Welcome to Edition Two of the new GAP newsletter! We hope you’ll find it an informative and enjoyable read.

PROMOTIONS

GAP is conducting a promotion at the Older & Bolder Expo which is being held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Soutbank, from Saturday 11th August to Monday 13th August.

Volunteers and their greyhounds are needed for this event, so if you'd like to come along please phone GAP on 5799 2909 or email gap@grv.org.au

EVENTS

The Greyhound Walking Group

The Greyhound Walking Group was formed by some GAP Adopters in August 2006. Starting with just a few people with their GAP Greyhounds walking at the Botanic Gardens, the group now has over 70 people involved. The walking group meets at various venues around Melbourne a few times per month for a friendly walk with the ever so friendly greyhounds. If you are interested in joining the walks please contact Stephen Curlett on Phone: 9329 0861 Mobile: 0432 873 821 or email:stephen_curlett@aami.com.au or just turn up at the following venues to join in on the fun!

1) Sunday August 10.30am at St Kilda, meeting at St Kilda pier, Jacka Boulevard Melways map 57, ref K10 

2) Saturday 1 September at 11.00am at Karkarook Park, Heatherton, Melways map 78, ref D8, enter via Fairchild Street and we will meet at the car park

3) Saturday 15 September at 10.30am at the Farmers Market, Gasworks Art Park, Port Melbourne, Melways map 2J, ref G7

Playgroups

There are several playgroups that operate around Melbourne where you may take your greyhound along for a run with other greyhounds.

Park Orchards
First Sunday of every month (other than January and February)
1.00pm to 3.00pm
Slipping Track
Stintons Reserve
Stintons Road, Park Orchards - Melways reference 35 B8 (near the BMX track)
Cost is a $5 donation to GAP, foster greyhounds run free. All greyhounds must be muzzled when on the track - muzzles provided. Non-greyhounds and wannabe-greyhounds are welcome to attend, but they are not permitted to run on the track. At the December meeting a Christmas BBQ lunch will be held.

Ballarat
First Sunday of every month (other than January and February)
2.00pm to 4.00pm
Ballarat Greyhound Track
Rubicon St, Ballarat
Cost is a $5 donation to GAP per dog. Foster greyhounds run free. All greyhounds must be muzzled when running with other greyhounds. Muzzles provided.

Rosebud west (Tootgarook)
Third Sunday of every month (other than November, December, January and February)
1.00pm to 3.00pm
Truemans Road Reserve (go to the slipping track)
Truemans Road
Rosebud West - Melways reference 169 E6
Cost is a $5 donation to GAP per dog. Foster greyhounds run free. All greyhounds must be muzzled when running with other greyhounds. Muzzles provided.
For more information please contact Aileen via email (gypsybear55@hotmail.com)

THANK YOU!

Our thanks go to Deb from Mr. Woof Collars who recently donated three lovely collars to GAP. If your hound is looking for some fancy new collars, click on the link below to access their website

GAP always has lots of fantastic greyhounds that are available for adoption. Each month we will choose one special dog to profile. But remember all of our dogs ready to adopt can be found on our website, just click on the link below to check out all of the dogs currently available.

The greyhound featured in the July Newsletter, Gemma, has been adopted! A big thank you to Kirrilee for offering this lovely little dog a new home. 

JOEY
 
Joey is a puppy in a grown ups body. He's like a goofy teenager once he gets over his initial shyness. Joey is like the little dog in the Bugs Bunny cartoons who used to jump around the big bulldog! He is playful, enthusiastic dog who is loads of fun with an affectionate nature. Joey would love to be part of an active household with plenty for him to do. He would love another goofy dog to play with, something like a labrador would be his seventh heaven! Joey may be a little too rambunctious for toddlers but he would thrive in a family with older kids to play with. He is not suited to a home with cats.   

Dear Oscar,

My human parents are insisting that I learn how to "sit". I'm a four year old greyhound and I have never sat in my life. I don't want to start now. What should I do?

Iprefertostand
Prahran

Dear Iprefertostand,

My first rule in life is that those with four legs always come before those with two. Therefore while you may seemingly obey (humour) your two-legged people most of the time, when push comes to shove, if you don't want to do something then be a real hound and don't!

When they tell you to sit, undertake no action. Simply stare off into the distance. If your humans attempt to force you by pushing on your rump, the best course of action is to scream. Loudly. In fact, the more dramatically you scream, the better. If you have persistent, cruel humans, they may ignore your cries and attempt to really force you. All I can suggest if this happens is that you either brace your legs as hard as you can and refuse to fold them, or that you collapse on your side on the ground. They'll soon get the picture.

Oscar

Oscar is always keen to offer advice to greyhounds and their people. He loves to receive letters so if you have a question you need answered, please write to:

Dear Oscar
c/o GAP
PO Box 785
Seymour
VIC 3661

FOSTER CARER PROFILE - TRAVIS FAMILY

This is the first profile on one of our wonderful team of foster carers.

The Travis family began fostering in February 2001 and in the last 6 1/2 years, they've seen over 100 greyhounds pass through their home. During that time, they have only "failed" fostering twice, keeping 2 girls, Wendy and Raie. Aileen and her husband Dene also run the Tootgarook playgroup. Here is Aileen's story:

Greyhounds seemed like a good idea and fostering was a good way to see if we could live with the breed. At that time we had 3 children, 2 cats and Gypsy an Austalian Terrier X who is still with us now at 12 years old-she's outlived the cats! Our first foster was Angel (Rare Angel), not a typical Greyhound at all, she was bit of a wild child! We hung in for another 12 dogs before everyone fell for Wendy (Selina Kyle), a scruffy 2 year old black girl who has grown into a very glossy princess. She has shown countless people the joys of Greyhounds at the many promotions and shows we attend to promote GAP.

We have had all sorts of dogs here; the chronically shy and the over the top dogs. The worst dog we fostered was the 39th, Winnie (Alara Rose ). She was very dominant, space aggressive and was A LOT of hard work. At the end of the fostering period Winnie became Raie and she stayed-we couldn't bear to see her go after all the work we had put into her. 

There have been a few dogs over the years that one or two of us have dearly wanted to keep but on the whole we are happy to foster and help them on their way to their forever homes. It is, I think, just minding a dog for a friend. I love seeing the dogs down the track with their forever families, but I don't get too upset if I never see the dog again as we were just a small part of the overall life of the dog. I keep a list of the dogs we have fostered which is just as well as it would be impossible for me to remember them otherwise. A few stand out like River who had so much personality and no tail and I loved seeing him every year.

We keep fostering because it is fun with a bit of excitement to keep the interest up. It is not always easy but seeing that dog move on with the opportunity of a new life makes it worthwhile. As it is with people, it has been the plain looking dogs who have the most personality. Those black boys who sit in the kennels longer than many others before they are adopted, Diesel, Reg , Jimmy and now our current foster Ocky who aren't as stunning as a blue dog immediately but who have wonderful personalities.

MY GREYHOUND!

My Greyhound is meant to be fast
But in a race I think he ‘d come last
He wouldn’t even run
He ‘d just lay in the sun
And all the other dogs would run past

He is happy when he is asleep
Except for his snoring, he doesn’t make a peep
If he could, I think he would talk
He would say “take me for a walk”
Then he ‘d go back to counting sheep

He loves to eat his dinner
He is a happy grinner
He sneaks to steal my toys
He doesn’t make a noise
But to me he is a real winner.

By Lauren Walter

This poem was written by 11-year-old Lauren Walter about her seven-yearold
pet greyhound, Dougie. Lauren lives in Narre Warren South and goes to
Strathaird Primary School. She has had Dougie as a pet for 3 years.

A warm welcome to Advance who have signed on to be one of the preferred pet food suppliers of the Greyhound Adoption Program. All of our dogs in foster care will now be enjoying the nutritional tast of Adult Energy Advance Kibble. 

This product will also be available to purchase through GAP in 3kg and 15kg bags. Each new adopter will also receive an Advance showbag upon picking up their new pet.

If you would like to learn more about Advance pet food click on the link below to go their website.