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Post by sallyannh on Jul 25, 2011 22:31:00 GMT
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a retired greyhound must be in want of a forever home.
I'm The Handsome Mr Darcy, or Darcy for short. I seem to have moved into a forever home with some humans on the staff. They seem pretty capable and I am sure they will soon be fully trained. I am glad they liked my kennel name, otherwise I'd have ended up being called Baldrick.
Life outside the kennel is rather good, if a little tiring. The good things are the food, the fuss and the walks, especially the lamposts. I have a series of comfy beds dotted around the house, which is a very good thing. The bad things are that the humans move around a lot and I have to round them up. At night they disappear to a place called UPSTAIRS and leave me on my own. The first time they did this I sang several verses of "When I'm Calling You" - I thought they wouldn't be able to resist coming back to compliment me, but no, they ignored me. I tried again last night but very shortly decided they did not deserve to hear my beautiful song and I went to sleep.
They left me on my own for ages (at least 20 minutes) today. I thought perhaps they had hidden inside a carrier bag so I pulled it apart, but they weren't in there. I sat and yodelled for a while and eventually they came back.
Walks are interesting (have I mentioned lamposts?) but strange. I haven't seen many other dogs, and the ones I have seen are small, noisy and aggressive. People seem a little scared of me, but the senior staff member explained this is because (a) I am wearing a muzzle and (b) I have stitches after a little fracas at the kennels. She says it's like taking Hannibal Lecter for a walk. She also says we will try to meet up with some of the other local hounds once my stitches are out, so I'll look forward to that.
Anyhoo, I think they might be going UPSTAIRS soon. I have been sleeping all evening, so I hope to have the energy for a serenade tonight. They will be pleased.
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Post by sueb on Jul 26, 2011 14:49:53 GMT
Yo Bruv, Mr Darcy You is well posh, you rites so well, I will try and rite posher wiv me paws..... I is so pleased you have found your forever family. I used to sing and bark really loudly for a few nights after I got to my home, 'cos I was worried when they went to that upstairs place. But take it from me, they always comes back down again to see you, feed you, take you out and all that stuff. Every greyhoud deserves several places to sleep- Respect! Brennan and (his new little girlfirend) Nellie XX
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Post by patricksparents on Jul 26, 2011 15:12:31 GMT
Dear Mr Darcy, I am so happy you write so well. I have tried this other "doggy speak" but it doesn't suit my Irish brogue. I did try it but I sounded silly and my mum is a bit "long in the tooth" to get a grip on it.
Anyway, so pleased you have your forever home - I hear there is a really good actor called Mr Darcy and my mum drools at the TV if he is on, it's awful to see a human dribble.
There is an aggressive little white thing living next door to us called "Titch" - it ought to be called "sh*tz" because it is always trying to do that on our garden - I bark really loudly at it and it usually runs off.
Here's a good trick - save the singing for the morning when the parents come downstairs - if you tilt your head back and give it every thing you have, they love it. My mum gives me the biggest cuddles and says I am so funny. It's really good fun at 6 am in the morning - I quickly learned if I sing and do a little dance, I get my breakfast early!
Anyway, enjoy your new home and your retirement. I love mine.
Patrick x
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Post by nicky on Jul 26, 2011 17:17:35 GMT
Hello Darcy - may I call you Darcy I'm so pleased you have found your forever home. I don't find lamp posts very interesting, as a lady, but I do like sniffing other things. My mum says I should have been a sniffer dog and wonders how I ever managed to look up long enough to see the hare ;D ;D You will soon have your staff working well for you as I have. I find they love it when you do things like greet them with a waggy tail when they come home. As for singing, I agree that is best to do it as a greeting when they come down from 'upstairs' in the mornings I look forward to meeting you sometime. Unfortunately I've not been able to make any of the shows this year as we keep going away - which I like cos I get to see my boyfriends. lots of love Betty
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Post by sallyannh on Aug 3, 2011 15:47:32 GMT
Thank you all for the compliments on my writing. Like patricksparents, the senior staff members, or Mum and Dad as I am learning to call them, are getting on a bit and can't learn up to date language.
I had the last lot of stitches out today. I have been to the vets 3 times this week, it was wonderful. I went to the special greyhound place and the lovely man there took out most of my stitches. On Saturday I knocked one of my wounds and opened it up. Mum said 'oh great, trust us to get a hound that can injure itself laying on a duvet', which I thought a little harsh. She took me to a different vet who apparently deals with all sorts of plebby other animals. He was nice too and I managed to lick his ear before lying down on his floor to try to go to sleep. He sorted me out and said I might have a little scar. Mum said 'don't worry, we didn't choose him for his looks' which I felt was rather insulting. The vet said some very nice things about me and couldn't believe it when Mum said that black dogs don't get homes as easily as some of the other colours.
Today we went to the proper greyhound vet and had the last stitches out and I also had my booster injections, which made me very happy. When we got home a VERY BAD THING happened - they tried to give me a bath. Mum stood in a paddling pool in her undies and a T-shirt, which frankly is rather unbecoming in a woman her age. I refused to join her. In the end they gave me a sponge down and we all had great fun running round the garden, well I did, they all looke a bit hot and sweaty.
Another VERY BAD THING - it's my fourth birthday today and they are not giving me any extra treats. Mum says if I'm ill she wants to be sure it's a reaction to my injection and not because I've made a pig of myself. Some people have no sense of timing. She has mentioned looking up a recipe for a special doggy cake, so I may forgive her.
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Post by patricksparents on Aug 3, 2011 16:01:03 GMT
Poor Mr Darcy - I had to endure the bath thing on my first weekend with my mum and dad - I stood totally still while they put all this smelly stuff on - I tried to tell them I am not a girl - but to no avail. I go to a nice greyhound vet called Bill but fortunately and with paws crossed have only had to see him twice (once for something called jabs). Yuk! Wish you a happy birthday - I would try and learn the "wretched" look - my mum says I am a really good actor with lots of facial expressions. "hungry" is another good look especially when accompanied by a flick of the tail. Hope you get some cake. Love Patrick x
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Post by yvonned on Aug 3, 2011 19:56:18 GMT
Oh Happy Birthday Mr Darcy, bit unkind of your hoomans to say they didn't choose you for your looks. Think the choose a " black one" must be a senior hooman thing, I'm sure you won't miss out on treats, sounds like you've got them where you want them already love n licks Cass
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Post by joethehound on Aug 3, 2011 20:01:34 GMT
Hey Darcy, happy birthday Bruv!
I'm sure i've heard my hoomans whispering somefin' about a barf this weekend......... i got me a strategy for this time tho.... gonna go hide behind the shed......way i seez it is that if i go behind the shed wen its dark coz i iz black i will blend in, kinda 'stealth' like?!! will let you know how goes it!
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Post by sarah on Aug 3, 2011 20:48:54 GMT
Happy Birthday Mr Darcy Baby xx
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Post by suethejam on Aug 4, 2011 8:46:49 GMT
Yo Mr Darcy
You is one posh dog - maybe yous could rite the novel wot people is always telling me to do...
Happy birfday bro and keep the faith with the whole barf fing - never gives in, never surrenders...
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Post by pat on Aug 4, 2011 13:06:43 GMT
Hi Darcy happy birthday sorry i missed this, end of month accounts come before looking at the forum, hope you had a great day pat
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Post by sallydog14 on Aug 4, 2011 22:33:31 GMT
Sorry I missed your special day Darcy. I'm sure you were spoilt rotten! Hugs from Trevor and Peggy xxxxx
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Post by sueb on Aug 5, 2011 7:57:19 GMT
Yo, Bruv Darcy You is getting the hang of making them hoomuns run around after you, respect! We black beauties are very speshal. You just needs to work a bit on the poor old me look, to get even more fings, I is getting good at it, but bruv Patrick is an hexpert! BrennanX
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Post by sallyannh on Aug 5, 2011 9:26:37 GMT
Thanks all. Lynx, Mum says it's all very well writing well but you've such a lot of funny stuff to say, your Mum should put it in a book.
Mum made me a liver cake yesterday but she only let me have a couple of pieces - once after she'd brushed my teeth and once after I'd taken my tablet. Meanie. She says she's freezing some of it for training treats as we start classes tomorrow. Funny, I thought she was pretty well trained already, but I suppose there's always room for improvement.
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Post by Rubyshoes on Aug 6, 2011 21:23:12 GMT
Darcy.... we are so sorry we have miised all this, and your birthday as well, but so very happy that you have such a lovely home. We hope to see you at a show somewhere very soon. x
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