Help please - retired greyhound waking issues

[FredFred5]

We adopted a retired racing greyhound about 4 months ago. She's a lovely girl and has settled in really well with no issues except for overnight.

We've had her sleeping downstairs but every morning she is waking before 5 and crying/barking non stop. We've tried ignoring her but it made no difference and we were worried about the neighbours after a week or so; we've tried coming down when she's quiet and settling her (just got her more excited to see and frantic when we left) or coming down and telling her to be quiet but not coming in (she has the run of the kitchen/dining room/living room but the door to the hallway is closed). We thought she might be cold so put the heating on earlier - it made no difference. We thought she might need a wee so tried letting her out when we first heard her (with minimal interaction etc) but 90% of the time if we open the back door she won't go out. Finally this week we've tried having her upstairs with us - the first night she was OK until 5.30 and then woke up crying but she settled if she lay on the floor next to me and was stroked but then this morning she was up from 4.45 crying etc, even though she was lying on the floor right next to me and I was stroking her. Is there anything we can do? Should we persevere with her upstairs or go back to her sleeping downstairs again? It's reminding me of having a tiny baby again and like when I had a tiny baby I feel a bit clueless! Any help gratefully and tiredly received

[79andnotout]

Does she sleep with a house coat on? Our eldest greyhound is a light sleeper and early riser. She is more settled through the night if she's wearing pyjamas - mine has a pair like this but with just the two front paws looped in. She didn't like the full pyjama as she would get stuck and then wake us up with her greyhound screaming! www.greyhound-monkey.com/category/greyhound-pyjamas

Has it started up with the recent bout of cold weather?

[79andnotout]

Also, ours sleeps in our room. She never adjusted to sleeping on her own. We have a large bedroom so could fit a cheap ikea sofa in the corner for her to sleep on.

[OliveToboogie]

My grey sleeps on the floor next to my bed. Old duvet folded and his own comfy throw. Hates being on his own but is a great boy when he knows your very close at hand.

[Renoirsdancer]

It took our boy a couple of months to get out of his kennel routine (and he also didn't get daylight saving!) so we had some very early starts. He has pyjamas and now sleeps in with us. He still wakes naturally at about five but he's now more than happy to climb up onto our bed and cuddle up on me until 9am ish! I think it can take a while for them to understand a new routine :)

[Winterdaysarehere]

Can she hear something in your garden maybe? Local dcat? Hedgehogs? Something small and fluffy she wants!

[bornonasunday]

Greyhound pyjamas???😲
Is there really such things??? 😁
Aawww, I hope so, as they always look cold and shivery to me!! I love their natures, so gentle, and full marks for looking after them after their racing days are over.
Sounds like they are still used to the early starts from kennel days, and it will soon pass... with plenty of cuddles of course!

[mummabubs]

Unlikely to be helpful but after two weeks of the howling and both of us getting no sleep whatsoever we decided it was best all round for our rescued greyhound to stay in our room with us. (he's not allowed on the bed but loves his massive snuggly dog bed in the corner).

[BonnyE]

Ours sleeps downstairs behind a dog gate in his bed area. When the weather starts to turn colder he cries....so fleece PJs and he's snug as a bug in a rug and no crying. Or more blankets maybe.
We persevered with him sleeping downstairs as DD very small and don't want her startling him if she gets up in the night.

[Steamfan]

I take mine out at around 5 each morning! I love it then hardly anyone about. I did that with our last hound as well. I had to be up early as I had a long drive to work, and got into the habit!

[Renoirsdancer]

@bornonasunday there are many and varied options for greyhound pyjamas although ours has more of an indoor fleecy coat, don't think he'd like the legs. Don't be fooled by the looking cold and shivery though, they do feel the cold but he'll start fake shivering when it's 20 degrees if he gets bored

[FredFred5]

Thank you all so much for your tips! Especially the greyhound pyjamas, they are brilliant (love the purple leopard print ones ) We decided to have a rejig of our room and she now has a cosy corner with an old folded duvet and throws in there and so far she's been sleeping brilliantly - no disturbances in the night and waking at about 6.30, which is absolutely fine. I think maybe because she was older when we got her (she's about 5.5) she just couldn't get used to being alone downstairs. So now we're all happy

[BiteyShark]

Great outcome

[79andnotout]

Hooray!