He started here with us and the first thing we realized was that he really had
rotten and loose teeth
and his mouth had to be taken care of, scary as doing a dental on a greyhound at
that age was. That took 2 visits to our dental specialist vet and exactly $1267.50.
He had 24 teeth removed. The cost was well worth it, and not really all that more
expensive than keeping him on antibiotics for the rest of his life.
When he came here we didn't know what his mobility problems would be. Well we
quickly learned that he loves to walk, and walk and walk. He does a high-stepping,
pony prance with his front legs, and a stiff, almost wobbly, yet nimble gait with
his rear end. So mobility is not a problem most of the time, believe me!
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Young "Royce", "Prince of Dogs" |
His racing name was Fancy Fellow. We learned from his first family that he
was terrible at racing and was put up for adoption after only something like six
official races - something about always wanting to run on the inside. They also
told me he had the kennel name of "Shoestring" because he liked to attack the
laces of his trainers.
His first family brought him home from the now-defunct track at the Wisconsin
Dells Greyhound Park. It was the day before his third birthday, though they didn't
know it was his birthday. Mom named him "Royce". Dad titled him "The Prince of Dogs."
He was part of that family for the next nine years and two months. He lived there in
his youth as the best friend of the three boys in the family and as they grew up he did too.
Sadly, while all of them were in their teens, for Jack it meant he had grown old.
For whatever reason, in July of 2003, an old dog, he abruptly ceased to thrive.
He became miserable - he couldn't walk more than half a block, and needed to be
carried up the stairs. The family brought their dog Royce to the Dairyland track
to be put to sleep. The adoption center at the track took him in and that was
the last his first family knew of his fate. (I learned all this when I discovered
he had already been microchipped and contacted them for permission to have his microchip
record updated to my name).
Jack's reunion with his first family
Mom, Dad, and the two youngest of the three boys |
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