Yup, lazy is my middle name!

What else should Giles do on New Year's Eve?

A Girl and her [lazy] Grey

During our morning constitution

Looks Left. Nothing there.

Looks right. Nothing there either. Hmmmm.

Might as well smell stuff since I can't find any squirrels, cats or people.

I'm not really a morning person (my dad just read that and spit coffee all over his computer screen because it's so true and because to him it's a huge understatement of the obvious) but I get up to walk him between 7-9am, just depending when he nudges me. I don't complain. as a matter of fact, I just spring out of bed and get dressed, get him dressed, and off we go.

And why wouldn't I? Who could resist such cuteness?

Morning strolling,

A Girl and her Grey

Has anyone seen my...?

Yesterday I mentioned Giles wouldn't go lay in my bed unless I went with him. Maybe he was lonely or just scared or just wanted to be with me because he loves me! Could be any reason; who knows how a Greyhound thinks?

He certainly is a real joy and I'm having such a good time with him. And I really do think he likes me.

Yesterday later in the day, he did something especially cute. After he realized he could lay in the "human" bed without the human objecting, he did. All day. And I wasn't in the mood to lay in bed all day (wait, did I just say that???). So when he figured out I was going to be in the living room or kitchen, where he could still hear me, he decided to take matters into his own... paws.

He got out of the "human" bed and swiped my nightshirt off the doorknob. Then he climbed back in my bed and re-arranged all the blankets, and pillows. He then put my shirt in the center of the bed and nudged it and tugged it around (never chewing on anything but just moving stuff where he wants it) and then fell on top of it and fell asleep.

All day.

Yup.

Guess he loves me. Or at least loves my nightshirt...

Pretty on pink,

A girl and her Grey

Such a big baby!

This morning Giles woke from his morning nap and stood in the middle of the living room and cried. He whined and whimpered (he didn't bark) and cried.

I immediately checked him for 'hurts'. I thought maybe he rolled over on something or stepped on something. I checked his paws and ran my hands over his whole body to see if there was something hurting him, a place I touched that might make him yelp. He seemed to be fine, and didn't seem to whimper or whine harder or louder.

I tried to give him treats, clean water (be it said I just gave him clean water 2 hours before this all started) and new food. He didn't want anything to do with that (but he did eat the cheese. Oh yes, he did!) but he still cried. I tried to take him for a walk, thinking he had to 'go' and again, nothing. And I really mean nothing.

When we got back in the apartment, he didn't lay down or eat but stood and continued crying. I tried cuddles and petting and he wouldn't lay down or move, just cried. I kept saying "Giles, what do you want? What can I do?" I've had him a week today and hadn't seen any sort of behavior like this so I had no idea what to do.

Then, he took three steps toward the bedroom door and stopped and looked at me over his shoulder. I thought maybe he wanted a toy from the bedroom or his other blanket. When he saw I was watching him, I was a few steps behind him and was still talking to him, he took about three more strides and took a flying leap onto the center of the bed.

He walked himself in a circle and flopped down, then lay there looking at me, grinning and panting. I said okay and walked out of the room, and then the crying, whining, whimpering started again full throttle. I went back in and sat on the edge on the bed, and he stopped crying and put his head down.

Hmmmmmm... I tried a little experiment. I walked out of the bedroom and he cried I went in and sat down and he stopped. I did this a couple times.

Gee, problem solved. I stretched out on the bed, propped myself on a pile of pillows, and Giles then wiggled and  waggled and moved and stretched. So not only did he want to sleep on the bed, but he wanted me to be there with him; alone would obviously would not work. I'm so not kidding. The crying stopped and this is what he looked like when he fell asleep:

Yes, he's under his blankie and yes his head is resting on a pillow. I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it myself.

Yup, he's such a big baby!

Doggie cuddin',
A girl and her Grey

Toy Story

Yes, that is a stuffed hotdog toy. No, he doesn't play with it. I toss it and shake it and talk with baby talk thinking he would enjoy playing and he doesn't. His foster parents said he just loved playing with his stuffies so I bought him several and he doesn't seem to have any interest at all.

Even so, it's there if he wants to play. And he's just cute as can be!

Bark!
A girl and her grey

Snow Day!

We live in the middle of the Midwest Blizzard and it's really coming down. That still means Giles has to go outside to do his business, even in a blizzard. And since this is his first official snow, I wasn't sure what would be in store for us both.

It didn't help that we had 4.5 inches on the ground by the time we got outside for our morning constitution. And none of the sidewalks in the apartment complex had been shoveled nor had the parking lot.

When went went out the door, the first thing he did was jump in the air and then try to "chase" the snow flakes falling, and I promptly fell down since he jerked on the leash. That was a first (other than the cat incident but I saw it coming). After he pottied, he had to prance around trying to "get" the snow. he was jerking his head everywhere, because all moving objects must be cats so with the howling wind and falling snow making a huge white our swirling mess, he was a jumping, tugging, frantic Grey! And I was a girl clinging to her Grey's leash for dear life!

Then he just abruptly stopped, and tucked himself between my knees, leaned against me and shivered.

Needless to say, all he did was tinkle. I just gave up on any other 'business' happening and we went inside.

After toweling him off- as well as myself- he ate and then immediately collapsed on one of his comfy spots and fell asleep.

I had planned to take my camera out with me on our walk but so glad I didn't since I hit the snowy ground and then played the  "hang on to Giles for dear life" so I have no photos of our snow play. But since there's 8 inches on the ground as of the post, and still falling, I might have some later today!

For now... well, resting is good, too:

Slobbery kisses,

A Girl and her Grey

Baby, it's cold outside!

Merry Christmas, Giles! Of course he needs a red coat! And I'm thrilled that my father would sew this for him! Extra special! Happy Holiday my boy!

Love,

A Girl with a Grey

Day 1- He's here!

So, Giles is home. The adoption process is somewhat akin to adopting a baby, from what I'm told by those who've adopted a baby. So it's hearsay but still an arduous process whether dog or baby. But he's here.

We drove to pick him up, about a 22 minute car ride, according to the OnStar directions downloaded to the car. Of course this has been the mildest winter on RECORD until the night Gile's comes home and it's snowing,sleeting, icy, and the Weather Channel has us under a wind advisory along with a winter storm warning. So of course we're going for a 22 minute drive on the Interstate to pick up my 5 year old Greyhound. What else would one do in such weather?

He's been in foster care since April, minus 2 weeks he spent at another 'forever home' as we call it in the dog adoption game. Apparently their forever was 2 weeks in length since Giles killed their cat (but  that's a story for another post!). The foster people are really nice- obviously since they foster Greyhounds- and since we had met them- and Giles- before, we weren't surprised at his size or anything. They spent an hour going over all the paperwork with us, and rules, and the like. Then it was time to go!

We took him out the front door, on a leash, to get into a car. Two of those three things were new. First, he has always ridden in trucks or SUVs so my Chevy Cruze was an experience. Also, he had never used the front door at the foster home so that was interesting because of all the news smells and sights! Oh and he was on a leash with new people and his familiar humans stayed inside while we got him squared away. And did I mention is was snowing? Also something new, since he came from a track in the south... So many more than 2 new things!

But whew, we survived.

Mister drove the car and I sat in the back with Giles. He stood on my thighs most of the ride. Panting in my face. He weighs 69 pounds, of solid muscles, so standing on my thighs made an impression, which is still black and blue. He did fine on the drive, but was scared, which is completely understandable!

Upon arrival he walked really well to the apartment and just went inside. I talked nice to him the whole time and showed him around. He immediately flopped on the big pillow you see.

I sat on the floor and pet him for a few hours and we watched TV, then took a walk.

I attempted to convince and coax him into his crate for sleepy time but he was having none of it. He whined and cried so I let him out and he spent the first night, and all subsequent nights, on the pillow, on the floor, next me, beside the bed.

And that's the first day with my dog, Giles.

Licks and pants,
A girl and her grey

Welcome to the new man in my life: Giles!

I adopted a Greyhound. His name is Giles. He's retired, a former race winner with a great career, but he's now age 5 and is hanging out with me.

(And I am a girl but the arm in the picture is that of his former handler.)

panting and slobbers,
Greyhound Girl