Tails from Max

Hi everyone, it's Max!  I am the one on the right. I'll start this out right with a greyt big HAPPY 2013 everyone! It's been a few weeks since I last wrote. About a day after my last post I was surprised with a morning car ride. We went to the vet clinic! I would tell you all about what happened that day but...based on my observations of all you greyhounds I have meet over the past three weeks...there is no need for that; I would now be singing to the choir! On that note, let's change the subject, shall we... Let's see, what else has happened lately. It has been a whirlwind of activity around here. I have learned to go up and down the stairs; I've explored upstairs and the basement too. I have taken many walks. And gone on long car rides to meet people and non-greyhound dogs in my new family. I've napped...a lot. Been petted a lot. I found the basket of toys! And the treats! I even learned to eat all my dog food...I was sure I could hold out for better stuff but then I got too hungry. Oh, my sister and I went to the NLGA holiday boutique and got our picture taken with Santa! I even met some of you there. It was nice visiting with so many of you hounds and all your people! We have been wearing our new coats and sleeping in the beds that we got at the boutique! And our new calendar went up on the wall this morning! A couple weekends ago my sister and I went with a bunch of new friends to visit the residents at a nursing home. The residents were so nice; I think they were all retired too! They would pet us and smile at us. If you were not there last time you should ask your people to bring you next time! I've also been to several meet and greets over the past three weeks. It is fun to meet friends and let all the people stop by to pet us. I am told it is an important thing for us greyhounds to do...it teaches people about us, which then helps our friends still racing find homes when they retire too! This brings me to some great news that I cannot wait to share! Remember a few posts back when I was still racing and was telling you about my kennel friends? I made a special shout out to my pal Killer Reese who was the only racer older than me in my kennel. Remember? Well, anyway, here is the great news; Killer Reese is coming to NLGA!! He ran a couple more races after I retired and now Reese is getting ready to retire from the track to find his forever home too. He is bringing two of our younger friends along with him as well, L Cole and Arbor Ann. Cole decided racing school was not for him and is retiring early. And Ann, well, she did not even want to try school. But that's okay. I'm sure all three are waiting in guarded anticipation for what is next to come...just like I did! Reese, Cole, and Ann will be leaving Iowa and coming to NLGA in mid January. They are going to have lots of questions and are going to want to learn about houses and cars and dog beds and toys and well, being pets ... so if your families have short-term room for a foster brother or sister to show them the ropes speak up! Think back to when you were in their paws...foster families help new hounds so much in the transition from the track to being pets! Then when they get to their forever homes they will know enough to start out greyt!...and you will have had a part in it! Or, of course, if you are looking for a brother or sister...ask your mom and dad to get in touch with NLGA, maybe one will fit in at your house. Isn't this great news?! And that's not even all my greyt news...more of my racing kennel friends (and, for you recently retired hounds, possibly yours too) will be coming when they are done racing! You will need to have your people watch the NLGA `dog blog' and website for all the details. I know that NLGA has recently been working to identify racing greyhounds which will make wonderful pets (don't we all!) and are nearing the ends of their racing careers...sort of like Reese and I would have been a couple of months ago. These greyhounds are becoming a part of the `follow a hound to retirement' project. These greyhounds will be introduced and showcased on the dog blog and/or website as they continue racing with the goal of helping them find responsible forever homes (and foster homes too!...the more foster families NLGA has the more hounds we can follow to retirement!) once they eventually finish their racing careers and retire as pets. Following a hound to retirement will also allow our people to share (if they want to) in what we already know...our pre-retirement lives...to further educate them, and all the other people who will adopt one of our friends in the future, about us and how greyt we are as pets! I'm looking forward to the introductions of the first six greyhounds shortly! I hope you are too! Well, I had better wrap this up as my sister and I have a New Year's party to attend! Here is to wishing you and your families a happy, safe, and healthy 2013! I'll see you around town! ~Max