3greytjoys
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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
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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.
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I'm sorry to see James is gone so soon. My thoughts are with all who loved him.
Godspeed sweet boy.
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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
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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.
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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?
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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.
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The 2nd greyhound has a few issues... have had some progress with his collecting habit and counter surfing. He's still very young though so he has almost puppy like behaviors sometimes. There are also some big issues with possessiveness towards certain treats and treasures he collects (such as a pencil or piece of wood he found in the yard).
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.
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One of our newly adopted hounds (from a different state) was diagnosed with seasonal allergies by multiple vets, and repeatedly treated (unsuccessfully) for nearly half a year.
Eventually, I successfully diagnosed her myself. She arrived into adoption suffering from a severe case of nasal mites. Since nasal mites are not common in our region, local vets missed the diagnosis. The proper prescribed veterinary treatment (per Merck Veterinary Manual) resolved her nasal mites permanently. She has not suffered any recurrence in almost 10 years.
Here's a link of other possibilities to consider:
Another GTer's Greyhound had nasal worms (different from mites).
If your hound has true allergies, besides pollen, could be anything from sniffing weed seeds, brushing face against garden plants, inhaling toxic lawn fertilizer/pesticides, reaction to laundry soap, pet shampoo, foods, etc.
Agree with cleptogrey re: going back to your hound's original Taste of the Wild to reevaluate the vomiting issue. I assume your hound gets at least two full meals per day, in addition to kibble snacks. If hound's tummy is upset (excessive bile) from waiting too long between meals, dogs often try to nibble plant leaves -- many indoor and outdoor plants are toxic, which worsens their condition.
(BTW, fresh, plain club soda works well to remove yellow bile stains from carpet.)
If interested:
Toxic Foods to Dogs (the short list): http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets
Toxic Plants to Dogs: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants?field_toxicity_value%5B%5D=01
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I'd agree to consider setting-up a portable 4’ tall metal exercise pen(s) in the shade (with water bowl) near you in the garden, or add some type of cheap metal roll fencing with fence stakes close to the house. The side of the house can work as one side of the safe enclosure. An ex-pen can be formed into a U- shape against the house, or opened wide as a flat fence (including it’s ready-made gate), secured with several metal fence posts.
Agree that Greyhounds should not be tethered to anything (except a human during leashed walks
). If tethered to an object, they can break their neck/strangle themselves if they see something interesting to chase, especially since Greys launch and propel to racing speeds up to 45 miles per hour within 3-5 strides.E-collars: Greyhounds' necks and throats are much more sensitive than other breeds since Greyhounds have no protective fat layer; no undercoat of fur; and barely any outer layer of fur. These types of collars can cause physical neck, throat, and body damage, or worse to Greyhounds or other breeds. Also, many Greyhounds are highly sensitive emotionally. E-collar shocks can cause trauma and change the temperament of dogs by increasing fear, anxiety, aggression (even if there were no problems with aggression before using an e-collar), displaced aggression later towards other animals, owners, children, etc. E-collars on wet fur could be especially risky.
Recent example: Before e-collar use, a friend’s dog (different large breed) was happy, confident, inquisitive, and very affectionate. After short-term e-collar use (only 1 to 2 weeks) two years ago: dog became fear aggressive; hides in dark closets; hides on floorboard of car; is no longer confident around people; much more fearful and non-trusting of the dog’s owners, and other humans.
Here’s a web site snippet quote re: electronic collars:
“Electronic training devices rely on painful punishment and negative reinforcement, causing dogs to live in fear of being electrocuted for normal behaviors like crossing invisible lines [etc.]. Positive training methods, in which dogs are rewarded for what they do right, are kinder and more effective.
Dogs wearing shock collars can suffer from physical pain and injury (ranging from burns to cardiac fibrillation) and psychological stress, including severe anxiety and displaced aggression. Individual animals vary in their temperaments and pain thresholds; a shock that seems mild to one dog may be severe to another. The anxiety and confusion caused by repeated shocks can lead to changes in the heart and respiration rate or gastrointestinal disorders. Electronic collars can also malfunction, either administering nonstop shocks or delivering no shocks at all." End quote. http://www.peta.org/living/companion-animals/caring-animal-companions/dogs/electric-fences-shock-collars/
Please take a look at some E-collar data studies here: http://www.banshockcollars.ca/studies.php
Good luck with whatever you decide.
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Seems I need to post proof regarding the information in post #7 above.
Many news reports and medical articles are published every year regarding worldwide canine fatalities from dogs swimming in or drinking water from lakes, rivers, etc. with toxic algae blooms. Any Internet search offers many pages of these incidents.
Dog fatalities from toxic algae in CA:
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To clarify regarding heartworm: Veterinarians recommend heartworm preventative to be administered to dogs in all 50 states.
Below is a heartworm incidents map as of 2015:
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Finally, re: my suggestion to carry fresh tap (or bottled) water for OP's Greyhound at all times.
Most counties here in CA have safe tap water that tastes fine (most, but not all locales have safe water).
The options of tap or "bottled" water were to ensure OP's dog isn't caught without water during the trip, and to emphasize the importance of ensuring the dog not drink from any other water sources like lake, rivers, etc.
Decades ago, one of my previous dogs was infected with an extremely severe case of giardia while swimming in Lake Tahoe. Took many months to resolve, and harmed her health long term.
I just read a veterinary article about a dog who died after drinking water contaminated with toxic algae spores from an old aquarium left in the owner's back yard.
Side note for people who keep water jugs in their car for dogs:
Please pour out water and replace with fresh water frequently; as cars heats up in sun, chemicals in plastic leach into dogs' drinking water.
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Glad she's eating a bit more now. The kidney diet could have contributed to her weight reduction, especially if fewer calories per cup than her previous food, and if her activity level remained the same. Each hound is different but our 8-9 year olds haven't lost much weight. (I've had more difficulty keeping weight on 12 and 13 year olds.)
Additional thoughts:
If she's taken any medications without enough food, it could potentially set her into a domino effect of tummy discomfort, further lack of appetite, and diarrhea.
(Happened with one of our geriatric hounds while on antibiotics, and took him 2-3 weeks to fully recover. He couldn't even tolerate Pepcid during that time.)
If needed, Gerber's (Stage 2) meat only baby food is an excellent food to help entice ill animals to eat meals. This Gerber food does not have any pet toxic spices like onions or garlic.
(Check with your vet first since your girl has PLN.)
Assuming her teeth and gums are in good condition since dental pain can cause chewing problems that can eventually appear as a lack of appetite.
If the diarrhea isn't related to anything else, since she wasn't feeling well, perhaps she might have tried to nibble on plant leaves or grasses (that were mildly toxic) and gave her diarrhea.
Positive healing thoughts for your sweet girl.
ETA: Walking two miles a day in cool or cold weather with low humidity is fine for healthy 9 year olds.
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Heartworm preventative is definitely a requirement throughout California (including northern California, SF, and into the Yosemite park region).
Our previous dogs became infected immediately after moving to the SF bay area during winter over thirty years ago. (Thankfully they survived because it was caught/treated quickly.)
All dogs in CA need to be on heartworm preventative. (We give Heartgard chewables.)
Several more important tips:
Carry fresh tap (or bottled) water for Miss Music at all times.
Do not allow her swim or drink from any natural bodies of water (creeks, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, etc.) to prevent giardia, etc. or worse...
There are deadly algae growths in rivers, lakes, etc. during this time of year. Many dogs have died rapidly after taking even one fun swim or lapping up a little water with these dangerous strains of algae.
Keep her away from dry grasses and weeds since potentially deadly foxtails can be sniffed up through dogs' nostrils, wedged between toes, or burrow into skin.
When foxtail barbs enter a dog's skin, they continue working themselves more and more deeply into the body (even into the dog's brain) and must be surgically removed (if caught before harming the animal). Please view foxtail photos here: http://www.cpp.edu/~jcclark/dogs/foxtails.html
Ticks are abundant throughout your route, including coastal beach trails. (Wide fire roads are good places to hike.)
That said, have a great trip! The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful, and water was replenished in Yosemite during our winter rainy season (after 4-5 years of drought).
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Seems you have a curious and smart Laila girl. Age 3 is still puppy-like behavior in a full size Greyhound body, but you'll notice positive maturity changes within the first year.
I agree with your adoption group to use her muzzle. Racing Greyhounds are used to wearing their muzzles. During this adjustment period while she's learning to live as a pet in a family home, wearing her muzzle is for her own health and safety. In case you aren't aware, apple core seeds are poisonous to dogs, as are avocados. Poisonous avocado pits could also become an intestinal blockage. She could electrocute herself by chewing a power cord. When dog-proofing rooms, think about the dog standing up on her hind legs to reach things (adult humans' height). Some dogs jump all the way up on kitchen and bathroom counters with all 4 legs. If she's opening round door knobs with her mouth, the muzzle would stop that action. If she's opening flat lever door handles, I'd consider installing round handles and/or adding a slider-lock or hook-lock very high up on any doors that lead outside.
Have you already tried crating or baby-gating (extra tall gate) her in a dog-proofed room when you can't be there to supervise?
If your Greyhound adoption group plans gatherings, Laila could benefit greatly from joining 'Greyhounds only' play dates when all dogs are muzzled, or Greyhound group walks, etc. Shy hounds often gain confidence when teamed up with other Greyhounds, even if just for a few neighborhood walks.
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We've had two Greyhounds with laryngeal paralysis. Since heat can be a quick death sentence for LP dogs, we've been extra careful with all of our Greyhounds to keep them in cool conditions with water available at all times. Both LP hounds continue/d to take slow, limited duration walks (harness + leash only) from age 6 into their teens, but only if weather is cool (below 70 degrees, near dawn in shade or after dusk). If air temperature and cement/pavement is too warm, they don't take walks period -- until seasonal weather permits. All of our greyhounds comfortable exercise threshold is up to the low 70's F. Even our healthiest, younger Greyhounds are so temperature sensitive that they could overexert if above about 73-75 degrees F.
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Was this vet aware of Snow's near collapse last week from potential hyperthermia (heat stroke)? I wonder if these symptoms might be a delayed result of lingering damage from that episode(?). Have you noticed any other symptoms during the past 10 days?
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I'm so sorry to see that your lovely Nikki was stricken with cancer.
May your happy memories help comfort the void she left in your heart.
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Sharon and Dave, I'm so very sorry about this sudden heartbreaking loss of your beloved Ajax. He will be missed on GT.
I hope Capri is doing okay, and that you will all comfort each others' broken hearts through this difficult time.
Godspeed Ajax...
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Congrats!
Yes, good tips above. Everything is too new to flood (taunt him) with visual over-stimulation of wildlife. I'd suggest temporarily reducing the size of Archer's new world to your own house and (hopefully well fenced) yard for a while. Archer needs a foundation of learning his new home and family first, before introducing challenging stimuli through walks/hikes. Focus on bonding with Archer, and begin positive method shaping techniques (I just posted about teaching "watch me" cue in another thread). Veterinary behaviorist, late Dr. Sophia Yin's website offers excellent positive reinforcement training methods based on science.
https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/dr-yins-top-10-dog-training-tips/
I'd recommend positive method obedience training classes if available in your area (not outdated methods used by C. Millan -- decades long proven to cause and/or increase aggression!). Archer needs to learn all the basics especially come, stay, leave it, drop it, wait, etc.
Thereafter, you could begin expanding Archer's world, and I would very strongly recommend using a reflective martingale collar and harness for control and to prevent throat and neck damage. (We've had hounds arrive with lifetime progressive paralysis of the throat. It can be further damaged by collar tightening.)
If available in your region, later, consider channeling his drive into (fenced area) agility training and/or other focused canine sporting activities.
If you have a cat, please do not let the cat outside when Archer has access to the yard. Outside = game on, even for cat-workable (aka: cat-friendly/cat-safe) hounds.
I'm sure you remember posting about the poor Greyhound who jumped out of an open second story window. Please be extra careful to manage house and car windows, doors and gates so Archer doesn't attempt to sail through them going after prey. Dogs will jump out of moving vehicle windows.
I see he has a reflective collar, but you may want to consider this embroidered reflective ID collar (side release) that can be read from afar to keep on him 24/7 (only exception is when/if he is ever locked in a crate inside the house).
http://www.fancyk9s.com/collar/identification
(Black webbing + thread is most visible on the light reflective material, IMO.)
Embroidered telephone # was blocked for posting but is visible from afar.
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Additional thoughts:
Perhaps a local Greyhound family or adoption group could loan you a ramp for tomorrow.
If Ajax gets in the side door, perhaps a seat could be removed so he can stay on floor level. (We've done that for large Greyhound hauls.)
Ramp success tip: If Ajax is able to tolerate it next week, here's how we teach our hounds to use a ramp comfortably without fear:
Place ramp on floor level inside house or garage on hounds' most used, narrow traffic path to practice for a few days.
Then lift onto one step for a few days.
Then lift onto second step for a few days, etc. until height is transitioned to car height.
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Agree re: gabapentin and tramadol's wide dosage range. Our hounds tend to handle gabapentin well (without any side effects of pacing and panting).
A few transport thoughts since I'm assuming you don't have a dog ramp for your car:
Can your car be backed up to a berm, hillside, high curb or any slight elevation of your driveway to reduce the entrance/exit height from your car?
If not, can you build up dog beds to reduce his jumping height? We use memory foam beds, foam exercise mats, etc. in tight spaces if the dog ramp can't fit.
I'm so sorry about Ajax's intense pain.
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Please consider asking your adoption group if they offer "Greyhounds only muzzled play dates" (in a fenced enclosure where ALL dogs are safely muzzled). If your group doesn't arrange play dates, perhaps you could plan a muzzled only play date with one or two other local Greyhound adopters. Having seen similar behavior in many newly retired Greyhound fosters, I'm guessing your girl is just really happy and excited to see other dogs and would enjoy interaction. The shaping exercises posted above, plus time, and more walks should help relax her reactions. Previously, seems she may have been inadvertently rewarded for reactive behavior when allowed to stop and meet other dogs, so increasing the walking pace and ignoring dogs is new for her. Good luck with Bayley.
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Congratulations on your adoption of Bayley!
It helps to get high value meat (or cheese) treats, and begin teaching brief "watch me" cue practice sessions (less than 5 minutes) while at home (without distractions).
Each time she makes eye contact with you, immediately offer her a reward.
Then practice teaching a "heel" cue (noted below).
After she understands how to heel, combine the heeling exercise with periodic brief "watch me" cues.
Once she's doing well at home, begin practicing outside with a faster pace.
Later, when you see a dog during walks, you will be able to ask and reward her for "watch me" while she's actively heeling/walking and ignoring the other dog.
The goal is for you to be able to attract her attention while another dog is in the area.
Generally, it's not desirable to allow new dogs to meet in close contact during leashed walks.
Many other dogs will try to bite dogs that get too close/feel their space is being invaded, or they may try to protect their owner from a perceived potential threat (strange dog/human approaching).
Teaching heel is easy. In case you (or others) haven't taken training classes, here's a quick run down.
Hold a Greyhound's leash with right hand through the leash handle and wrap the leash a couple of times, then hold excess leash with the opposite hand.
(This is important because if Greyhounds see something they want to chase, or if a noise causes them to bolt backwards, humans have more control using both hands.)
Remaining leash length between hand and dog's collar or harness should be short (e.g., 1 foot) slack/loose leash, not taut since dog's neck should not feel constant tension (avoid jerking or choking).
If you're in USA, dog's right shoulder should be by human's left thigh while walking.
(Pedestrians are supposed to walk against traffic flow, so this keep dogs protected from being hit by a car.)
Make it a fun game to "heel" on leash.
Call her name in a happy voice: "Fido heel."
Immediately begin walking, leading with your left leg.
Happily praise and reward while she's walking politely next to you.
Begin doing figure 8's and directional changes to help her learn to stay close to your thigh while heeling.Practice stops and starts.
Keep training sessions very brief and fun. -
A Greyhound would be happy to take cool evening walks with you. Greyhounds are short distance sprinters (average approx. 30 second races 1 or 2 times per week), so would need to build endurance slowly. Hiking is greatly enjoyed by healthy Greyhounds if it isn't too warm or too cold. They are not good on very steep terrain or climbing boulders. Yes, they would want a nice long nap after 1.5 hours hiking. Truly all day hiking is too much for Greyhounds, in my experience. Greyhounds are temperature sensitive due to thin fur, no undercoat, lack of body fat, and thin skin. They have larger hearts than other breeds and body temperature during intense exercise can rise faster than others.
There is a learning curve for retired racing Greyhounds while becoming a pet/family member. Almost everything is new and different to retiring Greyhounds (TVs, stairs, mirrors, living in a family home, etc.), and can be delightful to experience with them. Many new adopters post to GT about shy or spooked hounds since they are more unique. More confident Greyhounds aren't posted about as often because they easily merge into pet life. That said, a little extra early caring effort between a shy hound and their humans often results in a remarkable lifetime bond.
No dogs should have family humans or visitors hovering over them, especially if lying down. General rule relating to dogs' language: "Let resting dogs lie undisturbed." Better to wait for dog to stand up and approach humans before giving dog attention, especially to a newly adopted dog whose humans haven't had time to earn the dog's full trust. Greyhounds blossom dramatically after adoption. Adopters notice wonderful changes in 3 weeks, 3 months, 3 years, and each year beyond that unfolds surprising positive gifts.
Most Greyhounds are emotionally sensitive, well-mannered beings who deserve the best loving care and respect. (They are not rough and tumble dogs for younger children.) They are indoor companion dogs. Being sighthounds (independent hunters), they can be powerful if they see something 1/2 mile away that they want to chase, and should be kept on leash handled by an adult whenever they aren't in a fenced enclosure. Greyhounds reward us ten-fold+++. Your family seems like a great fit for a Greyhound, unless you want an endurance breed.
I'll close now, as my nearly 15 year old brood matron Greyhound is asking for my attention.
Congratulations on your latest happy "foster failures"! 
Field Collars (E-Collars) For Greys -- Yay Or Nay?
in Training and Behavior discussion
Posted
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.