If you aren’t on Facebook or don’t know anyone who already owns a Greyhound you may not know that April is Adopt a Greyhound Month.

Bunny, of Tales and Tails fame, posted a wonderful blog post a week or so ago called New And Improved Reasons Why You Need a Greyhound. Well worth reading if you haven’t already. The thing I love most about Greyhounds is that as a breed they are very quirky. For me that’s certainly a good enough reason to adopt one! I thought I’d see how many quirks I could come up with. Feel free to mention any I’ve missed in the comments.

1. Roaching – While definitely not a Greyhound only quirk I doubt there is another breed who does it with so many variations and so much panache! Beryl is an exception and unable to do a stylish roach. She rarely roaches, usually only to have her tummy rubbed, and looks anything but elegant while doing so. Beryl is very coy when she does roach! Most of my foster boys were expert roachers. This is handsome Mambo showing his style. It took Asher 4 months to get on the couch, and another month before he would roach. He’s getting a bit of style going here with his front leg!Now he’s an expert and has progressed to the ‘full monty’ roach … taking up all of my big couch in the process!
2. ETS – (Escaping Tongue Syndrome) Usually accompanies roaching and is very cute. Can also happen when upright as I’ve noticed with Asher!
3. Leaning – Many Greyhounds excel at this. People who have never met a Greyhound before and are leaned upon by a dog they don’t know are usually entranced. It’s the Greyhound form of hugging! Beryl will sometimes lean on other people but doesn’t lean on me. So far Asher doesn’t lean at all.
4. Air Snapping – My first foster dog, Riley, introduced me to serious air snapping! I wondered what sort of Greyhound I had on my hands the first time he did it. He is a very enthusiastic snapper and it took me a while to get used to it.  It’s a way of showing happiness, lol. None of my following foster boys did it. I soon came to enjoy the sight and sound of Riley and his snapping.
5. GSOD – (Greyhound Scream Of Death) My first introduction to this was from Frankie before I even had Beryl! The difference being when a Greyhound does it the cause is usually minor, they’ve stubbed a toe or tripped over something, or just got a fright. In Frankie’s case he’d run full speed into a solid branch and how he didn’t smash his shoulder I’ll never know! The first time you hear the GSOD it will age you by at least 100 years, turn your hair white and make you scared to move because you don’t know what horror you’re going to see!  In the case of serious injury a Greyhound tends to be very stoic. I have yet to hear the GSOD from Asher, he tends to whine for no apparent reason though. Maybe that’s another Greyhound quirk?
6. Stuffy Hoarding – Most Greyhounds love their stuffed toys. Many gather them up and hoard them on their bed or where ever they sleep. Others play with them, some even ‘kill’ them and disembowel them. Some are safe with squeaky toys, others first task with a new squeaky toy is to desqueak it. Some Greyhounds will hoard anything that takes their fancy. My foster dog before Asher, Chips, used to love dragging my Queen sized mink blanket off the bed and would then drag it into the lounge room to his bed along with whatever else he could find and hoard.  He had a thing about my shoes as well as stuffies. Asher and his favourite stuffy, which is destuffed thanks to Frankie, but still loved by Asher!
7. Greetings – One of Asher’s most endearing quirks is how he sees me off to work in the morning (and makes it very hard to leave!) and greets me when I get home. His most prized ‘possession’ is his now deflated basketball and he finds it when I go to work and when I get home and stands at the back gate holding it in his mouth and looking ever so cute (and plaintive when I’m going to work!) Asher and his favourite ball. Many Greyhounds greet their owners with a stuffy in their mouths.
8. Chattering – Beryl is a champion chatterer!  It’s when their teeth chatter, can be quite loud, and means they’re happy. She often does it at Meet ‘N Greets when she’s being patted by strangers and I have to explain that she’s happy and enjoy their cuddles. She will also do it when she’s anticipating something good e.g. getting fed or going for a walk. It’s a very cute Greyhound quirk.
9. Foofing – Beryl and Asher both do this. I don’t know what other people call it, foofing is just my name for it. They puff their cheeks and I can usually only hear a very faint foof noise. They’re in a state of relaxed bliss when they do this, usually getting a quiet chest rub while standing next to me.
10. The Big Sigh – Greyhounds are known for sighing. Beryl and Asher both do it when they are ready to sleep at night … but they don’t do it during the day! Asher’s sigh is so deep he usually flutters his lips and sounds like a horse, lol!
11. Instant Dandruff – A Greyhound quirk that is most obvious on black hounds! If Beryl is stressed I can tell as the dandruff appears as if by magic! And vanishes just as quickly when whatever has stressed her has gone.
12. Rooing – Lots of dogs howl or roo as it’s called in Greyhound circles.  But Greyhounds seem to do it better!  Sadly neither Beryl or Asher roo. I’ve played them Youtube videos of Greyhounds rooing to no avail. They just aren’t interested.
13. Head Hugs – This is lovely. My name again! Beryl and Asher both do it.  Always when I’m sitting down. They put their head down and snuggle it into my chest while I’m stroking their sides. Often accompanied by foofing!
14. Chipping – This is a Greyhound owner quirk! There’s a well known saying “Greyhounds are like potato chips, you can’t stop at one”.  It took me 3 1/2 years before I gave in and adopted my second Greyhound. I still can’t explain what it is about them that makes them so special. All their quirks, their absolute easiness to have around, the pleasure you get from just looking at them, the joy of watching them run, And Beryl loves to run! Maybe that look they have and when they use it you’re putty in their paws! No doubt a combination of all the above and more. I just know I won’t be having any other breed, they have really got under my skin.
15. Bed Fail And Comfort – Greyhounds do like their home comforts. Often their idea of what’s comfortable is quite different to our perception. Yes, that does look comfortable to me too Asher. Not very tidy though! Excuse the nose art on the ranch slider, lol! I guess we all have it. Beryl’s idea of comfort doesn’t include my/our bed being made!! She likes rumples. I know I’ve got some bed fail photos but blowed if I can track them down.
16. Trancing – I didn’t know about this one until I wrote a blog post about Beryl and Her Tree and Houndstooth said in the comments that Beryl was trancing!I luffs my tree. How very cool. While there are other dogs who trance I think it is another Greyhound quirk. No, I haven’t planted a trancing tree for Beryl in the 2 years since we’ve been in our new home … but it is on the long list of things to do.
17. Nitting – nothing to do with getting the knitting needles out. It’s nibbling on their human’s skin. Endearing unless you’ve got a Beryl who nibbles rather enthusiastically and actually hurts, lol! She tends to do it when she’s hungry or wants a walk and usually picks a time when I’m sitting at the computer and gets me under my arm, ouch!
18. ?ing – I haven’t got a name for this one. Beryl does it and I’ve heard of other Greyhounds who do it. Kind of looks like this …Except Beryl rubs both sides of her face, usually on the mink blanket on our bed. Bum has to be in the air. In this photo she is having a futile attempt at rolling in something smelly!
19. Smiling – I love a dog who smiles, it’s so cute and endearing! People who have never seen a dog smile can mistake it for a snarl but it’s easy to tell the difference. I had 3 Shelties who smiled and the smiles were usually accompanied by sneezes and lots of head tossing and prancing. The most Beryl ever smiles and I think gravity has something to do with it! 
20. Naughtiness – I know it isn’t exclusive to Greyhounds but they do seem to have a thing about shredding stuff … I’m sure other breeds of dog shred duvets when their tea is late! Beryl is also displaying serious stink eye, which is the last quirk on the list. 
21. Stink Eye – I guess other dogs do stink eye, Frankie doesn’t and Asher hasn’t yet. Beryl is an expert though and I know many other Greyhounds have perfected this method of showing they’re not impressed!

OK, how did I do? What quirks have I forgotten? Non-Greyhound owners, how many of you have a Greyhound in disguise? What quirks do your dogs have in common with Greyhounds?  Is quirkiness a good reason to gravitate towards a Greyhound for your next dog, or to suggest a Greyhound to someone you know who is thinking of getting a dog?

Well, Beryl has just come to tell me that it’s nearly midnight and past time we all went to bed. I’d better do as she requests before she gives me the stink eye!!