Adoption Handbook - Adoption Day

BEFORE YOU BRING YOUR NEW PET HOME

Before the big day, you'll need to make a few preparations:

A Greyhound safety collar, muzzle, and GPAC I.D. tag will accompany your Greyhound. This sight hound collar is the only type of collar that can be used on your dog. If you need a replacement, please speak with your local representative. You will need a dog tag and an owner identification tag with the dog's name, your address and phone number.
Purchase other supplies such as food, food and water dishes, grooming brush, toothbrush, blanket, collar and play toys. You may also want a squirt bottle full of water on hand for discipline purposes. Greyhounds hate to be squirted in the face and it doesn't hurt them.
You may also want to purchase a crate to help with housebreaking and making your new pet feel more at ease.
Prepare your house for your new family member by removing any fragile knick-knacks, checking your fencing for holes or weak spots, and placing clips or locks on your gates. You'll also want to check the latches and locks on screen doors and mark large windows and sliding glass doors with a band of tape for easy visibility.
Clear your kitchen counter of any tempting treats and cover your waste container with a secure lid or place it inside a cabinet.
Select his sleeping place and arrange your dog's blanket. Our usual suggestion is in the master bedroom with the door closed. Place his bed next to yours. This serves several purposes. If the dog needs to go out, you'll know. It reassures the dog who, after all, has never slept alone in his entire life. It also continues the plan of making good habits, not bad. If he had the run of the house, he could get into all kinds of trouble: sleeping in your room means you know what's going on.
Scout for nearby fully-fenced baseball or soccer fields for suitable areas to exercise your new dog.
Contact your veterinarian to alert him/her about your new family member and set an appointment to review the medical information form and discuss on-going health care programs.
Discuss Greyhound pet rules with all family members, particularly children, to ensure an easy transition period.
Review background information about Greyhounds and don't hesitate to call GPAC at (902) 889-2214, if you have any questions.

SHOPPING LIST

Greyhound for Dummies Book
Dog Crate – Extra Large
Old blankets/ Dog bed(s)
Tooth Brush & Tooth Paste
Grooming Brush or Glove (soft bristled or rubber)
Toe Nail Clippers – scissor ones the best
2 Metal Dog Bowls – 2 quart/litre
6 ft. Lead
Ear Cleaner
Dog Coat For Winter
Cod Liver Oil Capsules (20 min)
Immodium/keopectate/peptobismol
Supply of Food – see page 22
Dog Toys Kong, Chewman, Nyla Bones, etc.
Treats Milk Bones, Pigs Ears & Denta Bones

THE RIDE HOME

Greyhounds are good travellers. While they have never ridden in a car, they have been transported in specially designed trucks. Normally they settle right down once the drive is under way. Following are a few tips to make the drive an easy one:

You may bring a six-foot-long leather or nylon leash with you.
Plan on two adults to bring your pet home. A friendly Greyhound that decides to help the driver could cause an accident!
Prepare you car by putting an old blanket over your back seat. Not only will the seat be more comfortable for the Greyhound, but the blanket will protect your upholstery as well. If you have a station wagon or van, an old comforter, blanket, or similar soft item will provide a comfortable spot for you new pet.
Unless your trip is longer than four hours, you will not need to bring water or stop to walk your dog.

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BRINGING YOUR NEW PET HOME

Bringing home a new pet is an exciting and rewarding experience. For the Greyhound, adjusting to the life of a pet from that of an ex-racer can take a few days. The following are a few suggestions to make the transition easier.

Once you get home, you should first offer your Greyhound a chance to relieve itself. Walk your dog back and forth in a small area until it does so.
Allow the dog to explore its new home at its own speed but for the first day on lead, and always under your supervision. It will be much easier to establish good habits early than to correct bad ones later.
Although your dog is used to living indoors, everything is new to him in your home. As he sniffs his way through the house, you can offer words of encouragement or discouragement.
Your dog will not know stairs when you first bring him home. Start slowly at first taking him up and down two to three steps. On the way down, he may try to take all the steps at once, so stay in front of him so he can only take one at a time. With some patience your dog will learn quickly and soon he will be climbing stairs like an old pro.
Sliding glass doors and plate glass windows are new to your dog. They may not realize they can't get through. Take care to introduce your dog to these obstacles by tapping on the glass to let them know it's there. You can also put tape or stickers on the glass at eye level.
Mirrors are also a new experience for your dog. He may think his reflection is another dog and try to play with it.
Take precautions when cooking. Your stove and counters are at eye level and your dog will be curious about the food smells. When cooking or baking your stove will become hot and your dog does not realize he will get burned.
The patterns you set in the first few days are the ones you will live with the rest of your pet's life. If you do not want your pet on the furniture, do not break down at three A.M. and cuddle him on the couch!
Verbal commands are generally enough to train your Greyhound. He/she will know by the tone of your voice what is acceptable and what is not.
This will be a very stressful few days for your Greyhound. It is best to keep things quiet - delay the welcome home party for a week or two.
It is not unusual for a new pet to refuse to eat for a day or two. He will probably drink more water than normal and consequently need to go out more often. Also, he will need more rest than normal.
The change of diet and excitement of his new home may cause your new pet to have diarrhea. Should this occur, give your dog two teaspoons of kaopectate every hour for four hours or until the diarrhea stops. If unsure, give the same dosage as recommended for a small child. If it continues for more than a day, consult your veterinarian.

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GREYHOUNDS AND OTHER PETS

One basic philosophy will describe the way to handle this situation - you're in charge, they're not! When introducing your Greyhound to other animals, follow these simple rules:

Dogs

Introduce them on neutral ground. This means having each dog on a leash and allowing them to meet in an area your other pet doesn't "own" such as down the block from your house.
After the initial sniffing, you should walk the dogs together for a short time and then bring them into the house together. This is almost like having your dog act as a host to the new Greyhound.
Any sign of growling or aggression should be met with a quick jerk of the leash and a sharp "NO!".
Although Greyhounds are used to sharing attention, your other dog may feel jealous and need a little extra attention.
The dogs should be fed separately.
Until you feel confident that both dogs are comfortable with the new arrangement, you should not let them out in the yard together.
Once you feel that they have accepted each other, you'll be in for a treat as you watch the two of them play. If your other dog is older or overweight, make sure he doesn’t overdo it trying to keep up with his sleek new roommate.
If your other pet is a very small breed, you should supervise play situations closely, especially at first. Your Greyhound's playful chase and lunge could be too rough for a toy breed. You'll need to teach him/her otherwise. Remember, you're in charge.

Cats

If you are introducing your new Greyhound to a cat, you should shut the cat in one room as the Greyhound explores the house. Use your muzzle!
After the initial exploration one adult should take the Greyhound on his leash while the other lets the cat out.
Keep the dog on a leash and place the muzzle on.
You don't need to lead the dog, but you should follow him and be able to jerk and correct sharply if he tries to dart for the cat.
After the initial introduction, you may remove the leash, but should keep the muzzle on until you feel confident. If your cat is familiar with dogs, this process usually goes quickly, as your Greyhound has been to "cat school" in his adoption program.
If your cat is older or very shy, the process could take several weeks.
The Greyhound should be crated when no one is home.
Cat food has an irresistible smell to dogs and should be placed in a high spot so that the Greyhound can't get to it.
Litter boxes should be hooded and turned into a corner to ensure peace for the cat and no access for the dog.
Also keep on hand a squirt bottle full of water.

Birds

Introduction of the Greyhound to a caged bird follows the basic procedures above.
A severe jerk on the lead and/or collar accompanied by a bellowed "NO" will do wonders.

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KIDS AND DOGS

Although they are everyone's favourite photographic subject, kids and dogs present special problems for parents. Teaching the new Greyhound his manners must go hand-in-hand with teaching the children their manners around the new pet.

Please keep in mind that you are dealing with a live, adult animal with all the accompanying instincts and needs. The Greyhound is one of the most easy going dog breeds, but it is nonetheless a dog.

In order to establish a loving relationship between Greyhound and child, it is a wise idea to review the following ideas and discuss them:

The Greyhound is not a toy. It deserves respect and responsible care.
No living creature would enjoy being pounced on while sleeping. Call the dog's name before startling any sleeping dog. Greyhounds sleep with their eyes open, so it's easy to mistake them for being awake.
If the dog is sleeping, he needs rest. When he's ready to play, he'll let you know.
A Greyhound needs a place of his own to rest undisturbed. A crate is an excellent choice.
Small children often want to express their affection for the pet Greyhound by hugging or clinging to the dog. Teach your children that this can be "scary" for the dog and encourage gentle stroking of the neck and shoulders or brushing instead.
Ears and tails are private things, not play things.
It is important to reinforce to your dog the idea that children are part of the "human coaching team", not litter mates. Even though a child may be eye level, your dog must understand that the child is still a person and must respond accordingly. For this reason, we strongly recommend that your Greyhound does not share you child's bed or bedroom.
Outdoor games with your Greyhound should be closely supervised, especially initially and until both child and dog are fully trained.
Instead of running and jumping with your new pet, have your child join you as you stand in place and happily encourage your dog to come to you, with each person taking a turn. This provides exercise for the dog and reminds him that all people are in control - large or small.
The main rule to keep in mind concerning children and dogs is easy - SAFETY FIRST. This applies to both the dog and the kids. Do not leave young children and dogs alone together. If you cannot supervise, crate you dog.

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