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 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.
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.