VISITOR GUIDELINES AND SUPPLIES

Prairie Beach 2007 Guidelines

Heartland Greyhound Adoption (HGA) is excited to host Prairie Beach: A Gathering of Champions. It will be a FUN event and it’s an important opportunity for us all to put our best foot forward as ambassadors of the greyhound adoption movement. The city of Altoona and the Settle Inn are welcoming us with open arms, and we have a greyt chance to show that greyhounds and their families can responsibly travel anywhere! Please print out a copy of this information to use as a reference while you pack for Prairie Beach and attend our event.

Our guidelines are based on common sense and courtesy:

Greyt Rule #1 (Hotel-Motel Guest Rooms)
Please respect that the owners of the hotels/motels where you are staying have opened their facilities up to you and your dogs. However, having a lot of dogs at one time in their establishments is not common. Please treat their rooms and properties with respect at all times.

Food & Water Bowls: Place bowls in the bathroom on the tile or bring plastic with you to put under bowls on the floor. By not filling your dogs’ water bowls to the top you keep the splashes and slobber to a minimum. Clean up food bowls and area after eating. Keep plastic liners in trashcan for good housekeeping.

Beds & Hair Care (Shedding): Greyhounds don’t shed much, but when under stress or in new situations, they will shed. Please bring a sheet to put on top of bedspreads, so you take that dog hair with you. If you have a shedding greyhound, please try to keep the hair in garbage bags and not all over motel floors and bedspreads. Here are some good tools for easy hair clean-up: dryer lint sheets, a large sponge, a dampened latex glove, and/or a hand-held vacuum. All are easy to pack and will make your stay more enjoyable, too.

Crates: They are not required, but if your dogs are use to them, please bring them. You might also want to position a doggie gate outside the door to your room to prevent your dogs from “escaping” should the door open. That also clearly tells housekeeping there is an uncrated dog inside and not to enter.

Mishaps: Please report any chewing, destruction, etc., to the hotel management. The reputation of all greyhounds and HGA/Prairie Beach, are on the line with your behavior.

Greyt Rule #2 (Outside Grounds/ Waste Management)
For Outside Exercise/ “Duty Time”: Please use grassy areas to walk your dogs and do it often. Be prepared to clean up after them !!!
Excrement - Please pick up as much as you can and clean the area with absorbent material or paper towels. Also, flush the area with water or cover it with leaves so others don’t step in it.
Urine - Try not to let your male dogs lift their legs on the corners of buildings. If they do, please have water on hand to wash down the corner and sidewalk, so others won’t step in a mess and the area won’t smell.

***If you are out walking and you forget your clean-up materials, please ask a member of HGA for assistance or another greyhound owner to help. Do not just leave it or ignore it!!!

Greyt Rule #3 (Social Behavior)
Miss Manners: It is sometimes hard for us to believe, but not everyone loves greyhounds as much as we do. Don’t assume everyone wants to pet your dog. Let the person make the first move - not your dog. If your dog does not like to be approached by strangers, please keep your dog by your side and excuse yourself from the encounter. It is always polite and wise to ask, “Is it OK to approach?” when meeting another greyhound or other dog.

Leashes: It goes without saying - All dogs must be leashed at all times!!! Please do NOT use “flexi” leashes. Use nylon, standard leashes, and keep an eye on your dog at all times. Keep them close to you when you are socializing with others.

Aggressive/Insecure Dogs: By this we mean any behaviors (space issues, alphaness, fear, shyness, etc.) that could cause your dog to growl or bite another. This doesn’t mean you have a bad dog, just one that doesn’t particularly like being in groups. If your dog displays any aggressive behavior, it would be better to leave them at home. If you bring them, they must wear a red bandana at all time (bring your own bandana). Not following this simple rule can have serious repercussions for all greyhound gatherings.

Muzzles: Please bring them. We ask that red-bandana dogs wear muzzles when with large groups of dogs. Muzzles are required when greyhounds are running in the softball diamond.

Other Dogs: It would be best to leave other breeds at home. If you really, truly can’t, then please do not approach other greyhounds with your dogs - small dogs in particular. When all greyhounds are together, such as for lunches and photos, it would be best to leave your other dogs in the hotel or car.

Greyt Rule #4 (Health & Safety)
I.D.Tags & Shots: Please make sure your dogs have up-to-date I.D.tags on, should they get loose. All shots (ie., rabies, kennel cough) should be current. If crossing state lines, rabies certificate should be available.

Safety: Please be safe in all that you do. No dogs can be off leash. No insecure dogs should be near any other dogs. Prairie Beach will be a wonderful event, and we want everyone to enjoy it. Please gauge your dogs’ moods and don’t push them to do more than they can. People, small dogs, crowded spaces, and lots of dogs in one place may stress them in a way you have never seen. Watch them. Listen to what they are telling you. Be safe and have a greyt time.

Heartland Greyhound Adoption (HGA) is not responsible for any mishaps, accidents, whatevers, of any participants - two legged or four legged.