Rainbow Bridge - FTK Trouble (Trouble)

October 29, 2002 - November 5, 2010

We are sad to report that another wonderful greyhound has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. We got notice from Jason Grove that he lost his best friend after a short illness. Jason adopted Trouble from our group in January 2006; he and Trouble became frequent visitors to our meet and greet events. Everyone loved seeing Trouble because he was truly an exceptional greyhound. He was loving and sweet and was one of the most gentle natured greyhounds we've ever met. He was also strikingly handsome with a shiny dark brindle coat and eyes that danced. He was a scene stealer!

We know that Jason is devastated over the loss of Trouble. We will all miss this sweet boy so much! We know that Trouble is flying with angel wings at the bridge!

Rainbow Bridge - R Raisinaruckus (Washington)

February 13, 1999 - October 2010

Washington is the call name of R Raisinaruckus. Washington got his call name because he was born on George Washington's birthday. He was an awesome racer for many years and then was used as a stud at the Roban Kennels farm in Florida where his owners took good care of him. They decided, at the age of eleven, that perhaps he would like to have a soft couch to sleep on and a nice home to spend the rest of his retirement years. They thought he might like having a person to call his own. Our group offered to take Washington. They had him neutered for us.

The problem, as always, was how to get Washington from Florida to Maryland. We tried on numerous occasions to find a way for Washington to get to us. We didn't want to put him on a hauler because of his age. And Greyhounds Reach the Beach was coming up and that kept us very busy.

While Washington was waiting on us, he started going downhill. He lost the ability to get up and get around. They decided at the farm that he was not well enough to travel. This was just at the time that we found a ride north for him. Washington is now at the bridge. He never made it here and never found that couch. We have to say that he touched us deeply when we saw his photo. We felt that if he did not find a home anywhere else, he could stay at the Ballweber house for as long as he had left in his life.

Perhaps this was for the best. It would have been a tragedy to have him die on the way to Maryland or get sick on arrival. He only knew the people at the farm and we know sure, to him, it was home.

Rest in peace dear boy We never got to meet you but we all love you.

HOLIDAY HINTS FOR HOUNDS

Once again the Holiday season is upon us. Each year we try to remind families about the "Hazards Of Holidays and Hounds". Everyone is so busy during the holidays that sometimes we forget to watch our hounds. We feel it is important to remind you of this advice.

INSECTS
Bees - Fall is the time for the bees to do buzzing best or rather their worst. Use special caution with yellow jackets that swarm and nest in the ground. They can sting several times before dying and even one sting could be fatal if your hound has a sensitivity or reaction to the venom. Ask your vet regarding the proper dosage of benadryl or get a "bee sting kit" from your vet.

Fleas & ticks are looking for a warm winter haven at this time of year. Take extra care to use prevention on your hounds to prevent them from finding a home in their fur and especially in your home.

FOOD
Turkey - That tempting morsel of turkey, left over on your plate, is best left on your plate! Turkey, turkey skin and gravy can cause extreme gastrointestinal problems for hounds. Onions have also been found to be toxic o some hounds so resist the temptation to share your holiday fare with your hound. Turkey bones are so numerous that one or two will hardly be missed UNTIL an emergency vet visit is needed. Be kind to your hound and yourself..."Leave IT" for the outside trash.

Chocolate can be a killer! There is an ingredient in chocolate (Theo bromine) that can cause severe illness and even death. Keep it locked up tight and in a safe place, far away from hound hunters. This ingredient can also be found in the red cocoa mulch that has become so popular in recent years.

COUNTERS CANNOT BE HOUND-PROOFED.
There has not been a counter made that a hound cannot conquer. Do not be lulled into a false sense of security by placing items in the sink either. A hungry hound will manage some way to get to food in a sink if it’s determined enough.

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS
In today's high tech world, decorations keep getting more sophisticated. Be aware that even battery or transistor operated lights can be hazardous to your hound. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but there have been hounds that came close to the same fate. Batteries have caustic acid inside of them and when chewed, can cause severe burns to the mouth and throat. Transistors can cause shocks which cold burn the mouth or throat, even short circuit the heart and circulatory system which can lead to death. These can lie in the stomach for long periods of time before they erode and begin to cause trouble.

Twinkle lights are beautiful on trees and shrubs, not all tangled up in long hound limbs and torsos. Keep cords out of hound pathways. Also, resist the temptation to hang those cutesy ornaments made out of dog biscuits or the clay look-a-like dog treats on your tree. Hang only your unbreakable bulbs on the lower half of the three. Better yet, hang no decorations at all on the bottom part. Some hounds have never seen a tree decoration before and may be tempted to taste them. Remember the words "LEAVE IT!"

Remember to quickly teach your hound that the inside tree does not need to be watered by the boys or it may be a long yellow holiday season for some of you.

Tinsel, Ribbons, and Foil wrapping papers are like candy to some hounds. They can cause serious problems if ingested, some of which may require surgery to remove from hound intestines. Place these items in the proper receptacles to eliminate the temptation to snack.

Poinsettias, Mistletoe, Holly Berries and Pine Cones are all toxic to your hounds. If you must have them in your home, place them high where your hound cannot reach them.

Holiday Parties are fun, but they may stress your hound with all the noise and commotion. Be sure your hound has a quiet place to go to if company gets to be too much for them (i.e., crate, bedroom with the door baby gated, not closed) until the party's over. Be sure all guests understand the importance of keeping outside doors and gates closed so your hound does not get out.

WINTER HAZARDS
Snow and Ice - Of the two, ice is more dangerous to hounds. Some of our hounds have never seen snow or experienced ice and slippery sidewalks. Use extreme caution when dealing with these two elements and your hound.

Snow can be fun if limited to short exposures. Hounds do not have fat layers to provide insulation in the cold weather. If you are taking your hound out in the cold weather (below 50 degrees) for more than a few minutes, put a jacket, sweater or coat on your hound. Watch hound feet for frostbite and cuts from sharp ice.

Firewood & Snow -Take care not to pile firewood or shovel snow too close to a fence. This will make an easy escape route for a slick hound to get out of the yard. Be aware of snowdrifts also providing an escape ramp.

Snow Melt - Use caution when using heat producing chemicals to melt the snow and ice around your home. They can quickly burn hound feet and have them hopping as if their legs are broken. When in doubt about using any products, contact your vet for recommendations.

Fire, Fireplaces & Candles - We all love a roaring fire in the fireplace but fires and lit candles should never be left unattended, especially with a curious hound in the house. Hounds love warmth and in their attempt to get warm, may get to close and singe hair and body parts. Flying embers may also jump out and blister tender places. Overturned candles and hot candle wax can spell disaster.

Check firewood for spiders and wasps that have come to life after being brought into a warm home environment.

ANTIFREEZE IS DEADLY!! USE CAUTION AND CLEAN UP SPILLS IMMEDITELY. ONE LICK CAN KILL YOUR HOUND AND CAUSE IREVERSABLE KIDNEY DAMAGE WITHIN MINUTES.

We at FFGR, Inc. want you and your hounds to have a safe Happy Holiday season. With a little thought and reviewing the above advice...We wish you a Happy Holiday and look forward to seeing you in the New Year!!

Rainbow Bridge - Crankin Cleo (Chloe)

October 30, 2003 - November 1, 2010

We got word from Vivian Ewell, who lives in Thurmont, that she lost her beloved Chloe. Chloe got sick a short time ago and Vivian took her to her vet. She did not feel that she had a diagnosis that she fell good about. They also told her that Chloe needed a dental. We advised her to go to another vet and Vivian took Chloe to the Waynesboro Veterinary Clinic, a vet who knows greyhounds in this area. Here's what Vivian wrote:

Dr Becker was great. We decided to go with medication for Chloes' teeth. As for the limp, she xrayed her hip and thought it was hip dysplasia. I took her back about two weeks later, she was losing weight and still limping off and on. Dr. Becker took a chest xray because she felt Chloe was not breathing right and she heard something. The xray showed many tumors, either cancer or histoplasmia? She decided to send away bloodwork and they called on Sunday. It was not the histo problem and it seemed clear that they were waiting for me to accept the lung cancer. In the meantime Chloe only ate a little baked chicken, a few drops of food, or peanut butter filled Kong. I could see her melting away before my eyes. Her breathing became labored or noisy at times. After talking again to Dr. Becker on Monday, I decided to try to keep Chloe thru the week but within the hour it was obvious that Chloe was only waiting on me to do the right thing. I called the vet and they put her to sleep in the afternoon. I wish there had been more help for Chloe but she is now running her own race and enjoying the wind blowing over her skin. Thanks for all your help and the opportunity to adopt Chloe, Vivian.

Vivian adopted Chloe in February of 2009. Chloe died two days after her seventh birthday. I know that Chloe had a great home.

Rest in peace beautiful girl.

Events - Greyhounds Rock!

For those of you who like going to greyhound events but can't get away for long distance events, here is one that you should really like! It's Greyhounds Rock and it takes place in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It happens the weekend of October 29-31. The entire event is a fund raiser to support cancer research. You do not have to go for the entire weekend, but if you do, you can stay in one location - The Fredericksburg Hospitality House and Conference Center. They have opened up the hotel for dogs and the cost is $79 per night. There is a pre-registration fee and it's $25. What is nice about this event is that there are a number of seminars that would be very interesting to attend. Most take place on Saturday so it may be a great day trip to make. Instead of me posting the details, I'm posting the link to the web site so you can look over what is happening. Our group will be vending there one day (Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.) and this will be our last big vending event until next spring. For more information just click on the title of this post.

Hope to see you there!

Greyhounds Reach the Beach

Fast Friends Greyhound Rescue, Inc. will be at Greyhounds Reach the Beach in Dewey Beach, Delware, for this special weekend event, held October 8th through 11th! This is one of the biggest greyhound related events on the east coast. If you have a greyhound, you will want to attend this special event with your hounds and have a great time! There are lots of vendors, activities, seminars, contests, etc. Our group will be vending at this event for three days. We will be at the Sand Palace Motel (in the car port area), located on Route 1 and Dagsworthy streets. Come and visit us and say hello. We will be selling a lot of NEW and UNIQUE items including concrete greyhound garden statuary, original artwork, collars and leashes, coats, jewelry, tick keys, lanyards, key fobs, ornaments, candles, harnesses, muzzles, toys, and much more!

NOTICE TO ALL FFGR, INC. ADOPTERS AND VOLUNTEERS: JOIN US SATURDAY EVENING AT 6:00 P.M. FOR A SPECIAL FFGR, INC. FAMILY GET TOGETHER AT 204 SWEDES STREET IN DEWEY BEACH. BRING YOUR HOUNDS AND HAVE FUN AND GET SOME GREAT FOOD! PLEASE STOP BY OUR VENDING AREA FOR MORE INFORMATION.

For more information on the great event, click on the title of this post to go to the GRTB message board!

Rainbow Bridge - Duzit Quick (Rush)

August 1, 2004 - October 3 2010

Another one of our sweet hounds has gone on to the Rainbow Bridge. Sandy Hendricks, who adopted Rush, called to tell us that she had to put down her beloved greyhound Rush. Rush turned six years old in August. Sandy adopted Rush from our group in May of 2006. At the time she had two dalmations and heard how great greyhounds were. We brought Rush to her and he became a wonderful family member. He did well until recently when he started getting sick. Several trips to the vet did not reveal the source of his problems and he appeared to be getting sicker. She called and we talked about him and from what she was describing, it sounded serious. She made an appointment and took him to another vet. But before much could be done, he got so sick that this new vet felt that his kidneys had failed and he had to be put down. Sandy is broken hearted. She came to our picnics with Rush when we had them and it was always great to see this sweet boy.

I know that he will be greatly missed. God speed Rush. You are pain free and happy running at the bridge.