Here is a list of things that are going really well:
-Housetraining: The greyhounds are on a schedule for "turn-outs" into fenced areas outside the kennel. I kept him on this schedule for the first few days and then we transitioned onto my schedule. One thing I did not teach him was that if he needs to go out, pacing back and forth between me and the door will get him there! Smart boy!
-On leash: I don't have a fenced yard, so that means walks, and lots of them! Greyhounds are accustomed to walking on a leash at the track, so this was nothing new. However, he is doing really well with not lunging at cats we see, and cats are new and interesting to him.
-Playing with toys: From the very first night here, Winchester has played with toys everyday. He has a duck that honks and two squealy hedgehog toys. Happily, he doesn't seem interested in tearing them up. He just tosses them in the air, chases them when I throw, and squeaks them.
-Meeting people: Winchester really likes people. More than I do. It may be good for me that my dog is more out-going than I am! While he doesn't instantly love everyone, he seems more than willing to meet them.
-Traveling in the car: On our first ride together, on the way home from the kennel, Winchester stood for some of the time, but laid down for most of it. On our longest trip, for a weekend at my parents' house, he laid down the whole way and slept most of the time! He also got along with my parents' lab ,Lucy, and she just adored him.
-Waking me up: While this may not sound like a positive, it will be. Winchester makes me want to get up more than any alarm will. And while getting up at 6am in the summer is not really my kind of morning, the long-nosed sweet face staring at me on the edge of the bed is.
-Not chewing on things: While chewing is primarily a puppy teething phase, dogs who haven't lived in a home sometime explore with their teeth. Winchester hasn't taken anything that wasn't his, with the exception of my dustpan the one time I used it last week, and he hasn't chewed anything up.
-Napping: Now all this getting up early leaves me drained in the middle of the day. Since it is sumemr, I can nap. Winchester is always more than willing to curl up in his dog bed in my room while I catch my 30 winks.
Now I am going to knock on wood and attempt to placate fate with a list of things we can work on:
-Seeing his reflection: Winchester had never in his life been away from other greyhound very long or far. So naturally, when I brought him home he began to look for the others. All he found was his reflection, or in his view, an odd greyhound with no scent. He's gotten better. He knows the greyhound reflected in the windows, the side of my car, and the microwave aren't worth paying attention to...but I still have to keep a sheet over my bedroom mirror.
-Stoping on walks: I know I said he walks well on a leash, and that is true...when he is walking. I try to use these little breaks as time to stop and enjoy, vs. tug on his leash...except for when we are stopped in the middle of the road. The smallest thing can distract him...a cat...a person...a leaf...trains...the poop-bag... So our walks are intersperced with ellipsises.
-Training: I've helped to reinforce the training of my parents' dogs, so I think I could handle the basics: sit, down, stay, etc. I've decided though, that a class would be good for both of us. There is one in Memphis that starts in September and I will probably sign up. It is a "clicker training" class, and I've heard that technique works well, especially for grown dogs.
-Being alone: Most greyhounds have never been alone until after their race career ends, if then. They grow up with their siblings, go to train together, and then live at a kennel. Winchester and I are working on "alone-training". I have been leaving for increasing increments of time, so he gets used to being alone and learns that I will come back. I give him a "Kong" filled with peanut butter and kibble when I go, so he usually doesn't care that I am leaving!
-Velcro dog: He has gotten better about not following me everywhere. The first week, if I got up to re-fill my water, he was with me. If I went to the bathroom, he whined at the door. Now I think he knows it is too much effort to get up over every little thing, but if I am out of the room for more that a couple of second he comes to see what I'm doing.
Overall, I couldn't be happier. Even if the transition hadn't been as smooth, I would still say that he is a great dog.
