A life-long dog owner, Julie lost her beloved 15-year-old greyhound Sherpa in 2017, but a little while later, a gentle dreamer named Cora moved into her home, and her heart.

Cora’s been in my life for seven years, she’s nearly 12 years old now. Greyhounds have such unique characters. Her three most favourite things are walks, her food, and of course, sleepies! She doesn’t like surprises… or having her nails done, she can be a bit of a drama queen on the beauty front. She’s stubborn at times, she certainly knows her own mind! But she’s a gentle, quiet and lovely girl.

My husband Andy and I had a male greyhound before Cora, from 2007. He was with us for ten years, and he lived to the ripe old age of 15, a great age for a greyhound, or any dog. I’ve also had retrievers before, they couldn’t be more different to a greyhound if they tried. Greyhounds are so quiet, and routine orientated. When you first get them it’s a bit like having a puppy, as they have to be house trained and lead trained, but despite that, I’ve always found them so much easier to handle than other breeds.

Cora is such a soppy soul. She adores affection and attention, which makes her perfect company. She makes us laugh – from her funny expressions, to the way her tongue hangs out of the side of her mouth when she’s relaxing. She’s so adorable when she sleeps, her legs start racing when she’s dreaming, and she makes cute little dreamy noises.

I worked with greyhounds from a young age, but that’s completely different to being a pet parent. We both had things to learn. Cora had to adjust from the racing environment to a real home, where she’s the only dog. When I first gave her food, she ate it as quickly as she could because she thought it might be gone, but after a while she learnt that it would always be there, and she could relax and go back and forth as she pleased. It’s the little things like that, that are wonderful to watch happen, as they learn to trust you and their new home.

I had things to learn too… I thought Cora would need a lot of exercise, I think a lot of people have that impression of greyhounds. But, actually, we just take her for a short walk, no more than half an hour at most, and she’s happy – and worn out!

People are often surprised to learn that we live in a flat – I think many think you need a big garden and lots of space, but greyhounds are the perfect dog for all sorts of living environments. All they really want is a sofa to cuddle you on, and a cosy bed!

Cora has fitted so beautifully into family life. She loves a routine and seems happy to fit around my work schedule. I can even take her with me to work. She’s just amazing. I can’t imagine life without her. She’s a dreamer, and a dream dog.

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