Settling In: The First Few Weeks

This page is your guide to those first few crucial weeks. Don’t worry. We’ve all been there.

From rescue to resting hound. What to expect

You’ve brought your sighthound home. Congratulations, you’ve also signed up for a crash course in patience, routine, and possibly cleaning up a few nervous accidents.

The early days are all about adjustment – for them and for you. Some dogs settle quickly, others take weeks or months to decompress and start trusting their new world. There’s no set formula, but a calm, consistent routine will help more than anything else.

This page is your guide to those first few crucial weeks. Don’t worry. We’ve all been there. (And yes, we also panicked when they didn’t eat on day one.)

The First Night
Two dogs wearing muzzles in a fenced outdoor kennel area.

The 3 - 3 - 3 Rule

This is a helpful guideline used by many rescue organisations. It’s not a science, but it gives you a sense of what’s normal.

  • 3 days to feel overwhelmed, disoriented or completely zonked out.

  • 3 weeks to start learning the routine, recognising faces, and testing a few boundaries.

  • 3 months to properly settle, feel secure, and show their full personality.

Some dogs fly through this. Others take longer. Neither is wrong. Go at your dog’s pace. We’re still seeing our hounds open up and change through the years.

The First Night

What to Expect: The First Few Weeks

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    Routine, Boundaries, and Downtime


    Routine is everything. Feed at the same times. Walk at the same times. Keep things predictable. It helps your dog feel safe when nothing else makes sense yet.

    Set clear boundaries early. Decide now if they’re allowed on the sofa, in the bedroom, or to free-roam the house. Changing the rules later just confuses them.

    And don’t overdo it. These dogs are used to quiet kennels, not open-plan chaos. A quiet house and lots of naps is exactly what they need.

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    Sleep, Stress and Finding Their Feet


    Expect them to sleep – like, a lot. It’s how they recover from the stress of change. Some will curl up and sleep for 20 hours a day. Others will pace, stand awkwardly in doorways or refuse to lie down at all. Some accidents will happen. This is also normal.

    Watch for stress signs: heavy panting when it's not warm, whining, restlessness, or shutting down. Let them rest. Keep voices low. Be boring, in the best possible way. Just until they get settled.

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    The First Walk


    Keep it short and quiet. Your dog doesn’t need to see the park, the high street and the café on day one. A walk up and down your road is plenty. Some hounds have never been in a town or city below. They only saw a race track and their kennel.

    Stick to quieter streets while they adjust to sights, sounds and smells. Many ex-racers have never walked on pavements, seen wheelie bins or heard motorbikes. Let them sniff, let them stop. There’s no rush.

  • Modern wooden house with stone steps, surrounded by grass and plants, with mountains in the background.

    Visitors and Stimulation (or lack thereof)


    As tempting as it is to show off your new arrival, give them space. No welcome parties, no drop-ins, and definitely no “let’s bring the neighbour’s dog round to meet them” on day two.

    Your dog is overloaded. Even if they seem calm, their brain is working overtime. Let them learn your household first. Other people can wait a week or two.

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    Children, Cats and Other Dogs


    Set clear boundaries with the kids in your house. Teach them to leave the dog alone while sleeping or eating, and never to sit on the bed with them. A startled dog can react instinctively, even if they’ve never shown signs of aggression.

    Use a muzzle and lead for all early interactions. Never assume your dog is cat-safe until proven. Keep them apart when unsupervised. Many hounds can live happily with cats, but it takes management and careful training.

    With dogs, start with short, calm, on-lead introductions in neutral spaces. Don’t force play. Many hounds aren’t used to other breeds, especially smallies.

  • Night-Time Routines


    Before bed, make sure they’ve been out for a toilet break – ideally on lead. Keep the house quiet. Give them a soft bed in a safe space, and let them wind down.

    Some dogs sleep through from the start. Others cry, pace or howl for the first few nights. It’s not personal. They’re confused and possibly alone for the first time in their life.

    You can sleep nearby for the first night or two if needed, or use a baby gate so they can still see you. Don’t fuss if they cry. Reassure quietly, then give them space to settle.

The Sighthound Superpowers

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    Speed

    A greyhound can hit 45mph in a few strides. Most of them, however, would prefer not to.

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    Grace

    Even at rest, they carry themselves with a kind of quiet elegance. Until they flop off the sofa mid-roach.

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    Sleep

    Greyhounds are fast. For about four minutes a day. The rest of the time, they are Olympic-level nappers.

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    Lurchers

    Depending on what your hound is crossed with, you’re either nodding here or disagreeing!

Myths & Misconceptions

What people think they know about sighthounds… and what’s actually true.

  • Nope. Greyhounds and many other sighthounds are world-class sprinters, not marathon runners. They're more ‘one zoomie, three naps’ than ‘hike every hill in Ireland’. Most are perfectly happy with a couple of short walks a day, and the occasional burst of dramatic galloping.

  • They're actually the best house dogs. Even better in apartments as they won’t need to bother with the stairs! Quiet, clean, polite, and unnervingly good at doing nothing at all. Greyhounds in particular were practically designed for domestic life: minimal shedding, rarely bark, and they somehow take up all of the sofa with just one leg.

  • It depends. Some sighthounds have a strong prey drive (especially if they’ve been encouraged to chase in training), but many can live happily with cats, small dogs, and even rabbits, with proper introductions and patience. It’s not a no, it’s a let’s see.

  • Bless. These dogs are basically skin, bone, and drama. Without much body fat or a thick coat, sighthounds hate the cold and will 100% judge you if they’re not wearing a fleece. Or two. Unless, of course, they’re mixed with a hardy breed such as a terrier or collie. Get to know your dog and then make a decision.

  • Oh, they’re clever. Selective, stubborn, and sometimes too clever. These dogs just don’t see the point in doing things that aren’t fun, comfortable, or treat-related. They’re problem-solvers, especially when the problem is: how can I get that snack without moving too much?

  • Nope. While many greyhounds in Ireland and the UK are bred for racing, there are also non-racing greyhounds, lurchers (sighthound mixes), and whippets who’ve never set paw on a track. Each one’s story is different, but they all deserve soft landings and a lifetime of cuddles (at a time of place of their choosing, of course).

  • The racing industry loves what these dogs can do, not who they are. Many are discarded once they’re no longer fast enough. Injuries, abandonment, and neglect are heartbreakingly common. That’s why we’re here: to give them a future beyond the finish line.

  • Send us your favourite sighthound myth via the Contact Page, and we’ll add it to the list (with a side of sass).

Adopting a Sighthound