How to Transition Retired Racing Greyhound Dog Into Home With Children

Retired racing greyhound dogs make wonderful indoor pets, and many do very well in households with young children. Greyhounds are gentle dogs that are generally submissive, so aggression is not an issue for many of these dogs. However, to ensure the safety of both your children and your greyhound, you need to take steps to ensure that the transition moves smoothly. Here is how to transition a retired racing greyhound dog into a home with children.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Crate
• Patience
• Vigilance

1. Take your child with you to the greyhound rescue. While many greyhounds will do just fine in a house with children, some will not. Before you consider adopting a particular greyhound, introduce your children to the greyhound and watch the dog's reaction. Many greyhounds have never seen a child before, so you cannot predict a particular dog's reaction to meeting a child.

2. Tell your child to keep his head higher than the dog's head at all times. Do not allow your child to crawl or crouch lower than the dog. By standing taller than the greyhound, your child is communicating that he has seniority in the "pack."

3. Set up a crate in your family room. Because retired racing greyhounds have spent most of their lives (over 20 hours a day) in crates, they view their crates as their "safe place." By placing the crate in the family room, the dog can observe your children's antics from the safety of his crate. As he observes your children, the greyhound will learn that childish behavior is not aggressive toward him.

4. Instruct your child that the crate is off limits. The crate serves as the greyhound's refuge when your children get too loud or frighten the dog. Retreating to her crate is the greyhound's way of saying that she needs some time alone.

5. Feed the greyhound in his crate. Even the gentlest dog can become aggressive when somebody approaches him while he is eating. By feeding the greyhound in his crate, you minimize the possibility of a child disturbing the dog while he is eating.

6. Stay away from the greyhound when he sleeps. Greyhounds often startle when then are awakened, and they might reflexively snap as a result. A child could accidentally be bitten if he disturbs a sleeping greyhound.

7. Supervise the children and greyhound when they are together. This is for the safety of the children as well as the dog. Until you are certain that your children know how to treat the dog with respect and that the dog will not become aggressive, keep a close eye on their interactions.

Tips & Warnings

• Many greyhound rescues provide a muzzle when you adopt the dog. Retired racing greyhounds are accustomed to wearing muzzles, so do not hesitate to put the muzzle on the dog whenever he is around the children until you feel comfortable with their interactions.
• Greyhounds can fall asleep very quickly and will sometimes sleep with their eyes open, which makes it difficult to know that the dog is sleeping. Tell your children never to approach the dog when he is lying down until he makes eye contact and wags his tail.