Greyhounds With Children and Other Pets

• It's up to the parents to see that the interaction of your greyhound with your child or children remains stable. Golden State Greyhound Adoption does not adopt out greyhounds to families with children under 7 years old.
• We expect the parents to supervise a child when around a hound At All Times.
• The greyhound is extremely tolerant, however when a child mistreats a dog, either the dog will become fed up and will defend itself, or he/she will become afraid of the child.
• NEVER let a young child walk your hound alone without adult supervision.
• The greyhound is not a toy - it deserves respect.
• LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE! No one - human or canine - enjoys being pestered or pounced on while they are sleeping, and the greyhound is no exception. Your greyhound will let you know when he/she wants to wake up and play.
• Hugging or clinging to the greyhound can be scary. Teach your children how to gently pet your dog while talking to it.
• Tails and ears are private things, not play things.
• If a child is persistent in pestering the dog, remove either the dog or the child from the area for a while. Give your new pet a chance to be quiet and rest, away from disturbances.
• Most children approach dogs head-on with all good intentions of hugging the dog. Such intense body language and direct eye contact are very threatening to all dogs.
• When introducing your new greyhound to small dogs, cats, or other small household pets, common sense and caution should rule.
• If your current pet is a dog, it is wise to introduce him/her to the new greyhound on neutral territory, and on lead.
• Don't let your current pet feel threatened, or become jealous over the attention the new pet is getting.
• You should not let them out in the yard alone together until they are comfortable with one another.
• Although we cat test all our greyhounds, you should still be very cautious when introducing your greyhound to a new cat. The greyhound should always be muzzled on leash, and under your control.
• Showing the greyhound the cat immediately upon entering the house works best.
• Bring the dog an cat into a room with your hound on leash and with a muzzle on. Let the hound investigate while your cat as freedom to leave.
• You want to get the point across that the cat is a member of the family, and not fun to chase or otherwise harass.
• Show your greyhound, by petting the cat, that the cat is a member of the family and was in the house before he got there, and therefore, is not a toy.
• If the cat runs, the chase instinct will kick in and your greyhound will probably chase the cat. This is why the "lap trick" seems to work so well - you are able to hold the cat relatively stationary for the initial introduction.
• Be sure to praise the greyhound for nicely sniffing and investigating the cat. Any inappropriate behavior must be quickly and firmly discouraged. Again, a sharp "NO" to the dog while continuing to pet the cat.
• Be careful the first couple of days, don't leave the cat and dog loose together in the house. Keep all cat food and the litter box away from your dog.
• At first crate your greyhound when you leave home so he can't hurt the cat even by accident, and they may well get acquainted through the crate door, with no threat to either.
• De-clawed cats, frightened or skittish animals must be closely monitored.
• Do not let children tease your dog with your cat or let them hold your cat over the dog's head.
• Outdoors, all small animals, including your own, must always be considered fair game.
• A greyhound, being a sight-hound hunter, will chase anything that runs. The greyhound may unintentionally harm a small fleeing animal.
• If you live in a neighborhood with free-roaming pets, particularly cats, you may want to forewarn your neighbors. It is too much to ask of any animal not to chase a strange animal that enters their fenced yard, unannounced.
• Golden State Greyhound Adoption has made every effort possible to place a greyhound we assume will be OK with your other pets. However, caution and common sense should still rule. If your new greyhound is having a problem adjusting to a small pet, please call us as soon as possible.

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