DocsDoctor

I am so sorry for your loss. What a special, beautiful girl she was - and how fortunate you both were to find each other. Run free lovely Lila

Tiger's day: 7.15 a.m. alarm clock goes off. Tiger like his two predecessors sleeps in the back bedroom, I in the front one. Doc and then Ken liked to come running in to greet me when the alarm sounded, then come downstairs with me wanting a loo break in the garden. Tiger prefers to stay put until: 7.50 or so, morning walk time! 30-60 minutes depending on what else we have on. He will hang on and save his peeing and pooing for the park. On return: quick daily grooming session, with a slicker and then a silk scarf. Brush teeth. Breakfast. He is a greedy chap who really loves his food. I work from home mainly but he might get left if I need to go to the shops, or whatever. Will rest happily anyway until: 11.30 or so, lunchtime walk. Again usually 30-60 minutes depending on what else is happening. Like Feefee above we have one smallish fully-enclosed park down the road where he can be let off for a good run around once a week or so, otherwise it is lead walks. He was a bit of a worrier about other dogs when he first came to me, but is much braver now and really enjoys his walks. He also really enjoys it when we walk with friends - loves meeting people, and is happy to travel further afield on public transport. Afternoon: more napping. 18.00 dinner time! If he had his way it would be 16.00 or so - from then on the excitement will be mounting, with lots of teeth chattering/ squirming around on his back to try and attract my attention, plus occasional mad zooming with a toy. After dinner: quick loo break in garden. Perhaps a little more playful zooming, followed for sure by more napping, either in the living room or in his bed upstairs. He is free to choose and varies between the two. 22.45 or so, pre-bed loo break. "Must I mum? I really don't need to!" But a rattle of the treat tin gets him outside, and then after he's been outside he'll get a goodnight treat upstairs in bed. Just occasionally, I'll hear him set off downstairs in the night in silence. I used to think he was wanting a loo break because when I followed him I would find him standing by the back door. But he never actually seemed to need one, so I conclude he hears foxes or cats in the garden....

I agree with greysmom's advice and would also suggest that you may find a slip leash helps with getting her out of her bed. Something like this. Here in the UK at any rate it would be what is used in greyhound kennels to move dogs from the kennel to the paddock, or whatever. It was what my adoption group suggested for Tiger, who had been returned from one home for bed guarding, and then bit me too, a week in. (I had failed to read his body language and realise how nervous and insecure he was feeling about beds, following life in a small and rather chaotic home where he wasn't given the space he needed.) The kennel's advice was 1) to lure him out of bed with a treat (always easy, he is very foody!) or 2) in case of need, to use the slip lead and form a big loop, approach the dog and drop it over the head while talking cheerfully - "hup hup Tiger time to get up!" or whatever - then tug to tighten and keep on encouraging as I started to move away. It worked like a charm for him, being something he was already familiar and comfortable with; not sure this would be the case in the US (if that is where you are) but someone here will know! Otherwise I suggest you keep a lead clipped on for now, as greysmom suggests. Moving towards him and leaning in to fasten a lead on could be seen as threatening, otherwise - being leaned over had definitely become a worry, for Tiger. Just to reassure you, after several months in my quiet home the problem has gone away, as we have learnt to trust each other; Tiger has become a calm, happy dog who knows his lovely bed is his to keep and enjoy, even if he needs to leave it occasionally! But I think in your situation, as the problem has developed while she is in your care, it would be very sensible to get an understanding trainer in to look at your life together and see what small tweaks are needed to make all of you more comfortable.

What lovely news! Wishing you all many happy years together!

Rather than leaving his collar and lead on I would invest in an inexpensive slip lead, like this. That's what the greyhound kennels advised me to do with Tiger, who came to me with a reputation for bed guarding. The kennels explained that it was something already familiar for him, as it's what they use in greyhound kennels for turnouts, etc. It worked very well, though I haven't had to use it for a while - advice was to form a large loop, approach in a confident manner, drop over dog's head and tighten which talking in a cheery tone: "let's go, Tiger!" It worked a treat for us, while he was still settling in, and the issue has gone away now. I will add, he was a bounce - i.e. a dog who had been adopted out once but returned because of this problem, which they and I believe was inadvertently created by poor handling in his first home. From my own greyhound experience I think a lot of what you are currently seeing is nervousness rather than true aggression - the snarling at reflections for instance, which I can remember my first dog Doc doing. He'd never seen a mirror or even been in a house before, and there was suddenly this strange dog.... all the funny-looking other animals we would meet on walks were a challenge too, until he began to work out that they too were dogs. The other side of your problem is, dogs are opportunists. That sofa looks comfortable, again he will be used to a raised bed already from his time in kennels, and so he will keep jumping up there. Personally I wouldn't give in "for the sake of peace" if I didn't want him getting on there personally. It's not that I think he'll then plot to take over the household, or whatever, just that all dogs, and these ones more than most (because of their early life in kennels) thrive on regular routines and consistency. All of this can feel quite daunting I know if you are a first-time greyhound adopter, I can remember how worried I sometimes got myself! Did your boy come from a specialist greyhound adoption place? Would they be ready to advise you over the phone or even via Zoom? Actually, any good dog adoption charity should want to do this. It's just, I have the feeling that you are beginning to feel nervous yourselves, and if so your boy will be picking up on that too. Which is no fun for anybody, and won't be helping, but is probably easier to work through with the aid of a friendly voice/ face than typed words on an internet forum!

It's also a "blue moon," according to this article, i.e. the second full moon in a calendar month! Who knows what we might see tonight? Tiger says he really doesn't care, provided it doesn't try and get between him and his dinner!

Just to say, the OP may even find that the group can offer holiday kennelling themselves - this is standard for the Greyhound Trust and some other UK greyhound adoption centres. Of course, Covid may have changed that. But do ask; the suggested donation is normally very reasonable, and my guys have always loved being back with their own kind, even if the conditions are more spartan than at home! And for me it's very reassuring to know that my dog's being cared for by people who know and love greyhounds so well. Re the nipping: my first dog Doc would nip when he played, and we also had the problem initially that because he hadn't been around other breeds, a fast-moving fluffy dog or squirmy puppy could all too easily set off his strong prey drive. We overcame this by attending some mixed-breed positive dog training classes, where I learnt about dog body language and he learnt that all those other funny-looking creatures were, actually, dogs too. It really helped but again, Covid probably rules anything like that out. Though a one-to-one session with such a trainer in a busy local park could be helpful?

Looks like a greyt break, Tiger and I feel quite envious!

In similar circumstances my vets have given me an old saline drip bag or so - these are nice thick plastic and big enough to slip over a bandaged paw. Cut the top off, then cut a row of five or six little slits an inch or so down, and thread through those something with a bit of give (they gave me some bandage I think, but strips cut from an old pair of tights also work) that you can tie in a bow when it's on. It's a bit clumsy but does work. You could also try to find a paw boot made for a big dog with fatter paws than a greyhound. Would need to be pretty loose not to risk the bandage coming off too, when you take it off. That rules out those thin rubber "Pawz" things, too.

Sounds to me more like him waking up from a very vivid dream. Doc my first greyhound in particular had very vivid dreams when he first came to me. I can remember one occasion where he woke up howling, and couldn't be consoled for a couple of minutes - it was scary, as you say. Felt heartbreaking, too. At the time I thought it might have been him recalling some trauma from his racing life, but now I think it was more likely to be part of the process of him settling in to a new life. Must be frightening sometimes to wake up somewhere so different to your old kennel and kennel mates. I would say sleep startle is something different - dog is asleep, it hears a loud noise/ you wake it up by approaching/ whatever, and wakes with its defensive reflex triggered.

My dear Ken, enjoying himself in the park last November - I used this shot as my 2019 Christmas card: Very sadly he had to leave me in February, still aged only eight: I wrote him a tribute here. I had a red brindle before him, my first greyhound Doc; when he died I can remember telling the adoption kennels that I wasn't ready for another brindle, not wanting to find myself out on a walk and looking down at a brindle back that wasn't Doc's. Hence Ken, with his gleaming black one! When I went to find a successor to Ken, I ended up with a brindle once more - this time a silver brindle, my current greyhound Tiger

I think it looks like a sebaceous cyst too. Don't squeeze, as Macoduck says, but I don't think it would hurt to try applying a warm damp compress (a wrung-out flannel or similar) for a few minutes, maybe several days running, to see if that encourages it to open up and drain. And/or to try dabbing on a little witch hazel, using a ball of cotton wool.

Could they be sebaceous cysts? I can recall Doc having these occasionally. There is a summary of the various kinds of skin lumps and bumps dogs can get here; seems pretty comprehensive, and helpful, even if it is on a dog food manufacturing website not a veterinary one!

Good luck to you and Grace! Doc and Ken both grew to be okay with having their nails clipped, but I ended up acquiring an electric grinder for Ken because it was so difficult to see how much to cut away with his dark nails. Hopefully once Grace's are back under control you will find regular sessions with the grinder prove adequate. If not, are you anywhere near your adoption kennels? If and when those reopen to visitors the staff would I am sure be happy to clip them in return for a small donation. Ours used to set up a "nail bar" at its open days and always did a brisk trade, using those guillotine clippers - very quick and safe if you know what you are doing. Tiger is still being an a**e about his: I need to put his muzzle on and then crawl around after him round the living room, clippers in one hand and treats in the other. Can't use the electric grinder, because he hates the sound. Tried having him lie down on his bed, but then he remembered about his bed-guarding issues and wanted to be Snapper Gar in deed as well as name . Fortunately it's only his dew claws that usually need trimming.

No, but Ken my old greyhound had recurrent problems with swollen and bleeding nail beds in particular, and would also develop a sore patch on his nose. They would go away when treated with antibiotics, and we assumed initially that he was just prone to infections, but when we eventually saw a specialist dermatologist, she diagnosed mucocutaneous lupus, which affects areas of damp tissue - nail beds, nose, lips, etc. It was an immune issue but one that could be sorted out quite easily, initially with steroids to sort out the inflammation and then a tetracycline antibiotic. He was on the latter permanently but it was inexpensive and unproblematic and worked just fine. Poor Duchess's nose looks very sore! If it doesn't respond quickly to treatment, or the problem recurs, I would definitely recommend a visit to a dermatologist vet. Mucocutaneous lupus is genetic in origin, our specialist recognised it as the likely culprit straight away though she then had to diagnose it by a process of elimination - took skin scrapes which showed there was no infection, infestation, etc. She also told me that it was something that she had encountered quite frequently, in greyhounds and whippets. So it's a possibility that it would be worth bearing in mind going forward.

That's greyt news - well done Skelly! Thanks for the update.

Regular exercise and supplements are important, I agree. So too is keeping them warm, and letting them lie soft - i.e. cosy supportive beds, out of draughts. Plus a housecoat or greyhound pyjamas maybe for winter nights, if your heating goes off then. Glad they are enjoying the sardines Other kinds of oily fish will be popular and helpful, too.

It sounds as if she's in your room, which is great - best way for you all to bond - but I wonder if there is some external cue that is waking her up? Dawn light through thin curtains, milk float going past, boiler kicking in, whatever? If there is and it's beyond your capacity to change, I'd be inclined to just reassuringly say "it's okay Skelly, settle back down!" Does she know "bed" or "settle" as a command yet? If not, start teaching her in the daytime, with the aid of treats. Can be useful when visitors come, too; as she's a nervous girl she would probably find it helpful to know that there is somewhere which is hers, and a safe haven, when strangers are around. If you can't identify an external cue, I personally would get up in silence, take her out for a quick loo break, and then still in silence settle her back down. Maybe give her a treat, if you think that will help. Then - go back to bed yourself, and steel your heart to just ignore any whining. If she escalates to jumping around/ chewing stuff, say "uh-uh" sternly and settle her back down. It may take a few days, and quite a few goes, but eventually she will get the message that 5.30 is too early to get you up for anything except an emergency!

You've had some good tips here. My first greyhound Doc had a very high prey drive and it felt at times like a steep learning curve! One thing that was crucial was me learning to "think greyhound" as we walked, spotting the rabbits or ducks or whatever before he did. Then I could walk another way/ position myself in his line of view/ even eventually say "look, bunnies! And now look at me ... good boy! Treat!" It was much easier to get his attention back on me and those treats *before* he went crazy. If Sully does kick off, please try and stay calm and authoritative and grounded yourself - literally, standing firmly on both feet and balanced, so he can't pull you around, let alone over. If you start squeaking and pulling and shouting yourself, you reinforce his sense that he has just spotted something worth getting excited about. With time it does get easier, I promise. Here I learnt what would set Doc off, and he learned that he was no longer *expected* to chase it, and even eventually to go offlead in some spaces.

Thinking back to Doc I remember being *most concerned* the first time I encountered ETS. There he was, lying down, seemingly relaxed, but with a section of pink tongue lolling out onto the bed. Was it broken? None of the retired greyhound literature I had mentioned this phenomenon, when I checked - but fortunately a couple of photos showed it. Phew! Doc was also a "happy growler" and I was also taken aback the first time he did that - the alarm clock had gone off, and he had rushed in from next door to say good morning as usual, and there he was standing beside the bed being petted and then gggrrrr ... however he was still so evidently happy and relaxed that I was soon able to work out that it was the equivalent of a cat purring.

Ditto, all my three have had racing dreams. And, when I walk Tiger, he always wants to take off after anyone who passes us on a motorbike. He doesn't do that for any other vehicle, so I think that must be a recollection from his training days - I understand that here in the UK some dogs get encouraged to chase by using a stuffed toy dragged along behind a motor bike. Oh, and I've just remembered: Doc my first greyhound I took along to a fundraising event for retired greyhounds at our local track, before that closed. He had no idea where we were while we stayed front of house, but when I took him down to the trackside and heard the starting bell and saw the greyhounds running, he got very excited, wanting to leap in and join them. Afterwards, when we walked out, he spotted the vans where the dogs who'd raced were waiting to go home. He looked at those, and then he looked at me, and we happily trotted off together to catch the train home .

I am so sorry for your loss - but what a wonderful life you gave her. Run free, sweet Bea!

This does sound as if it could be sleep startle. May also be an element of not being used to being disturbed at night - don't forget, in kennels they get put to bed of an evening and then don't see anybody until the next morning. Sometimes they are housed in pairs, others have a whole space to themselves. I know that if I woke up in the dark myself to find someone unexpectedly beside me, I'd definitely feel alarmed and possibly aggressive! Heyrundog's advice is good, in the circumstances I would also switch on the landing light to make quite sure he's woken up before passing him. You might also consider getting one of those plug-in nightlights and leaving that on overnight?

I agree with all greysmom says. Tiger came to me just before lockdown having been returned from another home for bed guarding; we think that the problem largely arose because the home was a small and rather chaotic one, and he never felt able just to enjoy his bed in peace, always uncertain whether someone would be coming to disturb him. I was foolish enough to get bitten myself early on, when I misread his body language early one morning and failed to realise that he was guarding his bed again. It came as a shock because my last greyhound Ken was such a very gentle chap, who would never have dreamed of doing such a thing. It may be his sleeping spot, rather than you, that he is guarding. If he's never been in a home before all this is new to him, he is trying to work out which resources are his and opportunistically trying it on a bit. With Tiger and on the rescue's advice I invested in a slip leash after the biting incident, to use if he seemed reluctant to get out of bed. They are used to these from their kennel days; I would just make a big loop, drop that over his head while cheerily saying "hup hup Tiger" and it worked like a charm. Rattling the treat tin has proved to be another effective technique! There may also be an element of sleep startle - this is not uncommon in greyhounds, certainly my first one Doc had it. They can sleep with their eyes open, if you don't realise this woe betide you if you wake them suddenly, and they lash out. Whatever's going on here will hopefully go away as he settles in, as it has been doing with Tiger who is now feeling much more confident about life in his new, quieter home. I would actually disagree with the rescue's "let him pick his own sleeping spot" advice and suggest you pick somewhere which both you and he will feel comfortable about him having to himself. Tiger's bed is in the back bedroom, mine in the front; the doors these days are open between us, but in the past I have closed his when he was at the stage of coming in and trying to climb on my bed. The rescue were very clear that he needed clear, consistent guidelines - was best kept off the furniture at all times, in case he took it into his head to try and guard any of that. He now never tries to get onto the furniture, even when I am out; he has another bed down in the living room, but the upstairs one remains his favourite "quiet spot" where he will retreat whenever he is feeled tired or uncertain. Do talk to the rescue about this and as greysmom says having a good greyhound-savvy behaviourist visit you all at home could be helpful.

Agree about asking the vet to check for a urinary tract infection - it definitely sounds to me as if this could be the problem, especially him wanting to hold it in on the way out, and failing. This isn't typical of a young, healthy male dog - I am always amazed how long they can and will wait for the right spot. Tiger my latest adoptee doesn't even want a bathroom break when I get up, will save it all up until we go out for a walk after breakfast and he can mark his favourite trees and lamp-posts!