New Adopters - First Full Day At Home

[Feisty49]

To put another spin on P&P times and walking, which will point out that every dog is different (note, these times are not set in stone and often vary by 15 minutes and also note that I'm retired so can let Annie set her own schedule most days):

 

6 AM to 7 AM: Annie gives a big sigh, gets up from her bed, stretches and goes downstairs, or turns around and goes back to bed.

 

No later than 7 AM because I insist she get up: She's out for her first P&P of the day.

 

After first P&P of the day: Breakfast

 

8:30 AM: Walk for 20 to 30 minutes where she poos again and pees by marking after every other pee spot she smells.

 

1:00 PM: Same as 8:30 AM walk. (Note: I don't let her stop as much as it sounds. We actually get in a good walk.)

 

3:00 PM: Supper. Yes it's very early but she starts pacing and giving me "that look" at 2. It's amazing I hold out until 3.

 

5:00 PM: I open the back door to the fenced yard and ask if she wants to go potty. She turns her back on me.

 

7:00 to 7:30 PM: I insist she go outside and pee. She reluctantly drags her retired body from her bed, tosses me a dirty look and goes out.

 

This is the last time she goes out for the day. She goes 11 to 12 hours until the next morning without wanting to go.

 

The above schedule is what we're doing now in the winter. In the summer, our walk times are different to avoid the hottest times of the day and we often get in a third walk late in the evening.

 

ETA: As regimented as above is, Annie is easy enough so that if I'm away from the house for the entire day, which happens every once in a while, she's fine; never "goes" in the house.

Edited December 10, 2014 by Feisty49

[Guest minwalker]

Having the dog sleep in your room makes sure that if he needs to go during the night you will hear him and let him out.

 

My approach when our Grey arrived was to wake up with him, feed him breakfast and then immediately go out for the big walk of the day. We sometimes go as long as two hours. this sort of distance is not for everybody, or if your rushing off to work obviously it's a little tougher, but the more you can do first thing in the morning the better the day will be for River. Then late afternoon, or as soon as people get home from work and before River has been fed, take him out for another 30 minutes to an hour. This is a great time to train your dog because he will be hungry. Let him sniff and explore at the end of his leash and practice recall by calling his name. When he turns to you, reward him with a peice of kibble from your pocket. This will really help him to bond with you.

 

The final walk of the day should be before bed time. Even though it is winter and dark and cold, for many dogs, particularely those that are new to a home, a quick turnout is not adequate to get them through the night. Getting dressed up and walking for 30 minutes to an hour before bed is tons better then having to get up at 3:00 AM to let the dog out or to clean up a mess. Remember that depending on the fitness of River it may take time to build up to longer walks. At all other times during the day if River stares out side (or just at random), offer him a turn out to the yard.

 

When you add it all up it could be 3 to 4 hours of walking every day. Granted when the weather is bad you can't do all the walking, and many Greys are happy on less than half that amount (seniors of course are a different story althogether). But if you really want to see what is possible give my "recipe" at try. At the very least you will minimize the chance of an accident.

 

I caution again about the crate. Be sure you know what River does when left alone in a crate. Set up a web cam or similar to record him. If he is in distress when you are gone than you will know that you cannot crate him. The biggest danger is if he chews the bars trying to get out. Many Greys have destroyed their teeth this way and other injuries from trying to escape can be serious.

Dear KickReturn,

 

Wouldnt a long walk predispose them to potential bloat after a feeding? Or is the breakfast a small meal in your case?

Our foster mom fed him 2x a day and the meals are substantial.

 

We are going to bring on a dog walker who after a week of fun and 30-minutes of interaction might take our grey for the 75-90 minute adventure walk (2x a week) at 10:30 AM. No other greys but a couple of hounds (Bassett and Plott) on this walk. Should stimulate River a lot more. We will do the remaining walks ourselves.

 

He loves his crate and has shown no distress - goes in as soon as the door is opened and has been consistent from his foster beginning. I ordered a webcam last night to see what he is up to when we leave him - will help to confirm his behavior and something to watch when we get home.

 

Thanks for some amazing advice on the walks - we can try to get close to it.

 

M&W

[KickReturn]

If you are concerned about bloat you can delay 20 or 30 minutes. Many owners do a turn out following the first meal of the day because the digestive system is stimulated. Bloat is more of a risk when a dog is leaping around or running hard after a good bit of food or water. I rub my dogs tummy (not chest) after every meal until he lets out a huge belch - we both love it. After that he is good to go.

 

The adventure walks with other breeds sounds great assuming he has no issues interacting with other dogs.

 

Fantastic that he loves his crate. Make sure there is good soft bedding for him. Don't be surprised if his attitude toward the crate deteriorates over time. Like most Greys, ultimately expect him to be safe and happy to have the run of the house when you are not there. Make take weeks, months, or years - depends on the dog.

[Guest minwalker]

Really good day so far with some excellent progress!!

 

about 90 minutes in 3 walks, timely food and P&P outings and some treats as I tried the recall on our afternoon walk. Worked well enough to tell me that my wife and I can work on this together when we go on walks. Left him in his crate this evening for an hour so we could run errands and he seemed totally fine as expected. He is also getting better on the steps - somehow my wife can make him do this with limited effort. go figure!

 

Now one more family outing for 30 minutes and then lights out for the night. thanks for keeping the advice coming our way all day today. We dont feel alone now.

 

M&W

[NeedlenoseJake]

I don't have anything to add that others haven't said, and I'm fairly new to dog ownership as well... but, I did want to say that having all these questions and being paranoid is totally normal. I remember the night we brought Jake home we set everything up and then my husband and I just looked at each other and this huge horse-dog in our kitchen and both said "now what?" You will develop your own routine that works for you and Dobby (love the name!) I can't wait to see photos (hint hint).

[Guest minwalker]

I dont have a way to add pictures - sorry guys. According to the admins, i need to get to 50 posts and uploads are only allowed for GT Supporters????

 

Am i doing this wrong?

[ramonaghan]

I dont have a way to add pictures - sorry guys. According to the admins, i need to get to 50 posts and uploads are only allowed for GT Supporters????

 

Am i doing this wrong?

 

You have to reach 50 posts or make a donation (become a GT supporter) to get an avatar, but you can post pics in a thread at any time. Do you have a Flickr or Photobucket account? They both have a code you copy and paste (outdated but still useful Photobucket instructions are here). If you have a Facebook account, that's even easier: just right-click on the photo, select Copy Image Location (the exact wording may vary a bit depending on browser/OS), come back to your Greytalk post, click the little icon of a Polaroid above where you're typing the message, and paste the copied link.

[Guest minwalker]

 

You have to reach 50 posts or make a donation (become a GT supporter) to get an avatar, but you can post pics in a thread at any time. Do you have a Flickr or Photobucket account? They both have a code you copy and paste (outdated but still useful Photobucket instructions are here). If you have a Facebook account, that's even easier: just right-click on the photo, select Copy Image Location (the exact wording may vary a bit depending on browser/OS), come back to your Greytalk post, click the little icon of a Polaroid above where you're typing the message, and paste the copied link.

Thank you!!

[Feisty49]

Pretty houndie. So nice to hug a big dog who lays his head on your shoulder.

[KickReturn]

Love the photo. I note how you have your hands wrapped around him - one around his neck and the other around his middle. A very nice hug.

 

What is hard to tell from the photo is if River is enjoying this or just tolerating it. He is on his feet which is safe but watch his signals (you may need to research calming signals) to make sure he is not nervous about being hugged. Some Greys are snuggly all the time from day one. Others take time to learn to love human touch and some never want it. Even though my Grey has learned to love human contact, it must be on his terms and to this day I always approach with the utmost respect and caution, especially when he is down.

 

Don't be alarmed if you get a growl. Growling is good, don't discourage it - lets you know he's not happy. Just give space if it happens.

 

Good looking dog, would love to see a face and full body shot.

[Guest minwalker]

Love the photo. I note how you have your hands wrapped around him - one around his neck and the other around his middle. A very nice hug.

 

What is hard to tell from the photo is if River is enjoying this or just tolerating it. He is on his feet which is safe but watch his signals (you may need to research calming signals) to make sure he is not nervous about being hugged. Some Greys are snuggly all the time from day one. Others take time to learn to love human touch and some never want it. Even though my Grey has learned to love human contact, it must be on his terms and to this day I always approach with the utmost respect and caution, especially when he is down.

 

Don't be alarmed if you get a growl. Growling is good, don't discourage it - lets you know he's not happy. Just give space if it happens.

 

Good looking dog, would love to see a face and full body shot.

The boy loves my wife and he considers me an important person to keep around

 

he is also super snuggly - no growls yet so i guess we havent pushed his buttons yet.

[ramonaghan]

He is gorgeous! Such lovely colors in his coat, and I love his black ears and tail. (I also have one whose ears and tail "don't match the rest," according to my 8-year-old niece. )

 

Glad all is going well.

[greytpups]

If I read your post above it sounds like River didn't get a chance to walk and had an accident in the crate?? Too relaxed? Fill up the gas tanks? 20 minute window? No need to explain but please avoid such a scenario. Take some advice from a fellow first time Greyhound owner. Get the dog out and walking as much as he will tolerate. It's the fastest way to build a bond and relieve the depression your new pal is suffering. You will end up with a happy, healthy, relaxed, confident dog. For the majority of Greyhounds the whole couch potato thing is nonsense.

 

Didn't really understand your sleeping arrangements but best scenario is the dog on its own bed where it can see you.

 

And re the crate - if the dog gets really upset don't do it!!. Find another solution if you need to contain.

relieve the depression...how did you dx depression?

[Feisty49]

The boy loves my wife and he considers me an important person to keep around

 

he is also super snuggly - no growls yet so i guess we havent pushed his buttons yet.

 

He is seriously handsome. Love his stand-up ears. My Annie loves to be hugged, have someone lay on the floor with her and use her butt muscles for a pillow and get kisses and has from day #1. I don't know what the stats are about Greys who need space, but of all the Greyhounds I know, and I have friends who each have multiple/many Greys, only one of them is a bit stand offish. So out of 20+ Greys, that's a pretty small number.

[greytpups]

I thought this may be an interesting read...please note it is copyrighted.

 

 

For the New Adopter---A Simple Primer To Help You Understand Your Greyhound by Dennis McKeon

Congratulations.

The Greyhound you have just adopted is a unique individual from a unique population of canines.

The Greyhound breed is steeped in antiquity and history.

While you may have read or heard that Greyhounds were once the cherished pets of the ancient Egyptian Pharaohs, recent explorations into the canine genome seem to debunk that commonly held belief.

It is more likely, given the DNA evidence, that the Greyhound breed was developed by the Celts, a tribal society which inhabited central Europe and the British Isles in Medieval times.

As western civilization progressed, Greyhounds became the favored pets of the nobility in Great Britain, so highly regarded for their skills as hunters and for their charms as companions, that it was unlawful for a “commoner” to own one for some time.

Later on, the supreme speed and skill of the greyhound attracted the notice of sportsmen and agrarians, who coveted them for their superb athleticism, their utility as killers of vermin and pests, as providers of game for the table, and who devised competitions for them, coursing after small game.

These “coursing” competitions were extremely popular, and became a major sporting attraction to spectators as well as to Greyhound breeders. The pinnacle of Greyhound athletic achievement soon became victory in the esteemed Waterloo Cup coursing competition.

The Greyhound found its way to the New World, likely with the early Spanish colonists. It is known that US Army General, George Armstrong Custer, was a keeper of Greyhounds, and enjoyed hunting coyotes and smaller game with them.

We do not know for certain if any of our domestic strains are the direct female lineal descendants of these earliest importations to America. Our modern Greyhound is, however, the direct descendant of those old Waterloo Cup winners and competitors.

After World War I, an American named Owen P. Smith had a vision. He imagined Greyhounds competing on an oval track, like the racetracks that horses compete on, chasing not a hare nor a small antelope, but a motorized mini-cart, with a prey effigy attached to it. All he had to do was invent a device that could attach to an electrified track, and which had an arm that would overhang the racing surface, and to which the “lure” could be fastened.

And so the “mechanical rabbit” was born, and along with it, the sport of Greyhound racing.

By the 1930s, track racing had become quite popular in the US, Ireland, England and Australia. A decade later, it had easily eclipsed coursing as the primary venue for competition among Greyhounds, and by the 1950s, track racing had become a sensation, the focus of most greyhound breeding throughout the world, as it remains today.

So your greyhound comes to you through the vaporous mists of prehistory, over the emerald and verdant meadows of the British Isles, across oceans of sea and time, to the vast and endless prairies of mid-America, finally, emerging from the racetrack to the adoption kennel…into your very hands…then, onto an all-embracing couch, somewhere, in Anywhere, USA, or nearby Canada.

Throughout his many historic and heroic incarnations, the Greyhound has proven to be supremely adaptable. There are few breeds who match his record of constancy as both a companion and a provider, and none who can match his skills as an uncommonly evolved athlete.

Popular mythology has, at times, cast the Greyhound as both a vicious and bloodthirsty killer, and as a wretched, put-upon, object of pity.

You may, however, rest assured that your Greyhound remains as blissfully unaware of the mythology and the controversies that surround him, as he remains the beautifully adapted embodiment of his ancient and sweeping history and bloodline, as well as his environment and experiences as a modern, racing athlete.

The Greyhound you see before you was not bred to be a “pet”. His parents were selected by his breeder because of their bloodline and family, and usually because both were outstanding performers on the racetrack, in head to head competition with their peers.

A Greyhound breeder does not factor into his selective process, whether or not the sires or dams he chooses to breed from, were congenial or companionable personalities, in the traditional sense that we normally desire in a pet.

Greyhound personality runs the gamut of types, from ebullient and outgoing, to shy and introverted, from aloof and detached, to needy and embracing, from focused and edgy, to playful and mischievous …and everything in-between.

Almost all of them, once they have become accustomed to their handlers and owners, are good natured and loving with them and their families—whether it is their breeder’s family, their racing family, or their adoptive family.

Most Greyhounds today, in the USA, are whelped and raised on sprawling, elaborate professional breeding establishments, called “farms”, as evidence of the rural origins of the Greyhound in America.

These farms have special areas and outbuildings to accommodate sires, dams, newborns, growing puppies, saplings, and greyhounds who are about to begin their race-training in earnest.

Greyhound puppies remain with their dams for a much longer period of time than do puppies of just about any other breed, some litters for as long as 5-6 months. Their dam teaches them correct “pack” behavior, as well social and play skills, and how to stalk and hunt prey.

Greyhound puppies are bursting with energy and enthusiasm, and they play hard and roughly with one another, often to the point where needle-like puppy teeth penetrate delicate and paper-thin skin, sometimes even leaving scars. It’s all in a day’s play for them, however, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

As they approach what we might say is canine adolescence, the puppies begin to exhibit the dramatic speed for which the breed is renown and prized, and the litters are usually placed together in extremely long, straight runs, so that they can stretch out and gallop, and begin to find their racing legs.

At this time they often begin lead-training, and are introduced to the grooming bench. Good manners and ease in being handled, to a racing athlete, are very important components to their later success.

The long runs at the Greyhound farm are separated only by chain link fencing in most cases, and you can watch one litter racing another litter, racing yet another litter, and so on, up and down the expanse of these straight-aways, competing with and goading one another to keep up the pace.

This sort of competitive urge is bred into them, from centuries of meticulous and high selectivity. They don’t need to be taught to compete. It is a part of who they are. Even the most shy and retiring of Greyhounds can turn into a rip-snorting, hell-bent-for-leather competitor once the gauntlet is thrown down.

The young Greyhound is often introduced to the starting box at some point in his early to mid developmental phase, with some breeders preferring to begin this training very early on. Once they have gotten the idea that they must remain in a stalking position, ready to strike as soon as the lid on the starting box is sprung, often they will learn to chase after a “drag lure”. This is usually a lure made of hide or cloth, attached to a long rope, which is pulled away from them by a motorized reel.

Some breeders also have what is called a whirlygig, a small, circular track, with a horizontal pole situated inside a wooden rail, on a center hub. There is a small wheel that allows the handler to walk in a circle, pushing the pole. The wheel tracks on top of the rail, with the lure pole overhanging the track, so that the greyhounds can learn the proper footwork of racing around a sharp turn at top speed, and to do so with all abandon and good courage. It is often on the turns at the racetrack, where the extraordinary will separate themselves from the ordinary.

When they are young, nearly fully-formed adults, in cases where the breeder does not have access to a training track, the greyhounds are then sent to a specialist, called a “finisher”.

Usually, the finisher has a standard-size training track on premises (about ¼ mile in circumference) or has easy access to one. In most cases, he will introduce the young greyhounds to a facsimile of a racing kennel, where the routine and the environment approximate that of the routine and environment of the kennel at the racetrack.

Here, everything needs to be done on a tight and precise schedule. Greyhounds have remarkably accurate biological time clocks, and like any other athlete in serious training and competition, they thrive on punctuality and routine, and do less well with the random and the novel.

At the training track, they will likely also compete with Greyhounds from other breeding farms, as well as any the finisher might have been raising. They will “school” in a rotation that approximates what they will encounter in a racing kennel. Once they have demonstrated to the finisher that they are ready to race in earnest, they will be transported to the track where their owner or breeder has chosen to race them.

The finisher can provide valuable input to the breeder/owner in this regard, as he has a fairly good idea of their level of competitive viability and maturity, and at which tracks they might find their best chances of success.

Racetracks can be either “major” or “minor” league in the quality of competition they attract, and there are levels at each stage. In this way, they are not unlike baseball franchises, where there are rookie leagues, class A leagues, class AA leagues and class AAA leagues for an athlete to demonstrate their abilities, before they can ascend, finally, to the major league level.

Some young Greyhounds are very precocious, talented enough so that they are able to compete at a major league venue as soon as they arrive. Others take time to develop their skills and to mature. Most greyhounds, whatever their natural gift, do find a level where they are able to compete credibly, and go on to have at least a moderately successful career as a racer.

Once the greyhound arrives at the racing kennel, the trainer and his/her assistants become the most important people in the Greyhound’s life. The Greyhound is entirely at the mercy of their intuition, insight, devotion, talent, compassion and skills.

Good trainers are punctual, attentive, calm, empathetic, energetic, have the eyes of an eagle, and possess a super-human work ethic.

The trainer is responsible for everything that affects the Greyhound’s physical conditioning, his emotional contentment, and his overall well-being. The better trainers treat each and every Greyhound in their care, regardless of that Greyhound’s ability, as if they were the greatest racer who ever set foot on the Earth---or flew over it.

A poor trainer, even those who try their best, can completely undo the grandest design that nature and selective breeding might engender.

Good trainers do everything within their power to make sure that stresses within the Greyhound’s environment, both existential and exercise-induced, are kept to a bare minimum. Content, relaxed, stress free Greyhounds are happy greyhounds, and with all other things being about equal, they will outperform Greyhounds who are less so.

The wise trainer always tries to maximize the potential of each and every Greyhound in his/her care, and makes sure to place them in situations where they will succeed.

Greyhounds in good health and condition are amazingly consistent and willing athletes. The more the trainer gives to them of his/her attentions, wisdom, empathy and experience, the more he/she will receive in return. A trainer who bonds with his/her Greyhounds is always in a better competitive position than one who does not, or one who cannot.

No trainer in the world, however, can turn a Greyhound who lacks the skills, speed, stamina and desire to become a great athlete, into one who does.

Fortunately, the economics of racing usually expose poor trainers in no uncertain terms. The racing world is very insular, and bad news tends to travel fast within it.

When the Greyhound reaches the point where he is to be retired, provided the breeder or owner does not plan to use the Greyhound as a sire or dam, the trainer is often the one who makes arrangements with the adoption kennel or group to place the dog.

Trainers can provide the adoption agent with useful information about the Greyhound’s disposition and temperament, his quirks, his likes and dislikes, and his history. This can be a help to them in placing the Greyhound with the right adopter, in the most appropriate setting.

We already know that Greyhound “personalities” are individual and variable, and that many of their tendencies are genetically predisposed, and to some degree, predictable.

The adoption group is staffed with volunteers who, like successful trainers, usually have a great deal of experience and intuitive acumen in placing Greyhounds in a situation where they are likely to succeed.

These volunteers have often placed Greyhounds from previous generations of the same Greyhound families and from the same breeders, and inasmuch as there is a familial (and rearing) component that tends to run in families and in certain strains, they can provide unique insights to the adopter.

There are many challenges ahead for both the Greyhound and his new adoptive owners. Your Greyhound is about to embark on a voyage to an entirely new and alien universe.

He has left behind his littermates and pack members, some of whom he has been with since birth. He will confront environments, situations, places, objects, and people with whom he is entirely unfamiliar.

He has bid fond farewell to his human familiars and caretakers, their voices and their touch, to the regimented, predictable routines and the security of his racing environs, and he is now faced with novelty at every turn.

The Greyhound no longer has the outlet of training and racing—“hunting” with the pack, to expend his excess energies, and to express himself in the fashion that forged his very being.

Even the food he will eat in his new home is likely to be strange and unappealing.

As we have previously mentioned, Greyhounds thrive on punctuality and routine. They prefer the known to the unknown. Novelty can be their undoing. Novelty is what they face when beginning their lives as house pets.

Greyhounds, because they are sight-chase-and-kill hunters by nature, have extremely keen powers of perception, and a 270 degree field of laser-sharp vision. They notice things that we may not perceive, and they perceive things from the vantage point that in any given moment, they might be both predator and prey.

As a new adopter, you must be careful not to place your new Greyhound in a “sensory overload” situation.

The track trainer knows that when preparing a Greyhound to race, never to allow that Greyhound to overextend himself. Training is done by increments, gradually increasing the intensity and duration of the workout, over a period of time, until the Greyhound is finally ready to compete.

When introducing your new Greyhound pet to novel situations, environments, objects and people, you can approach it the same way. We never know how much is “enough”, until we know how much is “more than enough”. Take your clues from your Greyhound, before it gets to that stage. He is communicating things to you all the time.

He has to learn the boundaries and rules of life within your family unit, and you have to learn to interpret his signals and body language, and to react in a calm, compassionate manner.

Your adoption representative has likely given you the basic “do-s and don’t-s”. It is up to you to remember them, and to provide a structured and predictable routine, which will be a great help to your Greyhound as he re-habituates to his entirely new life outside of racing.

There are ample resources on social media, where some of the world’s most experienced adoption reps, veterinarians, veteran adopters and even racing and breeding professionals are just a simple, typewritten question away.

There is no such thing as a foolish question, and when your preliminary feeling is one of perplexity or doubt, it is always better to ask before forging ahead, or failing to make necessary accommodations.

While Greyhounds are infamous for being “40 mph couch potatoes”, and while they can sleep for 12-16 hours a day, they do need exercise.

Unless the Greyhound has a physical limitation or incapacity, the wise adopter sees to it that his Greyhound has a daily exercise outlet. This can be as simple as a brisk, mile-long walk, or a bracing galloping session in the backyard.

Your Greyhound does not have to be in “racing condition”, but neither should he be allowed to become sedentary and/or grossly overweight.

Once your Greyhound has settled into his new universe, you will begin to experience the full scope of his multi-dimensional and totally captivating charms, which have utterly beguiled humans since prehistoric times, and which have become legendary throughout the pet world.

Copyright, 2014