Educating Lyra

Lyra had her first birthday last month. She has also had her first season, and killed her first rabbit. She’s well into adolescence, and like most teens she sleeps all morning and wants to stay out all night.

It’s great that she’s quiet in the morning because that’s when I do most of my writing, but bedtime can be trying. She likes to spend the long summer evenings in the garden partying with the fairies, and I have my work cut out getting her to come in and settle down. When she does come in she’s completely manic, jumping on my bed (where she’s not allowed) and dragging her own bedding around the house in protest.

In order to channel this delinquent energy into more wholesome activities, I’ve enrolled her in Greyhound Rescue Wales Therapy Hounds. She’s not actually a GRW dog, but the project welcomes any breed as long as they pass the assessment.

To my amazement Lyra did pass, and she and the other dogs have been visiting local colleges helping stressed students chill out.

Lyra at Gower College

Greyhounds are the best for promoting relaxation, as they’re happy to lie around generating good vibes while people make a fuss of them.

Chilled out grey at Swansea Uni

Chilled out grey at Gower College

At first I was afraid Lyra wouldn’t measure up to greyhound standards, as she just wanted to chase her whippet mates and jump on the furniture…

…but she did make people laugh, and eventually she settled down and allowed herself to be stroked.

The Therapy Hounds will be visiting care homes next. Not sure how well Lyra will go down at a care home – she certainly won’t be allowed to show off her flying whippet skills there. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Fingers crossed!