GeorgeofNE

I have never owned a dog that wouldn't eat as much and as often as I allowed him. On what are you basing your assessment that he's "too thin"?

Muzzles don't prevent barking. Look for some video of the turnout pens at the track kennels and you will see I speak the truth. Anything that physically prevented your dog from barking would be inhumanely tight. Suggest you work on behavior modification instead.

The odds are not good that it's a soft tissue injury given that we're talking serious pain, a greyhound, with no known injury. I'd DEMAND more x-rays before anything else. And I'd also insist they be sent to OSU.

If your vet isn't capable of treating a simple sore--run, don't walk, to find a new one. A simple sore on the leg does not require a Greyhound savvy vet.

He has no idea what to do if the door is closed! You've made it easy for him to go outside, but that doesn't mean he's learning how to tell you, "Hey! The door is closed and I have to pee!" You need to housebreak him as if he's a puppy. Every basic puppy training book covers this in detail. The highpoints include: You need to get him on a schedule, and not let him out of your sight until he gets the picture. So if you go upstairs, he goes with you. If you CANNOT keep your eyes on him, put him in the crate. That's one of the reasons crates are good for newly adopted dogs who are not housebroken! When you let him out (after long naps, after meals, upon waking, after you return home, etc.), go with him. I like to say something like, "Let's go potty!" When he pees or poos, tell him what an incredibly good dog he is. "Good potty! What a good boy you are!" Eventually you teach him a specific word that you want him to associate with having to go to the bathroom. As to the accidents he's already had, you need to remove all traces of urine so that he doesn't think it's OK to use the kitchen as a bathroom. They make special urine cleaning things for that. Sounds like he really WANTS to be good, if he's at least going near the door! So it shouldn't take you too long. Good luck.

Why don't you just ask them? The shelters around here are shockingly picky. Better yet, just write them a check.

Just FYI: cats really don't do all that well being shuffled from home to home. He'd really be better off having you come check on the cat once a day than have you bring it to your house. Of course SOME cats probably just love being uprooted--but cats are very territorial, and I myself would not stress my cat out by expecting it to not only deal with a dog, but being in a strange place.

I'm guessing the OP would have noticed the kink prior to now if the dog had it before...I assume this is new? I'm with you. 14 years old? If it's not bothing the dog, I'd leave it alone until you have a regular visit scheduled.

Go visit them at their house? I personally think it's pretty bold to tell you what you have to do in your own home with your pets. Of course baby gating them out of the main area where you'd be visiting is not really a hardship for anyone--and until the baby is mobile, it's all sort of a non-issue.

Bitter Applie might have worked for "Shan Yu," but many dogs consider it a lovely condiment. Move the bed away from the dresser. Sounds like he's just bored, and that's what's within reach.

Have never seen a dog taken to the starting box by the collar. Perhaps he was just seeing how much he could get away with? I was joking. I know how they get them to the box. I also know that they don't seem terribly concerned about the dog actually behaving on his way there!

Oh for heaven's sake! That's not "information." That's someone's theory.

I suspect George was spoken to in a foreign language. He is either an excellent actor, or knew NOTHING when I got him. He acted like he'd never even walked on a leash, and considering he was in the same racing kennel for 3 years, I have to wonder how they got him from place to place! Mostly by the collar I guess. He knew exactly what to do the day I brought him home when I opened up my SUV tailgate. He jumped right in without me saying a word!

Every dog is different. I have NEVER cleaned my Greyhounds ears, and they are spotless. My last dog had allergies and his ears were a MESS. I would leave the ear cleaning to a vet tech if you are new dog owners, cause you're just as likely to cause a problem as prevent one messing around in their ears!

You're not that far from Angell Memorial. I assure you, they know everything you need to know about Greyhounds and any other breed! I can recommend Dedham Veterinary Associates in addition to Angell, if you're still looking. The Dedham place is great--Dr. Kara Rycek took excellent care of George before I moved to Canton.

Carol Ann, I think you already know how I feel. If your dog does well on it, who cares what the ratings are? Who cares what other people think of your selection? Millions of dogs in this country have thrived on foods we would consider "garbage," including our very beautiful bunch of English Setters, one of which was a successful show dog. They all ate Puppy Chow and then Dog Chow, and we never lost a dog to premature illness, they all had great coats, great teeth, etc. Call them "fur babies" all you like folks, but they're actually dogs. They don't care about ratings. They care about feeling good and if Purina One makes your dogs feel good, have at it!

You have to be careful with "natural" remedies just as you would be with prescriptions. My vet, meaning well, suggested I try Valerian Root on George for anxiety. She heard about it from another vet who was taking it himself to sleep. OK, seems harmless, right? It's a ROOT. Within a month his liver enzymes had gone WAY up. She was all for running a bunch of tests, when I reminded her the ONLY change was the Valerian Root. We stopped giving it to him, and within a few weeks the levels had returned to normal. She no longer suggests Valerian Root for her patients. Natural does not equal harmless!

Smart dog. Picking out what she wants and making a mess for you to clean up with the rest. I don't add stuff to my dog's meals on a daily basis. I think some picky eaters are turned that way because every time they act "bored" with their food, their human adds more and tastier stuff to it. If you WANT to cater to your dog's whims, feel free. I don't care to do that. Kibble, warm water. 2x a day. I do throw in a can of sardines from time to time, and he gets ample treats NOT in his meals. The exception I would make is an ill or elderly dog. If you need to get your dog to eat, you do what you have to do. Sounds like your little girl is just being a diva.

My dog gets a marrow ("soup") bone every Saturday and Sunday. He loves them.

Stop crating him is my advice! Those heartbeat things are for little puppies. I wouldn't bother with that. He isn't going to feel comforted by a fake heartbeat. He's anxious cause he's in a strange place and he doesn't know if you're coming back or not! It takes time, but please get the McConnell booklet, "I'll be Home Soon" and give the alone training a try. My dog had a HORRIBLE time adjusting, but he did it, and he's just fine now! So hang in there! The crate made it 10x worse, so I gave it up pretty quickly.

"For the most part" the kids are doing what you told them isn't going to cut it I'm afraid. They're VERY young, and it's going to be very difficult for them to understand the rules and WHY there are rules. I could not let your daughter rub his belly or do anything else that has her leaning over him or any where near his bed. I'm sorry the dog scared your little girl, but sounds like she hurt him (of course she didn't mean to) and he's doing the only thing he can and growling--which is just his way of saying he wants her to leave him alone.

10 AM is the first outing? I can only dream of that! My dog goes out a minimum of five times a day, on a leash (I have no yard). He probably pees 4-10 times every time. Boy does seem to have a never ending supply of urine. Probably best for you to take your new guy out on a leash until he's housebroken and on a schedule, even if it's only in your yard. If you're trying to force him to pee in a specific place, it could be he simply finds that place unacceptable (for now). I'd work on housebreaking first, and worry about a "pee area" second.

Oh my, this takes me back!! It took my boy FOREVER to learn the stairs at my old condo (black, metal, enclosed in a stairwell). I got very frustrated, but kept on. Then one day I bravely steeled myself to try going down and the darn dog pranced down three flights with no problem like a debutante descending stairs for a ball! He only learned them well when I moved to a place with carpet on the stairs, and he followed my movers right up the first time!

What works with cats (mouths are way to small to just shove the pills in) is a drinking straw with a slit in the end. Stick the pill in the slit, open the mouth, poke the straw into their gob, and make the pill fall off and down the throat! Do NOT tell Jilly I told you this.

George had a dental when I first adopted him and he had a bad reaction to the anesthesia. I have no intention of doing another one unless it's absolutely necessary. He gets a raw bone every Saturday and Sunday, and my vet says his teeth are great!