Newbie here!

[melissa]

Hi, this is my first time using any kind of forum so you'll just have to bear with me! We adopted Hawk the greyhound yesterday so it's all very new to us and him. I have been posting on the GG Facebook page and have had some brilliant advice but was aware I might be hogging it a bit, so have come on here! 
I guess I'm guess I'm looking for a little bit of reassurance and advice to be honest. Hawk had a bit of an incident with next door's cat earlier, he completely lost it, thankfully was on his lead at the time, but managed to slip out of it and the collar and went for the cat, the cat ran off, Hawk whined a lot, had to drag him in by wrapping my arms round his neck as he'd come out of his collar! Have had some great advice from Facebook and am going to get him a muzzle for the garden and harness when he's being walked. 
The other thing, earlier, was his over excitement when I was serving our tea, he would not leave me alone, it's a little difficult to lock him in a room but was hoping for some advice and how other people cope regarding greys and food. He was obsessed, like it hadn't fed him enough! 
I guess I'm just a little overly anxious at the moment and am possibly reading into things too much, checking up on him too much, etc etc, it's all very new and I'm trying to act calm around him as I know he can read me, just looking for reassurance that other people went through this when they first adopted and got over teething problems! Many thanks x

[samburns]

Hi Melissa and welcome to the forum

I have been following your posts about Hawk on FB  


First of all, for general good advice about settling Hawk in I'd suggest you have a read through this thread if you have not done so already : greyhoundgap.proboards.com/thread/29756/new-hound-home


I know you have ordered a new collar for Hawk - you said it was leather so I imagine it is the fishtail type which is really for walking him on rather than for wearing around the house.......with any collar its important to make sure it is fitted correctly so that he cannot back out of it when you are walking.  The leather fishtail collars should be a snug fit at the top of of his neck and you should be able to push two fingers comfortably between the collar and his neck.  With a harness you can attach a double-ended lead to both a collar and the harness to give you extra control.  It is sensible to also have a house/tag collar which he can wear all the time with his tag on and it is something you can get hold of him by if needed. 


It will just take a little time for him to get used to the fact that not all food being served in the house is for him!  Imagine, the only time he has seen, eaten, smelt food before is when he was in kennels and EVERYONE was getting fed at the same time.......so he's no comprehension he's not supposed to join in!  Greyhounds have a very simple logic thought process: its food therefore I am

I always feed my dogs their evening meal before we have our dinner so that they are not starving by the time they are surrounded by cooking smells.  I think they have all (to varying degrees) walked up to the table (or our laps) when they have first landed.  Everything is very new to him but as you ease into a routine he will relax.  I would just gently lead him to his bed and tell him bed.  Ignore him and do not EVER feed him titbits from the table!  Teaching them to go to bed is very helpful generally......practice this regularly during the day and reward him when he responds.  Greyhounds really do not cope well with having doors closed on them, but baby gates work really well if you wish to confine him to a particular room at times.


Everything you have said so far sounds perfectly normal    Its sounds like he's settling in well and I'm sure you will see massive changes in a relatively short amount of time as he continues to settle

[kamkay]

Welcome to Gap and the weird and wonderful world of greyhounds. Jet is my first greyhound, although my family has always had pointy hounds of some description. I've had him nearly three years now and have often come to the forum and spoken to his wonderful fosterer, Sue , when I've needed advice. Jet also slipped his collar on the first night we had him , leaving my husband a bit nonplussed. He wears a tag collar indoors,not a martingale, which can get caught in door handles etc and a martingale, harness arrangement when he goes out as he is hugely cat reactive and jumps , spins and is generally a prat when he sees one. His first command was wait , which I use when he is being fed and crossing roads etc. After a period of adjustment, when every small fluffy dog in the universe wound him up on walks, he gradually settled to be a silly, daft , typical black greyhound lad, who makes me laugh every day and who is my heart and soul dog. It will take a while for Hawk to show you his true character, but bear with him and it will be worth it. In the meantime, keep asking the questions: there is a world of experience on here.

[melissa]

Many thanks for the replies, they're really helpful. I think it's a take it day by day kind of thing at the moment. I've only ever owned a chihuahua and cats, so obviously this is a huge transition for us, but my heart strings couldn't leave him at the sanctuary any longer, he'd been there 2 years already, so really want to give him a loving home.
There are so many things running through my mind, is he being fed enough, too much, too little, right kind, how should I act with him, many have said treat it as a non event and be almost alloof with him and show him we are his boss. I'm a bit of a stress head anyway and have a tendency to overanalyse things so my brain has gone into a bit of an overdrive at the moment. He's asleep/relaxing in the other room now after having a walk this morning and his breakfast.

[sammy13]

Glad you joined. Told you they know everything on here. I too have been following you on Facebook. This forum is my bible plus you make wonderful friends on here. I've been very lucky to meet a lot of the friends I've made on here through the Gap show as well. Wait till you see the wonderful collars on here as well. It's addictive. You will then find yourself looking at the rescue dogs as well, coats for winter and Summer, not forgetting pyjamas for the winter nights. Hope you have an endless bank account lol. Ann x

[gvgeam]

Hello and welcome and congratulations on Hawk. FYI, the Gappers love pictures!

It's still very early days with Hawk. You're all getting used to each other and he's learning about life outside the kennels. Don't put any pressure on him. Do the basics - toilet training, walking, feeding and you will see more and more of his personality. Add in bits of training as you go but gently, even if it's teaching him not to beg food! I'd do that by ignoring him and never give any titbits from your plate. Leftovers, if you choose to give them, are served in his food bowl. He should soon get the message. I had a collie cross who never looked at you while you were eating, but as soon as he realised you'd finished, would be in the kitchen waiting. Unfortunately for him, we're all good eaters here so scraps were few and far between!

He needs a bit of time to adjust and realise what you expect of him and vice versa. I think it takes at least 6 months before a rescue is settled. Just when you think you've got them sussed they do something that surprises you!

[deborahburt]

Nothing extra to add as it's all been covered previously, apart from 'Welcome' and never feel a question is too silly. There is always someone who can help you out.
And finally..... pictures. We like lots and lots of pictures.

[melissa]

Thanks everyone, keep trying to upload a photo but it's saying the file is too big

[kamkay]

Where do you live, Melissa? There may be Gappers nearby who could meet up with you and offer some reassurance. Added bonus is that grehounds like nothing better than the company of other sighthounds

[greybeard]

Welcome Melissa.Greys are definetly a breed apart but a fantastic addition to your family - and so are Saluki X's but we won't go there!Perry is our 2nd grey(from Gap) and like Kay said we have had backup from Gap and from his wonderful foster mum Sue.He adores her(same as Jet) and we've made so many friends here.To be honest we "inadvertently" ended up with a grey + saluki cross - Chris had been researching greys,thought they might be ideal for us,and the rest is history.Tillie(grey - and as far as we know never raced)never believed she was fed enough - and always was a counter surfer.We'll never forget the Xmas day when she demolished a whole cheesecake in about 2 seconds!To be be honest I think, sometimes they're never ever fed eough according to their thinking - Cath.

[sassbu]

Welcome to the forum, a fab place to ask just such questions

[sharonhigh45]

Welcome to the Forum at this moment in time we are trying to up the anti and save it from dissapearing because FB is more popular so well done you for trying the Forum, there are lots of lovely helpful, friendly Gappers out there and so pleased that you are going to be one of them. Congrats with Hawk and keep on posting with the Forum, I have been here a year in October after losing my beloved lurcher Leah and adopting Moss from the Gap.
Cheers
Shazx

[lurchernut]

and to you and Hawk

You have certainly come to the right place for all the advice you might need. It is certainly a big step up from a chihuahua to a greyhound, but to you for getting Hawk into his forever home and a comfy sofa

[sharonhigh45]

Hi and welcome to the GG Forum,as all have said before this is THE place for advice and support and so friendly, just trying to work out the ratio in size from chiuahua to greyhound pretty big difference, can't really pop Hawk into your handbag. I adopted Moss the lurcher a year ago in October and have not looked back.
Shazx