Dog Years: The Pandemic Decade
For your dog, 18 months can be (literally) a lifetime. The old adage about one human year being equal to seven dog years holds true in pandemic time too. As far as your furry family members are concerned, you've been together almost 24/7 for a decade! Now, you're heading back to work or school...and they're not.
For much of the last year and a half, many of us have been stuck in our houses. In the sea of scary headlines and the "new normal", being able to stay home with your dog has actually been a bright spot for many people. Now, as businesses and schools begin to open back up, we're all getting used to human interaction again. And our furry family members are going to have to get used to life without it.
Hello, separation anxiety.
If you adopted a "pandemic puppy" you may have prepared yourself for the "back to school" shock, but even older dogs can have a hard time adjusting back to their pre-pandemic lifestyles.
The most important thing that we ask you to keep in mind during this transition period is that your dog is NOT mad at you for leaving. If your dog has accidents, barks, or destroys things, it's because they are experiencing anxiety and fear. They don't understand what's going on or where you are or if you're okay or they're going to be okay. PLEASE don't yell at them. Knowing that you're angry or upset will just convince them even more that something is terribly wrong.
When dealing with separation anxiety, you have two goals. First, to convince your dog that everything is okay to alleviate their stress and fear. Second, to keep them (and your stuff) safe while you work on number one.
When it comes to keeping your dog safe during this process, crates are awesome. Yes, we know not everyone agrees with that, but we've worked with a lot of sighthounds and for the vast majority of them, crates can make them feel safe and protected. If you're introducing (or re-introducing) a crate to your dog, start from scratch. Make the crate their happy place. All meals should be fed in the crate and every good experience your dog has should begin and end there.
Basket muzzles are awesome, too. Hard plastic basket muzzles are used in Greyhound racing to prevent dogs from nipping at each other while running but they work for all sighthounds and come in sizes to fit any dog. They do NOT prevent your dog from opening his mouth. (PLEASE do NOT use any kind of muzzle that prevents your dog from opening their mouth or drinking water!) Basket muzzles will keep your dog from injuring themselves and may limit their ability to damage items in your house.
Our final piece of advice: don't be afraid to ask for help! Separation anxiety is complex and no two dogs are exactly the same. We've written about some tips and tricks but you may need to consult your vet or a veterinary behaviorist. They may recommend that your dog take anti-anxiety medication. That is okay. We absolutely support #BetterLivingThroughChemistry.
We know everything is weird right now and your dog's separation anxiety isn't helping your own stress. Take a deep breath and try to imagine how you'd feel if the pandemic lasted a decade. Imagine how much harder it would be to go back to your old life. That's what your dog is feeling right now.
It won't be easy, but you can get through it together.
The SHUG 2021 Bad Art Fundraiser
Tired of the same old auctions? You want to help...but you have no more room for stuff? We feel your pain! So here's a whole new kind of fundraiser for your enjoyment...
Join our facebook group and post a pic of your pet. Make a $10 donation to SHUG and one of our really horrible artists will produce a Bad Art Pet Portrait and upload it as a comment on your post. You can download the image and use it as your profile pic, wallpaper, or whatever you'd like!
The month isn't even halfway done and we've already spent $4872.03! But we've gotten a lot done, so it's worth it! Cyrus, the saluki boy in our example pic had a luxating patella and torn ACL repaired, and our four new galgos (Lola, Candy, Límite, and Agent Kay) have all had their blood tests, vaccinations, and been spayed/neutered. Help us help them--and have some fun! Post your pic and send in your donation and sit back to bask in the glorious Bad Art that results! 
Dogs are children who never grow up
Dogs are children who never grow up.
They will never help out around the house or do chores. They will never cook you dinner or take out the trash. They will never move out and get their own place.
On the plus side, you're not ever going to have to pay for college or a big fancy wedding.
Probably. We know some of you are freaks.
The point is that dogs are always going to be dependents, and just like your human children, you need to make sure they are safe. We know that there are different parenting techniques and that social norms change over time. Fifty years ago people were happy to let their children run unsupervised from dawn to dusk as long as they were home for dinner. Today, that isn't acceptable for humans or canines.
Times change and what it means to be a responsible (pet) parent changes too.
Let me tell you two stories. They are very different, but the common theme between them is honoring our obligations to our dogs--and the fact that both of these stories could have ended in tragedy. (Spoiler: the dog lives.)
Once upon a time there was a single woman, tall and strong. She adopted a dog and they lived happily ever after...for several years. One day the woman fell down the stairs (or had a stroke or was stung by a murder hornet or fell getting out of the bathtub...you get the point) and she was unable to care for her dog. The woman lay cold on the floor and her dog laid down next to her, getting up occasionally to piss and shit all over her house.
How long would it take for someone to notice that you weren't around? In today's world, how often do you see anyone in person? How long would it take for your facebook friends to notice you weren't posting--and when they did, what could they do about it? The important question is who has a key to your house and how long would it take that person to notice if something happened to you?
What would happen to your dogs? If a facebook friend in another state asked the police to do a well check on you, what would happen? If your friend with a key found you unconscious, what would they do with your dogs?
You need a plan. Both a temporary one and a permanent one. Here's your cheerful thought of the day: What would happen to your dogs if you die? (Hint: make sure your emergency contact has the number of the group your dog came from.)
The happy ending to this story is that our single mom always has a virtual coffee date with a friend every morning. When she didn't show up her friend reached out to her dogsitter. (Because your emergency contact and your dogsitter should always know each other!) The dogsitter had a key and stopped by the house. She found the mom on the floor, put her dog in their crate and called an ambulance. Mom was whisked away to be made better and the dogsitter took charge of their 4-legged child. Everyone was completely and totally okay. The dog sitter even cleaned up the mess!
Our second story is about a dog-crazy couple with a happy, well-adjusted pack. They lived in a far away land with a big, gorgeous yard with a tall, safe fence. As their dogs got older they needed to go out more often so they put in a doggie door. This seemed like a great idea that made life easier for dogs and humans. Until one day it didn't. One day their older dog was running the yard and tripped and broke his leg (or caught his shoulder on a low hanging tree branch or ran into the corner of the deck...or got into a fight with one of his packmates.) The injured dog laid down in the snow, turning it red with his blood.
How long would it take you to notice that he didn't come back in from his potty break? If you're working at the computer, deep in thought, did you even notice when he went out? That's kind of the point of a doggie door, isn't it? Is the convenience of not having to let your dog out worth the risk of not knowing when your dog is out?
The happy ending to this story depends on one of his parents hearing him cry out. In this version they weren't listing to music or in the middle of a zoom call and they ran out to check on him right away. They carried him into the house and cared for his wounds (just a small scratch--that damn thin Greyhound skin!!) and he was completely fine.
But our lives aren't all fairy tales. Sometimes we don't get the happy ending. Sometimes dogs end up in high kill shelters when their humans get sick and sometimes dogs end up dying alone in their own yards when their humans aren't there.
Yes, I am paranoid and no, I'm not working on it. I've decided to embrace my paranoia and spread it to as many people as I possibly can.
Tag! You're it.
Have a backup plan. Have a backup plan to your backup plan. If you wouldn't put a toddler in the situation, then don't leave your dog there either. Because your dog is not just your furry baby, they are your responsibility.
Dogs are our children who will never grow up...
…And cats are roommates who never pay rent, but that's a story for another day.
You have responsibilities. Stay home.
People ask me all the time if adoption fees are tax deductible. For that you have to ask an accountant. What I can tell you is that the dog you have adopted is not an asset. You didn't get something for your adoption fee that will ever make you rich. You've signed a contract that you won't race them for money, sell them for profit, or breed them.
What you have taken on is--in all practical terms--a liability. You've signed a contract that you will pay for your dog's vet care, monthly heartworm prevention, nutritious food, and whatever vaccinations and registrations your area requires. You have to keep them in collars (it isn't spelled out in the contract but let's face it, they need some fancy damn collars) and you've taken on the responsibility for whatever they destroy or eat.
When you adopt a dog you are taking on a burden. Not just to provide for them financially, but also their physical and emotional needs as well.
And that brings us to this week in American history.
I know that the doctors and nurses and sanitation workers and food delivery folks don't have the option to sit on their couches. But for everyone else...
Stay the fuck home.
Seriously. There's a raging pandemic out there and the political climate is uncertain to say the least. There are "events" planned in all 50 states between today and January 21st. Don't be there.
Please go to the store today and get food for yourself and your dog for the next week and then go home. Snuggle your dog. Binge Bridgerton and the Queen's Gambit. Eat all of the ice cream you bought by Sunday. Order Chinese. But please, stay home.
Your dog needs you.
WTF, 2020?
I would love to close the door on this year and never look back. Can we just pretend 2020 was all a horrible dream?
Sadly, no. We can't pretend the last 12 months didn't happen because we will have to live with the changes it has wrought for many years to come. As Greyhound racing officially comes to an end in Florida today, the fate of the adoption groups dedicated to placing retired racers remains uncertain. Some have already shut down and more will do so--but many will transition to help other sighthounds in need.
2019 was the Year of the Greyhound. Groups and adopters from all over the US and Canada rallied around racers in the wake of Florida's decision. For SHUG, 2020 was supposed to be the Year of the Galgo. We knew that many Greyhound lovers would begin looking to Galgos for adoption. Our goal was to streamline our transports and work on making international adoptions easier and less expensive. On March 5th SHUG submitted an offer on a property to create an adoption center in the south of Spain. One week later the world came to a grinding halt.
When COVID hit, international transports were abruptly canceled and Greyhound groups scrambled to place dogs from tracks suddenly closed down, months ahead of schedule. On March 26th, SHUG accepted 30 Greyhounds, the largest group of dogs we've ever received in one day. Thanks to an awesome team of volunteers, we made it work. The volunteers who came out that night to meet the truck and over the next several days to help walk, wash, and transport dogs were absolutely amazing.
Over the course of the year we received another 12 dogs, for a total of 42 Greyhounds in 2020. Since our inception in 2012, Greyhounds have never been SHUG's sole focus. In addition to those 42 Greyhounds, this year SHUG also brought in:
17 Galgos
15 Staghounds
10 Salukis
8 Borzoi
6 Afghans
4 Podencos
1 Irish Wolfhound
1 Silken Windhound
1 Whippet
These dogs arrived directly from their owners, from municipal shelters in the US, and from private shelters and rescue groups overseas. SHUG doesn't rescue dogs off the streets and we are grateful for the staff and volunteers at our partners who do the hard work of those intakes. They nurse dogs back to health, give them vaccinations and prepare their paperwork, and help them take the first steps to their new lives. We are honored to be entrusted with taking the next step and finding these dogs their forever homes.
No matter what happens in 2021, we will continue to fulfill our mission of finding forever homes for sighthounds. There has been so much speculation, but the truth is that things are still completely up in the air in regards to COVID, travel restrictions, and racing. Yes, there are still Greyhounds racing. Will more tracks close? Will more tracks open, or reopen? The only thing I can tell you is that I don't believe that racing Greyhounds will ever return to the numbers that adopters have been used to seeing. There will never again be 30,000 or 10,000 or even 5,000 Greyhounds born every year. But there are that many and more Galgos and Podencos and Salukis who need homes.
SHUG will continue to support sighthounds wherever they are in need, and bring them to the US and Canada to find forever homes. In 2021 SHUG will prioritize setting up a center in Spain to help coordinate the care and transport of adoptable sighthounds to homes in North America. This will be our largest undertaking to date and we hope that we will have your support. Please stay tuned in the coming months for more news about our plans and progress.
2020 may be over (finally!) but our adventure is just beginning.
68 hours and she’s only halfway home
Last night Sunny arrived in her foster home in Indiana after 68 hours of travel. This sweet little brindle girl had a rough start in life, but these days her future is looking as bright as her name.
Found starving on the streets of Spain, this tiny galga could barely walk when she was rescued by the team at Scooby Medina. Brought into an experienced foster home, Sunny flourished and soon caught the eye of a SHUG family with a lonely galgo in need of a sister.
During COVID flights from Spain have been few and far between. SHUG has always preferred to fly our dogs as checked baggage. Not only is there a human "attached" to the dog at all times, but the actual airfare cost for the dog to fly alone can literally be nearly 10x as expensive. (Not a typo: 300€ checked baggage fee vs 3000€ cargo.)
Sunny's family knew they were in for a long wait. Not only did Sunny need to travel from Spain to the US, once here she would then have another long transport to her new home...in Hawaii. Preparing a dog to pass through the stringent requirements to avoid quarantine and be admitted to Hawaii is a long and complex process in and of itself.
After a lot of discussion (begging, badgering, possibly crying) the decision was made to fly Sunny as cargo with a donation from her adopters to cover the additional expense. Under normal circumstances Sunny would have flown into Chicago to be picked up by her foster mom, who has experience preparing a dog to enter Hawaii. Because of COVID, the closest flight was into JFK airport in New York.
From Fermin and Claire at Scooby to Kristie and Travis at JFK to transport volunteers Teresa, Marilyn and Ann, and to Alisha and Cindy coordinating--Sunny's team has been absolutely amazing. Fermin fostered Sunny in Spain and Cindy will foster her until her final leg to Hawaii.
68 hours after she was picked up from Scooby, Sunny is sleeping peacefully in her foster home in Indiana...while her team works on the next phase of her journey.
This process is not easy--and this year it has only gotten harder--but it is possible because of the people who make it happen. The work that goes on behind the scenes to make these happy endings is frustrating and exhausting and yes, sometimes there are tears. But as long as there are people like these who are too damn stubborn to give up, we will keep going. We will be here.
April 2020 FAQs
We're getting many of the same questions over and over again so here are some FAQs to help get out the information people are asking for:
Is SHUG still adopting during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Yes! SHUG is up and running. With the abrupt closure of tracks due to social distancing guidelines, there are thousands of Greyhounds in need of homes. We brought in 30 Greyhounds on March 27th and about half of them have been adopted so far. We also have Podencos, galgos, and sighthound mixes available for adoption. The only caveat to that is that we can't fly dogs currently. Most of our dogs are on the east coast or the mid west. If you're in another area and you aren't able to drive to get a dog, then you may want to hold off on adopting. As I write this, we have dogs in WY, IA, MO, OK, IN, MI, OH, PA, MD, VA, NJ, NY.
How does SHUG handle home visits and meet and greets during the pandemic?
SHUG does home visits on a case by case basis. If needed we can do home visits over skype or facebook. We have cancelled all public events and meet and greets for the foreseeable future, including--sadly--Greyhounds in Gettysburg. Once you have submitted an application and been approved to meet a specific dog, you will be invited to meet that dog in their foster home. Currently we are doing outside "backyard" meet and greets. We will respect the level of social distancing you are comfortable with during this process.
Does SHUG adopt to "xxx"?
Yes! We adopt to homes throughout the US and Canada--including Hawaii and Alaska under normal circumstances. But again, keep in mind that it is very difficult to fly dogs right now so chances are you will have to drive pretty far to meet your dog.
Can I get more information about a dog named "xxx"?
No! All of the publicly available information is on our website or facebook page. If you submit an application and are a good fit for that dog the next step is to set up a call for you to chat directly with their foster parent. But out of respect for our foster parents' time, we do not ask them to speak to or meet with potential adopters until they have been completely screened.
Is a dog named "xxx" still available?
Yes! If that dog is on our website list of available dogs (or on our petfinder list) then they are still available for adoption. If we posted about a dog two weeks ago on our facebook page but you don't see them on our website then chances are they've already been adopted. Please still consider submitting an application because there are a dozen dogs just like that one who are looking for forever homes.
Can you call me when...?
No! We can't contact you when a particular breed of dog is available. However, if you have submitted an application and been approved, we will consider you for new dogs as they come in.
Can I place a dog on hold?
No! We will accept deposits from approved applicants for dogs who aren't ready to go home yet (for medical reasons, for example) or to hold a dog while an adopter works out the logistics of transport (generally no more than 2 weeks). But other than that we will not hold a dog while you go on vacation, finish a home improvement or work project, etc.
Do I have to submit the non-refundable application fee?
Yes! Time is our most precious resource. If the $50 fee gives you pause, then it might be a good idea to save your money and our time. There are many other groups out there and you are welcome to apply to them. We understand that we aren't the right fit for everyone. We take a little more time and are a little pickier about our homes than you might think is reasonable. And that's okay. We don't have a kennel--all of our dogs are safe and warm in foster homes. We do have high standards and we are comfortable with that.
If I'm interested in fostering do I have to submit the application fee?
Yes! We screen our fosters the exact same way we screen our adopters and that really takes a while. Almost all of our fosters eventually become adopters so we hold them to the same standards.
Is the application fee a deposit?
No! The application fee is not a deposit and does not get "deducted" from your adoption fee.
What is SHUG's adoption fee?
Our adoption fee for domestic dogs is $350. For dogs that SHUG has to fly from overseas our adoption fee is $750 to cover their airfare, crate, and additional paperwork. All of our dogs go home spayed/neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated. Your dog will come with their medical records, a martingale collar, a tag collar, and a leash.
Does SHUG adopt to homes in apartments, townhomes, without fences, with children, cats, birds, etc.?
Yes! But...you may not be a match for the dog you're interested in and that's something we would discuss during the application process. All of the above might make you a match for fewer dogs and limit your options.
Are there homes SHUG will not adopt to?
Yes! We will not adopt to homes with electric or invisible fences. We will not adopt to homes that have fences but the fences are not secure. (So if you have no fence that's okay but if you have half a fence then that's a no. Sorry!) We will not place dogs in homes with outdoor cats, for everyone's safety. And we will not place dogs in homes that allow their dogs off lead in unfenced areas. If you are the kind of person who is sure that you can train your dog to be off lead, please pass us by.
How long does it take SHUG to process an application?
Generally it takes us about 1-2 weeks to have a volunteer available to assign to your application. Once that person receives your information, it will be dependent on their schedule and how easy it is to contact you and your references. We are busy! Many people may be home and bored but somehow we've missed that memo. We're moving dogs, doing a ton of paperwork, and making really big plans for the next two years as the sighthound world prepares to go through huge changes. Please be patient!
How long will it take my shirt or other item ordered from the website to arrive? Or how can I return it?
SHUG uses third party vendors to sell items on our website to raise money for the dogs. Our volunteers create the designs and we upload them to the printer. When you place an order the money goes to the printer. They create your shirt and send us our "profit". We don't ever handle your item. If the printer made a mistake or you ordered the wrong thing, please follow the instructions that came with your item.
Why is that lady so grumpy when I call the SHUG number?
Well, she's the director and she's pretty much always busy. Like everyone else at SHUG, the director is just a volunteer and has a "real" job, a family, and dogs of her own. The SHUG number is just for emergencies. Please send an email if you have a non-emergency question.
I love broken legs.
I love broken legs.
I know how that sounds, but hear me out.
Broken legs are an obvious problem with an obvious solution. Yes, surgeries can be complex and expensive, but at least we know what to do. The hardest part about caring for dogs is when there is definitely a problem but the cause--and the solution--is unclear.
On January 1st a beautiful black Greyhound named Granite began his journey from Kansas to SHUG HQ in Virginia. We knew that Granite had been diagnosed with an enlarged heart and he panted frequently, so we moved him (along with Monty, a senior with LS) using volunteers. They made short drives with lots of breaks and overnight stops. Granite did great and arrived to Virginia on Saturday, January 4th.
Knowing that Granite was coming to us with a heart issue, we had an appointment for him already with a cardiologist. Our expectation was that Granite would probably need to be on medication for his life, with the possibility of surgery. Of course, things ended up being so much more complicated...
Granite's heart is slightly leaky and slightly enlarged but not enough to warrant medication. What the doctor did find is random "tissue" around his heart that doesn't belong there. At first they thought it might be liver tissue but after an additional abdominal ultrasound they now think this is lung tissue. They also diagnosed him with pneumonia and a partially collapsed lung. Oy.
What makes this all so weird is that Granite is a sweet, happy, completely normal seeming dog. He does pant a lot and he has a phlegmy cough, but he's acting as if he feels totally fine. Is this the canine equivalent to walking pneumonia??
Granite has been on aggressive antibiotics and next week will go in for additional xrays and we'll see what things look like and if there have been any changes. For now he's enjoying life and being a normal dog. We never know what the future holds so we'll take each day as it comes.
I want to say thank you again to our volunteers and supporters. Because of you we have the resources to make sure dogs like Granite get what they need. Many years ago, when SHUG was just starting out, someone once warned me against taking so many special needs dogs. "You'll get a reputation," she said.
Well, yeah. The absolute best kind.
Goodbye, 2019
Let me start off our traditional "end of year" post by thanking everyone who has supported SHUG this year. Whether you adopted, fostered, volunteered, or donated, you are part of the SHUG team and we couldn't do this without you. And what exactly is it that we all did together this year?
Well, we had some fun and saved some dogs and along the way we broke some hearts.
Here are the numbers...SHUG brought in 111 dogs in 2019. Among those were:
36 Galgos
26 Greyhounds
20 Podencos
16 Salukis
5 Lurchers
4 Borzoi
2 Italian Greyhounds
2 Whippets
We are ending the year with 18 dogs in fostercare: 3 Greyhounds, 2 Podencos, 1 IG, 1 Saluki, 1 Borzoi, and 10 Galgos. (Check some of them out here!)
Those were the good parts of the year. Lots of adoptions and memories of dogs running for the first time in their lives in the grass and the snow.
There were not so good times too.
We have flown hundreds of dogs as cargo across the US and the world but earlier this month SHUG flew our first dog in cabin. This was part of a calculated risk. Nonna was a senior Maneto (lovely referred to as "shorties" around here). We knew Nonna had some health issues and combined with her age, that was enough to give us pause about flying her. The team here at SHUG and the team at Casa de Postas in Spain went back and forth. Nonna's caregivers at CdP spoke to her vet there. In the end, we came up with a plan.
I literally carried Nonna in my arms from Madrid to New York. At the airport in Madrid Nonna curled up in my lap. For the flight she rested in the carrier we had bought especially for her--meticulously researched by her soon-to-be-mom--and Nonna was comfortable and spent most of the flight sleeping either on my lap or snuggled between my feet. The flight couldn't have gone any better from Nonna's perspective. We pulled up to my house in the wee hours of the morning on December 4th and Nonna's new mom was there waiting for her, ready to give her a home and her heart.
On December 11th, Nonna passed. Her kidneys shut down and nothing we did seemed to help. Nonna was never alone. She was loved.
At the end of the year we look back on what we've done right and what we've done wrong. We look at the mistakes we've made and try to figure out how to avoid them (and make all new ones!) next year. Many years ago I worked with a rescue that wanted to add a "businessman" to their board to help them make "better" financial decisions. What would a "businessman" think of spending over $2000 on a senior dog with health issues, transporting them thousands of miles on the slim chance they would have a few good years to enjoy in their forever home, to end up with only a week before having to say goodbye? Would they count that as one of our mistakes?
Well, fuck them. I've said this before and I will say it again. SHUG is not a business. We suck at customer service because we don't have customers. Not human ones, at least. SHUG is a group of people who have no sense of self-preservation and who risk their hearts every day to try to make the lives of dogs better, safer, and happier. Yes, sometimes we fail. But trying is never a mistake.
So on this last day of 2019 I thank everyone who supported our mission. To those who donated, know that we did not always spend your money "wisely"...but we hope you agree that we spent it well.
Happy New Year,
Michael, The Director
Yes, we are crazy.
Have you ever driven 12 hours for a dog? Have you ever flown across country and then driven 16 hours for a dog? If the answer is yes, you may be a SHUG person.
Yes, we are crazy. We are delusional, we are paranoid, and we are completely okay with that.
This week SHUG dogs are moving Spain to California and Chicago and Wyoming and from Chicago to Texas to Hawaii. Yes, Hawaii.
There are crazy SHUG volunteers who have already started their journeys and who won't be home until next week. Because dogs. We take off of work, drive through the day and night, and just generally do crazy things on a semi-regular basis.
Thank you, David. Thank you, John and Alisha. Thank you, Valerie. Thank you, Cindy and Beverley. Thank you George, Joann, and Lynda. Thank you, Jana and Emily and Venita. You guys all rock. You're absolutely crazy, but you totally rock!