Beautiful Kennel Kid Hardy found his forever home with Bec and Pete. While he found the transition into pet life challenging, he thankfully had the support of Bec and Pete for every step of his journey.
Reflecting on their first six months together, Bec and Pete say it’s “hard to imagine life without Hardy now”. But not wanting to sugar-coat things, they admit it was tough at the beginning.
“Hardy found the move into our home very challenging. He wasn’t coping with being alone and was too scared to use the lift or stairs in our apartment building.”
“When we finally got him outside he would get overwhelmed and freeze.”
“We were really worried that Hardy wasn’t settling in, and that maybe we weren’t the right home for him” explains Bec. “We already loved him so much and wanted to make sure he had the best possible pet life.”
“Greyhound Rescue were so supportive and always prioritised Hardy’s best interests, which gave us the confidence that we were doing the right thing.”
Bec and Pete also sought the help of a force-free trainer and behaviouralist vet. This, combined with medication for Hardy, they believe has made all the difference.
“It’s [medication] given his brain more space for thinking and learning, instead of just fear. We can see so much more of his personality now, and he’s more able to cope with the world around him” says Bec.
“The combination of force-free training and fluoxetine has been really successful for us. Hardy now bounds into the lift without hesitation and is perfectly comfortable being left alone for a few hours. He’s much more confident on walks, and is remembering that stairs aren’t so scary after all. He even learned to use the dog door that we installed.”
While Hardy can still get overwhelmed at times, Bec and Pete are so proud of his growing confidence.
Adopting Hardy has meant Bec and Pete have made a bunch of new friends that they wouldn’t have met otherwise.
“We’ve got such an amazing community now, all because of how charming Hardy is” says Bec. “He loves people and hanging out with his two best mates Dee Dee and Tonka. We go for walks together every Sunday.”
You also won’t find Hardy on the couch when you visit Bec and Pete’s house.
“Hardy has shown zero interest in our couch… it seems he’s perfectly content in the floor, at least for now” says Bec.
Bec and Pete are so grateful that Greyhound Rescue took the time to match them with a Kennel Kid that suited their lifestyle.
“A greyhound will bring so much joy into your life. But it’s important to think carefully about whether it’s the right time for you to bring a greyhound into your home. All greyhounds are different, and some of them will need a bit more attention to meet their needs, particularly in the first few months of adoption.”
“I’ll also never forget the support that we got from Greyhound Rescue in the early days and weeks of our adoption. Our adoption coordinator was there on the other end of the phone for all of our stressful moments, reassuring us and giving us advice, sometimes late into the night. It was lovely to feel so supported.”
Would you like to adopt a Kennel Kid but not sure if you’re ready? Head here to find out what you need to consider.