First day and night since rehoming - observations!

[steerpike]

We brought our boy home yesterday evening - a beautiful and exuberant 4 year old who finished racing in Summer 2020. 

I'd be very grateful for any advice based on his 24 hours with us.  In short, he's been excellent - none of the nightmares you hear from some others (tempts fate!). 

He got in the car and travelled for over an hour without even a whimper, just heavy panting which I've come to understand now as a sign of potential stress. 

When we first arrived home, he wasn't remotely timid and wanted to zoom around all over the house and garden, exploring every corner.  He hasn't fouled inside at all apart from within the first few hours when he cocked his leg against my upstairs bed  - I think it was his first time being upstairs and also trying stairs and he got a bit confused/stressed.  So he can go up stairs, but he's terrified of coming down them. 

He had his dinner early evening and we went for a short walk to acclimatise to the new sounds and smells and he wanted to smell every doorway, every flower and, of course, mark out his new territory!  He seems really well house trained and waited for some grass before doing a #2 which is what I'd hoped.  We're going to do the same walk for the next 2 weeks just to keep some consistency. 

He seems to be learning impossibly fast - he's waiting at junctions on command, he's starting to understand 'No!' when lunging at us if we have e.g. a sandwich and he's already (Day 2) playing excitedly with his new toys, doing zoomies and wagging his tail. 

Advice welcomed
Toys
We bought some 'tough' toys - fluffies with squeakers and some rubber teething toys.  The two soft toys have already been shredded with the stuffing coming out - I'd hate for him to start chugging down polyester fibre.  Maybe I'm fussing too much but I guess he just needs non-stuffed toys that are super hard wearing. 

Teeth
We have some Dentastix treats to help with cleaning teeth.  He does seem to bleed slightly from his gums after crunching them up and when destroying his toys (blood spots on them) .  He is recovering from a removed tooth (upper Canine) but stiches all healed.  We can get this checked at vet but maybe it's a gum infection?  Do others clean their dogs teeth with a brush and paste?

Farting!
We don't expect a dog that doesn't fart, but man he's a 24/7 trump machine!  He's recently been wormed and we're advised this might make him a bit loose - perhaps this explains the gas but again, probably needs his diet tweaking a bit, or maybe it's nerves.  He's on a mixture of Wainwrights Dog's Best Friend Chicken with Rice and Complete Nutrition from Pets at Home, twice a day, which is how he was fed at the kennels.  I'll see how this goes before investing in gas masks. 

 

 

 

[Legendaryfrank]

Congratulations! I can give you a little advice at least what works with my hound

Teeth

I won't lie, I probably get around to brushing my boys teeth once a month. Otherwise I give him Greenies/Some equivalent dental chew once a day after dinner everyday to help keeps things clean. He usually only has a little plaque buildup but nothing too crazy or nothing that looks like it has to be scaled. Admittedly I need to start bushing at least once a week!

Toys

My hound goes quite nuts over plushies with squeakies in them, he does well with these heavier duty ones I get from petco:

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/leaps-and-bounds-ruffest-and-tuffest-raptor-tough-plush-dog-toy

They are his absolute favorite, it took him a good couple of months before he was even able to make a small tear on one of the plushes. Otherwise they have lasted for over 6 months of daily playing. A close second is chasing a rubber kong ball you can stuff treats inside of.  You may just have to get heavier duty plushes for your dog to enjoy, or ones without any stuffing

Farts

Yeah not much you can do about this 

Edited August 30, 2021 by Legendaryfrank

[EllenEveBaz]

Congreytulations!  We need pics!  What's your boy's name?

My first hound loved to de-stuff toys in 2.3 seconds, then watch me try to re-stuff and re-stitch them.  Fun times!  She also enjoyed knotted rope toys.  There are some brands of stuffed toys that aren't stuffed, but flat.  The dogs still have the fun of shaking and tossing, but don't destroy them so quickly.  Alternatively, you can go to yard sales and buy child's stuffed toys -- removing anything detachable -- and let the dog go crazy.

Teeth -- yes, brushing with dog toothpaste at least 3-4 times a week will result in fewer expensive dental problems and cleanings.  Didn't your dog get his teeth cleaned when his tooth was pulled recently?  I don't understand why he would still be bleeding when chewing hard.  Definitely check with your vet when you take him.

Farts --  I've never suffered beyond the occasional toot or Silent But Deadly from my hounds after I've found the right food for them.  Transition slowly if you decide to experiment.  Gas can be a result of stress, too.  

Stairs -- most long-legged dogs find going down more scary than up.  I suggest getting a harness and hold him like he's a suitcase at your side, cheerfully assisting him down a few times.  Or you can leave him at the top and he will almost certainly come down to be with you, but you risk him "learning" to jump the last several steps which can be dangerous long-term.  

Enjoy your wonderful new friend.    

[MerseyGrey]

Congratulations on being adopted! What’s your boy’s name?

So far your dog sounds pretty bomb proof and you will probably see some changes over the next few weeks as your dog’s real personality starts coming through and he begins to feel more at home and more comfortable with you. But it sounds like you and he are doing really well.

Buddy’s favourite toys are a bacon-scented ball by DuraPlay from B&M and the standard issue honking hedgehog (size large and extra large) from Outward Hound. I have copied a link here so you know what it looks like but you can get it from loads of places. We have a small stock at home for when one goes to the rainbow bridge.

https://wufwufshop.co.uk/products/petstages-cutie-chewies-hedgehog?variant=39778700951747&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvNDhnZbZ8gIV4mDmCh0YSwM_EAQYASABEgI8k_D_BwE

He tears it to pieces and one of the things he loves about it is being able to pull the stuffing out. We let him do this and we rested it for him. He’s never shown any interest in eating the stuffing, but you will have to watch your dog and gauge how he behaves before you decide to leave him alone with it. Of course, your dog might not like either of those things. One common thing that Buddy does love about new toys is them having long bits on them that wallop him when he shakes them. But he always returns to Honky and the bacon ball 

We also give Buddy a dentastix after tea. I suspect your boy’s gums are still a bit tender after tooth removal which may account for the redness/spotting of blood, but this will lessen over time. If it doesn’t, discuss it with your vet. We do clean his teeth too. Originally we used a doggy tooth brush (it has two ends, one with a larger brush, one is smaller) but we have recently switched to an ultra soft human toothbrush and he lets us brush his teeth for a bit longer. We try and brush his teeth every night, but we don’t always manage, and so it is more like 4-5 times a week. We also have a giant tooth brush toy that we cover with tooth gel. He is supposed to chew it, and clean his teeth that way, but he normally licks all the gel from it instead 

Farts. You learn to live with them. You probably need to live with him for a while before working out what is normal for him. We have spent most of the three years trying to improve our dog’s stool before accepting that soft poop and paint stripping farts are his normal. What I would say is - if he has poops that are pretty solid and you can pick them up, don’t mess with it! If he has two or three poops on a walk which become looser with each poop, that is probably normal and don’t mess with it! You’re in the UK and I don’t think that we have the same problem with hookworms that owners in the  States have to deal with (thankfully!) but he can still have parasites so if you’re concerned you can get some stool samples for analysis. Our last full screen cost us over £100.

Have lots of fun with your new boy! Also, it really helps to have a picture of your dog when thinking of answers to your queries 

[steerpike]

Hello both, thank you so much for the excellent advice!  All taken on board and appreciated.  I'll see what the Vet says about his teeth.  

His name is Hector - photos as requested

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4EcvqdhyNRTRszZW7

 

 

[steerpike]

hi @MerseyGrey, thanks also for the very useful info!  Noted re: toys and toothbrushes.

I will update on the fart progress!  It's not a big deal really, we all do it to be fair, just not quite as brazenly  

[MerseyGrey]

He’s a handsome guy 

[HeyRunDog]

He's definitely got a cheeky look in his eyes.

I brush Grace's teeth daily before we go for her pre breakfast walk. Find a dog toothpaste he likes the taste of as it will make it easier. Grace likes Beaphar which often comes with it's own toothbrush.

15 hours ago, steerpike said:

He's on a mixture of Wainwrights Dog's Best Friend Chicken with Rice and Complete Nutrition from Pets at Home

Just check the protein percentage. It is recommended that retired greyhounds only need around 20% otherwise it can cause health problems later in life. The farting could be while his system gets used to the Dentastix and his excitement of being in a new home. I've found giving Grace one Lintbells yudigest tablet a day for a couple of days when she has a bout of paint stripping emissions help calm things down.

[steerpike]

@HeyRunDoggreat advice and much appreciated, thank you!

[EllenEveBaz]

Hector is a stunner!  Love the black tuxedo.  

[Houndtime]

Very handsome!

[greytpups]

Welcome, handsome boy

[Moo]

Farts

You acclimatise eventually 

He's a cutie, sounds like a bright little guy too! My advice while you're working out what to feed for best poos is to have some Pro-Kolin Advanced on hand, as it's sort of an emergency stool firmer for when things get REALLY messy. You can get it on Amazon or your vet will sell an equivalent. I give mine the fibre pellets from the same company and by god they're a lifesaver. They don't cure runny poos, but rich wood, since I started adding it to my grey's food I've had only 1 bad poo or him, and that's because my dad gave him too many treats in one go. 

[steerpike]

Thank you all for the welcomes!

 

Thanks @Moo I will definitely check out Pro-Kolin

[Bridget59]

Just joined and want to thank all for posting such useful information 

Hoping to adopt our first greyhound soon!

Hector you are one gorgeous boy ❤️

[Banjoman]

My greyhound and most of my whippets have trashed any soft toy in minutes. Now I let Chancey “find” or “steal” a cardboard box or cardboard tube which she takes to her crate and rips apart quite happily. If she chews on it and swallows some I feel it should be less of a problem than filament stuffing. She does still have a penchant for chewing plastic so I have to watch what she “finds”. My Grandson’s Lego had to go and live in his house or she crunched it up with greyt enjoyment.