kcgreyt

Our greyhound loves to spend time outdoors. Even when its chilly, like 40-50 degrees, she will lay down in the grass and absorb the sunshine. The more it warms up, the longer she wants to spend outside, just laying around. Is there any danger or health concerns we should be worried about? We let her in as soon as she comes to the door, but I dont know if theres any danger to letting her regulate her own schedule when it comes to outdoor time. Should we be limiting outdoor time even if she wants to go out?

Our girl was doing this too -- she had a lovely new bed that was much more plush than her old one, but when she dug at it to nest (which happened a few times a night), it would wake us up... there is not enough coffee in the world for that to be a sustainable way of life! After a few days, we put an old fluffy comforter on top of the bed, and she "nests" into that. Her bed might be more comfortable than ours. But, now we get our sleep, and she gets to feel cozy and safe in her bed.

We also had heard that greyhounds don't bark, but ours must have missed the memo...it sounds like yours may have, too! My partner and I both have anxiety and she certainly tested our nerves a bit the first week or two. Although I grew up with dogs, she's much, much bigger than my dogs were, and her barks can be intimidating, especially when they seem to happen for no reason! The bowing and "smiling" intimidated me a bit at first as well, but that's just how they show they are happy and want to play -- now it makes me feel very loved when she shows her goofy smile! I think you're on the right track with reward-based training. One thing I would try is putting his toys where he can get to them at all times -- that way if he is bored, he can amuse himself. If he barks, even though it's difficult, try to ignore him (unless he's obviously distressed or needs help). Don't "reward" him with any feedback, even if that feedback is saying "no". Instead, do whatever helps you to control you anxiety, whether its deep breathing or channeling a peaceful image -- and try to ignore him. Get up and do chores, pour yourself a glass of water, etc, as if he's not even barking. This has helped with ours, as she realizes barking doesn't get her any attention at all. Try to make sure you aren't locking him into rooms that you aren't in, as greyhounds generally like to accompany you instead of being alone. Does he have a bed or other designated spot for naps? That might help to give him a place to lay calmly while you're on the couch or otherwise occupied. If you see him doing calm activities, like napping or even just being quiet, be sure to praise him and tell him he's a good dog, and reward that "normal" behavior too. We spent a couple of weeks giving out treats and praise every time ours laid on her bed, and it encouraged her to continue doing that. Eventually, we started giving treats for laying on the couch, and now she spends plenty of time sleeping there, too. Also, do you have a yard he can run in? If so, try some reward-based training outside in place of one of his walks. I expect he will settle quite a bit over the next few weeks. The change your new dog is going through is huuuuge, but it's okay to feel frustrated and anxious about the change on your end, as well. The people on this forum have great advice, but sometimes everyone's passion for greyhounds being the best dog ever can make new owners feel a little anxious that they're doing something "wrong" when their hound isn't behaving perfectly. It sounds like you're doing a great job, he just needs a little more time!

Ours had a few accidents in the first week or so and we were definitely feeling the sleep-deprivation, too! It does get easier, but there were certainly moments the first week where we were like "is this going to work...?" even though we already loved our hound. We have a fenced-in yard, but for the first two weeks, we took her out on a leash each time. After she would do her business, we would praise her in really excited, high-pitched voices and give her a treat. Then, we'd take her straight back inside. Mid-way through the second week, we stopped using the leash but would still go outside with her, praise her and give her a treat the second she was done, and then call her inside. After that, she was able to go outside and almost always uses the bathroom right away, then plays/explores. Help her to understand that going outside = potty = treat. With the accidents inside -- try not to let her out of your sight. You can even keep her on a leash inside, if it's too hard to watch her 24/7. Does she go in one particular spot? If so, that makes it easier to tell when she's about to potty indoors -- if not, you'll just kind of want to let her out every two hours or so, plus after meals and before bed/after waking up -- ours can hold it for 10-12 hours, but we let her out frequently in the beginning just to encourage her to go in the right place. Spend time in all the rooms of your house so that she understands it's all part of her "crate". We made the mistake of hanging out in one or two rooms all the time the first week, and while she wouldn't go to the bathroom in those rooms, she would go in the other rooms. If you see/hear her going potty inside and can get to her before she stops, firmly but calmly tell her no, take her by the collar, and lead her outside. If she's already had the accident and you just find it later, there isn't much you can do. (Except make sure you're using a cleaner that will get the scent out of the carpet, so that she doesn't smell it later and think that's an acceptable bathroom spot.)