Elijah

This long-boy is the perfect mix of a Greyhound and a Scottish Deer Hound. 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 Deer Hound, 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 brother and sister, who are under a year and a half. 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 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, or closed door, Elijah will voice his distress and his need to be with you. When we leave the house, Elijah is crated. Elijah will sing the “song of his people” in a desperate act of being set free.

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, get in the crate.

He has a hard time staying focused with distractions. Elijah has a 17 yr old cat foster sister, who has no patience for a puppy. Elijah can be a little rough when smelling and giving her kisses, and he will also chase her. He has never snapped at or bitten her. Sometimes they sit next to each other on the couch for a couple of hours without any interaction. It’s possible that with time and effort, he could be ok with a feline family member if they had separation from him with a baby gate during hyper moments. 

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.

Elijah thrives on a routine. He gets up at 5:30 am and goes to bed around 8 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 with have other active canine companions who want to play and a yard to run around. He’s a bit 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!