Sprite ~ 4yr Old Blue Greyhound Fella (KGC)

SPRITE

Sprite is a very pretty, impressive looking 4 year old Greyhound boy. He has a lovely blue coat and striking eyes and is currently based in Norfolk.

Poor Sprite has been waiting a very, very long time now for his forever home and desperately needs to a home to call his. After spending all his life in kennels, he is now lucky enough to be in foster care and is coming on in leaps and bounds. He is very affectionate and enjoys being stroked and hugged by his fosterers. His favourite trick is to wrap his arms around you and give you a great big doggie hug! He is fully housetrained and not destructive. Sprite can be left alone and would be ideal as an only dog.

Due to spending so much of his life in kennels, Sprite is still undergoing socialisation to get him used to the outside world. He can get excited when he sees other dogs or cats and this needs further work. He is a strong dog and needs someone who can continue his training, but dont let this deter you. Sprite is a loving, rewarding kind of dog who needs a bit more work to be that perfect pooch.










~~ KERRY GREYHOUND CONNECTION ~~

Kerry Greyhound Connection is a small voluntary organisation based in County Kerry, Ireland and Norfolk, England and operates through a network of volunteers. We can look after approximately 40 greyhounds at any one time, in Ireland and the UK.

Each dog is neutered, vaccinated and microchipped, and given a full veterinary check before being adopted.
We assess the suitability of all home offers, and we have homed greyhounds in Ireland, the UK, Europe and the USA.

We can be contacted via PM or through any of the following:

Email: tamakin_84@yahoo.co.uk
Website: www.kerrygreyhounds.co.uk
Address: P.O. Box 58, Cromer, Norfolk, NR27 7AG.

tamakin wrote:

Sal wrote:

Thanks so much for bumping my older posts! Its hard to keep track sometimes, so thanks for doing that.

No problem, he is gorgeous,,,


he wont wait long for that forever sofa

**UPDATE 07/2010**

Sprite has been waiting a shocking 16 months for his forever home now, and very desperately needs to find his family so he can finally settle down properly. He has been in his foster home for approx. 8 months and we would like to find his forever home before he gets any more settled there.



When Sprite first came to us, he was a very stressed, untrusting, neurotic dog with several behavioural problems made worse by old injuries and chronic dental problems. He had spent the first 3 years of his life in racing kennels receiving very limited socialisation with other dogs and people, and this has greatly delayed his transition in to a home environment.

All of Sprite’s behavioural problems are fear based, and if he feels threatened he will react with aggression. Having him moved in to foster care where he could get the one on one attention he truly needed has drastically improved his behaviour, and he has been having regular Reike sessions as well as dog and people socialisation to help decrease the fear and teach him how to relax.



Sprite’s two main issues are his reactions to unfamiliar people and to other dogs. His reaction to strangers depends mostly on how he is approached - it has to be done in a manner that allows him to ‘come to you’, and he does not tolerate anybody reaching over his head or trying to hug him. If his personal space is invaded as such, he will respond by growling which will escalate to a snap if the person does not back off. This is of course frightening for anyone greeting him, but it has to be noted that Sprite is continuing to improve in this area. He is very accepting of his fosterers now, and will allow them to do anything with him – give him hugs, trim his toenails, brush his teeth etc. Once he knows you and trusts you, he is a very affectionate, friendly boy.

Sprite’s reaction to other dogs is also improving steadily. He used to spin and lunge when he spotted other dogs, but now he is a lot better on the lead and he can be walked past most large dogs without lunging at them. He will likely never be small dog or cat friendly though, and therefore needs to be muzzled when out in public as a precaution. He is also nervous of young children and is frightened of loud noises. He does still get tense when he goes out for a walk, which is fear related, but this is definitely getting better.



The Reike healing in particular seems to be working wonders with Sprite. He will now accept the presence of other smaller dogs around him during the sessions. Of course this is a very controlled environment, but it does show that training and healing work together, including the combination of the DAP collar.



Sprite’s fosterers feel that he is ready for his forever home, as long as he is placed with people experienced in fear aggression issues who can continue his training and socialization. The rewards would be huge; you would get to watch this beautiful fella open up and blossom to his full potential. He is sure to give back ten fold what he gets and he has definitely won the hearts of his fosterers.

Ideally his forever home would be with people who are at home most of the day and then he could be homed as an only dog. He might possibly accept a laid back female companion, but no cats, very small dogs, or small children.

We feel that, if at all possible, those who want to adopt Sprite need to come and meet him a few times before he is permanently re-homed to take him out for walks earn his trust. He will need very understanding owners with big hearts who are aware that he still problems that need to be overcome.



We are immensely proud of Sprite’s achievements. He is now a ‘normal’ dog who loves to play, is quick to learn new commands and is obedient, clean in the house, and has good manners.

To his fosterers, Sprite is “a beautiful loving dog. He has become a part of our family and it was a big milestone for him when we took him to a dog charity walk for the weekend. His behaviour was excellent and he never leaves my husband’s side. He draws his confidence from him, and this of course would have to be gradually transferred to his new family.”



If given the chance, Sprite really is a beautiful, special blue boy and has the potential to be a perfect companion with the right family.

If you are interested in adopting Sprite, please email me on tamakin_84@yahoo.co.uk for our information pack and adoption questionnaire which must be filled out prior to adoption. Thanks!

What a gorgeous colour he is and so glad he's doing well

Sprite is being adopted by his fosterers!