Frequently Asked Questions

This section of the website is here to offer some thoughts and suggestions for some common, and some not-so-common, problems that people sometimes face with a newly adopted rescue dog.

Remember that the dog may have had a traumatic previous life – or it may just have had different ‘rules’ applied, and above everything else, patience and gentleness with persistance will be rewarded.

The suggestions here are NOT a panacea for all problems, and often the best thing to do is talk to your EGLR contact, or Pip herself. Sometimes a little ‘throw-away’ comment can lead to uncovering an underlying problem that you may not have spotted.

Please remember, if the problem you are facing is on-going or medical, then the best thing to do is seek advice from your local vet or dog behaviourist.

Send the questions you were too afraid to ask to fbq@lurcher.org.uk, we shall pick the ‘best’ or ‘most asked’ ones and try to answer them for you.

Why do lurchers & sighthounds wear large leather collars?
Some of the dogs I see in the park have these broad collars, about 2-3 inches wide on.
What are they for, and do I need one for my dog?

Pip says: “Lurchers and Greys wear these special collars for support of their neck and throat (if the dog was pulling on the lead, and a narrow collar is used, the dogs neck can be damaged). The wide part of the collar should be under the throat to give full support when the dog is on the lead.”

Kerri says: “Also, an ordinary collar can sometimes be shaken loose. These ‘fishtail’ collars can help prevent that from happening too.”

Linda says: “When the dog is at home, I take the large collar off to prevent the dog from getting sore, or developing bald patches round its neck.”

What is a crate / indoor kennel? Do I need one for my dog?

Pip says: “It is a flat-packed metal barred cage that comes in all shapes and sizes. You can think of it as a dog’s den, where he can be comfortable and secure. A crate is not a jail, and should never be used as one.”

Kerri says: “The other thing that a ‘den’ can be useful for is to help with house-training, dogs don’t like to piddle in their ‘nest'”

What can I do to stop my dog eating his own poo? It is his only disgusting habit!

Pip says: “You can try adding pineapple or cauliflower to their food, some people say it works, some say it doesn’t – but what have you got to lose!”

My dog has started to become a bit of a ‘Kitchen Raider’. He is sneaking into the kitchen, and NOTHING is safe. He’s eaten the sunday roast, a packet of Frosties (with the free toy), two loaves of wholewheat bread, a melon, a birthday cake, and a tub of cream. Apart from assistance with the cleaning up afterwards, is there anything we can do to stop my dog eating melons?

Pip says: “Something that has worked for me in the past with some of my foster dogs is to put a plastic container of water near the edge of the counter. If she tries to steal it, it will tip up on her and she will get a bit of a shock, and a bit wet! Obviously make sure whatever you put the water in wont break when it falls on her.”

Kerri says: “We decided to re-train our dog – actually what we did was leave nothing out so there was no temptation. We put a lock on the kitchen door because she can open doors easily. Now, she is always going to be an opportunist, but the change is amazing! We can now go out and leave the kitchen unlocked, she no longer jumps up. If we have meat bones (chicken etc) I put them in the bin outside straight away. In short remove all temptation.”

Why do greyhounds and lurchers need to be fed off of the floor? I’ve seen pictures and heard people talk about food stands. Should I get a stand for my dog?

Pip says: “Food stands are a really good idea and can help dogs to digest their food better. There is evidence that suggests that large dogs are less likely to get stomach torsion or twisted gut. Always remember don’t exercise your dog for at least one hour after food.”

My dog has a secure field that he runs around in and he has never escaped from it – do I need to get an ID tag for him?

Pip says: “It is a legal requirement for a dog to wear an ID tag. You should have your address and telephone number on the tag.”

Kerri says: “It is a good idea NOT to have the dog’s name on the tag. That way, if your dog was to be found after having gone missing – and someone else said that dog was theirs – the dog wardens, etc, would be able to tell that ‘Bert’ answered to his name.'”