Kendall and Her Family’s Fourth Greyhound Love Story

When Kendall and her family met Walt, it felt less like a formal adoption process and more like a greyhound quietly choosing his people. After sharing their lives with three Gumtree Greys hounds before him, Kendall, her husband and their two young daughters already knew how completely greyhounds can become part of a family. Now, with Walt bringing plenty of long-nosed charm into their home, Kendall shares why these gentle hounds keep winning their hearts.

What is it about these gentle long noses that keeps winning your heart?

We can’t imagine any other breed for our home and family. We love their gentle nature, their quirks and their big, soft hearts. It’s like having a sleepy horse in the house.

Our girls are three and six, and they have never known life without a greyhound. Now that we’re onto our fourth, I think we’ve started a family legacy of greyhound advocates for years to come.

Can you take us back to when you decided to adopt Walt? What made you think, ‘He’s the one’?

After losing our beloved Mac at the end of 2025, we were having some serious greyhound withdrawals, so we visited the Gumtree Greys stall at Gasworks Market to say hello.

Walt came straight over to us with such lovely, gentle confidence. It felt like he had chosen us with his sweet hazel eyes and wagging tail. Our girls adored him immediately, and so did we. It was easy to see from the beginning that he would fit in perfectly. It all felt easy and meant to be.

What do your children love most about life with Walt?

He is a playmate, cuddle buddy and gentle shadow all in one.

The girls love playing with him in the backyard. He is a big boy, but he is so gentle when he plays with them. They also love how he bounds in the door after his walks and comes straight over, as if he’s telling us how it all went.

Since Walt came home, what moment made you think, ‘This is exactly why we adopted him’?

The first time Walt roached was such a joyful moment for all of us. It felt like his classic greyhound tick of approval, with his brisket in the air and long, gangly limbs flung skyward.

It is such a rewarding feeling to offer a greyhound a home and then see them show that level of trust and comfort. It’s a simple moment, but it means everything.

What are Walt’s funniest quirks, habits or daily rituals?

Walt is very different from our other greyhounds in lots of ways. He loves to play, has energy for days, collects slippers and never gets on the couch. We’ve only ever had couch potatoes before, so it’s still a bit strange that he prefers a bed on the floor.

He is also an excellent communicator and will let us know when he is ready for a walk, wants to play, or simply needs his blanket reset or his satin cushion plumped.

He is such a sticky beak and likes to know what is going on in everyone’s day. He patrols the house to check in on us all, then flops back onto one of his many beds once he is satisfied everything is in order.

If Walt could send a postcard from his new life, what would it say?

Greetings from Geelong!

Life here is pretty wonderful. I have multiple beds to choose from and a very busy schedule of walks, patrols and naps.

The small humans are excellent entertainment. I make sure to be extra gentle when we play, and they reward me with lots of pats. I also take my role as household supervisor very seriously, checking in on everyone throughout the day.

Overall, I feel very safe, very loved and exactly where I belong.

Wish you were here.

Walt 🐾

For people who have never lived with a greyhound before, what might surprise them most about the joy they bring?

Greyhounds are big, slinky creatures, and until you get to know them, they can seem a little aloof or even intimidating. But underneath all that muscle and paper-thin skin, they are affectionate sweethearts and generally very low maintenance.

Our hounds have all been happy to sleep the day away somewhere comfortable and warm. But while greyhounds love to sleep, they also love being included in family life. Ours have loved car trips to the beach, weekends away and exploring different walking tracks with their pack.

And finally, for anyone wondering whether they should take the leap and adopt, what would you say?

Having greyhounds in our life has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. Even when we have lost them and our hearts have been broken, the joy of having them in the first place means we have no regrets at all.

There seems to be a misconception that greyhounds need a lot of space and exercise, but we have had a greyhound in a tiny apartment, and she was just happy to be there. As long as they have daily walks, a warm place to sleep and lots of love when requested, they make the loveliest companions.

I would suggest visiting a Gumtree Greys market stall to meet the crew, both the people and the hounds. The adoption and foster team are so passionate, experienced and knowledgeable, and the dogs are always up for a pat and a chat.

The support we have received from Gumtree Greys over the years has helped us through all kinds of situations, from settling an anxious hound rescued straight from a trainer, to finding the right match for a home with young children.

I’d also say: be patient. A greyhound’s personality can take time to emerge, and it can take a little while to find your rhythm together, but it’s so worth it.