Rey

Rey arrived to us in June of 2019. Not much was known about him, but the various scars indicated a life that was not overly kind. He was stoic and calm, and our retired racing greyhound Talley had hearts in her eyes when she met him. We began the process of getting him integrated into our home. He slept through the night and he started to get used to our routine.

We noticed he seemed to have some mobility issues, so we got him into the vet. After a course of medication and continuing chiro and massage his mobility improved. You could see him observing his strange new world and trying to figure out his place in it. He was more reserved with us, but seemed to take his cues from Talley. After a while, Rey began to have seizures. We spent quite a while finding the correct combination of medications and alternative therapies that would control his seizures with the least amount of impact over his quality of life.

During all of this Rey started to come out of his shell more.  He would happily accept treats and he learned that there is a whole new world of food, like fruit. He is a huge leaner and will now solicit attention from us. He wants to play, cuddle, and be around us. He is also extremely clever. Having taken Talley to a Champion Trick title using a clicker and operant conditioning, we saw that Rey was a clever chap that might enjoy working.

The biggest challenge we faced was him learning the concept that we will ask for something and then reward him for doing it. Every time! Unlike some dogs that learn how to learn, Rey has a very clear idea of learning. Given his background, we are sure he needed his wits to survive. He is able to manipulate things in his environment and is an extremely good problem solver. His problem-solving abilities have created some great stories and “how did you do that” moments. It also has allowed Rey to achieve two trick titles of his own.

Rey is a wonderful addition to our family and has a huge personality. When it is dinner time, Rey will often sit stoically and stare at me, alerting me to the time in case I had forgotten.  Who knows, he can probably read the clock in the kitchen.