greysmom

I'm anticipating a bunch of new separation anxiety threads.

VHS!!!! No masks here!

Next item: an old fashioned DVD 20200327_093913 by Chris Harper, on Flickr

Haven't settled on an endgame yet. Next item: Magazine - bonus for flowers on the front!

This item will have until 5pm pacific.

Ok. Just something fun to do to keep us all entertained and not-bored!!! I'll name something - an object or item - something you can find around your own house or yard. Take a picture and upload it! Bonus points if you get a picture of the item AND your greyhound in the same shot! After it looks like we're done with that item (or a few hours, at least), I will post the next thing to search for! Good luck! We'll start easy! Item : TV Remote 20200326_121418 by Chris Harper, on Flickr

I definitely wouldn't go the Proin route but Incurin and DES are both fairly safe to use under the advice of your vet and could be an easy fix for a problem that's distressing to everyone. Good luck.

I'm so sorry. {{{hugs}}}

Yes, you should be freaking out about now. Losing that much blood - no matter the reason - can be very serious, so it's important to try and get it stopped as soon as possible. The most likely culprit is the hooks, which, as said above, are particularly resistant to treatment and extremely difficult tp clear. But they can destroy a dog's intestinal tract if left unchecked. Be vigilant about checking him for dehydration as they can go downhill really quickly with bloody diarrhea, requiring hospitalization. Talk with your vet about the protocol listed above and follow it exactly and stringently. You need to have THREE negative fecal tests following treatment - one two weeks after the last treatment, one two weeks after that, and one two weeks after that. And then keep up consistently on monthly worming medication, because once you have it in your yard, you will *always* have it in your yard. Don't walk out there barefoot anymore either! Alternatively, if all those pills and medications make you nervous, you can discuss with you vet giving your dog the ProHeart 6 shot, which is a long-acting internal parasite killer (they come for either 6 months or 12 months). This shot was available previously and was quite controversial, causing bad side effects, but has since been reformulated and re-issued for use. You do have to keep up with external tick treatment at the same time. My vet clinic has been trying it for dogs with heavy infestations and they have had very good results and low incidence of side effects or other issues. All three of my dogs are on it with no problems whatsoever, and the one with hooks has been clear for two months now.

Yes, feet are the issue a lot of times. They are on a very controlled surface throughout training and racing - mostly a sand or sandly loam sort of texture - that helps with traction and keeping their foot structure in alignment. Once in a home, they have to deal with all sorts of surfaces to walk/run on and it can be an issue. You might try and find some boots for them to wear to protect their feet, but I've never had any that stay on during zoomies. I've become quite proficiant in dealing with wrapping feet/legs and dealing with dislocations at home. Otherwise, I'd be spending every week at the vet!

It's probably a combination of boredom, needing more exercise, and wanting more attention. Think of her like a toddler who always is interrupting adult conversations, or trying to get your attention when you're on the phone. They want you to focus on THEM. RIGHT NOW. When they want it, not when you want it. Small kids have to learn impulse control. Dogs do too. FWIW, I seem to get all the greyhounds who NEVER have gotten the memo that greyhounds don't bark. All of mine have and do, all the time, just like labs!!! My dogs bark more than the shepherd who lives behind us and the yap dogs on either side. If you can both stand the ignore-ignore-ignore routine the behavior *may* extinguish itself. May. It's never worked for us completely. I use a combination of distraction and redirection to give her brain something else to focus on. If you know you're going to be doing an activity that will elicit a barking jag, try to cut it off by giving her a long-lasting chew treat or a Kong to work on before you begin - make sure she is quiet and settled prior to giving her the reward and mark it with a command word. Work on a command separately from the times when you know she's too excited and barking that will help her control herself. In the middle of the afternoon or whenever she's usually calm and in a good place mentally to train. In our house, we use "on your bed" as kind of a general calming phrase. Lure her to her bed, say the command, treat and praise. And use it whenever she gets too out of control. Then, when she's in the middle of a barking phase, you can give the command (over nad over if necessary!) until she gets the clue she'll only get her treat-n-praise if she's on her bed and quiet. It takes loads of short training times and consistent repetition b y everyone in the house, but it does work to help them control their barking and attention seeking behavior. Good luck!

Oh dear, Lulu!!

Are you in an area where there are fire ants? Or ticks? I wouldn't panic about it, but maybe send your pictures to your vet and see what they recommend.

If only I had all the rolls mine have destroyed through the years!!!!!

With any dog, finding the motivation for each individual is the key to successful training. For some that will be regular treats or training treats; for some you'll need to start with something considerably higher value (roasted chicken, beef jerky, cooked livier, braunsweiger or liverwurst, cheese - whatever that particular dog find to be the most yummy thing ever). Keep in mind that greyhounds have been bred for centuries to be independent thinkers - the original hunting dogs were sent mostly individually to down small game animals, and as coursing hounds they have to learn to make individual racing choices constantly. They simply don't have that component of wanting to work cooperatively or alongside people (or other dogs) in their genetic make up like herding breeds or "gun" dogs. So it's up to the human to make training fun and interesting, and give them a reason why they need to do it. You can also use toys or anything else the dog finds of high value, as they do with training police dogs. Not as convenient to carry around as a pocketfull of treats however. Some dogs (not usually greyhounds though! ) will work for pets and attention. Once you find that motivator it's best to keep training sessions very short to begin with - just a couple minutes - but space them out throughout the day. If you can use behavior shaping, like batterseabrindl outlined above, it's pretty simple. Just keep some treats on you and give the command whenever you see your dog about to do the command naturally. If you're familiar with clicker training that also works well - they love the "loading" phase where you get them accustomed to responding to the sound! Once they "get" the command, have them sucessfully repeat the behavior three times, ending with a correct behavior, and then stop. Wait an hour or two and repeat the session. You will see various reasons and explanations about why greyhounds can't sit. Mostly they aren't true. It's not a natural behavior they need, particularly for retired racers, but they can and do sit just fine. I've taught all three of my puppies to sit with little to no effort. The adults? Notsomuch. In some cases it's easier to teach/shape "down" first and then lure them up to "sit," but most greyhounds I have had will just stand up. It's important to remember to use positive-reinforcement training methods only. For all their stubborness, greyhounds have moderately "soft" personalitites and they do not deal well with harsher training methods. Keep this in the front of your mind if you choose to try a class or at-home trainer. Someone unused to greyhounds could do irrepareable harm in a very short time. Boot camp or Whisperer type trainers really don't work for them. Gentle, consistent, praise-centric training will get you much farther even if it takes longer.

And a nice blankie!!

So beautiful!!! Congratulations!!!

Wish you were here, or I was there, to give you the biggest hardest longest hug in person.

The best way to honor a friend that's passed is to help another. I'm so sorry Ken had to leave, but know that Tiger couldn't have a better forever home.

Carol, I'm so sorry that Trolley had to make her way over the Bridge. I remember so well when Trolley came to you - mostly because I was trying to work out a way to bring her to ME! - and I, too, thought she was one of the most beautiful greyhounds I'd ever seen. That opinon didn't ever change. Run In Peace, sweet, beautiful girl. Run happy and healthy and free from fear or pain with your good bud Rocket and all our other Angels.

Is that Nigel????

Don, that's not even nice!!!! Now I gotta get some stinky fishes for the girls!!

I just want to SMOOCH him all over!!!!!

That's because the appearance of the toddler means he's going to get scolded or told off or moved someplace he doesn't want to be - he's using up his spoons before he even interacts with the child. And it sounds like the child's needs are coming before his, which is a natural enough response for parents, but remember your dog is a full member of your household too and deserves his time and space as much as any other member. I would say you can do more to help him feel better about the small noisy human. Pick some times throughout the day when your kid's quieter - nap times, or a reading time - sit down with both and read the book to both of them, tossing nice treats to the dog every once in a while. If your child can toss a couple too, that would be great. Even if it's just a minute or two a couple times a day, pick some ways your dog can learn that your child can be a "good thing" in his life instead of an issue. Make sure your dog has a child free space that he knows he can retreat to when he gets overwhelmed. Also that he's not just "put" there to be out of the way. This spot needs to be a "good thing" as well. A crate, a baby gated room or area - someplace free from kids and corrections. If he does growl, make sure your tone isn't punative if he needs a time out. "Hey big guy! Let's go have a yummy treat in the bedroom!" Rather than "Get off the couch right now!" A good, positive-reinforcement-only behaviorist can help by giving you strategies to manage a space guarding dog and a toddler exploring the world. They can actually see your space and how everyone interacts instead of us giving generic advice over the internet. It won't be cheap, but it will be worth it. Also: Family Friendly Dog Training by Patricia McConnell It's not kid focused but a great resource.