GeorgeofNE

Your dog's original owner is looking for you, Tiny Tortellini. If you're on Facebook, her name is Crystal Ann.

Tiny Tortellini, let me ASSURE you. No one made your dog race with a broken leg. Sounds like something a Grey2K supporter would tell you.

Flush all of your preconceived notions out the window. I spent a backbreaking three weeks trying to teach my first hound to go UP the stairs (they were in an enclosed stairwell, black, metal, and shiny. It was a triple threat of terror! It was an elevator building but we had frequent LOUD fire alarms. I knew it was vital he know how to go up and down because every single time we had thunder, the fire alarm went off and it was deafening and there was no option (with a dog) to stay inside until it gets shut off. (For those who don't know, elevators do not work when a fire alarm is going off--by design. Power shuts down and that's all she wrote.) Well, I was literally breaking my back with my daily stair lessons. It wasn't working AT ALL. I tried everything from two people to literally smearing liverwurst on each step. He was NOT going to go up the stairs. I moved each paw, step by step, up all three flights over and over and over. That SOB wasn't having it. Having just lost the smartest, bravest, boldest dog on the planet, all of this made me think I had just committed to the dumbest canine on planet earth. I mean LIVERWURST??? He wouldn't even sniff at it. Then I decided "It's going to kill me, but he has to know how to go DOWN." I steeled everything I had that can be steeled. And we went to the dreaded stairs of doom. I faced him down, and said, "OK, one step at a time..." and before I could finish he had started prancing down the stairs with the grace and attitude of a debutante descending a spiral stairway. I could not believe it! From third floor to parking lot in one graceful, stressfree prance. When I moved about a year later, he was still lousy at going up. I moved into a third floor unit--no elevator. I had schooled the movers on all the things they needed to do or not do as I attempted to get him up into our new home. And wouldn't you know it? That dog just pranced up the stairs like it was no big deal at all! My point? Stairs are not all that complicated unless you get that one in a million (GEORGE!!!) dog who really resists. There are more tales along the lines of the second part of my story than the first. Don't baby the dog. Don't put off teaching him stairs. He's not going to call his guidance counselor and complain that you're not letting him have enough quiet time. Just teach him what he needs to know (maybe not the first day?) and enjoy! This same dog attempted to ALSO refuse to go in the elevator. I was in no mood for that, so I just spent the first couple of days picking him up about two inches and plopping him into the elevator. You can't just monopolize an elevator so you can give your dog elevator lessons and let him take all the time he wants to go in. Not in a big building with lots of residents. George was an outgoing, happy, relatively fearless boy. I have no clue why he decided stairs were evil. My current boy? Afraid of wind, leaves, rocks that are painted white, flags, children, men...but not stairs, elevators, shiny floors... You never know until you get the dog you think you like into your home and give him a while to settle in. But don't set yourself up for "Oh my god, STAIRS!!" You might get a George, but you'll likely get a Buck (no one ever taught Buck stairs. No one. He just...walked up them!)

That actually happened to my father once!! Poor guy had to stay awake through hemmorhoid surgery! They just couldn't knock him out.

You're not being overly worried and you CANNOT leave these dogs alone together any more. Your 14 year old is reaching the end. She should not have to put up with ANY B.S. Truthfully, a dog who cannot even get up may not have the quality of life you really want her to have. The thought of her being torn up by her housemate is truly horrifying but COULD happen. Please keep them apart when you are not home.

Shouldn't the title include that the study was done on DOGS?

It depends on the dog. My dog was a 75 pound 5 year old when he tore his ACL in a complete traumatic rupture. Long, long story-- $15,000 later, he was a six year old who survived a near-fatal bone infection. And that was going to a board certified surgeon at a teaching vet hospital. He had a TPLO. He also had a fairly rare complication, bone infection, but if I had it to do over, I would have just amputated his leg. I would have been less painful and traumatic for him, and way, way, way less money for me. Full disclosure: my dear father ponied up most of the $$ for the surgery. I would have had to euthanize the dog, which seemed wrong at 5 years of age. I simply did not have the money.

I've never heard of it, and I'm not a believer that tooth brushing really helps much. It seems that dogs with bad mouths suffer from gum disease, not "bad teeth." You can brush the teeth until the cows come home, but if the crud is under the gums, it won't help. For many if not most dogs and cats, bath mouths are genetic.

Third suggestion is 1) buy and dose her with "Forbid." It works for some dogs (makes them not want to eat their poop). Fourth suggestion: get a stool guard for the muzzle and make her wear it.

Maybe I'm a heartless old cow, but if I HAVE to go somewhere and I need to take the dog, if he chooses to make things hard on himself by standing the whole time, I let him. I used to go frequently on a ferry with my dog. He stood the entire trip. I'd offer him a coat to lie down on, but he preferred to stand. So he stood. I wouldn't give it another thought. Remember--she's a professional athlete, not a hot house flower. She'll be fine.

15-20 minutes is not a "melt down." For those who have suffered through actual melt downs, that sounds like you're almost home free! I predict if you get "I'll Be Home Soon" and follow the instructions, in three more weeks (give or take) this will have passed.

Let it go. This is one of those things you COULD blow up into a big thing, or let go. I'd say something different if it was a human, but if a cat is dumb enough to walk withing striking distance of a sleeping dog (mine does it too!), I say the best way for them to learn is to get snapped at! If your dog wanted the cat, your dog would have the cat. She doesn't. She just wants a nice refreshing 12 hour nap and that dumb cat needs to figure it out! Susan, owned by one lazy greyhound and two crazy cats

I know vet bills can really add up, but imagine how HE feels! Please find a vet you like and trust. The last thing you want is for his anal glands to rupture. He could be one of those dogs who needs them manually expressed periodically and you might just have to deal with that.

What Hubcitypam said. I understand you're a family and these days family life seems to be lived largely not at home... That's a lot of crate time.

It's perfectly normal for a retired dog to lose muscle mass, which weighs more than non-muscle mass (can't say fat with a greyhound!). My first boy lost about 5 pounds, and never gained it back. My second boy has gained weight, and at times too much weight. Your dog will be healthier and happier if he trends towards thin, not towards heavy. The entire "five pounds over racing weight" chestnut that is so often tossed about is nonsense. I'd find an experienced hound owner and just ask them what they think. Your vet is probably not actually the best judge of healthy weight for a greyhound unless you live in an area with lots of them!

We need to know more about your routine. Because to ME, it's very important that in the AM the FIRST THING YOU DO is attend to the dog. Especially when she's new. Because if you're getting up and poking around first, you're probably just waiting too darned long to get her outside. Believe me, I've been leash walking 5x a day for 17 years now. I know the agony of wanting just five more minutes in bed. But my first greyhound was a pisser. I never did figure out why or how to stop him (thousands and thousands of dollars in medical costs). There was no waiting. If he indicated he had to go, HE HAD TO GO. And if he didn't make it, it was my fault, not him. Obviously he would have been better off in a home with a fenced yard where I could just fling the door open. But that isn't in my future, so I have gotten very good and very fast and getting dressed in my dog walking clothing. You'll need to use a urine remover on the spots in the hall or she will keep doing it. It could in fact be there was already urine in your halls from other dogs, and that makes her think it's ok to go there.

A dog who is properly trained to walk on a leash won't pull you, or anyone else. Having said that, one of my favorite dog writers says that you have to be "one inch tougher" than your dog, and if you physically cannot handle the dog, it's too much dog for you. Ask for an older dog (more than 2 or 3) and even consider a bounce, someone who has already been in a home. My 64 pound male is MUCH stronger than I am, but he's trained, so it's not a problem.

Please get over the idea your dog somehow suffered at the track. His scars could be anything from a lose wire on a fence to his siblings playing to rough. I read an amusing article in "Gun Dog" magazine once. A gentleman had written in begging for help getting his Springer to "spring" into his truck. The writer replied, "Your dog weighs what, 35 pounds? Pick her up, put her in. Problem solved." I laughed my butt off. Now, no doubt your dog weighs more than 35. But if you can, I'm guessing the indignity of being lifted and put in might spur him to do it himself. My first greyhound jumped through the rear window of my SUV from the ground and got just fine, so the old chestnut that males "can't" jump is wrong.

I agree with LaFlaca. 14 is exceptionally old. The wonderful thing about being a caretaker of pet is that you DON'T have to sit by and watch them die inch by inch. I hope whatever happens your pup finds peace and comfort.

Raincoat and a hat with a brim for you, nothing for her. Do not just stand there--walk. Walk in circles in your yard if you have to, but keep her moving. Of course she will eventually go. If she does NOT go outside, do not let her loose in the house. Keep her tethered to you until she starts acting like she's about to go, then run outside again.

Wow. Sure look like corns to me, although admittedly I've been lucky so far and not had a dog with corns. Did your vet pull his tail up? There is a really simple test for LSS (which it is far more likely to be than any other back issue, IMHO). It would be simple enough to treat for Lyme if your vet thinks that is possible, but frankly I'd be suprised at a 9 year old NOT having some lameness from time to time, and I too am surprised he's not already on an NSAID. My vet always takes blood, gives the meds, and tells me to wait until I hear from her (which is typically the next day) before I give them.

Crates are probably the most overrated adoption tool there is. Yes, some greyhounds find them comforting. A 2 year old likely did very little racing, and may not have spent much time crate in his short life. A wire box in the living room of a strange place bears no reassemblance to his time at the track or the kennel, so it's not the same thing AT ALL. Do you know anything about housebreaking a dog? You need to treat this fellow as if he is a little puppy who has no idea he isn't supposed to go inside (in the crate or in the house). Any dog will soil a crate if 1) they have to go, or 2) they're stressed, or 3) he has a health issue (usually easily treated)

I'm sorry, but there are plenty of dogs in MN (and everywhere else) who wouldn't know what boots are to save their lives, and the dog coat is a relatively new "invention" that used to be for greyhounds and now seems to have spread. My boss's wife gave their daughter's 1 year old GSD a coat for Christmas. Can we all agree a GSD does NOT need a coat? Your dog is playing you. And she's very good at it! If you TRULY believe she will somehow be harmed by 10 minutes out in the cold, then can either force the issue, or baby her in tiny steps until she accepts it. Put her muzzle on before you put the boots on. And I agree, who is the boss here? If it were ME, I'd let her try going naked a few times to see how she truly handles it. She is NOT going to die if she's outside for a little bit in the cold. She truly won't. And while I own dog boots, I would never force my dog to wear them. Don't know if you've all noticed--most dogs in most places go barefoot 100% of the time, and survive. And no, Massachusetts isn't MN or Canada, but it gets damn cold here, and I have been leash walking 5x a day since 1994, so I know a bit about cold, and a bit about walking my dog NO MATTER WHAT the temp is. I have no option.

Please return the dog. You will NEVER trust him after this. I don't have kids, so I can't pretend to understand, but I do know you have to put your kid first. And six year old children should not be put in the position of decision maker on this topic. My dog is terrified of children. Works out well as I don't have any, and never will. There are PLENTY of homes that don't have six year olds in them. Please let this dog go live in one. Find yourself a nice "bomb proof" older hound if you insist on having a greyhound. Or better still, wait a bit and then get yourself a nice dog whose entire joy in life is living with children--a retriever of some sort. I'm so sorry your little girl was bitten and I hope she is fine. Best of luck--

Remember the old saying, "If nothing changes, nothing changes." If you complained about this a year ago, and nothing has changed, why would her behavior change? How many hours a DAY is this dog alone? How much time is the dog exercised (not sent out in the yard alone--exercised, by leash, by throwing toys, lure pole, anything?) I happen to think it's a bit unusual for an adult dog to still be doing this. I don't want to assume she is bored/lonely, but you didn't really give us much to go on other than you're tired of it (I can imagine I would be too!).