50 days of grey(hound) – Starting the year afresh

Liam from Palen Creek Correctional Centre here with the first update in 2019.

Things were a little quieter for me over the Christmas and New Year period. Christmas is not a big deal in prison, but I hear that it is different on the outside. I’ve heard about some Santa Claus guy who sneaks into people’s houses when they are asleep…Not sure why he hasn’t spent time here in prison TBH, but what would a greyhound know?

First off, some bad news. I’m not sure what I did to deserve such an indignity, but I got my nails clipped and had a bath (apparently running under a hose doesn’t count) while my handler learnt the correct techniques for handling and caring for a dog.

He said it was “lovely”. I like him and all, but swear I will never understand humans. I was perfectly content wearing eau de Hound, but he made me smell like a flower, something I attempted to remedy at the first available opportunity.

I have been told that I have been such a good boy I was able to have a new friend over for a play date. His name is Archie and while I am a speed-demon, he is part kelpie, part energiser bunny. He just goes and goes and goes.

We ran around (I beat him every time) and sniffed around the yard together. After playing for a little while, I had to sit down for a rest but I reckon Archie could play forever. He left me quite exhausted.

You might remember my friend Cyril who came with me to Palen Creek Correctional Centre.

Cyril is also going great guns. We go walking with our handlers a lot, and catch up on goings on around the farm.

After spending so much time with our handlers, we have a much better understanding of how to walk nicely on the lead.

I am proud to say that I am now toilet trained, easy to walk on a lead, respond to my name (I used to get distracted by treats and playing) and I am happy to receive pats at any time.

I’ve also learned not to jump up on people, am not scared of storms or loud noises and am very polite.

Thanks to my handler, I have learnt that these are all things that good dogs do.

I was also lucky to have a visit from the staff from the Greyhound Adoption Program. They were very impressed with how far I have come in the past six weeks that I have been here at Palen Creek Correctional Centre.

Prison is about rehabilitation, and it seems to be working for Cyril and I – I reckon it’s also working for our handlers too!

My handler has learned so much since we first met, and hopefully it will mean he might have a better life when he leaves here too. I am really trying to help him because he has helped me so much.

The exciting news is that I am so loving and gentle that I am ready to be adopted by my fur-ever family. I still haven’t heard of a release date but I’m keeping my nose close to the ground.

Hopefully Cyril and I will both be busted out of here soon after completing our prison sentence.

Until next time.

Pawprints and cold noses.

Liam.

Editor’s note: See Liam’s other journal entries at /50-days-of-greyhound-happy-howl-idays/; /50-days-of-greyhound/ and /50-days-of-greyhound-play-date/