Mumsnet Talk

Share stories, advice and ask for help if you need it! There are a few resident hound experts (myself not included) in the doghouse, so, feel free to share!

Tip for 12 yo DS.

When you go to your friends house and his large, newly aquired ex-racing greyhound decides (for whatever reason) to walk between your legs- it will chafe a bit.

Poor DS didn't want to upset the dog by shreiking or pushing him (understandable) but even standing on tip-toes, my DS's undercarriage was in the way of a large bony greyhound spine.

Makes my eyes water just thinking about it

Ooh ouch! Poor ds!

Actually, he was quite pleased -strange child

He didn't mind when a couple with two large and one mahoosive staffies came by in the park ,and one goosed him.
Just as well it wasn't the big one- the power in that neck would've castrated him

Stories, advice aaaaaand...... shopping tips!! Owning a pointy is a gateway to a whole world of collar porn, leads and beautiful coats. Whenever we are at the vets, the nurses always come around for a coo at the collars. Of course, this inevitably leads to a power lean and a bit of shameless Barry White style pointy lurve. Ours have developed into massive flirts.

Marking a place for my whippet and I.

He is beautiful (and a complete flirt, but only with old men).

Oh gosh how could I have forgotten shopping tips? The most important part of pointy ownership!

I posted this on on the collar thread but - these outdoor coats really are amazing outdoor coats

Reporting for duty. New owner. Very inexperienced.

With a (figurative) peg on my nose. Hound had sardines today.

Love the coats bats.

Ooh, Bats, love those coats. Haven't seen those before but like the Tummy Warmer.

Oh, Betsy, that sardine smell. Still, think of the beautiful shiny coat you are creating.

The only problem is, you have to ship those k9 coats in from the US and import tax applies. My doggie loves them- I didn't get the tummy warmer- but wish I had now as I imagine they're good for cold evenings if your greyhound doesn't like a too restrictive coat. Mine loves the spring/fall coat and will now walk in any weather with the waterproof one. Have yet to try out the winter coat yet.....

I love www.silverpeacock.co.uk/index.htm this place for gorgeous collars and other stuff for sighthounds.

oldmother me too! I was on there the other day and fell in love with the Mr Tumble style martingale collars!

Some advice needed please!

The hound starts crying downstairs at about 5am. It goes to soft barks, then louder ones, then we take him out for a double toilet. We try to go down once he's quiet but seeing as he's upset because he needs the loo and it's not about separation (I think) at this stage I don't worry too much. It's good he's telling us and good on him for going (mostly) through the night with no accidents. His last night toilet break's about 10-10.30pm.

DH took him out this morning (earlier than usual, maybe 5.15) and then fed him breakfast as he seemed hungry (repeated trips to food area, looking meaningful) then, reasonably, for 5.15am, came back upstairs.

Dog did not like. Cue lots of crying. Then more when he heard the kids talking upstairs. Then they hear him crying, get upset and want to go downstairs too. We are all eating breakfast at 5.30am. Dog looking smug being cuddled by DS1. Then, to cap it all, dog falls back to sleep and we are all up. Lucky him!!

Will he be like this forever? Is this what dogs do? Or is there some magic way of just getting him to last an extra, like, half hour/hour in the mornings? 6am I can do. 5 I cannot. <strained smile with bags under eyes>

Has it been going o for a while?If not it could be that he's getting cold and this is waking him up- it gets freezing around that in the morning. Do you put a house coat on him in the evening? I also take my grey for last wee at 10-1030 and she refuses to stir until 8-9am!!! Shes' had her housecoat on in the evenings on and off for a couple of weeks now.

jeez that writing was awful!

We ordered a housecoat and it's still not come yet. Perhaps I'll set the heating to come on a little earlier until it does. He's only been with us a fortnight and maybe it's all just teething trouble. Maybe he's feeling more bonded to us now or something...

Good to see a last toilet at that time is reasonable. We're not feeding him from 4 hours before bedtime so he should be all clear by then. I was just thinking that, maybe like with kids you just get easy sleepers and not so easy ones and we'd found a not so easy! Thanks for getting back bats.

Yeah after 6am is so reasonable, before 6am is not! Before dogs are settled they often drink a lot more than normal and therefore need to go out more frequently- mine did, although this only lasted 4 or 5 days.

Otherwise, I really recommend asking advice from the rescue you got him from. They are really experienced with this sort of settling in issue and can give you lots of tips-when I first got my doggie I though an alien had entered the house (greyhounds are so weird and also they hadn't told me that she could sleep with her eyes open!) I was ringing the rescue for help quite a bit in the first few weeks- they expect it.

sorry- just realised that I've been assuming he's a greyhound! Any hound of similar size should be able to last past 6am though!

You are right, he is a large greyhound. I'll give the kennel a call tomorrow, that's a good idea - we've had some questions for them before and they have been really helpful.

What is a Pointy? I have a Lurcher, does that count?

Marking my place, 31 days until our boy comes home and I can't wait, although I'm more nervous than when I was preparing to bring a new baby home! He is a silver/blue whippet hard to tell his looks yet but mum is so elegant, on the small side and dad is a real looker. Mum is also the most friendly dog I have ever met in my life. <sighs> can't wait. But in the mean time there is so much shopping to do, any hints welcome, I'm worried about collars and leads especially after seeing that awful Benton/Fenton video, was thinking that a lovely padded harness type thing would be best. So many questions, I will lurk here and be educated.

<goes back to staring gooey eyed over the Silver Peacock website>

YES!

(that was to notmostpeople)