From Feral to Family: How I Fell in Love and Adopted My Foster Greyhound, Timmy
Discover the heartwarming story of how Gumtree Greys Director Julia transformed a scared, unsocialized paddock greyhound named Timmy into a beloved family member. Learn about the challenges and joys of fostering and 'foster failing' (adopting) a greyhound in need.
Deciding to Foster a Greyhound
After my previous greyhound Henry passed away, I decided it was time to start fostering again. I had another 13yo dog, Clodagh, who struggled with isolation anxiety and separation anxiety. So, the very day after I made the difficult decision to put Henry to sleep, I organised to pick up and foster one of the greyhounds on Gumtree Grey’s waitlist of over 30 greyhounds. That dog was Timmy.
Timmy’s Challenging Background as a Paddock Greyhound
Timmy was what we call a paddock dog. He was born with a slight foot deformity and his breeder, recognizing he wouldn't be suitable for racing at just six months old, kept him in a small run or paddock for 2.5 years.
This meant Timmy had spent his whole three years of life in a small run or paddock with no socialisation or much human interaction. He wasn’t taught how to walk on a lead or trained for racing. His exposure to humans was when they came to feed him. He had a little shed with a bed to sleep on, but otherwise, he lived outside, unhandled and feral.
The first time Timmy left the property was most likely when he was taken to get desexed just before I picked him up. Timmy had never been in a car before, let alone seen the world outside his paddock. So, when I took him home, the world was terrifying for him. He was scared of everything, from the shiny kitchen floors (which he kept slipping on) to the world outside - every noise and movement was scary.
Overcoming Timmy’s Fears: The first few days and weeks
Timmy was incredibly frightened, had an upset stomach, and was underweight. Going for a walk was impossible. At first, we couldn’t even make it past the front gate. After a vet visit and some short term anxiety medication, we slowly worked on helping Timmy feel more comfortable. I gave him a probiotic for dogs and began a single-protein diet to help settle his tummy and started using anti-slip mats throughout the house to help him feel more secure. Over the course of the next few weeks, he gradually overcame some of his fears. He began venturing outside the house, started to enjoy walkies and learned to navigate the slippery floors, though it took a couple of months before he felt confident enough inside to walk on bare tiles.
Falling in Love and Introducing Timmy to Clodagh
As the days went on, I knew I was falling in love with Timmy. But before fully committing, I had to make sure he would get along with Clodagh, my 13-year-old greyhound cross. I had to make sure that Timmy wouldn’t be too rough, as Clodagh was becoming frail, but it turned out that Clodagh was actually the rough one! She would sometimes provoke Timmy into getting a bit too excited, but they’d always calm down and get along well. They started sleeping in the same room and spending time together when I wasn’t home.
The Love of a Rescue Greyhound
Falling in love with Timmy was easy. He absolutely adores me, and the feeling is mutual. His gaze is always on me, and he makes me feel like I’m his whole world. His love is so pure; it’s like he just knows I’m his rock, and that’s a feeling you can’t put into words.
Timmy is full of big feelings—when he’s excited, he’s over the moon, and when he’s scared, it takes a long time for him to recover. But we’re working on building up his confidence and resilience. He’s learning to communicate more, even though this means more demand barking. I love a dog who communicates, though - it’s a positive sign of his developing personality.
What would I tell Timmy the paddock greyhound?
If I could go back in time and speak to Timmy on that first day, I’d tell him:
Don’t worry, Timmy. In six months, this world that seems so scary to you will become a place you love. You’ll learn to think walks are brilliant fun, and you’ll love food so much that you’ll get picky about what treats you want. You’ll put on weight, grow in confidence, and shed that rough, brown kennel coat to reveal a beautiful, shiny one. You’ll always have the softest bed, and you’ll never have to sleep outside again. And most of all, you’ll know what a happily-ever-after looks like because I’m going to show it to you every single day.
While I will always mourn Henry, Timmy has shown me that loving another dog does not take away the love I have for Henry or Clodagh, and in helping Timmy heal, he has helped me and Clodagh heal.