Tails from Home -- Tara (and Scooter too!)

Hello NLGA Dog Blog Readers!

Our dog blog mailbox got another 'Tails from Home' update!  Today we will hear from Tara's (and Scooter's) family!  

[...Do not forget to send in your 'Tails from Home' too (nlgahounds@gmail.com)...let's keep the 30 days of 'Tails from Home' going!...]

After letting our first greyhound, Febe, go across the rainbow bridge, my husband and I were heartbroken and didn't know if we could adopt another dog knowing the pain that would come with it, but our other greyhound girl, Scooter, seemed lonely and lost.  

Friends of ours dog-sit for us when we go out of town and can't take the dogs.  They were fostering a senior greyhound girl named Tara.  Tara and Scooter had spent time together and seemed to get along well. Craig and I were a little apprehensive because Tara looked so much like our beloved Febe and she was 9 years old, but we took our turn fostering her with the intent to adopt for Scooter's sake. 

At first Tara seemed to be a little standoffish at times and others she was incredibly snuggly and wanted attention. Her behavior seemed a little strange, but not alarming. We figured it was just a learning curve to get used to our routine, how we responded to her and where she placed in the pack. 

Then one day I was upstairs in my office and Tara and Scooter were both being office dogs and "working" with me, which means sleeping soundly on dog beds at my feet while I worked. Craig came home from work and opened the door. We have an alarm system on the house and when the doors open a loud electronic voice announces, "Fault back door!" to which Scooter immediately picked her head up, perked her ears and listened for Craig. Craig then called up the stairs to me and Scooter jumped up and thundered down the stairs to greet him. I called back down to him and Tara slept soundly through it all. 

Tara and Scooter 'working'!

Then I noticed that Tara wouldn't respond to you if she wasn't looking at you, and wouldn't come when called, but if Scooter got excited she would get excited and follow her. Tara also startled easily in sleep and when she was awake if she didn't see you coming. We got concerned and brought her in to see the vet.  Dr. Barr did an examination and discovered that Tara only has about 30% of her hearing. He couldn't find any trauma to her ears or anything that would have caused the hearing loss and otherwise she was completely healthy. 

By this time she had been in our home a few weeks and she had wrapped her little paws around our hearts and we completed the adoption. It didn't matter to us anymore that she looked like Febe, or that she was 9 years old, or that she was hearing impaired. She was our girl!  

After getting the diagnosis of her hearing loss I decided to use some of the sign language that I learned as a teenager to see if through repetition Tara could learn some simple signs. We started with the sign language sign for the word "toilet" and we used it when we asked the girls if they had to go potty. We would say, "Do you have to go potty?" more for Scooter's benefit and sign "toilet" at the same time. In the beginning both girls didn't pay any attention to the sign, but they have come to understand what it means and Tara definitely took to it more quickly . Now Scooter, who is NOT hearing impaired, is easier to communicate with, too. 

Tara's favorite spot to watch out the window

We have moved on to signs for "eat" and "sit". Craig and I are slowly building their repertoire of signs and it seems to be only limited to what little bit of sign language I know. Tara seems much more confident and relaxed in the house now. She definitely responds appropriately to us and I think she is excited to be communicating with us in a way that works for her. Tara has certainly made us approach things in different ways. 

Another good example was at Christmas time when we went for Santa photos. Trying to get two dogs to look at the camera with perked up ears and not looking like this is the worst thing they can imagine to do today is difficult when both of them can hear, but what do you do when one can't? Scooter is easy, all we have to do is ask her if she is hungry or if she wants to go for a car ride, or simply just make a noise like you are surprised and she will look interested. Tara not so much. We tried throwing toys into the air, no luck. We tried waving, clapping, stomping - nothing. As a last resort I just went to the treat container because they had been really good and patient and I had given up. Well, lo and behold, we have a winner! Tara's eyes got big and her ear went up. Aha! Now we are cookin'! We got great pictures of the girls! 

Scooter, Santa, and Tara

Long story short, Tara it turned out really didn't need the training - we did. She has taught how to better communicate not only with her, but with Scooter. Our household isn't perfect, but we are all happier and learning together. Craig and I still need some training, but the girls don't mind. They are patient with us. They already taught us about love. 

Adopting a senior special needs greyhound has been a blessing and I can't imagine our house without her. She is the funniest, silliest dog and Tara makes me laugh everyday!

What a wonderful tail about a special greyhound!  Thanks so much for sharing!