Making a home greyhound friendly

[celtygirl]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for your kind welcomes.

Although we are gagging to get a hound, we have the aftermath of a flood to deal with, so it will be the end of the year or next year before we are sorted. But while we are getting the house sorted, I wondered if there are any particular features we should consider to make it hound friendly (and make me feel that we are making some progress in our dream of a hound joining the family lol ).

We have a 6 foot fence in the back garden and will in due course be fitting a 6' gate at the side to make the garden fully secure. What about inside? Are there any particular features that that the homecheckers are looking for or that hounds appreciate. We have 2 small boys, age 5 and 9.

Thanks in anticipation and loving this friendly forum.

C
x

[slinkydogs]

A big sofa!!

[whiskydry]

I was advised to put something on the kitchen floor to cover the quarry tiles so Barney wouldn't slip. So now he lies on the new rug in the kitchen while I'm cooking, risking life and limb for us both

Other than that his needs are few!

[slinkydogs]

That's a good point actually, Wilf will walk on anythign but Harris won't go to my mate's house since she put laminate down, and hates my kitchen tiles, will only walk on them when the rug's down - I have to put a towel down when it's in the machine. He's probably being sensible mind, he struggles to get up when he lies down on a smooth floor and my kitchen is horribly slippery if it's damp. He's got used to my sanded boards though thankfully.

[celtygirl]

That's really useful, thanks. We were considering putting laminate down in the hall when we're ready to re-carpet, but will reconsider now.

C
x

[houndhomage]

Hi there, here's a link to a post I wrote about what we look for on a home check. Good luck!

friendsofhershamhounds.blogspot.com/2008/03/home-checker.html

[houndhomage]

I've also got 2 children aged 6 and 9. Although greyhounds are big, gentle, loving dogs they can be a bit overwhelmed by being in a home for the first time. For me, I had to set the ground rules with the kids from day one.

Kids rule 1: Don't touch the dog when it's resting/sleeping/on it's bed. (My youngest didn't understand that the dog needed to rest and could get grumpy when tired or would bark at her if she gave it a rugby type bear-hug ).

Kids rule 2: Leave the dog alone when it's eating.

Kids rule 3: Don't feed the dog at the table. Even stuff you hate, like broccoli and toast crusts.

Kids rule 4: These rules apply to your friends too.

There are some dog rules

Dog rule 1: The sofa is for us, USE THAT HUGE DOG BED WE FORKED OUT ££ FOR!

Dog rule 2: You can have our dinner AFTER we've finished most of it.

Dog rule 3: Don't wake us at 5am when we are still sleeping. (This is more of a pathetic request than a rule)

I guess its all trial and error, but you just don't take chances when the kids are that young and sooooo excited to get a new pet. My kids learned the basic rules fast. We did have some warning growls and barks mainly when the kids tried to fuss our dogs when they were resting/eating. But never any agression! I told the kids that a growl is a waning to stop what they are doing cos the dog doesn't like it. Don't growl back or bark back!

We've just got another greyhound so it's all going really well for us. They make lovely pets and the kids just adore them and their cheeky ways. They're also proud to walk to school with them and surprise other parents how much they know about the breed and its welfare.

[franjan]

Another type of flooring that we have found good in our hall is Vinyl flooring and the one we picked has a slightly rough surface and the dogs find it great to walk on without slipping.We have not long moved into this house and there was laminate floor in the hall and the dogs were allways slipping on it.There is laminate floor in the back bedroom and the dogs won't even go in there.

[celtygirl]

Thank you folks, this is all great stuff. I'm already drilling my boy's in the rules

[thewilderness]

I'd suggest high worksurfaces in the kitchen. At least 6 ft should do the trick

And a bin in a dog proof cupboard.

[andywillow]

Raised feeding stand

Food

Water

Comfey sofa

You'll have a happy greyhound with these basic needs

Sue

Maybe a crate for him to feel safe in and out of bounds for the kids? I also crate foster dogs at night time and if I nip out during the day for everyones safety. As soon as I let them out, one of mine will jump in, they do love them ;D

[Nettie]

A crate is an excellent idea especially when young children are in the household. Greyhounds seem to be particularly fond of crates, it is NOT a cage, it is the greyhound's safe place, make it nice and comfy, maybe a throw over the top of it to make it a bit more hidey hole like, to get your dog used to the crate you can start by feeding him in there and have a few toys in it as well. It also means that if the hound does go off for a sleep and the children might forget the rules you can always just shut the crate door. I think it also makes children more aware that the hound has gone off for a sleep in their own 'room' which makes them a little less accessible than if the dog were just lying in a basket in the corner of the room.

hope that makes sense.

[mtbbuxton]

And if you call it an indoor kennel instead of a crate/cage, folks won't look at you like

Seriously, Mayo loves his crate and will take off for a sleep after each meal and always chooses to sleep in it at night.

[celtygirl]

How much does a crate cost and where can I get one from? We have the room, planned hound's own room is going to be our dining room which is never used for dining!!!!!

[whiskydry]

in Pets at Home you would be looking at around £100 but there are better prices on Ebay. Or even ask on Freecycle, bet you'd get one there!