Another lazy blog post for me where the dogs do most of the work. Ha! This is Bella, a young hound, we are fostering for ten days. She actually leaves on Saturday and then we will be free of fosters for the next month and a half due to our busy agility trial schedule.
As far as playmates, the Lab was too much. The Brissel Catahoulamation Sparrier was too little. But Bella is just right. It is so nice to have a good way to burn off some stressed, rescue dog steam.
And it is fun to watch! I did get a some video for you folks that like video. I personally think the pictures are a lot more fun and silly to look at though.
I got a lot of comments about Seven and Maddie playing (
Hooligans post). Many people were surprised they do not hurt each other.Well, they shouldn't hurt each other. What fun would it be if you got hurt every time? Ex-racers, especially, have had a very unique experience of actually spending the first 10-12 months with their littermates. Most puppies are placed into new homes between 8-12 weeks and how they are socialized after that is up to the new owner. Ex-racers, however, got to spend a lot of time wrestling and racing around with their thin skinned brothers and sisters so they received the consequences for biting too hard or being on the receiving end of it.
So with that said, I still do use muzzles when my greyhounds are playing with each other since they are more likely to need stitches if there is a squabble or even an accidental grab than most other breeds of dogs. But I would expect there to be no issues 99% of the time. So that is why I was not concerned about one muzzle-free photo session.
Of course, when Maddie plays with other breeds, I am very picky about who her playmates are since she is usually the only one with thin skin.
If Maddie was rough and inappropriate with other dogs and had to wear a muzzle, I would not let her play with them. She is so gentle with floppy ears and long fur. In fact, I have not seen her grab for fur since she was 12 weeks old. I would bet that a long-haired dog in daycare gave her a lesson in not doing that.
We heard that our last foster who was transported to a shelter in Maine was adopted a few days later by an older couple. Perfect! I thought she would be great for an older person who just wants a cuddle bug and walking companion.
Bella needs just the opposite. I would not label her as high energy, but she is still such a puppy and would do well with an active, busy family with kids and/or a playful dog. She will also probably need a good month to really settle into a routine and just get over the newness and excitement of it all.
ADSENSE HERE
