We have always said to any number of greyhound owners that we could write a book about the exploits of each of the greyhounds that found a forever home.
Yes, it is quite true we get to hear some amazing things that these loveable rogues get up to, but rather than us tell the story we thought it a great idea for you to write to us and we will include your tale.
Just email us your story and pictures and we will do the rest.
This month Jean has put pen to paper and given us a real tribute to Ceilidh.
Jean's account of her journey to greyhound ownership (A Tribute to Ceilidh)
Living in Kent with two young children - and a mortgage - I decided to
look for part-time evening or weekend work to augment the family income. I found myself working on the Tote at the nearby Crayford Greyhound Racing Stadium twice a week so I came to see these elegant creatures racing round the track regularly.
I could not help but admire them but not once did the thought enter my head that I would end up owning even one of them, let alone three.
I must admit that at that time I was very wary of dogs and would cross the road to avoid going near one of any description.
All that was to change when one cold, very wet night my son found a dog outside our home (by then we had moved to Hertfordshire). He told me
we could not leave her out all night. She smelled to high heaven so I would not agree until she had had a bath. When wet I could see she was not as big as she had appeared and we christened her Scrap.
We then set about trying to find her something to eat including defrosting food from the freezer as she was famished. Later we did manage to glean some information about her background and she did return home for 24 hours but then we received a phone call saying her owners didn't really want her back.
Lost on purpose we believe because we were told they had four children (one being a young baby) and a cat. Needless to say I was soon converted by this affectionate, intelligent and obedient creature (we believe she was a cross between a bearded collie and a poodle). So much so a while later we took in another dog (another Bitza - bits of this and bits of that) direct from the
Police Station one Christmas as all the local dogs homes were full.
We called her Honey. What a misnomer! A right little madam she was. A Houdini of a dog. Would escape from anywhere. Still not put off, a couple of Christmases later when we saw on the TV that Battersea Dogs Home was bursting at the seams we added a third. A right 57 varieties this one. No idea what Kiri was. Do not think she had ever had a run in a green field before. It was so rewarding to see her enjoying herself.
So when I retired in 1996 and moved from Herts to Hampshire I brought my little troop with me and they had a great time. A garden to sit in (I'd been in a flat before) and the occasional trip to the coast.
Sadly, just as she was coming up to 15 years of age Scrap was put to sleep as she was suffering from lymphoma. I was heart broken - she left such a great gap in my life.
A few days later, feeling really miserable, I thought I would pop down to The Ark at Stubbington which I had seen on TV and look at the dogs they were trying to home. No intention of getting one at that time you will understand.
I saw this beautiful greyhound which they had named Kayleigh. I called to her and she got out of her bed and came over to me immediately. After a return visit, to introduce Honey and Kiri to her, which went surprisingly well, and a home check we adopted her a week later.
Now I cannot say that Kiri exactly welcomed this tall stranger into the home. However, after a while she settled down and they lived quite companionably together until Kiri's death. When Kiri's eyesight was failing and she was less mobile Ceilidh protected and guided her.
In the picture Kiri has her back to Ceilidh - but it was early days!
One regret - as she was Irish born and bred I decided to use the gaelic spelling of her name - wouldn't do the same thing again. You can imagine how many times I had to spell it out when booking her in for treatments.
In my view Ceilidh was one in a million. I suppose having been with the RSPCA for three months she had got to see many other types of dogs, which greyhounds straight from racing usually have not.
She gave me no problems at all in that direction, so after a few days she went out unmuzzled. Ceilidh had been with us less than a fortnight when she took her chance and slipped her collar in the park. Off she went at top speed. I was panic stricken. An ex-racer, unmuzzled, no collar - what if she ran out of the park to terrorise the local cats?
I quickly decided there was only one thing to do. I ran away from her.
She immediately galloped after me. I held out her collar and like a little lamb she let me put it back on. What a relief! However, I was quite soon able to allow her off lead the majority of the time we were out.
She took such a delight in running it was a joy to watch her.
Now no dog is perfect. Ceilidh's failing? No two ways about it - that dog was a thief! Woe betide me if I left my breakfast toast and marmalade unattended. It certainly wouldn't be there when I got back. My night time milky drink also had to be moved to a high point before leaving the room. If I forgot a long tongue wiped the mug dry.
The funniest thing was her first Christmas with us. Now Scrap liked a walnut. She would crack it with her teeth, pick the edible bits out and leave the shell. Not Ceilidh! Overnight she devoured every single brazil nut I had left within reach - shells and all. I found two little presents on the kitchen floor that morning - the only time she ever did that. She was also rather anxious to get into the garden that morning as well, where she performed twice again - and twice more on the 9.00 am walk in the park. Her little tummy must have been bursting.
Being so food orientated you will not be surprised to learn I often found that she had left my side to speed over to the other side of the park to
see one of her human friends - usually the ones who always had treats
in their pockets. She was a firm favourite with many there and more than one shed a tear when we had to say goodbye to her in September 2006.
In 2002 I had met Mark and Lynda and taken in another greyhound, called Annie. On her arrival Ceilidh really blossomed. It was quite obvious that having another greyhound in the home made her life complete. Having heard about the Sunday walks I had been joining them as often as I could with my two.
When I phoned Lynda to say I had lost Ceilidh she naturally asked in a roundabout way if I would be getting another dog. I said I was thinking about it but not to rush out to find a suitable one.
If you know Lynda & Mark then you know they have never been known to miss an opportunity, four days later when I went to join them on the Sunday this little black girl called Annie was produced. You will see from the Rogues Gallery that she had a quick name change to Melody and is now my constant companion.
She is special in her way. Although the most nervous dog I've had she is better with cats than any of the others (and that includes the Bitzas) and has even been known to watch a rabbit run across the road without getting too excited.
Melody really enjoys getting together with the others on a Sunday.
In fact that is the only place where she will not get back into the car to go home without some persuasion. Lynda has been known to have to lift her in for me - she is so reluctant to leave.
I am so grateful to Ceilidh for introducing me to the pleasures of greyhound ownership.
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