GAP NZ video diary — what days 1–30 really look like (Coby)
Bec fostered Coby in 2020 and filmed the whole settling. Watch in this order inside the Settling Video Diary:
| Days | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Keep it small. One room, sniff / feed / rest. No walks beyond garden. |
| 2–3 | Basic attention games · expose to more in small steps · muffin-tin enrichment. |
| 4–6 | Go at dog's pace + games · offer choices · clicker ("Yes!") · start "on your bed". |
| 7–8 | Routine forms: outside sniff → breakfast → crate rest → 15-min lunch walk → rest → evening outside / toys → dinner. Name inside. Not interested in treats in paddock at first — expected. Let them process. |
| 9 | Growling — must-watch. Never punish; it's communication. |
| 11–12 | Socialising with other dogs · loose-lead + attention. |
| 13–14 | First night sleeping alone · body language · nutrition / enrichment feeding · daily routine. |
| 15–16 | "On the bed" · stop jumping up · raise criteria · default behaviours (do X when Y happens). |
| 17–18 | Nose-touch target · stand-on-something (super useful). |
| 19–20 | Whining · focus with distractions · learning to be left alone. |
| 21 | 3 weeks in: what he has / hasn't done — take it slowly. |
| 22–28 | Car training · chicken training continues · sleep routines · first real walk · food enrichment + play. |
| 30 | Final check-in — how far he's come. |
Use this diary as your mirror: if Coby didn't do it on that day, your dog doesn't need to either. Progress is not linear — days 7–8 "no interest" is normal processing.
The daily template (pin to fridge)
| Time | What | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wake + 0–30 min | Toilet trip (lead + muzzle), breakfast, water. | Same door, same phrase: "Toilet?" Log it (Guide 3). |
| Morning | Days 1–3: NO walk — garden sniff / toilet only (GAP). Day 4+: short sniffy walk 10–15 min once daily. | Quiet garden / street. No traffic / people / dogs. Muzzle on. Practise attention at home first. |
| Midday | Toilet + 5-min sniff / training game OR rest + enrichment. | Greyhounds sleep 16–18 h/day at first — normal. GAP: rest in crate, no fuss. |
| Afternoon | Toilet, dinner, gentle handling (teeth / paws) if calm. | Stop if stressed. Treats for calm. |
| Evening | Short garden wander / sniff, toilet last thing, 3-step bedtime (below). | Same order every night → predicts sleep. |
| Night | Crate / bed nearby; toilet if whining + needs out. | Don't chat / play. Toilet → back to bed. |
Feeding: 2 meals, same time and place, pick the bowl up after 20 minutes. Keep the kennel food. Log appetite, stool and water intake daily.
Day 0 — adoption / pickup day
Before you leave
- Car: waterproof blanket on back seat, water bowl, towel, poo bags, treats, lead + muzzle in bag. Drive calmly, no loud music.
- Phone: adoption contact, vet, emergency vet saved.
At pickup
- Ask: exact food + amounts, toilet routine, crate history, stairs, cats / other dogs, vet needs, muzzle / lead fit, any cough / diarrhoea. Get written notes.
- Let the dog toilet in the kennel yard before the car ride. Walk on lead (don't carry unless needed). Calm voice, no fussing crowd.
On arrival home (do in this order)
- Toilet first: lead + muzzle straight to the toilet spot. Wait quietly, say "Toilet?" Reward any toilet with praise + treat back inside.
- Explore one room: show crate / bed (door open). Let them sniff. Ignore excitement — sit calmly nearby.
- Water, then first meal only when settled (some won't eat until night — normal).
- Short walk: 10–15 min only, quiet route. End on success.
- Evening: calm, no visitors / phone calls / video calls. Crate / bed nearby with blanket. Expect whining and restlessness.
Sleep choice: crate in the bedroom (easiest for night toilets) or bed + baby gate in the living room if you wake easily. Decide before day 0 — switching later is harder.
GAP NZ 3-step bedtime (~20 min) — use from night 1
- Train (5 min, low movement): hand-touch, eye contact, or "down" — or light circular massage in fur direction. Tires the brain, not the body.
- Toilet: lead to garden, say "busy", wait. No zoomies en route.
- Chew / lick in crate (5–10 min): a chew or peanut-butter Kong / lick smear. Independent settling, not staring at you.
Night plan: nights 1–3 crate in your room (even if sleeping well — first nights without another dog are hard). Nights 4–6 move further (other side / outside door) when sleeping through. Night 7: try the future room. If escalating (louder / longer / moving) → no talk, on lead → 5-min toilet → crate + chew. If stuck, step back a night — don't push through.
Sleep-startle: greyhounds can sleep with eyes open and snap if touched awake. Talk to wake, don't touch. This is why GAP keeps hounds off human furniture (they slept undisturbed in their own kennel before).
Days 1–7, day by day
Days 1–2 — decompress
- Do: frequent toilet trips (Guide 3), meals, lots of sleep. One room only. Brief handling (collar touch, lead on / off) with treats.
- Don't: visitors, baths (unless essential), off-lead, dog parks, long car rides, new foods, vet stress if avoidable.
- Normal: won't eat, eats only at night, toilets in crate / on bed, stares / frozen, whale eye, ears back, panting, trembling, clingy, restless night, diarrhoea (stress / diet change).
- Alone time: only seconds–minutes in the same room (Guide 4). Never leave the house alone yet.
- Daily checklist: toilet log started · food / water amounts logged · stool noted · bed / crate found · name & "sit" intro (1–2 min, Guide 4) · evening wind-down same time.
Days 3–4 — routine emerging
- Many dogs start eating normally, toilet in a set spot, choose a favourite sleeping spot, and show first tail wags / play bows.
- Expand to 2 rooms if toilet management is working. Introduce stairs / slippery floors slowly (rugs, treat trails) — don't carry for days or they never learn.
- First vet visit (day 3–7): bring records, ask about teeth, weight, vaccines, parasite plan. Keep it low-stress: non-slip mat, treats, short.
- Begin the alone-time ladder (Guide 4): 10 sec → 30 sec → 1 min → 2 min while you're still home / in the garden.
- Practise: name = look at you, "sit", hand-touch, crate = treat (2–3 min, 2×/day max).
3-day milestone: not "perfect" — just some routine: eating, toilet attempts outside, settling after walks, accepting lead / collar.
Days 5–7 — short, predictable outings
- Try a slightly busier street at distance, 5 min only. End before stress builds. Muzzle still on.
- Introduce one calm visitor at a time (preferably outside / on a walk first), short, treat, then leave.
- Start loose-lead basics on quiet streets (Guide 4). No pulling corrections — reward walking near you.
- Expand garden access; teach gate / door handling. Night: fewer wakes — stretch the final toilet later, morning earlier.
- Review the log: eating, toilet success %, sleep, alone tolerance. Note patterns for the vet.
- Daily checklist: vet done or booked · alone time: minutes without panic · stairs learned / in progress · name response at home · visitor greeting calm · stool normal ≥2 days.
Contact the adoption group / vet same day if: no eating >48 h, vomiting / diarrhoea >24 h, blood in urine or stool, coughing / wheezing, limping, panic / barking / destruction when alone, aggression or growling at handling, more than 8 toilet accidents a day after day 3 — or you feel unsafe.
What to do when… (week-1 playbook)
| Situation | Do this | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Won't eat | Warm food slightly, hand-feed a few pieces, try a quiet corner, keep the routine. Log water. | New foods, table scraps, loud coaxing. |
| Won't toilet outside | Wait 10 min calmly, walk back in, try again in 15 min. Check spot / surface — try grass vs pavement. | Dragging, scolding, puppy pads everywhere (delays learning). |
| Panting / pacing / whining at night | Toilet → water → settle. Hand on chest, no chat. Calm music / low light. | Fetching for cuddles every time (builds night waking). |
| Startled / frozen on walk | Stop, crouch sideways, wait. Treat, turn back. Shorten walk. | Pulling, loud reassurance, forcing greeting. |
| Chases cat / squirrel | Turn away, "this way", treat. Increase distance. Muzzle on. | Chasing after the dog, shouting, off-lead "tests". |
| Mouthing / jumping | Stand still, arms folded, treat when four paws are down. Redirect to a toy. | Pushing, eye-contact battles, rough play. |
Week-1 tracker (copy to a notebook)
| Day | Ate? (meals) | Toilet success | Slept? Night wakes | Alone time | Notes / mood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | |||||
| 1 | |||||
| 2 | |||||
| 3 | |||||
| 4 | |||||
| 5 | |||||
| 6 | |||||
| 7 |
Freezing on walks — if it happens (GAP NZ)
Freezing is fear, not stubbornness. Dogs have 4 stress options: fight / flight / fidget / freeze. Greyhounds commonly freeze after too-much-too-soon. It is preventable.
- Prevent: no walks for 3–7 days · practise attention / loose-lead at home (no distractions) first · quiet places only · same 1–2 spots for months · sniff at the dog's pace (not exercise) · give distance to observe (dogs / buses / people) so they choose forward, away or stay.
- If frozen: stop. Don't pull, lure or crowd. Side-on wait, treat if they move, then turn back. Shorten or skip the walk; play at home instead (fleece tug, tossed treats, DIY enrichment). Rushing risks a dog who freezes at the front door.
- Video: 7. Freezing on Walks — GAP NZ.
Expect the 3-week mark to be the first big shift: more personality, more testing, possibly a "regression" (Coby day 21). Stay boring and consistent.
Resources — GAP NZ + further reading
| Read / watch | Why |
|---|---|
| Settling Video Diary (Coby) | Day-by-day reality check, days 1–30. |
| Settling In + Settling at Night | Top-10 + 3-step bedtime + night plan. |
| 2. Fear and Anxiety | Body language for every walk and introduction. |
| 7. Freezing on Walks | Prevention + rescue plan. |
| 3. Settling at Night | Nights 1–7 progression. |
First-week FAQs
My new greyhound won't eat in the first few days — is that normal?
Yes — not eating, or eating only at night, is normal for the first 1–3 days of decompression. Warm the food slightly, hand-feed a few pieces, try a quiet corner, keep the routine and log water intake. Contact the vet if no eating goes beyond 48 hours.
When can I start walking my new greyhound?
Not before 3 days home — GAP NZ recommends no walks for at least 3 days (3–7), then quiet routes only: no traffic, crowds or other dogs. Use the garden for toilet and sniffing first, and practise attention and loose-lead skills at home before the first street walk. Jumping ahead is the most common cause of freezing on walks.
Where should a new greyhound sleep the first nights?
Nights 1–3: crate next to your bed (even if they sleep well — first nights without other dogs are hard). Nights 4–6: move the crate further away. Night 7: try the future permanent room. If distress escalates, use the reset: no talking, on lead for a 5-minute toilet trip, then back in the crate with a chew.
What is the GAP NZ 3-step bedtime routine?
About 20 minutes, in the same order nightly: 1) Train — a 5-minute low-movement session (hand-touch, gentle massage); 2) Toilet — on lead with your cue word ("busy"); 3) Chew — a chew or stuffed Kong in the crate for 5–10 minutes so the dog settles independently.
Why does my greyhound growl or snap when woken (sleep startle)?
Greyhounds can sleep with their eyes open and startle badly if touched while asleep — a reflex from kennel life. Talk to wake, don't touch. Never punish the growl — it is information. This is why GAP NZ keeps new greyhounds off human furniture at first, especially in homes with children.
What are the red flags in the first week?
Call the adoption group or vet the same day for: no eating over 48 h; vomiting or diarrhoea over 24 h; blood in urine or stool; coughing; limping; panic, barking or destruction when alone; growling at handling; more than 8 toilet accidents a day after day 3 — or anything that makes you feel unsafe. Bloat signs (retching, swollen belly) are an emergency.