Greyhound Crossroads: First Week at Home

This is a special day for everyone and their new family member. We hope that it will be a memorable day for every new member of Greyhound Crossroads. Here is a view of the gotcha day from our director (modified slightly from a post made in May 2002 to the Greyhound Crossroads E-mail List):

A Gotcha Day Perspective from Kim Owens, GC Director:

For most of you, I can remember the day you picked up your new greyhound and signed that contract. For you, it was the day you began a relationship with your new pet.

For me, it was the day that I began a new relationship with you as an owner or perhaps even a new friend! It was the day you became a part of a group that held a love in common for these dogs. It was a day that I took pictures to document the incredible thing that was happening. It was a day I watched a family's life change forever, for better or worse, regardless of the long-term outcome. If the greyhound was leaving from our house, it was a day that I heard my wonderful husband Robert give the dog his "goodbye speech". It was the day that all the efforts of our group volunteers jelled together into the ultimate good thing....a greyhound becoming part of someone's family. It was even a day for me to see that greyhound and remember how many ways it had changed since the first time one of us took it's leash and gave it a hug. It was also the last day that greyhound looked at any of us for guidance, and turned those beautiful eyes on YOU. You have one (OK, or two or three....) wondrous exciting Gotcha Days. For Greyhound Crossroads, we have over 100 and counting.

There are some things that you will want to prepare before you bring your new family member home:

1. Read at least one book about greyhound adoption. There are many very good books available that provide useful information about greyhound adoption. Our recommendation for the "best" book to read is Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies by Lee Livingood. We have this book and several others for sale. In addition, we have several other books that we recommend. Please see our Recommended Books Page for more information on these books.

2. A crate. We highly recommend that new members buy a crate before bringing home their new pet. Crates are available on-line as well as at many pet stores. We recommend either the plastic "airline" crates or wire crates. Plastic crates typically divide in half for storage or moving whereas wire crates can often collapse down into a flat (if somewhat bulky) object for storage or moving. Either type of crate will work for a greyhound as long as they are the right size. On average, most greyhounds will need a crate that is at least 40 inches long by 27 inches wide by 30 inches high. If you have a male, you may want to go with a larger crate (about 48 inches long by 32 inches wide by 35 inches high). If you decide to get a wire crate, you may want to look for the crates that have doors on the narrow end (as shown in the picture to the right) as well as a door on the wide side of the crate. This allows for much greater flexibility in placing the crate in your house.

3. Food, water and dishes. Most of our members feed their greyhounds a high quality dry dog food. Typically this is dog food that can be purchased in pet stores or tractor supply companies. When looking for a specific type of dog food, we recommend finding one that does not have corn or soy bean listed as one of the top ingredients. For example, Nutro brand dog foods meet this criteria. The reason to avoid corn is that dogs, like humans, cannot digest corn and as such do not gain any nutritional value from it (only extra stool). We recommend avoiding soy bean because it seems to disagree with most greyhounds and can lead to a rather "smelly" situation. Furthermore, for that first week we recommend adding 2 heaping tablespoons of plain yogurt that contains active cultures to the food. The active yeast cultures in yogurt helps settle the dog's stomach and can help prevent unwanted gastric side-effects, especially if you feed your new greyhound a different type of food than he was getting in his foster home. After the first week, you can experiment with other tasty morsels to add to your dog's food. Also, remember to always have fresh water available for your greyhound. Finally, for dishes, we recommend the stainless steel dishes. These are easier to keep clean than plastic dishes.

4. Dog bed or a stack of old blankets. Although your new greyhound may not yet really understand what a dog bed is, it is a useful thing to have available when you bring him home. Greyhounds will frequently choose to curl up on a soft place (like a dog bed or stack of old blankets) instead of on the floor. Remember that your new greyhound doesn't have and shouldn't have a lot of extra fat as padding. As such, he really needs a padded place to lie down and be comfortable. If you let him, he will be happy to be on your bed or couch, but a dog bed will also work just fine! You can buy dog beds large enough and fluffy enough for our greys at places like WalMart, Big Lots, SAMs Club, or on the web. If you get a dog bed or use a stack of old blankets and place it in a corner where your new greyhound can observe the activity of the family around him, you will probably be pleasantly surprised at how quickly he starts using the dog bed and claiming it as his own!

5. Squawker. If you haven't owned or been around greyhounds much, you may not know what a squawker or a predator call is. A squawker is a wild-animal call that can be used to call your greyhound to you. When you squeeze it, it makes a sound that is

generally very attractive to greyhounds. The main use for squawkers is in emergency situations. We don't like to think of our greyhounds getting away from us, but it can happen. In fact, the most likely time for it to happen is in the first few months of greyhound-ownership when you, as a new owner, are still learning what it is like to

own and handle a greyhound. Greyhounds are so fast...it is amazing how rapidly they can get away. But, a squawker can be used to call your dog back! They often will not respond to their name, but will respond to the squawker. We know this from personal experience! Our recommendation is to have at least 2 squawkers; one for in your house and one for in your car, especially if you take your dog with you to go places. Sometimes you can find squawkers at outdoor sport supply locations. Otherwise, you can find them on-line. There are several places, but to start you can try the NGA web page or Birdwell Enterprises.

6. Martingale collar and a leash. Greyhounds should wear martingale collars (or soft choke collars) when they are on a leash. As shown in the picture, martingales have an extra loop in the collar that, when fitted properly, allow the collar to be tightened so that it won't slip over the head of the greyhound. We require that our new owners have a martingale collar or purchase one from us when they pick up their greyhound. At that time, we demonstrate to the owner how to adjust the collar so that it fits their dog properly and show the owner how to use the collar when it is necessary to control the greyhound on a leash. Also, some owners have their dogs wear two collars, one standard buckle collar for in the house and a separate martingale for use with a leash. You can use any standard leash (nylon or leather) with the martingale collar. However, we do not recommend using the retractable leashes with greyhounds. If you are interested in finding a nice leather leash visit Schafer Kennels. They offer affordable, high-quality leather leashes and will even design leashes and coupled leashes to your specifications.

7. Fenced-in yard. At Greyhound Crossroads we do not require that our new members have fenced-in yards. However, for those members that do, it is important to carefully go over the yard to make sure that it is dog safe. Greyhounds aren't typically diggers or jumpers, so usually you don't have to be too concerned about the dog jumping over the fence or trying to dig out of the fence. But, do make sure that there aren't any good sized gaps in the fence that the dog could push through and that the gates close and latch properly. Also, be sure to use some type of clasp to make sure that the latch on the gate doesn't come open easily or allow the dog to accidentally push it open.

8. Busy toy (Kong toy). A kong toy can be used to help fill your dog's time when you leave them alone. Many of us actually use them to encourage our dogs to get in the crate when we have to leave. You can fill the toy with peanut butter or cream cheese and let your dog spend time licking the treat out of the toy. Try freezing the toy with peanut butter or cream cheese in it to make it last just a little longer.

1. Keep the first day or so as simple and stress free as possible for your new greyhound. Only introduce him to your immediate family members. In other words, avoid inviting in the neighborhood to show off your new greyhound. You will have time for that later. In the beginning, give your new dog a chance to adjust to his new home and new family. Set aside as much time as possible in those first few days to be with your dog. Spend time grooming him, talking to him, etc. All of this will help with bonding your new dog to your family.

2. Don't be afraid of or concerned about using the crate. Use the crate if you have to leave the dog at home or if the dog is acting overwhelmed by too many people, too many new things, etc. In the crate, the dog is safe from household distractions and from situations that may be overwhelming to a new dog in a new home. If you are concerned about the dog in the crate, try giving them a kong toy filled with cream cheese, a stuffed toy, or even an old t-shirt that you have worn and not washed. The scent of their new owner can help dogs bond to you and help calm them when you are away.

3. Don't be afraid to use bribes to get your greyhound into the crate peacefully. Many of our members use string cheese, peanut butter smeared in a kong toy, etc to get our dogs to go in the crate when we have to leave them at home. It just seems easier and less traumatic to bribe them into the crate than to push them in. Also, remember that at the greyhound farms and on the tracks, that all greyhounds live in a kennel. They are very accustomed to living in a kennel. They may resist going in at your home but only because they are smart and have figured out that life outside of the crate is fun! If you are firm, your greyhound will go into a crate and most will easily settle down.

4. Use your dog's muzzle when you feel unsure about how the dog may react around other members of the family. This is especially necessary if you have other dogs, small dogs, cats, or even small children. We aren't saying to keep your dog muzzled forever, just use the muzzle judiciously those first few days while your dog is adapting to his new home. You should receive a muzzle with your dog.

5. We recommend that you keep a collar on the dog at all times. As mentioned above, you may choose to use a house collar and then have a separate martingale collar for leash use. Having a collar on your grey will help you control your dog when necessary. Retired racing greyhounds are used to being led around by their collar, so they generally respond well to being led to something or away from something in that manner.

6. Always use a martingale collar when you are controlling them outside a closed-in area. Greyhounds slip out of standard buckle collars very easily and, remember, a loose greyhound is often a lost or dead greyhound. Lets not let that happen to your new family member!

7. If you have children under about 10 years of age in your home, work with your greyhound from the beginning to help the greyhound understand that these small humans are "above" him or her in the pack structure. There are a few simple things to help this: (1) Whenever the dog and child passes through a door, hold the dog back by the collar so that the child goes through first. (2) Have the child at unexpected times, call the dog to him or her, pet the dog and at the same time give the dog a yummy treat. (3) Don't allow the dog to "own" a dog bed. Instead, when the dog first comes into the house before the dog is allowed to settle down on the dog bed, have the child sit on the dog bed and call the dog over. The child can then give the dog a treat and pet the dog, etc. Gradually have the child share the dog bed with the dog. This teaches the dog that the bed is the child's and the child is allowing the dog to use it. (4) Have the child feed the dog. An adult can prepare the food and then an adult should hold the dog by the collar. Then the child takes the food and puts the food down on the floor. Then the child should step away from the food and "release" the dog by saying "OK" or "Get it" or "Yours." Only then does the adult release the dog so the dog can get the food. This teaches the dog that good things come from the child and that the child "owns" the food and is sharing it. If you have questions on how to help young children and greyhounds adapt to each other, please let us know. We have many suggestions!

8. Plan to feed your new dog twice a day. The best thing to do is ask the foster parents how much they were feeding your new dog. That will give you a good idea of how much food your dog is eating. Feel free to add good tasting things to the food for your dog. We recommend adding 2 heaping tablespoons of plain yogurt containing active yeast to the food for at least the first several days to a week. The active yeast in the yogurt helps to settle the stomach. You may also want to consider adding Omega 3 Fatty Acids (fish oil) to the food as a supplement. Omega 3 often helps your dog develop a full, soft, shiny coat. In addition, you could consider adding a Glucosamine supplement to the food especially if you have adopted one of our older dogs. As in humans, Glucosamine often helps with the joints. After the first week or so, you can experiment with adding other delectables to the food for your dog. They always like extra "treats" with their food!

9. Give your dog frequent chances to go outside to do its "duties" especially during that first week or so. Be sure to watch your new greyhound closely in the house to prevent accidents. Also you can limit the space that your dog has access to in the house by strategic use of baby gates. All of this will help prevent unwanted accidents in the house. Also, as with a puppy, if your greyhound has been sleeping for a while (and they do that a lot), take her immediately outside to relieve herself after she wakes up. An important thing to remember is that our retired racers do not know how to "ask" to go outside when they have to relieve themselves. It is our job to teach them that. In the meantime, watch them closely and if they do start to squat or lift a leg, say NO and immediately take them outside. Most greyhounds learn not to mess up in the house with surprising ease, especially if you are careful with them from the beginning.

10. Consider giving your dog raw bones as a supplement to their diet. Ask us about this or send a note to the GC list to get more information. Several of us give raw soup bones or other large uncooked bones to our dogs just as a supplement to their largely dry dog food diet. The uncooked bones provides extra protein and does an amazing job of keeping the dogs' teeth clean! If you have adopted one of our older dogs or if your dog had multiple tooth extractions as part of their dental, talk to us before giving the raw bones to make sure that your dog can chew them up.

1. Get an identity tag to put on the collar of your dog, include dog's name, your name, address, phone number. These are very handy just in case your new greyhound gets away from you somehow. You can get very nice engraved ID tags on several web sites and at some pet stores.

2. Get flea medication and heart worm medication. We recommend using Frontline as a flea preventative and Interceptor as heart worm medication. You can get these products at most veterinarian offices. One good place to get these at a cheaper rate than you can find them from most vets is the "traveling vet" who travels around the upstate area in South Carolina. You can reach a recording that tells you the locations and times for Dr. Herron at (864) 296-5512.

3. Take a basic dog obedience class. This is a very good idea no matter what dog you adopt. Basic obedience will help you bond with your new greyhound. Plus it helps your greyhound learn that you are in charge. Once you have taught your new greyhound some basic commands, such as sit, down, and stay, you will often find it much easier to control your new family member. We highly recommend two trainers in the South Carolina area. Jane Fink operates Anderson Dog Works in Anderson. She offers special greyhound-only classes, as well as beginning and advanced classes for all breeds. We also recommend the dog trainers Jae-Mar-S in Augusta. Another thing we recommend is using a "nothing in life is free" mentality for your new dog. For example, once you teach your grey to sit, then make him sit for any treat, to get a leash on for a walk, to get food, etc. A very good description of this concept is available at: http://www.greyhoundlist.org/nothing_is_free.htm.

4. Find a vet that is familiar with greyhounds. Greyhounds have some fairly specialized medical issues that you would want to make sure that your vet is familiar with. For example, greyhounds tend to be very susceptible to anesthetics. Before you have your vet do any type of serious work on your greyhound you would want to make sure that he or she knows about this. We have several books on our Recommended Books Page that offer information on medical concerns in greyhounds. Please look through those so that you can be informed about the issues. To see a list of recommended vets in the South Carolina area, please visit our Recommended Veterinaries Page.

5. Find a suitable kennel or reliable pet sitter for those times that you need to be away from home for one or more days. To see a list of recommended kennels and persons within Greyhound Crossroads who are interested in trading pet sitting duties, please visit our Kennels and Pet Sitters Page.

6. If you are interested, you can request an official greyhound adoption certificate. The NGA offers us the chance to get an adoption certificate through their website. Just follow the pet certificate link on the left side. You first get the form from the NGA, then send it to the person who owned your dog as a racer (the NGA provides the address and name of the owner) with a stamped-self-addressed envelope. This person has to sign it and return the form to you. Then you send the form back to the NGA with a $30 check and they will mail you (surprisingly quickly) a very nice official pet certificate for your new family member. The certificate contains information about your dog's breeding history and identification information such as the ear tattoos and color markings.

7. Become more involved in Greyhound Crossroads! We love to have our new members contribute to our on-going efforts in greyhound adoption. One way to help is to volunteer at our Meet and Greets and fund raising efforts. An updated list of our current events including Meet and Greets is posted on our main web page along with contact information for the primary organizer of the event. We are organizing progressively bigger events all the time and need more help to handle them (all to spread the word of greyhound adoption and help these wonderful animals find a good home!). We can always use more help. So, don't be shy! Volunteer to come and help if you are interested. If you find that you enjoy helping at Meet and Greets, you may want to become more active in supporting GC and join our "Core Group" of volunteers. For more information on the Core Group and how they help GC function, please visit the GC Quick Facts Page. For information about other ways to help GC, please visit our Help Page.

8. Visit our Recommended Links Page for much more information about greyhounds and greyhound adoption. There are many links to health information, historical information, and quite a lot of other very good information about greyhounds, and, of course, links to things you can buy for both you and your greyhound!

If you have any other questions about bringing your new greyhound into your life, please let us know. Ask June, Kim, or your area representative. We will be glad to help!


	The First Week: Suggestions That We Hope Will Help