racindog

Great advise above and I have some more There is a very very old saying that has been around a very very long time and it is this: "Let sleeping dogs lie." Just don't mess with him while he is sleeping. Some dogs don't like that. Would you like somebody bothering you while you were trying to sleep? I don't see it as a problem. And don't worry. Everything will sort itself out. You are about to take one of the happiest journey's of your life in bonding with your new greyhound. It really is that special. It takes TIME though. Don't rush it. Enjoy the journey.

You're in for a treat! I will be at the Sydney James too. I can't wait to see everybody!

A vet told me that heart murmurs were fairly common in greyhounds and not usually any big deal. I have had 2 or 3 greyhounds that had murmurs and just like the vet said it was essentially meaningless because the murmurs in no way harmed or caused any observable symptoms. None of them rec'd any meds for it and most were seen by different vets from time to time that said the exact same thing as the first vet: "Not to worry/no big deal for a greyhound." I will be the first to say you can't always believe what a vet says but in this case they were right. I suspect the alarmist vet that cancelled your appointment might not be as knowledgeable as he thinks he is about greyhound hearts. Probably a blessing the appointment got cancelled!

WHAT A GIRL!

Just tell Hada we love her and are praying for her complete and swift recovery! Sorry IDK any info to offer.

Praying for Mickey!

He's gorgeous! Very handsome. I just know he will make you a prized hound!!! I am sure that with your experience you two will work out any issues so I would not be overly concerned about the guarding etc. He probably just needs to learn that he is not running the show with you as he may have been with others. EVERY dog has some kind of issue at some point. If you wait for an 'issue-less' dog you would be waiting forever. One of the best most compassionate hounds I ever had was a large male named Minny! He would and had attacked other dogs and just like Tiger bit me pretty good after I first got him. But each day he got a little better. I actually was fostering him when this happened- even other fosters wouldn't take him. I found out that with some dogs corn can affect the seratonin levels in the brain so I removed all corn from his diet just in case. He improved and was adopted out but returned several weeks later for pretty bad biting and dominance-guarding the sofa etc. I of course got him back as I tell all my fosters they ALWAYS can come to me. Well, he was immediately fine again when I got him back. In fact, remember I mentioned his compassion? My soulmate Slim had just crossed over suddenly from bloat/GDV-while Minny was at the adopters-and I was a devastated wreck. Minny ministered to me and helped me through the grief as NO ONE else could have. I seen a side of him I didn't know existed before. I am sure he deliberately had got himself returned by acting like that so he could return and help me. Dogs know stuff. Needless to say I promptly 'adopted' him-really he was the one who adopted me though. I never ceased to be amazed by him. He was also incredibly intelligent and could follow several sentence directions among other things and learned how to perform many things. And he shared that wonderful greyhound wisdom liberally with me. I marveled at his greatness. He is with me always.

savvyPRchick is right. It is a survival of the fittest situation . It can't be trained out anymore than you can put it in. It genetic. It's also a highly prized attribute in the working dog world because a dog that has great prey drive is usually a top working dog.

https://ivcjournal.com/metronidazole-veterinary-medicine/?fbclid=IwAR00JJ6wNiV1lf_5b7Pob04_yyq9egqUgbu0PbPbGGf0-VVkW_cKQ5wNWS4

The "greyhound smile" for the win!!! Love the pictures and love to all! Thanks for posting them!

Sorry I missed the big celebration but Happy (belated) Birthday Wiki!

I always try and get a legit dental specialist. Unfortunately the last one has retired-and I had to take a day off work to drive some distance to him. There doesn't seem to be any in my immediate area right now. There ARE plenty of GP vets that have decided to anoint themselves a dental specialist because they try and sell themselves as such by placing some focus on dental issues. That is why I specified a legit dental specialist earlier. Dr. Quaak, a fellow, gave several wonderful lectures at Mountain Hounds one year on dentistry. She said most vets have almost NO knowledge of it and that is why they pull so many teeth- they don't know how to 'fix' issues so they just pull the tooth and actually it can be a very serious thing to pull a tooth-especially if you lack experience. So that is why I prefer an actual legit dental specialist. She also said that sometimes the make believe specialist do NOT have the special dental x-ray machine and that the regular x-rays do NOT provide a good enough picture to make decisions over. Here is a list, maybe you'll get lucky and find one close by. https://avdc.org/

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality." ~ Emily Dickinson

THIS! I would be concerned about an injury to one of the disc in her spine. As your gut has told you it can be very serious and whatever the issue is it should be diagnosed! period! IMO not just trying to medicate it away as seems is happening. Its past time for an orthopedic vet. Hope she gets diagnosed and recovers quickly.

My heart is breaking for you. I pray that the Good Shepherd will give you peace. God bless you for sharing your love with His creatures in need.

I went through osteo with my first greyhound but I am no way convinced that is Gator's issue. Actually I would be inclined to think it is something else unless it is definitively PROVEN otherwise. My vets and the cancer specialist told me the only way to know for sure was a biopsy which incurred risk of its own. After a biopsy it was indeed confirmed and she had her leg amputated. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT THING TO DO. She was 9 and we had a whole year of healthy pain free good times that are HAPPY memories. She actually WON the trick class at a pretty big greyhound event as a tripod! It never handicapped her in the least. We had always run together prior to the amputation and within 4 days she was up and at 'em. We ran just like we had before and one day she looked back at me and said come on! " I've only got 3 legs and YOU STILL can't keep up." We did do chemo treatments initially as recommended and she suffered no ill effects from them. It is different than people chemo. Anyway as young as your guy is and knowing what I know from experience I would say YES to amputation. Remember Charlie on here? He gave us all many happy memories after his amputation. Prayers for your boy!!!!! BTW Ivy's limping was intermittent prior to diagnosis. It was not constant. I tried to put her picture up but couldn't get the pics shrunk down enough.

http://adopt-a-greyhound.org/cgmagazine

I think you should return him to the adoption group so he can go somewhere he is wanted. I don't think you want a dog and their restrictions. That is OK. But its not fair to the dog to make him live somewhere he isn't wanted when he could be somewhere he was deeply loved and treasured. JMO.

"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality." ~ Emily Dickinson

My deepest sympathy.

Oliver sounds to me like a very wise and loveable fellow. He knows whats important to him (and you), is loving and caring, and there is no doubt in my mind he has it more "together" and is a better friend than many many humans would ever be. Sending him some love

I have found a great deal of help and comfort by just talking to the dog about their situation. Sometimes they even initiate this although I have a tendency to try and ignore it at first when they do because I don't want to believe what is happening. Sometimes words are not even necessary. If you are unsure a professional reputable animal communicator can facilitate things. I have done that as well quite successfully. Regardless, sending positive thoughts and tons of love.

I understand completely- oh believe me I do. Even for experienced handlers new dogs mean new challenges. I did not mean to be rude but because of my background I know I can sound forceful. IMO you don't have to worry about whatever you decide to do because you are motivated and operating out of love. Therefore you simply cannot go wrong. Truthfully Jack is lucky he had you instead of some possibly mean person who would not have had such love and concern for him in their heart. I am just sorry it doesn't seem to be working out but you are doing the right thing and putting Jacks well being first. No one could do more than that.

He is running the show. He considers himself the leader and you the subordinate. IMO that is a recipe for failure and/ or disaster. In his defense it is not him. In fact many, if not most, dogs will respond the same way to greater or lesser degrees to the appeasement strategy you are using. I know you are well meaning but what you are doing is not fair and will set the dogs up for failure. Sooner or later you will probably get bit. Not because Jack is a bad dog but because dogs bite. It is what they do and since you have allowed him to assume leadership it follows naturally to subordinates-YOU! And the most tragic thing of all is that then it will label him unfairly and severely restrict his opportunity to find the good home and life he deserves. You desperately need professional and knowledgeable instruction about 'pack structure' in your home and setting rules etc. And I don't mean big box pet smart/petco etc 'courses'. You need highly regarded quality training and frankly it won't be cheap. You simply must be the leader or else-and this applies to Jack or any other dog. Its not your fault because you have not the experience and don't know. Clearly you mean well. But seriously, appeasing him and giving him control like you have with treats even for the bad behavior is the absolute worse thing you can do. The most compassionate hound I ever had came to me from a situation just like yours. He had even 'taken control' of the peoples furniture-because they let him. He was returned twice for fighting and biting rather viciously. He never, not once, challenged me or anybody else for leadership of anything from the first he came into my home. He could see instantly that it was a stable pack structure-with ME at the top- and he LIKED that and felt no need to challenge anybody. Dogs can behave quite differently in different homes. Jack would probably behave just as nice in even a strange home that was dog savvy and had an established and rightful pack structure. You need some serious training on dog social structure and relationships regardless of whether you try to learn how to handle Jack or get a different one. Bottom line dogs have got to have a leader and that needs to be you. On every turn you are submitting to Jack's whims and he has no rules like he should have. That will never work with Jack or even a different dog. That being said there is a dog out there for you that can help you to learn-with training-so don't give up the ship. For Jacks well being though it might be better for all concerned to return him before something happens that harms him and can't be undone. But let me emphasize the problem is not Jack. The problem is that you don't know what a dog needs as far as rules and leadership and how to provide it for them.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!