Jessica and Liam's story with their senior hounds, Holly and Blue, highlights the joy and love that older dogs bring to a family. This adoption update shows just how special adopting senior hounds can be and we thank Jessica and Liam for loving Holly and Blue and making them a part of their pack.
Embracing Seniors
After losing their beloved littermates, Kyra and Tienne, Jessica and Liam were inspired to adopt senior dogs. Their journey began with Pita and Katie, which deepened their appreciation for older dogs.
“In 2017, we lost Kyra and Tienne. They were littermates who lived to be 15 and they died exactly 120 days apart. Kyra had several medical issues throughout her life, and this sensitized us to dogs who have special needs. This inspired me to adopt Wobbles in 2007, who has cerebellar hypoplasia. She moves a bit differently than other dogs do, and she can be fairly feisty at times. When Kyra and Tienne passed, we wanted to adopt again, but we knew we had to be particular due to having Wobbles. We adopted two seniors, Pita and Katie, in early 2018. Pita was 15 and we were her humans for just a few months, but having the privilege of being the humans to a senior was something we wanted to again. We started searching rescue sites for a dog who was at least 10, on the larger side, and preferably female. This eventually led us to Holly and Greyt Angels."
Meeting Holly
In 2018, their search for a senior led them to Holly through Greyt Angels. With her unique mix of greyhound and redbone coonhound, Holly fit perfectly into their family. Her bond with their other dogs, including Wobbles, made the decision clear.
Although we believed Holly would be a fantastic addition to our household, we took some time to research greyhounds. Holly is believed to be a seven-eighths greyhound and one-eighth redbone coonhound. My mom had a redbone coonhound, Bender, and so we were already familiar with the tendency to follow their noses and to be selectively and spontaneously deaf. Although Wobbles is believed to be a yellow lab/greyhound mix, her condition often trumps most breed tendencies. After deciding we had the amenities to support a lurcher, we finally reached out to Greyt Angels to meet Holly. Lynn and Sara brought Holly over for the initial visit, and Katie took a liking to her almost immediately. Wobbles largely ignored Holly (and still mostly does), so things were looking good. We adopted her a short time later. She then met my brother’s dog, Yahtzee, and they bonded in patrolling the yard together, seeking out interlopers who hide under the shed or taunt them from the trees and power lines above.
Blue Joins the Pack
In 2019, Blue, a joyful senior, joined the family. Despite Holly's vision loss, the two love chasing squirrels and playing together. Visits from other dogs like Melvin and Smiley bring even more excitement to their lives.
In 2019, Carol contacted us to see if we’d be interested in taking on another senior. Blue joined our home in November, and she’s a bouncy goofball of delight. Although Holly has lost most of her sight, she and Blue love chasing the squirrels who raid the seed piles in the yard. Whenever Melvin and Smiley visit, all of the greys spend time dashing or patrolling around the yard and seem truly excited to see “their people.” While greyhounds are wonderful on their own, having two (or more) brings out the puppy that is still inside, no matter their age or condition.”
The Joy of Senior Hounds
Jessica and Liam cherish the energy and love that Holly and Blue bring. Their story shows that adopting senior dogs can be incredibly rewarding, revealing the playful spirit within them.
