leaving dogs home alone for first time

[ritab]

Newbie arrived on Saturday - we're calling her Lena - and Gizzi has accepted her quite well. As several people on here are not mad about putting 2 female greys together I now feel a bit apprehensive about leaving them.

Will the time be right when they choose to lie on the same bed? There isn't any tension now - Gizzi wants to play with Lena but Lena not yet keen. She didn't recover very well from her spay so I don't think she is feeling 100% yet.

They have been in the back of the car together today - unmuzzled - and they were fine.

Gizzi has never been left alone in the 16 months we have had her as she panics very badly - if I am upstairs for more than 15 mins she will be panting when I come down - so I need her to form attachment to Lena for this to work.

[ritab]

Oh dear - I was hoping for some positive feedback on this.

Our vet is a behaviourist and said we should treat them equally as much as possible, but recognise what is most important to each dog.

We have had up to 4 bitches at a time before, but not greyhounds, and because no-one suggested it wasn't OK I never worried about it.

Any help appreciated.

[vickyb]

I've been apprehensive about leaving new dogs together at first over the years -we've got 3 greyhound girls aged 7, 5 and 4 and Bod (whippet x) who's 7.

We've only had a couple of spats that were serious although no damage was done as they responded to a sharp shout. We sometimes get a growl which is generally chew related, someone walks past too close when they're chomping.

Ours never lie in the same bed though. Obviously they're close in the car but they all like their space so I wouldn't worry if they don't snuggle up together.
I can't really help much apart from that to be honest particularly when Gracie arrived she came in like a lion and I used to leave them and be imagining all sorts of terrible things happening but they never did. She calmed down a lot very quickly. She used to snarl terribly in her sleep and was very defensive but in time that stopped and she relaxed and I stopped worrying. I think it helped once they all worked out their place in the pecking order.

Gracie was 2 1/2, Maddie 9mths and Sapphy 3 when they arrived and it has been 'interesting' ;D as they haven't been typical lazy greys although they are calming down now. I think they just spread out round the (human) beds when I go out as I come in and hear thud thud thud then they rush downstairs to greet me ;D.

Good luck

[gazer]

Hi Rita, first of all well done for taking another dog into yout home. I'm no expert but do know greyhounds are very sensitive souls and will pick up on signs of worry you may be giving off, so try to relax and stand back at the moment and let them sort themselves out. Gizzi and Lena will need time to adjust to each other, just let them settle as they want. I would remove anything that may act as a trigger for a bit of a spat, that is, don't bring toys in at the moment, watch them at meal times, don't leave treats lying about either, food can be an issue with some hounds. Also I'd try not to be too touchy or affectionate at the moment with either of them, just leave them to relax and get used to each other. As for lying next to each other on the same bed, don't worry about that, some love to be together but equally some greyhounds like their own space and would'nt dream of snuggling up to another. They may become great friends or may treat each other with apparent indifference. Their relationship will develop and change over time, Lena may well start playing when Gizzi asks her to but it may not happen for a while.
Just sit back for a bit and enjoy your girls, it's great having more than one hound, you'll see

Jacqui

[Flaperoo]

Congratulations to you and Lena.

I agree with all of what Vickyanne and Jacquie have said. The most important thing is to try and observe if there is any agression or competition between them.

Have you tried putting your coat on, getting your keys and then opening and closing the door and then waiting to see if anything happens?

Can you leave them in seperate rooms for a while when you are out?

Do you have a crate? This was a godsend for me when Oafy arrived and RooRoo took a dislike to him. Even with both of us present they had a brief fight which required RooRoo to have stitches. As neither of them were going back the crates really were very useful. They now get on fine but you could never call them friends, but there again nearly all my greyhounds have liked their own sleeping space and don't cuddleeach other much.

On two occasions I have two bitches at the same time. There were a few growly moments but on both occasions, and within days one of them backed down and thereafter their were no problems.

As said before when you are out take away any high value items - chews, toys, etc so there is nothing than may trigger an argument uneccessarily.

I'm sure that everything will turn out completely fine - it usually does and it leaves you with nothing to be concerned about.

Good luck and it would be great to hear how you get on.

Maryx

[mimimouse]

Ive got three bitches together at the moment Sally being the newbie only been here three weeks we have had a couple of growly episodes from her as she has got used to having so many hounds around her that has been stopped by nothing more than a firm no As a rule because I have multiple hounds I always muzzle them all when I go out just for my own piece of mind good luck with your girls x

[greybeard]

Kizzie + Tillie(bridge) had always been together.Happily snuggle up together on sofa when they knew we were going to work.Kizzie and Perry are more like an old married couple - happy as long as they know where each other is, but snugglies no.Cath

[ritab]

Thank you so much for all your positive experiences. I do have 2 crates which are now side by side and covered. I've just removed the cover from between the crates so they can see each other, but they are still den-like.

Most of the time they are relaxed in each others company, but just occasionally I sense a bit of a vibe, and also Gizzi has been barking at Lena when she feels a bit lively (usually in the evening for about 15-20 mins) but Lena isn't reacting.

I do have box muzzles I can use if I go out - which hasn't been possible while Gizzi was an only dog - but I think I'll get a couple of the breezy muzzles so they can drink properly.

At the moment I want them confined to hall and dining room where crates are if they are home alone until I am sure there won't be any weeing or chewing!

I'll try a 15 min trip to local shops this week. I'll report back on result.

Thanks so much to all of you for making it seem normal to have 2 girls. And Mary (Flaperoo) I know what you mean when you say neither of them are going back - we'll just manage it the best we can because Lena isn't going back to kennel life.

Rita

[julies]

For me ... bring neurotic I like to be safe .. I crated Charlie when I first got him cos Tig wasn't very well and he was manic and extremely annoying (Lucy is now doing the same to him LOL) .. I knew they were both safe when I was out and when you first get them you don't know what their reactions will be to other noises, cats etc etc ... We had someone with 4 greys and a small dog who had been together for years .. she left them in the conservatory one day and came home to find the greys had killed the little dog .. she thought maybe a cat had come into the garden and they'd got excited

Muzzles are great too

J xx

[loopylou]

We have two girls a Whippety and a Greyhound and three Lurcher boys.When our Whippety Dilly came her and Tia had a few handbags at dawn nothing much just a bit of growling and snarling . I now realise it was probably my fault. Tia is a very lively girl and can be a bit excite able when newbies first arrive. Instead of just observing and letting them get acquainted I sort of jumped in the moment Tia went near Dilly. This caused Dilly to think there was something to be afraid of and she started growling and snarling at Tia. When I realised this and backed off they were fine.Even snuggling on a bed together.Also Tia has emerged as the ''top dog'' so to speak of the two of them so they are both happy they know where they stand in the pack. I did seperate them when I went to work just to be safe ,Dilly was a bit of a loner at first anyway and happy to snuggle up on the sofa in the lounge either alone or with our Greyhound male. I'm sure your girls will be fine. Good luck.

[Jen Wren]

It's not that everyone is against putting 2 bitches together but the best combination is always to add a dog of the opposite sex to whichever you have. It helps to reduce competition as the bitches always tend to be on top and when bitches fall out it can be nasty.

However, knowing the temperaments of both dogs is much more important and making sure that the match is right. Some people get so hung up about their preferred sex they don't consider what would be best for their resident dog I can never understand why when both sexes have much to offer by way of personality. This isn't just a Greyhound thing it's the same for any breed but sighthounds are quite competitive by nature and sighthound bitches can be known for their bossiness.

As the others have said remove anything that can cause a fight like toys, be careful with food and always supervise feeding. Crates are a good idea as it separates them, gives them their own space without the need to muzzle them.

I've had way more bitches here then males, not by choice but just what has come my way. My first 2 Greyhounds were bitches and mother and daughter to boot and they have had a proper fight which ended up at the vets but I was fortunate enough that they get on fine still and now they are ungracefully into old age and can't be bothered with such things these days. I have 4 bitches in total who all rub along very well along with 2 males and I don't think I could go back to a single sex pack again as I like the balance of a mixed pack.

[ritab]

I was looking for a small male - but when I went to the kennels to look at some I realised that the small males were still on the big side, so they brought out Lena when they realised size was the issue and for my husband and I it was love at first sight. She is all black, and unlike the majority of the population (apparently) we love a black dog!

We have a very tiny caravan, and our dogs are part of our hols, so that is the reason for the size issue. It's an Eriba Familia 320 if you want to see how small they are.

I'm trying not to interfere with the natural pecking order, but had to intervene tonight when they each had a chew and Gizzi finished hers ages before Lena. Hackles were raised and Lena wasn't having it.

I always watch them eating to make sure they only have their own food, and they aren't really bothering who has what toy or what bed.

How long can they be left in a crate? I would be out for 1-2 hours if I went shopping (on bus).

[greybeard]

You arn't alone - sure there's lots of us on here that really believe black hounds are the best! Cath

[samburns]

Dec 17, 2012 17:38:17 GMT -5 ritab said:

How long can they be left in a crate?

The main thing is that you train them to use a crate and that they are comfortable and see it as a nice place to be Once they are happy in a crate an hour or two should be fine

[ritab]

They use their crates all the time if I am in dining room or kitchen - they are just a bed in the dining room to them. I have started closing the crate doors in the morning for 15-20 mins and Lena is very relaxed with this and Gizzi is just accepting it now.

One thing I haven't been doing the last 16 months is having a night out with my husband except once a week meeting friends in a pub where we can take Gizzi. We had a special dispensation from the landlady to take Gizzi in with us, but she wouldn't be happy with 2 greyhounds. We will be out for about 4 - 4 1/2 hours as the pub is 25 miles away. At the moment hubbie is going without me until dogs settled. Since I last posted I have read on other websites that 4 hours is OK. Does anyone else leave theirs crated for so long? Obviously I would build up the time over a few weeks.

As I said they are perfectly happy using the crates and are in there as I write - doors open.