Tips for Travel
Travelling with your greyhound can be a great source of fun. Most greyhounds enjoy riding in a vehicle, and also do well on trips or vacations providing that you do a little advance planning.
If you are going to be using a motel, we recommend that you try an overnight stay at a local motel. This will allow you to discover whether your greyhound will accept such accomodations. Sounds funny? Perhaps. But not all greyhounds enjoy and accept strange places. We cannot think of anything worse than planning a vacation, complete with stops at motels that will accept your greyhound, only to find that the greyhound is uncomfortable in those surroundings and ruins your vacation. It can happen.
If your greyhound will not travel comfortably with you, there are a number of options. You may have a family member who can puppysit in your home with your greyhound while you are gone. This gives the greyhound the added advantage of being in familiar territory. If you do not have a family member, there may be a suitable young adult within your local greyhound community that would be willing to do this for a fee. Just make sure that whoever you pick does understand greyhounds and is trustworthy.
Another option is to check with your adoption group or to see if they have any information on greyhound owners who will puppysit your greyhound in their home while you are gone. Many groups have families who will do this on a reciprocating basis. If your adoption group does not have any such information, you may be able to contact other greyhound owners that you know and inquire as to whether they would be interested in doing this. You may be surprised to learn that they have been facing the same problem, and will be more than happy ro make reciprocating arrangements.
A few words of caution, however. We are often lulled to sleep by the fact that our greyhounds are so well behaved that we forget that they are dogs that can and will react by instinct. Introductions between greyhounds and the first few days of being together require strict supervision and the use of muzzles. The pack instinct also seems to become much more prevalent once you exceed two dogs in any one household. They may begin to establish their own pack order, and the owners may become less important in the new heirarchy. Thus, risk of disputes becomes much more possible. Everyone involved in puppysitting must understand this and be willing to use muzzles and supervise properly.
You may also board your greyhound. Again, just be certain that the facility understands your greyhound and its needs. Other greyhound owners may be able to direct you to a suitable facility. Some veterinarians also provide boarding services at a very reasonable cost. This provides you the added security of knowing that your greyhound is in very capable hands (providing that you know the facility or their reputation. If uncertain, seek recommendations from other greyhound owners and, as always, be certain that they understand greyhounds and their needs).