Right from the start let it be known to the dog that they will be on their own for short periods of time. Start with 5 minutes and build it up. He/she may cry at first, but just either bang the door or say no.

The first night he/she may cry. If you want your dog to stay downstairs he/she could sleep in the hall so that they know where you have gone. A stair gate is also useful if the stairs or a doorway needs to be blocked, the dog is reassured as they can see you but cannot get through. Please don't shut a greyhound or any other dog in a room because this will cause separation anxiety problems and is probably the biggest cause of house training problems.