Last September, after the USAF half-marathon that I ran for Sugar with Team in Training and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, I had decided we were going to be a one greyhound home. I still missed Sugar something awful and although we had attended several hauls, (which is the term we use for the hounds arriving to Cincinnati, the freedom ride destination) I felt no kinship with any of these otherwise sweet and beautiful hounds. I wasn't trying to rush anything, believe me, but I soon gave up on that love-at-first-sight thing I had with Luke and Sugar. So, I eventually decided it probably wasn't meant to happen again and we would be a happy, one hound household.
I started back to work the middle of December, so with my sabbatical coming to an end, the holidays approaching, plus starting to train for another half-marathon, life was pretty full. Another group of hounds were set to arrive mid-January and fosters were needed badly, so we decided to foster. Chris had said during our pre-fostering discussion that we were not keeping this hound, but just fostering. My reply: "We'll see." There were a couple hounds still in need of fosters, PALS Glamour Gal, who was one of the retired racers/blood donor hounds and Heaven Sent, a retired racer, fresh off the track. The hound we decided on was Heaven Sent and we chose her based on several reasons. One, she was cat safe where Glamour was cat-curious, number two was, Heaven was closer to Luke's age, which we felt might put her closer to his energy level of master retiree, and last but not least, she was white with red ticking spots and Glamour was light red/fawn like my Sugar was, which was hard for me.
I picked Heaven up and we had a great ride home and she did wonderfully. She and Luke greeted each other well and she began to investigate her new surroundings. She proved to be a very hungry girl, wolfing down the small meal I gave her, and then she zeroed in on my Jasmine. Jazzy is a fearless Siamese who will approach anything. For the next four hours, Heaven pursued my poor Jazz like a hound possessed and it became undeniably clear, she was not cat safe. Nothing we did could break this "trance" and soon we were on our way to meet Glamour's foster parents. They agreed to take Heaven since they didn't have cats and we would take Glamour Gal.
After a couple days, Jasmine was pretty much over her trauma and fortunately, no harm was done. I picked Glamour Gal up at the vet hospital about a week and a half later. Chris and I actually had a visit with her once a few months earlier during her stint as blood donor, so we did know she was beautiful and sweet. I swear she knew I was there to spring her out! It's like the jig was up! She had no idea how to get into the car, but soon, we were on our way! She walked into our house happy as can be and within just a few days, she knew our cats belonged here and were valued by us. She just gave chase to Jazz one time and a "No" stopped her right in her tracks.
As a few weeks went by, her loving personality and enthusiasm began to shine like a new penny. Even though she is more than three years younger than our boy, they share the same laid back, easy going demeanor. She watched Luke closely and did everything he did. I'm not sure she could have had a better instructor at Retirement 101 and she took to it like a pro. Chris never mentioned us taking her to a Meet and Greet and neither did I and neither did anyone in our Queen City Greyhounds group. Finally, one day Chris asked if I had sent in the adoption fee for her. We both knew she wasn't going anywhere, that she was home, exactly where she was supposed to be.
So, the winter, my most dreaded of seasons, was truly a wonderful time. I got used to training in all kinds of weather, from the bitter cold, to snow, to ice, to freezing rain and I really didn't mind the lung burn. Glamour Gal became Sunee, a name that means "good thing" which she is and then some. I guess I was wrong, we aren't meant to be a one greyhound home and I'll admit that for just once, I'm happy to be wrong.
Two weekends ago, I completed my second half marathon with Team in Training. That was just two days shy of my one year running anniversary. I know our darling Sugar was dancing around at the sight of her human mom running for her again, then she probably took a rest, roaching in front of God's couch. The gift of running, a blessing bestowed on me by God through a retired racing greyhound, is something I'll be forever grateful for and as long as I can move, I will keep my promise to Sugar.
There is one thing I know with complete certainty. We do not choose these hounds, they choose us, or rather, God places them were they are supposed to be. I've seen this happen again and again. I also have the belief these dogs are truly special and not just in the sense that everyone feels about his or her canine companion, but something much deeper. Their eyes reveal sensitive, thoughtful, almost old souls who if they could talk, could bring you wisdom of the ages. There are hundreds of breeds of dogs, yet only one is mentioned in the Holy Bible: the greyhound.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
You had me at "Hello"
It was one year this past weekend that we went to meet a brand new group of hounds who had made the trip from the track in Birmingham to Cincinnati. During that freedom ride, those dogs had no clue that they were about to become beloved family members who would soon lead the charmed life of retirement. Among that precious cargo was our girl, Sugar.
Chris, my boyfriend, and I had made the trip to Birmingham, just weeks prior, to bring a group of hounds back to Ohio. During our trip, we met a lovely, fawn-colored girl named Dawn. I was smitten with her and gave instructions to the kennel master that she would simply have to be mine when her racing career was complete. I said a long goodbye to Dawn with lots of kisses and belly rubs. That's the last time I saw her.
After we arrived back home from our weekend at the track and Luke, our big, brindle boy, realized we hadn't left him for good, things were back to normal. I still thought about Dawn and the future day she would be a part of our family. The one thing I had yet to realize about all this was, sometimes our plans are not Gods plans. It wasn't long until I received an email that Luke's sister was coming to Ohio and the question was, "Would we give her a home?" That question posed the issue; what about Dawn? I already had my heart set on Dawn, so now what? After much debate, we rationalized that Dawn was very young and potentially would not be leaving racing for some time, so since Sugar was Luke's sister out of the very same litter of puppies, how could we refuse her?
It was already dark and the night was bitterly cold. The van was sitting full of anxious hounds who were ready to see where this long trip had lead them. One at a time, they jumped out. When the feet of the second dog hit the ground, I stood there....I stood and I stared at her. Finally, Chris nudged me on the arm and said, "That's her Steph, there she is!" I knew who it was, her name was plainly written on her muzzle, it's just I couldn't believe she was to be ours, so I stood there like someone who had been slapped. Up until then, we had no clue what she looked like, in fact, it was only during their freedom ride home that one of the phone calls revealed what color she was. We had agreed to take Sugar knowing nothing about her except that we had her brother. But as soon as I saw her, I knew all I needed to know. I loved her. I had always taken pride in being a self-proclaimed, unbeliever in love-at-first-sight, yet this was now the second time it had happened to me, first with Luke, now with his sister.
Sugar came home with us that night and it was like she had always been with us. There was no "getting to know us" period because it was as if she already did. The bond she and I had was instant and constant. We spent every single day and night together, along with Luke, until she had to leave us. The cancer that was killing her did not stop us from living. It's something that, to this day, I really cannot explain. She was meant to be my hound, she was meant to change my life and she most certainly did what she came to do.
In the days following Sugar's arrival to Ohio, I received news that Dawn, during one of her maiden races, had broken one of her hind legs quite severely. She was taken by the kennel master to Nashville where a greyhound group there saw her through surgery, rehabilitation, and finally to a forever home. I still think about her sometimes and I know she's happy with her forever people. She wasn't destined to be my dog. God had a different plan for all of us.
Chris, my boyfriend, and I had made the trip to Birmingham, just weeks prior, to bring a group of hounds back to Ohio. During our trip, we met a lovely, fawn-colored girl named Dawn. I was smitten with her and gave instructions to the kennel master that she would simply have to be mine when her racing career was complete. I said a long goodbye to Dawn with lots of kisses and belly rubs. That's the last time I saw her.
After we arrived back home from our weekend at the track and Luke, our big, brindle boy, realized we hadn't left him for good, things were back to normal. I still thought about Dawn and the future day she would be a part of our family. The one thing I had yet to realize about all this was, sometimes our plans are not Gods plans. It wasn't long until I received an email that Luke's sister was coming to Ohio and the question was, "Would we give her a home?" That question posed the issue; what about Dawn? I already had my heart set on Dawn, so now what? After much debate, we rationalized that Dawn was very young and potentially would not be leaving racing for some time, so since Sugar was Luke's sister out of the very same litter of puppies, how could we refuse her?
It was already dark and the night was bitterly cold. The van was sitting full of anxious hounds who were ready to see where this long trip had lead them. One at a time, they jumped out. When the feet of the second dog hit the ground, I stood there....I stood and I stared at her. Finally, Chris nudged me on the arm and said, "That's her Steph, there she is!" I knew who it was, her name was plainly written on her muzzle, it's just I couldn't believe she was to be ours, so I stood there like someone who had been slapped. Up until then, we had no clue what she looked like, in fact, it was only during their freedom ride home that one of the phone calls revealed what color she was. We had agreed to take Sugar knowing nothing about her except that we had her brother. But as soon as I saw her, I knew all I needed to know. I loved her. I had always taken pride in being a self-proclaimed, unbeliever in love-at-first-sight, yet this was now the second time it had happened to me, first with Luke, now with his sister.
Sugar came home with us that night and it was like she had always been with us. There was no "getting to know us" period because it was as if she already did. The bond she and I had was instant and constant. We spent every single day and night together, along with Luke, until she had to leave us. The cancer that was killing her did not stop us from living. It's something that, to this day, I really cannot explain. She was meant to be my hound, she was meant to change my life and she most certainly did what she came to do.
In the days following Sugar's arrival to Ohio, I received news that Dawn, during one of her maiden races, had broken one of her hind legs quite severely. She was taken by the kennel master to Nashville where a greyhound group there saw her through surgery, rehabilitation, and finally to a forever home. I still think about her sometimes and I know she's happy with her forever people. She wasn't destined to be my dog. God had a different plan for all of us.
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