Day One And Week One Advice Please!

[Guest Firsttimegrey]

Hi everyone,

We picked up our 2 year old, ex racer (Lilly) at 4pm today! Any advice for a first time rescue greyhound owner?! We are nervous about tonight, as when we put her in her crate earlier she cried. I have a radio to pop on quietly in the background and a stuffed Kong toy ready for tonight. She paces, pants and sniffs a lot (which I would assume is nerves and will settle.) She also asks to go out a lot, so am taking her out every time and rewarding each wee and poo! She has finally crashed (after and hour long walk 7-8pm) so thats a good sign.

 

I work from home, so will be with her all day. Should I confine her to the lounge (where I work and her crate is) so I can make sure she has no accidents? I was thinking of a morning and evening walk, with regular trips to the garden. Will that be enough?

 

Any advice to help her settle and stop my nerves would be fab!

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Michelle

[JohnF]

Hi and welcome to Greytalk. Congratulations on bringing your Lilly home! She's going to be upset for a few days because she has just lost everything that might have been safe and familiar. Also she has never been really alone before. Patience, kindness, compassion and slow persistence are what's need for bonding. The crate or bed area are to be Lilly's first safe place in her new home. You could drape a blanket over 3 sides of it...

 

Every dog is different, but here's an extract from the first few days of my Peggy's Diary in case it helps:

 

Peggy: Friday March 13^{th – Day One}

 

10am. Shaun arrives with Peggy in his van. She’s quite nervous, probably never seen a house before, straight out to garden for ‘toilet’, then indoors to be introduced. She doesn’t like the kitchen with lino tiles even though they’re special non-slip ones. Maybe it looks too much like a vets surgery?. She doesn’t like doors, but then Shaun said one caught her in the eye in the wind earlier in the week. But she’s OK on carpets. Found the bed in the lounge on which I’d put a biscuit but didn’t sit in it. Soon after Shaun left she found the smaller bed in my office in the converted garage, also with a biscuit on it, but she went in this one OK. Half an hour later walked her around the block with tight greyhound collar and new leather lead. Peggy drinks water after I offer her the bowl – does she understand a water bowl?

A couple of toilets runs in the garden over the next 3 hours.

She pulls hard and twists the nice new leather lead; must get a twizzle or it will ruin it. Found a strong one on an old harness. Much better on afternoon walk around block and down to farm gates.

Peggy gets food in kitchen half an hour later in big stainless steel bowl. Won’t come over to the sink, so given it in the corner. James Wellbeloved Lamb & Rice Kibble, same as I’ve always fed. She likes it but eats it slowly by licking it first, maybe she’s not used to kibble?

Later, get her to come in the lounge and go in the bed there while we watch TV. She’s not seen TV before but isn’t too worried by it. I gave her a small soft ferret-like dog toy about 12” in length; will she rip it to pieces or love it as a little comforter? She’s going to adopt it I guess…

Takes a short nap until we have tea and biscuits.

Then out to garden for toilet.

Then to bed.

She can start in my bedroom, it’s usually better that way if they’re nervous and with a nightlight on. She knows there is another bed in the lounge. We shall see… Shaun reckoned it would take about 4 days to get her steady and not too nervous so that she can interact with us.

 

Peggy Day 2 March 14th

 

I decided to try to make this nice calm day for her as she was so nervous and anxious.

10.00am: walked around the block and down the lane and met a few people. She’s walking better on the lead. Met a couple of dogs.

Had her out in the garden free for a while but she wants to dash indoors; I let her know she can do this.

Gave her coat a thorough brushing.

She is getting bolder in the house coming up the hallway.

Stole one of my leather boots but just licked it.

2.30-4.30pm went to park. She jumped in the van nicely and got out OK. Went right round the park and in the fields. Sat and had a flask of tea on the bench. Lots of sports being played, lots of noise. Met several people walking dogs of various sizes, she didn’t react badly to dogs.

Took her into the vets to weigh her: 29.2kg. Vet briefly checked her and said weight was OK and spaying wound was healing OK. He said make sure she has soft bed as she has tender spots of skin on leg joints. I got her a cover for a single duvet from a local second-hand shop and replaced her bed with an old duvet folded in half. The one Angel peed on and despite paying £7.50 to wash and dry it in the big machine at the launderette, it never came back to as good as new. A new life for the old duvet then…

Evening: she’s bold enough now to come from bedroom to kitchen for food. Then later after a short walk on her gold Chinese Silver Peacock martingale collar only. She came when called for food in the lounge and found it on her bed.

Later in the night she came up to nuzzle me for reassurance – that’s good.

That will do for day 2.

 

 

Peggy March 15^th

 

Peggy came half way to the door when called to have her lead attached; she still thinks she’s in a kennel without free will and so expects to be fetched and gently pulled.

A steady and better close walk on the lead this morning, around the block and down the lane. Didn’t meet any people, but did meet the 2 friendly black cats which Angel found so hard to resist thinking of as something to chase and eat after all those years.. Peggy sniffed at them, one of the cats hissed, then I told her to ‘walk on’ and she did. So far so good.

On returning home she ventured out into the garden on her own a couple of times when I was sat out in the sun reading the paper. She decided it was better to return to her bed indoors as she’s still nervous about things. That was the morning.

 

And in the afternoon we went to the sea at Widemouth Bay near Bude; it was a beautiful calm sunny afternoon about 15 C. Still needed to be steadily dragged to get her to come out of her bed; once out she’s fine and jumps in the van nicely.

 

Also: Look up dog body language so that Lilly doesn't think she's been dumped where no-one speaks 'dog'. This article may help.

Consider: putting some more info about yourself in the introductions section of the site. I'm sure people will be only to happy to offer their 10c... they've all been where you are before.

Edited October 24, 2017 by JohnF

[Guest Firsttimegrey]

Thanks John

[locket]

I would confine her to the lounge to help for the house-training yes. As a rule, all dogs that come through my house go outside whenever they are not sleeping or after playing or eating. Then they get settled in and they have to go much less often The morning/evening walk sounds good, as long as you provide her with outings during the day, it should be fine

She will be a bit anxious the first few days, it's ok, she will quickly discover this new world she is in. I have been told they change at 3 days, 3 weeks and 3 months and it's true, you will discover a new side of her every time!

Don't overthink it, let her see how it works, try to establish a routine you are both comfortable in and try leaving her alone for short periods also, you might want to start some alone training.

As for the crate, she might or might not like it, try to make it a safe place for her, feed her in it, give her special treats when she is in it. She might do better out of the crate when you leave. Only time will tell We are here if you have any issues!

[Guest Firsttimegrey]

Thank you. I was wondering about getting her used to being alone sometimes. That’s the downside to working from home, I don’t want to be around too much and have her upset when I do go out or away. I’ve got a stuffed Kong to go in the crate for tonight. She’s taken her self to the crate to lie down, so I am hoping that’s a good sign.

[cleptogrey]

you can also leash her and keep her with you in the house so she will get used to the normal house noises- silverware, drawers closing, etc. leashing her is a win win situation, contact between the two of you, you can start a regime of potty training as well and she will be getting used to wearing a leash.

 

enjoy! take pictures! don't worry!

[robinw]

You can try leaving a TV or a radio on for her when nobody’s home. Might help with possible loneliness.

 

Personally I only believe in crating if it’s for your dog’s safety, so I would ditch the crate. I’m sure there will be some who will disagree with this

[greysmom]

Search here or google "alone training" for you new girl. It will make leaving easier.

 

Time and patience will help you both!

 

Congrats and Welcome!

[Scoutsmom]

She will have never slept alone at night before. She will probably whine and be upset. If you can, move her bed/crate to your bedroom at bedtime. She will sleep better and so will you.

 

Above all have patience with her--this is all new and often scary to her. But in time you will have a wonderful pup.

 

And take time to stop worrying and just enjoy her!

[Guest Firsttimegrey]

anks to everyone for saying Hi! Lillys first night was awful, but I went and bought a calming plug in and spray and fed her in her crate and the second night she only whined when we first shut the door.

 

I also nipped out for a bit today and she didnt wine when I left and I couldnt hear her on my return. So compaired to Tuesdays howling, I am hoping shes finally feeling more comfortable in her crate.

 

We are going to try sleeping upstairs tonight (as we had taken it in turns sleeping on the sofa - she cant see us but we can talk to her.) my husband says she didnt make a peep last night, so fingers and toes crossed please!

 

She is also a lot more settled around the house, less pacing and sniffing. But she has decided that the garden is her toilet and refuses to wee or poo on a walk! Shell do it once she gets back instead.

 

I am also feeling more relaxed and am starting to enjoy her more. A good nights sleep definetly helped!

[locket]

They are not used to being alone that's why My first grey would get antsy and whine if the whole pack wasn't together (if I or the hubby was in another room). He would also refuse to go in the yard and would only go on walks hahaha!

Walks are pretty stressful, so many new things! When I got my Charlie, we flew from Glasgow to Canada. So I spent the day in Glasgow, roaming the streets and sightseeing with him, well he didn't pee for 16 hrs, even if we walked in parks and calm areas, he just would not go. Eventually he did when we got back to our hotel, on a little grass patch, he peed forever! He now regularly pees on our walk. More than I'd like to actually But yea, she probably gets overstimulated and doesn't even think about it! I bet if you do the same walk over and over again she will stop looking at everything and start sniffing a bit more

[GeorgeofNE]

I'm going to suggest that the Kong is ONLY for when you leave the house.

 

Do not give her food in the crate at bedtime. What goes in must come out...we forget about that. When you put her to bed and turn out the lights, she'll get it. It's bed time. Bed time is not snack time. If the Kong and it's delicious stuffing are ONLY offered as a treat when you leave, the association with you leaving is hopefully a positive one. I like to save the Kong for ONLY leaving (like police dogs only get their toy when they're working).

[sobesmom]

Thank you. I was wondering about getting her used to being alone sometimes. That’s the downside to working from home, I don’t want to be around too much and have her upset when I do go out or away. I’ve got a stuffed Kong to go in the crate for tonight. She’s taken her self to the crate to lie down, so I am hoping that’s a good sign.

I do think you need to teach her how to be alone. But NOT yet. Adjust for a bit. A week or two. Then slowly work on alone training. You have the luxury of time at home. Use that to your advantage to do a nice, easy acclimation. Then work on alone training. I had to do alone training after 4 day weekends when we got new dogs. Not ideal.

[Guest Firsttimegrey]

Thanks everyone,

 

I was wondering if kongs should just be for during the day, as I gave her one last night and it woke her up!

 

As much as I work from home, I still have to go out sometimes (even though its only usually for an hour or two), so we have started to leave her in her crate, with a stuffed Kong, usually after a walk. I just want her to be comfortable when I take the kids to lessons, or pop to the food shop etc.

 

She chooses to lie in her crate when with us, rather than lie by our feet so its definetly her safe/comfy space. I just worry about her whining/howling if we are not in.

 

But we are all getting there! Shell now go in the garden without one of us (well during daylight anyway) and we are not taking her out all the time to wee/poo as she tends to hover by the back door when she needs to go. She also doesnt always want to go out for a walk - tonight my husband had to drag her out! But we worry if she doesnt have her evening walk that she wont sleep. Weve been doing 2 walks a day - one about 9am and one about 7pm and only about 30 mins a walk.

 

Shes not really got any interest in dog toys (unless food related) but thankfully that means shes not interested in the kids stuff!