Rehoming a DCGR Greyhound FAQs

Why do you do home checks?

We have found that a successful home check is essential for the well being of our dogs. For the security and safety of the dog we need to be able to see for example, that your fences are high enough and that you do live where you say you do. It is also a chance for you to put any questions you may have about greyhounds to your home checker and if you have never seen a greyhound close up, it also gives you the chance to see one in your own home. The home checker is not there to interrogate you. During the initial stages of contact, our re-homing coordinator Al will have asked you many questions about your home situation and what you want from a pet dog. Al does this not too be nosey, but to firstly ensure that a home check is appropriate and secondly to be able to create a shortlist of dogs that would suit your lifestyle and needs.

As we do not have a re-homing centre it is quite difficult for us to arrange for people to just come along and ‘view’ the dogs. Once a successful home check has been completed, we will arrange for you to meet your potential new pet before re-homing if you wish. We also feel that if you were to view the dogs first and "fall for one" that we believed to be unsuitable in your situation, disappointment would occur and there could be an "awkward" situation for us. This is particularly true where children are concerned, they could become very upset if the dog that they had met was not subsequently to join their family. Our priority is the long term care and well being of our greyhounds.

Do you home your dogs to families with very young children or babies?

Yes, we do. The vast majority of greyhounds are "child friendly". Having said that, we need to find one suitable for the age of your child/children. A young "puppy like" and very bouncy greyhound would be better placed in an active home with older children; otherwise a young child could be too easily knocked over. For very young children, generally a slightly older, more sensible and "laid back" hound would be better. Each adoption is assessed separately and we will offer you the dog that we feel will suit your circumstances. Please consider for a moment that our volunteers and Al have spent (in the vast majority of cases) many weeks and sometimes months working with each greyhound that we have available for adoption and therefore we know the dogs very well.

Are your dogs housetrained?

We can't offer any guarantees for this. Although obviously if the dog has been in a foster home, as most of ours have, then they will be pretty much housetrained, though a few do regress slightly when they go into a new environment. However greyhounds are generally "kennel clean" creatures and are accustomed to toileting outside. In most cases the dogs work it out straight away, providing of course you give them plenty of opportunities to perform. You do need to praise them well once they have performed outside so that they very quickly learn to "want" to use that place again. They thrive on praise and will soon work out that toileting outside gets it for them. A small minority of greyhounds, most commonly bitches will refuse to toilet on any surface except grass, you may have to look for a grassy patch for your dog to perform on whilst on a "lead walk".

I have a cat and I am concerned because I've heard that greyhounds are "cat killers", is this true?

Let us first state that all dogs of any breed are a potential danger to cats. The difference with a greyhound is that they are fast enough to catch them. We have however successfully homed greyhounds to cat owning families. Some greyhounds will live with cats quite happily, some will "detrain" with cats and some will never be safe. Finding one suitable to share life with a cat is another reason why we foster our dogs whenever possible and we will suggest the dog we feel is suitable for your home. Careful supervision is required with every dog in the early days, until you are 100% that the dog is trustworthy. If you have a cat "with attitude" life is simpler. One good swipe from your cat's claws is often sufficient to put a greyhound "off" cats for life! Don't forget that even though your dog will eventually accept cats from his/her own "pack", any "unknown" cats could still trigger the chase instinct.

Where is your rescue centre? I can't seem to find the information on your website.

We are a small charity, run by volunteers and do not have a rescue centre, the dogs are kenneled or fostered in a variety of locations in South West Scotland and Cumbria.

I live in a flat; does that mean I don't qualify to adopt one of your dogs?

Not necessarily, living in a flat is not always a problem but there are important issues that need consideration before we make a decision. Examples of these are: What floor do you live on? Ground floor is preferable because racing greyhounds have never encountered stairs before. Some take longer than others to work stairs out and some never do. Do you have a private garden? If not, consider if you are really prepared to take your dog out in "all weathers", several times a day and possibly occasionally during the night to accommodate it's toilet needs. Are you a tenant or are you buying the flat? If you are a tenant, we would like to see written confirmation from your landlord that pets are accepted. If you are buying, please check for any restriction in your leasehold agreement. If you have young children, have you considered what will happen if your pet needs to toilet and your partner is out for the evening. Who will care for your children in your absence? What if you are ill and feel unable to take the dog out? Please do not be put off by these questions, we do not wish to discourage people from adopting a greyhound but there are "issues" that need investigation.

I work full-time can I home a greyhound?

Yes, possibly. This very much depends on your situation. If you work close to home and are dedicated enough to return home every lunchtime to see to your dog or are willing to recruit a "dog walker", another family member or good reliable friend to care for your dog a little during your absence then we may home to you (subject to a successful home check). In our opinion leaving a dog alone most of the day and naturally most of the night (whilst you are asleep) is not fair to the dog. Greyhounds thrive on human companionship; a hound that is "abandoned" may become distressed, destructive or otherwise unhappy. The well-being of the greyhounds is our prime concern and as such if you cannot answer with a firm yes to all of the above then no, until circumstances change, we would not home one of our greyhounds to you.

You keep mentioning suitable dog, what does this mean?

We have found, through experience that the most successful way to home our hounds is to match them to the adopters' needs. Once Al has ascertained your domestic situation, working hours and what you want from a pet greyhound, he can build a picture of the dog which he believes would be suitable for you. For example, if you have no children, are at home all day and have no other pets and simply want a companion dog, the choice of suitable hounds is almost unlimited. If you work part-time, have 2 cats and children under 5 years old the choice will be far more restricted. This is because Al needs to find a dog who is both "child and small animal friendly" and who is content to spend time alone. If you are of the "older generation", mobile but not up to hour long walks, then he needs to find a hound who is content to have company without excessive amounts of exercise. Our motive for short listing suitable dog/s is to "get it right" first time. There is nothing more distressing to our dogs or us than a dog being returned from a comfy, warm home because the dog didn't suit the person's lifestyle.

I can't home a dog at present, but would like to "help" in some way, what do you need?

The best way you can help is by promoting greyhounds as pets to everyone you meet, give them our web address or Al’s phone number. Alternative ways you could help support retired greyhounds can be found here.

How much do you charge for a dog?

We ask for a donation of between £70 to £100 when you home a dog, however we do look at individuals circumstances. This is a minimal amount, which helps us towards to cost of neutering, vaccinating, kenneling, feeding and transporting the dogs. You will also need to have a suitable greyhound collar, a lead and waterproof cold weather coat, dog bowls and a dog bed; we can sell you all of these items at very reasonable prices. We will provide free of charge a muzzle and a copy of the "Homing Pack". The homing pack is a comprehensive information booklet "geared" to the needs and queries of a new owner.

Why do you supply a muzzle, does that mean greyhounds are vicious?

No, greyhounds are not vicious dogs. We give you a muzzle for safety reasons. Although we make every effort to socialize our dogs before re-homing them, please remember that until ex-racing greyhounds come into DCGR they have only ever met other greyhounds. They have never seen or encountered any other breed of dog. At first we recommend that you keep your new hound muzzled. Introduce it to as many different shapes and sizes of dogs as you possibly can, whilst keeping it under control on a firmly held lead. Praise friendly reactions and discourage growling or lunging with a firm "no". Once your hound has stopped the undesirable behavior praise him/her immediately. Your new hound will soon work out what earns him/her favour and oblige you. Greyhounds thrive on attention and will willingly "detrain" once they learn that it pleases you and that they earn special "good" attention by being sociable with other dogs. Some dogs accept other breeds straight away, others take a little longer. Keeping your dog muzzled in the early days is a protection for both you and other people's dogs. Once you are certain of your dog's reactions you can, if you wish, dispense with the muzzle. Some greyhound owners prefer to keep the dogs muzzled when "off lead", as it's quite common for greyhounds to "sight" rabbits and squirrels, they are quite capable of catching them too.

We strongly recommend that newly homed greyhound are always muzzled off lead until you are 100% sure your dog is safe around all other breeds. If you have a "pack" of greyhounds this is advisable even when they are considered safe. Sometimes much like people, a dog will instantly dislike another for no apparent reason, a dog's natural instinct is to "pack" and back up their leader.Further advice on socialisation and the use of muzzles can be sought from Al, who will be happy to address any concerns you may have.

Is there any benefit to owning more than one greyhound and on the contrary, are there any "down sides" to owning more than one?

Yes there are several benefits to owning two or more greyhounds. Greyhounds are pack animals, in most cases a greyhound has always lived with another, generally of the opposite sex. Greyhounds are social animals, they enjoy canine companionship. This is particularly true and of help to your dog if you go out to work and leave your dog for any length of time. A pair will enjoy playing chase together and curling up together for a snooze. A shy dog can really "come out of its shell" when it has a confident companion. A young and boisterous dog can be naturally calmed by the company of an older, more sensible companion. In most cases we advise that if you have a male dog, your second animal should be a bitch and vice versa. However with some animals, depending on their temperaments you can successfully home two or more animals of the same sex.

With two or more animals you will need to be observant so that you can establish which of them is the "pack leader". We advise that the pack leader is assisted by you to maintain that position. This can be done very easily by greeting, feeding and fussing the pack leader first. If you have a favourite who is not the leader and always go to that one first, you are upsetting the pack order. Aggression, confusion or unexpected behavior may be shown by the dogs. In nature there is always a pack leader, the pack leader is responsible for the safely and welfare of the pack so generally it will be the one who is strongest in character (not necessarily the biggest or fittest). The humans in the household obviously need to be the real pack leaders, but whilst you are away from home your dogs will be there with a canine one too.

I've heard that greyhounds suffer from particularly bad teeth for their age, is this true?

Some greyhounds do suffer from having bad teeth; others will have perfectly good ones. A lot depends on what sort of food your dog has been fed in racing kennels and whether or not they were kept almost entirely muzzled or just muzzled when traveling/racing. There are also variations between dogs of the same age who are fed the same food. Much like people, some dogs have strong trouble free teeth and others need dental help.

Most racing kennels feed a "sloppy" style food. It is generally a high quality mixture of minced meat, "soaked off" biscuit and vegetables. They are fed sloppy food to keep their hydration levels at a peak. The negative side of this type of food is that it has no abrasive qualities and sticks to the dog's teeth, this causes a build up of plaque and tartar over time. The use of muzzles can occasionally be another problem.Some kennels may feed a harder style food and their dogs may have better condition teeth, there are no guarantees however, every dog is different.

There are effective and inexpensive ways of improving your dog's teeth after adoption. If you regularly feed your dog a selection of pig's ears, dried tripe, raw bones, tough rawhide chews, raw chicken wings or poultry necks you will begin to notice some of that built up tartar and plaque coming off the dog's teeth. A very useful, effective and economical aid to tooth cleaning is to give your dog a month long course of Fragaria (homeopathic remedy). When used in the correct dosage and combined with the aforementioned hard foods you should notice a dramatic improvement in your dog's teeth over the month of treatment. Cleaning your dog's teeth with a toothbrush and "doggy" toothpaste is fine if your dog's teeth are healthy to start with and can be continued with good effect after they are clean. Brushing alone will not remove tartar nor will it cure rotten teeth. Fragaria and hard foods/chews will not cure rotten teeth either, but they will help to remove a build up of tartar, making it easier for your vet to see if there are any real problems or not.

If your dog has cavities, inflamed gums, difficulty managing hard chews or any sign of illness/infection take your dog to a vet. A dental clean up with the possibility of extractions may be required. It is vital to have rotten teeth removed otherwise they will become a source of pain and quite possibly serious infection for your dog.

Do I get any support once I have my greyhound?

Yes! We are always on the other end of the telephone to help and advise you, no matter how small your worry may be, get in touch and ask us, it may prevent bigger problems later. We also do a follow up check two to three weeks after you have homed your greyhound, to make sure that the dog is happy and settled but also to ensure that if you have any problems or worries we can help you to sort them out.

Your new dog arrives home

The first thing to remember is DO NOT make a fuss of the dog when he/she first arrives in your home. We know that this is hard and goes against what you may want to do, BUT you need the dog to find its own feet around the house and settle happily without becoming too dependant on yourself. So for the first few days you must be hands off, if you already have existing dogs let the new dog take its lead from them, after all you need them to slip into the pack and if you constantly reassure the new dog, then its going to be bonding with you first and foremost and not them. They should see you as the provider, the one who feeds, cares and walks, the other dogs should be companions first and foremost not you.

Once the dog has settled into the pack happily then you can start to indulge it a little bit more. Make sure the dog has a quiet place it can take itself off to over the first few days. A quiet corner with something to lie on away from the hustle and bustle of the other dogs, the children, etc. Remember the dog is going to be confused at first and things will seem strange and overpowering, if the dog feels too much responsibility it will become overwhelmed and this could lead to behaviour traits. The dog may choose not to take itself off and settle easily in the same room as you, but if it does want time out and you have provided the bolt hole so to speak it will lead to happier settling. If you do not have other dogs in the house then it is even more important to get the dog used to being given time out. If you do not do this and do it consistently you could end up with problems resulting in separation issues.

From the very first day the dog arrives with you make it have time out on its own, during the course of every day. Use the bolt hole tactic again and find one room with a smallish space, (e.g. kitchen), provide a bed and feed the dog there also.

Top tip is probably DO NOT shut a door on the dog, greyhounds especially tend to freak when presented with a solid door, yes these dogs have been kennelled during their racing lives but they can still see out, shut doors can result in manic scratching, blind panic and damage. Use a dog gate (available from Argos) or a baby gate. Dog gates are higher than standard baby gates and you can also open them to walk through. Start by placing the dog into the kitchen or safe area for as little as one minute (if the dog is already displaying problems when left) if the dog does the minute without whining open the gate do not say a word and let the dog out. (do not praise for being quiet, you want the dog to think it is normal and what is expected). If the dog does alright with one minute try two up to five. Do this literally on the hour every hour. For dogs that are not displaying problems start with five to ten minutes and continue pushing up the time. Remember consistency is the name of the game, do not get complacent or drop your guard, the dog needs to learn to have independence. If the dog is already showing signs of stressing after as little as two minutes and starts to howl/whine/bark, ignore the behaviour for a couple of minutes. It may subside. If it does not DO NOT go to the dog, call out firmly SETTLE DOWN from the other room you are in. If the dog then settles down leave for a minute after the whining has stopped and then open the door again saying nothing. Again be consistent. This needs to be kept up for a good few weeks.

Housetraining

Most of our dogs have come from a foster home and are therefore housetrained, however when they first come into a new home you may find that your dog will pee in the house on arrival, this is either a combination of anxiety or YOU not reading your new dog’s signs well enough and not knowing that the dog needs to toilet. Greyhounds are not great barkers, in fact most do not bark at all; so therefore they struggle to let us know when the need the loo, once you know your dog it will be easier to read.

Remember also that when they arrive, they will not know the rules of the home so to make things clear the first thing you should do is lead the dog through the house and out into the area where you want him/her to regularly do his ‘business’. By keeping the dog on the lead the first few times you do this you can ensure they learn not to use the area immediately outside the door. When they first arrive their anxiety levels are at the max, they may be pacing, panting, whining, acting slightly manically so you can expect at least one accident whilst you both learn to read each others signals. During this time get them out every half hour and wait!! Once they do perform even if just a little the minute they stoop or lift use a command word such as wee/toilet. Then praise them like mad. Start to use this word each and every time you let them in the garden and they will begin to associate this with you wanting them to perform.

For a dog that has come straight from kennels the key to housetraining is prevention, ensure that your greyhound never has the opportunity to use the house as a toilet. As above, as soon as your dog arrives in your home, take it straight out to the area you want it to use to wee or do it’s ‘business’, initially keeping him on a lead while you do this. If you consistently use the same words when taking the dog outside – i.e. ‘do business’ or ‘wee’ etc. then the dog will learn to ‘perform’ to command. Again as your dog is finishing up, give him/her lots of praise.

For the next few days you will need to be vigilant, every time your dog stands up and walks around or shows any signs of wanting to ‘go’ take him/her outside to ‘wee’, he/she may not want to go, but they soon understand that this is what is expected of them. Signs include getting up suddenly from a nap, circling, and panting, whining, crying, pacing or just standing staring at you.Be alert, if you catch your dog ‘going’ in the house, distract him with a firm, loud NO, take him lightly by the collar, do not grab or lunge and place him outside immediately, then praise him when he ‘performs’.

Remember your greyhound does not know the rules and it would not be fair to punish him. If there is an accident use a good specialist pet cleaner, a biological washing powder diluted or a 50% white vinegar, water mix as this eliminates the odor and prevents your pet from using the same spot again.

Most greyhounds will not alert you that they need to go outside, they are used to being in a predictable routine in the kennels and we suggest that you set a routine as soon as possible. If your dog has been in a foster home, they should provide you with details of their routine and we suggest that if it does not suit your household routine, you change it slowly to give the dog time to adjust.

Understand that your greyhound will need to urinate 30 minutes to an hour after drinking large quantities of water.If your dog has done his business in the house and you did not catch him/her, ignore it, it is no use taking a dog back to the scene of the crime and expecting it to understand why you are pulling your hair out and ranting and raving like a mad man. They will not understand. Simply take the dog out of the area the soiling occurred in and clean up.

Remember you should never hit, yell at or rub your greyhound’s nose in any mess that he makes. You are teaching him how to behave appropriately and housetraining, although generally quite fast for greyhounds because they are usually very clean in their kennels, does take patience, timing, prevention and most of all supervision.

HELP – if you need help or advice on any problems or worries you may have about your greyhound, telephone Viv on 01899 880269.