Recently I took a drive up to Woodville from Masterton to see the Simply Grey exhibition at Alias Grace (Beautiful - if you can get there go have a look!). I got chatting to Sonja and before I knew it had agreed to my first foster, a hound that needs to get her Canine Good Citizen Foundation certificate. She is set to go into a Pet Therapy Programme with the Kotuku Foundation in Wanganui. We already have two hounds and I really enjoy training, so thought 'why not!' and then checked with the other half and he said yes!
So I picked up Lola (Kinetic Flyer) from the Sanson kennels. She is an absolute smooch, even more people orientated than our Blondie (Fancy Kate) which is saying something! We have attended two CGC classes already, with Charlie (Thrilling Web) and Piper (unraced) and we were much improved come class two.
Lola's play antics showed themselves quickly. Last Monday morning my partner got out of the shower and found a toilet roll demolished in the conservatory. There's no proof who did it but, as our two have never touched them, you'll know who my money is on! Made us laugh though!
She's a demon bed reorganiser, and started to 'play' with her cushions, biting them and dragging them about. So one night I got out some toys out to see what she'd do. Lola got very into it (as did the other two) so I took her outside on her own and threw the toy for her. She grabbed it and took it right outside and ran round, I could hear her bush bashing at the back, so assumed she was finding a spot to bury it. But no, she came back and practically gave it to me. So I threw it again and she came back with it again... Greyhounds aren't natural retrievers so I thought this was a fluke! But no, I threw it another few times and she kept bringing it back in exchange for pats! I am wondering if someone has taught her to fetch already!
So far Lola is going through the motions of adapting to pet life and what is to be expected of her going forward. To start with she was all over the place on walks, distracted by people and smells, she would rush to see what was so exciting. Early last week she managed to get under my feet well and truly on a walk and I accidently stood on her toe. Of course she squealed horrendously, like I had done something truely awful which would scar her for life, and of course it was on the main street outside McDonalds. I got a lot of stares from people, who I'm sure were thinking I had just done something horrible to her. Subsequently though she has been much more respectful of my space and much better behaved out walking! For some reason crossing the road was tremendously exciting in the beginning. She would wiggle down low and then launch into big bounds as we crossed. Thankfully she has realised quickly that sort of behaviour is undesirable and today I had a go at walking the three dogs on my own, with a better result than I had hoped for. There is something quite satisfying about walking down the street with three hounds neatly trotting beside you on loose leads. Even though it was raining!
Our two hounds are allowed on the couch and beds, as a foster hound, Lola is not. She tried twice in the early days and was gently pushed off and hasn't tried since which I am very impressed with. Priceless (Fancy Freda) is pleased too, as it gives her a place to get out of the way of the other two high-energy heathens.
I think Lola is going to enjoy her training so who knows how long she'll be with us. But we are very much enjoying her company and I am aware already how bittersweet it will be when she moves into her new career.