Megan • Still a spunky hunter

"Megan’s presence in my life has changed my thoughts 180°
about adopting a senior. They adapt so quickly
to home life and their youthfulness is unbelievable."

Phebe Johnson aka Megan

Phebe Johnson, affectionately known as Megan, Megs, Meggies, Nutmegan, Megan Louise, and Little Megs was my introduction to the best kept secret in the world of greyhounds – adopting the retired senior brood. Megan came to live with Thaw, Time and me at 3 months short of 8 years young. She had been a good racer and was a mom to three litters of pups resulting in 18 puppies.


Megan was nothing like what I expected from an 8 year old. This girl was full of herself and a bundle of energy. Megs and Time took to each other as if they had been best friends for years. They played and played and played together. Thaw thought that Megan, a petite, svelte-figured dark brindle, might want to date but she quickly told him where to go. Megan added a whole new dimension to the pack of three and they got along famously. Megan could clear the four foot walls in the backyard with a foot to spare. There were always critters to try and hunt down. Megan got Thaw, Time and several other cat zapper greyhounds to become card carrying members of the United Federation of Cat Zappers.


One day Megan graphically demonstrated her hunting skills. The four of us were on the back patio and all of sudden Megan took off, flew up to the second level of the yard and quickly returned to the patio with a mouse in her mouth. Its feet and tail were wiggling about – the mouse was alive. She was so proud of herself. I gently asked Megan to please drop the mouse. She paused for a moment and dropped the mouse but when Time tried to get the mouse, Megan quickly picked it up and would not drop it. After being told several times to “drop it,” Megan, with mouse in mouth, looked me in the eye and made one big swallow. No one was going to have her mouse.


Megan’s mothering skills were put to good use when Dusty, a young whippersnapper, came to live with the pack. He just wasn’t getting the fact that you need to go outside to go potty and you couldn’t go around acting like an unmannered puppy. Megan quickly took him under her wing and whipped him into shape. Megan, now 12, still keeps Dusty in line and he continues to adore her.


Living now with a pack of seven, Megan remains the alpha of the pack. When she speaks the other hounds listen. Megan is my bed buddy and the other hounds know that my bed is Megan’s throne. None of them would ever consider getting on the bed with Megan there. Megan continues to set the pace when walking with the other senior hounds – she is always in the lead. If you met Megan outside of her environment you would never know that Megs rules and the rest of the pack drools.


Megan continues to amaze me with her level of activity at the sweet age of 12. One thing that has changed is when the pack runs out to the backyard, she lets the younger ones lead and she now prefers to bring up the rear with Thaw and Time (now 11). She continues to remain the mom figure – if anyone lags behind she goes back in the house looking for them.

When three of Megan’s puppies came to live with us this year she gave me a look that said: “I told them to write when they got work, not to come home when they were unemployed.”


Megan’s presence in my life has changed my thoughts 180° about adopting a senior. They adapt so quickly to home life and their youthfulness is unbelievable. The love and adoration they bestow on you cannot be expressed in words. They have no idea of their years. We should all think like senior dogs – age is not a disease! Long live Megan!


Adopt a Senior – They Are The Very Best!