Read the full article on this weblink.

I’ve recently been reading a few posts on a facebook page by people who have adopted podencos, and seem surprised that after a month or so the dog is still nervous. It saddens me because it would seem they expect far too much too soon from a dog which has probably lived most of its life in a shed on a chain in the hands of a Spanish galguero. It’s now been in a shelter, then on a transport and into a home environment where people speak a different language. Instead of leaving the dog alone to adjust to all these changes, they insist on invading its space to pat it, stroke it…

Those of us experienced in homing a nervous dog know it can take months before the dog settles – it took my galga Carmela over 2 years before she finally became a ‘normal’ dog. It is nearly 3 years since I adopted Rosely, who spent the first 6 or 7 years with a Spanish hunter and she is still very nervous of my husband, strangers and sudden noises. I don’t think she will improve any more.

Here’s a weblink to an article on calming a nervous dog.

We have always had more than one dog so we’ve been lucky that we have never had to deal with the problem of separation anxiety. But galgos and podencos are used to living in packs, so it is something which could be a problem if a rescue is adopted as an only dog. Having said that, some – notably ex racing greyhounds – have to live as an only dog.

This article from the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals PDSA explores the problem.

A question was raised on social media recently by a lady adopting a rescue podenco, which will have spent 3 days travelling to her in the UK. She was concerned about the podenco being stressed out and asked for advice on any product to help calm the dog. This was my comment in answer.

Pheromone is a natural ‘product’of a female body when it gives birth as it calms the newborn and takes away the stress of birthing. This is why it is so important for a newborn animal to suckle soon after birth. I occasionally use a product with pheromone called Beaphar CaniComfort for my blind podenco when travelling distances, as he sometimes gets upset by the very loud noise of car tyres on rough tarmacadum – because of course he can’t see it. Not all products which claim to calm an animal contain Pheromone – so you need to check the ingredents of a product and discount it if it does not have Pheromone.

Read about Pheromone on this weblink. It calms the animal without tranquilisng it.

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Several years ago when I adopted my galgo Polar from Pepis Refuge in Pedrera, I consulted a canine physio for treatment to his damaged hind knee joint. It was interesting to see that the work she did on him was very similar to that used by my physio on me when I injured my shoulder.

Weblink to article about canine physiotherapy.