Greyhound

[bakewellbride]

We are about to adopt an ex racing greyhound. I've been doing research but this will be my first dog.

Anyone got any words of wisdom?!

I'm nervous but so happy and excited too.

All your dh is teaching ddog is to fear him. And possibly males altogether.. Hardly a safe environment for a rescue (or any) ddog. My mate got a rescue spaniel. Her dh was an utter cunt to it. I reported him to the rescue and ddog was removed that day. My friend never knew I reported them. Is he a bully to anyone else?

As others have said, you're right!!

That would be the best course of action for any dog, let alone a nervous rescue! I would say if you catch him about to go in the house, a firm 'no' and try to get him outside before he goes (and if he does, then praise!). Our latest had never been kept in a house before, and she learnt fairly quickly with consistency.

I would emphasize what everyone else has been saying. Don't shout at him, the new environment will be stressful for him and giving him reason to fear you will make it worse. He's probably never been on a house before so he doesn't know that he's not supposed to go there.

He's a 2 year old dog but treat him like a puppy. Take him out every hour or 2 during the day, and every time he pees or poos outside give him a treat immediately and lots of praise (you need to go out with him). With mine a cube of cheese worked well. And after every meal take him out as well. I would limit water 2-3 hours before bed and take him out last thing before bed. I used to get up at 5 to take our girl out as well as she doesn't bark. Eventually we could do away with that. You will find that they thrive on routine. We have moved about feeding times in the 3-4 years that we've had our girls but waking up time/out for pee time is 6:30-7:30ish and bedtime is 10:30-11:30. It's what works for us.

Mostly just give him time to learn about you and you need to learn about him.

@frockandcrocs @mylittleworld563 thank you. A 'firm no' is what dh meant, we are just both so exhausted I think he worded it badly. He grew up around dogs and loves them and is pouring his heart and soul into the care of our dog right now so we have made up. We phoned the wonderful rescue place who we adopted him from for a chat and they got us on the right page.

@mylittleworld563 this is the approach we are taking except I didn't know about the limiting water thing before bed so thank you x

Pleased to hear you've moved on from telling off already. The poor dog has only just been rescued! Treat him like you would treat one of your babies when it comes to potty training. The dog doesn't know the correct place to wee yet, show him where to do it and praise him when he gets it right. Never tell off, he won't understand it and will only get scared.

I wouldn't limit too much but it might be helpful just while you're establishing where and when is the appropriate place to go to the toilet. Now that our routine is established the water goes away about an hour before bed (used to be longer), during the summer if it's very warm water is always available. And we make sure that water is available from first clip in the morning too.

At this point routine is key for him, you might find he will find a way of waking you during the night if he needs to go. One of our girls will bark during the night if she needs out the other doesn't bark and will whine instead. Most nights they sleep through from 10:30/11:00 until 7-8am.

Should we leave water out overnight? Really confused.

They probably don’t need water overnight. We have a water bowl in the kitchen and neither our current boy or his predecessor ever went in there overnight.

@Definitelyrandom thank you. Would you walk your dog with a buggy in tow? Just thinking I'd be able to walk more quickly that way x

I've seen it done, but our children were grown up by the time we got a greyhound, so can't speak from personal experience. I'd probably see how you get on with yours on walks first - so if yours is going to get really excited at a cat or a squirrel (e.g. lunge/rear/pull) can you control your hound and make sure the buggy's safe at the same time? Training your hound to walk with a loose lead (i.e. not at full stretch) will help there, as you can brace yourself properly if he gets excited - and you should be able to hold on the lead with just one hand (and make sure that the loop at the end of the lead is over your hand so it doesn't slip off). Sorry if this is all obvious!

@Definitelyrandom thank you. I already love my beautiful boy with my heart and soul but am honestly really struggling with adjusting to the huge lifestyle change. I just want the best for him.

How do you get them in a routine?! I thought we'd have a morning walk and an afternoon one and that it would be straightforward but he naps in his bed quite a lot and it can be unpredictable as to when he'll wake up and be happy to go for a walk. This morning for example he seemed all ready to go then as soon as I got my daughters coat and wellies on he fell asleep then we basically had to mooch around the house waiting for him to wake up without any real idea of how long that will take. I have no idea how to navigate this.

Also the stress and worry is unreal, I just so desperately want him to be happy and feel like it's a huge responsibility.

That said there are some really lovely moments and as I said I really love him.

I leave water out at all times. If he doesn't want it he won't take it.

Re walks and routine - you get into a routine by doing the same thing at roughly the same time so he will come to know it. This is also important for toilet training to help him go outside. But if he doesn't want to go you shouldn't force him out. Remember he's still settling into his new home and family, he may be a little anxious himself.

Greyhounds don't need huge amounts of exercise but going out is still important. On our walks, he will stop and sniff pretty much everything. It takes ages and we don't get very far in terms of distance but this is his time not mine. Sniffing for a dog is social - checking out the smells is like scrolling on social media. It keeps the brain happy.

So pleased you've got your boy home and are enjoying him!

Please don't stress too much. When we got our greyhound it was the first time either my partner or I had owned a dog (neither had childhood dogs growing up either) and I was surprised how anxious i felt about everything, despite having researched to the nines! To be honest, I used to feel a massive sense of relief when he lay down for a nap and dread when he woke up again because I didn't know how to even begin figuring out his needs at any given moment and I felt so bad about it. But honestly, as long as your boy is fed, has chance to toilet regularly, is walked (one slow sniffy walk a day is perfect for now while he's settling in) and has company and a comfy bed, the rest will slot into place over time. It's often said that greyhounds love routine, and it is true in one sense in that they don't tend to thrive in noisy chaotic environments, but in another sense they are surprisingly adaptable and they won't mind if they don't do the same thing at exactly the same time every day. :)

Honestly, everything will be fine and you will figure each other out in time, so try to enjoy it!

Any more questions just ask!

@Strawberrypicnic thank you SO much for this, such a helpful read. I read it and thought 'are you me?!' You understand completely. I do need to chill out. I was anxious to get things right when we brought both our babies home too so perhaps I should've predicted I'd be like this. At the weekend my friend who knows loads about dogs is coming over for lunch so I will definitely be picking her brains!

My son has a greyhound and he is just the most adorable dog.

As others have said, hide everything out of his reach in the kitchen. That long pointy nose can reach everywhere 🥰

Great to hear you're bonding.

The only feedback I can give is, please relax, dogs have evolved to be really good at reading humans, and you need to show confidence and that you're in charge and there's nothing to worry about.

Waiting for the dog to wake up is a bit crazy! you decide when it's walkies. He will be very happy to work to your schedule if he thinks you're the leader of the pack.

I'm sure you'll be fine, it's been good to see you're concerned to get it right, you'll be a GH expert before you know it.

You don't wait for the dog to wake up 🙈😂

If it's walkies time you wake them up and say it's okay you can have a nice long nap when we get back.

My dog has a walk before I start work in the mornings and I quite often have to get him out of bed for it.

You decide the routine and the dog will fit into it.

Hats off to you Bakewell, for taking a retired greyhound,when I see so many people wanting a puppy from a specific breed thus funding in many cases an unregulated breeding industry. Remember the saying 'Adopting a dog won't change the world, but it will change that dog's world'.With all due respect you seem to be stressing far to much,greyhounds are mostly very chilled out and adaptable.They need love,a warm bed, food, and a couple of walks a day , you are giving them that don't worry about anything else they will grow before your very eyes.

He's beautiful Bakewell 😍.
Until my Greyhound figured out that walks were fun activities (and that he gets a couple of biscuits in a bowl after) he wasn't bothered. Having a loose lead sniffy walk that they dictate is good.

Mine has the following routine that we implemented to suit us...that was another thing the kennels told us. They fit in with you not the other way.

Wake up/cuddles more snoozing 8.30-9
Breakfast 9 -9.30 out for a wee in garden straight after
Walk 1.5 hours during day (my husbands hobby but time is variable) this includes lots of sniffing, a good run when he feels like it in a secure field, sometimes a stop off at his fave coffee shop where he gets a chew, lots of stopping and being told he is a beautiful shiny boy by locals.
Biscuit snack after walk
More sleep
5.30-6 moaning and looking at me for dinner
6 dinner/wee in garden straight after
6-10.30 sometimes a five minute house zoom, cuddles, snoozing, playing (this takes time), farting,command training (only 15 mins...we've been at it four years and he gives me his paw and sits occasionally)
10.30 Garden wee
10.30-12 lays on his bed snoozing or staring at us ...gets annoyed and looks towards the light to tell us to go to bed and turn it off.

I'm lucky enough to work from home but, after a good walk we can leave for up to 4 hours .

Go slow, keep going slow. It's true what they say about the personality. It doesn't come out until about a year. Mine still surprises me after four...he has recently been going through what I can term a naughty teenager phase.

Squeaky natural coloured toys are his fave. New Colin caterpillar doing well. Mine also loves snufflemat and kibble ball ...stuff like that tires them too.

He has sleep startle still..we know now to avoid evening cuddles on sofa.

They are loving, so loving just in a different, more subtle way. They'll walk up and stand /lean to you waiting for strokes. Within the last year mine has started bowing his head into my tummy whilst I stroke his shoulders.

The ears gymnastics and looks they give you are adorable.

I adore him.

Yes to this, don't wait for him to wake up. He's not a puppy, so can cope with broken naps. As a greyhound he will probably end up spending 90% of his day sleeping. Our girl will sleep until she hears her collar being jangled. She pretty much thinks unless she's eating or walking time is wasted if not asleep.

@Peradventure55 thank you what a kind message. X

@CappuccinoChocolate thank you for the advice / routine. Your dog sounds amazing!

Thanks everyone. The place we adopted him from drilled it into me multiple times that he mustn't be woken up as he can react very badly, this is why I was concerned.

Did they mean sleep startle, where he may growl and snap if woken? In which case it's more that he shouldn't be touched awake, but calling him, rattling his lead etc to wake him should be fine. I'd want a bit more information as that's quite an odd guideline not to wake a sleeping dog at all!