First Night Questions

[cgs]

Hi, we're getting a new rescue greyhound next weekend--our first. I'm a little confused about what to do the first night. The Dummies book says we can have him sleep in our bedroom, tethered on a harness. I'm assuming we could also crate him in our bedroom. Putting him on a harness seems uncomfortable and I might not have one at first. But we're ok with him being in the bedroom. Our little dog sleeps in our room. But this dog hasn't been fostered and won't know how to go upstairs. It seems like too much to try to teach it to navigate stairs the very first day, and even if we work on it, we'd have to get him downstairs in a hurry in the morning to go out.

 

But leaving him alone in a crate at night seems like asking for a long night of whining and crying and I feel like the dog would be pretty scared and insecure. So what did you all do the first night?

[Houndtime]

If your crate is downstairs, can you sleep downstairs on the couch or something, so he has company. I tethered our dogs on a leash wrapped around my leg, so I could feel them move during the night. You have the stairs issues, though. A couple of our dogs have gone right up the steps with no coaching. Some, it took a month for them to get it.

[greysmom]

You'll have to decide where you want your dog to sleep regularly.

 

If that's downstairs, then yes, you are lifely in for some noisy nights until he can get used to being alone (if he does). Greyhounds are not used to being alone - they are in a kennel with their littermates, the racing kennel with everyone, and perhaps an adoption kennel after retirement. They have never been all by themselves for any length of time. Just like with doing Alone Training for leaving for work, you have to acclimate him to going to bed.

 

If you want him to sleep upstairs, then you have a couple choices. For us, either my husband or I sleep downstairs with a new dog until we can teach them to do the stairs in the first few days. It's not as comfortable as sleeping in your bed, but it's also much less disruptive. It also gives your old dog a break from having the new dog invading their space until everyone is used to one another. If he's small enough, your husband (or you) may be able to carry him upstairs and possibly downstairs. You'll still want to teach him how to do them, but you'll all be together. Going downstairs is easier for a new dog, but still hard if they've never had to do them before, so you still have that issue if the carry-er isn't around.

 

The thing with keeping a leash on them is so you can be aware of if they get up and move around in the night, presumably needing to go out. If you or your DH are a light sleeper you may not need this. He may or may not need to go out overnight - they don't get let out in the middle of night usually anyway - especially if he's quiet and doesn't get woke up otherwise. For the morning, keep your outdoor gear accesible and quick to put on, and hustle him right outside first thing. Then back in while he either gets a big walk, or breakfast then out again for potties. If he's young, he will need a morning walk to burn off some energy before you leave for work.

 

Don't forget to be very consciencious about doing your Alone Training the first couple days. You can search here (or YouTube) for instructions and tips for this, and teaching the stairs.

[XTRAWLD]

I crated for months for both my boys (in the living room) until I felt the time was right to have run of the house and then the bedroom at night. I feel like tethering in a strange room in the dark is asking for trouble. They like to spin and nest and then a leash might trip them, they are certainly not used to that imo. Loose in your room the first night with another dog that he's still getting used to, doesnt sound too awesome either.

 

You might find that in a crate in your bedroom is the easiest at the onset. This keeps everyone safe while everyone is getting to know eachother.

Remember, greys personalities are very different from day one vs day 365. And your home will be completely new to them, never experienced that before. They are used to crates, and at least being in the room with you will be less of a fearful situation for them. Be patient with him.

Edited February 19, 2018 by XTRAWLD

[mansbestfriend]

Hi. Congrats on the new grey. I think another one of the first things is start the process of toilet training. Even if the dog is housebroken elsewhere, expect to have to teach the dog a toilet routine you're both happy with. In 'the good old days' I used to have these routines ready even before getting the dog. Cheers.

[cgs]

Yeah, I think I might have to sleep on the couch. I don't want to be up in the middle of the night or early in the morning for a bathroom break and not be able to coax the dog down the stairs. It's going to have to at least learn to deal with 2 or 3 steps right away just to get in and out of the house. Our front door has 2 steps and our back deck has 3. So that's going to have to happen right away. But a flight of 10 stairs looks very different, so I'll give him some time for that. If he's running up and down the steps the first day, then we'll crate him in our bedroom, but I'm not expecting that.

[Jerilyn]

Staying downstairs sounds like the best plan, but be prepared to adjust as the dog needs.

When I got Lila the plan was for her to spend the night in my bedroom. But she was having none of that! She wanted to be in the kitchen, so that’s where she stayed.

He could very likely surprise you and the stairs will not be an issue.

[cgs]

Hi. Congrats on the new grey. I think another one of the first things is start the process of toilet training. Even if the dog is housebroken elsewhere, expect to have to teach the dog a toilet routine you're both happy with. In 'the good old days' I used to have these routines ready even before getting the dog. Cheers.

 

I've read that they're used to starting their day at 4am. My husband actually gets up at 4am, so I could get up and take the dog out when he gets up (he gets up and out pretty quickly, so I'm not going to ask him to work in time taking care of the dog.) But then I'll want to go back to bed, not be up for the day! I don't want the dog to be expecting breakfast and a walk. So I'll have to figure that out. I'm worried that my husband getting up, along with the dog's internal clock, will make him think it's time to start the day.

[amalexia]

 

I've read that they're used to starting their day at 4am. My husband actually gets up at 4am, so I could get up and take the dog out when he gets up (he gets up and out pretty quickly, so I'm not going to ask him to work in time taking care of the dog.) But then I'll want to go back to bed, not be up for the day! I don't want the dog to be expecting breakfast and a walk. So I'll have to figure that out. I'm worried that my husband getting up, along with the dog's internal clock, will make him think it's time to start the day.

 

When we first got Cameron, we had her sleep in our room with a baby gate to stop her going anywhere else in the house. We kept at it until we felt she was fine with being in the house. She now sleeps in the living area right across from our door so she can keep an eye on us (you know, just to be sure we don't disappear in the middle of the night). The first night, she woke us around 2 am for a potty break. I got her out for a quick pee and then back in. She then wanted to get up at 5 am. We set the alarm for 10 minutes later than what she wanted and ignored her (and silently wait) until the alarm went off. We did that for a few days and got the message to wait for the alarm. Once she picked up on the alarm, we proceeded to make it a little later everyday until our preferred wake time of 6 am. We can now do even later (usually not much more than 8 am).

 

In the morning, I still get up at 6 am. She gets up for some scratchies and then goes right back to bed until later (miss Cameron doesn't like to walk when it's still dark outside). On the weekends, we sometimes get her out for potty and then back in to bed until we are ready to get up for the walk. All of that to say that you can get your dog on your schedule (just make it consistent). If you don't want the dog to go potty at 4 am, just don't take the dog out at that time. If you want to do the 4 am potty but bed after for a while, just do this. Whatever your routine is, the dog will adapt (keeping in mind that the first few weeks we be adjusting between the two routines).

[Roo]

Tessa came right in and walked up the stairs like she'd been doing them her whole life. Some don't take any time at all to learn the stairs!

[BatterseaBrindl]

Nixon took at least 2 weeks to do the stairs. We have 13 of them and at that time they were all wood, with only the narrow sandpaper type strips on them. We did put carpet treads on them to help him as he aged.

Nixon also slept in his crate downstairs for several days, but after that he transitioned to my bed

 

Ruby came in and bounded up and down and up and down like she had been doing it all her life.

She was not been crated and only sleeps on the beds we keep here for the grandkids

 

Nigel was very fast to learn the stairs too. And no crate for him either. He only sleeps on a dog bed in the bedroom. Covered completely over with a blanket. Sigh.

 

We've had Sid here now for 48 hours and he can do them fine. Slowly. He did have a few stairs at his foster home. He has adjusted so quickly and slept with me the first night

 

Moral: They are all different.

Enjoy

Edited February 20, 2018 by BatterseaBrindl

[FiveRoooooers]

Tessa came right in and walked up the stairs like she'd been doing them her whole life. Some don't take any time at all to learn the stairs!

This was Pal also, my first greyhound c. 2002. To get into our condo was 13 stairs. Neither of us gave it a thought (thankfully ).

[Roo]

This was Pal also, my first greyhound c. 2002. To get into our condo was 13 stairs. Neither of us gave it a thought (thankfully ).

 

I was actually really worried beforehand - I live in a three story townhouse and was running through all the "If she can't do stairs, how do I get her to xx room??" I've only ever lived in a ranch-style house with maximum three steps. I did a lot of reading on stair training and was all ready to hand out delicious treats for each step and use the leash as a harness to support her while I moved her feet up each step, and I ended up having to chase her up the stairs because she was like "Hey, cool, what's up here??" and wasn't about to wait for me

[cgs]

Haha, great stories!

[fastpointydoge]

Tessa came right in and walked up the stairs like she'd been doing them her whole life. Some don't take any time at all to learn the stairs!

 

This was Pal also, my first greyhound c. 2002. To get into our condo was 13 stairs. Neither of us gave it a thought (thankfully ).

 

I live in a upstairs apartment so Rogue had to do the stairs immediately. I had tested him out on a few outdoor steps at the place where I got him and he had no hesitation so when I got home with him my girlfriend and I had a "party on the stairs" and made it the best thing ever to go up the one and a half flights to the apartment. He's never had a problem with the home stairs, only at friend's houses with unfamiliar stairs has he struggled or flat out refused.

 

Rogue came from the racing kennel to the adoption kennel to my home so he was not house broken and marked when he was nervous which was most of the time. I used the crate to potty train him so he spent his nights in the crate in my bedroom. He only howled the first night. In about two weeks he was house broken and the crate was retired soon after.

[GeorgeofNE]

Flush all of your preconceived notions out the window.

 

I spent a backbreaking three weeks trying to teach my first hound to go UP the stairs (they were in an enclosed stairwell, black, metal, and shiny. It was a triple threat of terror! It was an elevator building but we had frequent LOUD fire alarms. I knew it was vital he know how to go up and down because every single time we had thunder, the fire alarm went off and it was deafening and there was no option (with a dog) to stay inside until it gets shut off. (For those who don't know, elevators do not work when a fire alarm is going off--by design. Power shuts down and that's all she wrote.)

 

Well, I was literally breaking my back with my daily stair lessons. It wasn't working AT ALL. I tried everything from two people to literally smearing liverwurst on each step. He was NOT going to go up the stairs. I moved each paw, step by step, up all three flights over and over and over. That SOB wasn't having it. Having just lost the smartest, bravest, boldest dog on the planet, all of this made me think I had just committed to the dumbest canine on planet earth. I mean LIVERWURST??? He wouldn't even sniff at it.

 

Then I decided "It's going to kill me, but he has to know how to go DOWN." I steeled everything I had that can be steeled. And we went to the dreaded stairs of doom. I faced him down, and said, "OK, one step at a time..." and before I could finish he had started prancing down the stairs with the grace and attitude of a debutante descending a spiral stairway. I could not believe it! From third floor to parking lot in one graceful, stressfree prance.

 

When I moved about a year later, he was still lousy at going up. I moved into a third floor unit--no elevator. I had schooled the movers on all the things they needed to do or not do as I attempted to get him up into our new home. And wouldn't you know it? That dog just pranced up the stairs like it was no big deal at all!

 

My point?

 

Stairs are not all that complicated unless you get that one in a million (GEORGE!!!) dog who really resists. There are more tales along the lines of the second part of my story than the first. Don't baby the dog. Don't put off teaching him stairs. He's not going to call his guidance counselor and complain that you're not letting him have enough quiet time. Just teach him what he needs to know (maybe not the first day?) and enjoy!

 

This same dog attempted to ALSO refuse to go in the elevator. I was in no mood for that, so I just spent the first couple of days picking him up about two inches and plopping him into the elevator. You can't just monopolize an elevator so you can give your dog elevator lessons and let him take all the time he wants to go in. Not in a big building with lots of residents.

 

George was an outgoing, happy, relatively fearless boy. I have no clue why he decided stairs were evil.

 

My current boy? Afraid of wind, leaves, rocks that are painted white, flags, children, men...but not stairs, elevators, shiny floors...

 

You never know until you get the dog you think you like into your home and give him a while to settle in. But don't set yourself up for "Oh my god, STAIRS!!" You might get a George, but you'll likely get a Buck (no one ever taught Buck stairs. No one. He just...walked up them!)

Edited February 20, 2018 by GeorgeofNE

[amalexia]

I would also say that all stairs are not created equal for all dogs. Cameron is fine with the five stairs to go in and out the house and has been from day one. I was expecting a big fuss but she just went right up. Sometimes, it seems like she gets into thinking too much about those stairs and gets kind of stuck at the bottom. I encourage her and she gets up slowly as if she is not sure how to do them anymore. It's hilarious to me as I know she will do them just fine a few hours later.

 

Indoor stairs going to a second floor seem fine most of the time (we don't have them but one of dog sitter does and she goes up just fine). However, indoor stairwell with no backing a very scary to her. Indoor stairs with backing to go to an apartment (so kind of hallway stairs) are usually fine, but not a favourite.

 

The worst: the evil stairs (I should add that these are with backing and super wide) that lead to the evil basement where the evil cat spends time are very scary for Cameron. This translates to all basement stairs are scary. We are not fussed about it because we don't need her to do those stairs. We'll eventually get there in her training, but it's way down the priority list. All that to say that one dog can have various reactions to stairs.

[krissy]

Maybe I'm mean, but I'd find a workable scenario for the stairs. Every place we've lived (save one, and we didn't live close enough to a group to foster) in the past 6 years has had stairs just to get in and out.

 

Our first place was a basement apartment and our very first foster dog arrived straight from the track and had to negotiate a full flight of stairs 3-4 times per day just to get in and out of our apartment. It was a bit time consuming to go out for potty breaks the first couple of days, but by the time he went to his new home 3 weeks later he was a pro at stairs much to his new owners' delight.

 

Our next place was a bungalow but had 3-4 steps to get in and out at both the front and back doors, so it was slightly better, but did still require some stair learning to get in and out. We had tonnes of fosters at that house. Once they mastered the in and out stairs I made them learn our basement stairs which were narrow but carpeted.

 

Our current house (but we haven't had any fosters in it yet) is a bungalow but has almost a full flight of wooden stairs up to a deck/patio at both the front and back doors. We usually bring the dogs in through the back/side door and the steps there are slightly shorter, but there's still about 6 or 7 of them, so any new fosters will have to learn them right away.

 

Fortunately for all of our fosters, once IN the house, they at least haven't had to do any stairs inside until we were ready to learn more (then we do basement stairs).

 

I'd help the hound up and down the stairs morning and night so he can sleep with his family. Alternately, if house training is a significant problem, you may choose to sleep downstairs on the couch for a few nights and work on learning the stairs during the day/evening when you have a bit more leisure time and he's already been pottied.

[NewGrey2017]

We got our boy in October. We put a big dog bed on the floor of our bedroom (upstairs) and he has slept there ever since. Sometimes he gets up at 3AM to let us know he's hungry.

 

The Dummies book is more of a guide than a manual. It also says greyhounds never get under your feet, which is not true of mine.

 

As for the stairs, I would throw pieces of chicken one step beyond his reach and move his legs with my hands and nudge him up. It took about 4 times and then he got it. We started the first night. In the morning, hold his collar and guide him down the steps. Momentum does the rest.

 

Congrats on your new greyhound.

[cgs]

These stories are a little scary, but really helpful. I just borrowed a crate from a friend who has a labradoodle, and I'm pretty sure it's too small, but we might have to make due for a day or two. I don't want to buy one until we see. I really don't think her labradoodle is any smaller than a greyhound, but the crate is smaller than recommended--only 30 inches on the long side.

 

But even with a smaller crate, I don't see lugging the crate up and down the stairs, so if we do get him upstairs for bedtime, I think he'll be uncrated. I'm a little worried about him peeing in the bedroom, because it's a pretty large space, but tethering him with a harness at night seems like he'd get tangled. We'll just have to play it all by ear. This big dog stuff....

[cgs]

Just reading that the crate should be at least 42" and maybe 48". Hmmm. Might have to get one now after all. I thought I had read 36" was ok and thought what's 6 inches less, it'll be fine. But 12 inches less--that's a lot.

[amalexia]

These stories are a little scary, but really helpful. I just borrowed a crate from a friend who has a labradoodle, and I'm pretty sure it's too small, but we might have to make due for a day or two. I don't want to buy one until we see. I really don't think her labradoodle is any smaller than a greyhound, but the crate is smaller than recommended--only 30 inches on the long side.

 

But even with a smaller crate, I don't see lugging the crate up and down the stairs, so if we do get him upstairs for bedtime, I think he'll be uncrated. I'm a little worried about him peeing in the bedroom, because it's a pretty large space, but tethering him with a harness at night seems like he'd get tangled. We'll just have to play it all by ear. This big dog stuff....

 

Get a belly band. This should at least get the marking under control.

[cgs]

I don't know what that is, so I looked it up and really hope I don't need that!

[Roo]

Can you buy an ex-pen for your bedroom? That way no crate, no harness and leash to get tangled in, but he'll be contained so you don't have to worry about him wandering.

[cgs]

Ooh, those are pretty cheap and that might work. How high do you think it would need to be?