Speedy's brand new world

Dusty, Speedy and Luna
Lily shot this photo of Dusty, Speedy and Luna.
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Speedy officially has been initiated.

The 8-year-old Macau import hasn't yet moved into his permanent home with Dusty and me. But he got a taste this morning of what his new life is going to be.

Dawn and her girls drove up this morning to meet us for a leash-walk outing at Plantation Heritage Park and got a chance to see Speedy take in all kinds of new sights and sounds and smells.

The girls and the hounds
Lily and Rosie chilling with the hounds in a shelter area at the park
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Speedy's having quite an awakening. Dusty and I got him out three times last week for a stroll around the block in Friends of Greyhounds' neighborhood in Sunrise. He remained in constant attention, total focus, during those walks. Dusty and I got quite a workout trying to contain him -- he pulled on that leash with everything he had to get to the next place as soon as he could. He wheezed and coughed practically the entire time -- the the martingale was choking him, he was pulling so hard. I was able to get him to slow down and stop pretty much on command, but he couldn't contain himself when I would give permission for him to go.

He showed some signs that he was learning to slow down on his own a bit as those walks continued. But Sunday at the park was a different story. I turned Dusty's leash over to Rosie as big sis Lily took charge of Luna for our walk at Heritage Park. So I was able to give my full attention to the new guy. It was a workout. Everything -- ducks, trash cans, picnic tables, Frisbee Golf baskets, passing bicycles, trees -- fascinated the hell out of Speedy. I spent most of the walk commanding him: "Slow, Speedy." He's heard that enough now that he's starting to catch on to that command -- he relaxed a couple of times at it to give some slack in the leash and keep pace with me.

Dusty and Speedy in the Kia Koach
Dusty and Speedy in the Kia Koach after our walk in the park
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We did learn the prey drive is fairly strong when we saw a small dog across the way scampering on a retractable leash. Speedy went into a full-on greyhound twist to try to escape his leash and get after that meat. I shortened my grasp to the leash clasp and knelt down to get him in a bear hug to calm him. That worked, but it's something we'll have to put a special focus on moving forward as he gets acclimated to life in a townhome community with neighborhood dogs and the occasional feral cat.

I had been thinking about it for several days before my gut made the decision last Sunday to tell Michelle and Jerry that I wanted to bring Speedy home. I told them that I didn't want to take him out of the kennel just yet and leave Victory King there by himself. We're going to give it a little more time. A couple of folks are talking with FoG about giving King a home, but there's nothing solid. But I'm thinking at this point that Speedy will come home sometime in the upcoming week. We'll play it by ear for a few days.

Me with the hounds
Another Lily photo

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Highlights

About Dusty and me (Part 2)

A Star is home; Yuki's orientation

Gotcha, Speedy

FoG's Macau dogs making themselves at home