Help & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Meet your host

Who is The Sighthound Guy?

The Sighthound Guy is Don Jordan, founder of K9 Exclusive Walks and a specialist in greyhound, whippet and lurcher care. Based in NW London and serving the greater London area, Don shares his home with two rescue lurchers and a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, so everything here comes straight from living with these dogs every day.

He built the service around a gap he saw in London’s dog care: “Sighthounds think differently from retrievers and collies, so I train and care with that in mind: lower repetition, higher reward, and a full understanding of the prey-drive response.” Every dog starts with a meet and greet and a one-night assessment, you get daily WhatsApp photo and video updates throughout the stay, and you go home with a clear plan to keep the training going.

Don holds a 5-star home boarding licence (no. 2023-2989) for up to eight dogs, is Canine First Aid certified, and is fully insured and bonded. The service carries a 5-star Google rating, is a Google Selected Business and has been featured in Time Out, with a 350ft secure private garden at the climate-controlled NW London home. The goal is simple: “every sighthound in my care thrives, physically and mentally.”

For deeper reading, I built the Sighthound Knowledge platform: science-backed, breed-specific information in one place. Explore it here →

Read Don’s full story →

Got a question about your hound?

My assistant can answer most things straight away, from boarding and Residential Recall to pricing and day-to-day life with a sighthound. Ask it anything and it will help, or I will contact The Sighthound Guy.

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About the service

What does The Sighthound Guy offer?

I offer two services, both for sighthounds only: relaxed home boarding, and an intensive Residential Recall programme. Greyhounds, whippets, lurchers, salukis, deerhounds and crosses only. No other breeds, no other distractions.

Boarding is the relaxed home-from-home stay, priced per night. Residential Recall is the intensive programme: seven nights of e-collar conditioning from £850, or the full twenty-one-night training package at £1,700, where your hound learns reliable recall living with me day after day, not in a one-hour slot once a week. See services and our method for the detail.

Where can I find your sighthound guides?

I keep a free library of sighthound guides at thesighthoundguy.com/guides, covering training and recall, everyday care and feeding, and what to weigh up before getting your first sighthound. It is the same thinking behind every stay here, and a good place to start before you get in touch.

Which areas do you serve?

I serve sighthound owners across the whole of London, working from my home in NW London. Collection and drop-off cover Hampstead, North Finchley and Highgate, and daily walks take place at a variety of locations within the M25. If you’re unsure whether collection reaches your area, just ask my assistant.

Why sighthounds only?

Sighthounds think differently from retrievers and collies. They’re sensitive, fast, and wired around a powerful prey drive. Specialising in the breed group means everything I do, from the pack walks to the recall work to the home setup, is built around how these dogs actually behave. They’re never mixed with breeds that don’t share their temperament.

How do I book?

Start by messaging my assistant, which will take a few details and help you get going. Every new dog begins with a meet and greet followed by a one-night assessment, so I can see how your hound settles before any longer stay.

Boarding

How much does boarding cost?

Boarding is £85 per night, with raw food included. The minimum boarding stay is 24 hours.

For boarding clients only, daycare can be added at £70 per day, for example when your booking runs on into the daytime (an am to pm stay).

Over Christmas, nights from 24 December to 1 January carry a £10 seasonal surcharge each, shown in your quote before you book.

Residential Recall is a separate, intensive programme priced from £850, covered below.

Do prices change over Christmas?

Slightly. Nights from 24 December to 1 January carry a seasonal surcharge of £10 per night, and the booking calendar marks those dates in gold so there are no surprises: your quote always shows the exact total before you confirm. Checking out on 2 January adds nothing for that morning.

Two things to note for the season: the £70 daycare add-on (an am to pm stay) is not available for stays touching 24 December to 2 January, and Residential Recall package prices are fixed year-round.

Is there a minimum stay?

Boarding has a minimum stay of 24 hours. The Residential Recall programme runs for a minimum of seven nights for e-collar conditioning, or twenty-one nights for the full training package, so the recall work has room to land. Every new dog starts with a meet and greet and a one-night assessment.

What is the boarding environment like?

A calm, climate-controlled family home with a 350ft secure private garden. Your dog stays as part of the household, with plenty of exercise, daily walks at a variety of locations within the M25, and proper rest. I’m licensed for up to eight dogs, so numbers stay small and the attention stays high.

What do I need to bring?

Just any medication your dog takes, along with clear instructions. Raw food and everything else for a comfortable stay are provided.

Do you collect and drop off?

Yes, across Hampstead, North Finchley and Highgate. You’re also very welcome to drop your dog off and collect from my home in person, wherever in London you are.

What is your cancellation policy?

Cancellations made at least 72 hours in advance receive a full refund. Cancellations inside 72 hours may be subject to a fee.

Recall training

How does residential recall training work?

It happens throughout an intensive residential stay, not in isolated lessons. Your hound lives with me and learns reliable recall in real situations, on real walks, day after day, which is exactly how the behaviour becomes dependable. Seven nights (£850) covers e-collar conditioning only; the full twenty-one-night package (£1,700) sees the training through. Training runs on my own e-collar, and at the end you buy an Educator Mini and I set it up for your hound.

What do you actually teach?

The Big Six commands: Recall, Stay, Wait, Sit, Down and Heel. Recall is the priority, because it’s the command that keeps a sighthound safe when its prey drive fires. The other five build the calm, responsive dog that reliable recall depends on.

Can you really train recall in a sighthound?

Yes. It’s harder than with most breeds because of the chase instinct, which is precisely why it takes a specialist and an immersive, lived-in approach rather than a weekly class. I work with the prey drive, not against it.

Will I get updates while my dog stays?

Every day. You’ll receive WhatsApp photo and video updates so you can see your hound settled, exercised and progressing. You also go home with a clear plan to keep building on the work.

Trust and safety

Are you licensed and insured?

Fully. The Sighthound Guy holds a 5-star home boarding licence, number 2023-2989, licensed for eight dogs. I’m Canine First Aid certified, fully insured and bonded.

What are your credentials and reputation?

A 5-star Google rating, recognition as a Google Selected Business, and a feature in Time Out. You can read genuine reviews on Google before you decide.

What happens in an emergency?

I contact you, or your nominated emergency contact, straight away. If treatment is needed, your dog goes to the nearest veterinary clinic or to my trusted vet without delay.

Still have a question?

If anything isn’t answered here, I’d rather you asked than guessed. Message my assistant any time and it will help you arrange a meet and greet for your sighthound.

Message my assistant