Oliver

Oliver was our first real Greyhound. We had lost Astro, our beloved Mastiff, and Shamus was moping. We knew he needed a buddy to share the duties of the household. Our time spent with the two neighborhood greyhounds, Noble and Paul, planted the idea of a rescued greyhound. Calm, regal, and reserved, greyhounds seemed like a good choice, and knowing that you saved a dog from sure euthanasia, were all plusses.

Oliver-at-parkOliver was the first Greyhound we met. I remember seeing him at the Meet and Greet at the East side Petsmart. He was shy, skittish, and more than a little fearful. But it was love at first sight. I fell for him completely, and he bonded with me almost immediately.

We rushed through the adoption process, got the inspection, and we were on the way. I remember the day that Cynthia Davis, a volunteer for AGR brought him to our house. He met Shamus int he back yard, and it was best buddies almost immediately.

Oliver was a bit of a struggle. He was afraid of EVERYTHING. Bicycles, cars, joggers, other dogs, you name it, they would cause him to freeze. The first 6 months were a challenge, but he soon over came many of his fears. He never really became fully comfortable around random men, but once he accepted you, he was completely yours. Brian, the co-owner of Greyt Escapes, was another one of Oliver’s man crushes.

Our first "full" greyhound
Our first “full” greyhound

Oliver left us shortly after his 8th birthday. He developed osteo sarcoma of his left front shoulder. It was a quick progression, and was extremely hard to watch. Turns out that his entire little all had bone cancer between the ages of 7 and 8. Yikes.