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Trailways: Our "Firstborn" |
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Trailways (aka "Smooth Jon Rand")
5/18/90 - RB 10/24/02 |
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It all started in 1992 with a visit to the Naples-Fort Myers greyhound track. The first thing we saw was a large sign promoting the adoption of retired racing greyhounds! Talk about planting a seed and watching it grow... adopting a grey was the hot topic for the rest of our vacation! But we wanted to wait till we had a house with some room... so in May 1994, we applied to GPA/MD to adopt a greyhound. We were told we could be as general or as specific with our adoption request as we wanted... but we thought as long as the grey was "cat-safe", it didn't matter what color the pupper was! We DID have the name picked out... Trailways!
On May 13, 1994, the phone call came... "He's HERE!" So we jumped into the van, wondering what "he" looked like.. what his personality would be... what we'd gotten ourselves into...
We arrived at the home of the foster parents to be greeted by their 4 hounds and the REDDEST red brindle greyhound any of the group had ever seen!! One look and we knew... Trailways was here, and going home with us!! The bonding was almost immediate... he just walked right into our hearts, curled up, and took over. Typical greyhound....
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We quickly found that Trailways, or "Big Red", as we nicknamed him, was very good with the furrballs... or it was more like they told him what was appropriate! Here Trailways and Spencer share the couch for a "catnap"... |
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(Of course, make CERTAIN that your grey is cat-safe before allowing it to be in close quarters with a cat or small dog unmuzzled! And remember that a greyhound good with cats indoors may be exactly opposite outdoors! These guys have been bred for over 3000 years to hunt, chase and kill small furry animals.... so ALWAYS err on the side of caution!) |
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Trailways's racing career... |
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Trailways was born "Smooth Jon Rand" (named for a top sportswriter at the Kansas City Star) on May 18, 1990. He was one of five pups in the litter, owned by the Dick Andrews kennel. He began his racing at Multnomah Greyhound Park, in Oregon, and soon moved to "The Woodlands" in Kansas, one of the most competitive tracks in the country at the time. A serious injury sidelined him for 8 months, after which he returned to racing at the Palm Beach and Naples-Fort Myers tracks in Florida. After a second injury, he was retired at age 3 years, 8 months. He ran 92 races in his career, winning 12, with 8 seconds, 8 thirds and 3 fourths. |
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Life after retirement... |
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The "Big Red Machine" (so nicknamed for his eating abilities) has adjusted wonderfully, as almost all greyhounds will, to a life of luxury. Trailways now shares our home with two other greys (more on them later!), an Australian Shepherd, a Swiss Mountain Dog, and two cats (more on them later, too!). Trailways loves to do meet-and-greets with our adoption group, GPA/Northern California, and is well known for being the laziest greyhound you'll ever meet! Just watch if he stays in one spot for more than a minute... and listen for the "thud" as he lays down!! He's also mastered the art of "counter surfing"... and will snatch a plate of cat food out from under a cat's nose in a New York minute!
Most of all... Trailways is loved... and loves unconditionally. He is our firstborn, and for that reason will always be special to us.10/26/02 - It is with great sadness that we report Trailways crossed to the Rainbow Bridge on 10/24/02, after a short, but tragic illness that took the use of his rear legs from him. We will always love you, Trails... and you'll always have a special place in our hearts. Run with the wind, my Big Red Machine... until we're together once more. |
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Let a Greyhound run into your heart...
Call 1-800-366-1472. |
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In memory of the Greyhounds who never found a home... now playing at the Rainbow Bridge. |
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Return to the "Big Guys" homepage... Click here!
Meet my brother Dempsey... Click here!
Check out Odie's Place... Click here! |
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You are visitor 
since 11/29/98! Thanks for stopping in!