GeorgeofNE

I'm laughing that you think that's too early, and that you think your college age daughter will suffer-- I haven't slept that late in 20 years.

It was unheard of just a few years ago for men to keep their hats on in the house. Here's a thought--ask your Dad to take his hat off and see if it matters. Otherwise, I agree. Just put the dog in another room and let it observe from afar!

Perhaps you missed the part where I said I walk my dog five times a day. Not needing to run off leash is NOT the same as being a couch potato. I bet my dog gets more exercise than most of the dogs with yards.

Tin foil on the couch? Do you have cats? Because that's not going to keep a dedictated dog off the couch! Frankly, nothing will...you might consider putting a blanket over it and letting her on it. It's her home too, after all. You need to learn what "trading up" means. First time I tried to take a bone from my first greyhound was indeed a shock. English setters (which I grew up with) just don't have that kind of reaction in them AT ALL! Anyway, when I recovered from my shock, I walked away, got a Milk bone, offered it to him, and he gave up the bone without a fuss. Easy peasy. But yeah, too soon for bones.

Good question, 'cause my albino mostly hairless cat seems to be a devoted sunbather!

Actually, no, it doesn't "have to be" the apartment dog park. I've been leash walking 5x a day now for over 20 years. My first "my own" dog was a mix, and he did get to go run loose at dog parks. My first greyhound was a MAJOR breed snob, and even if he had been even slightly inclined to listen to me (he was not), I couldn't have taken him to dog parks as he hated all other breeds with a passion. My current hound is way too skittish, and even at greyhound only play dates (which you should consider looking into) he tends to get "picked on." I don't know why, but he is a small male, and I HATE it when I look and see him all stiff with his hackles up surrounded by his own peeps! That's when I rescue him. The point is, there is no practical NEED to let your dog run off leash, except for to save you from having to exercise as well! Not that I don't often want to do that myself--but it is actually possible to have a happy, healthy, and fit greyhound without ever letting them off leash. You just have to commit to it!

Sounds like completely normal dog behavior to me. It's nature for there to be a bit of noise at first, but you must NOT discipline the greyhound. Remember--these aren't children at daycare. They're animals, and they know better than we do how to communicate with each other. If you stop the NOISE, she'll have no options but to go for teeth. If you're terribly nervous, put her muzzle on. That's what it's for.

George's ALT elevated when the vet, in a desperate attempt to help me get him to stop peeing in the house (her theory was he was anxious) put him on Valerian Root extract. Which all of the hepatitis (liver is involved??) web site and chat boards say anyone with a compromised liver should NEVER take! So she doesn't recommend it anymore, but my point is, an "all natural" supplement made his ALT go nuts. It was back to normal 30 days later when we retested after stopping the Valerian root.

As others have said, there are good reasons most of us do not take greyhounds to dog parks. Not all, some do it, and some do fine. What your dog did was normal DOG behavior, but we live in a very litigious world full of people who do things like risk the dog park, and then sue the person whose dog injured theirs (when everyone at the park should know, full well, injury is a very real possibility when you let a bunch of animals run around loose together!).

How horrible, but please rest assured, THIS IS NOT "NORMAL" It's a horrible outcome, and I'm so sorry, but please do not let this sway you. Greyhounds make wonderful pets and most of them are darned hardy.

What a fun creative idea! Have you seen Danger Noodle on Twitter? He's a snake! Very, very funny

I don't think most therapy dogs are trained by other people. They're trained by the people who are going to be visiting with them. It's a lot about the bond, after all. And the training is mostly basic obedience and is more about temperment, which you can't train anyway. Perhaps she should look into a group that might offer classes?

I have never had any dog with hookworms. The only issue my pets have ever had is giardia or coccidia, and both of those nasties rode in on some purebred kittens that were shipped from breeders out west.

If she's in her upper 80s, it would be a LOT easier to just put the dog on Purina NF. My dog would not eat science diet's kidney food, but he loved Purina's. Most vets sell it as an alternative since so many dogs won't eat KD! FYI, I grew up with English Setters!

My brother ate a glass Christmas tree ornament when he was a baby. He was fine. Pretty sure a tiny piece of fabric/plastic is going to sail on through your dog just fine!

Your friend needs a vet she can trust

By any chance is your home full of lovely, shiny floors? If so, that might be part of her indoor fear. Make sure you have LOTS of throw rugs on the floor for now. One of the things my first hound NEVER got used to was shiny floors. He acted like they were lava and his legs would burn off if his feet touched them!

Corgis aren't supposed to be fat either. Most dogs in the US seem to be overweight to me. I talk with my vet about it all the time. Sounds like your girl is just right!

Yeah!!!! I read the whole thread first, and I cannot believe how much you've accomplished!! Well done. You seem like a kind soul, and I think this girl needs you. Best wishes for continuing success.

I'll be the voice of descent: my dog has a similar amount of sleep startle to what you describe, but to me, it's worth the risk. I'm a fully formed adult, and in fact am past the point where a bite scar would really bother me. I know I'm taking a small risk, but I don't really care. Also, my guy is weird. For a dog I'd describe as "cautious," when he's decided he wants something, that's pretty much it. Unless I want to make a huge production over it, which reduces him to a tail clamping, run into the BEDROOM and JUMP ON THE BED fellow. For him, the bed is his ultimate safe space, and I just don't have the heart to toss him off now. I do not let him put his head near mine though. If he settles in that position, I make him stand up and start over (he's a circler). But you just got your dog, relatively speaking, so now would be the time to make the change.

Simple. Stop with the crate. When I got my first hound I had three cats and lived in a 715 square foot apartment. I'll keep it short and say crating George was NOT an option. Nor was enclosing him in any way. The ONLY thing that got him to settle into home life and a routine was his total freedom (and an hour of exercise before I went to work every day). Make an escape route for the cats, some place they can run into but the dog can't, and let her out. I'm guessing you've actually already decided--but once a dog starts resisting the crate, it's highly unlikely she'll ever happily use it again.

If you change a dog's food every time she's slow to eat I can 100% guarantee you WILL end up with a picky eater. Stop changing her food. She's a dog, not an exotic flower, and she won't die if she skips a meal or is slow at breakfast. Every single greyhound professional I "know" through Facebook or other means says they've never met a picky eater--until the dogs are petted out. Meaning greyhounds eat what they're given, until they're sent to their homes, when they light up their big eyes and seem to know just who is vulnerable to them and who isn't. I've never had a picky eater. I'll play along for a day, but when it becomes clear they're being "picky," I put them on a schedule, give them 10 minutes to eat, and if they don't, I take it away and try again at the next meal. Now that you found something she likes, for now, please stick with it. No harm in adding a tasty tid bit on top from time to time, but don't go nuts with it. The amount of food is dictated not by the dog food bag, but by your dog's metabolism, amount of exercise, etc. I've had three male dogs in a row now, and neither of them at more than 2 cups a day (plus treats).

Do not do it. A heart murmur is a very subjective thing. And if your vet isn't familiar with greyhounds, what is a strong, healthy greyhound heartbeat might sound, to him or her, like a defect. You could get 10 vets to listen to her heart and probably get several who hear a murmur and several who do not. Don't panic. If she's otherwise healthy, happy, and fine, I would personally not give it another thought. For what it's worth, I was told my mutt dog had a "severe" heart murmur by a lovely veterinary intern. The board certified ortho vet who saw my dog an hour later laughed and said, "Your dog has the heart of an athlete, and no sign whatsoever of a murmur." So...

My advice is stop. One thing at a time. And before you spend another penny on potions and ointments, you need a vet familiar with greyhounds to look at him. It probably IS nothing, but it could also be discoid lupus. Any vet who says a dry cracked nose is "nothing to worry about" isn't too sharp in my opinion, as NO dog should have a dry cracked nose.

I dunno, but I have two cats with perpetual eye goobers, and it's more of a physical thing. Their eyes are deeply set and very narrow at the ends, and, well, goobers collect there. I just consider it part of my daily grooming duties. However, in your boy's case, it COULD be pollen I suppose. I know I just started up with the Flonase spray!