Dog owning used to be a simple subject, but it seems to have become more and more complicated! My previous experience of looking after a dog was years ago when my parents had one. How things have changed in that time; no such thing as microchipping then; worming tablets, well I can’t remember them and as for toys, the choice was usually a rubber bone or a ball. Now, the pet shop has become a superstore with aisles of products from clothes, sparkly leads and wobbly Kongs to every type of training aid.

When I got my first dog Tracy, I knew very little of the dog world jargon and almost nothing about training. Two years later and the owner of a second greyhound, Paddy, I am using a clicker and my husband is using a 10 metre training lead to try to modify his behaviour. Like I said, “How things change!”

Paddy has lived with us for 14 months and it has only been in the last 3 months that he has started to really respond to training. The breakthrough came when he did a ‘skew-whiff’ sit. I had tried for months, on and off, to encourage him to sit or go down on the ground but he just stared at me. My husband, Russell, noticed that he would sit on his bed sometimes and it is he who must be given the credit for training Paddy to sit. His patience paid off and when Paddy followed the command, we gave him so much fuss, I think he couldn’t wait to be asked to do some more. He understands a whole range of commands now including ‘leave,’ ‘stay,’ and ‘watch me.’ He looks and feels like a much calmer dog now at home and he loves chasing a treat-filled Kong around the garden.

Walks out can be more tricky and I have done a lot of on-lead work around the roads, trying to reduce Paddy’s reactivity and Russell has been teaching recall out on the Heath. Slow and steady progress but change, like the pet shop turned superstore, doesn’t happen overnight. The change, however, is so worth the effort when you see a pet that knows he belongs in a family.

Strangely, for a greyhound Paddy always seems to be ready to walk no matter how many times he has been out already, not so much 2 times 20 minutes a day, more like every 20 minutes!

Note from Greyhound Lifeline:

Please be aware that for many greyhounds the sit position is a very uncomfortable position and virtually impossible to achieve unless leaning against something for support. Please do not make your greyhound sit to command, unless he/she does it naturally. “Down” or “stop/wait” are more appropriate for the majority of greyhounds.

Interested in Adopting a Greyhound?

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