Greyhounds leave paw prints all over your heart!!

Kvasha
"Kirby" Nolan

Once in awhile GEM gets a dog that needs to have just the right home. Sometimes these dogs can languish in a foster home for months before finding that perfect someone or family who will love them forever. Kirby is one of those special dogs. He is a lovely 73# male brindle greyhound with a beautiful white blaze on his chest.

He’s been in his current foster home for ten months waiting for his very own family. At five years old Kirby is neither a kid nor a senior, but he’s pretty playful for his age and will play with a toy until its stuffing comes out. Sturdy rope toys are best because they last longer with this guy. As much as he likes to kill a toy, Kirby does not chew on anything that’s not a toy, which is one of the benefits of a more mature dog.

The things that are hurting Kirby’s efforts at finding a home are the fact that he’s neither cat nor small animal safe and that immediately eliminates a lot of the nice families who have inquired about him. He also needs another confident dog for companionship when his people aren’t at home. He gets a little stressed during thunderstorms, fireworks and riding in the car. What makes Kirby really happy is to have routine, structured days with no surprises. He has been going to work daily with his foster dad, Patrick, who says Kirby loves to hang out on his dog bed in the back of the store (Just Dogs! Gourmet in Milford) and greets regular customers when they come in. Kirby gets along well with children but he can be a little aloof with people he doesn’t know. Once he’s gotten to know someone, his tail wags happily as he approaches to greet his old friends. But since Kirby hates car rides so much, it’s been a stressful time for both Kirby and his foster dad getting him to travel back and forth to the store each day. Some of the behaviors that can be expected when Kirby is stressed are pacing, panting, and whining.

Some of the things in Kirby’s plus column are that he doesn’t jump up on people or get on the furniture; he is perfectly house broken and has never displayed any marking behavior in the home. His foster mom and dad trust him in the house without being crated because he has never chewed on anything except toys, and has never had an accident. Kirby does tolerate the crate but would prefer to relax contentedly on a dog bed for hours at a time. He eats and drinks with gusto and plays well with other large breed dogs in the yard. He can get excited playing outside and pro bably needs to be with another dog who can match his enthusiasm at play. Kirby attaches to people easily and will probably transition quite nicely into a permanent home once he finds the right family. He likes to be near his humans, but is not clingy. Because of his playfulness, he may be a little too bouncy for a family with very small children. Kirby loves to take walks and would really like to find a companion with a routine schedule who will love him as he is.

So, if you’re looking for a loyal and loving companion dog, have another dog in the home and would like a stay-at-home kind of dog to keep you company, Kirby'd love to meet you!
Kirby's foster dad just couldn't imagine Kirby anywhere but at his house.  Patrick and Lorene Nolan signed adoption papers on February 22, 2010.