The First Few Days in Your Home With Your Greyhound
Our greyhounds are rescued from racing kennels and placed in one of our foster homes for a while. Although we work with our foster greyhound dogs to adapt them to a household environment, they still have a lot to learn in their new surroundings. Our foster homes typically have other dogs (mainly greyhounds) for the newly retired racer to play with. This is highly beneficial in acclimating them to new situations, sights, smells, and house regulations.
At first, your newly adopted greyhound may be tense and reserved. The first night or two after arriving from the track or foster home, greyhounds may whimper or whine. This is normal behavior for a dog experiencing discomfort in a new setting. It does not imply that they are upset with you or dislike you. Being calm and soothing to your dog will go a long way in assisting him in adjusting. Bring your new puppy home on the weekend or when you will be able to spend quality time with him. Because he is unsure and lonely, your new greyhound may be terrified the first few nights. He’s used to the safety of his kennel, where he’s surrounded by other greyhounds.
Crates Can Help Your Greyhound Adjust
We strongly advise you to utilize a crate to help your greyhound adjust from the foster home to your home. We will loan you a box for up to 30 days in exchange for a deposit to assist your greyhound in acclimatizing to its new home. Your greyhound was accustomed to the safety of his crate at the racing kennel. Having one at his new home will aid in the transition, which should only take a few days in most situations. We don’t charge a leasing fee for the crate. Therefore it’s a no-cost service. All you have to do now is make arrangements to return your crate to us within 30 days. If you want to buy your own crate, you may do it for a fair fee online or at a pet supply store near you. Greyhound crates should be tall enough for your dog to stand up and spin around comfortably (at least 30″). Your greyhound will be content if you put a blanket or comforter in the crate.
Your Greyhound Should Be Introduced to Your Pets
When your greyhound is delivered, the BAGA volunteer who fostered it will be there to help you. They will ensure that all of your pets, including your new greyhound, are compatible. We will aid you in introducing the greyhound to all of your household pets. The procedure is as follows:
- Make sure you allow your greyhound plenty of time to relieve himself before entering the house when you get home.
- If you have other dogs, take them outside separately and introduce them to the greyhound in a neutral location such as the front yard.
- Take the dogs for a short walk together after they’ve started ignoring each other, and then walk into the house.
The procedure for introducing cats is the same, but it takes place in the home. The greyhound will usually be introduced to the cat while wearing a turn-out muzzle and short leash. If the cat refuses to approach the greyhound, do not force it. The cat will eventually meet the greyhound. Remember that even though the cat and the greyhound get along fine in the home, leaving them in the yard together is not a good idea.
How To Welcome Your Greyhound Into Your Home
Take your new greyhound for a leashed stroll around the home to familiarize him. A greyhound is believed to quickly seek out the softest location in the house to snuggle up and slumber, and this is accurate. A greyhound will make himself at home on the sofa or in your bed if you allow it. Allowing your greyhound to lie on the couch or your bed unless you want him to be a furniture dog. Show him his bed and take him there instead. Greyhounds have never been permitted on furniture, so they will not know to go there until you allow it. Please stick to your guns. Your dog cannot distinguish between when it is acceptable to sit on the furniture and when not.
Use a Crate To Ease the Transition
your greyhound will want to be near you. If you bring your greyhound’s crate into the bedroom with you, there’s a strong chance he’ll go asleep right away. After a few nights, try leaving the crate door open while closing the door to your bedroom. If everything is in order, remove the crate and allow your greyhound to sleep in your bedroom on his dog bed with the door closed. If you don’t want your greyhound to have free run of the house, leave the door to your bedroom open or use a baby gate until he sleeps through the night on his bed in your room.
Glass Doors and Mirrors
Your greyhound’s reflection in the mirror may be perplexing. Allow him to investigate and become accustomed to it. The same is true for French and sliding glass doors, which may reflect light. Your greyhound may not comprehend those vast expanses of glass, such as large windows or sliding glass doors, are glass and attempt to run through them. This has the potential to be exceedingly hazardous. We always recommend placing a strip of blue painter’s tape, decals, or post-it notes on the window at the greyhound’s eye level. (We know of specific greyhounds that have accompanied their owners through this process and removed the post-it notes.) Return to painter’s tape or decals in that instance.
Utilized the Stairs
Teach your greyhound to use the stairs if you have them in your home. Several of our foster homes have stairs, so the dogs will be used to climbing and descending. If they aren’t used to it, the volunteer who comes to your house will assist you in teaching your greyhound how to go upstairs and downstairs. Allow your greyhound to follow another dog who is accustomed to ascending stairs for a few steps before returning down. While holding your greyhound’s collar, move up and down a few steps, then try a few more until your greyhound is comfortable moving up and down. Walking down the stairs is more complicated than going up for a dog. This is due to their lack of depth perception, which makes them assume they are walking on air. Hold your greyhound tightly on a short leash to prevent him from jumping and falling down a flight of stairs. Increase the number of stairs until he can go down the entire flight of stairs gently and quickly once he has become used to it.
House Training
Greyhounds are housetrained and follow the same pattern every day at the track, including their turn-out times. They are usually turned into an exercise pen four or five times a day. As a result, greyhounds thrive on consistency. The more constant your potty regimen is, the better off your greyhound will be. Your greyhound will not know how to beg to go outside when he initially arrives at your house. This will happen over time, but first, you must establish a habit of getting out. Keep this regimen as near the one employed at your greyhound’s foster home as possible, and gradually adapt it to your schedule. Take your greyhound out to relieve themselves as soon as you wake up in the morning. This is just a quick trip to the park. We recommend keeping your dog on a leash for the first several days until he relieves himself, even if you have a fenced yard. When he does, congratulate him and tell him that’s what you want. Return him to the house and feed him. After feeding, most dogs will need to go outdoors again within 30 minutes to an hour. After feeding, take your greyhound out again, but this time keep him on a leash until he has relieved himself. If feasible, take him out again in the middle of the day as you get home from work. After you’ve fed him his evening meal, he’ll need another toilet break and then another before night. Maintain as much stability in your schedule as possible. On weekends, don’t take your greyhound out for a couple of hours and then resume your regular routine on Monday. Keep each day’s “get out” schedule as consistent as possible. To assist your greyhound in learning what is expected of him, take him to the same pee spot on a leash for the first few days. He will learn to relieve himself promptly when taken there.
Your greyhound is used to being passive for lengthy periods at the track. You’ll have to leave him to go to work or to do anything else. This isn’t a problem as long as you make it clear to your dog that he isn’t being abandoned. Because your greyhound has spent nearly his entire life in the company of other greyhounds, he may be nervous at first if he is left alone in his new home. This is not a brilliant idea because confining your dog in an enclosed room with the door shut may terrify him. Using a crate to smooth the transition will benefit both the dog and the owner. The greyhounds are “crate trained” at the racecourse, which means they will not soil their crates. This often makes house training for the greyhound and the owner a breeze. For a while, place him in a tiny room with a gate until he gets acclimated to his crate. If he tolerates it, try it for extended periods (2-3 hours), then a 12-hour day, and finally a whole day. Your greyhound will quickly acclimate to your (his) schedule.
How To Assist Your Greyhound in Becoming Accustomed to Being Alone
Leaving a radio on while you’re gone is one approach to help your greyhound acclimatize to being alone. A radio is usually on at the racing kennels. While you’re gone, the sound of a human voice can go a long way to calming an anxious dog. Using a Kong or other interactive play toy to keep your greyhound occupied while away is highly suggested.
Exercise Walks
You’ll need to take your dog for an exercise walk at some time during the day, or if you have a fenced yard, let him run around and sprint if he wants to. Greyhounds that do not have access to a fenced yard will benefit from a regular 20-30 minute exercise stroll. Greyhounds are bred to be sprinters and require little to no exercise. As a result, a short walk is usually adequate. If you want your greyhound to be your jogging partner, you’ll need to keep your jogs brief. If you enjoy walking and like your greyhound to acclimatize to longer walks, you’ll need to do so gradually. Begin with a 12-mile run, then a 34-mile run, and so on.
Martingale Collars
When walking your greyhound, make sure you use the martingale collar that came with your greyhound when you acquired it. Because greyhounds can easily back out of a buckle collar if they are scared, this is the only form of collar safe for them. Buckle collars for holding your greyhound’s tags inside the house are acceptable; for walks, switch to a martingale collar.
Greyhounds Must Be Kept On Leashes
They are unfamiliar with traffic and may become easily sidetracked by the new sights and sounds they encounter on their walks. Greyhounds are sighthounds, meaning they can see long away. When your dog is not in a fenced yard, he must be kept on a hand-held leash. If a greyhound were terrified or interested in whatever they saw and bolted, they’d be far too fast for you to catch them, and they’d be able to race right through traffic. We also advise against using retractable leashes on greyhounds. You don’t have enough control over your dog, and retractable leashes are easy to become caught up in.
How To Keep Your Greyhound From Bolting out the Door
The “wait” command and the “come” command are two crucial commands to teach your greyhound right away. Both are for your dog’s safety. The first step is to train your greyhound not to leave an open door unattended. This is performed by having your dog stand at the doorway and watch you rather than running out. With your greyhound on a leash, stand at an open door with several little rewards. When he stares at you, instead of wanting to go outside, call his name and give him a treat. Repeat this procedure each time you leave the house until he learns to look at you first. Use the “wait” voice command. You can then stroll out together once he has mastered the wait command. The same method can be used to train your greyhound not to jump out of a car without your consent.
Teaching Your Greyhound To Come When Called
The other crucial order is “come on recall,” which means to come when you call them. If you have a fenced yard, make it a habit to call your greyhound in by name and reward him with a tiny treat when he arrives. Do this every time he is allowed out until he comes when called regularly. You can practice this indoors if you don’t have access to a fenced yard until he consistently responds when called.
Your greyhound will grow into a fantastic family companion with patience, consistency, and effort. Greyhounds respond well to standard obedience orders. They have a natural desire to please you and thrive on your attention. Greyhounds are kind and sensitive dogs. They will become fantastic family companions if you are friendly, gentle, and calm around them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Greyhound Homing
How Do You Home a Greyhound?
Always meet your dogs in a neutral location out front of your house. Take a short walk up and down the street or around the block before bringing them inside. Make sure your greyhound is wearing a muzzle – it’s purely a safety precaution. Keep in mind that the muzzle has no effect on the greyhound.
Are Greyhounds Good House Dogs?
Greyhounds are one of the friendliest breeds, according to your veterinarian. Greyhounds are intelligent, sweet, calm, gentle, and affectionate for children and adults. They are also known for their curiosity and carelessness.
Can You Have a Greyhound in a Small House?
They’re both big softies. One of the reasons you don’t need a lot of space to house a greyhound is that they usually prefer to be right next to you. Greyhounds are highly affectionate, and anyone who dares to stop stroking them will be met with a powerful right hook.
How Do You Make a Greyhound Feel at Home?
Greyhounds prefer to sleep in quiet places. Consider putting a second bed in a room where you spend the most time during the day or evening, such as the family room or the home office… Invest in the necessities. Greyhound is a book about greyhounds. a flea comb, and a grooming glove Bowls for food and water bedding, as well as a crate Toys for dogs treats and food
Are Greyhounds Good for First-Time Owners?
For a first-time dog owner, greyhounds are generally not the ideal choice. They require a lot of exercises, and if you don’t have them completely under control, their speed can be a big problem. There are Italian Greyhounds that are smaller and more suitable for apartment living. They can be hesitant, but they are lovely small dogs.
Can Greyhounds Walk Downstairs?
Every greyhound is different, and some hounds like to go up the stairs while others prefer to go down. Some greyhounds may travel halfway up or down the steps before freezing and refusing to continue in either direction. In contrast, others will just refuse to go up or down the stairs.
Why Shouldn’t You Get a Greyhound?
Greyhounds are easy to care for, but they have specific unique requirements. Because of their lack of body fat, long thin bones, delicate skin, and sensitive souls, they must be protected from extremes in temperature, harsh conditions, and improper handling. If you’re unable to handle these drawbacks, then it is best to give up your dog.
Are Greyhounds Smelly?
One of the most underappreciated characteristics of greyhounds is their absence of odor. I’m currently dog sitting for a friend. It’s a standard poodle, and he’s a great dog. He does, however, have a foul odor.
Do Greyhounds Stink?
Even though they are enormous dogs, they are generally quiet and gentle. Even when wet, greyhounds have almost no “doggy” odor.
They have short hair and shed little. They only require occasional washing, brushing, and nail cutting. You’re Greyhound might have bad breath; in such cases, you have to take extra care of its oral health.
Do Greyhounds Need a Backyard?
Greyhounds don’t need a lot of space to run around in. They are calm, gentle, and adaptable, making them ideal pets for high-density suburban environments. Surprisingly, these slender, sinewy, fashionable hounds don’t require much space or exercise and are perfectly pleased with regular short walks.
Do You Need a Fence for a Greyhound?
Greyhounds can jump to great heights, although they usually respect any obstacles. While a 6-foot fence is ideal, a 5-foot fence will suffice. A 4-foot fence can be “shaky.” Never leave a fenced-in greyhound unsupervised.
Do You Need a Garden for a Greyhound?
Greyhounds do not require any more space than any other dog of comparable size; your yard does not need to be a racetrack. They will be content and safe in a gated yard where they can be allowed out regularly.
Where Should Greyhounds Sleep?
Your greyhound should be in a different room when everyone goes to bed for the night. Keep the dog in the room at night and use a baby gate or a door to keep him from wandering. If a dog is allowed to roam, he can make a mess that will not occur if he is contained.
Why Are Greyhounds So Scared?
Fear, anxiety, and the uncertainty of a new situation are at the root of most troublesome behaviors in greyhounds. This is partly due to heredity, but primarily to a lack of early and proper socializing in the home. This contains personnel for many paddock-raised, non-chasers.
Do All Greyhounds Have Sleep Startle?
The condition known as ‘Sleep Startle’ can affect any breed, although it is most common in greyhounds. Greyhounds are often raised in conditions where they sleep alone from a young age and would not be disturbed while sleeping if they were handled.
