greysmom

Get the booklet "I'll Be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell for step by step instructions on how to help your dog feel more comfortable being by himself. But seriously?? Unless he's being destructive or eliminating in the house or really (really) loud and barking/whining during the first part of the day, he's doing REALLY WELL!!!! Alone training will help him through this transition time. A DAP diffuser in all three rooms, and maybe a collar (Unless he;s a chewer(, will help a lot too.

I'm so sorry...... I remember that summer after Bee Wieeman left and you brought Holly home. I was confused for months because they looked so similar!! Sweet Holly!!

Such a sweet story!

I made the mistake of leaving cookies to cool on the counter rack, and going to the bathroom!! 30 seconds and nearly 2 dozen cookies down the hatch!!!!

Just wait til he's digging in mud!!!!

The thing to remember with these young retired-from-the-training-track dogs is that they are really still puppies. Large breed dogs (including greyhounds) take longer to mature than their smaller cousin breeds, and I would argue that "working dogs" just have a slower clock when it comes to becoming adults. Physically, they may be very strong and buff from doing their job, but mentally and emotionally they are still living the puppy life. Their impulse control is small-to-nonexistant. Their ability to focus - especially for training flunkees - is low. A dog who is a successful racer will have a good ability to focus on the task at hand, which is one reason they are successful! If you can engage their brains for short training sessions it helps them immensely. They have an abundance of energy and only two switches - on and off! Our young dogs have tended to cycle through play-play-play-sleeeeeeeeeep-repeat endlessly throughout the days. Having a tolerant playmate of the dog variety is a BIG help. It also helps to expose them to as many new people and dogs and situations as they can reasonably handle at this time. Socialization is extremely important - but you don't want to flood them past where they can accept and use it. Every dog is an individual and they they will reach their maturity in their own time, but generally greyhounds will be "puppies" until 3 1/2 or 4 years old. Sometimes spaying/neutering will help and sometimes it won't. An outgoing dog will generally be helped by formal training classes, while a shy dog may shut down too much. Sometimes it's just a matter of trial and error to see what your particular dog can deal with on a daily basis. Good luck!

Technically, a build up of gas could be called "bloat." But not every build up of gas is dangerous. I'm surprised the vet didn't suggest a Gas-X tablet or something to help dissipate it. I understand your worry, but generally, if things are going in and out of his stomach/intestines relatively normally (eating and eliminating), it's less dangerous. The *really really* bad thing is the torsion issue which can develop as the stomach sort of inflates and twists around - and nothing can get in or out. Gas and unproductive vomiting aren't necessarily an immediate danger. You've had xrays and the vet has said it's not a torsion, and it could be many other things causing him to dry heave and feel nauseous. If he stops eating/drinking and eliminating, his stomach area feels tight like a drum, and his heartbeat is super fast - then the vet is immediately in order.

One of ours used to roll off the bed regularly. As it was a fairly high fall we took to piling up rolled blankets along the sides of the bed like bolsters to keep him from hurting himself! So funny!

Really! I'd love it if I could teach them to put the toys away when they're done!!! We actually can't have toys out at our house because one of them (coffcoff Felcity! coff coff) thinks all the toys *are* hers and no one else should have any toys ever!!! And she backs that attitude up with snarlies and ugly face! She resource guards toys and special treats so we have to monitor all play times!

{{{hugs}}} all around!!! Hope she recovers well and easily!

The other thing to do is stop them from taking flying leaps onto the deck. We have a baby gate across the entrance to the deck anyway, but it has the added help of making them stop on their way back inside if we need them to slow down.

Time time time - any injury like this is going to take weeks/months to heal. One of ours had this issue - tendon injuries following an insane running session - that impacted several toes. He limped for a few months, was on nsaids and pain meds for a few weeks, and rest, and then he began using his foot normally again. His foot was flat as a pancake, but it never impacted anything he wanted to do as a pet. He could still run and play and do whatever he wanted.

Good update! Keep us posted!

Happy Birthday Beautiful!!!!!!

If you want to pursue this I would begin by keeping a diary of the incidents with as much info as you can remember of the past ones, and try to be complete in future (hopefully none) episodes. If it does happen again I would seek out an experienced canine behaviorist, and depending on what this person said, maybe a canine neurologist. We don't see it a lot in greyhounds, but every once in a while unexplained "aggression" can indicate a brain tumor or other physical abnormality. Which needs a CT/MRI to diagnose properly, so start a savings account for that expense. I hope it's not that and it's just new-home-snarks and things settle down again soon!

Agreed. Vet visit with possible removal. There are glands and other things located in the tail, so it's possible something is out of whack and needs to be treated - infection or impaction, or even a foreign body.

If your dog is limping any cancer would likely show up on xrays - which should image the whole leg, toes to shoulder/hip. And have them read by an experienced technician. You can also send them to Dr Couto at the Greyhound Health Initiative for his opinion. You can get his opinion even if it's not osteo. He is a greyhound health expert and can likely give you guidance on future treatment or diagnostics.

WOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Thanks Dick!!! Her call name is "Andi" 20190907_210351 by Chris Harper, on Flickr That picture turned out big - let me know if you need a smaller one!

You might consider the Voyager boots as well, since snow and ice is more of an issue. Check out items by RuffWear too, as they are very well made and fit greyhounds reasonably well.

Thanks Dick! I wasn't that worried. I have submitted her Bertillon and pet transfer papers, but it hasn't come through the official channels yet (getting the previous owner signatures, etc). We're going to try some LGRA straight line racing, and need to have her registered, but not til next Spring. There is one brother on GD - Braska Petey - listed under their dam's offspring, though the rest of the litter hasn't made it yet (finishing training currently). name: Braska Pandora color: red fawn sex: f weight: 58 lbs tattoos: 71914 - 28B By: Soprano Drive OO: Braska Maybeline DOB: Feb 27, 2018 Owner: Bill or Jill Elliot Let me know if you need anything else or have trouble. Her papers will come through eventually. Thanks! Chris

Hmmm.. Kristie is an expert trainer and vet so I will defer to her expertise, but we've brought home littermate puppies (Great Danes), and two adult greyhounds, and an adult and puppy greyhound at the same time and never had any issues of bonding between humans and dogs. The McConnell book may answer your question about the later stages of Alone Training. What is happening when you're leaving them that you feel is "beyond threshold?" Some barking and whining is normal as the dog becomes used to being by themselves. You just want to see that response lessen as time goes on. What you don't want to see is destructive behaviors like chewing and eliminating, or breaking out of crates, destroying blinds and doors in a panic - that sort of thing. But waiting for the *right* dog is always a good idea.

Usually (usually usually) but not every single time, adopting another dog will alleviate the symptoms of SA in dogs that are prone to it. But it sounds like the group you are connected with isn't amenable to this situation. (Their statement why, IMO, is BS.) So you will need to find another gorup to adopt from. Given your special needs, you may be able to talk them around, but maybe not. I'm sorry I don't understand what exactly in your personal situation precludes you from doing Alone Training, since you do leave your house nearly every day, but it is a key element in introducing and accustoming a dog to living alone. Get the booklet (or ebook) "I'll Be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell. She gives step-by-step, easily followed instructions about how to accomplish having a dog who can stay by themselves. Another option for you to consider is an older bounce who has lived alone in his/her former home. We have lots of dogs returned (or "bounced" back) to the group through no fault of their own, and they are harder to re-adopt out sometimes. But this kind of dog would be perfect for your situation. The whole thought of adopting now due to the issues with racing is lessened because you apparently live closer to the tracks than those of us on the West Coast. We all have lo-o-o-o-o-o-ong waiting lists and have to wait months to get hauls of dogs up our way. If you don't mind getting a greyhound cross you might look into the American Lurcher Project.

Personally, I would wait a little longer until you have established a baseline level of trust with her to do anything like a class. If you have access/knowledge of basic obedience yourself, try some of the exercises at home and see how she responds - positive reinforcement only, and really yummy treats! Things like "come" and "watch me" are easy and help build her confidence. In fact, more yummy treats could help you out a lot. She sounds like one of those greys that need a lot of time and patience to setlle into a home life - everything is strange and she doesn't trust you yet. Carry some treats with you around the house or set a bowl up out of her reach near where she usually lays. Toss her little yummy tidbits whenever you pass by and speak to her softly and kindly. Reward her every time you call her to you. Reward her when she does anything positive at all - particularly for interacting with you. And keep repeating to youself - Time and patience! She's just one of those dogs that need more of both. Perhaps months, but it could take a long, long time. I will also say, if you and your wife don't feel able to handling a dog who might need that extra time and intervention, then yes, return her and see if another dog fits your lifestyle and expectations a little better. What you're seeing with this dog is completely normal behavior for a newly adopted retired racer - it's a spectrum rather than a specific set of traits - and one of the drawbacks in adopting a dog directly from a track kennel without the benefit of a group to evaluate and place dogs in suitable situations. If the kennel will work with you, then you'd be doing yourselves and the dog a favor in that situation.

I must get the weirdest dogs - none fo them have ever liked being covered with blankets for very long!!!