DocsDoctor

I am so very sorry for your loss of your sweet boy. Run free, dear Aiden!

I am so sorry for your sudden loss. She was clearly a very special girl, who enjoyed a wonderful life with you. Run free sweet Petunia!

At two weeks your home is still very new to him, he is learning about his new life and what's expected of him; with mine I've found it takes a month or so for them to realise "I am home!" (and then, usually, feel confident enough try a bit of boundary testing - e.g. jumping on the furniture....). It could take longer than that if he is a shy boy, and even if he isn't you can expect to see new aspects of his character emerging as he settles in and develops a bond with you. I would continue to work on the alone training, taking care to be as calm as you can yourself as you come and go because he will pick up on your stress otherwise. It sounds good to me that you have outdoor space available as an alternative, if need be, and that he enjoys hanging out there. It's not usual to leave a greyhound out of doors in the UK or the USA, but your climate is different! And your adoption group suggested that solution, after all. As I understand it, many Australian racing greyhounds spend much of their time out of doors so it may be that he feels most comfortable right now sticking with what he is used to. Just make sure it is secure, as well as the precautions you mention - you wouldn't want him jumping out, after a passing cat, or someone coming and letting him out by accident, or even stealing him. That said - as he settles in he will probably become more comfortable with being inside, with or without you. So again, work on the alone training, and also on encouraging him to enjoy indoors when you are around - set him up a nice comfy bed where he is at no risk of being stepped on, but can observe what's going on, and reward him for staying there with kindly talk ('Are you liking that bed now? That's right! Good boy!') and the odd treat. I expect sooner rather than later he will realise what a much nicer and more interesting place indoors is to be!

I am sorry you are having to deal with this, it must feel very worrisome. If you are in England or Wales (Scottish legal system is separate, and rather different) check out a solicitor called Trevor Cooper who is a specialist in dog law and often mentioned on rescue forums. There is lots of information on his website, or if you don't find an answer there you can contact him.

What a good idea! And the photos both of the walks and of Buddy are lovely. I wish you much fun and lots of success with this project It is nice and practical too, with the information about steps, loos, route lengths etc. The only suggestion I'd make is that it'd be nice to have the map show the walking route as well as the location. This *is* possible to do, using Google My Maps - not sure about Mapbox.

What a lovely girl - many congratulations!

Truly an excellent adventure, Aiden! Nice to see you enjoying your nap, too.

Yes, the cable car ride is only a few minutes - it would have to be the London Eye if you want a champagne experience, MerseyGrey. I have been up in that at sunset and it was sensational, even without champagne. No dogs allowed however, except assistance dogs. Our three were all very chilled about the various modes of transport, with Tiger in particular wanting to lie down and stretch out whenever there was an opportunity. All of them were tired by the end of the day - when the smallest dog happily jumped into her owner's bike basket for a ride home!

Yes! I lead walks for my local Women's Institute - with Tiger, and before him Ken, as mascot - and a while back we did a lovely one from Paddington Basin along the towpath of the Regent's Canal to end up in Regent's Park, with a couple of other dogs coming along too. It's a beautiful park with a very nice cafe, though dogs aren't allowed in the formal parts such as the stunning Queen Mary's Rose Garden. We are really lucky in London, with good public transport links to lots of wonderful parks and more and more nice walking trails too - it makes arranging the WI outings a lot of fun! With Covid we have faced restrictions - no group outings, no non-essential travel on public transport - but now happily things are opening up again. For the next one we're going to walk a section of the Wandle Trail and then explore Beddington Park, which is big and beautiful, and includes a Tudor manor house (now a school), an eighteenth-century dovecote, and a Victorianised medieval parish church. So dog-friendly is it that when I went to check it out Tiger was even allowed inside the church with me to check out the William Morris screen! Volunteers were running a cafe with tables in the pretty churchyard which will make a nice coffee stop at the end of our walk. For the time being I'm happy sublimating my travel urges into arranging day outings like this. We are lucky to have so much on our doorsteps to explore, and it feels too much of a hassle to arrange anything longer/further away when as MerseyGrey says I could well end up needing to cancel/ reschedule. PS TIger wants you to know that last month on one especially exciting recent WI outing he and two other adventurous dog friends rode on a train, inspected art installations along The Line walk, flew high above the Thames in a cable car, and finally caught a Thames Clipper boat home!

A spoonful of raw porridge oat flakes (straight from the packet) sprinkled on top of a meal works well here. Beet pulp (a byproduct from sugar beet processing) is also helpful - and included in many dry kibbles. Both are a good source of fibre, and liquid-absorbent. But I would always expect a second poo on a walk to be a bit runnier, because exercise gets everything moving.

It's your day, sweet Jagger - celebrate it however you want!

It's early days, but it sounds as if she is settling in really well with you. As time goes on, this behaviour may well die away - having her very own human is a novelty for her, and she is also still learning to feel secure within your household routines. My Tiger from early on chose to take himself off to another room for some quiet time quite regularly, from early on. Ken and Doc, his predecessors would do so more occasionally. They are all different characters!

The Kew greyhound I'd say looks rather like Popeye, in that photo - it's partly the angle, showing off his big chest. I remember taking a front-on snap of his twin at Hampton Court together with Doc, both managing to look quite dignified! They're very 1950s, I agree they look a bit cartoonish now but really rather endearing.

Just released by the UK's Royal Mint - a commemorative coin featuring all the Queen's Beasts, shown below in a rather monstrous 10-kilo gold version. That's already sold, but smaller versions can be had. More details in this article from today's Guardian. I've always been very fond of the Queen's Beasts, a set of sculptures designed by James Woodford to stand outside Westminster Abbey at Elisabeth II's coronation in 1953. The originals are in Canada, but there are sets at Hampton Court and Kew - view of the Greyhound of York at Kew below.

Shouldn't be a problem, but you may need to teach your adoptee how to 'do stairs,' if s/he hasn't encountered them during kennel life. Mine have always cottoned on very quickly, with the aid of a few treats, but you should find more detailed advice if you search for 'stairs' within the training and behaviour section of Greytalk.

I agree with the advice to take any food change slowly; a spoonful of porridge oats (straight from the packet) sprinkled over each meal is another good way of firming things up. But it is normal for poos to get softer as a walk continues, as others have said. Exercise loosens things up! I expect the Dogs Trust wormed him prior to adoption but it might be worth checking - worms are one of the things that can make a dog skinny and his poos loose. Tiger eats Autarky White Fish and Potato, a grain-free food made by Dodson & Horrell. He had had a bout of pancreatitis prior to me adopting him and so the kennels asked me to keep him on a grain-free food. He does well on it, anyway. My first greyhound did very well on Gusto, the Dodson and Horrell economy range. Their digestions differ, just like ours, so be prepared to experiment a little. You could also add a little extra protein to help put weight on - a raw whole egg, a small tin of sardines once or twice a week. That would be instead of the tinned dog food.

Agree with MerseyGrey, make an appointment to get it checked out next week, because there are lots of things it could be, and try not to worry too much meanwhile! One thing she didn't mention was thyroid glands - he will have two of these, symmetrically placed either side of his throat. I'm sorry to say that when my old greyhound, Ken, developed a lump on one of these it turned out to be a thyroid tumour. These are not always bad news, some are benign but again something you want to get checked out (usually via a needle biopsy) swiftly. Ken's alas was an aggressive one and though we whipped it off as swiftly as possible, the cancer had already got into his bloodstream and we only had a few more months together. I find UK vets are usually in fact quite greyhound-savvy - apart from anything else they are usually exposed to a fair few in vet school - but you will find some handy greyhound-specific health information here

Thanks Robin! It's now almost a year since he came here, and he's well settled in, see below!

I have had two handsome brindle boys; can't access photos at the moment. But Doc, as a red brindle, looked best I always felt in black with gold or silver, or red. Tiger is paler, described in his adoption papers as a silver brindle; again he is currently wearing a red and black house collar which also has a little blue in the pattern, to go with his plain denim martingale. I like bold patterns for brindle boys - avoid ones which will either disappear into, or clash with, the stripes.

This ties in with what the manager of the greyhound adoption kennels initially told me too: "as a general rule, when it comes to training, the boys just want to please you. The girls on the other hand will be wondering 'What's in it for me?'" I've had three big boys in a small house (consecutively, not together!) and have never found space a particular issue. Just given each a downstairs bed in the living room, and an upstairs bed in the study for night-time, and discouraged them from using the human furniture, at least when I am around! They were all quick to pick up on housetraining too, though I admit I do have a small garden for loo breaks first and last thing.

So very sorry for your loss. He looks such a sweet and handsome chap. Run free Mr Spock, knowing how well you were loved

Sorry you're feeling overwhelmed! I would rethink the sleeping in your room thing, just for now. It need only be for a week or so and it will help him bond with you. You will all get a better night's sleep and frankly you sound pretty frazzled right now - he will be picking up on that, worrying himself, round and round it all goes and into a downward spiral.... This link has some helpful downloads, see especially the ones on "The first night at home" and "spending time alone." My guys all slept in my room for the first couple of weeks and then happily migrated to a bed in the back bedroom where they could hear but not see me. I will also add, I think it is absolutely normal to have some "oh my goodness what have I done?" moments when you first adopt a dog. It's such a big change for you both, especially with a first pet in adult life.

It does sound as if it has become a habit, but also - could he be feeling cold at night? I would try the effect of a housecoat, or even just an extra blanket. Or could he be hearing noises that he wants to investigate - e.g. foxes/ milk float/ cats outside, central heating clicking on inside? When you let him out, is he really needing the loo break? Or is it more of a pleasure trip, as it were? Also, when you let him out, how much attention do you pay to him? Again that can reinforce the habit - you need to be robotic about it, just let him out, loo stop, in again, no pats or "good dog" or anything. Just a "settle" or "bed" (and if you haven't taught him this command yet, do! You can start in the daytime, and reward him with treats ) Ignore any attempts to get you up again, beyond repeating "settle." I guess the crate might come in handy if he is already used to it. Not something I've ever had here, but I can remember my first greyhound Doc beginning to develop a similar behaviour - he had had a tummy upset which meant he really *did* need to go out for a night or so, then that got better but he decided that a night-time garden outing would be an agreeable addition to his routine, and tried whingeing for one . I hardened my heart and ignored him; after a night or so he stopped . I will add, Doc was a big confident sort of chap who always loved going out and about, but your boy is evidently more nervous about outings. Some of this may therefore be about wanting to go out and do his business when it is quiet and there is less risk of encountering others. Even so I am sure you will be able to conquer this problem - might take a bit more time, as it is now longer-established. Be prepared for an "extinction burst" of increased activity as he tries to work out what the real routine is! I will add, I think all greyhounds appreciate routines and knowing what to expect when, but that this is especially critical with the nervous ones. And yes, lockdown has added an extra layer of complication in all this! So be kind and patient but also consistent, and he will grow in love for you and in confidence. Personally I would also try the effect of a regular second walk a day, at a quiet time and just very short to begin with - even if it doesn't stop the night-time awakening initially, it will encourage him to empty out and also hopefully broaden his horizons a bit.

Probably just "greyhound yoga" - they like to relax and stretch their muscles, often in funny looking ways - but 'm not sure what she's doing from your description. If you can capture it in a video and post it here, I am sure members can advise. And if you are concerned, the video would also be helpful to show to a vet.

I think you have the ears the wrong way round - that's surely his left ear in the first photo. It's HIS left not yours, i.e. what he sees looking forward not what you see when you look at his face from in front! My chaps who have all been Irish have always had the two letters in the right ear, the three in the left. I did an earmark search on Greyhound Data for you. Nothing comes up under those letters, but their records aren't complete - dogs who haven't raced often don't get added. But go to that link and you will find an address and a phone no. for the Irish Coursing Club, who hold the stud book and will be able to identify him for you. No email address, but here is their website.