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The
First Few Days at Home -
Retired greyhounds
have lived most of their lives in crates in kennels.
They have never been inside cars or homes. They
have no idea why they are being taken somewhere
in a car nor what is expected of them when they
enter a house. They are apprehensive for the first
few days. During this time the adoptive owner needs
to work hard to turn their bewildered racer into
a happy and contented pet. We tell adopters that
a greyhound usually settles-in in just a few days,
but the total adjustment period can last as long
as a year. Also, what the greyhound learns in the
first three days will be remembered forever. Here
are some helpful hints which can make the first
few days a little easier for you and your greyhound.
Housebreaking
- Greyhounds placed by GPA are "kennel
broken", meaning that they are trained to keep
their living quarters clean. For the first few days
you will need to let your dog out into a fenced
area or walk them on the leash at frequent intervals.
They; will quickly learn that their new home is
the "kennel" they must keep clean and
that the outdoors is the place to relieve themselves.
When you are away from home it is helpful to limit
the area within the house which is available to
your greyhound through the use of baby gates or
a crate (NEVER lock in a room). This will help to
identify the area the greyhound must keep clean.
If you have a fenced yard your greyhound will quickly
associate it with their old, familiar turn-out pen
back at the kennel.
Greyhounds and
Kids - If you have small kids at home you will
be happy to learn that greyhounds are one of the
very best breeds at getting along with children.
Simply stated: gentle, affectionate and even-tempered,
greyhounds are great with kids. However, even the
docile greyhound has its limits. Small children
are often curious about dogs and do not realize
what causes pain to a dog. For that reason, the
introduction of the greyhound to the kids is critical.
Children are natural touchers, pokers and tasters
of things that interest them. Someone must define
the limits for the kids and the greyhound. That
someone is you, the adopter, and your supervision
can lay the foundation of a mutual friendship between
the greyhound and the children which will last for
many years.
