April is Adopt a Greyhound Month — and what better time to share a little about our dogs who have inspired me and Insight Hounds?

Every dog we’ve been lucky enough to live with has brought their own personality, challenges, and joy. Some were with us long before Insight Hounds existed. Others became the reason it had to. They’ve helped shape the way I work, the training I offer, and the community we’ve built.

It’s almost impossible to sum them up in a few words, but here’s a more detailed look at the dogs who’ve been part of our family — each one special in their own way.

Ellie – Our First

Independent, fun, and full of confidence.

Background: Our very first greyhound ex racer.. Self-assured and sassy. Lived with our cat, Tigger, and later with Josie. She had strong opinions about other cats and rabbits, but was great with Tigger.
Favourite things: Walks, taking all the clothes out of the laundry basket, doing her own thing.
Pro at: Making her preferences very clear. She always let us know exactly what she did or didn’t fancy.
Challenges with: Toilet training. Despite her confidence, Ellie needed consistency and gentle guidance to settle into home life.
Taught me: So much about the breed, she had confidence and that even the most independent dogs benefit from calm, structured support. She was the start of our journey — the reason we fell in love with greyhounds.

Josie – Gentle Soul with a Tough Start

Background: Believed to be an ex-coursing dog, Josie was found abandoned and underweight. Her path was very different from the typical ex-racer. She lived with Ellie, then Louis, and Tigger the cat.
Favourite things: Sleep. She always found the comfiest spot in the house.
Pro at: Watching the world go by quietly. She had a calm presence and chose when she wanted attention.
Challenges with: Trust and close handling. Sudden movement or unexpected touch made her uncomfortable.
Taught me: That connection builds slowly, and it’s just as special when it comes quietly. Josie needed understanding, time, and choice. And she gave so much in return.

Louis – Our Ambassador

Background: A kind and steady ex-racer. Louis was our first dog that really got me into training, roadshows & events promoting greyhounds as pets. He lived with Tigger, Josie, then Belle and Oscar — the much-loved ‘gang’.
Favourite things: Training, games, roadshows, events, and stealing toast or TV remotes when he was younger!
Pro at: Public events, he was my right-hand man. He earned his Bronze Good Citizen Award at Crufts and was part of the first-ever greyhound Obreedience team we qualified and competed at Crufts. He was such an ambassador for the breed. We did so many awarness events together and helped spread the word about greyhounds as pets. Then he would just cuddle on the sofa in the evening. We also achieved his Silver and Gold Kennel Club Good Citizen Awards.
Challenges with: Typical cheeky thefts in the early days, and later-life health problems due to old racing injuries. Louis taught me the challenges of corns in greyhounds.
Taught me: The value of Canine Massage. That training builds trust, communication, and real joy. Louis helped me fall in love with reward-based training, and was a huge part of my journey of promoting greyhounds at events. I met and made friends with so many people in the greyhound world thanks to Louis. He was senstive soul always knew who needed a fuss, a true gentleman and a total joy.

Belle – Queen of Beds

Background: Bred for racing but never made it. Belle was too fearful of people, movement, and busy environments. She lived with Tigger, Louis, and Oscar, and later just Oscar.
Her favourite things: cheese, bed making, space, peaceful, quiet corners, and gentle company.
She was a pro at bed-making. No matter what she did, she would curl up and make a pillow out of toys, blankets, and duvets, and it always looked so comfy. She taught me to observe. Her signals were subtle but always there once I learned to watch more closely.
Challenges with: People, they scared her, fast movement, flapping signs, bunting, or anything that moved above her head.
Taught me: That some dogs truly do shout in whispers. Belle didn’t need confidence pushed on her — she needed space and trust. Her quiet transformation was one of the reasons Insight Hounds had to exist. We achieved all her Bronze, Silver and Gold Good Citizen Awards, but the route was different given her sensitivity.

Oscar – The Heart of It

Background: He never made it as a racer, but had a complicated start. Full of fun and cheekiness, but incredibly sensitive too. Oscar lived with Tigger, Louis, Belle — then later as a solo dog before Izzy joined us.
Favourite things: Chasing, playing, daft camera poses, derping, cuddles, and dramatic bed fails. He loved to ‘chat’ to you too he was our first greyhound to Roo.
Pro at: Play, scentwork he loved, cuddles. Making people smile. He had a big personality and was adored by everyone who met him. He was super special. He was great at his physio too.
Challenges with: Sound sensitivity, overwhelm & freezing. He had numerous health issues, including a broken leg, spinal problems, septic arthritis five times, and a unique immune system. Aswell as those horrible corns.
It taught me how important good pet insurance is, and I learnt about canine physiotherapy and its value to his quality of life. The power and value of scent work, we climbed the scentwork levels, and he loved it. That connection starts with truly seeing your dog. Oscar achieved Bronze, Silver, and Gold Good Citizen Awards, but he needed more than basic training—he needed understanding, flexibility, and trust. Trying to help him changed everything. He is the reason Insight Hounds exists.

Izzy – Joyful, Strong-Willed, Our Small Girl with a Big Personality

Background: Our small Ex-racing greyhound with a super high prey drive and a huge character. Lived with Oscar, then had a solo spell before Freddie joined us.
Favourite things: Zooming, jumping like a lamb, pouncing, toy-chasing, training, car trips, and ‘working’ at class.
Pro at: Staying calm in class environments, asking clearly for what she wants, and being a whirlwind outside of training mode. She is superstar Demo dog.
Challenges include prey drive (cats, squirrels, rubbish blowing in the wind), almost breaking the TV when she pounced on a hippo! Sensitive digestion and stomach issues, rivers, and large bodies of water. If overwhelmed, she can freeze.
Taught me: All about prey drive — and how energy and sensitivity often live side by side. I’ve trained with one of the top predation experts in the world to help her, and obviously, all the dogs I work with. Though Izzy, I have learnt so much more about Canine Nutrition and how important that is to dog. Izzy is clever, funny, and determined, and knows her own mind. She makes us laugh every day.

Freddie – Our Whippet Whirlwind

Background: Three-year-old rescue whippet from JR Whippet Rescue. Full of heart, agility, and expression. Lives with Izzy.
Favourite things: Tunnelling into blankets, zoomies, training, games, food, cuddling close, and jumping — he’s very springy!
Pro at: Learning. He loves training and picks things up quickly. Super agile and incredibly determined. He is great at camera posing and charms everyone he meets.
Challenges with: Prey drive, polite greetings with other dogs, chronic bronchitis, scavenging, and switching off.
Taught me: That channelling energy into the right areas is key, as is play. Freddie keeps us all on our toes — he’s full of feeling, fun, and love. He is our first whippet, and he has taught me so much!

Each of our dogs helped shape how I train and coach today. I’m so lucky and grateful for them. They’ve taught me that every dog has a unique personality, story, and set of needs. At the heart of it all, it's about insight—really getting to know each sighthound as an individual.

Tapping into each dog’s individuality, there’s always a common thread: growing confidence, deepening communication, and building real connection. These wonderful dogs have made Insight Hounds what it is today — and they continue to shape how we grow, support, and connect with every sighthound we work with.

🩷 If you’ve adopted a greyhound — or any sighthound — you’ll know how much they have to give.

Happy Adopt a Greyhound Month from all of us at Insight Hounds.

Our Dogs - Shaping Insight Hounds