It has been almost a year since Sue sat in ‘Buddy’s Garden’ waiting to meet Barry (formerly Chaos) – the hound Greyhound Rescue matched her with through our adoption process.
“Sitting on the wooden bench, waiting for him to be brought out, was just like a scene from the TV show ‘The Dog House’. I fell in love with him immediately. The first thing you notice about Barry is his size and athleticism, his regal bearing, and his glossy black coat, contrasted with his goofy and loving nature.
Myself and my 23-year-old daughter picked him up. We had a little tiff over his name. I thought Chaos was great, but she hated it. She wanted Harry (as per Harry Styles). In the end we compromised with Barry, which was perfect for our big, beautiful, black dog. It turned out Chaos would have been a terrible name because Barry is so laidback, he’s rarely vertical.
Barry fell into our routine almost immediately. Apart from a tiny bit of whining for a couple of nights, he’s been good as gold. He picked up correct walking on the lead quickly (he tended to lean his body against my legs, and considering he’s the biggest greyhound anyone’s ever seen, that wasn’t optimal!) and now he’s absolutely loving twice daily visits to the dog park. He’s a superstar there, because of his size but also his personality. All he wants to do with everyone he meets is lean up against them and immerse himself in cuddles.
Walks are his favourite activity. His other favourite is sleeping. He basically walks, eats, and sleeps. We’ve provided him with toys and chews but he’s not really into that. I have a strong feeling that in the 12 hours between his two walks, he never leaves the bed, not even to pee. He has access to a big garden, but I have no evidence that he ever uses it.
He’s a quiet companion to our family, just there in the background. He’s not an intrusive or demanding presence. He’s happy just sitting and being around us, he doesn’t crave attention. Perfect for an apartment dweller I’d say.
Greyhound Rescue did a fantastic job matching me with Barry.
For anyone thinking about adopting a greyhound, you’re choosing a handsome, athletic dog that’s going to be easy to care for, rarely bark, require little grooming, take visitors or other dogs in their stride and always be your affectionate friend. I would wholeheartedly recommend greyhound adoption to anyone. Apart from saving a life and getting that satisfaction, you’re almost guaranteed a low maintenance, loyal companion.”
Can’t foster or adopt but want to help? Become a Help A Hound supporter and make a monthly contribution to sponsor one of Greyhound Rescue’s ‘Kennel Kids’.