New Adopter, A Couple Questions About Going Outside & The Crate.

[Guest GreytFish]

Hi all,

 

I adopted a 3y10m old Grey on Saturday. I have 2-3 questions for his behavior I'm not sure how I should handle:

 

1) On his first day here he loved his crate and went inside no problem anytime I would point to it. But yesterday and today he will not go in without a bit of handling. I'll say "kennel up" which is apparently what they used to tell him before, and he just stares at me. He does really love his big dog bed outside his crate and usually doesn't want to get off. I'll throw treats/toys in the crate and he just ignores them. I have to basically put my arms under him as he's laying on his bed and make him stand up and give him a slight push towards the crate and he'll finally go in. I'm not sure how to make him like the crate more. (Once he's actually inside the crate - he usually just lays down without any issues).

 

2) He's asking to go outside a lot, anywhere from every hour to every 2-3 hours. This is fine right now but once I go back to work tomorrow and he'll be alone for 4-5 hours at a time I don't want it to be an issue. If I take him out once and he wants to go out again an hour later, should I just ignore him? (He usually starts whining). Also - when I take him out I usually go out for 15-20 minutes every time. If I'm not going for a 30+ minute walk with him, should I just give him like 5 minutes before coming back in? Asking because sometimes he might go #1 right away and other times he seems like he just wants to walk around and explore. Even if he doesn't go #1 should I bring him back inside so he learns that he just has limited time?

 

3) Last but not least - I'm assuming it's okay to have abnormal pooping patterns for the first little while? On Saturday he didn't poop at all, yesterday he finally did when I took him out around noon and then again in the evening around 7. Today however he still hasn't despite being outside 4 times. I'm not sure if he wanted to but like I said in question 2, after 15-20 minutes of nothing I figured he's had enough time.

 

Like I said all of this is okay now but tomorrow I go back to work and he'll be alone 4-5 hours at a time. Will he just adjust to the new schedule?

 

Thanks.

[locket]

1) If you want him to like his crate, make it a nice fun place! Of COURSE the big bed is much fluffier and softer than a hard crate! Put a nice blanket, feed his meals in the crate, have fun chewy treats in (supervised)... You get the idea Don't force him in.

2) He might have to go, but if you choose to ignore him, watch him like a hawk because you never know! He is new and he is unsure, he needs to pee, that's normal, it should settle by itself. Go about with your usual schedule for the walks, if he ask outside of walking time, go outside, walk around the yard 2-3 mins, then back inside. If he has to go, he will go Every hound we dogsit go outside every hour, then every couple of hours, then half a day, then the whole day.

3) Yes, again, everything is new and you messed up his routine! Once he settles in his new routine, his poop will fall in the routine as well, you will both get to know each other!

For tomorrow, have a good long walk before you go (45 mins+) make sure he poops once and pees enough. I am assuming he is crated when you leave? They learn to be clean in their crates so he should be fine Let us know how it goes!

His life changed, let him settle, you will see he will adjust to your schedule

[rsieg]

Many greyhounds figure out pretty quickly that it is more fun outside the crate versus inside the crate. My Logan went in the crate by himself the first night, actually cried to get me to open it for him; a couple nights later I had to give him a firm push to get him in; by the end of the first week he would start wandering away if I opened the crate and it was becoming clear I would need to (try to) manhandle him to get him in the crate if we were going to continue that route.

 

However ... many greyhounds end up not using their crate after the first week or so, or maybe after the first few weeks, once they are acclimated to the house. The crate is an obvious convenience when you are starting out, as he cannot have an accident in the house or get into things he shouldn't when crated. But, once he is housebroken and you have things dog-safe (like child-proof but for dogs :-) and you begin to trust him, you could stop using the crate if you want. At that point (which may be a week or two away for you) just leave the crate open so he can go in if he wants, and you will find out his preferences.

 

Good luck,

Edited January 23, 2017 by rsieg

[Time4ANap]

Be careful reaching under him on his bed. Some hounds are subject to startle and sleep with eyes open. It's an easy way to get bitten.

[Scoutsmom]

My first grey very clearly let me know on day 2 that she was retired and was never going to go into a crate again. We settled with babygating her in the kitchen until I trusted her to have the run of the house. Keep this in mind as an option with your new grey.

[Neighsayer]

If you need him confined, you can use an ex pen to make a cage around his comfy bed. Just make sure that it is on a floor that can handle pee. Use bungee cords to secure the pen to door knobs or furniture so he doesn't knock it over on himself.

[Guest GreytFish]

Thanks for the replies. I'll try leaving him a kong with some peanut butter in the crate tomorrow. I'll also try to take him for a long walk in the morning before work. Would a 45 minute walk be considered strenuous exercise? Asking because I've been told you shouldn't let your hound do any strenuous exercise for at least an hour after eating. I definitely won't have time to take him for a long walk if I wait an hour after he eats breakfast to do so.

[locket]

Strenuous is a run or jog. A slow paced walk is fine. I wait 30-45 mins after breakie for our 20 mins walk in the morning. I get up earlier that's all

Edited January 23, 2017 by locket

[GeorgeofNE]

Never physically manhandle a newly adopted dog like that. Put his leash on him to get him up. Also, just what I've learned myself-- it's a myth that "kennel up" is used at the track. I probably read the same book you did, 'cause I thought the same thing when I got my first greyhound. There is a very active Facebook group of professional greyhound folks, and without exception, they say they have never once used that with their dogs!

 

As to the trips outside, put him on a schedule eventually, but for now, be grateful he's asking to go outside!

 

If you aren't there to ask, he's not stupid. He'll know that. Sounds to me like he's playing you a bit and enjoys going out, but remember, he isn't housebroken, so you want to set him up for success.

[Guest GreytFish]

Never physically manhandle a newly adopted dog like that. Put his leash on him to get him up. Also, just what I've learned myself-- it's a myth that "kennel up" is used at the track. I probably read the same book you did, 'cause I thought the same thing when I got my first greyhound. There is a very active Facebook group of professional greyhound folks, and without exception, they say they have never once used that with their dogs!

 

As to the trips outside, put him on a schedule eventually, but for now, be grateful he's asking to go outside!

 

If you aren't there to ask, he's not stupid. He'll know that. Sounds to me like he's playing you a bit and enjoys going out, but remember, he isn't housebroken, so you want to set him up for success.

 

 

Thank's I'll use the leash from now on if he won't go in his crate. Luckily today before I left for work I just opened the door after a long walk and gave him a light nudge and he walked right in.

 

And yeah I think he really likes being outside because he doesn't seem to know how to play with toys yet. He kind of just stares at them lol. Long walks seem to take out his energy. Whenever I take him to the pet store maybe he'll pick out a toy he likes.

[marion]

The first important thing is to give your hound sufficient exercise before you leave to work. A 45 minute walk would be fine and if you can find a fenced in área to let your hound off-leash so that he can run would be perfect.

 

At home once he got tired, the dog will go to sleep to a place OF HIS CHOICE and just sleep until you return. I'm totally against forced crating, as I consider it

terribly hard for a dog to remain for long hours in such a tiny box without being able to move.

 

Have a try to leave him free roam...your hound will be thankful and happy.

[mychip1]

As for the poop schedule being messed up...don't worry. Remember also, that he might get soft stool or a little diarrhea from food changes.

Also - I am a big fan of harnesses in addition to collars. New greyhounds can get scared on a leash and can slip collars easily - as I learned once. The harness is a great backup. When I walk mine, it's with two leashes each...one to a collar and one to a harness. If I had to use only one, I would suggest the harness as long as he isn't a dog who pulls a lot.

Oh...and mine love to pick their own toys at the store!

[smurfette]

The first important thing is to give your hound sufficient exercise before you leave to work. A 45 minute walk would be fine and if you can find a fenced in área to let your hound off-leash so that he can run would be perfect.

 

At home once he got tired, the dog will go to sleep to a place OF HIS CHOICE and just sleep until you return. I'm totally against forced crating, as I consider it

terribly hard for a dog to remain for long hours in such a tiny box without being able to move.

 

Have a try to leave him free roam...your hound will be thankful and happy.

Same here. I never used a crate (a European thing, perhaps?). I just confined my first grey to one room in the beginning and let the doors open after he showed no issues with the additional space. When we added more greys to our life they just had the same accomondations as the older one from day one.

[Guest GreytFish]

The first important thing is to give your hound sufficient exercise before you leave to work. A 45 minute walk would be fine and if you can find a fenced in área to let your hound off-leash so that he can run would be perfect.

 

At home once he got tired, the dog will go to sleep to a place OF HIS CHOICE and just sleep until you return. I'm totally against forced crating, as I consider it

terribly hard for a dog to remain for long hours in such a tiny box without being able to move.

 

Have a try to leave him free roam...your hound will be thankful and happy.

 

My boy seems to have endless energy. Idk if he has just started associating me walking towards the stairs with him going for a walk (he's terrified of our 1st floor because it's hardwood, and he hasn't spent too much time on the 2nd floor - he mostly stays at the top floor which is where the bedrooms are and his crate is), but anytime I walk to the stairs he runs down to the door and waits for me because he wants to go out. This even happens immediately after a very long walk. I just got back from a 45 minute walk with him and he was laying on his bed, I walked towards the stairs to go down to the kitchen to get some water and he jumped up and bolted downstairs and waited by the door wanting to go back outside. I didn't let him and he came back upstairs with me (although he definitely seemed frustrated we weren't going back outside).

 

This is his schedule right now:

 

6:15am wake up

6:25am 10-15 minute walk

6:45am breakfast

7:10am 30 minute walk

7:45-8am I leave for work (and I've been told by my roommates he yelps and cries periodically throughout the day while I'm gone - maybe not using the crate anymore will help?)

12:30-1pm 20 minute walk during my work lunch break and I leave him a kong before I leave (going to try to train him to not need this midday break over time, but for now it's okay)

5:45pm dinner right when I get home

6pm 45 minute walk

10:15pm 15-20 minute walk before sleep; so far he's been pretty good about sleeping through the night - I can sometimes hear him wake up and move around but then he goes back to sleep after a short while.

 

I feel like that's pretty adequate exercise to tire him out, yet like I said anytime I walk towards the stairs he gets excited and wants to go outside again. And right now he's a very light sleeper (maybe because everything is still so new to him here) so even if he's sleeping and I head towards the stairs he immediately wakes up and bolts towards the stairs. I'm not sure how to get him out of this mind set. I'm really hoping I can get him to learn to play with toys because it seems like the only way he's not bored is to be outside.

 

Same here. I never used a crate (a European thing, perhaps?). I just confined my first grey to one room in the beginning and let the doors open after he showed no issues with the additional space. When we added more greys to our life they just had the same accomondations as the older one from day one.

 

I'll have to try something with a baby gate blocking off the stairs. He's terrified of being alone in a room with the doors closed, and if I open the door to the room he just goes down and stands by the front door wanting to go outside. Since I originally posted he hasn't made any fusses about going into his crate, I just point and he goes in. I leave the doors to the room open while he's in the crate & turn on the tv or radio. But my roommates have told me he periodically yelps and cries while I'm gone.

Edited January 27, 2017 by GreytFish

[KickReturn]

A greyhound left alone in a crate in your home is very different than at the track surrounded by 20 other greyhounds in crates. Please set up a camera to observe his behaviour while you are gone or listen discreetly. Some greys panic in crates when alone and can injure themselves trying to escape. Broken teeth from chewing metal bars is not uncommon. If you suspect that your dog is not happy in the crate then find another solution.

 

Sounds like you are doing everything right. The approached that worked for me with separation anxiety and house training was to walk the dog as much as possible before I left it alone. At the very least this insured that the dog was empty before being confined indoors. Many greys need extensive walking until they empty themselves out completely. Accidents can still happen but this tilts the odds in your favour. A tired dog will also be less anxious.

[smurfette]

Perhaps you can leave the crate open and babygate the door. This way he can go into his crate if he likes and he is not disturbed bythe closed door.

[marion]

SMURFETTE : 'Same here. I never used a crate (a European thing, perhaps?). I just confined my first grey to one room in the beginning and let the doors open after he showed no issues with the additional space. When we added more greys to our life they just had the same accomondations as the older one from day one...'

 

I'm German too,( although i live in Spain)...it's sure a European thing as in Germany and Spain nobody uses crates except for travelling by car with the dog.

[marion]

GreyTfish you adopted a VERY Young dog plenty of youth and strength...I think it' might be important to find a fenced in área

where you can let yur dog 'run his heart out' at least twice per week. Your walking Schedule seems fine, but if your hound has just stopped his racing career,

he might still feel the need to run sometimes full speed...walking on a leash might not tire him sufficiently...

I wish you good luck with your new hound..