greytpups

I'm so sorry for your loss...she obvioulsy was very special.

There is a possibly that you won't have any issues at all. We've have/had 3 greyhounds and have never had issues. Never used muzzles, never had anything destroyed, no SA, health issues or resource guarding. Remember you hear a lot about issues because people come here for advice. The error I see occasionally is that people forget they are dogs and do not allow them time to adjust, etc, then they need help. Have you read Kathleen Gilly's article? I've posted it below. This breed has never been asked to do anything for itself, make any decisions or answer any questions. It has been waited on, paw and tail. The only prohibition in a racing Greyhound's life is not to get into a fight----------------or eat certain stuff in the turn out pen. Let us review a little. From weaning until you go away for schooling, at probably a year and a half, you eat, grow and run around with your siblings. When you go away to begin your racing career, you get your own "apartment," in a large housing development. No one is allowed in your bed but you, and when you are in there, no one can touch you, without plenty of warning. Someone hears a vehicle drive up, or the kennel door being unlocked. The light switches are flipped on. The loud mouths in residence, and there always are some, begin to bark or howl. You are wide awake by the time the human opens your door to turn you out. A Greyhound has never been touched while he was asleep. You eat when you are fed, usually on a strict schedule. No one asks if you are hungry or what you want to eat. You are never told not to eat any food within your reach. No one ever touches your bowl while you are eating. You are not to be disturbed because it is important you clean your plate. You are not asked if you have to "go outside." You are placed in turn out pen and it isn't long before you get the idea of what you are supposed to do while you are out there. Unless you really get out of hand, you may chase, rough house and put your feet on everyone and everything else. The only humans you know are the "waiters" who feed you, and the "restroom attendants" who turn you out to go to the bathroom. Respect people? Surely you jest. No one comes into or goes out of your kennel without your knowledge. You are all seeing; all knowing. There are no surprises, day in and day out. The only thing it is ever hoped you will do is win, place or show, and that you don't have much control over. It is in your blood, it is in your heart, it is in your fate-- or it is not. And when it is not, then suddenly you are expected to be a civilized person in a fur coat. But people don't realize you may not even speak English. Some of you don't even know your names, because you didn't need to. You were not asked or told to do anything as an individual; you were always part of the "condo association?; the sorority or fraternity and everyone did everything together, as a group or pack. The only time you did anything as an individual is when you schooled or raced, and even then, You Were Not Alone. Suddenly, he is expected to behave himself in places he's never been taught how to act. He is expected to take responsibility for saying when he needs to go outside, to come when he is called, not to get on some or all of the furniture, and to not eat food off counters and tables. He is dropped in a world that is not his, and totally without warning, at that. Almost everything he does is wrong. Suddenly he is a minority. Now he is just a pet. He is unemployed, in a place where people expect him to know the rules and the schedule, even when there aren't any. (How many times have you heard someone say, He won't tell "me when he has to go out. What kind of schedule is that?) Have you heard the joke about the dog who says "My name is No-No Bad " Dog. What's yours? To me that is not even funny. All the "protective barriers are gone. There is no more warning before something happens. There is no more strength in numbers. He wakes up with a monster human face two inches from his. (With some people's breath, this could scare Godzilla.) Why should he not, believe that this someone for lunch? (I really do have to ask you ladies to consider how you would react if someone you barely knew crawled up on you while you were asleep?) No, I will not ask for any male input. Now he is left alone, for the first time in his life, in a strange place, with no idea of what will happen or how long it will be before someone comes to him again. If he is not crated, he may go through walls, windows or over fences, desperately seeking something familiar, something with which to reconnect his life. If he does get free, he will find the familiarity, within himself: the adrenaline high, the wind in his ears, the blood pulsing and racing though his heart once again--until he crashes into a car. Often, the first contact with his new family is punishment, something he's never had before, something he doesn't understand now, especially in the middle of the rest of the chaos. And worst of all, what are the most common human reactions to misbehavior? We live in a violent society, where the answer to any irritation is a slap, punch, kick, whip, or rub your nose in it. Under these circumstances, sometimes I think any successful adoption is a miracle. He is, in effect, expected to have all the manners of at least a six-year old child. But, how many of you would leave an unfamiliar six-year old human alone and loose in your home for hours at a time and not expect to find who knows what when you got back? Consider that if you did, you could be brought up on charges of child abuse, neglect and endangerment. Yet, people do this to Greyhounds and this is often the reason for so many returns. How many dogs have been returned because they did not know how to tell the adopter when they had to go out? How many for jumping on people, getting on furniture, counter surfing, separation anxiety, or defensive actions due to being startled or hurt (aka growling or biting)? So, let's understand: Sometimes it is the dog's fault" he cannot fit in. He is not equipped "with the social skills of a six-year old human. But you can help him.

Irish beer for an Irish hound

We have a couple and both Ben and Brooke love them. We also have a ball that dispenses treats when you roll it and Ben could care less, yet he loves the Nina Ottoson toy.

Welcome...hope it all works out.

I'm so sorry Jey. I can never look at Roman noses without thinking of Joseph...I'm sure I'll always do that.

I agree, this was sad to read but very enlightening. You may save others from this type of situation. Sometimes we simply forget they are "dogs". Here's how this is going to help me. There's a man in our neighbourhood who walks his dog (breed unknown but he's a large breed) but this dog lunges at every dog he/she sees. He always keeps lots of space but one thing he does not do is grab the dog when he's lunging at us, he just lets it keep pulling at the end of the leash. I always hope the leash doesn't break because if that dog gets loose, my greys are in serious danger. Next time I see him, I'm going to talk to him about this and hopefully prevent an incident. If I hadn't read your story, I wouldn't be so motivated. I've thought about it, but this time I'm going to "do" it. I'm also going to suggest a behaviourist, but it's unlikely he's going to heed my advice. Once again thanks for being so brave and sharing this.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

it's nothing serious!

What a sweet pic...continued good thoughts that he feels better soon.

thinking good thoughts for Jabari

wtg Milo

Welcome...looking forward to lots of stories and pics of him !

I'm so sorry for your loss of Hero...he was way too young...how sad.

No advice, just hoping Roodie heals quickly

Never had the experience...just lucky I guess

I'm so sorry for your loss.

We don't use raised feeders. I would if they had issues eating out of bowls on the floor. We soak kibble because the pups prefer it that way.

I'm so sorry for your loss

She's beautiful and looks so happy.

I do have a pic of Ben on the back of the bike in a kid's trailer...I'll try and find it and post it.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Perhaps he knew you'd be ok now that Navy guy is back.

Greyt advice above...only comment I'll add for Greytmom_chi is that licking lips and yawning are calming signals that dogs perform, often when anxious and trying to send out calming signals by licking lips and yawning.

I'm so sorry for your sudden loss...how terribly sad.

All 3 of our greys have been able and/or can swim. We found this out by accident, one walked off the end of the dock and the other followed. None of them have ever panicked when the fell in, they went under water, came up and started swimming towards shore. I'm not sure how or why they knew where the shore was, but they were fine. Of course we were right there and would have jumped in if necessary. On the other hand, none of them go for a swim from shore, rather they all swim because they fell into the water. Plus when they reached shore, they just shook off the water and went on their way. None of them were frazzled by the experience. (I was the one who psted the canoeing pic btw)