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New And Looking To Adopt.


MDBeland

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Hello,

 

My wife and I are in our late 40's have two children (both girls 11 and 14). All we have had were stray cats that we rescued and kept as indoor pets. Our latest just passed - 15 yo orange tabby - wonderful big cat with huge personality and very social - we miss him dearly. For the past 3 months we have been without a pet in our house since being married.

 

I have always been interested in dogs and I have been doing a lot of research. For one I would like a dog so I can have the pleasure of actually going out for nice walks with a k9 companion on a regular basis. In my research I found that greyhounds might fit our family lifestyle better than other breeds or just trying to go to our local shelter and gambling on a rescue mixed dog. I'm still apprehensive about getting a dog due to our family with everyone's schedules.

 

1. I am a high school teacher and athletic trainer. My hours at work can be very long on occasion, but I am mostly off of work for 2 weeks in December and about 6 weeks during the summer. A typical day for me during the school year is I am at work by 6:50am and home around 6:30pm with an occasional 1 - 2 nights a week where I dont get off work until 10pm due to athletic events.

 

2. My wife works part time and leaves the house around 7am to take my youngest to school, returns home around 8:15am and then leaves for work at 9:45am. She works from 10am-2pm then heads to carpool and returns home around 3:45pm.

 

My concern is that the dog will be home alone for around 5-6 hours a day for 5 days a week.

 

Thinking this through I plan on trying to get the dog on a set schedule to limit the number of accidents inside the house:

1. I would take the dog for brief walks in the mornings at 5:30am before I leave for work.

2. My wife/daughters would take the dog out for a bathroom break when they get home at 3:45.

3. I would take the dog out for an extended walk when I get home around 6:30pm.

4. On days where I get home early and on weekends I would take the dog over to the nice large grassy empty lot across the street for conditioning/running sessions.

5. I would also like to take the dog once/twice a month to our local greyhound adoption center for social time with other hounds.

 

 

Other thoughts:

1. I do not have a fenced in yard so the dog will be on a leash all of the time when we are outside the house.

2. Crating - would it be cruel to the dog to have it in a crate for 6 hours a day during the transition period and during the time of house training when we are not there to supervise? Also, I would like to purchase a portable crate such as this so I can take it with us on trips to the in-laws/vacation: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0732T4DGS/ref=sspa_dk_crr_aax_0?psc=1 would this be suitable for a greyhound?

3. Male or female dog? Should we go with one gender over the other for a first time dog owner? My initial thought is to go with a female.

4. My wife is a cat lover and she has said if a stray comes along we will be taking it in so I need to ensure that our dog will be small animal/cat friendly. I read on the adoption website that they pre-screen the dogs on if they are cat/small animal friendly or not.

5. I would like to plan the adoption for mid December during my winter break from work where I will have 2 weeks to work on house training.

 

I just want to make a sound decision and know what I'm getting into because to me returning a pet after adopting is not an option. As a young child we had 2 dogs on 2 separate occasions (beagle and black lab). With both occasions my parents sold each dog due to us having to move across country. I always told myself as an adult I would never get rid of a pet that I have taken in just because of my childhood experience.

 

I apologize for the long post.

 

Best wishes,

 

Dave

Birmingham, AL.

Edited by MDBeland
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I just got Stella a month ago, and shes wonderful. She is in het crate from 645- 430, on work days. I looked into daycare for a couple days a week, but she didn't like it. Instead, I have a dog walker that comes 3x a week, mid day. Shes paid for an hour, but Stella usually will only go for about 40 mins. Stella loves her crate and sees it as a safe place. I highly recommend keeping a positive association. Concerning your part about returning a dog not being an option; dont look at it as a negative, its best for the dog if they get the right home, even if its not the first try. Its not a failure. Because Stella was a bounce, she was house trained when I got her. Best of luck!!

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I just got Stella a month ago, and shes wonderful. She is in het crate from 645- 430, on work days. I looked into daycare for a couple days a week, but she didn't like it. Instead, I have a dog walker that comes 3x a week, mid day. Shes paid for an hour, but Stella usually will only go for about 40 mins. Stella loves her crate and sees it as a safe place. I highly recommend keeping a positive association. Concerning your part about returning a dog not being an option; dont look at it as a negative, its best for the dog if they get the right home, even if its not the first try. Its not a failure. Because Stella was a bounce, she was house trained when I got her. Best of luck!!

 

Thanks for sharing your experience. My attitude towards adoption and stating not returning a dog is not an option is in the context as I'm not returning the dog due to it being an inconvenience or if for some reason we have to move such as my past experiences as a child and having to give up our family pet. I will only consider returning the dog for a certain reason such as the dog is not comfortable with the arrangement or the environment such as my family's schedule is causing the dog undo stress. I want a happy mentally healthy dog who does not have to worry about anything other than being retired and just being a dog.

Edited by MDBeland
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Hi there! Lots of folks here work outside the home full-time and are gone 8-9 hours a day without any problems, so once the dog is acclimated to your home and your schedule, it should be fine alone 5-6 hours a day. Establishing a schedule early on is definitely the way to go, with the caveat that when the dog is brand new (first couple of days), it might be nervous and need more frequent potty breaks. I would also suggest having your wife take the dog for one more quick potty break in the mornings since 5:30am to 3:45pm is a pretty long stretch. Could she run the dog outside for a few minutes at 9 or 9:30am? I'll take your other concerns by number:

1. Not a problem. We had no yard for the first couple of years we had Sweep, and walking her daily was great exercise for us both and an excellent way to bond. Even now that we have a fenced-in backyard, we walk her twice daily. Back then we would take her to a fenced-in ball field a few times a month and let her run around some, so that's great if you have that option. Is the grassy lot you mentioned fenced? Off-leash running in open areas is only for really well-trained, reliable dogs. I have never tried it in 5 years with Sweep.

2. Hopefully the dog will be fostered before you adopt and you'll know how s/he does in a crate. Some decide they are done with crates as soon as they come off the track, in which case a baby gate or two might be a better solution. Start with shorter spans of time and see how the dog does to make sure it doesn't become destructive or extremely anxious while crated.

3. The main consideration here is probably weight. If the dog were seriously injured and needed to be carried to the car, an 80 lb male would be a lot more difficult to maneuver than a 60 lb female. (BTW there are also 60 lb males and 80 lb females!) But beyond that, tell your adoption group what you're looking for personality-wise and let them guide you. I sometimes hear that males are more "velcro" (following you around everywhere) and affectionate, while females can be more independent, but there are exceptions to every rule. My female is quite affectionate.

4. Fellow cat lover here, and that was my first concern as well. Again, hopefully the dog will have been fostered in a home with a cat. They do occasionally "lie" on their cat testing at the track, but if the dog's lived in a home for a while with a cat and done fine, you can be more confident it's truly cat safe. Sweep was curious about my cats but only in a "what are you?" sort of way and has never been aggressive toward them. Keep in mind, though, that indoors and outdoors are totally different. Outdoors all bets are off.

5. That's perfect!

 

My best advice is to be upfront and as detailed as possible with your adoption group about your wants and needs, and they should be able to find the perfect fit for your family. I had a lot of similar concerns before we adopted Sweep, and she's been about as easy as we could have asked for from day one. You might even see if your group has a "bounce" (a dog that's been returned through no fault of its own) so you'll have a more accurate sense of cat safety, crate tolerance, and other personality traits.

 

Have you read Adopting the Racing Greyhound or Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies? They're very helpful, and required reading for some adoption groups.

 

Good luck, and please keep us posted!

Edited by ramonaghan

52596614938_aefa4e9757_o.jpg

Rachel with littermates Doolin and Willa, boss cat Tootie, and feline squatters Crumpet and Fezziwig.
Missing gentlemen kitties MudHenry, and Richard and our beautiful, feisty, silly
 Sweep:heart

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Thanks Ramonaghan. The empty lot is not fenced and I will have to have the dog on a leash or I was thinking of rigging something up where they could actually get a good sprint in. I have an idea and will have to post it later. I will have access to a fenced in athletic field 1-2 days a week on the weekends.

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Welcome, and you're asking good questions.

Crate: I think soft crates such as your link are good only for dogs who have proven that they won't rip it apart. One of my current dogs would probably be ok with it, but it would not last 30 seconds with the other. I don't know how you trial this without possibly having to sacrifice a soft crate. :) The specific one in your link would be too small. It is only 36" long and 22" tall. The average greyhound is about 26" at the shoulder. Weight measurements for crates ("for dogs up to 70 lbs)" are not applicable to greyhounds because of their tall, skinny builds. I have a foldable metal crate similar to this: https://www.chewy.com/midwest-icrate-single-door-fold-carry/dp/45368 It's heavy, but it is foldable. Maybe your adoption group has a crate you could borrow and try out? Or search on Craigslist or similar. Looks like Chewy.com in my link is having a sale :wow As posted above, maybe a babygate or an x-pen would suit your needs.

 

Running: Most retired racers aren't all that interested in running around a field, unless they're truly hunting/chasing something. Taking a dog once a week to a running place would be more than enough for many dogs as long as they are walked adequately every day. If you do want to rig something up, may I suggest that orange snow/construction plastic fencing?

 

Adoption during winter break: I think a shorter period is actually desirable; I usually try for just a long weekend. You don't want the dog to become accustomed to your being there most of every day and then have to readjust when you go back to work. If you do feel more comfortable bringing in a dog on your break, please read up on "alone training" to get it used to being by itself. A racing greyhound has probably never been alone in its entire life. Ever.

 

Enjoy your adoption journey, and keep us posted!

Edited by EllenEveBaz

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Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey

remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter

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Lots of great advice here. We adopted our first grey in July and she's home alone and crated from about 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. She's an older gal with less energy, and really doesn't seem to mind it. She actually really loves her crate/kennel and will often go lay down in the nearest one (we have two, one in the bedroom and one in the living room) when she's ready for some quiet time. Ours spent a few months in a foster before she came to us, so she was already adjusted to a working schedule and took to ours easily. I would suggest reaching out to your local adoption group and talking with them about how they foster their dogs, how long they're fostered before being eligible for adoption, etc. A dog straight from the track will need more time and attention than one who's been through the ropes with a foster family.

 

As for being cat safe- you can specifically request a greyhound that had been in a foster home living with cats, rather than one who had just done the quick track test. In our instance, we have four rescue cats in our house, and we made it very clear to the rescue we worked with that we needed a cat friendly dog and were willing to wait until the right one came around. The first dog they matched us with "lied" during their initial cat testing, and I requested a second test before meeting which ended up being a lifesaver. That dog was then reclassified as not cat safe and went to a house without them. But as Rachel said, indoor and outdoor cats are two different things. A greyhound can be totally fine with your cat inside but then go into predator mode when it sees an outdoor stray.

 

The best thing you can do is be open with your rescue group about all those little details about your life so they can help you find the best dog for your home.

Edited by ambpersand
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Thanks for all the wonderful advice. I think we will get the dog within the next 2 weeks. I talked to our adoption center and they just received a new group of dogs today. They will be cat/small dog testing this week and then they will give me a call to come visit the dogs who pass the test. Once I find a dog with the right fit I will then pay the adoption fee in order to get the dog vetted which takes 10 days.

 

We are currently in the process of getting the house safe for a dog. My wife is excited also and now wants to upgrade her car to either a Honda CR-V or a Chevy Traverse.

Edited by MDBeland
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I've got a CRV and the one thing I don't like about it is that there is no air vent in the back, so I have to blast the AC at all times to keep my greyhound cool (I've got two greyhounds but one gets snarky so he has to ride in the backseat and the other rides in the cargo area :)

 

Everyone else has answered your questions just fine, but I just want to emphasize that if in the future you do get a cat and even if your dog tested OK with cats and was fostered with cats, you still need to be vigilant and do proper introductions and training. Probably 80% of greyhounds do fine with cats, but you need to play it safe to begin with.

 

Good luck with your future pup! :)


Meredith with Heyokha (HUS Me Teddy) and Crow (Mike Milbury). Missing Turbo (Sendahl Boss), Pancho, JoJo, and "Fat Stacks" Juana, the psycho kitty. Canku wakan kin manipi.

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire

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@turbo

 

Definitely will be super cautious with introducing a cat - muzzle and whole introduction process regardless of what the test results are. All animals are different with varying personalities. I wish we would have gotten a greyhound sooner while our last cat was alive. He was an orange tabby and had a wonderful outgoing personality and would have loved the companionship.

 

Also, about your CR-V can you fit a 48 crate in the cargo area? We were also thinking about getting a wire divider if the crate didnt work. Good to know about the AC as well. I wonder if I couldnt rig up a battery operated small desk fan to help with air circulation?

 

For me personally I would like the traverse since its larger but my wife is petite and this will be her car. She has concerns about seeing over the hood as well as seat positioning in a larger vehicle.

Edited by MDBeland
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Most greyhounds are fine without a fenced yard to run in. A good walk once a day is fine. But there are some greyhounds that need to run everyday so make sure the adoption group knows that you don't have a place for the dog to run. One of my four greyhounds is a high energy greyhound and needs to go out in the yard to run about twice a day or she tries to run around the house and bumps into everything.

 

Some greyhounds are good with cats and some are not. Be careful with cats. Most greyhounds are good with small dogs.

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ANGELS: SUSIE (BANDIT SUE) 3/26/1991-5/13/2006, TIPPER (MPS KRISTINA) 7/23/1999-2/4/2008, LADYBUG (BB'S LADYBUG) 5/19/2005-7/9/2008,
HAPPY 12/2000-10/9/2013, RICHY (DON L RICHY RICH) 11/5/2002-5/17/2015, DARREN 9/24/2005-3/2/2017, TUCKER (AWESOME ABILITY) 12/29/2004-12/4/2017,
BUG (BB'S DANCING BUG) 5/19/2005-11/17/2018, Dee (KIOWA DIANDRA) 10/9/2007-6/20/2022, Buddy (PJ PLUTARCH) 11/21/2013-9/8/2023)

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@turbo

 

Definitely will be super cautious with introducing a cat - muzzle and whole introduction process regardless of what the test results are. All animals are different with varying personalities. I wish we would have gotten a greyhound sooner while our last cat was alive. He was an orange tabby and had a wonderful outgoing personality and would have loved the companionship.

 

Also, about your CR-V can you fit a 48 crate in the cargo area? We were also thinking about getting a wire divider if the crate didnt work. Good to know about the AC as well. I wonder if I couldnt rig up a battery operated small desk fan to help with air circulation?

 

For me personally I would like the traverse since its larger but my wife is petite and this will be her car. She has concerns about seeing over the hood as well as seat positioning in a larger vehicle.

 

Sorry, just looking back at this thread. I have never tried to put a crate in the back - I don't think it would fit because of the shape of the back area - there's a little curved section. I bought a big bed and it sits back there perfectly, but I can't remember the size! You should be able to find specs for the cargo area online though. At any rate, a divider should work fine though :)

 

FWIW, my friend has a Toyota Highlander and says there are air vents in the very back there, so that might be worth looking into as well.

Edited by turbotaina


Meredith with Heyokha (HUS Me Teddy) and Crow (Mike Milbury). Missing Turbo (Sendahl Boss), Pancho, JoJo, and "Fat Stacks" Juana, the psycho kitty. Canku wakan kin manipi.

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire

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Here's something that's great for new adopters - just so you know what your grey has come from... Kathleen Gilley & her husband trained their greys to do all sorts of amazing agility 'dancing' - I miss her...

 

 

http://www.gpa-az.com/gilley.html

Jeannine with Merlin, the crazed tabby cat and his sister, Jasmine, the brat-cat

With GTsiggieFromJenn.jpgAngel Cody(Roving Gemini), and Weenie the tortie waiting at the Bridge

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  • 2 weeks later...

Kiowa Safe Marty “Marty” was neutered today and I was fortunate enough to meet with the vet. I was also able to observe the surgery, nail trimming, and teeth cleaning! Marty has a blood disorder but I was reassured by the vet he would be ok for any future surgeries as long as he has the proper meds pre and post op.

 

He will be coming home Dec 17th!!! I can’t wait!!

 

I would post a picture but I don’t know how.

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Very exciting! Here's a link to Marty's page on Greyhound Data -- http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?d=Kiowa+Safe+Marty+&sex=&color=&birthyear=&birthland= You can see his pedigree and look at the list of his races. There's no pic on the G-Data page, but it says he is white with black ticking -- an unusual color/marking for a greyhound. Get ready for all the questions about if he's a Dalmatian. :) Great that you got to see behind the scenes at the vet's. So is Marty a slow blood clotter?

 

GreyTalk member Dmdsmoxie is nice enough to answer questions about dogs' racing careers in the "How Your Dog Ran at the Track" in the Everything Else Greyhound forum, if you're interested.

Edited by EllenEveBaz

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Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey

remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter

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Although I haven't made any of the modifications suggested, this Facebook group is downright serious about safe transportation of dogs. https://www.facebook.com/groups/DogSportVehicleIdeas/

 

Freshy (Droopys Fresh), NoAh the podenco orito, Rita the podenco maneta, Howie the portuguese podengo maneto
Angels:  Lila, the podenco, Mr X aka Denali, Lulu the podenco andaluz, Hada the podenco maneta, Georgie Girl (UMR Cordella),  Charlie the iggy,  Mazy (CBR Crazy Girl), Potato, my mystery ibizan girl, Allen (M's Pretty Boy), Percy (Fast But True), Mikey (Doray's Patuti), Pudge le mutt, Tessa the iggy, Possum (Apostle), Gracie (Dusty Lady), Harold (Slatex Harold), "Cousin" Simon our step-iggy, Little Dude the iggy ,Bandit (Bb Blue Jay), Niña the galgo, Wally (Allen Hogg), Thane (Pog Mo Thoine), Oliver (JJ Special Agent), Comet, & Rosie our original mutt.

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Thanks so much for the data link. The blood clots fine for 36-48 hours but will reopen after that time period - bruising will appear. This is why meds are given to sustain the clotting so the wound can heal.

 

Dr. Couto has a really good presentation on that. Amicar will be your friend :) Congratulations!


Meredith with Heyokha (HUS Me Teddy) and Crow (Mike Milbury). Missing Turbo (Sendahl Boss), Pancho, JoJo, and "Fat Stacks" Juana, the psycho kitty. Canku wakan kin manipi.

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire

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