Irie

For quite some time now I've been hoping someone would share a story of a rescued Greyhound with us, and Irie is the perfect dog for the position. 

 Her racing name was HKK Cee Cee Star and she raced at the Victoryland tracks in Alabama, but fortunately for her she wasn't that great and only had two first place finishes. I say fortunately because she got to retire early and get out of that ugly "sport." 

 I don't know how much you know about Greyhound racing, but the lives those dogs have are unacceptable.

 Kyrsti, Irie's mom, used to volunteer at the Northern Greyhound Adoption in Vermont when she was in college.  Most of the dogs there started their stay by cowering in the back of their cages, shaking, tail between their legs. 

They were afraid of people, afraid to be friendly, afraid to do doggy things like wag their tails and give kisses. Kyrsti and Mike are lucky though, because Irie wanted to do all these things. 

On the other hand, she didn't have the first idea of what a house was or how to behave in one. They had to teach her that windows were solid and she couldn't just walk right through them. They had to take her paws and make them go up and down the steps so she could see how steps worked.  

When Krysti and Mike decided to get a dog, they had some familiarity with the breed due to Krysti's past volunteer experience. Mike's aunt had also had a greyhound, but that dog was very afraid of men due to her life at the racetrack.

They also had to consider that their apartment rules were no puppies, but adult dogs were permitted. This was another reason to pursue a greyhound.  In December of 2012, they went to Northern Greyhound Adoption just to check things out, and of course that's when they met Irie. 

 As soon as they saw how much she adored Mike they knew she would be perfect. To their surprise, they were encouraged to take Irie home that night. 

They balked at the idea because they had exactly zero supplies and were not prepared just yet, so they said they'd return for her the next day and went off to buy pet supplies.

 Halfway through the shopping trip Krysti just couldn't resign herself to leaving Irie at the shelter for a single additional night, and Mike went back to get her while Krysti finished buying what they needed.

Irie has proven to be a lovely dog, and Mike and Krysti have even begun blogging about her. 

There are a few maintenance needs that greyhounds have, like wearing a coat and booties outside, and needing their teeth brushed because they tend to have really bad teeth from their track background.

 There is, however, one significant issue, and it's one many of us know well: separation anxiety. 

In the beginning Irie would cry and howl all day while they were gone, and the neighbors were none too appreciative. 

They have tried a number of things to calm her down, and they introduce these ideas on their blog called A Greyt Life. 

 I'm sure that with passing day Irie can hardly believe her good fortune at winding up with Krysti and Mike. 

She is still learning to navigate the world. She knows she loves donuts and playtime, but she is also a couch potato.

 Most greyhounds require far less exercise than people think. Irie is content to be a snuggle bug most of the time.

When people go into greyhound adoption with a realistic idea of the time it might take to get their sweet pet to trust people again, they can find an incredibly rewarding experience. My brother had a greyhound and he was a doll. All he wanted was a few good pets, and then he'd lie by your feet.

 Any dog can have high maintenance issues. Heck, we've frequently discussed full-bred pedigreed Leroy, who needed eye surgery, whose wrinkles need to be cleaned daily, and who destroyed the house with his separation anxiety until Fanny came along. And he was from a reputable breeder! I'm so glad Irie sprinted into Krysti and Mike's life. 

She is a beautiful dog destined to be a star in her furever home instead of on that dreadful track.  Follow her on Instagram @greythoundvt

Thanks so much for sharing Irie!

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