Saluki and whippet

[Stephhoney]

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Hi all we have a 6 month old saluki named honey who is doing fab and we yesterday rehomed a 10 month old whippit called Nelly. We were planning on rehoming a dog but maybe not so quickly but the previous owner was struggling so here we are. The two seem to be getting on well but Nelly the whippet is very shy compared to honey, any tips to make her settle and be more comfortable? Also she's wary on new people I can see.

Thanks!

 

[smithwold]

It will take time. Whippy doesn’t understand the change of circumstances. Walking them together should help. That way they both enter the house together on more equal terms.

 

[Ksf]

Do you use crates? Sometimes a crate or a make shift den can help them feel secure and allows them a safe, quiet place to go when things feel like too much.

 

[Stephhoney]

Honey our pup is crate trained Nelly isn't, thanks for the helpful tips! Walking together is going well x

 

[Stephhoney]

Nelly the whippet also seems to have separation anxiety, is this possible after being with us for 24 hours she cries when we move or leave the room. Honey the saluki is super chilled and no problem with this. Any tips for this or is it the more she's settled the more she will chill and relax xx

 

[JudyN]

It's such early days. Do you know if she had SA in her previous home? I would keep all stress off her at the moment. Let her follow you around if she wants, including into the bathroom if necessary, and don't leave her. She has just been removed from everything she's known, so she's going to be scared, and hasn't had time to learn that you are safe and she doesn't have to worry. At this stage, making a point of leaving her won't help her get used to it - it'll make her more scared.

Once she is feeling more secure, she'll probably naturally stop following you, particularly if she's engrossed in a good chew, or is on the sunny spot on the sofa. And you can start working on leaving her, but only by, e.g., putting your shoes on and then taking them off again, picking up your keys and putting them down, opening the front door and closing it...

There's more about SA here: Separation anxiety

 

[Stephhoney]

As far as I know she didn't have it previously but I understand everything is new. Are whippets more sensative generally? X

It's such early days. Do you know if she had SA in her previous home? I would keep all stress off her at the moment. Let her follow you around if she wants, including into the bathroom if necessary, and don't leave her. She has just been removed from everything she's known, so she's going to be scared, and hasn't had time to learn that you are safe and she doesn't have to worry. At this stage, making a point of leaving her won't help her get used to it - it'll make her more scared.

Once she is feeling more secure, she'll probably naturally stop following you, particularly if she's engrossed in a good chew, or is on the sunny spot on the sofa. And you can start working on leaving her, but only by, e.g., putting your shoes on and then taking them off again, picking up your keys and putting them down, opening the front door and closing it...

There's more about SA here: Separation anxiety

 

[Whippylove]

I have 3 whippets and they are very sensitive boys. My oldest is 7 and still suffers with separation anxiety so I don't leave any alone, but I understand that it's not easy for other people to do the same. Give her time to settle, having honey will help her they love company. She'll eventually come out of her shell. I agree walks together will help as well.

 

[Stephhoney]

She does seem like a very sensative soul, she will have to left at some point but if will never be for long. Thank you xx

I have 3 whippets and they are very sensitive boys. My oldest is 7 and still suffers with separation anxiety so I don't leave any alone, but I understand that it's not easy for other people to do the same. Give her time to settle, having honey will help her they love company. She'll eventually come out of her shell. I agree walks together will help as well.

 

[JoanneF]

To build some independence, you could try the flitting game described about ⅔ of the way down this page. But not yet, give her a good few more days to settle.

https://www.thecanineconsultants.co.uk/post/separation-anxiety-fact-vs-fiction

 

[JudyN]

To build some independence, you could try the flitting game described about ⅔ of the way down this page. But not yet, give her a good few more days to settle.

https://www.thecanineconsultants.co.uk/post/separation-anxiety-fact-vs-fiction

I was just having a read of that - is the idea that you spend 5 mins in each room before flitting to the next, or that you spend 5 mins flitting between rooms, spending just a few moments in each? Is it me, or is the article ambiguous?

Knowing no better, I once made the mistake of 'flitting' for about half an hour, with Jasper practically dragging himself behind me towards the end I'm not sure which one of us was more fed up and stressed....

 

[JoanneF]

is the idea that you spend 5 mins in each room before flitting to the next, or that you spend 5 mins flitting between rooms, spending just a few moments in each?

My understanding is that you spend as much time as needed for your dog to settle in the new place before moving. Then, when he is chilling, that's when you move. Because when he is settled, the drive to move with you is hopefully outweighed by the drive to stay put, settled with the Kong. Did that make any sense at all?

 

[JudyN]

My understanding is that you spend as much time as needed for your dog to settle in the new place before moving. Then, when he is chilling, that's when you move. Because when he is settled, the drive to move with you is hopefully outweighed by the drive to stay put, settled with the Kong. Did that make any sense at all?

Interesting... I've had a look around and found two different inpterpretations:

It involves you having two rooms to use and setting a timer for 5 minutes. Get up from the room where you are with your dog, walk to another room and set the timer. In this five minutes you fiddle around with something, make a cup of tea, or dust. or just move things around...When the alarm sounds go back to the room your dog was in...

and

Set your timer on your phone (silently) for five minutes. Then make multiple trips during that five minutes from one room to the next, fiddle with something in one room, then move on.

I'll message Emmabeth and see if she can clarify

 

[JoanneF]

I obviously didn't read it thoroughly, but you are right; there are different interpretations.

 

[JudyN]

I obviously didn't read it thoroughly, but you are right; there are different interpretations.

I have it from the horse's mouth, if Emmabeth doesn't mind me calling her a horse As you thought, it is 5 mins total of flitting, not 5 minutes in each room. She also said she'd recently devised a confidence-building game where the dog was encouraged to do a puzzle in a different room to the owner. I've tracked it down to her blog post about encouraging independence and relaxation in clingy stressheads - enjoy! Check out this 3 bedroom detached house for sale on Rightmove