3greytjoys

I agree wholeheartedly with Krissy's thoughtful post. Thanks Krissy. OP: I hope time will eventually help ease your painful loss. I understand having lost some of my beloved pets and human family members way too young.

Yes, they're in great shape. Never had to replace any in a decade. I ordered an extra reflective I.D. collar to use for fosters and visitors: I'M LOST + my cell phone number.

IMO, you're smart about this not being an optimal time for another Greyhound. I would keep her as an only dog. Your girl seems to be naturally happily blooming in her current life with you and your husband. Your new baby will change everyone's life. Another Greyhound would further change family dynamics, including your four cats. Every dog needs time, attention, training, walks, regular and emergency veterinary care (dog bills can get expensive fast, even more challenging while responsible for four other animals food and medical care), grooming, daily tooth brushing, frequent nail clipping, etc. I'd encourage you to devote your time and energy to rearing your new baby for 5-6+ years while balancing your existing animal family. IMO, it's not advisable to complicate your life with the physical, emotional, financial and liable responsibility of another large dog until your new baby is at least school age. Also, while retired racing Greyhounds are wonderful dogs, many would not be considered a best breed to live 24/7 with very young children since their upbringing is so unlike typical pet breeds e.g., Labradors. Retired racing Greyhounds are not considered rough and tumble playmates. Generally, toddlers' minds aren't mature enough to respectfully control their own reactive behavior around dogs. Our adoption contracts include a clause that dogs must be watched at all times whenever around children. (It's really impossible to supervise two large dogs, a child, and multiple cats at all times.) Yes, multiple dogs do create a pack mentality towards cats. (We have/had four indoor cats.) Whether cat parents have one dog or more, it's very important to prevent Greyhounds from chasing cats, even if it appears to be in play. A Greyhound's playful leg pounce can seriously harm cats (cats look like live toys). Baby-gates installed 5"- 6" above floor level helps allow wide escape routes for cats. Our eldest, nearly 15 year old Greyhound still tries to chase indoor cats. If you happen to be allowing your Greyhound up on humans' furniture, I'd encourage you to stop now. Begin happily teaching her to rest on her own thick, cushy dog beds on the floor. This will be very important when your baby arrives. Best to implement new rules now vs. later when jealousy could become a factor. Good rule of thumb for your own home or when visiting others with dogs: Don't place a baby (or baby in carrier) on the floor with any loose dog. BTW, direct eye contact is considered threatening in dogs' language, so your girl's lack of eye contact was normal and considered polite for a new dog. Enjoy your special Greyhound girl, and congratulations on your upcoming human baby's arrival!

Of course that would be useless. Perhaps the note about my phone # being blocked for this public post was missed. The phone # is as large and clear as the name on the outside of the collar, which can be read from afar if a dog won't allow a capture.

I am so deeply sorry about the sudden loss of your young Snozzle. Your vet, and perhaps Snozzle's breeder are the only ones who could truly offer their best guesses to answer your question. It might have been linked to a hereditary heart condition or many other possibilities. I'm not a vet but there is very rare condition called malignant hyperthermia. We don't see it often on this forum because most of our adult retired racing Greyhounds have already been placed under their first anesthesia for surgery previous to being adopted. MH is caused by a rare, severe allergic reaction to certain anesthesia and would be seen during the dog's first surgery (usually a spay/neuter surgery). If a dog successfully recovers from their first surgical anesthesia, the dog is typically considered safe for future surgeries throughout the dog's life. MH presents with an extremely rapid elevation in body temperature which can lead to fatal levels within seconds to minutes. Isoflurane or Sevoflurane are considered among the safest anesthesias for Greyhounds. (We ask vets to monitor Greyhounds' temperature very closely before, during, and after surgery.) Again, not being in the operating room, we really don't know what may have happened to your beloved young Snozzle. My sincere heartfelt condolences to you. I can feel your crushing pain through your post. Our supportive thoughts are with you during this terribly difficult time. Godspeed Snozzle.

If veterinary professionals aren't available here, perhaps a late night pharmacist or local emergency vet office could answer re: this combined trio; otherwise, I'd look up each manufacturer's drug interaction list. Carprofen (Rimadyl) is made by Pfizer.

Photos of my favorite reflective, embroidered ID collars (phone# was blocked out for privacy reasons in this photo). (Phone # was blocked out for this photo post.) Camera's tiny flash reflection against snow. My revised snippet quote from a previous GT thread: "We've had drivers stop to say they could see these ID collars from several long blocks away. As a Greyhound search team leader, I know these collars have helped prevent Greyhounds from being hit by cars. They're extremely helpful to searchers day or night, especially on dark Greyhounds. A flashlight's reflection on similar collar revealed a scared, deeply hidden, loose Greyhound under thick brush in the darkest of night. Dogs are more visible inside their own fenced back yard during business outings too. Dog's name and cell phone number is highly visible from the outside of the collar, and can be read from afar if a Greyhound won't let anyone approach to read a tiny tag. (A tiny tag is practically impossible to read at night, even by a street light.) Reflective ID Collar source: http://www.fancyk9s.com/collar/identification Black embroidery is most visible against light reflective material. 5/8" I.D. collar width (with side-release latch) works well since Greyhounds wear separate Martingale collars for walking. We request the tag ring be cut off for additional safety. (Tip: I.D. collar should be placed lower on neck than the Martingale. If Martingale slips off by accident, I.D. collar is less likely to be pulled off too.) Battery operated lights are helpful at night, but if leash latch malfunctions resulting in escaped hound, battery lights will die if hound is on the loose for an extended time; thus, reflective material is important. I like reflective dog harnesses or vests for winter walking too." ETA: Unless a hound has a medical problem, IMO, flat I.D. collars should be worn 24/7. Pet parents usually don't expect their hounds to accidentally escape from home, but it happens often (as seen in GT's Amber Alert). Only exception is dog's collar should be removed whenever s/he is locked inside a crate. (Newbie readers: A separate I.D. collar is recommended, so Martingale collars can be reserved for leashed walks/public outings since the big D-ring can get caught on things inside the house, yard, or on fence. Any tags on Martingales should be placed on side hardware, not the D-ring. If tags are on D-ring, tags increase danger of catching something causing strangulation.)

I'm so sorry for your difficult loss of Pulsar. First Greyhounds are so special and leave such a huge void in our hearts. Seems Pulsar was a wonderful Greyhound Superman in so many ways. Thank you for sharing memories of his charming personality. May he remain close in your heart through all your happy memories. Godspeed Pulsar.

Thanks for the positive update about your strong and determined Taylor boy! <3 Glad you all survived Hurricane Matthew also!

Glad Aiden is healing well. Orange and brown stripes, cool! We haven't seen that color combo -- works for Halloween month too! Our nearly 15 year young broodie has been minus an outside digit (left front, from an untreatable diagnosis) for several years. Surgeon did a great job removing the digit high enough so it wouldn't touch/rub the ground when walking. She's still doing well during walks, front leg lifts, etc. She's a tad more sensitive on that paw (phantom nerves) but is so much better than before. Positive thoughts for Aiden's quick recovery.

I'm so very sorry for your loss of Princeton. He was a darling boy. Eventually, I hope you'll be able to do a few special new things with Logan to help ease this difficult transition for Logan and your family. Godspeed Princeton. (Shih Tzus hold a special place in my heart.)

Agree with others: Human toothpaste is known to be toxic to pets. Most dogs like the taste of CET pet toothpaste. Poultry flavor is all our Greyhounds' favorite flavor (we've tried them all). They consider it like a yummy treat. Here's one link: http://www.entirelypets.com/cettoothpaste.html Long handled "pet toothbrushes" work well.

Limited information in your post leaves me unclear about the situation (hound's paw injury, hound's location, standing or lying down during paw handling). My heart hound boy (who lived to almost 14) was extremely sensitive when being handled for wound care, Several things that helped... - Agree with muzzling first. - If looking for foreign bodies in paw pads, a quick photo can be taken for closer (zoom) inspection on computer. Helps to photograph the dry pad, and then wet pad. - I keep Clotisol product here to help stop excessive bleeding for all our hounds. It's a quick-drying liquid that can be squirted on bleeding wounds from a distance. Clotisol: http://www.entirelypets.com/clotisol2oz.html - Take Barron's muzzle to veterinary appointments, or alert your vet to muzzle him before physical exams. - As difficult as it is, please do not punish a dog for growling/biting when the dog was defending himself. Remember anger begets anger in both human and animal species. Baron will lose trust in you, and it will make it much more difficult for you and professional veterinary staff to handle him in the future. (Our hound wouldn't let anyone, other than me, handle him, and he needed to be under anesthesia for veterinary tests that could normally be done without drugs.) My quote from a recent thread: "We knew to respect his resting space. Whenever he was standing up we treated him kindly and respectfully with positive verbal rewards and love in all interactions. He arrived very untrusting of any humans touching his body, so during nail clipping he was muzzled + happily fed treats (from second human sitting down) through his muzzle, etc. We ensured he stood far away from his "personal safe zones" of his beds or crates during tooth brushing, grooming, pill administration, wound care, etc." I hope your hand heals quickly. If this has gotten reported, please contact the Lexus project to help you and Barron. http://www.thelexusproject.org/

Welcome to GreyTalk! Glad you posted your concern. You are not alone. First, keep your faith and patience with your new boy. Six weeks is still very early when a Greyhound is adjusting to any new environment, and your boy has two new environments and new people with which to adjust. You will see more changes at 3 months, 3 years, and beyond. You seem to be doing a good job re: caring, respectful, positive reinforcement training, feeding, etc. Hounds often appear more joyful to see familiar people and/or animals they don't get to see as often as their expected faces in daily life. (Consider yourself lucky that your hound is so confidently independent.) One of our hounds was similar upon arrival. He adored men (was used to male racing trainers), but appeared indifferent to women (including me as primary caregiver 24/7). He watched everyone carefully but was so quiet, almost like a piece of furniture. We knew to respect his resting space. Whenever he was standing up we treated him kindly and respectfully with positive verbal rewards and love in all interactions. He arrived very untrusting of any humans touching his body, so during nail clips was muzzled + happily fed treats (from second human sitting down) through his muzzle, etc. We ensured he stood far away from his "personal safe zones" of his beds or crates during tooth brushing, grooming, pill administration, wound care, etc. He had no clue how to play with toys until we fostered a playful, young hound. I did happy, positive training but never pushed training to complete a cue if he was clearly uncomfortable. He quickly learned obedience requests by me capturing, naming, and rewarding his natural daily actions. He was super smart, but I never forced long practice sessions; 3-5 minutes practice is enough for our (independent) Greyhounds to keep their interest. I waited a couple of years to fully earn his trust before attempting to teach him "sit" (which I captured/named as he was about to lie down naturally). It took two years before I ever received a little kiss from him. That tiny kiss was the most treasured moment ever !! That was just the beginning of him finally showing his love and trust. The extra care we gave him in the first couple of years set us up for a lifetime of trust and love. He was my heart boy and lived happily to almost 14 years old. We can't really determine your boy's mouthing reaction without knowing him and seeing all his other signals surrounding that moment. It might have been affection but could have been an early gentle warning of discomfort that he reached his tolerance threshold, especially if prior signals included turning away and tongue flicks. Your boy seems like a sweetheart! Enjoy developing a trusting relationship with him. :heart

It would depend on the Greyhound; however, IME, I would not consider frequent, extended, power-boating excursions an ideal situation for a retired racer. Greyhounds are different from other breeds. Greyhounds are very temperature sensitive, especially if in direct sun or reflected sun from water and boat materials. (E.g., Many hounds can't tolerate walks well if air temperature is above the low 70's.) Most Greyhounds have thin fur; no protective undercoat; no protective fat layer; lack buoyancy; and their skin burns easily. (One of our hounds has sun-induced cancer.) Light-colored dogs are at highest solar risk, but black coats absorb heat also. Paw pads can burn on hot surfaces. Their long, thin legs make their balance/stability more challenging in a moving vehicle, more so in a boat on choppy water. Greyhounds are graded off the racing circuit for many reasons but some hounds may have had an old injury that could be painful being jarred in a power boat. Greyhounds are adopted as indoor house pets. During outings, they need to be in a fenced enclosure, or leashed to their human. If on a boat, many dogs jump overboard unexpectedly. Greyhounds (aka: sighthounds) should never be tethered to an object. IIRC, dogs' hearing is approximately four times more sensitive than humans; loud motor noise could be painful, and/or damaging to dogs' hearing over time. Boarding/disembarking could be challenging; a female may tolerate lifting more easily, and better able to handle limited potty space. Agree that a canine life-jacket would be a necessity for any dog. I spent years at a lake house which included about half dozen dogs in the family (Labradors to small dogs). None of the dogs actually enjoyed spending much time in boats. Generally, dogs in boats were discouraged due to accidents and drownings. They were not allowed in the ski boats for dogs' own safety, and to prevent claw damage (and/or nervous chewing) to the boats. The dogs were much more comfortable resting inside the cool, stationary house during the day. Good to have a plan for access to closest emergency veterinary hospitals. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Yes, all hounds should either be kept securely separated (perhaps crated while injuries are healing) or all hounds muzzled. Although a muzzle would likely be too painful for Mia's injury right now. (Moleskin can be placed as a soft liner where the muzzle rests on top of hound's muzzle.) Feeding and treats should be completely separated by a closed door or baby-gates, etc. for each hound. Helps to be aware that canine pack instinct is to join a dog fight if a fight is already in progress. Also, a multi-dog pack is prone to attack an animal in distress (e.g., crying or yelping in pain, or experiencing a seizure). In my experiences, I would return Nora to your adoption group to be rehomed as a single pet to an adult only home. She could happily thrive for the rest of her life in that type of environment. IMO, your responsibility is to your core family which includes your original two Greyhounds and your cats. Nora seems highly stressed in this environment, especially since her snaps are escalating. Your cats are at risk of her defensive reactions, especially the one who rubs against the dogs. (Personally, I would try to prevent cats from doing that to any dog.) Nora's quick reactions could be from her previous history/life experiences: perhaps she was attacked by other dogs resulting in her fear aggression and lack of bite inhibition; humans may have punished her (instead of using positive reward teaching methods); humans may have invaded her personal resting spaces; she may be feeling undiagnosed medical pain; animal competition; or simply feeling too much environmental stimulation while she's already stressed after losing her previous home. Greyhounds are so sensitive that a previous family's extreme stress and/or bickering could affect a hound longer-term. Please read this link about the spoon theory: http://yourdogsfriend.org/spoon-theory-and-funny-dog-gifs/ Many years ago, as a child, one of my family's dogs (different breed) killed our Labrador when both dogs had been given their own separate bones (outside and spread far apart from each other). Unfortunately, one dog wanted both bones. I'm very sorry you are going through this situation. Many other Greyhounds could live seamlessly well in a home with multiple pets. Good luck.

Mgodwin: What training actions are you hoping to accomplish? If your quote below was for Ginny, please reconsider your thoughts on aversive shock punishment training. By mgodwin: "I fell in love with a beautiful 5 year old fawn girl. She's been difficult to place simply because she can, at times be quite aggressive toward other dogs, even other Greys, and doesn't do well with small children. So, she must be an only pet..." End quote. Thread link: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/312099-prepping-for-my-first-grey/?hl=mgodwin IMO, a shock collar would most likely cause Ginny additional serious issues, potentially exacerbate her fear and aggression, damage her trust in humans, potentially increase handling difficulties for basic veterinary care, you or anyone else trying to handle her in emergencies or for simple home grooming teeth brushing and nail care. Neylasmom is an excellent source to help direct you to positive, reward-based reinforcement trainers.

The following is a quote excerpt from a speaker at a Greyhound seminar: Thoughts of a Greyhound By the late Kathleen Gilley "This breed has never been asked to do anything for itself, make any decisions or answer any questions. It has been waited on, paw and tail. The only prohibition in a racing Greyhound's life is not to get into a fight--or eat certain stuff in the turn out pen. Let us review a little. From weaning until you go away for schooling, at probably a year and a half, you eat, grow and run around with your siblings. When you go away to begin your racing career, you get your own "apartment," in a large housing development. No one is allowed in your bed but you, and when you are in there, no one can touch you, without plenty of warning. Someone hears a vehicle drive up, or the kennel door being unlocked. The light switches are flipped on. The loud mouths in residence, and there always are some, begin to bark or howl. You are wide awake by the time the human opens your door to turn you out. A Greyhound has never been touched while he was asleep. You eat when you are fed, usually on a strict schedule. No one asks if you are hungry or what you want to eat. You are never told not to eat any food within your reach. No one ever touches your bowl while you are eating. You are not to be disturbed because it is important you clean your plate. You are not asked if you have to "go outside." You are placed in a turn out pen and it isn't long before you get the idea of what you are supposed to do while you are out there. Unless you really get out of hand, you may chase, rough house and put your feet on everyone and every thing else. The only humans you know are the "waiters" who feed you, and the "restroom attendants" who turn you out to go to the bathroom. Respect people? Surely you jest. No one comes into or goes out of your kennel without your knowledge. You are all seeing; all knowing. There are no surprises, day in and day out. The only thing it is ever hoped you will do is win, place or show, and that you don't have much control over. It is in your blood, it is in your heart, it is in your fate--or it is not. And when it is not, then suddenly you are expected to be a civilized person in a fur coat. But people don't realize you may not even speak English. Some of you don't even know your names, because you didn't need to. You were not asked or told to do anything as an individual; you were always part of the "condo association"; the sorority or fraternity and everyone did everything together, as a group or pack. The only time you did anything as an individual is when you schooled or raced, and even then, You Were Not Alone. Suddenly, he is expected to behave himself in places he's never been taught how to act. He is expected to take responsibility for saying when he needs to go outside, to come when he is called, not to get on some or all of the furniture, and to not eat food off counters and tables. He is dropped in a world that is not his, and totally without warning, at that. Almost everything he does is wrong. Suddenly he is a minority. Now he is just a pet. He is unemployed, in a place where people expect him to know the rules and the schedule, even when there aren't any. (How many times have you heard someone say, "He won't tell me when he has to go out." What kind of schedule is that?) Have you heard the joke about the dog who says, "My name is No-No Bad Dog. What's yours?" To me that is not even funny. All the protective barriers are gone. There is no more warning before something happens. There is no more strength in numbers. He wakes up with a monster human face two inches from his. (With some people's breath, this could scare Godzilla.) Why should he not, believe that this "someone," who has crept up on him, isn't going to eat him for lunch? (I really do have to ask you ladies to consider how you would react if someone you barely knew crawled up on you while you were asleep?) No, I will not ask for any male input. Now he is left alone, for the first time in his life, in a strange place, with no idea of what will happen or how long it will be before someone comes to him again. If he is not crated, he may go though walls, windows or over fences, desperately seeking something familiar, something with which to reconnect his life. If he does get free, he will find the familiarity, within himself: the adrenaline high, the wind in his ears, the blood pulsing and racing though his heart once again--until he crashes into a car. Often, the first contact with his new family is punishment, something he's never had before, something he doesn't understand now, especially in the middle of the rest of the chaos. And worst of all, what are the most common human reactions to misbehavior? We live in a violent society, where the answer to any irritation is a slap, punch, kick, whip, or rub your nose in it. Under these circumstances, sometimes I think any successful adoption is a miracle. He is, in effect, expected to have all the manners of at least a six-year old child. But, how many of you would leave an unfamiliar six-year old human alone and loose in your home for hours at a time and not expect to find who knows what when you got back? Consider that if you did, you could be brought up on charges of child abuse, neglect and endangerment. Yet, people do this to Greyhounds and this is often the reason for so many returns. How many dogs have been returned because they did not know how to tell the adoptor when they had to go out? How many for jumping on people, getting on furniture, counter surfing, separation anxiety, or defensive actions due to being startled or hurt (aka growling or biting)? So, let's understand: Sometimes it is the dog's "fault" he cannot fit in. He is not equipped with the social skills of a six-year old human. But you can help him." End quote. Source: http://www.northerng...ghtsOfAGrey.php

Excellent question. A general rule for dogs (all breeds) is to let resting dogs lie undisturbed -- on their own dog bed/s. Safest to wait for dogs to stand and walk over to humans before humans offer petting; otherwise, dogs can feel threatened when their resting space is invaded. Also, Greyhounds often sleep with their eyes open and are easily mistaken for being awake. It is not uncommon for retired racing Greyhounds to have personal space needs and/or sleep startle. Many dogs continue to need undisturbed resting space throughout life. Helps to set-up a new dog's home environment for lifetime success. We can earn our dogs' trust during interactions with positive, reward methods (food, toys, verbal praise, etc.). (Conversely, punishment can damage and delay dogs' trust in humans.) If trying to get a dog off humans' furniture, happily call dog into another room for a high value meat treat, toy, etc. If Molly won't budge off furniture when verbally called, toss meat treats on floor within her view to encourage her to move "off" freely. For your safety, do not grab her collar or reach over her. Those are threatening actions in canine language. Some racers will eagerly respond if they see their leash being brought out (from afar) in preparation for a (real) walk or car ride, but do not attempt to clip leash to dog's collar while dog is feeling reactive on sofa or bed. Please do not punish a dog for growling. A growl should be considered the dog's communication warning gift for humans to immediately stop doing whatever is making the dog feel threatened. If growls are punished, dogs quickly learn to skip a growl and elevate to a snap to get their point across. During training, think safe prevention: I'd agree to safely block Molly's access to humans' sofa and bed including when you're not home, whether by crate, large empty boxes on sofa, box or cardboard divider blocking pathway between sofa and coffee table, upside down office chair mat on bed, etc. Great that you're rewarding good behavior for going to her dog bed (aka: dog's safe undisturbed space). IME, considering you have a two year old child, it's not worth risking allowing a dog on human furniture permanently. Even as your son grows, his neighborhood and school friends will likely visit. It can become problematic for resident dogs if forced to share their own perceived resting space with others, especially visitors. Safest for everyone (including dog) to set dogs up for a successful family life from the beginning. Dogs can learn to use their own appropriate dog beds very easily with respectful, positive consistency.

I'm sorry to see James is gone so soon. My thoughts are with all who loved him. Godspeed sweet boy.

To be on the safe side, I'd stop using Advantix. Many Greyhounds are sensitive to toxins in flea and tick products. Your region may have a higher flea/tick problem than our region (west coast) but many people here have discovered they can extend time beyond monthly flea/tick treatments if being careful to avoid tick infested tall grasses, and busy dog parks. If you don't already have a flea comb, they work great to remove fleas from a Greyhound's short fur. (Fleas can be crushed on a paper towel.) I run a flea comb over hounds after hikes while also checking for ticks. If interested, here's EPA's data on Advantix. There were 284 specific neurological incidents reported in this report data year (PDF document). https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0229-0013

Glad you're trying to understand the root cause of your hounds feeling unsettled at night. Hope the bedtime kibble will help. I agree that teaching your hounds a "bed" cue will help clarify human-canine communication. Positive reward-based teaching methods are much preferred, especially for our sensitive Greyhound breed. It's so easy to watch for and catch hounds doing things right naturally. Simply verbalize a cue word during their natural action, and be ready to reward immediately with treats and happy praise. They often catch on quickly. I'm not a fan of squirt bottles (punishment), especially when trying to earn dogs' trust. Punishment-based reinforcements can resurface in unexpected negative behavior later. One example: If hound is squirted due to pacing while s/he needs to eliminate, hound may learn to skip attempts to communicate his/her needs to a human, then hound may eliminate on the floor out of desperation. Also, hound may learn to shy away, and feel less safe to approach humans for affection, or collar/pj changes, etc. It's much more effective to redirect hound to a preferred behavior with reward-based reinforcements (praise, treats, toys, etc.). Again, great that you're exploring potential causes for your hounds change in overnight behavior. Nocturnal opossums are a strong possibility too, especially after they've been self-rewarded with a fresh catch! That would certainly peak their hunting instincts.

Hope your hound is okay by now? Just seeing your post, but generally it's helpful to check hound's gum and tongue color. Normal color is typically pink. If a distressed hound's gums and tongue are dark red-purple or blue, hound needs to be seen by an emergency veterinarian immediately. (Helps to familiarize yourself with your hound's normal healthy gum color when hound is relaxed/breathing normally so you'll know if it's abnormal in future.) As posted by Time4ANap, we may be able to help more if you're able to provide a little more information. What is your hound's age, and how long since adoption? Any other symptoms noticed?

Congratulations on your latest happy "foster failures"! Offering a bedtime snack of about 1/3 cup of kibble (held back from their regular dinner portion) often helps prevent hunger, and/or upset tummy (from excessive bile) between meals. I realize you tried this, but if a hound gets up and paces, we escort them outside for a potty break -- even if they act like they don't want to go outside. They can usually squeeze a little urine out (which could help them sleep longer in the morning). Increasing exercise during the day may help them sleep through the night. Perhaps an ex-pen could be useful for your hounds (since you don't want a crate). Our most useful, safest ex-pens are metal 48" high and are used for a host of reasons: medical recovery; outdoor Greyhound events; U-shape air-lock/catch pen to place around fence gates or house doors; hotel travel; visiting family/friends' homes, etc. All our newbie hounds and fosters have been crated, but the above tips worked if they became restless during the night while crated in the bedroom with humans. Sometimes hounds hear critters/neighbors/vehicle noises that we can't hear. Good luck, and please let us know what works for your hounds.

Seems like he's already learning the basics well. Greyhounds begin to mature (from large puppy stage) at about age 3. Management of items in the hound's home environment is key. Similar to baby-proofing for a toddler, all rooms your hound has access to should be dog-proofed. Try to keep loose items, important mail, shoes, remotes, etc. out of hound's reach (which means a hound standing up on his hind legs). Many hounds are master paper-shredders. Careful while doing laundry, a sock is enough to cause an internal blockage in a Greyhound. Avoid leaving any food items on counters or tables to prevent counter-surfing. If childrens' rooms aren't dog-proofed, helps to keep their bedroom doors closed/baby-gate hallway leading to children's rooms, or baby-gate hound into a family room, or room where hound can still watch family activity. "Trade up" preferably with high value meat treats whenever you need to distract hound from a non-dog-safe collectible treasure. Best to call dog into another room as an additional distraction to provide the treat, but if hound refuses to leave his treasure, try tossing the treat several feet away from him to encourage him to stand and walk away to investigate and the eat meat treat. Option: A special squeaky toy works for some non-food motivated dogs. Avoid reaching down/over to grab a treasure from a resource protective dog; especially important if he's lying on his bed. Dog beds are best considered as the dog's "safe space". General safety rule: Let resting dogs lie undisturbed on their bed/s. It's safest to wait for hounds to stand up and walk to humans before petting. Practice teaching "drop it" and "leave it" with non-high value items so he will be more likely to respond to your cue in an emergency (e.g. finding a dangerous chicken bone during a walk). Hope this other hound works well for your family. If he appears affected by the first hound's departure, perhaps your group offers Greyhound group walks or Greyhounds only play dates (where all dogs are safely muzzled) in a fenced enclosure.