Adopting - what you need to know

Its been some time since we adopted Lottie and Bomber and I'd forgotten just how much we'd adjusted to them, and how much they'd changed to accommodate us.

This was abruptly bought home a short while ago when a friend decided to adopt a greyhound.

It didnt go well. After only 24 hours, the poor hound was returned back to Greyhounds as pets. This got me thinking. Perhaps their expectations were not terribly realistic, after all the dog needed time to adjust to its new home, and they needed time to adjust to life with a greyhound.

It might also have been a matter of the hound not being a good match to their lifestyle, but either way, I'd have hung in there for just a little longer than a mere 24 hours.

Thinking back and reading earlier blog posts, Im probably not being totally fair. We'd had a few minor mishaps both with Lottie (the Brindle Rocket, or insinkerator) and our big black boy, Bomber (tinklebert woofledink). Looking at them both curled up snoozing the sun after an afternoon stroll, It seems so utterly implausible that these two laid back  hounds could have created any mayhem at all, yet it did happen.

This said, I am so glad that we persevered. We now have two excellent hounds who are not only fast friends with each other but are also our best buddies too.

So what lessons we can take out of this:

Greyhounds take time to settle in - Most ex racing hounds have  never lived in a household before (it took Lottie and Bomber ages before they could master the stairs and other rudimentary household things). There's a huge difference between being a racing dog and a pet.

They're also sensitive wee creatures - telling off a greyhound can leave you feeling like a complete monster, even when you know you're in the right and that the hound has been naughty. Greyhounds are very sensitive dogs and are incredibly intelligent. Telling them off usually results in being given the "stink eye" and feeling guilty - even though you know you've done the right thing. We try encourage positive behaviour with rewards and praise whenever possible.

Perfection takes time and some work - From the get-go we decided that we'd train both Lottie and Bomber. We were also lucky to have such an amazing obedience class trainer, Shelly who  gets Greyhounds and has an uncanny ability to teach dogs and their owners. This said, before obedience neither Lottie or Bomber knew how to sit and a whole lot of other things we now take for granted. We put the time in and did the obedience work (it wasn't really work - it was an incredible amount of fun) and now have two (mostly) well behaved dogs. The moral here is that you get out of a pet is exactly what you put in to start with.

So if you're looking to adopt a greyhound, don't be put off. They're amazing dogs that'll reward you both as a pet and as a companion. The greyhound community is fantastic and we've met some  great fellow greyhound owners. 

If you're thinking about adopting a greyhound, remember the following:

Be realistic - set some realistic expectations - there will be the odd bump in what is a usually smooth road with your new hound. These typically happen in the first few months as your newly adopted greyhound adjusts to its new life and works out just where the boundaries lie. 

Be practical - if you lead a chaotically busy life, have kids and/or cats think about the practicalities involved with adopting a greyhound.  A greyhound won't automatically slot in with your lifestyle, and you'll probably need to make a few changes. Make sure any hound you adopt is a good fit to your lifestyle - adopting a hound that has separation anxiety is never going to work if they're being left at home while you are out at work. 

Its a 2-way street - don't expect the hound to do all the adjusting, your lifestyle has to change too. Ask yourself, BEFORE you adopt, are you prepared to make the required changes, remember that the changes are often for the better. Realistically there will be times when you need to take a long term view.

Be Patient - All good things take time, including training and getting a routine set up for your new hound. Look at the big picture and things should work out wonderfully, even if you do have the odd hiccup along the way.

Do the time - This is a biggie. If you own a cat and have adopted a cat trainable greyhound dont expect instant harmony. Cat trainable means the hound can be taught to live with cats. This will take some work but the results are definitely worth it as many a cat owning greyhound owner will attest. 

Love - Most important of all, greyhounds need affection and love. Its a great investment that they'll pay back tenfold with loyalty, laughter and smiles and affection.