This is it! We've officially begun the month of stars, May is Adopt a Senior Greyhound month. It's going to be a greyt month. Seniors will no longer be the best kept secret 'cause everyone will have one. 
Hi, my name is Star, and I really am a STAR. After a great racing career, and several litters of puppies I got to retire. So I found my way down to the adoption kennel. But I had several strikes against me - I was 8 years old, big, black and I have a very big voice. So I sat in the adoption kennel and was often passed by til one of the volunteers decided I needed to go home with her!
I now lead a very charmed life of relaxing and relaxing. I have enriched my mom and dad's life to no end.
My favorite activity is a nice, long walk on the beach.
I love to go for car rides, and visit new perspective adopters. It's fun to go shopping at the local pet store and pick out treats and toys - squeaky toys are fun to throw around, everyone has to get in on the act - I have three greyhound roomies.
My favorite time of day is cookie time which happens at exactly 7 PM each evening. We all sing a beautiful song and are rewarded with a yummy treat.
My 9th birthday will be on May 10th, but let me tell you, I feel better than ever and have no trouble keeping up with that silly little redhead who is just 2 yrs.!
As you can see I really am a shining STAR!
Mohican WW Park, affectionately known as Park, Park Abigail, The Parkster, The Parkmeister, Sparky Parkie, and Parkie, came into my life at the glorious age of 10½. She had a long and winning racing career, and at age five, she moved on to motherhood where she produced five litters resulting in 35 puppies.
I spent many Saturdays at the breeding farm where Parkie lived visiting my racing pups and always stopping to see Parkie and her babies. Unbeknownst to me Park placed the “gotcha” paw on my heart at our first meeting. When it was time for her to go to the adoption kennel that “gotcha” paw slapped me up side the head. Sparkie Parkie was coming home with me. I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that I was nervous about bringing a senior brood home. I was worried about the huge adjustment a 10½ year old would have to make from living outside in a run and dog house to living indoors. Well, Park took to soft beds, toys, walkies, car rides, her new greyhound roomies and all the love I could bestow on her without hesitation.
Park became the official Welcome Wagon representative for the pack. She welcomed new dogs with open paws and was the hostess to show them around to the toy baskets, feeding stands, beds and the treat cupboard.
Parkie and Song were roomies during the day while I was at work. Park loved the carefree, “throw caution to the wind” Songstress and the feeling was mutual. But there were days that Park had just had enough of her wild behavior and the look on Park’s face was one only another mother would appreciate. Mom Park would slow that Songstress down by taking hold of the back of her neck and Song knew she was busted.
Park and Megan, who had lived next door to each other on the breeding farm, were quick to rekindle their friendship and were often engaged in long conversations about their days on the farm, motherhood and their puppies. Park often asked Megan where she went wrong in bringing up Song, a Megan puppy.
Park’s bedtime partner was the brawny and handsome gentleman, Thaw. There was a sweet acceptance between the two as paws and legs intertwined as they slept together every night.
Parkie’s other job was inspector of pant legs for Reeves homeland security. She inspected each pant leg for any foreign body, i.e., scorpions, spiders, poisonous snakes, pipe bombs, etc. before a leg was inserted. She was not always gentle about this because she had to quickly move into the pant leg before a disaster happened. She was ready to act if there was any breach in security but was able to give the all clear sign every time.
Park’s very favorite time of day was chewie time. Chewie time was 20 minutes with a bully stick and it was an after dinner treat every night. Park would become lost in paradise with her bully stick and she was gently reluctant to give it up when it was “chewie pick up time.”
Park was a gift of sweetness and much, much more. She was always smiling and was a friend to every greyhound and human she met. She was a strong, sturdy girl until mid January of this year when all of sudden quality of life took an unfair turn for Parkie. Park slipped away quietly in my arms as I told her how much she was loved. She deserved so much more than two years of retirement.
There are no words to describe the joy of having a senior wiggle their way into your heart. Trust me you will never regret your decision to love a senior. They are the very best!
My first assignment is a delightful senior lady named Sunshine. Adopted at nine she's proven to fabulous companion for her human. 
Sunshine came home with me when she was almost 9 years old. She’ll soon be 11. Like many of our senior ladies, she had lived in the adoption kennel for a long time. In her case, it was a full year of being overlooked for younger and/or prettier girls in the kennel. I’ll never forget the warm summer day when some volunteer had deposited a small stuffed toy in Sunshine’s crate. She commenced tossing and playing with it even within the confines of her crate. It was very poignant to witness her enjoying herself with such abandon, even while being so restricted.
And then there was the time that I held Sunshine at an adoption event at a community street fair. I decided to enter her into the tail wagging contest, and even though she didn’t win (the fix must have been in!) she DID receive a certificate of merit, which hung on her crate door in the kennel for a few months afterward (I was surprised to find it included in her adoption packet).
Because she’s built like a daschund on stilts, Sunshine has had some issues with her lower back, but she sees a chiropractor (“Mary the Cracker”) for adjustments, and that seems to keep her rolling. She also has seasonal allergies. Some think perhaps she should also visit a therapist…but that’s another story entirely.
Despite listening to the beat of her own drummer, Sunshine is a great walking buddy, a loving friend and an all around good egg. I appreciate her quizzical take on life – even though I must admit that I cannot fully understand it.
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