Rebel – Born June 2015
Rebel – The model Greyhound
Rebel is taking his new modelling career extremely seriously and can’t stop posing! Here he is strutting his stuff in his brand new Greytcoat in Hot Spot 😎😍
Thank you so much for making this so quickly for him Phylly Clarke – greytcoats, it’s been keeping him very cosy indeed.
Rebels weekend away
Peter and Rebecca had Rebel to stay for a weekend and then a four-day foster. For the first weekend he was a little uncertain how to behave in our flat, following us around and checking every room, but by the second stay he accepted our routine and was comfortable enough to roach and fit in with our normal life. He loved walking in Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common but was happiest in the open spaces of the Park where he could see for some distance and wasn’t surprised by anything. At one stage he was enclosed by high bracken and became unsettled, but as soon as we got back out into the open he calmed right down.
He started out a bit jumpy at first but once we worked out his triggers (squirrels), giving him some take-up time and not making him walk on, he could allow the squirrels to move off without any fuss. His appetite was good and apart from an initial scent-marking we had no issues with house training. He was great fun, very sociable with everyone, and behaved like a big puppy, including ball-games indoors and out.
We think he would settle down in a long-term foster care or a forever home where he could find his place within a family; with socialisation and consistent training/routine he will make a super pet. He is a very affectionate hound who loved cuddles and seemed just to want to be part of the pack.
Rebel on holiday with Laura
Rebel had a short break from kennels recently and joined me in a holiday cottage just outside the New Forest for 4 days. Knowing what a lively lad he is and having seen how he likes to rearrange the sofa room at the kennels, I had been more than slightly nervous in the run up to this trip away and, right up until the morning of departure, had contemplated asking Carol if I could take a different dog. However, as the day approached, I just couldn’t face the thought of leaving him behind and not giving him the chance to show how wonderful he could be in a home so I packed my car, picked him up and headed off down the M3. As our final destination approached, the nerves started to kick in. I had booked a dog-friendly Air BnB cottage and told the host I was bringing a dog but didn’t tell her that he wasn’t actually my dog and had never been in a home before. What could possibly go wrong?! Well, nothing did go wrong and, in fact, we had a lovely time……
When we got into our cottage, Rebel rushed around checking everything out. I set up his feed stand and water bowl in the kitchen and made him a comfy bed in the living room. He worked out quickly where these were and, within an hour, was roaching at full stretch on his bed – obviously in holiday mode straight away! He happily ate his dinner that evening and we went for a short walk around the village after that before settling down for a cosy night in front of the television. Rebel’s reaction to the television was one of many laugh out loud moments that week as I realised that literally everything was going to be new to him.
He slept well every night. He worried if I shut him out of the bedroom (I couldn’t let him upstairs because the stairs were shiny wood and far too dangerous for him) so I slept in a single bed in the living room and he settled immediately on his bed on the floor next to me. There was a strict “no dogs on furniture” rule in the cottage and he did very well to respect that (most of the time 😉) He woke me up each morning by licking my face and I opened my eyes to see him grinning at me, tail wagging happily. If I didn’t get up immediately, he would rest his head on my shoulder like a hug and then if I still didn’t get up he would climb up onto the bed and settle down next to me for a cuddle – a lovely way to start the day! Typically, he got up once or twice during the night and, taking no risks, I would put him out into the garden and praise him enthusiastically for answering the call of nature in the right place. The only time we had an accident in the house was when I relaxed too much, missed the signs and he cocked his leg up the curtains but one wee inside during the week for his first time in a home is pretty impressive 😇
Rebel is a quick learner and seemed to understand “no” spoken in the right tone of voice – this might have been when I was eating my dinner and he wanted to share or when he picked up one of my shoes to take to his bed! When I told him no, he would go and lie on his bed like a good boy! ⭐️
In summary, Rebel was a happy, calm boy in the house and really lovely company. He even got a glowing review from our AirBnB host! In hindsight that shouldn’t have surprised me because he is pretty chilled out in his kennel at Hersham – it’s just the excitement of going for a walk that makes him a bit bouncy in the yard.
Rebel’s only real challenge is out on walks – he is very strong on the lead and has a tendency to get over excited. Squirrels and dogs running off lead generally result in one of his signature kangaroo leaps which we are trying to discourage. This is purely excitement though – Rebel has never shown any signs of aggression or fear around dogs of any breed, he just wants to join in the fun. He LOVES going out (unless it’s raining – he’s not a fan of rain 😂) and will seemingly walk forever so was a great companion for exploring the New Forest and surrounding areas. He walks perfectly with his greyhound friends and is a regular in Surrey Sighthound Walking Group outings.
Rebel is now back at Hersham and ready to interview potential new owners. He would probably benefit from a calm doggy companion (of any breed but medium to large only because of his enthusiasm) to teach him to chill out a bit more on walks but could also live as an only dog although would need to work up to being left alone for any length of time. In an ideal world, he would live somewhere with space to explore. He is totally unfazed by children but we feel older children would be better, again because of his enthusiasm. He would love an active family who would enjoy sharing his love of the great outdoors.
Rebel Home stay report
This is the (very handsome) face of a very happy hound who has had a fun weekend and who has just rearranged the sofa room!
If you’ve met Rebel you will know that he is a big strong lad who approaches life with a little more enthusiasm than is entirely necessary but he is also a very cuddly hound who gives great kisses (enthusiastically of course 😘) and would love to find a sofa of his own.
LAURA TOOK REBEL TO PAINSHILL TODAY AND THIS IS THE STORY OF THE FUN WE HAD:
Rebel is a big, handsome exuberant bundle of fun. He explodes out of his kennel with the enthusiasm of a whirling dervish so it was with trepidation that I invited him into my car for a trip to Painshill today but I needn’t have worried.
With his tail wagging continually, Rebel leapt into my car easily and settled down nicely. On arrival at the car park he was overcome with excitement to be out and about and did a convincing kangaroo impression but this was short lived and he settled down nicely once we got into the park.
He definitely walked with enthusiasm and is a strong lad but I got the impression he was slightly over awed by everything he had to take in. His reaction to the other dogs we met varied from total indifference to leaping with joy but, when he was leaping around, he was easily distracted with a treat or a cuddle and he happily walked on nicely.
Rebel loves life and would love someone to take him home to show him some more of the outside world and teach him how to relax a little.
