Ringo, Our Rescued Racing Greyhound, Brought Out In Us A Level Of Commitment And Parenthood We Did Not Know Existed
Ringo's Story

Our journey started with a “leap of faith”. We put our trust in Golden State Greyhound Adoption to select the right dog for our lifestyle. They nailed it. My wife and I are runners. Greyhounds typically are not. And while my pace is laughable to Ringo he still tolerates short runs. During hikes he charges up hills. Water Dog, Arastadero Preserve, Blithedale Summit, whatever the challenge, he’s ready—ears up, nose down.

He’s a Comedian, waking us up on Saturday mornings and carrying litter in his mouth that he finds on walks. And while he fetches and plays like a regular dog, he’s unique in so many ways. People have stopped us on the street and cried: “For a second there I thought you were walking a deer!” Or the kids down the street leaving Day Care will throw their arms around his girth and shout ““Tiger dog! Tiger Dog!”. Ringo has a magnetic personality and strangers comment on him constantly. He’s a proud ambassador, enticing people outside supermarkets to inquire about his breed. Or maybe he’s just luring them in closer for a quick pet or scratch. A little closer…look into my eyes…gotcha!

Did I mention he’s a Monster? (I say this with the utmost affection.) I’ll save all the juicy details for the next picnic (or maybe a children’s book someday titled: ““The Amazing Misadventures of Ringo the Greyt”). But I’ll say this much: Life with Ringo is never ordinary. And that’s how we like it.

But mostly he’s a Teacher. He taught me how to manage my emotions and project confidence. His adoption brought out in us a level of commitment and “parenthood” we didn’t know existed. Finally, he’s an example to me of perseverance and courage. Whatever Ringo’s past, he’s wiped his paws clean and moved on. Time to start being a dog.

None of this would be possible without the organization. From beginning to end their support is simply tireless. When we need help with training (or a sitter to watch Ringo if we go out of town) the GSGA community has been an invaluable resource.

As for Ringo, I hope our greyhound never, ever stops being a Monster.

This story was submitted by greyhound owners Craig and Stacy