JJ’s Page
JJ was a handsome Irish bred greyhound with a typical Irish build - slim, athletic, with a very fine pointed nose. He was immensely charming, funny and goofy with a super sense of humour. He had a few 'wiring' issues, being nervous of strangers and also a bit funny around certain dog breeds, usually large ones. But overall, he was a joy to have and gave us lots of amusement.
Size: JJ stood about 29 inches to the shoulder - that's 73cm, about halfway up my thigh.
Weight: When adopted JJ was 32 kilos of solid fat, which turned into 32 kilos of solid muscle. When he was older he dropped some of the muscle weight and tended to be about 29-30 kilos, depending on the season.
Colour: Fawn
Town or Country: Greyhounds are fabulously adaptable and do well in all kinds of environments. JJ was no exception, though he loved to goof about off the lead.
Low Allergy: Greyhounds are known to be low allergy dogs and can be tolerated by many people with mild or moderate dog allergies
Best Suited for: Jay would have been an asset to any household who wanted an undemanding, funny companion.
Group: Hound
Originally From: Ireland.
Original Purpose: Bred for racing, but never made the grade. The poor lad just didn't have it in him. He liked to run about - for about 30 seconds - and then would drop into a slow trot or even an amble. Often rabbits would gambol across his path and he really couldn't be bothered. The only thing which really got him going was deer, which of course was what greyhounds were originally used for hunting before the advent of mass racing and the greyhounds sad fall from noble status.
Exercise: Moderate. JJ loved to be out and he would happily do long walks but he was just as at home with short ones, especially in bad weather. Definitely a master of 'sofa surfing'!
Living Space: Medium despite his large size. He was relatively gentlemanly with space and would 'shove up' when asked to make way for humans.
Coat: Short and smooth
Grooming: Mostly minimal, though occasionally in summer he would cool off by bathing in muddy puddles, thus becoming a rather stinky two-tone dog for a while.
Children: Wary. He was very nervous of children's loud noises and sudden movements. He would just look worried and retreat into a corner.
Sociability with strangers: Wary until he got to know then and knew they weren't a threat, after which everything was fair game, especially food!
Sociability with animals or other dogs: Brilliant with the cats and mostly brilliant with other dogs. However there was one Boxer in particular he took a dislike to, and sometimes he'd be a bit funny with big hairy dogs. I think he sensed the atmosphere the dog was giving off and that started him going - because he probably thought he was vulnerable.
Trainability: Jay was easy going and very easy to train, especially with treats.
Noise Level: Low. Like most greyhounds he barked rarely but did appoint himself household protector, so would bark for knocks on the door.
Known Health Issues: Generally Jay had great health, but he went down to arthritis in the end.
Lifespan: 11 years and 6 months
Special Needs: A comfy sofa, lots of cuddles, and to lie in the bedroom doorway protecting me at night
More About JJ
This picture really captures JJ at his best. He was such a silly, happy boy – always smiling and having fun.
JJ came to us from Dogs Trust in Kenilworth, in the Midlands. Adopting JJ was a bit of a mistake really. Originally we went for a third dog to go with Jess and Missy and came out with Spider, a brindle lurcher. However Spider didn’t work out. We had been told he was cat friendly but 4 days into his trial period he attacked one of the cats.
My husband was away and I had to return Spider. I was in tears, but the rescue centre understood they had made a mistake – which was based on information they had from the previous owners who brought him in!
Anyway, here’s how the conversation went after Spider was returned to a kennel:
Cheryl (rehomer) ” Has this put you off having another dog?”
Me : “No, of course not. Spider just wasn’t right for us”
Cheryl : “It’s just that we’ve had a dog come back in after a year out in a home. The owner’s given us all kinds of excuses. He’s lived with 5 cats and never had a problem. He’s very nervous of people but a real sweetie once you get to know him. We have a real soft spot for him here, and we’d really like to see him settled”
So off I went to see a large fawn male, when really I’d gone to see if there was a small brindle female!
And there was JJ in the kennel, sitting on an old arm chair. Cheryl called his name and I saw this amazing pair of ears, and melting brown eyes, topping off a beautiful long swan neck. When Cheryl brought him out he was shaking like a jelly in an earthquake. He was so fat and poorly exercised you wouldn’t believe – like a cocktail sausage on little thin stick legs! And I loved him.
I turned to Cheryl and said “He’s coming home with me, and he’s never coming back”.
And that was it. Poor lad, for the first 3 days he was so traumatised by all the change he sat in a corner of the lounge by the telly, and would not move except to go for walks. We had to bring his food and water to him. But after that he started to open up and blossom. With nervous dogs seeing them come out of themselves is so rewarding. I’d encourage anyone to do it.
He came, he stayed, and he was happy. He got everything he ever wanted. Long walks, good food, lots of cuddles and Missy and Jess to be with. He was rarely a problem – his only issue was the dog ‘funnies’ that he had. But we found a lady who did homeopathic remedies for pets, got him on a set of Bach flower remedies and all was well.
He was such a goon, always playing the fool, and he did make us laugh a lot. He also used to lie in the bedroom doorway at night protecting me. Here he is with Jess in the Peak District.
Over the years, we took JJ back to see the people at Dogs Trust and they were completely thrilled to see how well and happy he was each time.
JJ loved life. His nicknames were Big Man, Bigsy Man, Bigsy and Whingematic.
JJ died from arthritis in the end. He got slower and slower and then all of a sudden things went really bad. For 10 days he was in and out of the vets for injections, pills, potions and all kinds but nothing was working. He was in such pain every time he stood up and every time he laid down. Then suddenly on one day he seemed ok – up and smiling and I had my Big Man back. I really thought that whatever the vets had given him the day before had solved the problem.
Robin and I took all the dogs for a walk on Southend beach that day. It was off season so dogs were allowed and JJ did always so love running on the sand. He trotted about with his head high, laughing and smiling. It was joyful to see.
Then the day after it was all over. I went to help him stand up in the morning so he could go out to toilet and he screamed. He was in too much pain. I let him down gently and phoned Robin, who had gone back to his house about 2 hours away the night before. Robin came straight over. We knew it was time – and so did JJ. The light went out in his eyes.
The vets came out to him at home at about 2pm because I could not bear to move him. He passed away peacefully in my arms, at home, surrounded by all who loved him and all that he loved. I keep his ashes in a wooden casket on my shelves.
Dearest JJ, we miss you and your silliness. Rest in peace.
An Ode To JJ
I’m a dandy highwayman, I really, truly am!
A gangling Irish greyhound, With a tongue as pink as spam.
I’ve long slim legs and shining eyes, And a handsome toothy grin;
Huge ‘radar’ ears, and a pointy nose
For rifling in the bin.
My mum and dad they love me, Though I don’t know why they do
I lounge around the house all day, And eat and drink and poo
Leaving dog food on their kitchen floor, And dog hairs in their bed
They smile at me cos ‘the lights are on
But there’s nothing in that head’.
I was the world’s worst racer, But I don’t think I’m dumb
I see the rabbit sure enough but I just don’t want to run!
I’m a quiet, gentle giant, So next time you lay a bet
Remember you’re a richer man
With a greyhound as a pet.
JJ RIP, August 1996 – March 2007
My present
Blue Vinnie Kylah Arwen Ma’aloo
My past
Vanna Missy JJ Jess Holly Jamal
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