Mika428

Hi Friends and All-Knowing Grey Owners, I am well on my way to adopting my first (retired racer) grey (and first dog ever), and I'm feeling all the feelings, but most of all, I am anxious and eager to make sure I start off on the right foot to integrate a new dog. I've tried to read all the articles out there and watch all the videos possible on introducing a new dog, but I was getting overwhelmed with all the things to do. Focus on separation anxiety first? Focus on "leave it" in the first weeks? Figuring out whether they have the propensity to chew furniture, etc.? My fear is that I'll bring the dog home, sit down and just stare at it thinking, "Now what?" I think once I get a sketch of what the first few days should look like, I think can take it from there, but I think I am starting to be almost paralyzed with the amount of information out there about integrating a new dog, nonetheless a retired racing grey. I know I can't plan out the first few days or weeks down to the minute, but I am looking to hear from others on what you did the first day, and what you focused on the first few days/weeks of bringing your dog into your home? Anything you regret or things you are glad you did when bringing home your grey? (If it helps, I live in a major city, smaller apartment, no car, no other pets, no children in the home, and I do work long hours, so I know separation anxiety training will be an important focus of the first few days.)

This is a valid point but as Krissy mentioned, I think my lifestyle would be to spend most of my free time on weekdays and almost all of the weekend with the dog and bring the dog out when I go out on appropriate occasions. I'm a lawyer so I honestly don't have a social life, and part of the motivation to get a dog is to have more interaction with a living being after work. I'm still trying to figure out the schedule but it would probably look something like me waking up around 5:30 or 6 to take out the dog for potty and a half hour walk, food, get ready, take it out one more time for potty before I leave for work around 7 or 7:30, then I would get back home around 5 or 6 and repeat. What worries me most is the time the dog would be alone, not whether I'd be able to hang out with it in my free time.

Hi Community! I am a new member thinking of adopting a Greyhound. My research has indicated a Grey (likely ex-racer) would be the right choice, but I'm looking for guidance from this community to help me think through whether this is right for me/the dog and what considerations I should be aware of. I am a newish dog owner (had a dog when I was very young) as well as never having owned a Grey, so I want to make sure I tread carefully in making this commitment. I live in a high rise apartment with no yard (a little green space for bathroom breaks, would have to go to public spaces for any vigorous exercise) and would mostly be worried about the dog being able to get into elevators, interaction with other people and dogs in the building, and not having too much room in an apartment. I work long hours, sometimes unpredictable, and do not have a significant other, so the dog may need to be home alone for anywhere between 9-12 hours at a time. I would plan to get a dog walker for days where it stretches on the 11-12 hour end. I am hoping to get the dog potty trained to use a pee pad (or in the bathtub?) in an emergency, though I know that's idealistic. In light of my lack of experience, working hours, etc., I think I should be looking for a somewhat low energy dog, maybe around 4-5 y.o. (ie not a pup), that is, importantly, able to be alone (though I'd love it to be otherwise affectionate and cuddly). I know I should look for a Grey that has been fostered so that hopefully I won't be working from the ground up training and assimilation-wise and so that any issues hopefully won't be a surprise. Does anyone have experience adopting under similar circumstances or have insight on what else I need to consider? If it helps, I am in New England.