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If you need help or advice about a dog you are retiring then this is the place for you.
settling in a new greyhound
Klarissa Byfield United Kingdom
Posts 28 Dogs 0 / Races 0 14 Mar 2011 13:33
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hi everybody,
me and my partner have just adopted a new greyhound after losing our old grey Farloe to nasal cancer. He has been here since the 6th of march and is settling in to his new daily routine, however he has now started barking, whining and howling throughout the night. we leave the radio on for him and have brought a DAP diffuser. we don't want to give up on him but because i have Hashimoto's disease i need my 7 hours sleep.
he is feed at at 7.30 in the morning and 6.30pm in the evening. he has plenty of exercise in the day, so it seems to be separation anxiety, but am just wondering if there is anything i could do to help him settle at night. he is perfect during the day.
thanks in advance
klarissa
Mark Duffy Ireland (Verified User) Posts 1327 Dogs 24 / Races 3 14 Mar 2011 14:03
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this might give you some help...... good luck CLICK HERE
Clare Graham United Kingdom (Verified User) Posts 330 Dogs 0 / Races 0 14 Mar 2011 16:16
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Is he sleeping downstairs, Klarissa? I found when I first adopted Doc that he settled much better in a bed in my room. If greyhounds have come fresh from kennels it's pretty normal for them to find it scary to sleep on their own I think, after all they've never had to do it before and a house is a strange new kind of place for them as well.
It doesn't have to be for always, just till he settles in, and then you can move the bed out, by stages maybe if the geography of your house permits. Doc now happily sleeps in his bed in the study/ back bedroom though I admit that the doors remain open so he can run in and greet me when the alarm clock goes off!
If you don't want him in your room one alternative might be to put the bed out on the landing, with the bedroom door open and a barrier (babygate?)so he can see you.
If you're firm that he has to stay downstairs then it may take a bit of time but try putting something like a used t-shirt that smells of you in his bed to comfort him, also have a think whether there could be outside noises (foxes? cats?) that he is trying to tell you about.
Dean Townsend United Kingdom (Verified User) Posts 2104 Dogs 19 / Races 0 14 Mar 2011 17:43
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Had the same problem with my very 1st greyhound, awh I ended up having to let her sleep in my room lol. only thing I found to help was getting another dog, never heard another sound after that
Klarissa Byfield United Kingdom
Posts 28 Dogs 0 / Races 0 15 Mar 2011 06:35
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i tried to get him upstairs but couldn't. He has never been in a house until i got him so has never seen them before. Spent all night coming down stairs to stop him barking. If i didn't have neighbours i would have just ignored him. Really stuck with what to do. Thanks for your help. Anybody have any othee ideas
Carole Brown Australia (Verified User) Posts 32355 Dogs 185 / Races 2 15 Mar 2011 07:37
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Klarissa, he really does sound lonely. Get someone to help you get him up the stairs. Once he gets up and down them a few times, he should settle down, so that he can be near you at night time.
Ann Karamoutzos Australia (Verified User) Posts 5087 Dogs 8 / Races 0 15 Mar 2011 07:49
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Like Caole said - you can walk him up one leg at a time - he will catch on very quickly.
Clare Graham United Kingdom (Verified User) Posts 330 Dogs 0 / Races 0 15 Mar 2011 08:41
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More guidance on teaching a greyhound to climb stairs halfway down the page here: EXTERNAL LINK
Good luck!
Monika Then Bergh Germany (Verified User) Posts 571 Dogs 1 / Races 0 15 Mar 2011 23:44
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This might help as well: EXTERNAL LINK Good luck with the stairs - i get my ex-racers up and down as long, as they can not look trough between the stairs :-) If they can, i`ll fail.
Hi Klarissa, sorry to hear of your loss but yay you have a new boy!
Try putting some porridge oats in his food. When I first adopted William, he used to get up in the night barking for no reason and they seemed to calm him enough that he would sleep the whole night. Also is he sleeping in a draught? Do you have an indoor coat you can put on him incase he gets cold? My friends hounds sleep in the hall and used to be restless overnight but she found putting a housecoat on settled them.
Hope some of the suggestions given work for you and you get a good nights sleep soon!
Klarissa Byfield United Kingdom
Posts 28 Dogs 0 / Races 0 19 Mar 2011 10:55
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no luck getting him upstairs still so have had to spend the last 2 nights on the sofa. He is even whining and barking if i go upstairs at any time. I borrowed an untrasonic anti bark collar which worked until the batteries ran out lol, finding replacement batteries has been a nightmare, spent the last 2 days trying to find them, i have ordered some online but don't know when they'll get here. Hopefully when they come it'll still work for him. Other then that i don't know what to do
Carole Brown Australia (Verified User) Posts 32355 Dogs 185 / Races 2 19 Mar 2011 13:04
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Klarissa, don't you have a male partner or friend who can help you get him up the stairs ? You will have to try and persevere with this, otherwise it will be an ongoing thing with him, as he is obviously lonely.
Klarissa Byfield United Kingdom
Posts 28 Dogs 0 / Races 0 23 Mar 2011 14:06
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we have finally got him upstairs and are now sleeping properly lol. Any ideas about stopping him barking when we leave the room. I don't want the neighbours to start complaining.
Carole Brown Australia (Verified User) Posts 32355 Dogs 185 / Races 2 23 Mar 2011 15:18
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Klarissa, have you tried one of those citronella spray collars ? They have worked very well on dogs we have had noise problems with. Well done for persevering with him and the stairs. Can he follow you when you leave the room, or is he restrained ?
Klarissa Byfield United Kingdom
Posts 28 Dogs 0 / Races 0 23 Mar 2011 15:41
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i have an ultrasonic anti bark collar, but batteries for it were hard to source and it goes off when he shakes himself. I dont have a door on the kitchen just an arch which is too big for a safety gate so if i go upstairs he would probably try and raid the kitchen cos he loves his food lol. Other then the barking he is a great dog, love him to bits already.
Clare Graham United Kingdom (Verified User) Posts 330 Dogs 0 / Races 0 24 Mar 2011 10:02
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I'm glad he's found his way up the stairs now!
The barking - is this when you are still in the house, or when you go out? Either way I think you need to do some 'alone training' where you build up the time he is on his own incrementally, see EXTERNAL LINK and also the book Monika recommended.
It's common I think for them to want to be with you/follow you round all the time at the outset. People talk about 'velcro greyhounds' and the danger of them overbonding with you but personally I think it's more that everything's new and strange and they're still trying to work out what the routine is.
Being behind a closed door is probably part of the issue, maybe you can find a way round that? With Doc it helped to find a special treat (kong stuffed with a bit of cream cheese) that he ONLY gets when I go out, so that became something to look forward to.
As they settle in, they usually get a bit more independent. I remember the first time Doc decided to trot upstairs for a nap on his bed in the study after breakfast, before seeing if I was coming too... 'twas a proud moment, a little emotional even!
If you need help or advice about a dog you are retiring then this is the place for you.
