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The doghouse

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Original poster

I have an appointment to view a greyhound today at the animal sanctuary. Wish me luck.

189 replies

CarnageAhead · 11/01/2023 10:20

Good morning, I’m really excited, so bear with me.
I have been contacted to view a greyhound today at our local animal sanctuary after I sent in an application form.
She is an ex racer and is five years old 🥰🥰
Any advice welcome about food etc (and your greyhound pics obviously) will be most appreciated, and I’ll catch up later. Please wish me luck.
MTIA 💐

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Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 14:58

Junebug22 · 11/01/2023 10:29

Mine is 8 and a half and the gentlest boy. He’s been so accepting of and calm with our 6 month old baby, right now baby is bouncing in Jumperoo and dog is sprawled out on the floor snoozing. They’re lovely dogs! Some tips:
Let them come to you. When we brought
our boy home, we had a big crate as a safe space and waited for him to approach us. For many of them it’s the first time they’ve ever been in a house! We never had any toilet accidents but just make sure you take pup out regularly to pee those first few days and reward when they toilet outside.
Greyhounds have notoriously sensitive stomachs so when you find a food that works -stick to it! We use pooch and mutt dry kibble and stick to chews with no rawhide.
Buy some toys they can push around that you can fill with treats. They encourage them to learn how to play and stimulate their brain. A snuffle mat is also great for them.
Put in place boundaries from the start eg. Our boy has never been allowed on the couch or in the bedrooms. Much harder to change once you’ve let them do something (but you might be happy with that! Our boy is just so big he’d take up the whole couch lol).
They can be nervy around other dogs because for many greys, they’ve never seen another breed before! I would advise keeping your distance and letting him look at a dog, reward with treat and praise when he looks away. You’ll be able to gauge how he is with other breeds quickly. Ours was a little reactive but we did distance and praise and now he happily walks along with other dogs and doesn’t respond to any that bark at him.
They are major couch potatoes -so prepare for lots of snoozing. Also can be fussy with rain so make sure you buy them a rain coat and fleece because they have very little body fat so will get cold easily.

Theyre such loving, gentle giants. It’s been amazing to see how much our boy has come on in the past 5 years. Good luck!!

Lovely photo of your boy btw 🥰

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mrstea301 · 13/01/2023 15:02

Ooh she's lovely!! They're amazing pets, great natures and they have a lot of love to give, if you're patient they'll open right up!

And @OliveToboogie - no! My boy is the most handsome doggo in Glasgow! 😂

Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 15:02

Wonderland19 · 11/01/2023 10:33

We have a whippet, so very similar to the greyhound, absolutely fantastic and lovely dog's, so gentle and loving. As others have said be aware about the food sensitivity. Ours is extremely sensitive to chicken and can't have it.

But very lazy chilled dog's just an absolutely beautiful breed whippets and greyhounds, we only went for a whippet due to size. I would happily adopt a greyhound. I hope it all goes well

Thank you, all went well and she is coming home on Wednesday.
Thank you for the advice about food, I’ve had some great advice on here and I am truly grateful.
My greyhound is not that much bigger than a whippet, it hasn’t been very often, until now, that I’ve seen a small greyhound.

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Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 15:03

CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 15:02

Thank you, all went well and she is coming home on Wednesday.
Thank you for the advice about food, I’ve had some great advice on here and I am truly grateful.
My greyhound is not that much bigger than a whippet, it hasn’t been very often, until now, that I’ve seen a small greyhound.

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I love whippets too 🥰

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Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 15:06

Junebug22 · 11/01/2023 10:35

Oh and make sure you get a proper sight hound collar. Greys have weird necks so a normal collar will just slip off. The rescue should provide you with this but just Google greyhound collar and there are loads you can get. They’re thicker with a special “belt loop” that lets you adjust the tightness. If you zoom in on this pic, you’ll see what I mean. So excited for you and happy to answer any questions you end up having!

Thank you. Lovely photo, love seeing everyone’s pics.
Our local pet shop only had the fishtail collar, but I’m going to order one of those as well.

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Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 15:07

SheilaWilde · 11/01/2023 11:22

I love greyhounds. Good luck Carnage.

He's so lovely Junebug!

Thank you 😊

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AnotherSpare · 13/01/2023 15:13

Congratulations @CarnageAhead she is beautiful! She's going to have such a lovely life with you now.
I'm loving all of the cute dog pictures here 😍
Also @2000lightyearsaway123 I love your christmas tree bed cover!

AnotherSpare · 13/01/2023 15:15

I recommend Blas & Co for pyjamas and jumpers.

Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 15:17

fuckthisforagameofdarts · 11/01/2023 11:35

We have a cosy dog harness which she loves.

Don't forget a coat, ours wears a fleece onesie at night in winter, otherwise she whines cos she's cold. They have no body fat and very thin skin, so if you're wearing a coat so should they.

Ours is fine on Harrington's. If you're on Facebook have a look at the retired greyhound groups. They're very helpful.

She loves to destroy soft toys and Lego so bear in mind if you have kids.

She has an antler and a buffalo horn to chew which keeps her teeth clean. They can have dental problems.

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Thank you, good advice again.
They used a harness on her at the rescue centre and I liked it, but they said she might not require one. I’ll see how things go without one, then buy one if needed.
I’ve joined the retired greyhound groups, it must have been your post I read about that, just hadn’t had the time until now to reply, it’s very useful, plus those pictures….❤️🐶

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Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 15:18

AnotherSpare · 13/01/2023 15:13

Congratulations @CarnageAhead she is beautiful! She's going to have such a lovely life with you now.
I'm loving all of the cute dog pictures here 😍
Also @2000lightyearsaway123 I love your christmas tree bed cover!

Thank you, I can’t wait!
I was thinking the same about the bed cover 🌲

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Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 15:20

AnotherSpare · 13/01/2023 15:15

I recommend Blas & Co for pyjamas and jumpers.

Thank you, I’ll make a note of that also, so many to look at, no wonder greyhounds have more coats their owners 😁.

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Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 15:27

BigHeartyTruffle · 11/01/2023 11:44

Congratulations! They are the loveliest dogs.

My main piece of advice would be to be really, really patient with them. They haven’t lived a normal “dog” life in kennels and racing, so coming to a home is completely alien to them. I find they thrive on routine but it will take them a while (possibly months) to settle into that new routine. It may take a while, but once the penny drops they are fine! Examples include walking on the lead, encountering other dogs, going down stairs (yes really), going to new places and meeting new people. Our greyhound was so timid at first but now she loves being a “dog about town”! They are often very food driven so watch out leaving food lying about as its likely to be snaffled. We had a couple of incidents with full blocks of butter, the aftermath of which was fairly horrifying…

They are little divas - be prepared for the “greyhound scream of death” at the slightest inconvenience. We were in a dog friendly restaurant once, the waitress stood on her paw and she screamed the house down, much to our embarrassment and our fellow diners’ distress!

Your patience will be rewarded with the sweetest, gentlest, quirkiest friend you could hope for.

Oh my God, the butter 😮.
Chuckling at the dog about town part 😁, bless her.

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Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 15:30

Seaweedandsalt · 13/01/2023 13:35

She's very nice. Congrats

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Thank you 😊

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Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 15:32

CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 15:06

Thank you. Lovely photo, love seeing everyone’s pics.
Our local pet shop only had the fishtail collar, but I’m going to order one of those as well.

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…And yes, if I think of something, I’ll ask, thank you again 🙂

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picklemewalnuts · 13/01/2023 15:43

Re the butter- we used to push things to the back of the work urface thinking they were safe- they aren't. They will climb on stools and jump up onto work surfaces if there's something tempting up there!

AinmÁlainn · 13/01/2023 15:46

Congratulations, she's lovely. Our greyhound is a bit of an anomaly, I think. He doesn't do the scream (I've discovered him standing in a pool of blood when his dew claw was torn, and he didn't murmur when he was bitten) so keep a close eye regardless. He also rarely seems cold and he doesn't mind a walk in the wind, rain or even snow! He loves a run with other dogs but won't run by himself. And he's happy with his two beds so has never gone near a couch. He's an ex courser so I was very wary of taking his muzzle off, but once we did (almost a year after we got him) he is absolutely fine, even with small fluffy dogs. We were warned not to get too long a lead for him as if he was to take off (he hasn't) you have far less control. He is lovely, in spite of his very dodgy belly and crippling expensive dental work 😍

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 13/01/2023 16:06

I saw one in town recently , huge , (as in tall and leggy not porky) in a muzzle , waterproof coat and GreyHound Boots (looked a bit like rubbery neoprene with fastening straps ) then the collar and lead

So your dog might take longer than you to get ready to go out Wink

She is gorgeous . Enjoy .

Ilovelurchers · 13/01/2023 16:08

Congratulations! She is beautiful.

Mine is a lurcher, but have had ex-racing greyhounds too in the past. I love both!

I would advise you to be really careful, especially in the early days, about letting her off the lead in an unsecured area, even if her recall seems good - my friend lost his grey for days this way - however much they love us, their prey instinct is just so strong, and they are not the brightest dogs (bless them) so do lose themselves easily. Have had this current dog over a year and I still do recall training with treats every day, just to keep reinforcing it (he is voice AND whistle trained which I would also recommend as a whistle caries further in some conditions.) Also however lovely your grey they can't always be trusted around cats/small fluffy dogs - it's that hunting instinct again.

Like others have said they are lazy dogs and happy to spend a lot of time sprawled around, while also (in my experience) happy to join enthusiastically with whatever activity is on offer, so the perfect pets in that sense. And pretty much all the greys I have ever met have loved cuddles, tho obviously take the physical affection at the dog's own pace while she is new to you.....

I wish you all happiness - they really are the best.

I have an appointment to view a greyhound today at the animal sanctuary. Wish me luck.
Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 17:05

picklemewalnuts · 13/01/2023 15:43

Re the butter- we used to push things to the back of the work urface thinking they were safe- they aren't. They will climb on stools and jump up onto work surfaces if there's something tempting up there!

Thank you, I’ll need to remember that 😂.

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Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 17:14

Ilovelurchers · 13/01/2023 16:08

Congratulations! She is beautiful.

Mine is a lurcher, but have had ex-racing greyhounds too in the past. I love both!

I would advise you to be really careful, especially in the early days, about letting her off the lead in an unsecured area, even if her recall seems good - my friend lost his grey for days this way - however much they love us, their prey instinct is just so strong, and they are not the brightest dogs (bless them) so do lose themselves easily. Have had this current dog over a year and I still do recall training with treats every day, just to keep reinforcing it (he is voice AND whistle trained which I would also recommend as a whistle caries further in some conditions.) Also however lovely your grey they can't always be trusted around cats/small fluffy dogs - it's that hunting instinct again.

Like others have said they are lazy dogs and happy to spend a lot of time sprawled around, while also (in my experience) happy to join enthusiastically with whatever activity is on offer, so the perfect pets in that sense. And pretty much all the greys I have ever met have loved cuddles, tho obviously take the physical affection at the dog's own pace while she is new to you.....

I wish you all happiness - they really are the best.

Thank you 🙂
I am thinking of keeping her on lead for a very long time. I wouldn’t want to chance it as it’s a dog walkers paradise near us, but I think there are some secure fields where I can let her off for a fee.

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Original poster
CarnageAhead · 13/01/2023 17:18

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 13/01/2023 16:06

I saw one in town recently , huge , (as in tall and leggy not porky) in a muzzle , waterproof coat and GreyHound Boots (looked a bit like rubbery neoprene with fastening straps ) then the collar and lead

So your dog might take longer than you to get ready to go out Wink

She is gorgeous . Enjoy .

Greyhound boots 😮 😁.
Ha ha, I’m beginning to imagine, lead, collar, coat, er, boots and a small check in the mirror before leaving the house 😂😂😂

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vjg13 · 13/01/2023 18:54

The boots are actually necessary because they can develop corns and become very lame. I have a 9 year old ex racer and a 4ish year old smaller lurcher. If your dog does develop corns, google tendonectomy for greyhounds. Your local vet may suggest all kinds of incorrect treatment. Greyhounds have different blood biochemistry and haematology than average dogs and not all vets realise this.

I have an appointment to view a greyhound today at the animal sanctuary. Wish me luck.
2bazookas · 13/01/2023 19:23

LakeFlyPie · 11/01/2023 22:47

They are such graceful looking dogs (and IME always have extremely slim owners!)
Do all ex racers have to be muzzled when off lead? I saw a muzzled greyhound showing 'great interest' in a little fluffy dog at park the other day. Little fluffy dog owner had picked it up and was trying to deter the greyhound, if it wasn't for the muzzle I think Little Fluff might have been lunch!

some ex-racers will be perfectly safe unmuzzled around even small dogs. But it takes time getting to know the dog really well first.

Once we knew our ex-racer was a laid-back gent around any size of dogs (at training class) we left his muzzle off for good. He loved playing with dogs of all sizes on the beach where he had a terrific social life.

Pugdogmom · 13/01/2023 19:29

This is my lurcher girl with one of the puggies. She's currently in her bed, but she's like the Princess and the pea, as there are several mattresses in there😅.
She likes her comfort, but forget your sofa, it's theirs now. And they will sneak on your bed in the night too.
And the begging faces for food, and don't leave food lying around. They WILL steal it.

AnotherSpare · 13/01/2023 19:53

"I am thinking of keeping her on lead for a very long time. I wouldn’t want to chance it as it’s a dog walkers paradise near us, but I think there are some secure fields where I can let her off for a fee."

Mine is never off the lead on walks. He walks perfectly happily on a lead and I've never wanted to take the risk of him bolting and getting lost so decided that all walks would be on a lead and then off lead within a secure area like you have. Never used a muzzle either.