stopped eating because he was too scared. It was only when I observed the body language of both dogs it became apparent, however the owner had made quite different conclusions. It’s important to be objective when observing the dogs’ behaviour. Do keep a few goodies back to occasionally add to the bowl while they eat. When I holidayed in Fuerteventura, the chef in our small hotel restaurant would make me little cookies or give me a snack to take to the beach. That man could visit my table as many times as he wanted, because he always brought good things. It’s a good idea to consider why dogs resource guard, you don’t need to take their food, bones or toys away from them. If you never take food from them and they happen to pick up something unsuitable in the park, they are more likely to let you approach and let you open their mouth. If you can’t be trusted, you’ll never get to them or it in time, these dogs are the second fastest accelerating land animal and you are not that fast! Do feed your dog first, if your dog is new to your family they will feel frustrated watching you eat if they are hungry. Personally I feed mine first and then move them to another place in the house to let them relax and digest their meal while I eat mine. This way they can’t practice circling the table, counter surfing or have the opportunity to steal. Don’t give them the opportunity to practice unwanted behaviours, they say ‘practice makes perfect’. You could tell them off, but what if they don’t listen to you? There’s a fine line between correction and abuse, don’t set them up to fail. In force free training we observe the 3 D’s - Distance, Duration, Distraction and we only work on one of the ‘D’ disciplines at a time. So firstly I might read a book at the table while my dog practices a settle on their mat next to me. Not having my attention or being any distance away from me is a big deal, I am lovely and your dog will think you are too! Build up the time & distance gradually. If your dog can handle 1 minute, don’t make them do 3 minutes and end on a bad note. Do 1 minute 3 times and end by telling them how clever they are and give them a treat each time on the mat or bed (not from your hand – hands are easy to follow as you move back to the table). If I’m increasing the distance the first few times, I may only ask for 10 seconds, so they know we’re are playing the same game. When you have your duration up to 20 minutes and they are an appropriate distance from you, add the distraction (food). Make it easy, think vegetable sticks and dips, cold food is far less of a distraction than roast chicken. If your dog breaks away from the settle bed or mat too quickly, he has no idea what you are asking him to do. Make the task simpler, stand by the bed and reward quietly when you see his body relax, then increase your distance from him. Unless of course he has broken away, to get into his comfy bed and realises the table food isn’t for him REWARD THAT!! If you want to feed table scraps to your dog, put them in the refrigerator for training treats or to add to their next meal, so they don’t have to miss out. Don’t feed from the table, your guests may not be as accommodating and pub lunches will become stressful if your dog has to be tethered or restrained. Don’t tease, frustrate and don’t take it away (unless it’s an emergency). Food is incredibly valuable to all mammals. For those of you in the UK who love the BBC TV series Gavin & Stacey, you will absolutely relate to Smithy’s Indian Take Away Rant….. that’s a lad passionate about his food! https://youtu.be/Xaq4nN2QwEI In Loving Memory of my special girl Penny - Toystory Lover 14.06.2014 to 30.12.2020

Early this morning, 4 gorgeous boys and 2 gorgeous arrived in our care. 3 of them went straight to their forever homes and 3 are in foster for the moment

They say “Adopt a Greyhound lose a Sofa/Couch” so what happens if your new dog won't give the sofa up? When racing, these dogs have their lives micro managed. The world’s best trainers know how important rest and sleep is to dogs in their care. Sleeping areas are always separate to the activity areas, this sends a strong message that it’s time for bed, they are quiet spaces. Kennel staff will do their upmost to not disturb the other dogs when taking an individual out to toilet or exercise, they need these beautiful athletes to remain rested. It’s likely the individual dog will be keen to explore the outside, but there’s no need to get the others involved when it’s not their turn! Dogs are provided with their own bed and access to a safe hiding place where they can escape if they feel afraid. Nervous dogs burn unnecessary energy and it’s not OK to have prolonged increases in plasma cortisol (stress hormone) due to poor kennel management. As with humans a prolonged raise in this hormone isn’t conducive to good health. So, an open crate or another bed made up under a sleeping platform may be provided within the kennel area, for those who need extra support in bad weather etc... Whenever possible dogs are housed in pairs or small groups. Only dogs that show signs of biting, snapping, chasing, pinning down or blocking movement are housed alone and these behaviours are quite rare amongst most racing greyhounds. Pain management, sleep and diet will be assessed to ensure the best care can be given, should a dog present these unwanted behaviours. Time alone can often help bring calmness to the occasionally stressed, injured or sick dog. So with all this in mind I am never surprised to hear The new greyhound cries at night, when left alone. The new greyhound growls when I ask him to get off the sofa. The new greyhound has no interest in the brand new bed I bought him. NEVER leave your new greyhound to cry at night, make sure the before bed routine doesn’t involve a quick toilet break (waking them up) then quickly turfing them out to the kitchen because they may have an accident in the night. There isn’t anything wrong in these actions as they are very practical solutions to the dog’s basic needs. In my experience, if you toilet your dog and then settle them down to bed like you would a small child, you are less likely to experience crying, whether it be from fear of being alone or frustration to join you for company. Similarly, with the addition of low light, gentle stroking and general reassurance, this will relax them enough to stay where they are and eventually go to sleep. Sofas I believe are the nearest to sleeping platforms. Imagine coming home for the first time getting up on a nice sleeping platform only to be asked or given no option than to get off. Would you know the big cushion smelling of newness is for you? Bean bag beds, quilts or plush cushion filled spaces on the floor (normally cooler than raised areas) must seem very alien to those dogs kennelled with raised beds. I’m not saying you now have to get raised beds, because floor beds are very useful when traveling or taking rolled up to the dog friendly pub. You will just have to make them more attractive, first by rewarding your new greyhound with food treats for just looking at or approaching the new bed. Sprinkling them with tasty treats so they are encouraged to get their paws on and explore the new feeling under their feet. Never drag or send your dog to bed with an angry voice. It should not be a punishment, it’s weird sleeping on this new material on the floor. If you want your dog to get off the sofa, throw a treat on the floor and say “off”, then throw a treat on the new bed and say “bed”. Be prepared to do this often and reward good choices more heavily, placing the treats directly onto the bed. If your dog gets off the bed, lead them back gently and put some treats on it once they have returned. We want them to know there is no point in them getting up, as the treats will always be delivered to the bed. The dog should associate good things with the bed! Make sure you don't feed treats directly into their mouth from your hand, it makes hands tempting to follow as you walk away. Don’t forget the odd treat when they are being good and have spent a lot of time on the bed, you don’t want them finding they have to get up all the time, so you can reward them. They shouldn’t need to train you, NOT to be mean with the goodies. Have patience, keep in mind that bringing a new greyhound into your home can be a stressful experience for the dog. If a greyhound hasn't had a lot of experience living within a home or with a family, this stress can result in poor sleeping patterns, so please remain relaxed and patient. Eventually the dog will relax and fall into a normal sleeping pattern.

Willie, Bill, Zephyr, Suzy, Yumi and Rumble

GGA generally takes in retired racing greyhounds that are a little "extra". These special hounds generally need more support while transitioning from working dog to pet. GGA adopters are special people that are willing to put the time and effort into supporting this transition. Our adopters are not ones that open the door, drop the leash and let their new addition hop up on the furniture and do as they please. They understand that in order to create a solid foundation they must provide guidance, leadership and structure, and they know that by doing so they will create a stronger bond with their hound. GGA has retirees that require adopters that meet the following criteria: • Mature, responsible adults (and children if applicable). • Prior greyhound/dog experience preferred. • Prior greyhound/dog training experience is an asset. • In lieu of training experience, good communication skills and ability to follow instructions, especially GGA's hound specific going home protocol. • Willing to work with GGA if after care is required or if having difficulties. • Home without cat(s) is a must. • Home without off-breed dog(s) is preferred. If other dogs in residence they must be well balanced and preferably not small-medium in size. • Must be located within Ontario Canada If you are looking to adopt and fit this criteria please send us an email ggreyhoundadoptions@gmail.com to begin the adoption process.