Routine and Stairs

[smithy]

Hey all, just got our greyhound today and he's being fantastic! Honestly one of the most calm dogs I've ever come across. 

We live in a 3 storey house, and I sleep on the top floor and spend most of my day there - ideally that's where the dog will be most of the time. However, as we can't get him upstairs yet, he'll have to spend the next few nights or more downstairs. I'm half tempted to sleep on the sofa so he's not alone down there but I don't know what's best for him.

Furthermore, the routine from his rescue center was quite strange and doesn't seem too good to me, so how gradually or quickly can I change aspects of it? For example, bed at 11pm up at 8am is what I thought would work. Wake up, pee, feed, then I get ready for my day which gives him a good hour or so to let the food digest before our walk. Then it's the usual stuff till dinner time, a rest, and the evening walk before calming down to bed. They fed him at 7.30am and gave him dinner at 1pm presumably because they were volunteers there and not present all day.

What's the best course of action for both of these? 

[HeyRunDog]

What's your greyhound's name?

You'll have differing views on the sleeping arrangements. In my case Grace sleeps downstairs on her own and has done from day one. A few nights of crying but she did settle down and now claims the sofa as her own overnight.

The best routine is what works for both you and your greyhound but be prepared to tweak it. I'm an early riser so I'm usually up at 6 and having a coffee sat at the laptop downstairs with Grace while she has a lie in. We go for a 40 minute walk at 7 and breakfast is at 8. Her tea is at 4 ish and a chance to pee. We go for an evening walk 6:30ish. Her food is split evenly between the two meals. If your hound hasn't been running and exercising hard I don't think you have to wait an hour before feeding.

[mansbestfriend]

Hi Smithy. As you're no doubt aware, a grey after one day isn't the same one (behaviourally) you'll typically have next month and/or next year. My Max was at first fairly compliant, reclusive, but confident and aloof. I calmly *showed* him consistent house rules, and daily routines etc. from the start and he seemed safe and happy with that. Don't rush but do be consistent. I slept on the couch for a few weeks, before he'd 'earned' more access to the rest of the house. It's all on one level.

Two meals a day, no exercise for an hour before and after meals (nominal), usually one quiet walk a day for an hour give or take, walking sniffing pee and poo exploring swimming etc. , and lots of sleeping and resting on (or partly on) any one of his five beds. Learning/teaching steps was a job on it's own - one step at a time   . Cheers. 

 

[smithy]

Thanks guys, I've got no one to talk to about this stuff so it's fantastic to have the help! 

[MerseyGrey]

It is very much dependent on you and what fits into your own routine well. If Smithy is currently used to eating at 7.30am then again at 1 (this also seems strange to me and our routine), you might want to give him progressively smaller meals at lunch time while introducing a small meal early evening which gets correspondingly bigger rather than cutting out his lunchtime meal and switching straight to dinner. Beware that his poop schedule might change accordingly. Our current routine, which has adapted over the almost three years we have had Buddy is: up at 5:30/6, walk straight away, breakfast after. A little kibble at lunch time, walk early evening (unless it’s too hot - a rarity in the north of England ) and followed by tea at 5ish. A snack at seven is followed by teeth cleaning. Copious amounts of napping in between. Once you establish a routine Smithy will probably pick it up really quickly.