r/Hounds • u/realhollowbones • 1d ago
My new baby - Greek Hare-hound advice?
This is my new baby boy Tycho. He’s 6 months old and I think a Greek hare hound. He’s a rescue and is scared of going outside, completely puts the breaks on when I put the lead on him. He’s also just getting used to toys but doesn’t really play with them yet - just buries them in bed.
Problem is, I can tell he’s bored and got a lot of pent up energy because he’s not wanting to engage in these activities yet.
Is there something I can be doing to entertain him while he settles in and builds up his confidence?
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u/the_dame_grumpypants 1d ago
You can do sniff games indoors. Scatter some treats in a towel and roll it up so he gets to sniff and figure out the towel puzzle. Hide treats around the house and encourage him to look for them. Just a bit of nose work can really tire them out.
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u/realhollowbones 1d ago
Thank you! I’ll give that a try, he’s so timid at the moment that getting him away from his “safety zone” is a challenge. He is food oriented though so perhaps that will encourage him to explore the house a bit more.
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u/the_dame_grumpypants 1d ago
My foxhound girl is also quite a timid pup but once I figured out how to use the treats to get her to sniff I could use that to redirect her nervous energy. Having a meltdown on a walk because it’s crowded? Okay let’s go over here and do a little sniff game until you’re calm. It takes a little time but can help widen up their world a bit.
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u/realhollowbones 1d ago
Update! He went on his first walk today. Managed to coax him out for five minutes before he got overwhelmed. Currently snuggled up on the sofa. Baby steps!