We Never Saw A Greyhound Up Close. Once We Did We Really Had To Adopt One.
Torsten’s Story

GSGA popped up in my search and we were immediately impressed by all the information available on the site, especially as new people to the world of greyhounds. I spent several days reading through the different sections, checking out recent adoptions (whew, all the adopters looked friendly) and the dogs available for adoption (we wanted them all), how to care for a greyhound and what to do/not do during training. We decided to head to a local meet and greet so we could take a look – neither of us had ever seen one up close and personal! We met a beautiful black greyhound in Alameda … shoot, now we really had to adopt one.

I filled out the adoption form online and I was so excited that I may have submitted it twice. I had excellent phone conversations with a volunteer and Stu, a fun and successful house visit, and then the day came when we met Chevy who is now Torsten (trust me, the name is perfect for him). When our dog walked into the room we silently gulped – this was the largest dog out of the six…. also quite sweet as he sprawled out in the middle and began chewing on a nylabone. Now, almost two months later, we wonder why we didn’t adopt sooner!

Torsten is very smart, goofy and loving, exactly as Stu described him before we met. He is also quite entertaining, pure joy, expressive and a true family member. He has developed routines that began a few weeks after being home with us: in the morning, he likes to drag his upstairs bed downstairs (with a little help so he doesn't fall) to combine his two beds for premium daytime comfort. When he sees that I am about to take Claudio to the BART station for work, he tries to block the front door so Claudio can’t leave. He is also the first in the kitchen when he hears me getting ready to cook… he does a very fast, light-footed trot from his bed to the kitchen counter and suddenly he’s there batting his big brown eyes with curiosity. And if he doesn’t get fed on time (according to him), he will look at me… then look at where we keep his food… then look back at me until he’s fed. Now, sometimes he is very early about getting fed and I’ll just ignore him… and he’ll do a droopy walk back to bed and let out a giant sigh while he waits. He also surprised us recently by letting out a low growl from his bed when he saw someone dropping off an advertisement at the front porch (the front door has clear glass). He loves everyone, except that one guy at the door, and other dogs and he is getting used to the cats in the neighborhood (thank you to the treats in the back pocket and positive reinforcement for not chasing them). He especially loves it when we take him on playdates with other dogs and rub him behind his ears while he leans against us.

Stu, Barbara, Gary and Shelley -- thanks for helping Claudio and I find the best dog for us. We are very grateful to you and all the volunteers who make GSGA a success for dogs and owners alike. From the moment I submitted the application to the day we met Torsten, we have been impressed by how well-organized GSGA is and how wonderful it is to share stories and tips with other GSGA greyt owners. This is our first but not our last greyhound! Thank you.

This story was submitted by greyhound owner Liese and Torsten aka AMF Up Ahead