DocsDoctor

Well, Doc was a great-grandson of Greenpark Fox, whom I have also seen described more than once as a 'cancer carrier'. Nevertheless he managed to live to the ripe old age of 13 years 7 months without developing cancer. So I won't fret about the fact that Ken is a great-great-grandson of HB's Commander. If that should be what lies ahead of us, we will just have to deal with it the best we can, as and when. Everyone has to die of something eventually... to those of you who have lost beloved hounds to this cruel disease.

:f_white

from London to you and the handsome Blu!

I'm very sorry for your loss. That was a lovely tribute to your wonderful boy. Run free, Heisman!

I suspect this is part of him just not understanding new routines yet. At the kennels he was shut in for the night, but with other dogs around him, and probably an earlier start each day than in your house - I know both my guys (who had never lived in a house before) had to learn that the day here doesn't start until the alarm clock goes off. Now that Rory's the only dog and has freedom to move about, he is understandably experimenting with establishing a cool new routine for himself - which includes playtime . So it's up to you to teach him that it doesn't - does he sleep in your bedroom? If not I would recommend it, at least for the time being - it will help him settle in with your family. Close the door (after making sure he hasn't brought any of his toys in with him, and putting slippers etc out of reach!), and settle him down on a comfy bed. I always give a small treat at this point, as I say goodnight. Then if he wants to get up in the night, firmly say 'sshhh - settle down! sleeptime'. You may have to do this more than once, and it may take several nights. And you will also want to be sure that he doesn't actually need a loo break - if you think this could be the case, take him down and let him out and in again in silence and without making a fuss of him. Otherwise he may think loo breaks are an exciting new night routine - I once had this problem with Doc, one night he really did have an upset stomach and needed to go out. Then for several nights after that he tried waking me at the same time, hoping for an outing. But I could tell from his manner that he was trying it on so he was sent back to bed. HTH

Recruit another human to help you play with the stuffy? Attach the stuffy to a lure pole? Most greyhounds seem to go wild for these.....

Congratulations!

Definitely keep taking her out for walks, if she wants to go. It'll stop her stiffening up, and the change of scene is good for morale. But I'm not sure about 3/4 of a mile, all at once - could you split that into two or three shorter walks, spread out across the day? That was what I used to do with my wobbly old boy Doc, on the vet's advice. See what your one says. The other thing that really helped Doc was regular visits from a lovely veterinary physiotherapist - she also gave me exercises to do with him every day, which were really helpful for maintaining his rear end strength.

Congratulations to you and Woody!

Some thoughts: Could they be feeling cold? Draughts? In which case housecoats or greyhound pyjamas would help! Hearing something outside - foxes, cats? Or some noise inside that is inaudible/unworrying to you? I'm thinking of a highpitched hum from an electrical device, for instance. Or smelling/sensing something upstairs? Don't want to worry you but do you have a carbon monoxide alarm? A gas leak? Can you close the bedroom door so they have to stick to one bedroom? HTH

Probably feels he's now got his feet under the table, and is therefore testing the boundaries. In which case be calm and consistent with his training, and it will pass. Exercise is good too of course - a tired greyhound is a happy greyhound, as they say. And teaching him new things (a few tricks?) will work his brain as well as his body. Also, what is the weather doing where you are? Round here, frosty weather = an extra-zoomy greyhound. We are experiencing that right now!

Yes I would be looking for a nice all breeds obedience class with a good positive-methods trainer. I did this with my first greyhound, Doc who found all the other funny-looking dog breeds out there a challenge to begin with, and benefited hugely from the opportunity to meet them under controlled conditions. We had fun, improved our mutual bond, and learnt lots - me too, especially about reading dog body language. I think for an experienced dog owner they are probably less useful - I have not felt the need to repeat the course with Ken - but back then I hadn't owned a dog since I was a child, maybe this is the case for you too? As a new owner I found it really useful and a boost to my confidence. I would say, have a look around and if you can find something suitable starting in a month or so, that would be the ideal time. The better the two of you have bonded the more you will both get out of it. If the Petsmart course doesn't fit the bill, ask around - I found my course via our vet.

Bex, I meant to add yesterday that if you don't mind doing a little sewing there is a very easy pattern for a 'snuggler' (dog nightie) that you can make up yourself at the bottom of the page on this link: http://www.greyhoundsinneed.co.uk/howyoucanhelp/howyoucanhelpFrame.htm?http&&&www.greyhoundsinneed.co.uk/howyoucanhelp/coat2.htm I used an old fleece throw so only needed to sew three seams, as the edges could be left unhemmed. The hemmed edges of the original throw were reused as ties which cross over to make a bow on the dog's back. I made this for Doc originally, but it has proved durable enough for Ken to be able wear it gratefully on the very few chilly nights we have had this winter!

There are UK suppliers for greyhound pyjamas too - try e.g. Etsy and ebay.

Could it be 'happy growling'? My old chap used to do this sometimes when he was being stroked and wanted to tell me how much he was enjoying it. Gave me quite a turn the first time but actually quite a few greyhounds do this, I believe. It was the equivalent to a cat purring, a lower and breathier sound than the growl he might make to e.g. warn a rude dog that it was getting too close. What is the rest of his body language trying to tell you at these times? Does he seem relaxed, or tense?

from London. Good luck with your search and you will find this site a great resource for greyhound knowledge of all kinds.

Another vote for having it with you, rather than putting it on.

What a lovely tribute to your wonderful girl - and what a happy life she had with you. Many condolences on your loss . Run free, Diana!

Hugs. Such a hard decision to make, and only you can make it. FWIW, I scheduled for the vet to come and put Doc to sleep here at home while he was still enjoying life, even if he was sliding downhill fast. Didn't want to end up with some out-of-hours crisis and me scrabbling around to find a vet out of hours while he was in pain. One thing my kind vet said then has stuck with me: 'This is the right time. It is not necessary to wait until he is suffering.'

Glad she's feeling better

Not something I've experienced. But a stinky fishy smell can also be an indicator of blocked anal glands: http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/health/pet-health-information/anal-gland-impaction/

Welcome home, pretty girl!

Rather than making a dramatic one-off change, which might affect his digestion, I'd add a bit of something special to his regular kibble. Popular 'add-ins' here are a little can of sardines/ some raw minced meat (usually beef)/ scrambled eggs/ minced green tripe (which comes frozen from the petshop)/ a bit of my leftover soup or stew. I expect your boy would also enjoy any of those . Happy Birthday to him for tomorrow

This is not something I have dealt with so I have no sage advice for you, but just wanted to offer my sympathy and a . This must be so stressful for all of you! Hopefully others will come along with good advice for you soon.

I wonder if dressing it with manuka honey might help? It's very good for encouraging granulation. Check with your vet, obviously, but maybe do some research on your own account first. Here's a link which I just pulled up via google, relating to using it for sorting out 'proud flesh' on a horse:. http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/November-2012/Jump-starting-The-Healing-With-Manuka-Honey/