Welcome Bomber

Today's post is a little bit of a tease in that Bomber came a couple of weeks ago, won the heart of her new family last weekend and is going home this weekend.

Bomber is one of eight dogs that came to us from Arizona. They are a nice addition to our kennel and all are loving wonderful dogs that will make some lucky families great pets. Bomber is pictured below and profiles of her Arizona buddies will be added soon (and are already on our website). If you are interested in meeting any of them please contact us and we can arrange a private rendezvous.

Name: Bomber

Racing name: Oxbow Bomber

Weight: ~60 lbs

Color: Red

Born: February 15th, 2008

Emergencies during the holidays

With the craziness of the holidays the chances for disaster rise. We're all so busy and we have so much we're trying to get accomplished that we often don't pay proper attention to our pets.

Do you have a plan of action in case of an emergency? Someone to call who would be able to help you in a pinch to get your pet to the veterinarian? Can you get to your vet's office while under stress? How about the emergency vet?

Do you have a GPS system in your car? If so program the following emergency vets into your "Favorites" and if not then keep a card in your glove compartment so you don't have to stop and check where you're going before you load up your sick or injured pet.

NW Veterinary Specialists

16756 SE 82nd Dr.

Clackamas, OR 97015

(503) 656-3999

www.northwestvetspecialists.com

Dove Lewis

1945 NW Pettygrove

Portland, OR 97209

(503) 228-7281

www.dovelewis.org

* Please note - Dove Lewis has closed their Southeast location!

Emergency Veterinary Clinic of Tualatin

19314 SW Mohawk Ct.

Tualatin, OR 97062

(503) 691-7922

www.evcot.com

St. Francis 24 Hour Animal Hospital

12010 NE 65th St.

Vancouver, WA 98682

(360) 253-5446

www.stfrancis24hr.com

If the weather is an obstacle to getting your pet to see a veterinarian there is a veterinary ambulance.

Northwest Pet Express

P.O. Box 3078

Clackamas, OR 97015

(503) 260-0368

www.nwpetexpress.com

Stay warm and dry this winter but be prepared in case the worst should happen!

Safety during the holidays

The holidays are practically upon us and it's important, during this hectic season, to be especially aware of what our pets are doing. There are additional hazards that are compounded by the hustle and bustle of the season. Here are some things to be aware of:

1. Be aware of plant toxicity! Seasonal favorites such as poinsettias, mistletoe and lilies are poisonous. If you have them in your home consider making them part of a table centerpiece to keep them out of easy reach.

2. With the drop in temperature people are topping off the antifreeze in their cars. A strong base, antifreeze is not only deadly to animals but it has a sweet taste. Consumption of even a small amount can lead to kidney and liver damage and could result in death. Snow globes often contain antifreeze so if one breaks clean it up immediately and dilute the spill between moping it up.

3. Cords for festive lights can also be a hazard. Make sure that they are out of the way so that they can't be tripped on and are not an enticing addition in the home to chew.

4. Celebrating Christmas with a tree? The water in the base will quickly become stagnant and may contain harmful bacteria. Some types of artificial snow and flocking are toxic, check the labels carefully before making your purchase.

5. During this time of year we like to surround ourselves with friends and family. If you are having people over make sure everyone is aware that your pets are now allowed outside. Night comes quickly and you don't want to be out searching for your lost dog when you should be enjoying your party. If you pets are likely to become stressed when you have company it may be best to put them in a separate part of the house for their own comfort and for your peace-of-mind.

6. Don't forget to set aside time for your pets. The holidays can be hectic and stressful for them as well. If you show them you love them it might just help to reduce stress for both of you :)

We hope your holidays are safe, warm and wonderful!

New dogs arrive!

Did you ever wonder what goes in to getting dogs to the Pacific Northwest for adoption? On Saturday we received eight new dogs into our adoption program from Arizona thanks to the help of one of the local owners and some great people to help transport them here.

In Arizona our friend Eric selected the dogs for us and all of their paperwork was pulled. This includes their registration papers, vaccination records and in some cases their racing records. The dogs are fed the night before they leave and are groomed in preparation for their trip.

On the morning of the trip (in this case Friday) they are loaded into the trailer. Although the trailer has heat and air conditioning every dog wore a coat to ensure that they were nice and comfortable for the trip. With two drivers the truck and trailer stopped only for gas and potty breaks, otherwise they drive through the night so they can get to their destination as soon as possible.

Upon arriving the dogs are unloaded by gender and allowed a nice long outing in the fenced exercise yard where they can answer nature's call and burn off a little pent up energy. Once they've settled down all the dogs are brought into the kennel, coats removed and given a good once over before being assigned their own little condo and given a big meal.

Bowls are collected, paperwork is reviewed and everyone takes a well-deserved nap!

Watch next week for pictures of the dogs on the blog as they are added to our website :)

Planning for the future

On Tuesday night Oregon Greyhound Adoption assisted in the return of two greyhounds to their placement group. Jazz, 11 1/2 years old, and his "brother" Beau-D, 6 1/2 years old, had to be relinquished to Greyhound Adoption Center (the group that placed them) when their person was put on hospice care. Fortunately she had set up a trust for them that directed that they should be returned to their group and some money was set aside for their care until a new home could be found for them. So we went with Deanna, a placement representative from GAC who recently moved to Portland, down to Salem to pick up the two boys and take them to their foster home.

While it is undoubtedly difficult for them to lose their homes it's good that they are being given back to Greyhound Adoption Center for rehoming. We sometimes forget that greyhounds aren't typical dogs and that we were carefully matched with our dogs. Upon return Jazz and Beau-D will have their personalities evaluated and will be tested for compatibility with small animals. They will have a veterinary checkup and will receive all the care they need until a new home can be found.

Both of these boys are very sweet and enjoy getting attention. Jazz is a sweet older man brimming with confidence. Although he isn't as strong in his hind legs as he used to be he still gets around very well. When introduced to the cat in his foster home he showed some interested but not so much that it couldn't be dealt with. Beau-D is a little bit more needy, he craves attention and affection from everyone he meets. His ready smile (all teeth and tail wags) and cuddly nature will steal your heart. Like Jazz, Beau-D has shown some interest in the cat but can be corrected. Neither has lived with cats or small dogs before but given what we witnessed, they can probably learn, they just need someone to remind them that the kitty isn't a toy.

Finn (left) checking out Jazz, making sure he's been washing behind his ears.

Banjo giving Jazz a kiss on the nose. How's that for a welcome?

And Jazz checking our Banjo, just to make sure she really is a girl.

Beau-D didn't care all that much about meeting his new housemates, he found the sofa.

Jazz and Beau-D flirting with the girls and checking out the yard.

Beau-D awaiting affection.

Jazz will be 12 years old in April.

Sweet old boy.

Beau-D grins like a Cheshire cat :)

Thanks Healthy Pets!

Our event at Healthy Pets NW on Saturday was wonderful and we want to thank the store owners for having us and all the people who came by to meet the dogs. It was a lot of fun despite the cold weather and the hounds enjoyed making new friends.

If you missed us this month keep checking the blog and website for January's event!

Tori Lou getting a little love.

Bob checking out tasty treats.

Bob putting on his "bring me home" face.

Bob made a new friend :)

Wahoo looking for cookies.

Thinking if he was cute enough he would finally get a treat, Wahoo put on his begging face.

Onrey enjoyed herself and make a bunch of new friends.

Catching up with some old friends.

They are such sweet ladies.

Event this Saturday!

This weekend will be our last adoption event of the year. Healthy Pets Northwest is a great store and this is always a fun event. We would love to see you there and will have some great adoptable dogs to meet!

Where: Healthy Pets Northwest
Address: 7642 SW Capitol Highway, Portland
When: December 5th
Time: 11am - 2pm

Donate for Free!

Oregon Greyhound Adoption is proud to be a member of Amazon's Associates program. That means what when you go to Amazon's website through the link provided on our website we get at least 4% of the value of your purchases donated to us by Amazon. This is a great way to take advantage of the great values that you will find on Amazon's website while giving to Oregon Greyhound Adoption.

It's really easy to do. First, go to Oregon Greyhound Adoption's website. Then click on "Donate" as illustrated below:

Once on our "Donate" page all you need to do is click on the link to Amazon in the bottom right-hand corner (see below). Once there all of your purchases completed in the next 24 hours will qualify as a referral from Oregon Greyhound Adoption and we will get a donation!

To see Amazon's Black Friday deals click here.

Please share this post with your friends and family. It costs you nothing as we benefit so everybody wins :)

Thanks For Paws

We had another great adoption event at For Paws on Saturday. Lots of familiar faces stopped by and we met some really nice people so we're thrilled. Thank you to For Paws for being such generous hosts and thank you to all of you who read the blog and stop by the events, it makes them so much fun!

Chatting with some old friends.

Snoop taking a break from all the activity.

Snoop gets some love while Solar watches.

Golden proving that she can be cute without trying.

Tiny reminding everyone that while Golden may be a cute puppy she can still pull off cute just as well.

Solar snuggling up to Grady.

Solar.

Maui soaking up the affection.

And getting neck scritches.

Taking a break on a nice fall afternoon.

For Paws this Saturday

Interested in meeting some fantastic adoptable greyhounds? We will be at For Paw this Saturday and would love to meet you. It's a great little store with a great selection of quality pet foods, locally produced pet supplies and other fun pet paraphernalia.

Where: For Paws

Address: 3029 SE Division St., Portland 97202

When: Saturday November 14th

Time: 11am - 2pm

Happy Halloween!

With Halloween here it is important to take some safety precautions.

1. Keep candy in a secure place. Chocolate can cause irregular heartbeats, kidney failure and death. Raisins can cause kidney failure as well and should be kept out of reach. Macadamian nuts are also toxic although what component is toxic has not yet been identified. Sugar-free sweeteners are known to cause liver failure.

2. If you plan on giving out candy it's best to leave your dog in another part of the house. With the door opening and closing constantly the chance of escape increases.

3. Make sure that collars are snug and that all identification contains your current information.

4. Walks should be completed before it gets too late and trick-or-treaters are on the street. Even the most calm and stable dogs can be frightened of costumes and all the activities.

5. Dogs should be kept indoors, especially greyhounds, as not only are they poorly adapted to cope with the elements but they should be kept away from all the Halloween activities. Well-meaning children may offer then a treat not knowing that it is toxic while others may taunt them. Either way, with all the craziness of the holiday, it's best to keep them safe and quiet.

Halloween can be a lot of fun and even more so when you know that your dogs are safe and happy!

Thanks Sellwood Dog Supply!

Saturday's event at Sellwood Dog Supply was a blast! We saw some old friends and met some new ones all while enjoying a little of the precious sun now that fall is here. If you missed this event you can catch us again next month at For Paws!