Complete Newbie

[Newgrey2020]

Hey all.

I’m looking for some advice. I picked up my 4 and a half year old retired racer yesterday. Now I know it’s extremely early days but I want to start off on the right foot.

We had a long 4 hour drive from the kennels to where I stay, stopping once since he was asleep most of the time. The plan is to have him sleep downstairs as he would have more room and access to water. I also work full time (school teacher) so I hope it might help with separation anxiety in the long run? He lasts 2 minutes before he comes looking for me whenever I leave the room. Last night was horrendous, I never slept, he was stressed, whining and barking. I know that was night one and I was expecting it but am I wishful thinking that he’ll get used to it? I’m trying to make sure he’s tired tonight- been on an unintentional 1.5 hour walk today when he refused to turn backward and we had to do a huge loop. We’ll go for a shorter 30 minute walk around dinner time. Will this help or am I in for no sleep for a while? 

He’s also heavy breathing/panting most of the time and the freezing on walks, I’m assuming and have been told it’s normal for the adjustment period but it’s freaking me out. He’s been fab so far, no accidents in the house, great with other dogs and passing kids on bikes. I just want to make it as easy as I can for him. Should I be trying to keep him always awake during the day so he’s properly tired at night? I know I could do with some naps today.

Thanks in advance!

Edited July 11, 2020 by Newgrey2020

[ramonaghan]

Welcome! 

If at all possible, I'd let him sleep in the same room with you (or you with him) for the first few weeks while he adjusts to life as a pet. Once he's more comfortable with his surroundings and with you, he'll probably settle more easily at night. Remember, he has never been left alone before, so this is all very new and scary to him. 

Where are you located? Here it's been very hot and humid, and we're only managing 10- to 15-minute walks in the mornings (and Sweep is much older than your new guy). The panting isn't unusual; it's likely a combination of stress from the new situation and exertion, but I did want to ask about the weather since greyhounds are sensitive to extreme temperatures and you don't want to put him at risk. It's probably a good idea to keep walks on the shorter side for now since again, he's getting used to everything and probably feeling rather overwhelmed. 

You might find it helpful to read Cynthia Branigan's Adopting the Racing Greyhound as well as this article from Kathleen Gilley.

Time and patience is all it takes. Establishing schedules for feeding and potty breaks is great, but otherwise I'd slow down a bit and just enjoy each other before working too much on the training, planning for the long term, etc. Keep us posted!

Edited July 11, 2020 by ramonaghan
clarity

[Newgrey2020]

9 minutes ago, ramonaghan said:

Welcome! 

If at all possible, I'd let him sleep in the same room with you (or you with him) for the first few weeks while he adjusts to life as a pet. Once he's more comfortable with his surroundings and with you, he'll probably settle more easily at night. Remember, he has never been left alone before, so this is all very new and scary to him. 

Where are you located? Here it's been very hot and humid, and we're only managing 10- to 15-minute walks in the mornings (and Sweep is much older than your new guy). The panting isn't unusual; it's likely a combination of stress from the new situation and exertion, but I did want to ask about the weather since greyhounds are sensitive to extreme temperatures and you don't want to put him at risk. It's probably a good idea to keep walks on the shorter side for now since again, he's getting used to everything and probably feeling rather overwhelmed. 

You might find it helpful to read Cynthia Branigan's Adopting the Racing Greyhound as well as this article from Kathleen Gilley.

Time and patience is all it takes. Establishing schedules for feeding and potty breaks is great, but otherwise I'd slow down a bit and just enjoy each other before working too much on the training, planning for the long term, etc. Keep us posted!

Thank you!

I’m in the north of Scotland so it’s a fairly pleasant 16 degrees with a gentle breeze. I never intended the walk to be anywhere near that long but he’s a hefty 30kg and I didn’t want to have to pull him too much one way or the other. I would be happy to have him sleep upstairs but he won’t go anywhere near the stairs right now- so I’ll definitely try sleeping on the couch for a few nights, we’ll see how we get on!

[ramonaghan]

I'm quite envious of your location and your weather! I imagine you have some beautiful areas for walking nearby.

Good luck! Hope you'll both have a more restful night. 

[MerseyGrey]

Hello and welcome to the wonderful world/cult of owning a greyhound! If you haven’t already got one, you could buy your boy a coat for night times. It sounds ridiculous at this time of year but we have a coat on ours currently overnight as the temperature drops quite a bit. This could be causing him to be disturbed during the night. I’m a bit further south than you and it chilly here - typical British summer.

Greyhounds need their sleep. Think of them as essentially being cats which look like pointy dogs. Buddy will wake up from a seven hour sleep overnight, have a half hour walk and after breakfast he will settle down and sleep until our lunch time if allowed. It’s amazing how quickly he changes from a lively, playful and puppy-like dog to looking like he hasn’t slept for several days.

There are ways to train your pup over the next few weeks while you’re on school holidays to minimise the chance of separation anxiety - I haven’t needed to do it so can’t help you with this but I’m sure others will chime in. The following you everywhere - get used to it! You have a new shadow, and for me, it’s only really been during this lockdown spell that Buddy has decided that trailing me from room to room and sticking his nose into everything is not as interesting and rewarding as it used to be. We’ve had him for two happy years. (I’ve heard a rumour that girls are a bit less clingy).

We found the first few weeks very stressful as we worried about everything and anything that a normal person could worry about, and invented things on days that were going well. It gets easier, and you learn to relax a bit more. I hope you both get a good night’s sleep, and things will look better for both of you afterwards. Good luck!

[HeyRunDog]

It can be hard work for both you and your new companion for the first few days until routines are set and he trusts that you are going to come back when you leave him.

Where he sleeps is a personal choice. Like you mine sleeps downstairs on my, sorry her sofa but it took about a week before she was quiet through the night. Don't go down to him when he does cry as he'll see that crying works making you appear. Shouting down to him won't work either as he's getting the attention he wants. After three sleepless nights I found a solution to stop Grace crying. I appeared to go to bed as normal but after half-an-hour I crept very quietly downstairs and stood in total silence by the door to Grace's room. When she was in full flow I threw the door open and in the voice of god said QUIET!! shut the door and went back to bed. Not a peep since.