An ex-racing Greyhound has found a new home in Manchester thanks to his incredibly cheesy smile.
Ross, also known as Ross Charm, went home with new owner Chris Ferrell just three days after they first met..
It was ‘love at first sight’ for the pair after Chris’ friend first spotted the ex-racer online. The 43-year-old had been looking to get a dog to help him with his mental health.
He said: “We had a few friends over for drinks one night and we were talking about how I’d been looking for a dog for some time. I’ve been struggling with my mental health, so it was something I’d been looking into for a while.
“When looking at the various breeds, we settled on greyhounds, whippets and lurchers.
“It was purely by chance that my friend had spotted Ross’s picture online and showed it to me.“
Chris wasted no time in going to visit Ross, who he’s now renamed Dash taking inspiration from his racing history, and booked an appointment at Cheshire Dogs Home the very next day.
The pair instantly hit it off.
It was his massive grin that first won over the proud new owner, along with his affectionate and ‘goofball’ personality.
Chris said: “It really was love at first sight. He has so much character and he’s such a good looking dog - I’ve never had a dog like him.
“I love his smile, it makes him a bit of a goofball like me. He can’t really hide his teeth, but they come out more with his ‘radar nose’ when he’s sniffing out treats.”
Dash soon settled in at his new home with Chris, who was intrigued by the greyhound’s racing background.
With a distinctive tattoo on his ear, the Manchester owner discovered more about Dash’s career as a racing greyhound, under the name Ross Charm.
He added: “One of the most interesting things was finding out about his history. He was a racing greyhound from Kinsley, Pontefract. I found his races on Youtube and it’s crazy watching your own dog racing around the track. So he’s got celeb status with some of my friends now.”
But those days are long behind Dash, instead preferring a cuddle on the sofa. There’s a reason Greyhounds are known as 45mph couch potatoes, although he still gets two short walks a day.
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Although he’s retired from his racing fame, he’s now got his own following on social media with his owner setting him up his own Instagram account.
Chris added: “When we first brought him home, he was very interested in everything and had a good sniff.
"I went overboard with the toys and spent a fortune. Getting a dog bed to fit a greyhound is a real challenge!
“Day by day you can see his personality emerge. Yesterday he just hopped on the sofa for a cuddle. He’s so affectionate and wants to meet everyone, he’s a really cracking dog.”
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