Bringing Your Greyhound Home
Bringing your grey home is an exciting time. Here's how to give them the best possible start from preparing your home and keeping calm on arrival, to toileting, settling in, and managing new experiences.
Preparing for your new arrival
Greyhounds adopted through us come home with a new green collar, a leash, a fleece coat, a muzzle fit to size.
Your shopping list should include:
- A nice soft bed for inside
- A durable bed for outside
- Food
Getting your greyhound into your home
Keeping calm
It is important to keep your initial arrival home as calm as possible and try not to overwhelm your greyhound. Ensure that you and your family give your greyhound some space to begin with.
Allow them to come you when they are ready and don't shower them with attention or try and cuddle them.
Time for a look around!
When you first arrive home, allow your greyhound time to explore their new surroundings. Keeping the greyhound on leash, visit all of the areas that the greyhound will have access to and introduce them to their safe space and bedding.
Those greyhounds that come from mostly indoor kennel environments, are usually trained to only go the toilet outside; so it is a good idea to show your greyhound your back yard and where you want them to toilet, before bringing them inside the house. Give them some time to explore their new backyard with you close by. When you think the greyhound is nearly ready to go, physically take the greyhound to the area that you expect them to use and then reinforce successful toileting in that place with lots of praise and/or some treats.
Once they have toileted and seem relatively relaxed, you can begin to introduce them to the inside of their new home.
Your greyhound will be unsettled and unsure of its new surroundings, so 'accidents' in the first couple of weeks may happen. If this occurs, you should not punish the greyhound (i.e. do not shout or rub his/her nose in it), this may make the problem worse.
Instead, clean the area thoroughly and immediately take the greyhound outside to its toileting area. Praise the greyhound when he does the right thing.
We need to remember that coming into a new home can expose the greyhound to many new experiences that can sometimes lead to an information overload. We want to introduce them to one space at a time to avoid them becoming overwhelmed.
Inside or outside?
We recommend that as long as there is shelter, that your greyhound spends more time each day outside than inside during the first two weeks. This reduces the likelihood of the dog developing separation anxiety, and helps them understand that your backyard is a safe place for them to be. We recommend keeping the dog outside during the day, and bringing him inside at night to sleep. Once he has settled in you can bring him inside much more often.
What about meeting friends and family?
Avoid inviting too many people over to meet your greyhound in the first week or so. Let them settle in and begin to know their family before they are required to learn about other new people.
If your greyhound appears anxious or stressed, keep their world small. Don't take him for big walks around the neighbourhood or outings in the car - allow them the time to slowly get used to your own home before introducing them to new experiences and people.
A whole new world
When your greyhound first comes home they can find trivial home life and traffic noise very scary as they have not experienced them before.
Most greyhounds grow up and live in rural areas where life is much quieter. Many greyhounds have also not spent much time inside households to get used to these noises. For example, trains, trams, cars, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, dishwashers etc. If your greyhound is showing signs of distress when they hear unfamiliar household and city noises or other loud noises, there are some great tips in our loud noises resource.
Keep their world small in the first few weeks – just focus on allowing your new dog time to get used to you and your home before taking him on big walks or to meet lots of new people etc.
Meet our dogs ready for adoption
All greyhounds adopted from GAP are de-sexed, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and health checked.

Stacey

Tammy

Reginald

Flashy
George

Whisper

Mary ARP
Mary is an absolute sweetheart and the beauty to match! This gorgeous girl is friendly, outgoing and full of enthusiasm. She loves being around people, is incredibly affectionate and has a fun, puppyish nature that shines through. Mary is playful, boisterous and very excitable. She can be quite jumpy when she’s happy, often greeting people with a LOT of enthusiasm. She will need a home with a secure backyard where she can burn off some energy. Mary may besuited to live as an only dog or may be suitable to live with medium or large dogs. She also may be suitable to live with a family that have older children aged 15+. Due to her energetic nature, she is not suitable to live with elderly people or dogs. With the right home, Mary’s fun-loving personality will make her a wonderful and entertaining companion.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). We have behavioural and health assessed this lovely dog, and they will remain with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting this particular dog, and not other dogs currently in our care.

Jed ARP
Jed is a handsome and affectionate greyhound with a sweet, friendly nature and a real love of people. Personable and easy to spend time with, he enjoys being close to his handlers and has an endearing habit of leaning gently against you for comfort and companionship. With his kind heart and loving personality, Jed quickly wins over everyone he meets.
While Jed is generally social, he can sometimes feel a little worried around unfamiliar breeds of dog, so he would benefit from thoughtful introductions and would be best avoiding off-lead parks or busy areas where dogs may rush up to him. He may suit living with polite dogs of any size who will respect his space and could also be a wonderful companion for a family with children aged 5 years and older. With understanding and support, Jed will reward his new family with loyalty, affection and plenty of gentle cuddles.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.

Lou Lou ARP
This beautiful 5-year-old girl is as sweet as she is pretty. Friendly, social and outgoing, she loves being around people and greets life with confidence and enthusiasm. Her personable nature and very affectionate personality make her a wonderful companion, whether she's joining you on an adventure or simply enjoying some quality time by your side. She also walks beautifully on lead, making daily strolls together an absolute pleasure.
With her easy-going and loving temperament, she may suit living as an only dog where she can soak up all the attention, or with a compatible male dog of any size. She would likely do best in a home with respectful children aged 10 years and older. Full of charm, affection and companionship, this lovely brindle girl is ready to become a treasured member of a lucky family.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.

Ricey ARP
Ricey is a handsome 4-year-old boy with a friendly and personable nature. While he enjoys the company of people and forms lovely connections with those he trusts, Ricey is more of an introvert at heart and can be anxious in unfamiliar situations. Despite this, he always tries hard to be brave, taking things in his stride and showing a quiet determination as he navigates the world around him.
Ricey would likely thrive in a patient and understanding home that allows him to build confidence at his own pace. He may suit living as an only dog, where he can enjoy plenty of one-on-one attention, or with a confident medium or large canine companion. Ricey may also be suited to a home with respectful children aged 10 years and older. With kindness, routine and support, this sweet-natured boy will make a loyal and rewarding companion.
This dog is part of our Assisted Rehoming Program (ARP). ARP dogs are kept with their racing owners until they find an adoptive home, at which point they are brought back into GAP. This means that should you be interested in adopting this dog, we are bringing the dog into GAP on the understanding that you will be adopting them. As such, you will not be able to meet any other dogs, as you otherwise would be able to.





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