Thanx so much for the advice and support. The shock has worn off but we have had a wake up call about how vigilant we need to be at all times. We are using Walters muzzle more but he is still dragging it up anything he can to try to pull it off. We have decided to try to train him out of this so he accepts his muzzle more if we can. Otherwise he is just going to have to wear it either way whilst we r doing this as we have to put Tilly's safety first as she has so much to lose if it goes wrong. We don't blame Walter at all, he has had so much adjusting to do and dealing with a furry running thing in the house too is such a big ask of him after four years bring trained to chase them. It's our fault the horrible incident took place and we are desperate to get it right. Thanx again for all of the reassurance and we will let you know how things go. Xxx

Hi Littlemoe, you probably have read it already but did you know that there is a section about introducing cats and greyhounds under the care pages? How are they getting on now? Hope things are working out. X

Hello! I completly understand how you are feeling. We have never had a close run with our two and our cats but I understand the worry and stress bringing greyhounds and cats together causes.

We have 2 greys and 2 cats and have had the greys for 18 months. Joey was never very interested but Milly used to fixate and wag her tail!! I used to keep everyone pretty seperate and reward Milly with good to distract her from the cats which always worked. However, we have moved house now and the cats and dogs have to integrate much more. Luckily for us our two are happy wearing muzzles, I leave their muzzles on while the cats are around and today joey and my cat have even rubbed heads and joey sniffed the cats bum!! I think the muzzles are so great as we don't transmit our worry coz we aren't and the animals can all do it at their own pace and we just say no if dogs are too interested. Don't know how I'd manage if they hated their muzzles like Walter does and it's hard when they chase suddenly coz u loose all trust in them. Ours did that a few times if we weren't around (had their muzzles on though) which made me feel like you do but it seems just time and patience is working. Feeding together whilst he is on a lead might help? Rosie xx

hi littlemoe, sorry to hear about your distress. I have no advice to offer and I am sure someone will be along who can help. Our last dog Charlie grey saluki cross rescued from gypsies who had taught him to hunt, I say taught but in reality enhanced his natural instincts. He would scale our hedgerow and nip up the track and on a few occasions bring a chicken back, some what awkward for me with our neighbour and of course the chicken. Rabbits where of no problem until he go older when he would watch rather than hunt. Deer was right until his last day a great sport to chase after. All of this while trying at times, paled into insignificance the pleasure he bought Michelle and I. Bertie our new boy, now been with us a year, is starting to develope his own character after being in kennels for 6 years, not sure about cats, but I know i couldn't trust him with other dogs that don't look like dogs, (small long hair over the eyes )

Until relatively recently unless you was a royal you couldnt own a greyhound, hence the lurcher. Poachers bred a grey cross so the game keepers didn't realise what dogs they had, which they used for coursing. We bring animals into our homes that have instincts that are inbred thousands of years ago and we try to make them fit in, and on the whole they do.

Someone once said to me it's not natural for a dog to like a cat, however I seen many exceptions to that.
As I said at the beginning I have no answer, but best of Luke with your difficult situation. I feel sure give time and a good nights sleep you will sort something.

All the best Roy

Don't know if it would help but we always feed the cat first in front of Dingo. We also put a stair gate at the bottom of the stairs but raised so the cats could escape under it if they needed to. We kept his muzzle on for the first few weeks and if he looked at the cats I would say his name and if he looked at me and away from the cat he would get a treat. We have been really lucky with Dingo though as he shows little interest in the cats (really lucky as we have four!) I hope you sort it soon. X

Hi, I wondered if I could ask for some advice please. We have gone a bit wrong with integrating Walter and our cat Tilly which has resulted in a very scary moment on Sunday night. Tilly came into the living room and Walter got up off the rug and chased her through the house & pinned her to the ground. Rew pulled him off & thankfully the cat is remarkably unscathed. Rew told him off which we dont do as a firm no is usually enough for Walter and he looked very sheepish and subdued for the rest of the night and following morning so it was clear he knew he had done something wrong. We usually carefully manage their time together - one of us holds Walters collar and Tilly moves about freely. Even reading that now I wonder if we have been making it a big thing by handling it in that way. He usually shows no interest at all unless Tilly meowws or runs & that does make him raise his head. The cat is bossy and usually hisses at him and he whimpers and turns away which we have always thought to be a good sign. On this occassion the door wasnt shut properly and the cat got in to the room before we could hold Walter and manage the situation & the rest happened so quickly, he was on his feet and chasing her. His instinct kicked in and that was it. The consequences could have been horrific for the cat and we feel awful. Walter is part of the family now and we need to make it work but it cant be at the cost of Tillys life so we need to get it right. The stakes feel very high at the moment. I think part of the issue is that with the warmer weather Tilly is out a lot so Walter is seeing less of her so I wonder if this is a territory thing. She was around a lot more when he first came and he seemed to accept that, but perhaps that was because he lacked confidence himself at the time. He has always hated his muzzle and if we put it on he drags his nose along the furniture & walls trying to get it off which makes it difficult as it would be a safety net if he had it on. We are going to treat it as though we are going back to day one in terms of integrating them but I wonder if we need to accept Walter isnt cat friendly and will always chase Tilly given the chance, or if with work we can get there. He has been excellent with the other training we have done. When we first had him it was impossible to eat around him or leave food unsupervised but he quickly learnt that sticking his nose in peoples food is a no-no and sits quietly whilst we eat now. His recall is still patchy at best though which was evident when he chased Tilly. I am sure that what we have done to date with Tilly and Walter reads like a catalogue of errors and we are causing tension when they meet - I must admit I always feel a degree of worry which they must sense. We are willign to put the work in and any advice would be gratefully received. Thanks in advance.

Julie came last Sunday and was amazing, really generous with her time and very reassuring. She had some really great practical tips for training Walter which we have started to use. Walter continues to be a star, he hasn't snapped since the incident that I first posted as we have been listening to what he is telling us & I am feeling more sure of him. It seems like he is more sure of me too and is showing lots of affection in his own way and in his own time which is lovely. We are very lucky, he is such a nice boy and is so good when we leave him on his own. Bless him, despite a few anxious moments I wouldn't swap him for the world.

It is great to hear the updates on Walter, sorry to hear about the problem with his leg, hope Andre and the chiropracter can help him. Kind regards. xxx

I have ordered the book tiggersmum - thanks for the suggestion, I think it will really help. I have been continuing to avoid eye contact and only touch Walter if he comes to me. I am slowly seeing a change. I stop touching him if he shows any of the stress signs and he is doing them less often now. He has started to come over to me and put his head in my lap for fuss when I come in to the room which is so nice. One of the hardest things I am finding is to know whether he is using the stress signs as a calming measure to tell me he means no harm, or if he is saying 'back-off I am stressed.' Some experts suggest reciprocating the calming signs (so yawning etc) when he does them which is fine if I am mirroring him saying 'I come in peace' but not if I am effectively telling him to back off! I have therefore just stuck to averting my gaze and moving away if he shows the signals. Any advice anyone has on that would be really appreciated. Julie is coming over on Sunday to do a session with us which I am really looking forward to - having spoken to her she sounds really lovely and I am sure she will be a huge help. He is back to see Andre on Saturday too as his right back leg is still not right & he is continuing to lean his weight to the left. Julie has recommended a chiropracter that treats dogs so I will ask Andre to make a referral for us.

I think you're doing a fabulous job and deserve huge congratulations for reading Walter's own body language rather than just making snap judgements :( There's a great book called (I think) On Talking Terms with dogs by Turid Rugaas. It's got lots of excellent pictures showing various doggy signals .. which like ours can have a few meanings, the book is well worth buying :)The Kennel CLub do an excellent interactive game for kiddies called 'Safe and Sound' which show children how to be safe round dogs - when they're on their bed, when you meet them, when they're in their garden etc etc - access that thro the KC website. Greys are a very submissive breed and their signals can be small - just turning their head away or their eyes hardening can be a big signal that things aren't ok for them so I think it's very important we recognise as much of their language as possible especially cos if we ignore these signals the greyhound might feel it needs to 'shout' - and it's usually the dog who's blamed when accidents happen :( Keep up the excellent work Littlemo Walter is a very lucky boy to have found you :) J x

Thank you all so much for the amazing support & such kind comments. Walter is doing well & has developed a lovely bunny-hop move when excited which makes a very special welcome when we get home! He is still a bit unsure sometimes so i move away when he tells me he is worried. He has come 2 me more & puts his head on my knee. I thunk u can tell from his eyes when he is relaxed & we r seeing much less of the whites of his eyes now. He loves his toys & practically dances at
anything fluffy he can play with (thankfully this doesn't include the cat!). His personality has really started 2 come out over the last couple of days & he is a lot more boisterous than he was which is a good sign I think. It has brought plenty of laughs with it! I can tell already he has a few naughty tricks up his sleeve! Thanks so much again for all if your comments, you are all so very kind. X

These posts are so heart warming! It sounds like you are doing a fantastic job now you are aware of Walters body language and getting support I'm sure it will keep getting better and better. The team at daybreaks are amazing and so helpful you're in good hands. Each grey adjusts to home life differently. I think most of us can put our hands up to something we have learnt from in the early days which looking back on we would do differently now. Great grey owners learn from this and make a difference moving forward. So with that in mind I think Walter is lucky to have a great family adopt him! Please keep us updated. X

Oh, I'm sorry that things haven't gone quite as smoothly as you may have hoped, but as all the others have said, Walter has had a massive change to his routine and environment and is just showing signs of being a bit overwhelmed.
I'm so pleased too, that you have recognised this and are taking the time and effort to work with Walter and at his speed. You will both reap the benefits of this sooner than you realise, I'm sure.
So many people (especially recently) would have returned him, so given that you have seem to have not even considered this brings warmth to my heart.
Keep up the good work, you are just the very sort of person that a Grey needs!! x

Wow, the amount of love and understanding you are showing to him, brought a tear to my eye. I remember some of those early, nervous feelings but they will go as you get used to one another. You are doing a fantastic job. You are blessed to have a lovely greyhound come into your life but walter is very lucky too, having such a loving "mommy" who will work through these early, scarey days with him. X

Awww, your doing amazingly well, you spotted the problem, that deserves huge congrats. My Reubes was not a cuddle boy, its taken him 2 years to accept a cuddle and only on his terms. I call him for his "Loves" and he will come if he wants and stay for a while. Initially only few seconds but now its maybe a whole minute!! Oh and he hates my arm over him - much prefers a neck rub and ear twitch. So glad you mentioned on here your anxieties - a problem shared...... luv t

Hi littlemoe. Doesn't sound like you're doing an awful job to me, sounds like you're doing just fine, you're taking time to understand Walter and work with him to overcome his issues. As you can see, sharing your concerns is the best thing, there are the most amazing people out there who read these comments and can offer up their advice or share their stories. You're never alone - it's more like a big family than a kennels! Good luck to you all and let us know how you get on. Mand, Gent & Emily xx

It sounds like you are doing all the right things with lovely Walter, as you know it is a massive change for him and will take a while for him to adjust. Its so lovely he has fallen on his paws and bagged a sofa with some one so under- standing Im sure in time you will both work it out. :) xxx

Thanks for all of the reassurance. I am working to Walters pace & avoiding holding his gaze as it may be a sign of affection from me but he doesnt share that view at the moment! I am stopping any fuss when any of the stress signs start to show.It seems to be having a positive effect & he came & put his head on my knee for cuddles last night (I was so delighted!). He had sone ear scratches from me & then started to lick his lips & yawn so I stopped & he went off to bed. I can tell he likes them but needs to be more sure of me first. I know there is a chilled boy who wants to be loved & have some cuddles in there, he just needs lots of time to adjust. Feeling less wary of him now I know what to look for. I spoke to Julie who was really helpful & we are going to her class tomorrow & she is coming to our house for a 121 seesion too. She has also recommended a chiropracter as Walters leg is still hurting him - Andre has given him tablets to help with this too. Fiona has also been a huge support so I am feeling a lot happier that I am not doing an awful job. Still feel bad that he has been trying to tell me that he doesnt want all of my cuddles since he arrived before Christmas & I have been blissfully unaware that I have been stressing him out. In fact, its testimony to his good nature that he has only snapped at me a couple of times. He has put up with a lot so it goes to show what amazing dogs these are. Bless him, I know if I come back to read this in 6 to 12 months time I will smile at how worried I have been about it all as he will be a settled boy by then. x

I know exactly how you feel littlemoe, our first greyhound growled at me soon after we had him & I was frightened of him for a while, even though I'd never been scared by a dog before. Looking back, he was probably stressed that his life had changed completely & he was struggling to cope. Walter's lucky you are understanding & trying to help him. In time he (& you) will settle down; that's what happened in my case & we currently have our 3rd & 4th greys!! Good luck.

Hello

Thought that I would respond to this as have a bit of experience with this. Rose, our beautiful greyhound did not like me or my husband cudding her too much for quite some time when we adopted her. She would move her head away from us so quickly and back away, we think it is just the way she is, unlike our two boys who are quite the opposite.

I think it was because she raced for a very long time, spent a long time in kennels and was just unsure of people. She is now more responsive and loving towards us both now but she can still be unsure.

I would say not worry about it too much, although it can be unnerving, I think Walter will accept your cuddles over time, it will be a new world for him right now.

Best wishes.

Sorry to hear Walter is feeling a little stressed at the moment. It's good you have been able to recognise the signs and so can try and help him. Hope all goes well. Kind regards. xxx

Try not to worry too much. He was probably only trying to tell you to back off a bit the only way he knows how. Its hard all we want to do is shower them with affection. In time he'll learn a bit more hooman and you'll learn a bit more grey. Till then it's prob best to let him draw the line when it comes to affectionwhile hes making sense of his new wonderful puzzling scary world xx

Walter has snapped at me a couple of times over the last few days. Scared the life out of me & made me feel a bit nervous of him (not to mention a bit upset!). Any how, having had a look on some web-sites I now realise that Walter has been giving off signs off stress when I have been cuddling him that I was oblivious to. He seemed so layed back I had no idea until he started snapping. The signs include smacking his chops, licking his lips a lot, showing the whites of his eyes at the sides and yawning a lot. He does this whenever I stroke or look at him. I had no idea I was causing him such anxiety as he runs to me with a waggy tail when I go into the room. I have been using techniques to show myself as pack leader including going throug doors first and eating a biscuit in fron of him before feeding him. He is very well behaved around food and when i say 'no' when he is doing someing I dont want him to he stops doing it. It seems in most ways he accepts the hierachy, but I wonder if I have taken it too far and he is scared of me. I have never raised my voice at him & wouldnt dream of using any force so I hope he knows I wont hurt him. I am not giving him cuddles at the moment, even if he comes over to me as the signs suggest he doesnt seem too sure he likes it at the moment. Desperate to cuddle him but until he gets more confident about me I dont want to stress him out or provoke him to snap as I would be devastated if he bit me. I have called Julie who does some of the classes and have arranged to have a proper chat with her tonignt. I am hoping she will do a 121 session with Walter and I in our home setting to help us both feel more confident. Hope Walter knows how much he is loved & is able to be happy with us.

So pleased to hear Walter is settling in well, keep the updates coming :)

How weird - I was only thinking this morning about the lovely Walter and wondering how things were going!! He's such a gorgeous boy I'm so pleased for him and his new family, happy times ahead for all. x

Ah Walter, what a lovely pic with your new parents. You all look very happy, have a great post retirement life! X

Lovely houndie in a lovely new home xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Great news, looking forward to seeing the red sign turn green! Happy retirement Walter. xxx

Hi, its Claire, Walters new mum. Walter is an absolute star, we are very lucky to have him. Fiona has been so supportive and came walking with us last weekend as she said, and we had a really lovely walk. Walter is so loving and easy going. He is excellent with Tilly cat and they now happily sit in the same room together. We are taking it steady so there are no accidents but all the signs are good. Cant imagine life without Walter, so he is definately staying. Going to see Ruth on Sunday to sort out all the bits and pieces to make the adoption formal. I would say to anyone considering rehoming a greyhound its absolutely worth the committment, but remember to listen to all of the advice. Ruth, Fiona and the team will help you to find a dog that is right for you, so do listen to the advice and call if you have a problem, they are amazing. It can feel a bit overwhelming for the first few days, especially if there are a few hiccups but you can work through it with their support. We have made a few anxious calls to them and they gave us the help we needed & we cant thank them enough. We are complete novices to re-homing but its the best decision we made to have Walter. x

Hi Caoline, i went for a lovely long walk with walter and his mummy yesterday. he is doing really well with the cat!! His mum is being extra careful where the cat is concernedm, if he keep being such a fabulous boy that light should be green in no time xxx

Hi Walter wish i saw your light turn green , maybe this will happen very soon, keeping our fingers crossed love Caroline Max & Heidi xx

Hi Stephers - so sorry - no can do! Walter has gone out on trial to see how he is with the cat - keeping our fingers crossed and will keep you posted x

Any chance of a post-op healthy pic of this boy before he leaves, just so we know how extra handsome he really is? Cheeky, I know, but I have developed quite a soft spot for this boy. ;)

Seems like a day for congratulatoins all round, good boy.

oh walter you are such a clever boy- be happy and have a lovely christmas with your new family xx

Talk about make my day! Was so miserable with the rubbishy weather and then i read this. Well done Walter! xx

absolutely fabulous news, well done Walter x

Great news , you deserve a good home handsome !

Fab news, well done x

Great lovely boy, & in time for Christmas.
Love The New Icemaid Clan xx

Well done lovely Walter, another beautiful black boy finds a home! x

Well done my beautiful boy - so happy for you. xx

Well done x

How lovely! Well done Walter. xxx

Well done Walter. Fabulous news for Christmas, Santa has arrived early.

Yeaaay Walter is reserved! So pleased for you sweetheart, hope you are in your new home for Christmas :) xx

A cuddle is coming your way today Walter x x x

had hugs with Walter today! He's lovely, affectionate and really really loves a good neck scratch!! :-) hope he finds a home soon. X

So pleased to hear Walter wound is healing well. xxx

My cuddle for you today, I hope you are feeling better x

Poor Walter, we will come and give you a cuddle next week. x

I hadnt seen Walter since the day of his op till today, so am pleased to see he is healing well, and looks so cute in his lampshade collar, dont worry Ruth, he is fine. xx

Be a good boy and get well soon.
x

Poor Walter managed to knock the scab on his face and has opened the wound up again. He now has the new comfy lampshade collar on I recently bought and hopefully this will help to protect his face while it heals. He is so good and loves you to sit with him and cuddle him.... just adorable!

I hope you are o.k. Harriet is going to cuddle you very soon xxx

Sending a cuddle to Walter in the hope that he is on the mend.

Was great to see the lovely Walter today and to see how well he is recovering. Such a lovely big boy who is so friendly. x

Awwwww Walter, so glad you are getting better, what a brave lad! x

saw walter today his face looks amazing now and is healing so well- you are one handsome dude xx

Walter, you are getting my cuddle again today. Hope you keep feeling better and better :)

Glad to see your feeling better old son. Fancy giving Auntie Ruth a fright like that. Lets hope that someone falls in love with you this weekend xx

Well done for bouncing back Walter!! Here's to your new lease of life :-) xx

great news well done walter see you soon

Fabulous, well done Ruth, you are such a star x

Oh well done Ruth for all your hard work, it must be so hard when you see them suffering. :( Lovely Walter, hope to come and see you next week, will give you a big cuddle. x

Fantastic news- well done Ruth. If anyone can sort the poorly hounds out it's you :) x

Walter is doing well. I managed to stop the bleeding and then gave him an hour in the magnotherapy box. Success! He has not bled all day so I left him at the kennels snuggled into his duvet x

Any news on Walter? X

Hope the vet has been able to help Walter, poor lad. xxx

Poor thing u are having a rough time.u certainly get my cuddle today.xx

Aww, poor baby. I hope he gets sorted at the Vet today and he and Ruth both have a better rest of day and night.
He looks so gorgeous, hate to think of him having such a rough time. Big hugs and kisses xxx

Oh dear, poor sweetheart. He did look so sad when he got back yesterday - I hope a return trip to the vet can get him sorted. A big cuddle for him, and for Ruth too as she nurses the poor boy. xx

oh dear poor walter- i,m sorry he,s still in the wars but at least he was settled with you last night- i hope he gets on ok at the vets xx

Poor Walter is still dripping blood - his duvet is absolutely soaked and looks like a horror scene :-( He did sleep well but I think he will be back to the vets this morning as soon as I can get some kennel cover :-((((

Poor boy. If only we had a way to explain to them why theyre sore and frightened so that they could understand it would make life so much easier. Leave your face alone baby. Youll feel so much better in the morning. Hope he has a restful night and doesnt keep you both awake xxr

Oh poor darling! Sleep well & here's to a better day tomorrow little man xxx

Poor baby, my cuddle for you today x

Oh poor Walter, hope he has a settled night n the bleeding stops. Sending special hugs n kisses
Love Mandy xxxx

Aaaw poor Walter. Hope he calms down and leaves it alone so it has chance to heal.
Ruth....YOU ARE AMAZING!!!! (and Rob too) xx

Poor Walter. Think auntie Ruth will be doing her night nurse duties and have him on regular observations. Hope he is more settled tomorrow, bless him.

Poor Walter, hope he feels better tomorrow. Looks like you're in for a long night Ruth! Mand xx

Awww poor Walter, hope he is ok. xxx

Poor Walter is having a bad time. He freaked out with a lampshade and the donut inflatable collar has not stopped him pawing at the stitches. He has been dripping with blood since he arrived back at the kennels but I have brought him home and popped him in a crate and although he surrounded by blood soaked bedding, he has now settled. I dare not move him as the moment he stands up, it starts dripping again. Poor fella.

poor walter looked a bit sorry for himself when he came back from the vets but he was off to stay at ruth,s tonight so i,m sure he will be just fine- get well soon walter xxx

Cuddles for Walter xxx

Sending my hug to Walter today. Hope it's good news from the vet... X

Lots of love to Walter for his trip to the vets today. xxx

Big cuddles for Walter today from me xxx

Wishing Walter well for today.

We hope all goes well for you today,
Love The New Icemaid Clan x

Good luck Walter x x x Have a cuddle in advance :-) x x x

Dear Walter I will be thinking of you tomorrow, hope all goes well x x x x

good luck walter hope the operation goes well see you soon

Met the beautiful Walter today, he is gorgeous! Really hope all goes well next week with his op. x

Walter has the cutest eyebrows and ears!

Hope everything gos ok with his op next week , hes a proper Handsome lad .

Poor poppett, I look forward to meeting you soon and send you a big cuddle in the meantime. x

met this lovely lad today- i hope all goes well for him

Hope everything will be ok for Walter. He has a lovely face, great name too! xxx

i hope the op goes well, such a handsome lad. big hug from C M H

Giving Walter my cuddle for today and hoping that all will be ok for him next week. He looks so sweet and love the name Walter.

Walter is booked to have the small (hopefully benign) tumour removed next Wednesday.

Oh just look at those eyebrows, they raise up beautifully.
He looks so sorry for himself, but am sure he will settle in nicely, soon enough and melt someone's heart. :)
Look forward to an all clear on the lump

Walter arrived yesterday and is a big handsome fella but has a strange lump on his face just below his eye as you can see on his photo. I am sure it is nothing to worry about but I will be speaking to the vet later about it.

What a lovely face! He does look a bit scared, the nice people at Daybreaks will sort him out with some tlc. Loving the name Walter, you get my hug today. Xx

Met lovely walter today, he seems a great character, was busy playing with his toy when we arrived. :) x

Oh bless, don't look to scared, you're safe now & a forever sofa is just around the corner x

looks like he has an overbite...

Some great videos of him racing and winning on the greyhound data site (and one which is not so good where he was impeded.) You can also see information and video of his dad, Droopys Maldini and his grandad Droopys Vieri on the stud website droopys-stud.com

I think we'll have to call this boy Carlos!