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tootsmazza


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Mason mishaps and mayhem
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Mason's had quite a week of it and I've learned a few things about living with groos as well!
On Monday my boy got up completely unable to walk on his front right leg. He refused to put it down at all and whimpered any time you tried to touch it above the elbow.
We went to the vet in the afternoon and he howled the place down when she tried to manipulate it causing a complete panic about what he had done. Convinced he had dislocated or cracked something we decided to dose him up on painkillers and anti-inflammatories and let him rest until the morning before thinking about x-rays.
I fully expected to be taking him to the vets on Tuesday for x-rays but by 7.30pm on Monday night when I took him out for a pee he was trotting around like nothing was wrong
On Monday night, however, he crashed on the sofa whining constantly and nothing I did would settle him down. After a panicked phonecall to Siouxsie for advice (thanks for your support Siouxsie) I called the vets out of hours and was told a common side effect of the painkiller Vetrelgesic was for dogs to "vocalise' as they came down from it .
By Tuesday morning he was walking absolutely fine but not eating or drinking so I kept him on restricted exercise for the day.
By Wednesday as day three of anti-imflammatory drugs kicked in he was bouncing around like a pup. Still no idea what he did to his leg but clearly he like to lay on the drama.
Since I've been on holiday this week I've been home a lot and yesterday with Mason feeling fine decided to take him to an old enclosed cemetery where I've been letting him off the lead.
Its the first time I've done it without a second person with me so was a little nervous but felt it had to be done.
Unfortunately it also turned out to be the first time anyone ever knows off that the cemetery main gates were wide open.
By the time I realised Mason was gone
I raced up to the gates to be greeted by an irate woman who lives next to the cemetery berating me that my dog had been in her garden.
She then told me she had taken a picture of him so he'd better not be there again, I asked her where he was and she pointed down the road saying he went that way Couldn't believe she took the trouble to get her camera and snap Mason but didn't think to grab his collar.
Knowing Mason's interest in other people's gardens I gambled on the route he would take around a nearby housing estate and began walking there calling him.
It was 25 heart-stopping minutes before he suddenly appeared out of someone's garden ahead of me, looked at me and bounced off into the next one.
He came quietly after that and was marched back to the car in stoney silence. Needless to say he was pooped for the rest of the day.
It'll be six months on Feb 20 since Mason came to me and this week proved a steep learning curve.
I have learned male greyhounds may overdramatise aches and pains.
It is not easy to get a 5-stone three-legged groo into or out of the back of a Skoda.
Even the vet can be conned into thinking your greyhound has done some serious damage.
And never, ever to let him off the lead again unless there is a 10ft wall enclosing the entire area

Can't wait to go back to work
Marie


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Mason's Ma
Jennifer


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What a panic you must have been in when he trotted off thru the open gates. I know the feeling as Willow has selective hearing and will ignore me if there is something more interesting than me. You'd think the women could have grabbed him for you since she was obviously close enough to take  a picture! At least you have got him back now safe and sound. Hope his leg doesnt give you anymore bother - maybe he was just trying it on for sympathy

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Gail


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Poor Mason. i really hope his leg is fine but he sounds like a typical Grey and milking it for all it's worth

You must have been beside yourself when you realised he had gone and in a sheer panic when looking for him, thank god you got him back safe and sound. I admit to being a worrier when it comes to letting Neo and Sally off lead, even when i know the area is secure i'm a bit of a nervous wreck until they are back safely on the lead and heading home, so god knows what i would be like in that sitauation

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Valerie


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Marie
25 mins is an awful long time, cos I've been there when me lad disappears after deer!  I've been near to hysteria etc., when he trots back to me.  One thing I've noticed with Biscuit's off lead antics is that he is definitely a bit quicker to come back to me if I can just resist shouting his name a bit.  This is because when he is mooching out of sight, but can hear me, he thinks that's fine, I know where she is, but if he can't hear me he is apt to come looking for me.  Biscuit is headstrong but not stooopid!

Also he sticks closer to me on a brand new walk, and acts the goat more on familiar, boring walks.  I've also got a new tag on him with my mobile number, and make sure I'm carrying my mobile switched on with me.
Just some thoughts if they are of any use, can't offer any thoughts on Mason's leg drama 

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Calatria


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Marie, your final sentence made me laugh.  Going to work is obviously more relaxing than spending time with Mason.

Totally understand your panic at losing sight of him.  It must have felt like hours rather than just 25 mins.

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Jennifer


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Valerie wrote:


Also he sticks closer to me on a brand new walk, and acts the goat more on familiar, boring walks. 

I notice this aswell with my lot. They think they're smart coz they know the walk and can predict where your gonna go. New walks are good, keeps them on their toes



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JENNY


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What a panic for you. I've let Vernon and Ziggy off lead only a handful of times because I imagine what you experienced would happen. We go to the dog park in Bellahouston sometimes where Vernon gets a run. Ziggy won't go in.
Can't believe that woman took a photo what a SmileyCentral.com

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yvonne


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Poor you Marie, you must have been beside yourself when he took off.
Hope his mysterious leg injury has healed ok.

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Indiana


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How awful.  I had only had Indiana for 3 days when I walked him to the pet shop and because he didn't want to go in the shop he struggled and slipped his collar (we now have a slip collar).  I was beside myself with worry.  The shop was 15mins from my house, he had never been that route before and he had scarpered.  I was so panicked because we had crossed some major roads.  I ran in the direction we had come from and as I passed a man in the street I asked if he had seen a greyhound.  He replied, 'what colour?'  What a stupid question, you don't exactly see many greyhounds running about the west end of Glasgow!  Anyway, I got back to find him waiting for me outside the flat.  I was so relieved I burst into tears!  I was a wreck for hours after that...
I'm so pleased Mason is back safe and sound!

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Alexis V
max


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So glad you got Mason back in one piece, what a stupid woman not to realise that you were worried about your dog going AWOL instead of mouthing of at you about her precious garden. As for the leg thing I sympathise with you completly, Cas is such a woos when she has anything wrong with her and makes a drama out of a crisis, and the next day she is absolutely fine, go figure! You can,t help but love em! Nora  

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niccimac


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Glad it turned out fine, I know the feeling of needing back to work for a rest. I find my lot are good as gold off lead for weeks, then one day they just seem to go mad and take off and completely ignore me. Its like they try to lull me into a false sense of security then let rip. But I also find that they ignore me when I'm shouting, but if I just walk back the way we came, thye come back fairly quickly. And they get really upset if they cant find me. Its always a worry though, as Tia is very good at finding ways through the fence. She's staying firmly on lead now since she found her way out onto a road recently, it is nerve racking. And the reactions you got from the woman and the passer-by.....well!!
Fiona n pack

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Isla


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It's the scariest feeling in the world when they do a disappearing act.  Tigger has been off lead a few times and she tries to anticipate where we're going.  She is not the brightest however and tends to go the wrong way!  She can disappear in through bushes and reappear up to half a mile away (usually joining some other unsuspecting dog walker who discovers they have gained an extra dog).  Even resisting the urge to call her fails to bring her back. 

I need to find a Tigger-proof enclosure in order to work on the recall problems! 

I can't believe how stupid some people are!  It beggars belief that she rushed away to get a camera rather than trying to catch the dog.  You must have been so glad to get him back. 

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Karen Maclagan
neeroz


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Nightmare when they disappear, then think its all a game.

Kai has slipped his lead once (the day after getting micro chipped), but lucky for us he just ran back home. Found him waiting at the back door, so now he's a homing pigeon not a groo.

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tootsmazza


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Its good to know its not just me this happens too!
I thought about not calling his name to see if he would come back but he was in a new environment and I was worried he would get completely lost if he couldn't hear me.
I think he will remain on the lead for the foreseeable unless I can find somewhere completely enclosed.
Mason's leg seems okay although he started playing up a bit last night, walking around stiffly and refusing to eat. He was eating grass during the afternoon and I suspect he may have a bit stuck in his mouth or throat but can't see it.
My neighbour, who looks after him during the day, is under strict orders to call me if he continues to be out of sorts but at this rate I am going to become a hypochondriac - for my dog.


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Mason's Ma
Jax


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Poor Mason, i hope everything is fine now. Wee soul. 

It's a horrible feeling when they take off. Dan and Sally get off their leeds in the woods. Theres an old mausoleum that is completely enclosed by a high wall. They tear away there as soon as they are let off. It's great, lots of people use it now. Bellahouson is quite good too. Lots of doggy smells, but not ideal, as they have this gate arrangement that i beleive some dogs might be scared of as it looks like a trap from their racing days. Dan took a wee while to get used to it, and Sally (being not the brightest) took a while to figure out how to get through it.
Dan has slipped off sneakily only twice. The first time was within a week of him arriving. He just legged it, thought it was a great laugh. Luckily a nice person tethered a bit of rope to a collar they had and called us. The second time was on our hols the other week. We were away up in the Glens at Clova and as we had borrowed a bigger car, the boot was bigger and he saw his chance when we opened the boot, legged it away up a glen. I ran after him. And ran, and ran, and ran. The thing about Dan is that he has a wierd sense of humour and actually laughs at you (honestly, he does!). None of the usual tricks work with him, like running the other way, or food, or anything. Sufficed to say after 20 minutes of chasing and things, i got him. I honestly thought i was going to die!! It was minus 5 and the fact that i'm not the fittest didn't help. God i must have looked rediculous, meanwhile Dan found this hilarious. He would look back, stop, then just as you are within range, he turns around, laughs and pelts off again. Wee bugger! Hehe.
Sally has caught us out once or twice and just runs, the lead comes flying out your hand and she goes to chase a squirrel. SHe gets about 10 feet away and stops as she hates to be far away from us. SHe's a good wee girl.

-- Edited by Jax at 07:58, 2007-02-21

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tootsmazza


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Everyone keeps mentioning the Bellahouston dog park, is it completely enclosed? I'm over in Glasgow a lot seeing family and might pay it a visit.
Meantime thanks for your inspirational pix of Dan and Sally on their hols Jax.
I've booked Mason and me into cottage 1 for a week in June
I'd been looking for a holiday cottage with an enclosed garden and lost of nice walks for months.

Marie


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Mason's Ma
JENNY


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tootsmazza wrote:

Everyone keeps mentioning the Bellahouston dog park, is it completely enclosed?

Yes the dog park is completely enclosed. Its just like a small field with dog poo bins in it. We took Vernon on Sunday (gives Ziggy time to himself away from his playful flatmate as he hates the gate at he dog park). for a gallop. He loves it.

 

Vernon with his new friend.








-- Edited by JENNY at 09:14, 2007-02-22

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Gail


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Looks great. If i lived in one of those flats opposite i would never get any housework done, i'd be too busy at the window watching all the dogs having fun.

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Isla


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Looks wonderful.  I'll need to try it when I have the dogs with me sometime.  They'd have a ball!  Agree with Gail though, I'd spend all day watching dogs. 

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Karen Maclagan
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