GeorgeofNE

Seresto doesn't repel ticks, so if your ticks are so bad the preventic isn't working, I would NOT switch to one with no repelling properties at all.

Oh boy, can I relate. I would suggest you get him to the vet for a urinalysis before you panic. A housebroken dog won't go in the house if he can help it, and I know EXACTLY what you mean when you describe the incident. Long story very short, my first greyhound had a never-diagnosed issue that simply defied all medical testing and my efforts. I hope very much for you and Simon that this is a passing problem easily treated with antibiotics. I assume you used a cleaner meant for animal urine and NOT just a cleaner that gets rid of smell? Best of luck, he sounds like a great dog!

I get that you were probably TOLD to crate her, but think about it. I presume you work (most of us do!) so she is in the crate all day, and you also expect her to sleep in the crate? I'd howl too. A healthy adult dog can easily make it through the night without having to go out, and it sounds like she is housebroken. I would start with letting her sleep where she wants at night. Crates are meant to be a temporary thing (except for those dogs who really do love them, and in households where there are multiple dogs and safety is an issue).

Both my first and second greyhounds at 2 cups of kibble per day, plus treats. They were both small males (approx. 65 pounds).

I assumed service dogs were trained by professionals and then given to someone whose needs were met by his or her specific skills. Good luck on the testing!

I think your vet is required by law to state "feline" or "canine" on a prescription for an animal. Mine always does anyway.

You need to take her to the vet. And you should NEVER withhold water from a dog before the dog has been checked by the vet. There are a number of medical conditions that can be significantly worsened by lack of access to water. Any newly adopted dog should be taken to the vet anyway.

No. Having an infant is more than enough. Many greyhounds have ZERO interest in playing. Your dog sounds happy and it sounds like your life is going just great. No need to complicate things.

Pretty much every dog in my town picked up or turned in to animal control is NOT wearing tags. If your dog ALWAYS has a collar and tags on, if it gets out, there is a very good chance it will be returned to you in minutes, not hours or days, because your neighbor can call YOU and not animal control or the police. My very brief (3 weeks) career as animal control officer--not a single dog we were called out to get had tags on. Oh. One had a tag on. It said the dog's name. Nothing else. How completely useless is that??? I picked up one dog--obviously a very expensive show-type Golden. He was not neutered. Not microchipped. And didn't have on a collar at all. When the owners came, I said, "This looks like a very expensive dog, right?" and they said yes, yes he was. I said, "Do yourselves a favor. Get him microchipped, because he could be stolen. Put a collar with tags on him ALL THE TIME." They looked so confused. Then I handed them the "ticket" for having to go pick up the dog and for "boarding" it for 30 minutes for $45. They looked less baffled after that!

Move out. He doesn't need to be "taken care of" all day. MOST dogs in the US spend our human workday at home, alone, sleeping. Despite what you might read on Greytalk, a healthy adult dog is perfectly capable of doing this, provided it gets ample exercise and is on a schedule that allows time for elimination. It's not fair to the dog to have two "sort of" owners, each telling him/teaching him different things.

2Hounds makes a gorgeous velvet tag collar with a jingle free tag. It's way better than just having a name (useless!) sewn onto the collar (you'd want the phone number, not the dog's name). www.2houndsdesign.com

The bandage is too high up on the dog's leg for an IV bag to work. That's why we all suggested press and seal!

Well, I'm a little confused. Was this dog bred to be a racer? Was she an NGA hound? Or was this a backyard operation? Not that it matters to you--I'm sure you adored her and she was lovely. Sounds to me like possibly a congential heart defect that no one could have known about. I'm terribly sorry. I had a beautiful six year old cat literally fall over dead in my living room once. They said it was probably a defect that was undetected.

No problem. Kramer and George both took them at the same time with no issues

Take her to the vet. A swollen belly can be a symptom of heart failure. And a whole lot of other things. I cannot believe your vet didn't tell you to bring her in.

That press and seal wrap might work. Otherwise Saran wrap?

I'm sorry, but there is no reason whatsoever to believe this is an allergy. Multiple different foods in the first month after adoption, worms, worming meds--stress. Any of those things could be the problem. Find out what he was eating at his kennel, buy a bag, and keep him on it for at LEAST a few weeks. Add some pumpkin, make sure he is parasite free. Greyhounds rarely have stomach troubles in the kennels. It's only when they're adopted that they become problematic.

Makalataylor, every single retired racer on this board is used to only having water XX times per day. But you say it in a way that implies somehow this is cruel or inappropriate. I just want to assure you that it is in no racing trainer/owner's interest to have dehydrated dogs. Most racers, upon retirement, go through a period where they might "tank up" and temporarily drink too much water. But normally, within days or weeks, they realize that water is always there and they stop doing it. When dogs sleep, they sort of go into a semi-dormant state. It is NOT normal for a healthy dog to not be able to hold it all night. Particulary 10 PM to 5 AM. Will she die if she is without water for those hours? Of course not. But to suggest that it's normal is wrong.

You might consider trying a head halter--one brand is "Halti" and another is "Gentle Leader." These make it nearly impossible for a dog to snap and bite because when you apply pressure, they gently tighten up around the snount (versus the neck) and close the dog's mouth. They're not intended to be a muzzle--they're based on the premise that where the dog's head goes, his body must follow. But we used one on a very unpredictable Lab we used to have. 95 pounds of "I like who I like, and maybe today it's you, and maybe it isn't!" (He actually bit two people). I'd use a martingale on a Greyhound in conjunction with it, since I'm not 100% confident they're a great fit on greyhound heads.

Speak to your vet about this-- Generally you don't want to remove a dog's water. A normal, healthy housebroken dog should not have trouble making it through the night. If yours regularly does, you should also see the vet about that.

I hope you meant your were angry at yourself for setting the dog up to "fail." You deal with it by being a bit smarter next time. It was not the dog's fault. My Buck is a very mild mannered boy, until I cut his nails. So I put his muzzle on. 10 seconds of prevention is well worth it. I'm sorry you were hurt. I really am. Make sure you keep the wound clean. My father, one of the most dog savvy people I have ever met, startled one of his dogs many years ago, and walked away with a puncture wound to the throat. He was too embarassed to go to the doctor and ended up in the hospital a few days later on IV antibiotics. He wasn't angry at the dog--he was angry at himself.

I expect the person who told you that was on the anti-racing side of the discussion. Typically, the larger the breed, the shorter the lifespan. The so-called giant breeds often don't live past 8 or 9. Lap dogs tend to live the longest. I think greyhounds live as long as any other large breed dog. I grew up with English setters, and although we had one make it to 15, none of the rest made it to their teens. Most dogs die of some form of cancer or another, although it is true that greyhounds seem to have more bone cancer than other breeds, but it has nothing to do with whether they raced or not.

You should never restrict a dog's access to water. If he does have a medical condition, it's important he be able to drink. This dog needs to go to the vet.

Sounds to me like you're trying too hard. He gives all that showy attention to other people because he doesn't see them all the time. He knows you, he doesn't have to fuss over you! I bet if he stayed with your husband for five days and you went to pick him up, he'd go nuts! For what it's worth, my Buck ONLY smiles at total strangers! Let a woman he doesn't know come into my condo and he goes nuts! Jumping and smiling and carrying on. He has never once smiled at me (although he does jump and carry on). Dogs are weird. Don't take it personally. And why are you hand feeding him? Just carry on and know that he loves you in his own way, and you can't buy his affections with treats and hand feeding, and generally making (in his mind) a nuisance of yourself. I'm sure he adores you!

Buck upchucks a few kibbles every night, catches them in his mouth, and reswallows them. Perhaps your boy also enjoys a little apres dinner snack?