Robert the Greyhound

Rescue Greyhound living with his Zoologist Mom in Cork City, Ireland. ❌Anti-Racing & Coursing ❌

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Love is like a wildflower garden, there’s all sorts of colours to be found 🌈

Today is the last day of Pride Month, and what better way to mark it than a colourful rainbow of hounds in a rainbow wildflower garden! 🌸 Us Greyhounds come in all colours and sizes, and we don’t care who our humans love as long as they love us too! There’s no room for hate or bigotry in our Rescue Hound Pack (unless it’s hating Greyhound Racing of course! ❌)!

We hope everyone had a joyous Pride Month! Stay Loud and Proud 🌈

#ImageDescription: Robert the Greyhound (fawn/blonde) stands beside Molly (brindle) and Ned (Black) the Greyhounds wearing anti-racing vests and rainbow bandanas in a wildflower garden.

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Dapper Doggos 🎩

Robert recently won first place at pups in the parks best dressed event 🐾

He strutted his stuff around the arena and went home very pleased with himself with his blue ribbon and new prizes!

Photo credit to Canines of Cork

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Please help us gently welcome Twyla to the GALT family. She was living stray in the Mansfield, Texas, area. Good Samaritans helped her to safety when she entered a trap on April 13th. She spent last night at the emergency clinic and visited our vets in Dallas today.

Our vets estimate Twyla is 2-3 years old. She only weighs 38 pounds and is anemic. She has demodectic mange, which is not contagious. We will get the bulk of her lab work and fecal results tomorrow and will share an update. Meanwhile she received a dewormer because of her anemia and Bravecto to help with the mange as well as her fleas and ticks. She is taking an antidiarrheal and two antibiotics. She will be sent to a foster home with special biome food and a feeding schedule so that she regains her weight carefully without causing other health issues. She will also need gentle baths every other day with a medicated shampoo.

If you would like to be a part of her recovery and adoption story, please consider a donation to help us with her vet bills. If you do not want to give on Facebook or Instagram, you can also give on our website:

The Dr. E. Kelly Nitsche Veterinary Care Fund Donation

The VCA Animal Diagnostic Clinic in Dallas, Texas, has recognized the retirement of Dr. E. Kelly Nitsche by establishing a medical care fund

Thank you for helping us help hounds like Twyla!

[robert-the-greyhound]

Not-so-Happy Tail!

We recently had our first experience with a very unfortunate injury commonly dubbed “happy tail”. We took in a short term foster, a small horse of a hound who was very easily excited by everyday goings on, particularly the amazing, life changing twice daily event of the humans of the house coming home from work! Being such a large dog in such a small apartment, this very exuberant tail wagging resulted in the whip of a tail hitting the wall, resulting in a very small cut to the very top of the tail.

Anybody who has experienced happy tail knows that this type of injury causes chaos. But for those who haven’t had the pleasure, imagine dipping a brush in red paint, putting on a blindfold and attempting to paint the wall whilst being swung around by your back legs. Blood gets EVERYWHERE. It’s on the walls, it’s on the floor, it’s on the ceiling, it’s on the doors, the paintings, the countertops, the bathroom sink, your coat, your shoes, you’ll find it on your bookshelves, your key rack, you mirror, the windowsills, even inside your handbag! Places you don’t think blood droplets could ever reach will be speckled!

The initial injury rarely causes any major pain or discomfort, as the adrenaline causing the tail to wag masks any initial hurt. But once it happens, it’s likely to re-open at the slightest movement or touch. Tail injuries are a tricky one to deal with, as they are often in a very easy to reach spot for dogs to lick at or chew off bandages. We know not one, but two hounds who have parts of their tail amputated over injury, including one hound who lost his entire tail after the first amputation became infected. Amputation is a last resort, and as this was our fosters first known incident of happy tail, we knuckled down to heal it naturally! For this reason we thought we’d share the few little tips and tricks we picked up as we dove into the deep end of ‘Happy Tail’!

Stem the flow! The first port of call with a tail injury is to stop the active bleeding. For normal wounds, some gentle pressure with clean gauze is usually sufficient but due to the nature of most tail injuries, it’s often not possible to wrap in gauze and wait it out. For that reason we recommend keeping some form of Styptic or Antibacterial powder at hand to help clot the blood and stem the bleed, with the added benefit of being antibacterial to keep the wound clean! In a pinch, cornstarch or baking powder can be used!

Clean the wound. Hair and dried blood can mat up quickly, trapping bacteria and debris. So once the active bleeding has been stemmed and the situation assessed, it’s important to keep it clean! Dissolving some salt in warm water (ideally Epsom salts for the added pain relief element!) is a simple, easy, sterile solution that can be used to clean or soak the wound. If the injury is in a particularly awkward spot like the very tip of the tail, it may be worth trimming the long guard hairs down so as to better access the cut. It might look a little funny, but hair grows back and being able to properly clean a wound is more important than aesthetics!

Collodial silver: We always keep a bottle of Collodial silver at hand for on the go or easy cleansing. Some diluted Collodial silver in a spray bottle can be easily popped into a first aid kit, pocket or backpack. Collodial silver is renowned for its antibacterial and anti fungal abilities, and can be easily sprayed onto a wound to help keep infection at bay.

Finger bandages! Tails are awkward, wonky and boney, and most standard bandages won’t stick particularly well. Most minor tail wounds won’t require any kind of bandage or support but for those who do need it, we found that bandages designed for human fingers are just about the right size and style for supporting injuries to the tail. After the third bloodbath, I raided our local pharmacy for all finger supports possible and found this one to be particularly useful!

Vet Wrap. Every household with a Pet should have a roll of vet wrap in the first aid kit. I’ve used more rolls of vet wrap in my time owning and fostering Greyhounds than I have anything else. Vet wrap sticks to itself, but doesn’t stick to fur, making it ideal for wrapping minor cuts and wounds. Like the finger bandages, it may be helpful for those cases when the tail needs a little more padding and support during healing.

Hammock time! If you, like us, have a hound who just seemed to get excited at every little thing, it may be worth making a tail hammock! It’s finicky, and most dogs don’t love it, but it does give the tail a chance to heal up if re-opening is an issue. Essentially, you sacrifice a pair of leggings/sweatpants to make a sling for the tail to prevent it wagging. It’s funny looking, and you’ll definitely get some questions if you try and take them for a walk in it, but a tail sling could be the difference between a healed wound and an amputation in a very happy-go-lucky houndie!

Inspect, inspect, inspect! Tail injuries can get nasty very quickly, so keeping a very, very close eye on the wound site and keeping on top of cleaning is vitally important to prevent infection. Once infection sets in, it’s incredibly difficult to get out, as the limited bloodflow in the tail can lead to necrosis swiftly.

Veterinary help. Most tail injuries won’t require veterinary intervention, however, a hound that is showing major discomfort and pain, a wound that won’t stop bleeding, any funny discharge or smell, suspected damage to the bone, or anything abnormal about the healing should always be followed up by the Vet. Better safe than sorry when it comes to these issues!

Tail injuries are a pain, and can take considerable amounts of time to heal for such a small wound, but they are relatively easy to manage once you prepare yourself for it! The major issue with happy tail, is that if it happens once, it’s likely to happen again, so for anyone adopting or fostering a greyhound, or any breed prone to Happy Tail really, it’s important to have a look over the tail for any signs of scars or breaks. Particularly in hounds coming from kennels, as previous injuries may not have been treated properly, and the small space and high energy kennel environment makes reopening of such type wounds common!

[robert-the-greyhound]

“Don’t Split Hares. Coursing is Cruel.”

That’s the phrase printed on what is possibly my personal favourite placard. It’s the placard we held at this years protest outside Clonmel Racecourse during the Coursing meet. Last year we stood in the same spot, in horrific weather, the wind blowing under every hood, the rain soaking every gloved hand, chilled to the bone. But what is more chilling is the shrill, child-like shriek of a terrified Hare. This year, we got some sunnier weather, but the scene in front of us, unlike the weather, had not improved much.

Once again, dozens of cars piled into the Clonmel Racecourse carpark and watched Irish Hares run terrified from a pair of Greyhounds, all under the guise of “tradition” and “sport”. Once again, peaceful protestors stood outside the gates, bearing witness. Unlike last year, the Garda seemed legitimately neutral, and spent most of their time on traffic control, monitoring both the protestors and the coursing attendants, keeping some of the more rowdy in line. That’s not to say there wasn’t some trouble, on both sides. Pro-coursers threw insults, middle finger salutes and some dangerous driving tactics to try and scare those opposed them. Some of the Anti-Bloodsport protestors moved from the main body to stand on their own, much to the displeasure of some of the Gardai. Nothing illegal on either side, but certainly distasteful.

Many will shame me for speaking ill of people “on my side”, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think it’s important to call out the extremists on both sides. Protest should be Peaceful. It’s a vigil to the innocent animals suffering at the hands of humans. Causing trouble and stirring the pot does no good for the cause, and puts a bad taste in peoples mouths. If you want to make real changes, you have be the better person. You cannot condemn the abusers if you yourself turn around and abuse others, verbally or physically.

There was a few noticeable differences from last years protest, apart from the weather. There was noticeably more people on the Anti-Coursing side, especially those local to the area as a whole. Oftentimes, when protesting against a large event in the community, locals will be very vocally against it online, but feel unease about attending a protest in person. Why? It’s fairly simple when you think about it- You don’t sh*t where you eat. For many, this event is a once a year protest, one of many they choose to attend. For locals, once the day is over, they still have to live, work and socialise in the area. You don’t want to cause major strife with the people you have to get on with for the rest of the area. That being said, there was a big increase in local support this year.

There was also a big increase in foreign support for the coursers. The number of Northern Irish and UK Registration plates was noticeably higher than previous years. Since Hare Coursing has been banned in Northern Ireland and the UK, coursing enthusiasts are travelling down in droves to one of the last recesses for this barbaric “sport”. Iconic isn’t it, that the country that introduced the bloodsport to Ireland via colonialism, has banned the act, yet the former colony continues to claim that the sport is part of our culture.

For those unfamiliar, Hare Coursing is the pursuit of a Live Hare by a pair of Greyhounds to see who can cause the Hare to Turn from it's course first. Pitting an animal with superior agility against two with superior speed and strength. The animals involved have no concept of sport, the Hare does not understand that this chase is a game, nor do the hounds. For them, it's instinct, to run and to chase. It's only a sport for the humans watching, who derive some sort of pleasure from watching a small animal run scared from a pair of predators.

The Hares suffer immense stress and fear throughout the Coursing Season. The initial round up involves flushing the wild hares from their home into waiting nets only to be manhandled into boxes and transported across the country where they will be kept in unnaturally large social groups for a predominantly solitary animal. Pro-coursers claim that they care for the hare by providing vaccines and health checks, releasing any pregnant, old or injured animals and providing feed and shelter for them during the cooler months. But that's like arguing that just because SeaWorld feeds and provides Vet Care for their Orcas that it's justifiable to steal them from the wild and imprison them in tiny tanks. The Animals shouldn't be in that position in the first place. And not unlike the Ocras at SeaWorld, the Hares are then expected to entertain the masses by participating in the sport they've been captured for. Well, it's only a sport when both sides know they are playing, and for the prey animal Hare, the course is a life of death run from predator Greyhounds. The animal is terrified, fleeing from their pursuers. Pro-Coursers once again claim it's ok as the Greyhounds are muzzled now when they course, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a 4kg animal versus two 40kg+ animals at speed. The human equivalent would be a pedestrian against a bus. Hares are routinely hit, tumbled, turned, rolled, flipped, crushed, pinned and mauled by the Greyhounds, who will use their muzzle and claws as battering ram on their quarry. Those hares that are injured often have to wait to be treated or euthanised, with one coursing vet on record saying he will see to the hares AFTER his own Greyhound had coursed.

I would say that this classifies as the "unnecessary suffering" supposedly banned in the Animal Welfare Act, but wait! Don't you know Hare Coursing has a specific exception from those laws? Almost as if they know that what they are doing, the action of it, does not have the Hares Welfare at Heart. Pro-coursers claim that the Hare evolved to run from predators, that it's natural for them, but that doesn't mean that they aren't stressed and terrified when they are being hunted. Nature is brutal, foxes and hawks kill Hares daily, but they kill for food, matched up in an evolutionary niche. No animal should be purposely terrified in the name of sport.

The tide is turning on Hare Coursing, the support for this outdated “sport” is dwindling and public opposition is rising. It seems almost every few days there’s a debate or speech mentioning the plight of the poor irish hare. We can only hope that we as a people can finally come together to change the law around this sport, remove the exception of hare coursing from the animal welfare act and leave our wildlife in peace! Until such a day though, we will continue to speak up.

Don’t Split Hares, Coursing is Cruel.

[robert-the-greyhound]

Happy Easter from our Household to Yours 🐣

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Fifty Shades Of GreyHOUND 💕

The Rescue Hound met up for a Valentines Themed Walk ❤️ Spreading love and licks everywhere they go, showing off just how GREYT Greyhounds are as Pets! What’s not to love about Greyhounds? 💕

Greyhounds are;

Laid Back and Easy Going; known as the 45km/hr couch potatoes!

Great for households with limited mobility; 2 twenty minute strolls a day and they are happy out!

Relatively low shedders compared to other breeds; lack of oils in the coat make for low odour too!

Not big barkers, though the GSOD is something to be aware of!

Big Dog, Small Space Requirements; Greyhounds restful nature makes them fabulous apartment pets!

Wonderful wardrobe; Due to their delicate skin and low body fat, Greyhounds feel the cold, so dressing them in all manner of colourful coats and cosy pjs is necessary and vibrant!

Foodie Furiends; Greys are known for their foodie nature, enjoying human goodies like puppaccinos, toast, snossidges and more, No fussy hounds here!

Wacky weirdos; Greyhounds are full of quirks, from roaching to docking, roping to chittering, the breed really does have something special about it!

So what are you waiting for? Add some love to your life and adopt a Greyhound!

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It takes more than just beauty sleep to look this good! 🙈

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Adopt a Greyhound, they really are GREYT PETS

Greyhounds are often misunderstood, and mismarketed as a high energy, high drive dog that does nothing but run all day, every day, a dog that will chase anything that moves and one that needs to be constantly moving to be happy.

This misconception couldn’t be further from the truth. Build for speed, not stamina, Greyhounds will often spend the vast majority of the day at rest. The few hours they are upright and active, they are more than happy to potter along beside their owners on a daily stroll. Greyhounds require less walking than many smaller breeds to stay fit and happy. Allowing them to stretch out and get their “zoomies” out a few times a week will keep your hound fit and healthy. This laid back approach to life makes Greyhounds ideal city dwellers, as they are more than content with apartment living compared to other breeds of a similar size.

So if you are a low energy, apartment dwelling household, consider a Greyhound! Senior hounds in particular make great companions for those with limited mobility, such as the elderly. Whilst there are certainly a few hounds that are higher drive than others, a reputable rescue will match the right hound to the right home and find a dog PAW-fect for you!

#AdoptAGreyhound #Greyhound #GreyhoundsAsPets #PetsNotBets #RescueDog #RescueGreyhound #RescuedNotRetired #Dogs #DogsOfTumblr #CityDogs

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Historic Hounds

A stunning example of the Greyhounds rich history as a Beloved Companion Animal. Strolling through the corridors of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, tucked between stunning paintings of shipwrecks and Victorian menageries is this carved wooden statue of a very elegant Greyhound. The hound carving reminds us that Greyhounds have been prized house pets, particularly amongst the elite, for centuries, and connects the dogs of today with those throughout history, dating back through to the sighthounds of Celtic and Egyptian times.

It’s only in modern times, since the advent of commercial Greyhound Racing, that this ancient and historic breed has been reduced down to nothing more than a commodity; a simple “race dog”. One of the arguments made by pro-racers is that without Greyhound Racing, Greyhounds would go the way of the turnspit dog, and vanish off the face of the earth since there would be no purpose for them. I can’t help but laugh at this remark, considering how many other breeds are beloved across the world that exist outside of their original purpose. If every home with a Golden Retriever was out bird hunting, there wouldn’t be a duck left in the sky. If every home with a Border Collie was out herding sheep, then there would be a flock in every second back garden. The list is endless; German Shepherds, Labrador, Schnauzers, Jack Russel Terriers, Poodles, so on and so forth. Breeds prized as beloved companions now-a-days didn’t start of that way. Just because we banned bull-baiting as unethical and cruel doesn’t mean all bulldogs have gone extinct.

It’s true that when commercial Greyhound Racing is banned, that the population of Greyhounds drop, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If anything, it proves that they were incredibly overbred to begin with, which led to their over abundance in rescues and shelters in the first place! But that doesn’t mean that greyhounds don’t exist in countries that don’t have any form of commercial racing. You’ll still find Greyhounds in Germany, despite no commercial race tracks existing there. At the end of the day, I’d much rather a small, well managed population of Greyhounds, bred by those who truly admire the breed for their rich, ancient history, versus the dime a dozen approach that currently exists in Ireland, the UK, Austrailaia an dcountries where commericial racing exists.

#Greyhound #GreyhoundsofTumblr #Snootblr #Art #WoodCarving #DogArt #BanGreyhoundRacing #PetsNotBets #RescuedNotRetired

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Happy HOWL-O-WEEN Houndies! 🎃

Enjoy the festivities, tricks and treats, costume contests and spooky movies!

Make sure to keep all pets safe and secured to prevent them getting spooked and fleeing from fireworks!

And spare a thought for all the Greyhounds racing tonight, many being exposed to the additional stressors of bangers and fireworks, not to mention those left in kennels with nothing to comfort them.

Happy Halloween, keep everyone safe tonight 🐾

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Fishy Friday in the Blackwell Household means…

For their fishy treat, Robert and Daphne got some fish skin rolls!

Crunchy treats rich on omega fatty acids, providing that nutrient boost to support skin, coat, eye and brain health! 🐠

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Boo! 👻

Doing a Heckin Spook this Howl-O-Ween Season! 🎃

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Used, Abused, Discarded: Greyhound Gravesites in Ireland.

TW: GREYHOUND BODIES/CORPSES/SKELETAL REMAINS.

At lunchtime on the 31st of August, I was sent a link to a news article, published at half ten in the morning, about the discovery of a Greyhound Gravesite in Ireland, where the remains of multiple greyhounds were found. The most shocking part? This isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last either. In this discovery, a number of Greyhound skeletons, skulls and remains were discovered by a member of the public walking at Roseberry Bog, Newbridge, just 2Km from Newbridge Greyhound Stadium. As of yet, we are unsure of just how many bodies were dumped at the location, but a chilling image from the scene shows multiple skeletons in the mud, with a kennel muzzle half buried beside them.

As mentioned above however, this is not the first time the public has stumbled across a dumping ground for greyhounds. In 2012, over the Easter bank holiday weekend, a man out walking in a disused quarry came across the remains of Greyhounds in varying stages of decomposition, with two bodies, a black female and a fawn male being very recently discarded due to the lack of decomposition. The greyhounds were believed to have been disposed of via a blow to the head.

Further back in 2010, the body of a Greyhound was found on Waterville Beach, with a concrete block tied around its neck. The body was discovered on the shore by a local veterinary nurse out for a walk. This event is not uncommon, and only recently, in mid-June of this year was another Greyhound drowned in this manner. In Yorkshire, UK, a greyhound was found in a canal, with a sandbag tied to her neck. Despite the fact she was microchipped, her last registered owner claimed to have rehomed her, and the person who took her claims to have no longer wanted her and given her to two others. So much for traceability eh?

This isn’t just an Irish issue however, as mass graves appear in practically every country where Commercial Greyhound Racing exists. In 2018, at a licensed greyhound trainer and breeders property in Sydney Australia, the bodies of 9 Greyhounds were discovered, along with a further 12 Greyhounds alive, but emaciated and suffering from a multitude of illnesses. According to an inspector with the NSW RSPCA, the living greyhounds had “such horrendous dental disease that you could actually smell the rotting in their mouths”.

Another 99 Greyhound bodies were discovered in a mass grave at a Hunter Valley Property in 2016. Investigations found most of the dogs had been killed by a blow to the head, either a gunshot or a blunt instrument. The vast majority of remains showed no sign of other injury, suggesting they were killed as emergency euthanisation over injury, but likely as “wastage” of the industry.

This latest greyhound grave / dumping ground is not the first, and it likely won’t be last. Across the globe, where gambling and greyhounds exist in the form of Commercial Racing, we will find Greyhounds who have been killed for failing to make the grade. The industry produces them at a much larger quantity than there are available homes for them. They have no plan for the lifetime of the animals, and rely on rescues, pounds and private charities to try and find homes for the dogs who have been discarded. And with global adoptions on the decline due to people returning to work and the ongoing cost of living crisis, more and more trainers won’t have the patience to wait for kennel space for their non-productive hounds. Every Monday on “dump day” we see calls from Vets who have young, healthy greyhounds coming in to be euthanised. We see County pounds putting out appeals to greyhound specific rescues, or rescues known for a soft spot for sighthounds to take some of the ex-racing or ex-coursing hounds who are nearing the end of their hold.

The onslaught of Greyhounds trying to come into rescue, trying to find homes, trying to experience life as beloved companions, not commodities, it never ends. And when there isn’t a place in rescue, we’ll, we can see what other alleys greyhound trainers go down to open up the kennel space…

TW: #AnimalAbuse, #AnimalDeath, #GraphicImage, #AnimalBody, #DogAbuse, #DogBody, #DogDeath

[robert-the-greyhound]

Jim Powers Report NO LONGER useable to justify massive public funding of Dog-Killing Industry.

The Jim Powers Reports have been used by the Industry to justify the massive public funding (€17.6 Million Euro in the 2022), claiming that the value of Greyhound Racing to the economy is well worth the continued taxpayer funding. Off the back of analysis by company Preferred Results Ltd however, the REAL figures have been published, showing just how inflated the original report was.

[robert-the-greyhound]

When it comes to Greyhound Welfare, we need Facts, not Guesstimates.

The “Jim Powers” reports are often thrown around by the industry and those involved to justify the massive public funding of Greyhound Racing in Ireland. From the moment this review was published however, it came under scrutiny for the very loose guesstimates. A thorough analysis by Preferred Results Ltd however, finally puts ACTUAL figures to the guesstimated values and shows just how wildly inflated the “value” of the industry really is. One wonders, why use guesstimates in the first place when figures were available. Was it to purposely boost the end number? Is this a case of fraud or just wilful ignorance?

Read the full report below ⬇️

[robert-the-greyhound]

Thunderstorm terror and Firework Fear, our tips and tricks for soothing dogs.

The killer summer heat has started to pass, with cooler, damper days rolling in. The sun hasn't left us quite yet though, despite the rain, and the combo of hot and humid brings with it the dreaded Thunderstorms! Whilst many of us humans may enjoy watching the lightning flash across the sky, the barometric changes and rumbling skies can often have a disasterous effect on our four legged companions. And Thunderstorm weather only gives way to Spooky Season, where Fireworks can often have the same if not worse effects on our pets mental well-being. So we've comprised a list of tips and tricks we've found to be particularly useful for the upcoming scares.

-Desensitisation: Get ahead of the stressors and start getting your dog used to the noises that may be startling to them. YouTube has hours of Thunderstorm and Firework playlists! Start at a very low volume, play it consistently for a few hours and IGNORE IT. Make the noise out to be an everyday thing, not even worth listening to. As the dog learns nothing comes of the noise, you can increase the volume. With time and patience, dogs can learn to ignore the sounds altogether. This method doesn’t work for every dog as it’s rarely just the noise that upsets dogs.

-Create a safe place: Be it a covered den/crate, nest of blankets, a spot under the stairs, etc. , creating a go to safe space where dogs can retreat to can often help them feel secure when there are large environmental scares. The exact spot will vary depending on individual dogs, but We’ve found windowless areas like hallways or bathrooms to be the favoured spot to hide from fireworks. Closing windows and doors helps create a sound and sight buffer for very alert dogs. If adding blankets or beds, best to avoid fleece or materials that may pick up a static charge.

-Dryer sheet: Dryer sheets are a great way to remove static from your dogs coat and bedding. During intense thunderstorms, the air itself often feels charged, and for our pets, who are very tuned in to environmental goings on, their coat can often pick up said charge. That static charge can add to your pets unease, making them antsy. It doesn’t help if when they go to lie down their bed also gives them a shock! Un-scented dryer sheets run over the coat and bed can remove that static, helping animals settle!

-Comfort your dog, if they need it: Every year around thunderstorm/firework season, the same misinformation floats around the dog world. “Comforting a scared pet reinforces the fear”. Whilst this may be somewhat true in certain situations (like with separation anxiety, making a fuss of leaving and coming home can often reinforce the anxiety of being alone), this isn’t necessarily true for the stress caused by weather or fireworks. There’s a difference between anxiety and fear, and though the two are often quite closely linked, they are unique in many elements. A scared dog will often seek comfort in familiar things- like a cosy bed, their favourite toy or their favourite human. Denying a scared dog a comfort forces them to self soothe, and whilst this may work for some dogs, it’s an unnecessary stress in an already stressful situation. A scared dog who cannot self soothe may redirect that fear into destructive manners, or even self harming behaviours. So when it comes to comforting a scared pet, it really comes down to individual dogs. For Robert, I know he seeks out human comfort when spooked, so laying a hand on his side or stroking his ears will be beneficial for him.

-Thundershirts, snoods or comfort wraps: For some dogs, the act of mild confinement/pressure can be incredible soothing. Thunder shirts, like THIS, apply an even but light pressure across the body, which many dogs find comforting. Likewise, comfort wraps like THIS work in the same manner, though they can be a bit tricky the first few times you try! Even a basic snood like THIS can help nervous hounds with environmental stressors, covering the ears, muffling the sound and providing that familiar ear rub/head scritches pressure.

-Distraction: Licking and Chewing are natural behaviours for dogs, and part of their repertoire for self soothing. A bored, nervous or anxious dog will often start licking and chewing at whatever is around them- skirting boards, socks and shoes, couch cushions or in extreme cases, even themselves. We’ve had one foster hound who was prone to self mutilation when stressed, and everything about life outside of kennels stressed her, resulting in licking and chewing at her own feet to the point the skin would bleed and the fur would fall out. Fortunately for her, with time and patience, she grew in confidence and wasnt so stressed by everyday goings on anymore. Providing your dog with a healthy, constructive outlet for licking and chewing when stressed or nervous can often prevent that destructive behaviour. Lickimats, Toppls, Kongs , K9 Connectables or long lasting treats like beef pizzle, Yakers, hooves or other tasty chews. can really work wonders is reducing stress in our pets.

-Sniffing! Sniffing is another natural behaviour for dogs, and one known for lowering blood pressure. Before any major weather event or scheduled fireworks, it can beneficial to get a dog out using their nose! Bringing them to an interesting spot like the beach or forest and letting them have a proper sniffari can help mentally and physically tire them. For dogs who may not be able to get out and abouts, try bringing the scents to them! Dog safe herbs and spices, branches and leaves from outside, toys from friends dogs, etc. can provide a full sniffing experience from the safety and comfort of home!

-Calming supplements: There is a HUGE range of calming supplements available on the market, from the cheaper Calm-eze and Serene-Um available in most pet shops to more specialty herbal concoctions and liquid supplements. Regardless of which one you decide to go for, almost every single one requires time to build up in the system for any kind of calming effect. They generally aren’t fast acting, and usually require a minimum of one week to really come into effect. If you have a particularly nervy dog who may benefit from some sort of supplements, start them on one BEFORE they actually need it.

-Adaptil and other pheremone plug ins: Like the calming supplements, most of the plug in, pheromone or plant based calming agents require a head start to really have any effect on an anxious dog. For home use, the stronger plug ins tend to have a better effect than the sprays, though they have a limited range and should be plugged in around the area the dog spends most of their time. Adaptil sell an on-the-go collar that I have personally tried for a nervy foster, and I honestly did see a difference in her behaviour, not whilst she was wearing it, but when it “ran out” of juice and the mild calming effect wore off. The products are not designed to be a sedative, but rather to help ‘take the edge off’, opening a dog up for further comfort or training.

-Consider medication in severe cases: If your dog really, truly struggles with weather events like thunderstorms or human events like fireworks, and the go-to methods haven’t proven useful, then it may be time to consider some veterinary input. An anti anxiety medication or mild sedative can be the difference in a nervous dog panicking and stressing through an unavoidable event or a nervous dog dozing through it. There’s a massive stigma that behavioural medications will negatively impact a dog long term, dulling their personality or switching them into standby mode for the rest of their days. I personally believe that it’s the same, or a remnant of, the stigma associated with human behavioural medications and mental health issues. If your dog needs a prescription drug to help them deal with the stressors in life, then so be it! Oftentimes meds are only a short term option, or even just a key to a locked door that once opened, opens up the dogs mind to a world of training previously locked out of. When in doubt, ask your vet! They’ll often be able to point you in the right direction.

Security is super important: Ensure your dog is wearing up to date Identification, even if that means taking a Sharpie to their collar to put your number on it! If the worst happens, your dog spooks and does a runner, at least they have ID to be reunited with you ASAP! Keeping microchip numbers and vet records to hand as well as a recent, clear photo can help reunite you and your pet swiftly if the worst happens! Stay safe!

Thunderstorms come and go, as do fireworks, and every dog reacts differently to these environmental stressors. One dog may actively enjoy watching the fireworks, whilst another cowers under the stairs. However your dog reacts, I hope there is something in our list that benefits you in some manner! Stay safe in the upcoming bad weather, and spare a thought for the greyhounds who may be stuck in kennels during this time, without any comfort or soothing agents.

TW: #Animal Neglect, #Fearful Animals, #Distressed Animals, #Anxiety, #Mention of Drugs/Medication