rascalsmom

The kong WAS frozen.

So krissy and Jey, what you are both saying is that the treats need to be directed toward the husband, not the dog, right? . I think you may be on to something. The human needs to be trained first. . I was so pleased when she finally listened to me when I was giving her dinner. She's a quick study....when she wants to be.

OMG, krissy, I can only dream of Phoebe having that much self-control! But that is a fabulous suggestion--and I am going to try it. Thanks for sharing that video. I really do think that impulse control is a large part of Phoebe's problem.............. ............but Hope, you are right, too--it's also a people problem. I get so very frustrated with the inconsistencies. Tonight when I was getting Phoebe's dinner, I made her stay OUT of the kitchen while I scooped the food out. It took several OUTs until she stayed there, but she did! Then, when I took the food to her 'table', I made her SIT, and told her to STAY for maybe five seconds. Then I told her OK and let her eat. She did it! Of course nobody else was home at this time.... I'm sure she'd be very trainable if there were only one person here.... She seems quite bright, but, just like with children, if there are inconsistencies, they really try and exploit that!

You know, I was looking at rawhides at the store today, thinking that might help---but I've always been hesitant to give those. She has a deer antler, but couldn't be distracted with that.

She barks if put behind a baby gate, and also chewed the gate.

We had a crate initially, when we got Phoebe. She never went into it willingly, and we got rid of it when she got to the point of having to be pushed into it. I kind of doubt she'd go for it now, because of how she reacted to it before. In fact, she's got a little bit of skin missing from right above her nose....and I think that happened while she was at the kennel last week, as I noticed it after she came home from there. I suspect she may have been chewing at the bars, trying to get out??

As you might know, we have now had Phoebe for a little over a year. She is three years old, going to be four in February. Ever since we got her, she's been very, very food-motivated. At first this was great, since it helped us teach her how to do stairs, and I was able to teach her a couple of basic commands--sit, shake, down--quite easily. Well, now it is just plain annoying. I've been trying to teach her "OUT" as a command to stay out of the kitchen when I am in there preparing a meal, or cleaning up after a meal. She knows what it means--it means to have all four paws on the carpet of the living room, NOT on the hardwood kitchen floor. She's smart enough to know that, and will listen if you tell her--however, there are...ahem...some people who live here who aren't horribly consistent, and therein lies the problem. Plus, she is also very focused on my husband (who is the most inconsistent one of the three of us who live here!), and the minute he gets out of his kitchen chair, she feels that she can enter the kitchen again, and stick to his side. He usually doesn't tell her OUT, so then I do, or our daughter does, and then he gets upset that we are 'raising our voice'. But as DD points out, you can't just 'suggest' it to Phoebe, you have to 'say it like you mean it'. I knew that having Thanksgiving here would be a nightmare with Phoebe around, so we took her to a kennel for two nights. It was nice--no dog with her nose on the counter, no yelling "OUT" every two seconds, nobody had to worry about her stealing food off their plate--because she would do that in a heartbeat. We had to have a bunch of people here for a few days after Thanksgiving--after Phoebe came home--because of a death in the family. It was not fun. At all. She is almost frantic when there is food around. The first time, I made her a Kong--treats, turkey, mashed potatoes, peanut butter on top, frozen--and put her in the bedroom behind a gate. All was great for the first 8 or 10 minutes. Then she finished the Kong and started whining, then barking. I later discovered that she chewed the wooden top of the gate. The next time people came over, I ended up taking her in the bedroom and staying there with her, because she was such a PITA. Recently, I have eliminated almost all of the treats she was getting. My DH would give her treats for no reason, and I put an end to that. The only time I really give her treats is when we are out walking, if she successfully ignores a barking dog (because she wants to carry on and bark at every other dog she sees OR hears--but that's another issue!). And I have really curbed that lately, too--I will only give her a treat intermittently. I'm trying to get her to rely more on praise than on treats. With moderate success, at best. Phoebe is unlike any of the other four greyhounds we've had. I truly think that she doesn't really care that much about PEOPLE....only food. None of our other dogs were like this, even Buddy, who was food motivated. Phoebe takes it to a whole new level. If there is food around, she doesn't even want people to touch her--she just wants the food. Frantic is the best word I can think of to describe how she is. It is truly driving me crazy, and it makes me not like her very much at those times. I hate to admit that, but there it is. Can anyone help?

I am so sorry. They are never with us long enough, are they?

What sort of harness are you looking for, Nancy? I have a WWW harness, not sure if that's what you're after or something more for assistance. You are welcome to use the one I have if you think it might help....

Our dogs have never understood the difference between 'their' stuffies and the kids' stuffies. And really, how could they?? I used to tell my kids that they just need to put their stuff away, then the dog won't get it. I have had to put away an antique doll and a handmade raggedy ann doll because the CAT keeps chewing on them!

I, too, think most dogs would adapt. We moved once, when we had three dogs--not a long distance move, but a new home, new yard nonetheless. They were all fine--familiar things like their beds, couches, etc, go a long way toward making a place 'home' to them. And their routine is a comfort too--the dog I have now, Phoebe, doesn't care much about anything except that breakfast comes promptly at 7 a.m., and dinner is in the bowl at 4. Oh, and that walk better be forthcoming around 8:00 a.m., or she lets you know! We also took those same three dogs to Dewey and Gettysburg every year. They adapted just fine to a few days in a hotel, too. Again, we took their beds, so it was something familiar.

I've only had greyhounds, so I don't have any basis for comparison. ALL of our dogs have cost us rather large amounts of money toward the end of their lives--Buddy ended up having lymphoma, but we didn't know that till after we treated him for LS. He also scratched his cornea--twice--and ended up with pannus, so we had specialist vet bills. Rascal managed to lacerate herself while sleeping a few months after we got her--not making this up--and she ended up with hemangiopericytoma in her later years. Ruby--who was probably the most 'cost-effective' dog--injured herself at age 11, and we got her back on her feet (she had a neck injury and was completely immobile till we found a chiropractor), but she only lasted another 8 months. All three of them died at age 12. Jack was only 7 when he died from complications from lymphangiactasia--he developed blood clots from the pred he had to take and we never got his disease regulated . We've had our share of miscellaneous lacerations which required stitching, too. And dentals. But with all that said, as my fifth greyhound, Phoebe, is at my feet waiting for her walk--I would not have any other breed.

Glad to hear you're ready to get another pet, Jane. My daughter had a parakeet, and he was pretty cool. I hope you'll share some pictures of your new addition with us!

Phoebe knows several words--out, wait, stay, sit, shake, but her favorite words of all are ICE CREAM. Yes, we have created a monster by taking her for ice cream a couple of times!

So very sorry you had to lose your sweet Polly. She was indeed a beautiful lady, and a true gift to you and Doug. Run free, pretty lady.

well, that's kind of like splitting hairs..... So happy that he's OK now. I have no doubt that Phoebe would've done the same, given the chance.

How is Xavi doing today, Robin??

Oh my goodness. Glad he got prompt attention, and I hope he's better soon. If only they'd learn from stuff like this. Though *I* could probably eat a whole pan of brownies, too.

I am so very sorry to hear this, Susan. My thoughts are with you. I loved seeing pictures of George and Mr. B. What a pair! I hope you'll still post some of those old favorites for us from time to time.

I am truly sorry to hear of Poodle's passing, Pam. My thoughts are with you.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Judy.

I'm so sorry. I lost my Jack to lymphangiectasia. He was losing protein, and an ultrasound showed a mass. Did surgery, and found out the mass was 'clogged lymphatics'. We put him on pred, trying to get it under control....but then he developed blood clots so we let him go. I fully understand how hard it is. Please don't beat yourself up for not knowing sooner--there wasn't any way you could've known.

I remember, too.

Yes, yes, yes.

I think Robin was only suggesting some very, very basic positive reinforcement. I don't think she was suggesting that Iker's and Truman's issues were the same in any way.