Please Read the general information on Fostering before Placing your application.
Fostering a Retired Racing Greyhound
Foster homes are the most important part of Bridging The Gap Rehoming – Without them and the dedicated help from our Foster families, we would not be able to assist these beautiful creatures with finding their retirement lives.
Each home plays a vital role in helping our greyhounds adjust to life outside the racing kennel. Sometimes this adjustment period is easy, other times it is more difficult, and the dog needs all the patience, consideration, love and understanding that you can give. Following is a list of what is required of the foster families, and what you can in turn expect from Bridging The Gap (BTG).
BTG is solely run by volunteers and relies heavily on the generous donations of the public to assist with important issues such as vet care, winter jackets, collars, leads and muzzles. Foster homes treat their greyhounds just like their own and this includes all feeding (both dry food and meat) general care, grooming, training and love.
Foster Care
BTG requires that foster homes are as flexible as possible with the period of time their dog remains with them. The dog will usually remain in a foster home for approximately 6-8 weeks but on occasions they may be there for longer. This will depend on the training it receives from the foster home as well as its own character, temperament and ability to adjust to life within a home. Foster families that volunteer with our rehoming organization are responsible for the total care of the greyhound while in foster care.
DURING FOSTER CARE – Important Notes
Before Arrival - Most dogs are wormed and bathed prior to arriving at a foster home, however bath time at the foster home can also be a bonding experience. Feel free to give your greyhound a bath during care. They will feel great and you will have fun together!
Veterinary - Most dogs will be required to have the full range of treatments, including desexing/castration, teeth cleaning, vaccination, and overall vet check. Any further vet care should not be needed unless there are injuries or sickness during care. Vet Care will be provided by BTG if needed. Please contact the BTG Volunteer to discuss any issues requiring veterinary care.
Veterinary Emergencies- While in foster care: In the event of an emergency (e.g. the foster dog is severely injured) the foster home should first call the BTG contact number or BTG Volunteer person and take the dog immediately to the selected veterinary clinic. BTG has generous veterinarians that assist with emergencies, this may mean the foster home may be required to travel to the selected clinic. If the dog is injured but it is not life threatening, the foster home should call a volunteer for instructions. We have volunteers who are educated in animal treatments and first aid and may be able to help out in these situations.
Feeding your greyhound – always provide a good quality dry food (provided by BTG), and a mixture of raw or cooked meat like chicken, beef or lamb is a recommended addition. Pasta and rice are also a great addition to a dog’s diet. Yogurt is great for the digestion and sardines will make your greyhounds coat shine like a diamond! Please do not feed homebrand kibble, Raw hides or canned food.
Home life - the foster family will teach the greyhound everything it needs to know about family life. Expose it to the daily on-goings of the family home. From vacuum cleaners to dishwashers to car rides, taking walks down the street and meeting new friends. The greyhound needs to learn as much as it possibly can to prepare for life in its new forever home.
STARTING OFF ON THE RIGHT PAWS
There are a few things you can do to get your foster dog off to a great start in his new home. By exposing the dog to as many "new" things as possible you are providing the opportunity to best assess the temperament of the dog in order that it be placed in the most appropriate home. Some things you can teach your foster greyhound are listed below.
STAIRS
Many Greyhounds have never had to walk up or down stairs, and some find them awkward or even frightening at first, especially if the steps have a slippery surface. Greyhounds are very long in the body and also have a very high centre of gravity - this can sometimes make them a little clumsy as if they are unsure of where their feet are being placed. Gradual introduction to low sets of stairs initially (numbering no more than three or four) to gain the dog's confidence can later be followed by steeper stairs or those with varying surfaces (carpet, cement, wooden floorboards, linoleum etc.). Some Greyhounds will have no difficulty with stairs right from the outset, however there will always be those that just cannot manage stairs. In that case, an adoption home without stairs will need to be found.
FLOOR SURFACES
Like stairs, often Greyhounds have never had to deal with slippery floor surfaces like tiles, linoleum or polished floorboards. As above, time and experience should sort out any difficulties here as long as the dog is introduced slowly and without force. If a new dog is very hesitant, placing squares of carpet pieces, towels or mats across the floor at intervals may help, over time the distance between the floor coverings can be increased, thereby requiring the dog to walk on the floor surface.
GLASS WINDOWS & DOORS
Some dogs will not recognise glass as being a solid barrier when first brought into a house. Showing the dog around each new room on a lead and gently tapping on windows or glass doors may be all that is required. Temporarily placing a strip or two of masking tape across glass barriers may make them more obvious. In cases where strong visual stimuli are present on the other side of the glass (e.g. cats or other pets playing), and the dog is showing excessive interest, drawing the curtains or removing the dog from that room may be a temporary option.
HOUSEHOLD LEARNING
The sound of household appliances such as televisions, hairdryers, food processors, vacuum cleaners etc. can be frightening to any dog that has never experienced these before. Even the flushing of a toilet can be quite novel. In most cases, short exposure to such noises on repeated occasions (if carried out in a non-threatening manner) is all that is necessary.
TOILET TRAINING
Most Greyhounds do not come toilet trained as such. However, they are generally very clean dogs. Living in a kennel environment, most dogs do not like to soil their sleeping quarters, and will wait until turned out to relieve themselves. When first brought into the home, the Greyhound should be treated in a similar manner to a puppy being housebroken - taking the dog outside every couple of hours for the first day or so, especially after meals, play and long naps.
Praise the dog as soon as it performs in an appropriate place. Gradually, over a few days, increase the intervals between toilet breaks until a mutually acceptable routine is established. The majority of Greyhounds will virtually toilet train themselves and often never have an accident inside. Some males may need to learn the difference between indoor (potted) plants and outdoor vegetation.
It is important over the first few days to watch the greyhound closely when it is inside your house, so that you may correct it immediately if it tries to go to the toilet.
When catching the dog in the act, say a firm NO and immediately take the dog outside. When it then continues to go to the toilet outside, praise the dog profusely or use training treats. Do not chastise the dog if it has an accident inside and you are not there to catch it in time. Correcting the dog after the event will only serve to confuse and frighten the dog - corrections must be made at the time of the discretion, and not afterwards.
CHILDREN
Although not all foster homes will have children, it is necessary to ascertain a dog's reaction to young children. This could be done to some degree by visiting a local park or sports field, friends or family, especially on weekends. Unlike adults, children tend to move rapidly, not always in a coordinated manner, and may shriek out in high-pitched tones. To a young excitable Greyhound, this may be an incentive to either run away or to try to chase and play. Such a desire may be exacerbated when rollerblades, skateboards or bicycles are added to the picture. The majority of Greyhounds are excellent with children in the home environment, preferring to walk away if harassed by a persistent child, but close supervision is essential as with any breed. Any tendency for the Greyhound to exhibit dominance posturing towards a child, barking, growling etc., should be noted and positively corrected. Please let BTG know as soon as possible if you see this behavior so we can assist with the training.
GROOMING
Racing Greyhounds are quite used to being bathed, groomed and massaged. However, it is important to determine that the dog does not have any "sensitive" areas, which may indicate injuries. The dog should accept its feet being handled, nails clipped, ears cleaned and eyes and mouth inspected, as well as being groomed all over with a soft brush.
CAR RIDES
Most Greyhounds are veterans when it comes to rides in the car, and usually love to go on an outing. Motion sickness would be a rare entity. However, getting into and out of a car may need to be taught. Most racing Greyhounds are transported in either a station wagon, panel van or dog trailer. Trainers will generally lift a dog into and out of the vehicle to avoid injuries. The easiest way to begin is to lift the front end of the dog and rest its forefeet on the seat or tailgate. Then transfer your hands to the rear end of the dog and lift the back legs in. Many dogs, with repeated practice will learn to hop in themselves, but some will always expect a helping hand. Experience at climbing onto a rear (bench) seat of a car and lying down whilst driving should be gained as not all adoptive families will own station wagons. It is also important to teach the dog not to get into or out of the car until you have asked it to do so.
OTHER PETS
Greyhounds are generally used to being around other Greyhounds, but many have little or no experience of different dog breeds, cats or other pets. It should be remembered that Greyhounds have been bred for centuries to chase and the prey drive in some individuals means they can never be fully trusted with small animals.
Many, however, will learn to accept other pets if introduced slowly and carefully, always under strict supervision. Any introductions should always be carried out on lead, and with the Greyhound properly muzzled, until the dog's reactions can be assessed. If the foster carer has to leave, even for a brief time, the Greyhound should be separated from other animals until the carer feels confident that the dog poses no threat to their other animals. Risks should never be taken with the safety of your own pets.
POSSESSIVNESS
Two things a Greyhound (or any other dog) may feel possessive about are food and its sleeping quarters. During the fostering period, the dog should learn to accept its food and food bowl being handled in a non-threatening manner. Any foster dog should always be fed separately from other pets.
After the first three or four days, when the dog should be learning to trust the foster carer, food can be added to the bowl gradually by hand as the dog is eating. Eventually, by the end of the foster period, the dog should accept the food bowl being taken away and, ideally, food or other objects being taken from its mouth. Needless to say, care should be taken in these circumstances and an assessment of the dog's temperament made before proceeding.
The Greyhound should also permit its bedding to be handled, sat in etc. Sleep-space aggression is reported in some Greyhounds, usually in response to being woken or disturbed suddenly during a nap.
Some Greyhounds do sleep with their eyes open, so it is important to ensure that the dog is fully awake before touching and surprising it. Greyhounds tend to sleep very deeply, and may take a while to arouse. As they are generally housed individually in racing kennels, they are not used to other dogs, children etc. tripping over them in their sleep. All of these things will help to make your foster greyhound a pleasure to be around and will help us to get more of these deserving, lovely dogs into good homes.
OBEDIENCE TRAINING
Each foster carer is expected to begin teaching their foster dog the following:
WALK ON A LOOSE LEAD
"GO TO BED"
"Drop" and "STAY" (if possible)
“Back or Wait” – to teach them to stay back from opening doors and to wait for food
Please continue to use these commands during their stay with you. This will reduce confusion for the foster dogs caused by each carer using different commands.
Please be firm with your foster dogs. By being soft, and allowing undesirable behaviour to continue, you are extending the fostering process, confusing the dog, and increasing the likelihood that the dog will fail its assessments.
By being patient, fair and firm, you are giving the dog the rules they need which will make them happy, and you are helping them be a well-mannered dog that is a pleasure to be around.
As mentioned earlier, racing Greyhounds are used to a fairly regimented life with few options or choices to make in its day to day activities. The majority of Greyhounds are creatures of habit, and are most relaxed when a set routine is in place.
Family life does not always fall into a perfect routine, but establishment of set meal times and regular exercise and toileting opportunities will help a new Greyhound to feel at ease.
When a Greyhound is suddenly given the freedom of an entire house and has some choice in how it spends its time, it may revert to a (temporary) second puppyhood.
SOCIALISING WITH OTHER DOGS
Another important aspect of fostering greyhounds will be teaching them to socialise with other dogs big and small. Taking them out to meet friendly and relaxed doggy friends will help the greyhound adjust to different breeds. Short friendly 2-3 second greet then off for a short walk is a great way to start the process. Obedience training is also a great option as it is a controlled area and they are learning with you.
SMALL DOG SOCIALISATION - It is important that greyhounds in foster care are taught how to socialize with small dogs in particular, as that is just one of the important requirements they need to achieve in order to receive a muzzle exemption. They need to be taught positive interaction and also how to manage the “chase” mode that is embedded into theri DNA.
To start, try positive interaction with small dogs that are not running and then gradually teach them that not everything that runs is to be chased. Once they learn that they are actually a dog, and that interaction is positive, they will begin to learn more. Some dogs may need a firm but positive leader to help them manage this behavior. But with consistent and regular training, they will begin to understand and learn the social behavior that is required from them.
**If you feel your greyhound needs more socialization with small dogs, please contact us. We can arrange for a one on one session to help you and the dog learn more.
Dog Parks- Off lead dogs in doggy parks can be unpredictable because the owners are not in control of their dog’s behavior. The law states that Greyhounds in public MUST wear a muzzle at all times and be on a lead no longer then 2meters in length.
Greyhounds are not able to defend themselves while muzzled should an attack from another dog happen while in an off lead dog park. To protect our beautiful greyhounds from incidences like this from occurring, BTG does not suggest or support taking your foster greyhound into dog parks where other dogs are off lead.
Instead, ask someone to take a walk with you and your greyhound, or go to a friend’s house where the temperament of the other dog is known to you. Monitor the social activity of the greyhound and other dog and always make sure your greyhound is muzzled during this activity. Slow introduction on lead and muzzled is a good start until you know how your greyhound will handle the situation.
OFF LEAD RULES
Greyhounds by law are not allowed off lead. Yes there are council allowances. However, BTG do not approve of these off lead areas, and as such do NOT allow our greyhounds to participate in off lead activites. This is for the saftey of the dogs and others. Please remember, greyhounds are no longer at their peak physical performance and/or have race injuries prior to retirment, off lead running could cause further injury or worse, to the greyhound.
Group running - Letting a group of greyhounds run together, especially without muzzles, is very dangerous as they are all highly competitive animals and can nip each other when running. This can cause SERIOUS injury to a greyhound that genally requires veterinary care. BTG do not approve of off lead activities. If you are responsible for your greyhound participating in such acitivies, and your greyhound injures another or is injured, you will be liable for the veterinary costs associated with this.
PLEASE - DO NOT LET YOUR GREYHOUND OFF LEAD
GOOD HOUSE MANNERS
It is important that some basic ground rules are established for the dog early in the foster period and that all members of the family abide by them. Restricting the dog to certain rooms in the house, at least initially, may make supervision easier. This may be achieved by simply keeping doors closed or by using baby gates or other barriers.
BEDS and COUCHES
Most Greyhounds will discover soft human beds or lounge chairs within the first few days (or hours) after arrival. Although Greyhounds are the ultimate "couch potatoes", taking lounging almost to an art form, it must be remembered that their future adoptive home may not condone such practices. As a result PLEASE DISCOURAGE your foster dogs from reclining on the furniture as much as possible. Once they have learnt to sleep on a couch or bed it is much harder to teach them to now get off it than it is to encourage them up there in the first place.
A soft bed of their own, located in a quiet corner, should be provided, and the dog should be encouraged to retreat there with the command "on your bed". The bed should be positioned so that the dog can take in most of the household activities without getting in the way. You may wish to move the dog's bed to just inside your bedroom, or close by, at night, so that the dog feels secure by your presence, and so that you can supervise the dog's nighttime activities.
FOOD
Some Greyhounds newly introduced to the home may maximise their opportunities by helping themselves to 'people food' left on kitchen benches or tables (also known as "counter surfing"). Because Greyhounds are so tall, reaching such places is quite easy. The obvious solution is not to leave anything tempting lying within reach. Using positive training techniques is a good way to train them to stay away.
PATIENCE and TRAINING
Certain concessions need to be made for a foster Greyhound as they are encountering many new experiences over a relatively short period of time. However, some will need to be given firm guidelines as to acceptable and non-acceptable behaviour within the home, and when out in public. Most Greyhounds are quite sensitive creatures and gentle measures such as a stern, disapproving tone of voice is usually sufficient to get the message across.
Greyhounds can read your body language easily, this includes voice tones. This together with positive training will ensure your greyhound is learning the rules of the house.
Please praise the dog when it does the right thing.
Assistance from the BTG volunteers or a skilled dog trainer is available if required. Please be sure to call BTG if you have any queries.
In spite of the warnings mentioned above, most Greyhounds will walk into a house for the first time and proceed to take all in their stride as if they had been there all their lives. They are generally fairly laid back creatures with tremendous adaptability and understanding.
ALMOST READY FOR ADOPTION
Greyhounds in foster care are required to pass a temperament assessment, we call this their "ME TEST" (Muzzle Exemption Test) before it can be adopted into a new home. This will determine its temperament and what type of home the greyhound will require. Greyhounds will stay in foster care until a suitable adoptive family can be found. BTG does not place time frames on foster care because each dog is different and learns at a different rate. You may have your dog with you for 8 weeks (minimum) or 4+ months (this is usually for dogs that require special homes) Some may need less time or more time depending on their situation and temperament. BTG does not have the ability to move dogs at short notices unless it is an emergency.
** If you cannot hold a dog for a certain period (e.g. you are going away for a holiday) please let us know before you collect your foster dog. We know emergencies arise from time to time, and we will do our very best to accommodate you if possible. Please keep in mind we are limited to the movement of the greyhounds due to the amount of volunteers and carers.
You've fallen in love with your foster dog!
Don't worry, this is a common occurrence! Often foster carers become very attached to their foster dog and wish to keep him/her. We are more than happy to accommodate this as long as a potential adoptive family has not already met the dog and agreed to adopt it. If a foster home wishes to keep a dog, the usual adoption fee will apply.
Follow-up and monitoring
We realise that foster carers are generously opening up their homes and hearts to these dogs, and all support/advice necessary will be given promptly. The follow up and monitoring of foster greyhounds is generally done by phone or text. We also appreciate that foster homes may not wish to care for dogs continually. Some may only try it once and decide it's not for them. Others may want a break between dogs, or may have holidays or other commitments planned for the near future. Whatever assistance an approved foster home can make will be accepted most gratefully.
Compassion, patience and understanding
Like humans, each dog is an individual. Greyhounds as a rule are quiet, well mannered, affectionate dogs. However, some dogs can initially be difficult to deal with. They may bark, whine, go to the toilet in inappropriate places, and exhibit other undesirable behaviours. The role of the foster carer is to assist the dog with getting over these problems. If the dog is demonstrating severe, destructive and dangerous behavioural problems then please contact one of the BTG members and we will arrange for helpful advice or if needed, the removal of the dog from your home.
With compassion, patience and understanding, you'll be able to turn a keen athlete into the ultimate couch potato!