Guest Lozboz90 Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 We adopted a retired greyhound generally settling in nicely. This is mine and my partners first dog together in our home but have always lived in a house with a dog of other breeds from living with parents. He does struggle on a night time, for the first couple of nights he started to bark/howl at around 2am3am and then again between 4:30am and 5am. We do get up between 4:30 and 5am most days for work but he is also toileting in the middle of the night and it is very loose which is why I don't really want him to sleep in our room. Thankfully he is going on the tiled floor. Yesterday was his first day alone for 8 hours and I came home to a mess again. This is only day 5 of him being here but I'm hoping this will stop as our neighbors have politely mentioned they can hear him too. Any suggestions will be appreciated thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocsDoctor Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Hi and welcome to Greytalk! Is he new to domestic life, i.e. has he come straight to you from kennels? If so he won't have experienced being on his own before and this is often the hardest thing for these guys to adjust to. As he's only been with you five days your house and your routines are all still very new to him and he's feeling stressed. Loose poos are again very commonly a sign of stress in newly adopted hounds. It may also be that whatever food he's on (the same one as at the kennels?) is contributing to the problem. But I'd keep him on it for the time being for the sake of continuity - you can always try something else once he's settled in. If you can reconsider letting him sleep in your room at nights, I would. He's never slept on his own before and he's worried! If he can see and hear you, he will probably sleep through - and if not, unless you are a very heavy sleeper, you will hear him moving and be able to whisk him downstairs and outside for a loo break. Having him in with you will help build the bond between you, and it doesn't have to be forever - as he gains in confidence you can move the bed elsewhere. My dog slept in my room with me for a couple of weeks, but then we moved the bed into the back bedroom/study where there is more room. Re being left home alone, again this is something new for him. See this RGT leaflet for advice:https://www.retiredgreyhounds.co.uk/assets/000/001/287/Anxiety_PDF_original.pdf The thing which which helped both my current dog and my old one most was being given a special food treat - preferably something that takes a bit of time to eat - just as I went out, so this became an occasion to look forward to, rather than fear. My old chap also liked to have a radio left on for him, tuned to a talk station. Other people have I know found Adaptil plug-ins helpful. I will add, eight hours is quite a big ask. Could someone let him out for a loo break at least, in the middle of the day? I wouldn't leave my own dog for more than four-five hours - the usual recommendation from rescues here in the UK - though I know quite a few US adopters do work fulltime. But I think usually they work up to this, starting with shorter times. Good luck - and we'd love to see pictures of your chap and here more about him if you'd like to post about him in the introductions bit of the forum. Quote Clare with Tiger (Snapper Gar, b. 18/05/2015), and remembering Ken (Boomtown Ken, 01/05/2011-21/02/2020) and Doc (Barefoot Doctor, 20/08/2001-15/04/2015)."It is also to be noted of every species, that the handsomest of each move best ... and beasts of the most elegant form, always excel in speed; of this, the horse and greyhound are beautiful examples."----Wiliam Hogarth, The Analysis of Beauty, 1753. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lozboz90 Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 That's great advice thank you! I thought 8 hours was a lot especially as he's new. He has come straight from the kennels to us. We did try the radio so will continue with that and we'll try and get someone to nip in and let him out when we are at work. He is also on the same food as at the kennels which is very high in protein apparently so we are going to try and introduce a lower protein food gradually to not upset his stomach further. Are there any treats you recommend that he get get his teeth into. He's also running of with slippers and trainers would you recommend getting him a toy or would that encourage bad habits? Thank you again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocsDoctor Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 For a long-lasting treat you could try stuffing some of his food into a rubber Kong, sealed with something soft like cream cheese, which will last even longer if you freeze it for a while in your deep freeze. That said I always use just a bit of the cream cheese, initially smeared inside a Kong but these days just inside a cream cheese tub which is easier to wash up. Avoid things which might be a choking hazard like raw bones and pigs ears, those are best given when you're around to supervise. Yes I'd definitely get him a few toys, it sounds as if he'd appreciate them! Squeaky fluffy ones are usually the biggest hit, he may well have come across soft toys before during training. My old guy had such a thing for teddy bears that I'm sure he'd been trained using those. Greyhounds are not usually big on retrieving but will enjoy flinging toys about/ having them flung for them. Neither of mine have been chewers, so even kids' toys from the charity shop are OK and last a long time - Ken's biggest favourite at the moment is a child's penguin from Age Concern. He also loves a shark, a dog toy made just as a furry skin which you stick a plastic bottle inside. Re the shoes and trainers - is he trying to chew them, or just taking them to his bed? It's not unusual for them to make collections in their beds initially, especially of things that smell of you (so clothes, TV remotes etc too). Again, everything's new to him and he's trying to work out what's what. It will probably stop as he settles in but meanwhile if there's a problem saying 'uh-uh' and swopping the shoe for a toy should help. Quote Clare with Tiger (Snapper Gar, b. 18/05/2015), and remembering Ken (Boomtown Ken, 01/05/2011-21/02/2020) and Doc (Barefoot Doctor, 20/08/2001-15/04/2015)."It is also to be noted of every species, that the handsomest of each move best ... and beasts of the most elegant form, always excel in speed; of this, the horse and greyhound are beautiful examples."----Wiliam Hogarth, The Analysis of Beauty, 1753. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lozboz90 Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 He's kind of throwing them around and then just carrying them in his mouth, he doesn't seem like a chewer thank god. I have been out twice today for an hour or so as it's my day off and left the door open between the dining room and the living room that seems to be his favourite place and left the TV on and he seems to be okay he's excited when I come in but in the link you posted it says don't fuss them so I've given that a try. We are going to go and get him a toy and maybe a Kong, see how we go from there :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndtime Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 You have to get him some things to pass the day. How would you feel, home in your house with nothing to look at or do? Something to occupy your time? He feels the same way. Get him some snacks to chew on. Get him a bunch of fuzzy, squeaky toys. He will appreciate them, for sure. Quote Irene Ullmann w/Flying Odin and Mama Mia in Lower Delaware Angels Brandy, John E, American Idol, Paul, Fuzzy and Shine Handcrafted Greyhound and Custom Clocks http://www.houndtime.com Zoom Doggies-Racing Coats for Racing Greyhounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lozboz90 Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 We have just been and got him a quaking duck toy and a Kong which we will try him with thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenEveBaz Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 Hope things have been going better. Telling your neighbors (or making copies of a short letter) that you're sorry about the noise and that you're working on it will go a long way toward easing relations. Especially if it's accompanied by a cookie or two. Dogs aren't the only ones who like treats. Quote Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lozboz90 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Good advice I wish I'd of thought of that, he's settling in just nicely now we're walking him frequently and got him a toy duck which he loves and a Kong which he doesn't really entertain! Overall he's doing great so far 🤗🤞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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