Will my greyhound get on with my other dog
Some greyhounds may have only ever seen other greyhounds before. So it is possible that your new greyhound will react with amazement and confusion at the odd shaped canine you introduce him to. However, they learn quickly that dogs come in all shapes and sizes and it is likely that your new greyhound will get on with your existing dog. And to make it even more likely, here are some things you can do.

Introductions to each other
Introduce the dogs on neutral territory - not your home or garden and not at the new dog's kennel. Let the two dogs approach each other. Keep the leads slack so that neither dog feels constrained (if you hold them back they will feel safe to act tough). Keeping the lead slack also allows the dogs to approach each other naturally (not head on which could signal aggressive intent). Allow them to sniff each other and watch their "body language". Tails will probably be up in the air at first and there may even be some bristling at the hackles (no-one wants to look like a pushover on first introductions). Stay calm, this is normal. It might help if you talk to the dogs at this point, telling them that they are good dogs for example, keeping your tone light and happy.

If things are going well the angle of the tails will drop and there may even be a slight wagging. If tails drop to horizontal and really start to wag this is a very good sign that the dogs are going to get on well. However if the dogs have taken a dislike to each other the hackles will rise, growling will start and the dogs will circle each other legs and their tails will be very stiff. If the ears start to go back and the teeth start to show it's time to lead the dogs apart and away from each other.

The most likely outcome however is that the body language will remain fairly neutral tails up but with very little or no growling. This is OK. Don't let the dogs decide what happens next, but after the first introductions (probably under a minute), call them on to follow you and take them on a walk together. Control is by voice and very gentle pressure on the lead (no tugging), because you too are asserting your position as the pack leader who must be listened to. You can keep making reassuring noises all the time if you like, telling them they are good dogs and generally encouraging them to feel good about what is happening. Allow the dogs to sniff at things together and to behave normally while they are on the walk. If you are in an enclosed area you may well feel confident enough to let both dogs off the lead after a short while.

The above assumes things will go well, and they probably will. The likely outcome is that after the first introduction, the dogs will more or less ignore each other and get on with the walk more or less independently. This is a positive outcome and you can proceed to the next stage.

Introductions to the house
By the time you bring the new dog to the house you will be confident enough to let both dogs off lead together. Let them approach the front door together and off the lead. I try to keep their attention on me at this stage by talking to them, and telling them they are good dogs in a happy tone of voice. I also like to keep things moving - no waiting at the front door for example (or near to any other resource they might compete for), but to sweep them both into the house. Then I watch. The new dog will usually want to explore, and I let him while making a fuss of the established resident and telling him he is a good dog. I will have prepared a "spot" for the new dog - a chair, a basket, or blankets on the floor, in an area which the resident dog does not use a lot. After a while the new dog will probably settle somewhere (often not in the place I have set for him) and I usually let him.

Settling in

What happens next depends very much on the characters and histories of the dogs. The key thing however is to observe how the dogs settle issues of territory and status in the pack, and to adjust your behaviour accordingly to maintain the peace.

Some dogs (especially greyhounds) are laid back and sociable and will, in a very short time be like bookends together at either end of a settee (you will have to settle for the floor!). For this kind of dog, issues of territory do not seem to matter and they will quite happily use each other as pillows.

Many new dogs will be nervous at first and they will stay quite still in a place where they feel safe watching what is going on. This is great because they are "learning the rules" of what is acceptable by observing you and the first dog. They will also be worried about what is going to happen next. Dogs like this will usually settle in very well and will relax once they have gone through one or two regular daily cycles ("phew this guy knows I have to go out to go to the toilet, that I need to eat and drink and that I have to have a walk !")

Sometimes the new dog will demand your attention, following you around, lying down next to you etc. If your first dog accepts this, no problem. However your dog may see this behaviour as an attempt by the newcomer to move up the pack hierarchy, and may become jealous. If there are any signs of this you will have to monitor your behaviour and make sure you give the first dog more attention and "privileges" than the newcomer.

Sometimes the new dog will try to gain status by taking territory off the first dog. Making moves on a favourite chair or bed, trying to get a nose into the food bowl etc. The first dog will almost inevitably react with growls and raised hackles at any sign of this. It is usually best to back up the first dog by telling the new dog to stop their behaviour rather than telling off the first dog who is doing the growling. This is usually enough to settle the dogs into a pack hierarchy where the longest established is above the newcomer and both are definitely subservient to you. If the growling persists another option may be to remove the flashpoint, for example by supervising feeding times or by feeding separately (a lot of people do this as a matter of course). In a few cases however it will become clear that the newcomer is in fact dominant over the first dog. The first dog may let the newcomer take over a favourite chair and slink away for example. If this kind of dominance is clear there is no point trying to maintain an artificial pecking order. Your first dog would just feel permanently insecure and the newcomer permanently resentful and it would end in tears (probably in both senses of the word). If this happens it is best to allow it, or even to reinforce the new order of things. Of course to make you feel better you could always get two of everything, two armchairs, two settees, two beds. You could then enjoy watching your two dogs comfortable and happy, on their respective bits of furniture from your new vantage point, the cushion on the floor !

Can I leave my greyhound at home when I'm at work?

Yes, you can. But there are a few things that you should keep in mind when you first come to leave your hound alone for the first time.

For many greyhounds being inside a house is a completely new experience. They are encountering things that they have never seen or heard before, such as televisions, washing machines and the like. As a result, they may take to following you around the house as you represent some form of security to them. Once you then leave them alone, they can become anxious and stressed - and they relieve this anxiety in the only way they know how; by chewing on things and/or toileting.

From the moment you get your hound home you will need to teach him that it is okay to be left alone - you will be teaching him to stand on his own four feet!

There are simple methods of teaching your hound how to be left. At regular intervals throughout the day you should deny your hound access to yourself and other members of the family for short periods of time - no more than a few minutes. This can be achieved by closing a door as you leave a room thereby preventing your hound from following you, or by utilising child gates in the same manner. Gradually you can increase the amount of time that your hound spends alone until he is not dependant on your presence.

You should ignore any attempts by your hound to solicit your attention - if your hound tries to get you to stroke him or demands your attention in any way you should turn you back or walk away from him. By doing this you are telling your hound that your presence doesn't represent a security buffer for him and that he must learnt cope with his own company. This isn't to say that you can never pay your hound any attention - you can pay him as much attention as you like, just as long as it is on your terms.

Learn what your own routine is when you get ready to leave the house - turning off the television, putting on your coat, picking up your keys etc. - and go through the motions of going out without actually leaving the house! This will confuse your hound and they will learn to not associate your actions with their being left.

When you do leave your hound, don't say 'goodbye' or tell him where you're going and how long you'll be - dogs don't speak human and neither do they understand it. When you're ready to go out, just go. Don't give your hound any verbal or eye contact. When you return, don't greet your hound immediately after entering the house. Wait until they are calm and have been lying or sitting quietly for five minutes before paying them any attention.

Another method of helping your hound to feel secure when left is in the use of an indoor kennel or crate. By utilising one of these items you can provide your hound with a secure area in which to feel safe - a den, if you like. Initially you should place the crate in an area of the home that is quiet and place your hound's bedding within it. The door should be left open at all times, allowing your hound free access in and out of the crate. Make it into as nice an environment as possible for him - maybe feed him in it, or place a couple of his favourite items, toys or otherwise, in it. When he is comfortable with going in and out of the crate you can start to close the door when he is inside for brief periods of time - a few minutes at first, gradually increasing the length of time that he remains inside. If at any time your hound appears stressed by being shut in you should return to the beginning and keep the door open to allow him free access to the crate. It is important that you never use the crate as a form of punishment - by doing so you risk destroying all bonds with your hound and you leave yourself wide open for more severe problems to develop later on down the line.

Finally, if your greyhound is one of the rare ones who, instead of spending the majority of their lives asleep, instead requires constant entertaining to keep them occupied, you can leave him with a few toys/treats on which to focus his attention. Prior to leaving your hound you will need to try and tire him out somewhat - a tired dog sleeps and if a dog is sleeping then he is not playing 'changing rooms' with your home! You can do this by exercising him prior to leaving him, allowing ten to twenty minutes as a'cooling off' period immediately before you leave the house. This will allow him time to calm down so that he is relaxed on being left. And you don't have to run him for miles or spend hours exercising him either - fifteen minutes of intense, unadulterated play in which you focus all of your attention on your hound should be adequate. Just make sure that you control the play - i.e. you initiate it and you end it. You can also leave him with some 'smart toys', widely available in all pet shops. Activity balls and buster cubes can have dried food placed inside which falls out when your hound rolls the toy - an added bonus for a hungry dog! Kongs - rounded pyramid shaped rubber toys - can be filled with all manner of treats with which to tempt your hound and divert his attention from furnishings and fixtures. In both cases the activity of retrieving the food will not only hold the hound's attention but will also have the effect of tiring the dog out and making him want to sleep. And, as I said before, a sleeping hound isn't damaging furnishings. Wiggly giggly balls, balls that when rolled make a giggling sound, can amuse your hound for ages as they try to work out where the sound is coming from - they can also serve to entertain the human members of the family!

Above all, remember to be patient. It takes time for any animal to settle into a new environment so don't expect miracles. And if you do run into difficulties please don't hesitate to contact a member of Greyhound Rescue Wales who will do their utmost to help you.

A final word
Two dogs are not a lot more work than one dog and in almost every case they seem a lot happier with a companion. Go on, go for it !!