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Your Greyhound is a source of joy — and a lot of work. Last week we looked at some creative dog-owner life hacks that could make your life so much easier: tips for shedding, feeding, pills, cleaning up accidents. Find the blog here https://bit.ly/pawsome-dog-hacks.  This week we are going to look at some more ways to save time and money.

No doubt about it, we love our Greyhounds.  As much as we adore them, owning a dog can be a lot of work.  Here are some essential dog care hacks that will make life easier for everyone.

One of the things we have to learn when adopting a Greyhound is that nothing on the counter is off limits, in their mind.  All food they have smelled before has been theirs.  Not only that, but dogs are opportunistic scavengers from way back. Your dog is rewarded every time he jumps on the counter and finds food or something to chew, so it is very important to stop counter surfing ASAP, preferably before it starts. This behavior is not only irritating but it can be dangerous. Hot food can burn, glass can break and cause cuts, or your dog could ingest something that is harmful to them. Counter surfing should be curbed as soon as possible to avoid a vet visit. There are many strategies we can undertake to prevent it though.

Slowly, as the country starts to re-open, we will be going back to work.  Our dogs have adored having us home for weeks now, so it will be a big adjustment for them as well.  With such an overload of quality time with their families, dogs are building up a huge reservoir of over-dependency. If your hound has been a Velcro Dog while you have been home, they may experience the distress of separation anxiety.  Here are some ways you can calm an anxious dog who hates to be alone.

With most states under stay at home orders, greyhound adoption groups are especially challenged. Usually during National Greyhound Adoption Month, adoption and fund raising events are in full swing. With social distancing expected to be in place for several more weeks or months, things look a lot different this year. But just because it is not business as usual for us doesn’t mean the need is less.  Here are some ways you can help your local adoption group during this time:

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A whole lot of Greyhound owners are working from home now, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. Dogs are loving it, because they never did understand why we had to leave them every day!  Working from home can come with a bunch of obstacles though, and your dog can sometimes be one of them. Since it looks like this physical distancing situation is likely to last a while, here are some thoughts to help you keep your sanity in the meantime.

It’s no secret that dogs love treats. A greyt way to take advantage of this extra time at home -- make some home-made treats. Start simple if you’re a novice like me. Here are some recipes for yummy treats that have four ingredients or less; some are baked and some frozen. Don’t worry if they aren’t perfect, your dog will still love them. *denotes soft treats that are perfect for older dogs.

“Top 10” lists abound on the internet, but I wanted to put my own spin on the subject.  Well, spoiler alert, there are WAY more than 10 greyt reasons to adopt a Greyhound, and I couldn’t get the list down to less than 11!

Denise Dubarbier shared this poem, JAKE, which was written in honor of her first greyhound boy.

 JAKE by Denise Dubarbier:

 I didn’t really want you,

I wasn’t really sure,

And I’ll admit I had my doubts,

When you came through that door.

Who doesn’t love an adoring companion?  Your Greyhound follows your every move, attached at the hip. If you like this degree of togetherness, then there’s no problem.  But if you’d appreciate some alone time (like in the bathroom), here are some ideas about that clinginess and how to help your dog relax a little bit.

KIDS AND PET LOSS

The loss of a beloved pet is a heartbreaking experience. For young members of the family, the death of a pet represents the loss of a best friend, protector, and confidant. This is often the first exposure to grief for children. Both kids and adults can feel a lot of conflicting and difficult emotions. Recognizing and using those emotions in a constructive way is an important lesson for kids to learn.