Thinking about adopting a greyhound

*onlyme*

What a lovely thread to read. I don't have greyhounds myself but my friend has a few rescue greyhounds. They are such lovely dogs and so well behaved! (specially compared to my 2 rescue border collies)

I can recommend greyhound gap if you want any information or advise on Greyhounds http://www.greyhoundgap.org.uk/info.php?in_id=3 Their forum is fantastic

widget1974_2

I have had a rescue greyhound for about 10 years now and she is fab. Has a few problems with her joints but who doesnt at that age. In dog years I mean. Wouldnt be without her now, great family member. Couch potato and I mean that literally.

tylersbabe

Well "Miss Millie Mopps" is being a total DIVA at the moment barking and howling everytime she is left.

I have been leaving her on her own often for short periods and longer periods, so she can learn that I am coming back. But at the moment shows no sign of improving!! I hope this resolves itself soon, am at a bit of a loss with it at the moment tho.

Oh well onwards and upwards am off to go and sit in the garden again!!

Slimcilla

How long are you going to have to leave her during the week? Is there someone that can come in and cuddle her and let her out for 10 minutes while you are out? I take Speedy to Doggy Day Care at a local kennels when he can't come to work with me; he drags me in there as he loves it so much. It costs £35 for 5 days which isn't too bad and it's on my way to work...

Having said that - once you get into a routine of being at work she will know you will be coming back. Personally I don't think I can leave Speedy for longer than 5 hours so leaving him at home while I am at work is a no-no. If I know I may be out for a while I leave a pile of newspapers by the back door in case he has an "emergency" and that is occasionally rather useful. He comes to work with me and sits in the corner snoozing though so I am lucky there.

It's early days and you need to get to work and get her into a routine where she realises you go to work - and come back!

Keep at it.

CC x

foreign_correspondent

it is still early days, dont get too worried - but it may be worth ringing the rescue and discussing with them - they will have experienced this many times before and should be able to advise accordingly!

have you tried giving her a filled kong to occupy her a little? I have never used these but have heard good reports from others.

tylersbabe

Thank You both Slimcilla and foreign correspondent

Right action taken (lol) spoken to neighbour who is understanding for short term at least, so I am much less stressed now(hmm could there be a connection here :rolleyes: ) .

Plan for when at work - Millie's new granny (ohh she will hate me for that) will be popping in to give cuddles and company when I am out so most she should ever be on her own is four hours.
Right worst case scenario and granny is busy I am making contact with local dog walker, who also runs a pet hotel.

Have contacted greyhound rescue for advice and they are getting back to me.

But we have had a small breakthrough, Millie now has some strict boundries and no longer has full access to the house when I am out. Have read what you are "supposed" to do re giving her time to know you are leaving so she can calm down etc....unfortuatlly Millie missed that chapter in "how to be a greyhound manual", and like a famous battery brand bunny she can keep on going, for hours.
I then thought does she know what is expected of her......So I now tell her what is expected of her ie bed and leave with no further interaction, leaving her in enclosed passage area.
If she starts barking I go back and firmly reinforce "bed" and again walk out. Amazingly this method is starting to work!! and Millie can be left for upto 15min. This goes against all I have read re anxiety but hey ho were getting somewhere.

Sorry for long post just to add really appreciate advice and support :T

moomin5

Are you always just going out into the garden? If you are then Millie might sense that you are still about and is whining for your attention. My 2 will do this if i have gone upstairs or into the garden and have left them in the kitchen. However when i go out properly and come home its quiet well unless they hear the car door go or my key in the door.

If your going back to Millie when she is barking then you may actually be telling her that barking makes you come back and making a rod for your own back later. Your best to wait until a quiet moment and then go to her, even if shes only quiet for 10 seconds.

It is really difficult to ignore a barking dog when your worried about the neighbours, but its best to let them realise that barking does not get your attention. We made that mistake when Hector decided he would'nt sleep through the night downstairs and while it started with just a couple of whining sessions through the night gradually got worse,so that he would not settle at all if we wern't downstairs with him. We had to take a trip to my folks detached house and let him learn that barking does not get attention in the end, it worked tho.

From what i've read its best to come and go with no fuss and avoid giving clues you are about to leave as it stresses them, going out routines like putting you coat on and picking your keys up or saying goodbye. It will probably help when you have a daily routine going on and Millie knows what happens when, dogs seem to like routine.

Kongs are great we have the big black one and i usually just smear a bit of peanut butter in it and shove some dry food in, you can put grated chese and kibble in and microwave to melt cheese to kibble and put stuff in and freeze it so it lasts longer, you'll find loads of erm recipes online. If you go with a kong then give it when you leave and take away when you come back so she associates something nice happening when your gone and will want you to hurry up and get to work so she can have her kong.

tylersbabe

Hi Moomin5 yeah I was just going out to the garden until some kind person pointed out she proably still knew I was there as a dogs sense of smell is much better than ours . So now I tromp around the neighbourhood getting strange looks as I am trying to make people coming and going boring, so frequent walks are called for.... I am sure I had a life before this *sigh*

Also a kong is on tomorrows shoping list, along with a new list of advice from nice lady at greyhound rescue. So from tomorrow Millie is going to become a radio listner :rotfl:

Surely it's got to get better lol.

foreign_correspondent

tylersbabe wrote: »

Surely it's got to get better lol.

of course it will - it just doent always seem that way!

The radio is a good idea - try radio 4 - lots of human voices and conversation rather than 'bangin' tunes'! - your dog may even become an avid women's hour or archers fan! lol

Keep at it, it sounds as if she is making some geat strides forward already, there is a lot of new stuff a dog has to learn when coming to a new home, and it does take a bit of time, but you will get there!!:T

Glad the neighbour is understanding, that does take the immediate pressure off for you.

Best of luck, and keep us informed

fc x

user55

Mine listen to Talk Sport all day LOL!

It will get better. I work nights and for a while I was getting no sleep because they'd whine and bark all day. I thought I was going to die. But Talk Sport, Kongs and persistance paid off and generally they are much more settled now.