Ooops! Accidents In The House!

Many of our owners have contacted us with various problems that they have had with their dogs over the years, but one of the most common of these problems is 'Accidents in the House'. If this problem is going to arise, it is usually within the first few months, whilst the dog is adapting to its new home environment. Most adopted greyhounds are usually very clean in the home,as they were in their kennel, but there are always exceptions to the rules. As nearly all rescued greyhound have lived in kennels for all of their lives, a home can be a very strange experience for them, as well as also experiencing human company around them all of the time.

One of the main causes of 'weeing' in the home is leaving them on their own after spending long periods of time with them. The dog can become very upset because you have left them, and not know whether you will be coming back to them. Greyhounds that have spent the past four or more years of their life in kennels, and then find an adoptive home, bond very quickly with their new owners and soon get used to people being around them all of the time. You have to remember that when greyhound are at racing kennels they receive very little in human company. So when an owner either goes back to work after their holidays, illness, weekends, school holidays etc.. they tend to take this departure very badly and start getting upset. This stress can then cause them to 'wee' in the house. We all know that the last thing that you want is to come back to when you have been out, are puddles on your best carpet, but you will usually find that they have done it for a reason, not just to annoy us.

I HOPE THAT THE FOLLOWING LIST MAY HELP YOU:-

Always let them out first thing in a morning and last thing at night. Give them a walk at least once or twice a day if possible.

When you leave them, try not to shut them in one room, if you do, try a baby gate in the doorway instead of shutting the door, it can make them feel more secure when they can see what is going on around them.

Try not to tell them off! Especially if you did not see them do it, they will not know what you are talking about, and some dogs can actually do it for attention whether positive or negative.

Instead of spending money on expensive ' Pet Accidents' cleaners, use a biological washing powder in warm water. The enzymes in the wash-powder will break down the smell and the stain, always do a test area on your carpet first though.

In most cases, the dog is usually adapts quickly to its new home and life, but on occasions, you may still have an odd accident. If this happens, try to think if anything has happened during the day that may have caused them to do it. Many times in these cases though is has genuinely been an accident, and they have not been able to wait to go out.