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What our Volunteers say: Jonathan & Lynne
Our Day with Ari
Ari is a lovely 2-year-old brindle boy. He greeted us with a lovely waggy tail and lots of greyhound kisses. Having never met Ari before, we found him to be most welcoming. I walked him to the car where he met Lynne and Otto. I tend to lift any hound into our car due to the high boot lid, and he was not too heavy.
We decided to take him to Quarry Bank National Trust for his assessment day, as there are plenty of new things for him to see and do. Ari settled well in the back of the car and lay down for the 30-minute journey.
When we arrived, you could tell he was excited, as this was his first outing in the "real" world and everything was new to him. The first part of our day was a walk to the village. He met his first "strange dog" and was initially quite vocal with him, but this may have been his first encounter with a non-greyhound. He was totally fine with Otto, but he is a greyhound after all.
He enjoyed walking through the woods and was very capable of ascending and descending steps. He was not bothered by any families who walked by. When we got to the ornamental gardens, we had a bit of lunch. He seemed quite interested in what we were eating and needed a strong "no," which he took on board, allowing us to eat in peace.
We then wandered up to the cafe, and you could tell he was starting to relax and enjoy his day out. He was still vocal about smaller dogs, particularly white fluffy ones, but he was becoming less interested in other dogs in general. When we got to the cafe, he stood quite politely while we had our coffee and ice cream. Again, he saw other dogs, but he was interested in some and not others.
We then took him into the kitchen garden where he met a family. The mum was very interested in Ari and gave him a hug and a kiss, which he welcomed. Otto, on the other hand, backed himself into the corner when the dad wanted to say "hello." Top marks for Ari!
On the journey back, he lay down until we arrived home. He walked calmly back and settled, and we had one last cuddle before leaving him.
Ari is very good with people, families, and strangers alike. He will need some firm words when he becomes vocal with other dogs, but we thought this was out of curiosity and a desire to play (he did wag his tail when he saw them). He can be quite strong on the lead, but that may be easy to rectify the more he goes out.
Summary
Overall, Ari showed himself to be an incredibly affectionate, adaptable, and quick-learning companion on his very first big adventure. For a dog experiencing the wider world for the first time, his excellent car manners, polite cafe behavior, and wonderful warmth toward human strangers were incredibly impressive. While he is still learning how to navigate seeing other dog breeds and walking on a lead, his eager-to-please nature and responsiveness to direction show he has massive potential. Ari is a sweet, loving boy who will make a fantastic and rewarding addition to the right home.
What our Volunteers say: Lisa
We took Ari, a lovely big brindle greyhound, out for a day trip. He needed lifting into the car but travelled really well throughout the journey. He was initially very excited and bouncy but settled down nicely once we got going.
Ari is quite reactive to other dogs, particularly small dogs and German Shepherds. However, with plenty of praise, treats, and reassurance, he became noticeably calmer as the walk progressed. We met a lovely couple who kindly allowed us to spend some time standing with them and their two dogs. Ari was very excited at first, barking and wagging his tail, but he soon settled. There was no aggression at all; he appeared to want to play but simply becomes overexcited.
He walked well on the lead for most of the walk, although he could pull quite strongly when he spotted other dogs. Croissant pieces turned out to be an excellent reward, helping to distract him and reinforce his good behaviour.
Ari wasn’t bothered by other people, runners, or children and remained relaxed around them. He also ignored us while we stopped for a snack. We didn’t feel it was appropriate to take him into a café, however, as there were several dogs nearby which would likely have been too much for him.
He clearly loved his walk and, by the end of the day, was more than ready to come home for a well-earned sleep. Ari is a big, excitable softie who loves affection, enjoys lots of kisses and cuddles, and has a particular fondness for croissants!
With continued training and gradual, positive exposure to other dogs, we believe Ari will make a wonderful companion. Due to his size and strength when pulling, he would be best suited to a confident owner with experience of larger dogs or greyhounds. He is a real sweetheart with so much potential.