Calling All Bouncees, It's Better Than You Can Imagine

Pasha is the newest Rover Reporter for the Greyhound Gazette. He writes about his recent experience, a bounce from his first and long-time home.


My good friend Buddy is enjoying his 11th birthday today. We have shared our bouncing stories and agree, what lies ahead is better than what we left behind.

I’ll begin my report with a few definitions.

Bounce, a greyhound that has lived in a home for a week, a month, a year or even 10 years and has been returned to an adoption group. Usually to no fault of their own.

Bouncer, the once loving family that has returned a greyhound to an adoption group or worse, the pound.

Bouncee, the new loving family that has welcomed a previously homed greyhound into their home.

First and formost, the bouncee adopting a bounce has to remember one thing. We’re dogs. We live in the moment and when the end of our leash is handed off, we may not understand and we may be momentarily sad, but really, we live in the moment. Our first concerns are always the same. “Where is my new soft bed, what time is dinner, are the treats good, is the water bottled and how long are you going to scritch my ears ‘cause they really itch?”

I’m sure that my recent experience is not unique, but good grief, I challenge any of my fellow bounces to out do me.

The bouncers really hadn’t said much, but I knew something was up. I observed my bed, my bowls, my stuffies and a brown paper bag. It wasn’t like the boxes that the bouncers were using to pack their goodies. My brown paper bag and I loaded up in the car for a ride and I was scared. When the car stopped, I was greeted by two excentric ladies, I’ll call them the double s’s.

They acted as if they had known me forever and I as thinking holy dog crap, what is this all about?

The two eccentric ladies that Pasha lovingly refers to as the s’s…
Sucker and Softee.

And then, the end of my leash went to one of the s’s and I follwed her to the biggest yard ever and then, she took off my leash. The next thing I know, this hot chic named Foxy Roxy came running out to greet me. Everything started looking up.

I found myself following a million smells. I couldn’t even identify all of them. I was walking forever. I hardly had time to say good-bye to the bouncers, out of the corner of my eye I witnessed them leaving, they looked sad, but oh well!

After a bit more smelling, I was feeling a tad exhausted and ready for my bed. Into the house we went. I was quite pleased to see a ramp in place of the stairs. I’m not a youngster anymore and at this stage of the game everything helps.

Imagine my surprise when I walk into the bouncee’s house and I see millions of dog beds all over the place. I could lay anywhere I wanted.

But then I got an even bigger surprise, there were enough greyhounds to fill up all of those millions of beds! I was an only child before I came here, but in the “live in the moment” spirit, I greeted everyone with a cold nose up their butt and a wag of my tail. I am a Greyhound Garden Hound dog.

Everything else is either history or a mystery yet to be solved. My new job that lies ahead of me includes the day-to-day duties, keeping the cushion on the floor, making sure the meals are served on time and tasty, and training the s’s about my ever-ending need for ear scritches.

To all of you potential bouncees, I have three words for you, “Go for it.”

Please join me in sending my new friend Buddy a very happy birthday roo.

Pasha is starting his new life at the bed ‘n’ bowl. At 12.5 years old,
his family could no longer keep him. He knows he has a lot of time and
love left to give. He will be the new spokeshound for the “Bring home a bounce”
campaign. His position was previously held by Gracie, Cleo and Barbie.