Recent Adopter Looking For Guidance

[Guest GalgoMom]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie looking for some positive support in joining the wonderful world of co-habitating with a greyhound. My Fiance and I adopted a Galgo (Spanish Greyhound) 5 days ago. We had discussed adopting a greyhound for months and thought we were prepared My family has had dogs for over 35+ years - a collie/shepard mix, pugs and Staffordshire Bull Terriers. I thought I was an experienced, responsible dog owner, but nothing prepared me for a greyhound!

 

My boy's name is Jersey. He is a 2 year old Galgo, who came from SOS Galgos, by way of a local rescue. I was told he had been fostered in a home in Spain with other dogs, prior to coming to the USA 3 weeks ago. He is a great dog, but he is having some anxiety with the transition, which I hope to get some guidance with.

 

Jersey seems to suffer from a little Separation Anxiety, as well as generalized anxiety over the transition. Jersey loves his crate, and goes into it willingly and sleeps in it, as long as my fiance and I are home. When we leave for work, he barks and cries, and has started ripping up the bedding. I've noticed scratches all over the bottom of the crate, like he is trying to dig his way out. I leave him with a frozen dog treat, a kong filled with peanut butter, and a milkbone. I'm not sure how long he takes to settle down, but he is quiet and calm when my fiance comes home from work. He is alone for about 6 hours.

 

Jersey also does not want to come downstairs. It isn't a fear of the stairs - he zooms up and down the stairs to the 3rd floor loft, and comes downstairs on a leash to go out the front door when he needs to use the bathroom, but he wants no part of hanging out on the main floor. He spends all his time on the 2nd floor and whines when my fiance and I are on the main floor, where our kitchen

and living room are, where we relax after work. I am trying to feed him in the kitchen, but it is difficult because he won't relax down there. He has definitely lost some weight. I broke down yesterday and brought his food upstairs and he ate much better. Should I be feeding him upstairs in his

comfort zone, or should I be firm and let him know dinner is served in the kitchen only? Should I gate him downstairs on the main floor and make him "join the pack" or let him come to us in his own time?

 

Other than that, he just seems a little lost. He whines a lot and paces when we are downstairs and he is upstairs, but he won't come down. I've tried bribing him with treats and we talk in happy, loving voices to him.

 

He is a very loving dog, and he seems to have bonded with us - especially my fiance. I just want to do everything I can to help him become a happy, well-adjusted dog.

[greysmom]

I just think you're trying to rush him into beling a "normal" dog a bit too quickly. Even dogs that come from HERE can take months to settle into home life, so just imagine what this poor guy has gone through in the past several months. The key with sighthounds seems to be time and patience - LOTS of both.

 

Feed him where he'll eat, for the moment. By hand if you can as this will help build trust in you. If he wants to stay upstairs, then let him. If he whines to comes down, leash him up and bring him down, even if he goes right back up after checking on you. After a few weeks you can begin to block his access to the upstairs.

 

You need to do some disciplined "alone training" with him. You can search here for detailed instructions, but it's basically leaving him often for short periods and working up to longer and longer periods. Do everything you're going to do when leaving, then leave. Start with a couple minutes or however long you think he can go without beginning anxious behavior. You can also try and set up a Skype or other monitoring system to watch what's happening when you leave.

 

Good luck!

Edited May 24, 2012 by greysmom

[kamsmom]

The best thing you can do is just give him some time. It's only been 5 days. Some take longer than that to settle. I like to say about 6 months to really get to know a dog, if not longer.

 

I bet in another month he will have forgotten his fear of the main area.

 

I also agree with the above poster, feed him where he is comfortable right now. As he and you get used to each other you can slowly transition the feeding area.

[robinw]

Hello! Welcome!

 

I too adopted a galgo recently. He's been home almost two month. He came from Fundacion Benjamin Menhert in Seville.

 

Do you know anything about Jersey's background? Was he mistreated before he went to SOS Galgo? It's very possible that he was traumatized.

 

My galgo, Iker, was traumatized and also spent six months in a foster home. He made great progress, but I'm pretty sure he's had several setbacks since I brought him home. I've been using lots of positive reinforment with Iker. I would leave a trail of stinky treats to get him used to doing things he didn't want to do, such as go outside. Maybe you can try the same to get Jersey to the main floor. You can also give him treats after you get him in the main room. Treats have made all the difference in the world with Iker. If you find Jersey is nervous about taking them, you can kind of toss them to the side. It seems like you've been doing that, but keep it up. Maybe try new treats if the current ones aren't working. I couldn't find anything that worked until somebody gave me homebaked liver treats. They work like a charm.

 

Maybe you can bribe him to go downstairs for his meals the same way. Another thing you can try is feeding him where he's comfortable, then gradually moving his bowl downstairs until he gets used to it.

 

I agree that it might be kind of soon. Relax, find some good treats, and don't pressure him. He'll come around.

 

Hopefully with the right treats, you can get him to come downstairs. Who knows what his past was like, and if he's known horrors before he ended up at the shelter.

Edited May 24, 2012 by robinw

[vincent800]

Do not get discouraged. We have brought 2 galgos into this home a bit over 6 months ago. 1, Rigo has had a very very hard time adjusting. He tries so hard, but some traumatic events in his past still haunt him. Patience, patience, reasurrance and patience are what we have used. His response is worth every frustrating minute; the night I coaxed him onto the couch took about 45 minutes. He moved with agonizing slowness- an inch at a time, inch by inch.He is fearful of men, more fearful of men standing, and terrified if you tried to reach for him. He will now rest his head on my lap and relax, enjoying the company. #2, Rufo can not get enough time with us. He is extremely smart. can find a hidden toy or with directions, locate a toy he has missed. We have the benefit of 3 greys who have more or less accepted their cousins as house mates. As info, muzzles and belly bands have assisted when they did not want to be in a crate. Consistent acceptable behavior allows gradual reduced usage of these tools. Also, we used these same guidelines with the greys if needed. Good luck, relax and persevere. And yes, it WAS a bit of a mad house for a small while.....

[Brandiandwe]

I don't have galgos and have been fortunate in my two hounds, but I do agree that it takes time. We got our two hounds 8 months ago now. It has taken that long for one of them to start 'softening' as we call it. Last weekend, for the first time, she lay on the bed with us beoth and enjoyed some attention - beofre she would always get off. Time and patience....

[mychip1]

Good luck to you. I don't have Galgos....however, my Grey, Jack, spent the first several days that I had him not wanting to leave the kitchen. I would drag him into the bedroom and he would run right back into the kitchen. I spent a few nights on the kitchen floor with him, just so he could feel bonded. Eventually, he came out of it.....

 

And once they do come out of it....you will be amazed at how much personality is in there!

 

There are a lot of threads here on dealing w/Separation anxiety...worth poking through for sure.

Edited May 24, 2012 by mychip1

[jamngrey]

Have you read any of the information on "away training". I think it would be helpful to get your pup to understand that you will be back. Do you leave music om for him?

[Guest DragonflyDM]

Lots of good advice.

 

1. At the bottom of the stairs-- is it carpeted? Has there been a loud noise or experience that he didn't like? Sight hounds are notoriously senstive and it can take some time to get over a negative experience.

 

2. When you are home...do a lot of mini-leavings. Have him go into the crate while you are there with lots of treats and praise. Then have him go into the crate and leave for short periods (don't go straight for the crate when you come back...just be matter of fact). Perhaps have one person leave at first...then another.

 

All of this comes down to confidence-- how confident is the dog in his trust in you, in himself, and his environment. (Key word being trust..and trust takes time so be patient).

 

Let him come to you in his own time (withing the boundary of some house rules). Perhaps let him eat in a carpeted area. Show lots of attention and affection.

 

If this was a child who just came from a horrible broken home-- how would you approach that child? How much would you push and how much would you let time take care of things? Which time table is more important?

[Guest mirthlesstroll]

Congratulations on your new Galgo - my friend just adopted one! I second patience, treats, and lots of love. He will adjust in his own time, and it will be like he was always there!

[mom2four]

Hello welcome to you and Jersey. We have 2 galgos, one came to us just one month ago. He is from FBM like RobinW's Iker. Lucas is fairly well adjusted and is taking most things is stride. He is not keen on the crate that he sleeps in at night but with lots of positive experiences he is getting better every day! BUT the Galgo we adopted almost 5 years ago (Marco) was very traumatized in Spain and took a very long time to adjust (read: months or years depending on the situation). He is still very leary of strangers. So you have to give your boy t-i-m-e. 5 days is nothing in his life.

Is he the only dog in your home? He probably has been living with lots of other galgos and that may also be a part of Jersey's Separation anxiety behaviour.

 

Give your boy more time, love and have patience, 5 days is just not enough time for him to adjust.

[Guest GalgoMom]

Thanks all! I appreciate the feedback. Jersey had a great day yesterday! He bounded out of the crate with confidence and we had a great walk when I got home from work. I think you are all correct -- time and patience. I think the suggestion of special treats downstairs is a great one. He actually came downstairs on his own last night and got turkey as a reward He was awesome this morning - he went into his crate all on his own. I gave him his kong filled with peanut butter, his milk bone, and his frozen Yoghund and left the tv on for him -- I didn't hear a peep from him when I left. My fiance and I are going to try away training over the long weekend. So far, he is great for short periods out of the crate. We've left him up to 45 minutes out of the crate, with no incidents. I would like to work up to leaving him out of the crate while we are at work.

 

My fiance and I noticed when he was downstairs that he seemed nervous about the reflection of the tv in the windows. I think it might be too much sensory input for him. Time for curtains

[Guest zombrie]

First off, congrats on the new addition! I remember seeing his picture, he's gorgeous!

He has been through a lot, give him some time. Whenever I bring a new dog in, I let them go at their own pace.

He could be staying upstairs because it's more quiet and comfortable for him. What is the flooring in your house? In our house, the downstairs is wood floors and the other floors are all carpeted. If your downstairs is wood or tile he could be afraid of the footing, many are terrified of slippery floors. Just a guess!

 

He is still brand new, his world has been turned upside down... he just doesn't know yet his life has changed for the better. He just needs time. Within a month he will be a completely different dog!

[Guest SusanP]

Congratulations, and I'm so glad it's going better already! All of our dogs have had adjustment issues at the beginning. What has worked best for us is to let the dog do what s/he is comfortable with so s/he can relax, and then over time, the dog more or less "gets with the program" on his/her own. We saw significant adjustments over the entire first year our dogs were in our home (and this applies to the middle-aged stray shelter Labrador we got last summer as well). Issues we had in the first year simply went away on their own for the most part. Of course, there is always something, and all of our dogs have quirks throughout their lives, just like people.

 

I don't think you mentioned if there is another dog in your home?

 

Early alone training at our house is as simple as stepping outside to get the mail, water a plant, talk to a neighbor, etc. From there I graduate to mowing the lawn (I use a mechanical mower, so I can hear pretty well if there is a problem)and finally quick trips to the store, etc... I find that it goes pretty well, and the dog knows that I"m still close by in the early stages, since the windows are usually open and they can see/hear me. It probably doesn't hurt that we have 4 at a time, so they are never completely alone. We don't crate, having found that that raised stress levels for our first two,but some dogs do better with a crate, I know--building up to longer absences slowly allowed us to test the waters as far as destruction, etc. Most of our hounds have stolen objects in our absence early on, usually shoes, and we had one that stole many things and even chewed a few items when we were gone. We stepped up dog-proofing the house, and that passed quickly.

 

I visited Spain last summer and saw a number of greyhounds/galgos out and about with their families, especially in Madrid, though I found folks weren't inclined to strike up a conversation with a stranger who was admiring their dog there as they often are in the U.S.

[Guest greytkidsmom]

This might sound silly but you say he was fostered in a home in Spain before he came to you.

Is it possible that the change in language may be contributing to his stress?

Is there any way to learn some simple words like sit, etc that might make him more comfortable (of course you would then teach him the English words).

One of the rescue groups I worked with had this dog that was completely insane. She was a bounce who came from a home where they spoke Hungarian. The group re-homed the dog with a lady who happened to know Hungarian but always talked to the dog in English. One day she gave the dog some commands in Hungarian and the dog was like a different dog.

[Guest june]

Congratulations! Lots of great suggestions give to you so far. The best suggestion (IMO) is patience and it sounds like you are being patient and it is already working for you. Would love to see some pictures when taking them won't be too stressful for him.

june

[Guest GalgoMom]

Hi all,

Thanks for the great suggestions. I wanted to give you all an update on Jersey. He is doing much, much better already. My fiance and I spent the long weekend doing away training, and he was excellent. He may just not be a candidate for the crate. Even though he went into it willingly enough (we never forced him into it), he clearly was not happy in it for long periods of time. His pacing and whining has decreased significantly. He seems to be settling in. Also, it seems to help that he has found his spot - our bed. After testing out his crate, the plush dog bed we bought him, and the full size bed in the spare room, it seems he has decided he is most content on our bed. He stretches full out and barely lifts his head now as we move room to room. He seems to be catching up on some much needed sleep.

 

He is making some small trips downstairs, too. It still isn't his favorite place in the house, and he doesn't stay long, but he does occasionally trot downstairs on his own and checks things out before heading upstairs.

 

It is funny - a few people have suggested that maybe the language barrier may be confusing to him. Neither my fiance nor I know Spanish, but it might be worth looking into learning a few Spanish words.

[robinw]

I can't imagine a galgo would be comfortable in a crate, as they wouldn't have grown up using one. Like Jersey, Iker prefers to take up my entire bed.

 

Iker doesn't really pay much attention in English or Spanish The only word that really gets a reaction is "vamos".

[galgomum]

Hi and welcome to greytalk.

The group of galgo owners on GT is slowly growing

 

As Robin mentioned, galgo's in general do not like the confinement of a crate. They are not used to it and normally I will not suggest it to a new galgo owner unless the dog endangers himself by tearing up the house.

 

Another thing I usually suggest is to ignore the dog, people are inclined to cuddle them a lot, glad they finally made it out of Spain.

Give him time to adjust on his own without being in his face all the time. They will get curious and come towards you if they aren't too scared to be near people.

As for the language barrier, I've had galgo's for 13 years and fostered many, they get used to their new names and languages really fast.

Mine had to adjust from Spanish, to Dutch and now English is added to that and they do fine.

 

This boy has been through a lot recently, from the shelter/fosterhome in Spain where he probably was neutered not to long before the flight, than a very scary flight(took mine some tome to get over that) to another shelter and now into your home. Also remember, he probably wasn't alone his whole life. They grow up in groups with other dogs, they are in groups in the shelter, the fosterhomes in Spain usually have several dogs and now, for the first time he is being left alone, and crated on top of that.

 

He sounds curious already,he'll get there.

Edited June 8, 2012 by galgomum

[Guest GalgoMom]

HI Galgomum,

It is great to connect with other Galgo owners! Jersey has come a long, long way in just 3 short weeks. After the 1st week, we no longer crated him. He hasn't barked once since. His SA seemed to disappear as soon as we stopped crating him when we left the house. He still is not a big fan of the first floor of our house, and spends most of his time on the 2nd floor. If I put on his Thundershirt, he will come downstairs and allow himself to be petted for about 20 minutes, sometimes less, before going back upstairs. I'm hoping with time he will become as relaxed on the 1st floor as he is on the 2nd. He seems to have really bonded with my fiance and I and is very attached to us. This weekend was his first nail trimming session and he was a champ! He seems to really trust me. He didn't even sit up as I trimmed his nails!

 

There is an International Day June 30 at the shelter where we adopted Jersey. We plan to go visit - I believe representatives from SOS Galgos, where he came from, will be there. I hope to learn more about his background and experiences, and I hope that they see he is a happy, healthy, well-loved member of his new family!

[Guest stacy6344]

Hi and welcome!

 

I have had my Grey for going on six months. He has made HUGE strides. When I first got him I tried crating him and he would do what your boy is doing...cry, shred the bedding, dig. I finally gated him in the kitchen where he could see my IG in his crate and this has worked out great. I also take him to daycare a few days a week. I had intended to back off doing that, but he enjoys it so much and they absolutely love him there! There has even been an adoption of a Grey because he was there and she met him! And like so many of the others have said...time. Lots of time. I also ended up using meds for a while which helped a lot. And now...six months later...he is done with his training and is a Therapet! I think your boy sounds like he just needs time adjusting. Let him have his space, but spend time bonding with him as well. He'll come around!