Meet the neighbours

Well the socialisation of Monkey has started and while he still has trouble with hedges, wheelie bins, hi-vis jackets, bus shelters etc. We have to say he has no problems with other greyhounds.
We took him for a walk in Burton - on the Washlands behind the library - along with our friend Jane German and her two greyhounds. Both of Jane's were rehomed through Crossing Cottage as well as Monkey.
There were no problems at all with getting to know each other and where as Winnie used to soon tire of the sniffing, if she tolerated it at all, Monkey was as good as gold - in fact he was the calmest we've seen him on a walk, whether it was safety in numbers or whether he just felt he couldn't be seen to be a worrywuss by other greyhounds he kept his composure for the whole of the stroll.
It was a different story though when we got back to the library for a welcome drink.
Moving the metal table and chairs had him spinning and he kept a wary eye on passing people.
I think it is worth mentioning here the service at the library café. Not only could they provide one of us with a soya-milk skinny latte (I think that was it) far too complicated for me to even remember let alone drink (mine was the lemonade) but the waitress - do we still call them that or are they beverage providers?
Anyway the young lady who conveyed the drinks to our table not only provided a bowl of water for our three greyhounds but also brought out a handful of dog biscuits to treat our dogs.
Well done Burton Library we'll be back - with or without dogs - whenever we fancy a coffee in town again.

               

 

 

                 Monkey keeps an eye on passers-by

Along with the water, the Library also provided a little treat for the greyhounds, don't worry the spaniel behind also got the same treatment.

Taking the rough with the smooth

Before today's blog Monkey and I would like to send our love to all our friends in America after the monstrous outrage at the Boston marathon. Stay safe.

It was inevitable that we would have setbacks along the way to integrating new boy Monkey into our household and it would be remiss of me to paint a false picture of adopting a greyhound to those who may come across this blog and think that a grey could be their forever friend.
I must stress that it was only a minor matter and it was in no way Monkey's fault. I hold myself fully to blame.
As you will have read on previous posts Monkey was being trained to fit into our existing routine around getting the workers and pupil out the door. Sadly yesterday, I was tardy in getting Monkey into the garden first thing and he couldn't hold his wee any longer. I had the backdoor open but had left his leash in the wrong place so I couldn't lead him out and he relieved himself in the hall.
Nobody was more upset than he was. The look on his face said it all.
I got him into the garden on the lead but when I let him off he just ran back in the house and practically covered his face with his paws. Poor lad.
The incident seemed to upset him for the rest of the day. On the morning walk he was very skittish with the passing children and anyone in a hi-vis jacket was well and truly avoided - to the extent of stepping off the pavement to go by them. Breakfast was a no-go also - as I thought it might be - which was a pity as we needed to get some Drontal tablets into him. I'd even grilled a sausage to put the tablets in to disguise them.
Monkey had calmed down by dinner time but he was still needing the leash to get him in the garden and running straight back in as soon as he was let off it.
After some thought we have tweaked the routine in the morning to allow me to get Monkey into the garden more quickly and I have decided that for now we will keep him on the leash until he has had a wee and only then go back in.
The smooth news today is that it worked a treat. Monkey stayed on the leash until he'd weed. He had his breakfast a little later and ate the lot - including the Drontal stuffed sausage. I delayed his walk until the children were at school and that too went fine. Hopefully we are back on track and Monkey will continue to settle in.