Sometimes we do not see a dog’s true personality until we are faced with it. For one of Instagram’s favored Greyhounds, @bluethegrey, life went from running a hundred miles an hour, to sleeping a hundred miles an hour.
His new owner, Kimberley, did not have a clue how life changing adopting this dog would be, especially after Blue broke his leg while competing in a race.
Blue was a bit of an accident, as far as how he came to live with me. Nobody else wanted him, and two days later, this enormous Greyhound was dropped off.
Yeah, Greyhounds can surprise you with their size. Most people who have never seen one become shocked at the sight of such a slender, tall dog. Add a serious injury to that, and it is likely enough to discourage any prospective owner of adopting such a dog.
Not knowing what to expect, Blue’s owner learned along the way. This Greyhound’s early retirement might prove to be too much for Kimberley.
(Re)Learning The Ropes
No matter how great of an athlete Blue was, getting a new owner meant learning the house rules all over again. For his pet mom, it was exciting and equally terrifying, not having a clue what the right way of raising a Greyhound is.
Blue was as sensitive as a sighthound could get. A brand-new environment and a fresh owner made him wary of street noises, trucks, and things that Blue had never encountered before.
Although the breed is known for its shy character, nobody seemed to have warned Kimberley. Slowly, but surely, she learned that things can become dramatic pretty quickly, especially when Blue’s 48 hours of couch potatoing are over.
Doozing off on any surface with decent cushion was not the problem, clearly. Once Blue felt like it was time to play, he would intensely stare at Kimberley. His gaze pierced furniture, doors, and walls, letting it be known that physical activity was needed.
If his plea for action was ignored, he would take the next step – intense breathing. Taking a lesson from the Oscar-winners’ book, these deep sighs were supposed to make his owner feel guilty.
As a bit of extra-acting, that deep breathing was accompanied by the most infuriating quiet whine.
Ignoring Blue even after these performances was no big issue. He had two more levels of annoying, attention-grabbing methods. Step one: increase the whining volume. I guess this was his way of trying the simplest solution first.
If that proved unsuccessful, high-pitched barking was the grand finale. Kimberley claims that the biggest challenge, but also virtue, in their relationship was patience. However, Blue’s melodramatic barking put patience to the test.
Overcoming Behavioral Problems
Feeling protective and lenient towards her new canine companion, Kimberley admitted that this behavior was reinforced by her reaction to it. Greyhounds are emotional dogs, and she learned this the hard way.
Wanting to do everything with Kimberley was a good sign. It meant his fear of new things was now gone. Still, having a dog that goes into overdrive mode after long naps can be problematic in a house.
These zooming spurts across Kimberley’s home were a show of trust, but her inability to have at least some semblance of control over them became tough to handle.
Blue’s life with his owner was on an upwards trajectory, and his energy explosions were successfully managed by regular sprinting on the green grass. He even managed to make some dog friends to sleep even better.
This might not be the most gracious shot, but his excitement is very obvious.
Remembered For A Grey(t) Cause
Kimberley’s fight to put a stop to Greyhound racing was boosted by Blue’s life before and after becoming her canine friend.
With his extensive social media presence and vast charm, Blue managed to help Kimberley and all supporters of their joint cause to fight Greyhound racing on an international level. Australia, Scotland, or the USA, Blue’s reach is gargantuan.
If you think collecting over $120.000 with the goal of helping Greyhounds stop being exploited for gambling is impressive, think again. Andy Meddick, a former MP from the Victoria Region, made Blue the main protagonist of his speech against Greyhound racing.