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Love it or hate it, Facebook is taking over. We love Facebook and now you can find Oregon Greyhound Adoption there as well. Upcoming events will be posted, photos, and discussion available for you to chime in on.

If you have never been to Facebook set aside some time to check it out, reconnect with old friends and get your greyhound fix all at the same time. Hope to see you there!

Three Sweet Brothers

In April we had an entire litter become available for adoption at the same time and since then we've adopted out five of the eight that we received. The remaining three have watched their mother find a home and their brothers and sisters leave so now it is their turn. As with so many things in life, we've saved the best for last!

The first of the brothers is Some. His long elegant build is very much like his mother's and he mirrors her personality, Some is sweet but rather quiet given that he is just shy of two years old. He walks very nicely and would be a great companion for someone with a lifestyle suited to his occassional youthful exuberance and his adoration of people. Some has an unhealthy interest in cats so, please, no small animals for this handsome guy.

Ironically, the next of the brothers is Next. He's a confident boy whose dignified demeanor is broken by his bursts of puppy energy. Next is friendly and outgoing and will make someone a fantastic companion. Like his brother Some, Next would do best in a relatively active home without small animals.

The last of the trio is Quick. He's built like his father, short and stocky. Quick is prone to bouncy kissy excitement around new people so he will need someone to teach him the proper way to make new human friends but it is all born of his love of people. This little man makes wonderful eye-contact and is eager to please but has the attention span typical of a young greyhound, it's on the short side. Quick is a goofy monkey and will entertain you for years to come. He can live with small animals so long as his interactions are supervise, he is the quintessential curious puppy!

Adoption Event on Saturday

Join us Saturday at Furever Pets for the Broadway Sidewalk Sale and meet some wonderful greyhounds! Furever Pets has been a fantastic supporter so come out and show your support for the businesses that help us thrive!

Where: Furever Pets

Address: 1902 NE Broadway St., Portland

When: Saturday July 18th

Time: 11am - 2pm

Feeding your pet

It goes without saying that we love our dogs. They bring joy into our lives and for that we do our best to give them the very best. We buy our dogs toys, treats, fancy collars, and high quality food but often don't give much thought to what we use to feed them, their bowl.

For years I have been using generic stainless steel non-tip bowls (you know, the kind that look like steel volcanos with a plastic ring around the bottom). They have worked fine but required more scrubbing because of the brushed finish and the non-skid rings fell off when I washed them after every meal. Plus, I disliked them because they take up so much space in the dishwasher.

So I decided it was time for new bowls and there are a lot of options. The ceramic bowls look nice but they're very heavy and I worry about durability not just because greyhounds are big dogs but also because I tend to be rather clumsy. Having ruled out ceramic bowls I then looked at plastic bowls. They are strong, come in a variety of colors, have a nice weight to them and you can even buy some that are made, in part, from recycled materials. My big concern is that plastics are rather soft and with repeated scrubbing they will scratch which not only makes it harder to clean but can trap food particles and lead to a buildup of bacteria. This can cause some health problems in cats although thus far it seems to have no effect on dogs. For me, it wasn't worth the risk so the only remaining option was stainless steel.

I hate the tinny-cheap feeling of a lot of stainless steel bowls so I went to half a dozen pet stores looking for the perfect bowl. I wanted a regular flat-bottom bowl that had a good heft and hopefully was non-skid so it didn't get pushed around during meal times. What I ended up with were Durapet Bowls. They are a heavy-guage stainless steel bowl with a permanently bonded soft rubber ring around the bottom. The inside of the bowl is mirror polished making cleaning really quick and easy and they're dishwasher safe if you are so inclined.

Picking the right sized bowl is also important. If your dog eats really quickly and is prone to choking or gaging a larger bowl is preferable. My greyhounds are relatively civilized so I bought the 40 ounce bowls with should be more than large enough for an average sized greyhounds. I feed a combination of home-cooked food and kibble. Keep in mind that home-cooked food has a much high moisture content than kibble and with the recipe I gave previously 1 cup of home-cooked food has a nutritional content similar to 1/2 cup of premium kibble. The 40 ounce bowl is just right for my high-stress 80 pound boy who literally eats twice as much as other greyhounds his size.

The neat thing is that Durapet also makes a bowl specifically designed to slow down fast eaters. It is essentially the same as their regular bowl except that there is a bulge in the middle kind of like a bunt-pan so the dog has to eat around the obstacle. Click here and here to be taken to a website where you can get more information or order the bowls.

* This review is not an endorsement by Oregon Greyhound Adoption, it reflects the experience of one person only. All information contained is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

The Starbucks Kids

Our sweet boy Mocha went home a while ago and we have pictures on him with his sister enjoying life on his very own goat farm. Mocha is the handsome black boy and his litter-sister is Coco, the rare and beautiful dun (brown) girl.

As an aside, dun is genetically similar to the blue color we see on occassion in greyhounds but is even more uncommon. However, the most important thing to know about Coco is she's an absolute sweetheart :)

Walk this Weekend!

The Greyhound Walking Club's monthly pedestrian adventure is this Sunday! Leash up your goofy grey and join them for a walk though Portland's lovely Irvington neighborhood.

When: Sunday July 12th

Time: 11am

Where: Fernwood Middle School (NE 33rd and Hancock), at the field around the back

Questions? A link to this month's announcement can be found here.

Lovely Layla in Living it Up in Alaska

Tonight we just wanted to share some photos of our most recent greyhound to make the trip to Alaska! She is living with Jack whose people are the proprietors of Paw Prince. These photos were taken after being in her home for less than 24 hours which just proves that greyhounds are quick learners :)

Averting a 4th of July Nightmare

We're just days away from celebrating Independence Day so it's time to go through your home safety checklist. First and foremost, know your dog! If you have brought a new greyhound (or any dog for that matter) home in the past year it is probably best to ensure that someone is going to be home to supervise their reaction to the inevitable fireworks and firecrackers that are going to be set off for the 4th of July.

Dr. Ilana Reisner at the University of Pennsylvania School fo Veterinary Medicine reports that:

Dogs can respond with profound fear to loud, booming noises such as thunder or fireworks. In fact, some dogs appear to develop a worsening fear over time that eventually is characterized as a phobia. Noise-phobic dogs can respond with extreme efforts to escape the noise. What starts as mild signs of distress, such as pacing, trembling and panting, can develop into chewing and digging at points of exit, particularly if the dogs are alone at home. It is not unusual for unsuspecting owners to come home to extraordinary destruction of doorways, windows and other routes of "escape" Dogs with severe noise phobias have even been known to chew through drywalls and jump through plate glass windows.

How can you tell if your dog is having an adverse reaction to fireworks? Generally you will see any of the following behaviors: panting, pacing, trembling, and clinginess.

Here are some recommendations for helping your dog to cope.

1. Do not take your dog out for any of the Independence Day festivities. Even if fireworks do not normally upset them the cumulative effect of the percussion of explosions, the crowds of people, the excited voices and exposure to new places can cause unforeseen dismay in your greyhound. It is best to leave them safely at home.
2. Close the doggie door! Generally speaking, we don't recommend doggie doors because you can't supervise your dog's time outside but we understand that they help many families and are a necessary evil. On days like the 4th of July you HAVE to close it. While your greyhound may not have shown you how easily they can escape from your yard the stess of the holiday may be the encouragement they need make their escape. Once in "flight" mode your 45 mile per hour cuddle pup will run and run and run until exhaustion.
3. If you already know that your dog is upset by fireworks make an appointment with your vet to discuss options. While we should all hesitate to medicate our pets unncessarily it is better that they are medicated and safe that paniked and injure themselves in the process.
4. Did you keep up on crate training when you brought your dog home? Great! Then set the crate up again tonight and start feeding them in it. A crate will provide you dog with a safe place in your home to retreat to if they get upset and should the noise and chaos cause a little incontinence at least it is contained in one area.
5. Separate your dogs! We all know that greyhounds are addictive so if you have a multi-dog household you should take measures to protect them from each other. Yes, I know they've lived together forever and have never had a problem before but perhaps you have some new neighbors or have moved to a new house. If there is something new this year that makes this 4th of July especially stressful you can not know how your dog will react. Their canine companion could startle them at precisely the wrong moment and get bitten out of fear. It happens so if you can't separate them break out the basket muzzles we sent home with you do that no one needs a trip to the emergency vet.
6. Check their collar and identification. Make sure that the collar is nice and snug so that if you dog somehow escapes they can be identifed and returned to you.

If you are planning on being home remember that in times to stress you should avoid the impulse to comfort your dog. Under these conditions comforting them only serves to reinforce the behavior. The best thing to do is to try to distract them and if that doesn't work then encourage them to find a safe place to hide. While we tend to believe it is best to confront our fears if your greyhounds chooses to hide at least you know where they will be and so long as they feel safe the will not get hurt. Sometimes music can help to distract your dog from the fireworks or at least reduce the impact they have on your dog.

Play it safe and happy 4th of July!

Give back to the canine community!

Did you know your greyhound may be able to help save the lives of other dogs? Greyhounds frequently are universal donors and because they tend to have more red blood cells than other breeds they are ideal candidates to give blood.

While there are other entities that keep a blood bank the one we are most familiar with is at NW Veterinary Specialists. The ideal donor is 55 pound or heavier, friendly, and between 1 and 8 years old. They must be in good health, up to date on their vaccinations and have no prior history of transfusions or pregnancy.

To prove it's not scary I went along with Toby, Jackson and Dusty when they went in last month to be screened for eligibility.

Dr. Houchen and her assisting vet tech come out to the car to help unload the dogs. Please note Dusty's graceful exit from the car.



The boys are then given time to acclimate to the exam room while the doctor asks some questions about their medical history.



Copious affection ensues.



The children are examined.


Blood is drawn.


And the pups are showered with cookies!






Then yet more affection.



Followed by a little paperwork.


Finally they are given more treats before they get back in the car to await their lab results to see if they are eligible to be a blood donor.






See? It's easy to help!

Bye bye sweet Line

We're happy to announce that Line has gone home! He's a sweetheart of a guy and he really hit the jackpot with his new family. Be good little man!

Wahoo!

This big handsome boy is Wahoo and he is Killa's brother. Wahoo is one of the largest boys we've had in quite a while, although he isn't tall he's very stoutly built. Despite his size Wahoo is a very sweet and gentle guy that would probably do very well with children. He is a pointy cuddley greyhound love but needs a home without cats.

Name: Wahoo
Racing name: Cayenne Wahoo
Color: Red brindle
Weight: 83 pounds
Born: December 3rd, 2005

Invasion of the house Fly

Meet Fly! She's one of eight littermates that came into the adoption program at the same time. Like her littermates, she just didn't make the cut so she never raced. Unlike her littermates, Fly is a little bit reserved but this makes her look for the approval of people more than her sweet dopey brothers and sisters. Fly would prefer a quiet home where she can gain confidence without feeling overwhelmed. Cat and small dogs are fine with Fly, the more the merrier!

Name: Fly

Racing name: Jab N Fly

Color: Dark brindle

Weight: 58 pounds

Born: August 1, 2007

Walk this Sunday

This Sunday is the Greyhound Walking Club's June outing. Although the club is not associated with Oregon Greyhound Adoption they have made it clear that all are welcome so it doesn't matter where your greyhound came from, now that the weather has mellowed it is a great time for a long walk. This month the walk is in Laurelhurst in southeast Portland.

When: Sunday June 14th
Time: 11 am, rain or shine
Where: Laurelhurst Park, SE 39th Ave. and Stark St.
Inquiries can be made here.

It's all about Shelly!

This week we're featuring Shelly! At six years old she's got a lot of spunk left but mostly she would like someone to cuddle up with on the couch. Shelly would probably be fine as an only dog but would also do well in a multi-dog household so long as there aren't small dogs, they're just too tasty looking and she wouldn't want to spoil her diet. Hold the kitties too, Shelly would prefer other large dogs for companions.

When we took her out to romp and play and ham it up for the camera Shelly was more interested in doing her impression of velcro, she was always stuck to someone's side. Thinking she might play a big our friendly stuffed reindeer volunteered to try to get Shelly's interest and he did, briefly. He flew through the air and Shelly chased him but when he landed and made not further bid for freedom all interested evaporated and Shelly globbed herself back on to someone's side. On well, she's a lover and we like that about her :)

Name: Shelly
Racing name: Lark's Shelbourne
Weight: 64 pounds
Color: Red
Born: March 24th, 2003

Mr. Smith is up for adoption

How about a warm welcome for Smith? He's the brother of Company and Comet who have already found their forever homes and Smith is every bit as delightful as his brothers. When he gets his daily outings with the other dogs if you don't give him sufficient attention he likes to walk between your legs and look up at you expectantly. We adore this goofy boy and whoever takes him home will be very lucky!

Name: Smith
Racing name: Ultimate Command
Color: Brindle
Weight: 67 pounds
Born: August 10th, 2004