Preparing for your new arrival

Before your new best friend arrives there will be a few things for you to prepare for

1. Buying stuff! (but first check what the homing centre provides for you in your introductory bundle so that you don’t duplicate
   • A collar and lead – the choice here is endless but we would recommend a traditional fishtail leather collar and lead. These wide collars are specifically for greyhounds who have long tapering necks and relatively small heads. These are preferred over normal collars due to easily sliding off should they quickly move backwards. Fishtail collars should be worn high up, just below the ears and quite tight – you should just be able to get two fingers between the collar and the neck. Some people prefer martingale collars and harnesses which serve the purpose, but it should be remembered that if you want to be in proper control of your dog, particularly in order to protect them when meeting others, then control of the “pointy end” rather than the middle is crucial 
     
   • A house collar – these are so useful! A light, pretty collar that the greyhound always wears, with their ID tag on. A collar that you can slip your hand under when answering the door to visitors to avoid overexuberant welcomes or your dog running off after the neighbour’s cat.
     
   • An ID tag – these are now a legal requirement and should have the dog’s postcode, family surname and 2 contact numbers on. 
   • 2 dog bowls, one for food and one for water which should always be available. It is best to get large stainless steel bowls. With their long legs greyhounds prefer to avoid the effort of bending too far to eat so a metal frame to raise their bowls is great (some kind of bin or plant pot that the bowls slot into works equally well) 
     
   • Bed(s) – there is no need to invest in fancy beds – the average greyhound will only sleep with half his/her body in it anyway – a folded duvet works well, as does your sofa. Most greyhound homes usually end up with several beds for one dog. You have been warned! 
     
   • Muzzle – you should be provided with a box muzzle by the homing centre. Greyhounds are used to wearing a muzzle when travelling to and from the track and when out walking in a pack, so they don’t mind wearing them sometimes. It is suggested that you walk your new friend out wearing a muzzle for at least the first couple of weeks as they adjust to new places and meeting new people and their furry friends. It is a good idea to then carry the muzzle with you for a while so it can be popped on if there are unexpected or very busy situations. Your greyhound’s muzzle also comes in handy should your greyhound have a wound that you don’t want him or her to lick. Most dogs wear a cone of shame but they don’t really work for greyhounds as they have small necks and a long nose so would need a giant cone that they will almost certainly wipe out most of your house with. A muzzle, however, can be worn comfortably without incident. 
     
   • Coat(s) – before you know it your greyhound will have more coats than you! Greyhounds have relatively thin skin and only a single layer of fur so they do tend to feel the cold. There are many options out there but it is advised to have a fleece and a waterproof or one that combines the two. 
     
2. Get your house (and you) greyhound ready
   • Following from your home visit, if there are any hazards that need actioning, these will need to be done before the greyhound comes home.  
   • Scan your home and think about items or areas you may not want an inquisitive new friend sticking his/her nose in and move them out of reach. In particular, make sure your hound can’t stick their head in the kitchen bin. That will avoid unnecessary mess and potential vet bills.  
   • Decide upon “the rules” – what rooms are your greyhound going to be allowed in, if you are making restrictions? Are they allowed upstairs (if they can manage stairs – some greyhounds take a while to get the hang of them)? A stairgate may be needed if not. Are they allowed on the sofa? Good luck with policing that one if the answer is no! 
     
   • Hazards – hopefully these will have been pointed out during the homecheck but there are a couple that may be worth pointing out here. Patio doors should have tape put across in various places so they are visible to the greyhound. Alternatively, you can buy frosted window film for the height of the greyhound so they can’t see straight through.  A greyhound will never have seen a patio door before and can easily run full pelt into one if they see you or a squirrel outside. Another possible blip could be a wooden or tiled floor. Surprisingly some greyhounds turn into Bambi on ice upon contact with a laminated floor so have a few rugs available until they acclimatise.
3. Booking time off work
   • It’s not advisable to book a huge chunk of time off so that everyone is home and your dog gets used to an artificial situation of always having company. Especially if that isn’t going to be the case moving forward, but it will be worth considering having a few days and some flexibility for a short while thereafter. There is more on this in the “Early Days” section.
4. Maybe find out about your greyhound’s past life
   • Greyhounds are the most tracked breed of dog so it is easy to find out his/her background. You may know their racing name from the homing centre or you can get their earmarkings (tattoos in both ears means they were bred in Ireland, only one ear implies England). Their racing life shapes the wonderful dogs they are so you may want to embrace their backstory and discover their past successes. There is a brilliant Facebook site called Your Greyhound’s History which will help you to find out where your greyhound raced, their ancestry and who trained them etc. They have united many adopters with trainers and racing owners who have been able to give insight into their quirks and likes. Their racing life will have shaped the beautiful athlete and personality you have welcomed to your home.