New dog - what to expect?

[ponyperson3317]

Hi, long time lurker here.

I'm getting my first dog tomorrow and I'm very excited but I just wanted to ask for any advice or info from you lovely people. She is a greyhound from the Retired Greyhound Trust and although I have read everything possible I just wondered if anyone had any first hand experiences of rehoming a greyhound and how they adjust to home life after kennels?
What can I really expect?

Thanks

 

[camilla4]

Hello Ponyperson - first of all, congratulations and well done on rehoming a dog. My darling girl is a rescue dog and I can tell you that it is extremely rewarding. Mine is a Labrador, not a Greyhound, but the same principles apply.

Several suggestions for you and I'm sure that others will have plenty too. You don't say how much experience you have of dogs so I will assume nothing and forgive me if it's at all patronising - it really isn't meant to be!!

The first thing I would suggest is that you immediately adopt the routine that you will have long-term. It is always tempting to find extra time for a new dog - extra walks, extra fuss, extra play etc. but try and avoid this as it just makes it harder for the dog when this drops off. If you intend to walk her twice a day, then do that from day one etc.

Secondly, you will almost certainly have various friends and family members who want to come and say hello to her. Lovely though this is, it may be kinder to allow her to have a day or so getting to know her new home and the people in it before she has others coming to see her. When visitors do come, if she is a happy, confident dog then great; if she is at all nervous or unsettled, do ask all visitors to try and ignore her at first. I know this sounds harsh and a little strange, but iti s much easier for the dog if she does not feel overwhelmed. This also applies to you when she first arrives - it will be tempting to keep giving her fuss and attention but, in fact, she will find it far easier to settle if she comes into a calm environment and is allowed to find her own way. If she approaches you then great but otherwise try and let her be so she can have a good sniff around. Show her where her bed and water are and then leave her alone for a bit - just get on with whatever you would be doing normally.

I would also suggest that you and anyone living with you decide in advance what the "house" rules are: is she allowed upstairs/on the sofa/on the bed/to have titibits ec. Decide on these rules and be consistent. Do not allow her to do some things some of the time but not others. What she will need more than anything when she comes to a new home is certainty and security!

Good luck, have lots of fun with her and let us know how you get on. We're always here if you need any help or suggestions!

xxx

 

[ponyperson3317]

Thank you so much - very wise words. I will have to resist following her round the house and staring at her lovingly and make sure my bf obeys the same rules with her.

 

[camilla4]

I know how hard that can be, believe me! It is tempting to treat a dog in the same way as a child but their needs are, in many ways, so different!!!

It is helps, my Lab was adopted six years ago - two years old, so terribly nervous- terrified of all people, having been badly treated. She came to us with a list of problems as long as your arm including the fact that she couldn't go through the night without messing. We treated her as I describe - I showed her where everything was, told her she couldn't go upstairs, but left back door open so she was free to wander round the rest of the house and garden, showed her the bed and her water and just pottered around the house doing odds and ends. After about an hour, we had a game of ball in the garden and then I sat down with a cup of tea and did the crossword for an hour. After a few minutes, she came down and lay at my feet. She went through the night, quiet and clean, and we have never had a single one of the problems we were told to expect. Be consistent and your lovely dog will be fine!

 

[Spudlet]

Henry is also a rescue, they advised me similarly, allow him space, don't be all over him with fuss, cuddles etc and just keep everything very calm and chilled. He totally ignored all this advice and leapt all over the house then fell asleep with his head in my lap! He obviously hadn't had the same talk as me...

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Ahhhh another greyhound convert, you obviously have exceptional taste

Well I've had 5 or 6 rescue greyhounds so far, so here goes....

First time they come into the house they will be curious, and will wander around to have an explore and a sniff

They probably wont be too responsive to hugs, cuddles and demands for attention as they just arent used to it - they are better left with some peace and quiet, their own bed to make themselves comfortable on (mine love a single duvet folded in half, but of course do prefer the sofa

) and time to watch the world go by

They might seem pretty quiet and almost aloof during the first few days and weeks, but dont be put off - it can take anywhere between six months and a year for the real personality to come out as the greyhound settles in, and believe me you will know when that happens

All of mine have been really clean in the house from day 1, except for my latest who suffered from seperation anxiety when I first had her. As long as you use your common sense and let them out like you would a puppy - when they wake up, when they have just had a meal etc - then you shouldnt have any problems

Not sure if your greyhound has been classified as 'cat safe' but do be careful of small fluffy things initially - even small children in fluffy coats have been deemed chaseable by mine in the past

(thankfully they were already on the lead by that time!) You will quickly learn how keen on chasing your greyhound is or isnt

They usually come from kennels in a pretty poor state in terms of coat etc - no reflection on the rescue organisations, the dogs usually grow a horrible thick felt-like coat when they are kennelled. Once they become used to living in a house with central heating they then joyfully cast their coat all over the place

and should come out the other side with a lovely shiny sleek coat

There are so many things to say that I could go on and on for ever (regular users will testify that I usually do

) but if you have any specific questions then do ask

But most of all have loads of fun with your new friend, greyhounds are the most rewarding dogs to own and I wouldnt have any other breed now, and dont forget to post pictures please

 

[Oneofthepack]

Aahh, what to expect

Good day..has a little romp round a field for 15 minutes, lies down the rest of the day only rising to greet you like a long lost friend and spends the rest of the time lying at your feet occasional glancing lovingly in your direction and playing cutely with her toys

Bad day..wakes at 5 to go out for a pee but doesn't make it, goes out for a 15 minute walk which turns into an hour because she's caught a rabbit and won't come back, comes home and throws up aformentioned rabbit on your cream carpet, falls asleep on your settee and leaves a pile of hair like a rug everywhere, greets you like a long lost friend but then follows you everywhere whining until you want to strangle her then disembowels every toy you bought for her and finishes the day by tearing your most expensive pair of shoes apart

Enjoy

 

[FestiveSpirit]

You cynic OOTP

They arent like that at all...... much

 

[Oneofthepack]

[ QUOTE ]
You cynic OOTP

They arent like that at all...... much

[/ QUOTE ]
TBH it really does vary from dog to dog doesn't it. I wouldn't know I had Pie most of the time but Lizzie........holy cow that dog's hard work. Luckily she has soft brown eyes which cancel out the barking, chewing and general chaos she causes

 

[FestiveSpirit]

I know exactly what you mean - all my previous ones have settled in really well and been pretty angelic most of the time, but Flick drives me absoutely mad sometimes

I suppose it is because she is that bit younger (only just turned two) but I swear she is as much work as all the others put together