23 January 2010

My new friend

Hi. This is Hornet. Hornet is a retired racing greyhound that I will be fostering for the next week until he goes to his permanent home. Greyhounds understand very little about a normal home life. When they leave the racetrack, they have to adjust to things that most dogs have already mastered from a young age. For example, it is common for greyhounds to be unfamiliar with (and even nervous about) ascending or descending stairs. They don't initially understand the concept of playing, as they simply have not lived the life of an ordinary dog. The job of a foster caretaker is help begin the process of socialization, as well as observe and report on behavioral patterns in the dog. I picked him up in Wisconsin this afternoon and have been spending time with him, letting him explore/adjust. He's had a pretty busy day so far and is fast asleep on the floor next to me as I type this.

http://www.greyhoundsonly.com

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Such a great thing to do. Congrats! Is this the first step to you having a greyhound?

Justin Santora said...

Possibly, Mark! I want to foster a few of these guys/gals first, though.

Hip Kid Records said...

That is excellent!