Elijah

This long-boy is the perfect mix of a Greyhound and a Scottish DeerHound. Elijah is a solid boy, all black, with a few white markings on his chest, feet, and tip of his tail. He is both soft and wire-haired. It’s like his DNA couldn’t decide if he would be more Greyhound or DeerHound, and is a handsome mix of both! His goofy ears do not stand up but flop out to the sides! He is going to be a tall fella.

Elijah loves his foster greyhound brother and sister. He plays from the moment he wakes up until he sleeps at night. Well, aside from a few naps here and there. He is extremely active. He loves to play with toys and chew on bully sticks. He does have a bad habit of chewing on and swallowing twigs and bark from trees. Outside, Elijah could win a gold medal for his digging ability for both speed and depth! He is curious about the mysterious dog on the other side of the fence and will start an intense “conversation” with him. He also loves to play in the rain and mud. When inside and not playing with toys, he sits and stares out the window. He loves to let everyone know that he sees them. Elijah is very, very affectionate. He will climb into your lap and flop onto your chest, even at his size. Since the day he came to us, I give him rapid-fire kisses on the snoot, and he LOVES it.

While he may be a little shy when first meeting someone or going to a new place, he warms up quickly. Elijah likes to be with his person. He will follow us around the house and loves to be included in all activities. If left behind a baby gate, he will likely jump it. Elijah will voice his distress and his need to be with you. He is not a fan of the crate at all so when we leave the house, Elijah is muzzled to keep him from getting into things.

Elijah is not possessive with his toys, food, or treats, though he will try and take them back. While Elijah does walk ‘ok” on a leash, he will pull and weave so he needs a bit more training in that department. Elijah knows his name and a few commands like sit, you hungry?, come here, go to bed.

Occasionally he has a hard time staying focused with distractions. Elijah is learning to live with kitties, small dogs and even caged birds! He will acknowledge the cats and doesn’t engage; and is respectful of the exotic birds kept in a separate room. Fortunately his small young dog friend has the same level of “play” drive and the two of them pal around together. Elijah doesn’t quite know his size and can be a bit rough playing bitey face with his little buddy. He’s never snapped at or bitten her. Sometimes he sits next to the kitty and small dog on the couch for a couple of hours without any interaction. It’s still a good idea to monitor his behavior when people are home, and secure the kitty or small dog when we’re away.

With any large breed dog, you know that counter surfing is a big possibility, and it is with Elijah. While he will no longer openly get on the counter while we’re near, he will snag something close to the edge when no one is watching. Being as young as he is, he tends to jump on people. We are still working on “4 on the floor” with a lot of positive reinforcement.

Elijah thrives on a routine. He gets up around 7 AM and goes to bed around 10 PM. He knows when it’s bedtime and enjoys cuddling at night. Another reason, and a very important reason, why a routine is important for Elijah is because he is on Keppra to control seizures. This med must be taken every 12 hours on the dot and since being on the med, he hasn’t had any seizures. It is vital that he continues to get his meds on time daily.

While Elijah is housebroken, he is used to using a doggie door. If going into a home without a doggie door, please be observant of his behavior. He will usually pace and sometimes whine near the door to be let out. Because he is not used to holding it, there may be some regressions in training without one. 

Elijah’s ideal forever home will have other active large or small canine companions who want to play and a yard to run around. He’s too vocal for an apartment setting. Anyone would be lucky to have Elijah. He is an amazing puppy and the sweetest boy. He responds well to love and affection, and positive reinforcement. His foster family would love to be a part of his life after adoption!