First we want to thank you, because you already have offered a loving home to one of the most mistreated and underestimated dog breeds, or are thinking about doing so.  

These dogs are elegant, gallant, sweet, tender, noble and forever grateful for the love, caring, comfort and friendship, which were them denied from the day they were born.  

We kindly request all new owners to sign an adoption-contract.

Since the galgos are very social dogs, and we have experienced that they as ‘only-dogs’ can be quite depressed, we prefer adopting homes in which there already is a dog or dogs.  

In case an adopting family doesn’t have a dog already, we urge such a family to consider adopting 2 dogs at the same time.
But – no rule without exceptions – so call us …………

Many of the former hunting/racing-dogs have never experienced living in a real home.

They are bred in kennels, sheds, caves or places alike and are trained to hunt smaller furry animals, so it’s necessary to beware of contact with cats.

Some dogs become ‘cat-safe’ right after they are taken in, others need some training and again others are never able to change the power of habit.

On the positive side, we want to mention that the dogs generally are very well behaved on a leach;

They walk without pulling and are normally content being walked.  

Don’t let them run freely the first 3 months after arrival or at least until you are absolutely sure that the dog will come back to you, when you call.

Also only let them run freely in those parks, woods and on those beaches, where dogs without leaches are allowed.

If a galgo spots a prey, it tends to go ‘deaf’ and instinct take over.

A galgo doesn’t need a lot of exercise – by nature it is pretty laid-back and lazy.  

Galgos might suffer from former injuries in joints, toes and muscles, but usually it doesn’t cause any problems, if they get exercise to a normal extend.  

‘House-breaking’ must be trained gradually.
In general they keep their ‘sleeping-quarters’ clean; they tend to consider the floor a toilet, though.

Some get accustomed to ‘do it’ outside right away – others need patience, time, understanding, and encouragement on behalf of the owners to grasp this new routine.
By often taking the dog outside the first couple of days and praise the dog every time it ’does’ outside might be all it takes.
Make it a habit, if it’s a puppy, to take it outside every time it has eaten, slept, played or had something to drink and stay outside with it until it’s done with its business.

Punishment will only frighten and confuse the dog. Punishment won’t help ‘house-breaking’ the dog, and that can’t be emphasized enough.

A galgo / greyhound has a sensitive physiology and it may prove difficult to eat all the food it needs in just one meal.

We therefore recommend splitting up the daily amount of food into 2-3 smaller meals a day. Normally the dogs are not heavy eaters, so it’s recommendable to make sure they are full when having eaten.

The first couple of weeks we recommend to feed the dog soft ‘mild’ food, as this breed has not been used to nutritious meals, at all. Once they are used to real food, we recommend ‘Intestinal’ from Royal Canin, with which we have seen good results.

I
f the dog is very skinny, it can prove very difficult to fatten it up
In that case we recommend ½ puppy-food and ½ adult food and by that give the dog the extra it needs.

Oil or ‘VIACUTAN’ on a daily basis is also recommendable for a period of time.  

On the other hand, some of the dogs love food /love eating. If, in these cases, they are fed too much dried food, there’s a risk that they might ‘overeat’.

Also, in cases like this, it is therefore recommendable to split up the daily amount into 2-3 meals and mix fluid/leftovers in it.
Resting i.e. no exercise after eating for ½-1 hour is also a good idea.  

As a guideline for estimating whether the dog gets enough nutritious food, on should look at the dog.
Hips and ribs are not supposed to stick out.

A well-fed dog is a happier and calmer companion.

Dogs should have / need their own bed / ‘safe heaven’. A place to retrieve from children and the everyday noises in a family – a place where it’s not disturbed.

It could be a soft dog bed with old quilts, blankets or cushions. (They love to build a ‘nest’)  

Nature has built these dogs to be very slim and short-coated and as such they need protection of their joints etc. to avoid swellings, sores and so on.

The use of a coat / cloth during winter and other cold, wet, or damp seasons is always a MUST, because this breed has a very short coating and no fat whatsoever to keep them warm.  

Remember to register your dog in ‘Dansk Hunderegister’, get it insured, which is demanded by law, and have it wear a collar with a tag at all times outside your house.

Training the dog to be at home alone proves a problem for some. These dogs have been used to with other dog at all times. So training it gradually is very important.

Never leave the dog without toys and other things to occupy it. As a general rule, a dog should not be left alone at home more than 4-5 hours without getting out.

It’s not necessary to live in a house with a yard to have a dog of this kind. As long as the dog is walked 3-4 times daily it’s just fine. Particularly the morning and late evening walks are important.

If you have a yard it MUST be fenced in. These dogs are fantastic at jumping if they see something interesting as a prey outside the yard.

Do not leave the dog alone in the yard for the first couple of days. Stay with it or walk it on a leach. The dog is at risk for panicking because of the new surroundings and could try to run off. It has to be taught to seek its owner, if it’s scared of something.

IMPORTANT ADVICE AT ARRIVAL.

The dogs are all vaccinated and de-wormed at arrival, but because there’s a great danger of catching worms in the areas, where the dogs live, we strongly recommend treatment for worms again at arrival – incl. against tapeworm.  

We recommend treatment for fleas, as they have lived in kennels or shelters with a lot of other dogs.  

In Spain 3 so-called Mediterranean diseases occur rather frequently:   Leishmania, Filaria, and Ehrlichia. These diseases are all treatable and / or curable.

The dogs that arrive in DK are all checked / proved negative for these diseases by blood-work, but the length of incubation can be tricky.
That is why we ask all adopting families to repeat the L.-test, and if the dogs come from the south of Spain also the Filaria-test between 1-5 months after arrival – depending on the season in which the dog arrives in DK.