gffl_hound, Author at Greyhound Friends for Life - Rescue • Adoption • Advocacy

Puppies

4 male puppies, 4 months old. They are happy, playful, engaging pups.

Each pup will need a home with a fully fenced yard, someone who is home most of the time to give these cuties lots of exercise and training. A home with another dog to socialize them is ideal.

DNA results are 37.5%Greyhound 25%German Shorthaired Pointer 25%Pointer 12.5%Breed Group(s)• Guard• Sporting• Terrier

gffl_hound2020-11-21T07:43:54-08:00October 15th, 2020|Available dogs|

Bark Stix is partnering with GFFL and donating $2 for every bag of treats sold.

Bark Stix is partnering with GFFL and donating $2 for every bag of treats sold through the GFFL store.

https://gfflstore.org
The people at Bark Stix are long–time greyhound lovers and guardians and want
to give back to GFFL for all the wonderful dogs that have come into their lives.
There’s even a greyhound on many of the treat labels!

The holidays are coming and is a good time to start thinking about gifts for your dog friends
and providing donations to GFFL at the same time!

All the treats are made using organic, healthy ingredients, locally sourced.

Healthy, yummy treats, $2 donation to GFFL per bag – and you’re supporting a local small business.

gffl_hound2020-09-27T15:47:25-07:00September 27th, 2020|Help the Hounds|

August 2020 Update

2020 T-Shirt Design by Christian Robinson

Although we are not able to have our annual reunion this year, thanks to COVID 19, we still wanted to have a design to commemorate the year. We are very, very fortunate that our adopter, Christian Robinson, agreed to come up with this year’s image. Christian adopted his black greyhound, Baldwin, in October 2017.
Christian is a well-known, award-winning illustrator of children’s books and

an animator who has worked with The Sesame Street Workshop and Pixar Animation Studios. He was the winner of the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award for Rain! in 2014, the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for Josephine in 2015, and a Caldecott Honor and a second Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for the illustrations in the #1 New York Times bestseller Last Stop on Market Street, written by Matt de la Peña.

For more information about Christian, check out this link: https://www.readbrightly.com/meet-illustrator-christian-robinson/.

It didn’t take Christian long to come up with the perfect image to capture 2020! I know that we can all relate, and we hope that this brings a smile!

This image will be printed on the following long and short-sleeve t-shirts, sweatshirts, tank tops, and masks.

These items will be available for pre-order on the GFFL merchandise page (gfflstore.org) until August 20. Delivery will be in mid-September.

2020 GFFL Apparel and Mask Design

Raffle Update

Congratulations to the Round 1 Raffle Winners!

Your winners of our winners of Raffle 1, which was held July 15 – 22.

Rodney Winegarner- 3 Hound Vase
Kate Black- Toilet Paper Cover
Suzy LaMarca- Hound Reading Paper
Robin Wilson- Hound Plate

You raised $244 in raffle tickets and an additional $283 in merchandise sales (these will ship shortly also) for a total of $527 raised with 14 orders. Thank you everyone!

Round 2 Raffle

Raffle 2 runs from July 30 to August 6.
Buy your tickets at gfflstore.org

Check out these awesome items available in the raffle:

2021 Calendar Photo Call

Final call for calendar photos is Friday, August 7

If you have already sent in photos… NO need to send anymore. Thank you!

ALL PHOTOS MUST be sent to gfflcalendars@gmail.com
Send up to 2 or 3 of your favorites.

1- Your Hound (with Name & City)

2- Rainbow Bridge Hound (DOB and date of death)

3- Does your Hound have a non-hound sibling? Chihuahua, Cat, Rat, Rabbit, Iguana, Snail, etc? You get the idea. Send us a photo of them napping, playing or just hanging out together. Include your hound’s sibling’s name.

Please, NO people in any of the photos.

We will work to get the calendars completed for ordering by mid-September. Thank you!

gffl_hound2020-08-05T12:59:44-07:00August 5th, 2020|News|

Alert! August 2020 email just sent out

Please check your spam folder if you did not receive it.

gffl_hound2020-08-05T13:05:28-07:00August 4th, 2020|News|

Tommy

Adopted! Tommy is a greyhound mix. DNA test results show he is 50% greyhound 25% chihuahua and 25% mixed breed. He’s a short guy who weights around 40 pounds. He is estimated to be 6 years old. He is good with dogs and cats. He likes to take lazy naps on the sofa. Tommy would enjoy a home where somewhere is there most of the time.

gffl_hound2020-08-05T13:24:27-07:00July 19th, 2020|Adopted Dogs|

2020 Summer Newsletter

Our Beloved Jon Cabarrus

On April 18, 2020, Jon, 72, reached the end of a valiant 16-year battle with myelofibrosis and then a debilitating stroke following the 2017 Tubbs fire. Words cannot express our sadness on the loss of this good man. He left his much-loved wife, Judy, two daughters Jennifer and Denise, two grandsons, Bowen and Hayden, and greyhounds Cici, Gracie, and Nigel. Jon must have been lonely up in doggy heaven, because Nigel joined him about a month after his death.

Jon and Judy met their first greyhound at a GFFL Meet and Greet in Berkeley in 2009 and it was the beginning of Jon’s passion for this breed. They adopted Leeta in 2009, Clair in 2010, Cici in 2012, Jaden in 2013, Gracie in 2015, and Nigel in 2017. It will come as no surprise that more than one of these dogs was a foster fail!

When GFFL moved our dogs up to Windsor, we knew that there was a fairly large greyhound community in Sonoma County, some with GFFL dogs and some with Wine Country Dogs. I remember coming up and meeting with Jon, Judy, and Ilene to plan the first GFFL entry in the Human Race. I knew then that we would have great support for our dogs up here.

Jon was a tireless advocate for the dogs and it helped that he was retired and had the time, passion, and energy to devote to the group. He loved doing the dog transports and Meet and Greets – both in Santa Rosa and frequently in Napa and Sonoma. He also did most of the home visits in the Santa Rosa area and helped with many of the adoption meetings. He continued to attend the Meet and Greets in Santa Rosa even after he was wheelchair-bound. He was also always on hand to welcome new dogs coming into the program. One can only imagine his frustration in not being able to help more with the dogs, but he never, ever complained. Although he tired more easily towards the end, he was always upbeat and cheerful.

Jon once told me that he was an introverted guy before getting involved in greyhound rescue and adoption. But he was so enthusiastic about talking with people about the joys of adopting a greyhound that his shyness disappeared. Everyone who met him is a witness to his loving kindness to both animals and people. He is greatly missed.

Will We Be Getting More Dogs?

The answer is “yes”, but we don’t know when. We still have dogs waiting for flight buddies in South Korea. Flying Irish Greyhounds and Rawan at Saluki International Rescue in Dubai would love to send us dogs as soon as the COVID crisis settles down enough that it is feasible. Margie Easter is anxious to get back to Scooby and bring back some galgos for us. It’s hard to be patient!

2020 Reunion and Virtual Fundraising

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic and the ever-changing CDC guidelines we have decided to cancel our Annual Reunion in October. Although we could accommodate the social distancing, the size of the attendance is not permitted.

In light of the “new” environment we find ourselves in we will be holding raffles online via our online store www.gfflstore.org. You can sort by category “raffle”.

As of July 15, there will be five items in the store for which you can purchase virtual raffle tickets. Each ticket is $1.00. You can purchase as many for each item that you want, then check out. All items will be available for 1 week. On July 22, a name will be “pulled” at random. Then, on July 30, we will have another five items for which you can purchase virtual tickets. If these two raffles go well we will have new items on the 15th and 30th of each month.

Winners will be notified via phone or email. If you are paying by check, the item will be shipped when the check is received. We will be working on other fundraising programs. Stay well and safe and let’s raise some money!

Separation Anxiety Post COVID-19

Many of you may be spending more time at home because of the COVID-19 epidemic. Now that more businesses are gradually opening up and people are going back to work, our dogs will be undergoing a change in routine. This can lead to distress and anxiety when they are left alone even if they did not have issues before the “stay at home” orders.

The Los Angeles SPCA has a great article with some tips to start transitioning your dog to accept more alone time.

Create a daily routine for your dog that includes consistent times for; waking and going to bed at night, meal times twice daily, outdoor daily walks and play time with toys and a person.
Whether you are working remotely and are at home or you are leaving the home during the day, try to follow the same routine as best you can every day so that your dog has some consistency. This then helps your dog be able to predict the day’s activities and this in turn reduces stress for your dog as they know better what is expected from them each day.
Make sure to have provided enough activity including mental stimulation and physical exercise before leaving your dog for an extended period of time. This may include a walk outdoors for at least 20 minutes with opportunities to explore and sniff for as long as your dog needs to, practicing obedience training and playing with your dog and a toy.
Always confine your dog to the same safe room or place that includes your dog’s bed with familiar scents and bedding, a variety of rotating new and non destructible favorite toys that your dog likes and access to fresh water whenever you leave your dog alone.
Provide audio enrichment and create a calm atmosphere for your dog by turning on some soothing classical music, an audio book or the television every time you leave home. This will help to indicate to your dog that this is a time for relaxing and will help to drown out any noise from the outside.
Every time you leave home provide your dog with a high value edible item such as a frozen stuffed Kong or healthy chew, treats hidden in a puzzle game or at the very least several high value treats left on your dog’s bed. This is to help keep your dog engaged for the first few crucial minutes when you leave the home and also keeps them close to their bed which helps to prevent them following you out the door as you leave. When returning home remove any enrichment items and save for the next time.
When leaving the home use the same phrase to say ‘good bye’ or ‘see you soon’ each time and do not provide your dog with excessive attention when departing or returning home.
Practice short departures and longer departures using the same routine and within the home also by closing the door behind you as you go to another room even for as little as a few minutes. This will help to start to desensitize your dog to being left alone.
Practice obedience training with your dog using positive reinforcement training methods so that it is an enjoyable experience for you and your canine companion. This will help your dog to learn and motivate your dog to perform these rewarding behaviors which then helps your dog to feel more confident and secure. You can teach and practice with your dog to Sit, Down, Come, Stay, Go to Bed and more and for as little as 10 minutes daily. Then you can try asking your dog to ‘Go To Bed’ in a nice tone of voice, reward with the high value food item on his/her bed as you leave home.
Practice teaching your dog a ‘Find It’ game so that you can hide favored toys and/or food rewards in the home. Your dog may spend some time trying to locate them, which will keep your dog busy and mentally engaged.
Use available resources if needed from family, friends, neighbors, a professional dog walker or pet sitter by, asking for help to spend at least an hour with your dog in the middle of the day to provide companionship, physical exercise and play when you will be gone for many hours.
Don’t overexcite or overstimulate your dog as this can have the opposite effect by making it more difficult for your dog to relax when you leave. Observe your dog’s behavior after physical exercise and activity to determine what type of physical exercise and activity is best and how long is optimal for your individual dog. A healthy balance of mental stimulation and physical activity is usually more beneficial such as a combination of obedience training and outdoor walking.
Don’t punish your dog for house training accidents, destructiveness or excessive barking. It will not change this behavior and will damage your relationship by reducing trust and exacerbating fear and stress. Instead use preventative and management techniques by removing valuable items and securing your dog in the confined space properly and by following the above guidelines. Also remember if your dog is in distress this is not a chosen behavior for the purposes of punishing the owner – these are human interpretations of canine behavior.

Rest assured that if your dog has developed Separation Anxiety this behavior problem is treatable but will take time, patience and action on your part to help your dog overcome this problem.

By Sara Taylor, CABI CPDT-KA, SPCA LA Director of Animal Behavior & Training

2021 Calendar Photo Call

If you have already sent in photos… NO need to send anymore. Thank you!

ALL PHOTOS MUST be sent to gfflcalendars@gmail.com
Send up to 2 or 3 of your favorites.

1- Your Hound (with Name & City)

2- Rainbow Bridge Hound (DOB and date of death)

3- Does your Hound have a non-hound sibling? Chihuahua, Cat, Rat, Rabbit, Iguana, Snail, etc? You get the idea. Send us a photo of them napping, playing or just hanging out together. Include your hound’s sibling’s name.

Please, NO people in any of the photos.

We will work to get the calendars completed earlier this year. Thank you!

What to do if Your Dog Gets Loose – Helpful Reminders

The fastest way to get your dog back home is to maximize the number of people looking for it. This is why we ask adopters to notify us right away at 1-800-446-8637 when a dog gets loose. We know that it’s instinct to immediately get in the car and drive around, looking for the dog. But before you do this, let us know. While you’re looking, we can put together a poster and organize volunteers to distribute them in the area. We can also send these to the local shelters, veterinarians, and post on social media (Craigslist, PawBoost, local lost and found pet sites, Nextdoor, etc).

Ask people to not approach or call to the dog, but call the adopter. The posters will also emphasize this. Most dogs, even the ones who are confident, will be scared when they are in unfamiliar territory. If approached by a stranger, they may run away, putting them in even greater danger.

If you are the adopter and you have eyes on your dog, first have other people, if around, back off, sit down, and turn their backs on the dog. Second, try to bring your own energy level down. It will also help if you have favorite treats with you. Don’t rush up to the dog; don’t look directly at him; sit down sideways to the dog or lay down on your stomach or back and sing softly. You can use words that are associated with fun things – “walk”, “treat”, “cookie”, etc. Let the dog come up to you and then slowly put a leash on him. Carry a slip lead with you, just in case the dog doesn’t have a collar.

Here are some additional tips from the Missing Animal Response Network, who specialize in capturing skittish, hard-to-catch dogs: The problem with panicked dogs is that most rescuers call the dog to try and get the dog to come to them … big mistake! Never call a stray dog. Don’t look at it, don’t pat your leg, clap your hands, and don’t walk towards the dog. If the dog has a skittish temperament, typically he is in “fight or flight” mode and will be running in fear.

This is what’s going on. The dog is running because people are looking at him, going towards him, calling him, and he is getting more and more afraid. When you add an adopter (or a rescuer) into the mix who is panicked (and conveys that in their voice), it just freaks the dog out even more. What you want to do instead is use calming signals and try to do everything you can to calm and attract the dog. Lip licking, singing, yawning, feigning like you’re eating food off the ground are such signals. Let the dog come up to you – it may take some time, so be patient.

gffl_hound2020-07-11T20:52:20-07:00July 11th, 2020|News|

Liwan

Adopted! Liwan is a Saluki boy estimated to be 1 1/2 years old. Liwan had a rough start to life, in Dubai he was found tied to a pole and emaciated. He made a full recovery and even tested negative for Ehrlichia. “Saluki International Rescue” placed him in a home with a greyhound and cats. After settling in he began to pester the cats. He is now looking for a new home. He can not live with cats or dogs smaller then him, less than 50 pounds. A female sighthound companion would be ideal, but he can also be an only dog. Liwan is a shy boy and can be skittish. It will take an adopter who understand how to patiently teach him how good home life can be. His new home should have someone who is home most of the time to give him lots of attention. Because he can get spooked he will need a home without children. As a young Saluki he really enjoys a good run, so a large yard would be a bonus. Liwan will need to live in an experienced sighthound home.

gffl_hound2020-07-05T07:43:18-07:00June 7th, 2020|Adopted Dogs|

Odie

Odie Adopted! Brothers Odie and Jonah came to us on May 2 from Modesto, where their owner could no longer take care of them. We think that they are greyhound/lab mixes, about 2 years old.

Odie is the more dominant of the two. He is very outgoing and loves to give hugs. Jonah is very timid and fearful of new people and noises, but is very sweet. These boys should definitely go into different homes; without Odie’s dominance, we think that Jonah will blossom over time. Those of you who have had shy dogs know how rewarding it is to watch these dogs gain confidence and trust.

They were neutered on May 5, so we’re still in the process of watching their interactions with other dogs, especially the little ones, in the pack. We will also be doing cat testing this week and next.

gffl_hound2020-05-28T11:29:02-07:00May 13th, 2020|Adopted Dogs|

Jonah

Adopted! Jonah came to us on May 2 from Modesto, where his owner could no longer take care of him. Jonah is very timid and fearful of new people and noises, but is very sweet. He will need a quiet home and a patient adopter. Those of you who have had shy dogs know how rewarding it is to watch these dogs gain confidence and trust. DNA test showed that he is 37% greyhound and a mix of other breeds. Jonah gets along with other dogs and has done well in cat testing.

gffl_hound2020-06-03T16:18:28-07:00May 13th, 2020|Adopted Dogs|

Hunter

Adopted! Hunter is a sweet, senior boy who gets along with other dogs. He is looking for a new home due to his owners illness. Hunter likes to take walks, but will require a home with few stairs. Hunter is not safe with cats. He just turned 12 years old.

gffl_hound2020-02-23T07:58:33-08:00February 18th, 2020|Adopted Dogs|

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