Rescued greyhounds and lurchers make lovely, gentle pets

PLEASE NOTE: We are not experts, far from it, but over the years we have gained knowledge of Greyhounds which we think may be of help to others rehoming their new Greyhound or Lurcher. This page contains a sample of the information from my book 'Caring for my Rescued Greyhound'. When I meniton Greyhounds I also mean Lurchers and when I mention him I also mean her).

AS A NEW GREYHOUND OWNER:
In this chapter we mention about giving your greyhound time to learn and understand what you want of them. What they are looking to you as their new owner to provide for them and how they can improve the quality of your life.
A FEW SIMPLE THINGS TO REMEMBER:
The heading says it all!
THE FIRST FEW DAYS:
These are so important to set the rules, boundaries and limitations, establish leadership and set the bond of love, friendship and companionship with your greyhound as he or she gets used to living in the big outside world away from the kennels. To bear in mind that everyday things that you take for granted are new and 'alien' to your greyhound and if you understand these you will help your greyhound settle into your life with happiness.
LEADERSHIP:

Leadership is a very important subject because ancestors of our pet dogs were pack animals and this still stands today. Greyhounds are very social animals and being with other members of a pack whether human or canine is very important to them and their well being. If they are denied this they, like any dog will become very depressed or start behaving badly.
The hierarchy of the Greyhound should mean he comes below all people in the family and below the cat (if there is one). If he knows his position he will be happier because he knows his place and won't feel the need to prove himself.
The thing about leadership is that you are in charge and your Greyhound accepts you have the quality to do it. As leader it is your responsibility to teach him the rules, tell him what to do, be able to lay on his bed, eat his dinner and take things from him as and when you want without him objecting. Topics in my book include:
What is leadership?
Why is leadership important?
What is a pack?
Turning a pack into a team:
Leadership in a pack of dogs:
Strength or weakness of an owner:
Ways to improve your leadership skills:

BORN TO RUN AND BRED TO CHASE:

In my book I discuss the scenario of Greyhounds being born to run and bred to chase - an instinct, which goes back centuries and, incidentally an instinct found in many other breeds of dogs. The main difference between a greyhound and other breeds of dogs is that greyhounds are faster and more likely to catch their prey. Many ex-racing rescued greyhounds have been taught to run and chase to their best ability since they were pups so something that has been instilled in them almost since birth can take months, years or indeed never to reduce and possibly never removed 100%. A greyhound who casually walks along one minute can become a strong speed machine the next and can move from 0 to 40mph in about five steps if he sees something he really wants to chase. This 0 to 40 is faster than a Ferrari.
I talk about using the right collars and leads, the right and wrong way to fit them, dogs pulling their heads from the collars, leads coming unclipped, a dog's natural reactions to situations it finds itself in, keeping them on the lead in open spaces, NEVER be tempted to let him off too soon and not until you have taught him recall and are sure he will come back to you when called.and:
* * * NEVER feed your Greyhound for at least an hour after strenuous exercise, nor let him run hard for at least an hour after feeding as it can be very dangerous. Greyhounds have deep chests and if fed too soon after running or ran too soon after feeding they could suffer from Bloat (twisting of the stomach), which can prove fatal within an hour in some cases and and according to some research it is the second leading killer of dogs, after cancer.

WALKING YOUR GREYHOUND:

The importance of walking your dog.
What is a structured walk.

HOUSE TRAINING:

Your new Greyhound may, or may not be house trained. If he has come straight from racing kennels or a Rescue Centre he will probably be kennel clean so you are half way there. Animals hate to soil their own beds, so a Greyhound who has lived in a kennel will try hard to keep that area clean. In racing kennels Greyhounds are generally let into their runs at regular intervals and given their daily exercise so they have ample opportunity to relieve themselves. What we need to do is to teach him that our house is now his new kennel and the yard or garden is his 'run'.
Topics include:
House training in gGeneral.
Telling us they want to go out.
The odd accident.
Accidents during the night.
Cleaners.
Submissive, fear and excited urination.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL CARE:

General.
Growth.
Greyhound puppies.
Ear tattoos.
Most, but not all Greyhounds have tattoos in their ears, which are done when they are pups. If they meet the grade and succeed to the puppy trials they are then given a racing name, which they keep all their life. The green tattoo marking is particular to that Greyhound and from it you can contact the English or Irish Greyhound studs who will be able to tell you the racing name (if they have one), the date of birth, place of birth and the sire and dam etc. Even if the stud says the Greyhound never had a racing name they keep a register of un-named Greyhounds so they can still often find the dogs' date of birth and other details. Read about how you can discover the pedigree of your greyhound and see a record of his or her ancestors dating back over 30 generations to the 1820s
Anaesthetics:
Care should be taken if your Greyhound is to be anaethetized because most common anaesthetics are barbiturate based that require body fat to disperse the drug. Greyhounds have very little body fat so can't disperse the drug in the usual manner so their liver, kidneys and other organs disperse it instead which can be potentially life threatening.
As Greyhounds often react badly to anaesthetics, in some cases they can be very poorly and even die. Some Greyhounds can take anything up to three days to come round properly so they should be treated the same way as whippets, other slender hounds and very old or thin dogs. Therefore, if an operation is necessary please ensure your vet uses the correct anaesthetic for Greyhounds - ‘ Rapinovet ' is slightly more expensive than the normal barbiturate anaesthetics but reduces the risk of your dog dying or becoming very ill because it gets them up and going again more quickly.
We cannot emphasize the importance of using Rapinovet enough and some may even regard us as almost paranoid. However, before knowing about the problems of Greyhounds and anaesthetics and having experienced a much loved one dying under anaesthetic and another becoming very, very ill we hope you will understand why we don't want others to go through what we went through. We even suggest that when you sign the consent form prior to the operation you make sure the words 'USE RAPINOVET' is written in capitals on the form because you cannot guarantee the vet booking your Greyhound in is going to be the vet doing the operation.
Lifting a greyhound:
I discuss in detail the importance of lifting a greyhound correctly because under no circumstances should you pick a Greyhound up under their stomach as this area is full of vital organs that may not be able to bear their weight.
Dental care and oral hygiene:
Topics include: Oral hygiene is as important with dogs as it is with ourselves because the bacteria produced with bad teeth and infected gums is swallowed, which will eventually affect the heart, liver and kidneys. Not to mention the associated pain your dog will be in and it's bad breath.
Tooth brushing.
Injuries.
Tails.
Joints and circulation.
Flaky skin.
Bald patches
Diet & feeding
Inoculations, fleas, ticks and worms
Warmth
Heatstroke:
Heatstroke is quite common in racing Greyhounds after a race but owners of retired Greyhounds also need to be aware it can easily occur if your dog is left in a car with insufficient shade, ventilation and water. Likewise, being left in a garden without shade or a room with insufficient ventilation can easily cause heatstroke.

DIET AND FEEDING:

New Greyhounds:
Speed of eating:
Information including: If your new Greyhound bolts his food down it may be because he's had to in the kennels to stop other Greyhounds from taking it from him (the quick and the hungry!). If yours does, you will probably find that in time he will slow down
Food Additives:
Information including: Greyhounds have a unique physiology so you should feed them a good quality diet with as few chemical preservatives as possible. It is believed that over 50% of behavioural problems with dogs is attributed to the additives in their food,
Feed less than 20% protein:
Informationg that includes: Retired Greyhounds should be fed a low protein complete dry mix food that is specially designed for retired and non-working Greyhounds.
How often and quantity:
Information that includes: Feed twice a day with 'complete' food topped with some tinned meat, fish etc to give variety. Never leave food down all day - grazing is a bad habit, attracts flies and allows the food to go sour.
If your Greyhound is leaving food ask why?
Ideal weight and over weight:
Information that includes: The ideal weight for a Greyhound is when you can see his pin bones covered by muscle (the 'pin bones' are the little bones on top of the hips). If they stick up too high above the muscle then your Greyhound is underweight. If you can't see them or find it difficult to feel them your Greyhound is over weight.
Fish Oils:
Dried Pigs Ears:
Feeding Bowls:
The importance of using raised feeding bowls due to Greyhounds having long legs its best to raise their dish off the floor slightly. This reduces pressure on the front legs as he leans down to feed and helps prevent digestive problems such as gastric torsion.

COMFORT:

In my book I mention the types of dog beds and bedding that Greyhounds like , keeping them warm and how to tell if they are warm enough and why Greyhounds need coats.
Here is one of the paragraphs from my book about comfort:
Many Greyhounds in kennels have boxed beds with high sides full of bedding or their beds are built up off the floor away from drafts. For this reason many rescued Greyhounds like lying on the settee or bed because they are up off the floor and they are very soft. However, if you don't want him on your bed or settee (and this decision should be made BEFORE the Greyhound arrives NOT after) position his bed out the way of drafts and make it much softer and more comfortable than yours. If you allow your Greyhound in your bedroom at night have two beds - one downstairs and one upstairs. This way if your Greyhound wants peace and quiet if your house is a busy one he has the choice of where he wants to go.

GREYHOUNDS WITH CHILDREN:

Greyhounds generally get on extremely well with children because of their temperment but as with everything they need time to themselves so children should be taught that when the dog is in his bed he should be left alone. There's a lot in the old saying - 'Let sleeping dogs lie'. Because of the importance of this chapter I mention the approach to having a dog with children, about what you should provide for your dog when children are around, teaching children to respect animals and ways of approaching a strange dog.

GREYHOUNDS WITH CATS:

In my book I have dedicated a whole chapter about Greyhounds and cats and how undertaking this activity in a controlled and logical manner will end with a contented pack and the cat snuggling up to the dog. This chapter is very detailed in the process because of the importance for both the Greyhound, the cat and it's owner and I've done it in an attempt to reduce a life of constant fear that something might happen and to ensure everyone has a fulfilling life together.
Topics include:
The importance of pack hierarchy
Teaching the greyhound the command 'LEAVE' until he fully understands what it means.
Introducing the greyhound to the cat.
Incidentally, the information and assistance contained in this section of my book is also ideal if you want your Greyhound to live with a tiny dog, chickens or even hamsters and guinea pigs.

FEARS AND ANXIETIES:

Topics include:
Going to a new home - what we take for granted and what they find alien to them
Chewing - why they do it and how to stop it.
'Fight, Flight and Confusion' - How to spot which your dog suffers from and how to help them.
Traffic noises and how to help your greyhound understand it is only noise and will not harm.
Why do dogs suffer separation anxiety and how to resolve it?
Choosing a Boarding Kennel that is right for your greyhound

TEACHING BASIC COMMANDS:

In my book I explain in detail about training basic commands, which is important because to enjoy and have a well-behaved dog under control in a variety of situations you need to teach him a series of commands that are not too difficult but are clear, concise and consistent. You can never give your dog too much training and a trained dog is a happy dog. Imagine the scenario – you drive along a road each morning to work which has a 30mph speed limit. You know exactly where you stand for if you drive under 30 you won't get into trouble but if you go over you stand the chance of getting caught and reprimanded because you have broken the rule. Say the speed limit on the road varies daily - 30 one day, 40 another and 20 another but you don't know what the speed is nor on which day because it changes constantly. Therefore, because you don't know the rules you take chances and drive at the speed you think you can get away. This is because you don't know the boundary at which point you will be reprimanded so you take chances and go as fast as you dare. The same goes for a dog who isn't being trained and given continual guidance - you can never give your dog too much training - thus the old saying ‘a trained dog is a happy dog' because it knows your boundaries and because he want to please he will be content because he knows the rules beyond which he will be reprimanded, which he won't want.
11 guidelines to training are discussed as are training puppies and ensuring you don't finish a training session with a failure.
A few simple commands can include: No, Back, Stay, Wait, Walk on, Stay there - back soon, Come, Come Away, Leave, Sit, Go Down, Stand, off, Up, Close, This Way, Side, Side and Stay, Go to bed.

TEACHING RECALL:

In my book I explain in detail how you choose your recall command, when to use rewards and when not to use rewards along with explaining in detail the 5 phases of teaching recall. I also explain about teaching recall with the aid of two people or, if you are on your own, using a long rope. Both methods of which have important points to remember in respect of his tuition and safety.
In order that you can safely allow your dog off the lead to enjoy a run in an open space, explore new places or play it is essential to teach him good, reliable recall because without it his life will be reduced to being always on the lead.
Reliable recall is when you call your dog to you and he comes no matter what distractions there are around and that is why the treat you give him should be something special and the praise is good for him.

IF YOUR GREYHOUND WON'T COME BACK:

In my book I explain the FIVE things to remember - a must!

ONE - NEVER REPRIMAND FOR HIM COMING BACK TO YOU.
In this section I explain what to do if at any time your dog runs off and you call him back but he doesn't come straight away.
TWO - REMEMBER HE IS A SIGHT HOUND AND CAN RUN.
In this section I explain why it is important to remember that Greyhounds are sight hounds and have extremely good eyesight.
THREE - OH! WHAT AM I MISSING?
In this section I explain why if you have more than the one dog, you can use the one you've had the longest or the one that knows you best to help you get the one whose run off to return. An interesting topic that certainly works.
FOUR - CURIOSITY WILL GET THE BETTER OF HIM SO DIG A HOLE.
In this section I explain why your dog if off the lead in say the park and who won't come back to you will return to your side if you dig a hole and why a dog's curiosity will make him come and stand by you when the other methods you've tried fails.
FIVE - MAN DOWN!
This is the other half of 'Dig or Die' and in this section I explain how to approach this and why your dog will always come to you if you pretend to die.

Above are a few points from my 71 page book of useful tips and information for caring for your rescued Greyhound - read and enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

In addition to all the items in the book
here are a few
Questions and Answers