3greytjoys

Yes, seems he was defending his own resting territory. FWIW, many dogs are safer with boundaries of resting on their own dog beds on the floor vs. on humans' furniture. This can be especially important if children live in the home (or are expected), and/or if non-family members visit the home. If needed, a safe way to encourage a dog to move off human furniture is to happily call the dog into another room (e.g., kitchen) to give a yummy, high value treat. It's not safe to grab a dog by their collar when they're acting territorial on humans' furniture. Some dogs will allow a leash to be placed on their collar to be calmly lead off the sofa, but some dogs will snap when a human arm reaches towards them. Please be careful to not punish for growling. Growling is a dog's only safe way to communicate his/her displeasure. If dogs are punished for growling, they're more inclined to skip the growl and go directly to a bite next time. I agree with Batmom to leave the crate in place too.

Welcome home Huston! All things considered, glad to read the good news! Continued positive thoughts...

Glad Cyclone seems to be feeling a bit better while on pain medication. Do all your vets understand he is being carried up and down 3 flights of apartment stairs? Are they concerned about further injury aggravation from being carried? Thank you for your dedication to help Cyclone. Assuming the adoption center is Greyhound specific, I'd encourage you to try contacting them again. I would hope the center will reconsider their willingness to help by at least offering a temporary single level foster home. Even if they run a kennel, many groups can arrange temporary home care for unique medical circumstances. Continuing to send positive thoughts for Cyclone.

Jasper might be more protective of his personal space because of previous training methods used. Also, some hounds that go through prison programs appear to lose their training in new environments with new people. Possibly from feeling overwhelmed by too many life changes too soon. They shut down from stress overload. You're right to avoid any physical force in training. Many dogs will bite if physically forced, and/or will lose trust in humans. Best to set Jasper up for success by watching for him to do things naturally. Capture desired action and teach the command word + immediate yummy meat treat with praise (special toy with praise, or whatever). It's easy with "down" and "stay". "Come" and "wait" are easy to practice at meal times (best when hound is hungry and eager). I use the word "release" to release dogs from a command exercise. Be clear using Jasper's name when calling him and keep command words clear: "Jasper come". If needed, use a leash to happily guide him when working on "come" to ensure he comes upon hearing the first "come". (Don't repeat a command multiple times before dog moves. That teaches dogs they can take their sweet time or come only if they feel like it; not good in an emergency.) Please be careful to not overwhelm him with training. I'd suggest waiting to teach sit until after you have more time to build Jasper's trust in you. It's not an important command for Greyhounds, and many hounds should not ever be expected to sit. That said, below is my post about teaching "sit" for hounds who don't easily respond to the treat-over-head method, or rising up from a down position: "I recommend not teaching sit to any hound who has any rear leg or spinal injury/discomfort. A straight sit is not a comfortable position even for physically healthy Greyhounds, and I don't expect them to stay in a sit for any extended length of time. (Greys are built for running or lying down, but not extended straight sitting like other dogs.) I don't sweat between a side sit or a straight sit. The Greyhound's physical comfort is most important. Keep sessions short (under 3-5 mintes), fun and happy. If frustration begins, stop immediately. Try again later or the next day. Method below is highly effective once hound trusts their human: Watch for hound to walk towards their bed (or carpet) to lie down naturally. Get ready with treat in hand, and quickly move closer to the hound. When hound's rear end touches ground/bed, calmly move over to stand in front of hound to block hound into a natural sit while preventing dog from lying down. Immediately say "sit" + treat, and praise, praise, praise. Practice periodically when the dog goes to lie down naturally, and the hound will learn "sit". A clicker can be used if you want to "click" immediately and treat when the hound's rear end touches the ground (or dog bed), but just treating with food works fine in most cases." End quote.

Agree that coconut oil is a nice skin moisturizer, and has a higher cooking smoke point; however, the American Heart Association recommends reducing ingestion of saturated fats, which includes coconut oil (considered a tropical oil). Below is quoted from American Heart Association's site: Tropical Oils Updated: Mar 18, 2014 AHA Recommendation We advise people to reduce the amount of saturated fat in their diet and limit saturated fat consumption to less than 7 percent of total daily calories. One way to do this is to limit your consumption of foods containing tropical oils. A diet high in saturated fat tends to raise blood cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease. What are "tropical oils"? This term refers to coconut, palm kernel and palm oils. Like all fats and oils, these three oils contain various types of fatty acids. But unlike other plant oils, they contain a lot of saturated fatty acids. Coconut oil contains 92 percent, palm kernel oil has 82 percent and palm oil has 50 percent. These oils are found mostly in commercial cakes, cookies and salty "snack foods," and need to be eaten in moderation. Many questions remain about how various fatty acids affect blood fat (lipid) levels and the formation of blood clots. The American Heart Association's "Face The Fats" educational program has the information you need to make healthy fat choices, including: Which fats you should limit or avoid. Which are better for you than others. Which foods contain which types of fat. How many calories – and how much fat – you should eat each day. If foods labeled "trans fat-free" are always healthy." ---- "What's my daily limit for foods with saturated fats? The American Heart Association recommends aiming for a dietary pattern that achieves 5% to 6% of calories from saturated fat. That means, for example, if you need about 2,000 calories a day, no more than 120 of them should come from saturated fats. That’s about 13 grams of saturated fats a day. What are alternatives to replace saturated fats in the foods I eat? To get the nutrients you need, eat a dietary pattern that emphasizes: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish and nuts, while limiting red meat and sugary foods and beverages. Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat. You should replace foods high in saturated fats with foods high in monounsaturated and/or polyunsaturated fats. This means eating foods made with liquid vegetable oil but not tropical oils. It also means eating fish and nuts. You also might try to replace some of the meat you eat with beans or legumes." End quote. Source: American Heart Association http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/FatsAndOils/Fats101/Tropical-Oils_UCM_306031_Article.jsp

Agree with Batmom's treating suggestion. Also helps if the new person/people avoid making any direct eye contact with the dog during these exercises. Direct eye contact is often viewed as threatening in dog language. New person can act as a treat dispenser by tossing treats on the ground while new person's back is turned towards the dog, or person's body is sideways looking away from the dog. High value meat treats work well during sessions like these. Nothing was mentioned about whether hounds are ever allowed on human furniture (when you're home) but if so, that could be another reason for heightened territorial behavior.

Agree with all the good advice above, including a vet visit to ensure Magic's medical plan is appropriate for his current condition. It seems Magic is still doing fairly well and may be managed for a good while longer. Two thoughts come to mind: - Magic's teeth and gums should be checked to ensure he's not feeling mouth pain when he tries to eat. - It's always a good idea to reread potential side effects for all medications our pets are given. Many drugs can affect appetite, panting level, resting state, eliminations, blood pressure, etc. As you're probably aware, LP and LS are progressive conditions but can often be managed very effectively for many years. We've easily managed one of our LP hounds for 6 years, so far. Our second LP hound presented different symptoms (including hind end weakness) and was diagnosed later, but we're easily managing his care too. He's more limited during outside physical activity, but is happily interested in his daily routine, humans, etc., with a bright future. (Both hounds are approaching 13 y.o.) BTW, I mentioned the first LP hound's symptoms to the vet the previous year (upon adoption), but LP was never mentioned to me as a possibility. The vet finally heard our hound's loud raspy breathing with excessive panting, by chance, during a routine appointment the following summer on a hot day. Vet immediately said it was LP, but it was "officially" diagnosed when tested prior to a dental procedure.

Have you noticed any other symptoms? Two of our eldest seniors are extremely sensitive to heat, neighbors' BBQ smoke if house windows are open, etc.; however, they have Laryngeal Paralysis. Below is a snippet from a previous post about LP. Signs of Laryngeal Paralysis (per MSU, link below): Increased noisy breathing from throat (stridor), sometimes called “roaring”, most noticeable when panting. Distressed breathing, especially in hot weather, humidity, and when excited or stressed. Unable to exercise as much, may sit down or even collapse. Bark change / hoarse bark (in about half the cases). When severe, the gums may become pale or blue colored. Throat-clearing, or hacking, or coughing. Gagging with or without regurgitation (may or may not be associated with drinking/eating). Hind-end weakness and an unsteady gait. Loss of muscle mass. If a dog shows any of the symptoms above, please alert a veterinarian re: Laryngeal Paralysis. Important Tips to Help Manage Laryngeal Paralysis: - Ensure hound's home is kept cool, and remains a calm, stress-free environment. - Limit dog's excessive activity (e.g., avoid running). - Avoid walking dog in warm temperatures. (Early morning is coolest time of day.) - Moisten dry kibble with a little water before serving. - Be careful to not overfeed dog. (Healthy pet Greyhound weight is being able to see the last two ribs.) - Leash walk an LP dog with a harness instead of a collar (to eliminate pressure on the dog's larynx). Laryngeal Paralysis link: http://cvm.msu.edu/h...ving-with-golpp

I'm in shock to see that your sweet Aston has passed. I'm so, so deeply sorry for your heartbreaking loss. Aston will be missed by many of us on GT. (I think Aston was close in age to our senior hounds.) Heartfelt hugs and caring thoughts during this most difficult time. Godspeed wonderful sweetheart, Aston...

Aside from Piper's difficult spay recovery, your lack of sleep, etc, this is mostly a great update! It's clear these girls will benefit from all your previous years of other dog breed experience too. Thank you for letting us know how your girls are progressing. (BTW, if your new area rugs are not rubber-backed, or if they don't have separate rug gripper mats underneath, please do add rug grippers; otherwise, rugs can become magic carpet rides to Greyhound zoomie injuries.) Hopefully, all will settle soon, and each week will become easier for everyone.

Assuming your hound is getting at least 5 or 6(+) potty breaks per day, whatever walks your hound is comfortable doing in coolest weather is usually fine; however, please keep the following in mind: Newly retired Greyhounds often have very soft, tender paw pads. Retired racers are 30 second sprinters. They are not automatically conditioned to endure long walks, especially on hard surface sidewalks/pavement in urban areas. Many newly retired hounds need to build walking endurance and toughen their paw pads very gradually over a couple of months (e.g., increase very brief walks by about 5 minutes every 3-5 days). If too much walking too soon, paw pads can become blistered and worn down raw, especially during summer. (As you probably already realize, hot pavement can seriously burn paw pads, which can take a very long time to heal.) Great that you walk in very early morning or later evening. If a hound experiences separation anxiety, the longer walk before owner leaves for work may help the hound rest during owner's absence. Other new readers: Coolest time to walk hounds is around sunrise (or after sunset). The very hottest time of day is usually between 2 PM and 6 PM, or 7 PM. Sidewalk/pavement retains heat for a long time after sun has long since rotated off. If ever in question, place your own hand on pavement/sidewalk for a minute. If too warm on your hand, it will be too warm for your Greyhound's paw pads. New dog owners may find it helpful to check Internet weather sites expected "hourly" temperatures for your city. Greyhounds are extremely sensitive to heat. (We try to walk Greyhounds when the temp. is under about 72 degrees.) BTW, If stopping to chat with someone for a moment, please move with your hound into shade. Good to check hound's paw pads periodically after walks too.

Welcome to GreyTalk! Congratulations on your recent adoption of Piper! I agree that you're both smart to take this transition process slowly. Responsible concern is important for both pet species. Great news that peanut butter is higher value to Piper than her interest in the cats. Keep rewarding Piper often for her good behavior around the cats. It's usually fine to let muzzled, cat-friendly hounds sniff cats' butts (to satisfy hounds' curiousity); thereafter, good to encourage hound to break that focus. In addition to the excellent steps you're already taking with Piper muzzled and closely supervised: If Piper has a crate, it's usually okay to allow cats to move freely inside the same room as the (locked) crated dog for periods of time on a daily basis, only while supervised. This helps resting hounds adjust to seeing cats moving around normally inside their new home. (Also prevents hounds from becoming hyperstimulated from an unexpected chase.) Over time, the hound becomes desensitized to the daily movements of the cats. Watch for Piper to gradually relax more and more around your cats. Agree with greysmom's thoughtful post, and others. Just to add a few examples: - Move a few large pieces of furniture slightly away from walls -- e.g., move a long sofa just far enough away from the wall for a cat to access and turn around, but not the dog. - Add a baby-gate to rooms where the dog spends most daytime hours. Install the gate about 5" above floor level as the cat's wide escape route. - Create a safe, comfortable "cats only" room, if possible. Gate that room off completely from dog's use so cats have an area to feel 100% safe, relaxed, and stress free. Please do not ever allow the dog to chase a cat, even if it appears playful (vs. prey behavior). A large dog can harm a small cat even without meaning harm by pouncing on the cat with his/her legs. Dogs need to understand that cats are not play toys. Do not ever allow hound to mouth the cat, especially the cat's neck area. Unless hound is safely crated, keep hound muzzled when cats are moving freely in the house and for a longer time frame than you might think is necessary. Depending on the hound, this could equate to months. Keep hound and cats safely separated whenever they are not being supervised. We'll look forward to reading about Piper in the future.

Personally, I would not add any heat. If anything, a cool cloth (applied for no more than a few minutes at a time) could help reduce swelling. Hopefully her pain medication might provide some anti-inflammatory properties. Positive thoughts for a speedy recovery for your girl.

Congratualtions on your future new Greyhound! Just my opinion that the valuable benefits of having a crate available are many, especially for a new dog. The wire crates fold down to about 3" deep if desired for travel or storage. If a cat (or other small animal) is part of your family, a crate is extremely important for most newly retired racers. A new dog's safety is most important. Also great for house training, keeping dog safe when home workers, young children or other animals visit. All my dogs have been provided regular dog beds, plus the option of (open door) crates for 40 years. Crates have enabled our dogs (and cats) to travel with us safely to events, hotels, homes of friends or family (who may have unfamiliar or smaller animals), stay in pet-sitters' homes, veterinary hospitals, etc. Highly crate-anxious/stressed dogs' body temperature can elevate too high in the veterinary hospital even before surgery, and/or during recovery while dogs are recovering from anesthesia. A hound's highly elevated body temperature pre-surgery increases risk of hyperthermia during surgery, and during recovery. Some veterinarians will cancel surgery if a hound becomes too stressed/overheated in the kennel/crate pre-surgery. It's safer for highly crate/kennel-stressed hounds to be scheduled first in-line for surgery, or to arrive later -- just in time for pre-surgical meds, and then picked-up ASAP from recovery (i.e., try to avoid leaving a highly crate sensitive hound waiting around at the veterinary hospital too long.) This lesson was provided to me by a veterinary hospital who handles thousands of Greyhounds for surgeries.

I agree about getting a fecal test ASAP. Her living transition could be affecting her appetite too. Just wondering if you're able to go visit her; if so, you might try feeding her to see if her food interest picks up while you are present. (I realize that's not a long-term solution, just more of a test.) Whenever our geriatric seniors hesitate to eat, we check teeth and gums first. As others mentioned, kibble is difficult to eat if their gums hurt (red and/or inflamed). Water softened kibble sometimes helps until they can have a dental. Also, helps to allow a potty outing just before meals (and after). Ours won't eat if they're holding urine/bowel. Agree that in hot weather, our hounds sometimes wait until later in day or evening to eat. Not sure if the fish oil is being spread on her food, if so maybe she doesn't like the taste. As long as the extra fish oil is vet approved, that's fine, but beyond that, I'd be cautious about adding much fat to the diet. Too much fat can cause serious pancreatic problems. (IIRC, fish oil can increase risk of bleeding, so be sure to mention it to the vet if she winds up going in for a dental or other surgery.) I assume her kibble is the same, and her stools are well-formed (and without any blood).

Pam, I'm so very sorry that you've lost your beloved Poodle. May Poodle's healthy spirit fly free, and breeze by with a sign for you that he's okay over the bridge -- as you remember your happy times together. Wishing you (and Barkley) strength and comfort through this difficult time. Godspeed Poodle...

Welcome to GreyTalk! Congratulations on your adoption of your handsome new family member, Coe! I'm so happy he has flown the blood bank coop for good! That photo is absolutely adorable, and we'll look forward to many more as he finally begins to relax into his cushy new life. I imagine he will feel extra appreciative of his new life as part of a loving family. You might be interested in scheduling your next Greyhound friendly vacation in lovely Solvang, CA (not far from Santa Barbara)! Coe would be able to mingle with hundreds of his own kind from all over the west coast, and he may even see some familiar faces! I highly recommend this 3-day Greyhound event, and the hospitable town of Solvang community -- it's a blast! Please check out the link: http://www.solvanggreyhoundfest.org/

If interested, we use these no-pull harnesses on our adopted Greyhounds (and our extra strong Greyhound fosters from the track). http://www.softouchconcepts.com/index.php/product-53/sense-ation-harness

Welcome to GreyTalk! Congratulations on your new hound! - My first suggestion is to tie knots in your current (nylon?) leash where you need extra hand control (for the time being). - Also, next to the existing bolt snap, add a small metal carabiner clip (available at hardware stores, REI, etc.), so your hound has double clip protection. I second trying www.LongDogLeather.com (I don't have personal experience with this business owner; however, they are members of GreyTalk.) If all else fails, this business offers the safer trigger snaps, but with nylon leashes at very reasonable prices: http://www.fancyk9s.com Here is a larger list of GT merchandisers: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/48958-gt-business-owners/ (Please be extra careful with leather leads to ensure hound doesn't chew through the leather.)

I respectfully disagree with the above suggestions for the OP. OP was concerned about a strong new dog overpowering her; therefore, the safe heeling training techniques are much safer for the handler, Greyhound, and the potential animal who could be harmed if an extremely frustrated hound suddenly bolted to attack an outside prey target. (Highly determined hounds can bite through muzzles, and can harm prey with their legs.) Forcing newly retired Greyhounds into those types of highly stressful, restricted, potentially threatening situations can negatively affect the neurotransmitters in the hound's brain for a long time (days+ or longer). The excited and frustrated hound's learning receptors can shut down and delay the desired result, even creating completely new behavior problems. Better for the new hound to develop a healthy, respectful, trusting training bond with the hound's new handler first, then slowly begin to desensitize the hound to outside stimuli -- without "flooding" the hound. IMO, placing hunting breeds (or many other dog breeds) in all-breed occupied dog parks can set them up for failure. If a hound suddenly follows his/her deeply-rooted instincts (bred for thousands of years to hunt moving prey), the cost can be huge. Humans can't run 30-45 mph to reach their dogs in time. Not only could others' smaller dogs be harmed, but if any dog becomes labeled as dangerous from a dog park incident by their city's animal control, most ACO's will seize, impound, and euthanize the dog. Lawsuits, emergency veterinary bills, court costs, and fines can wind up costing tens of thousands of dollars. IMO, it's just not worth a quick run in occupied dog parks. Greyhound races only last about 30 seconds. A leashed brief jog, hike, or walk with their owner gives retired hounds plenty of exercise. The post below is worth a reread: OP "Newbie": I'm happy to read about this boy's progress, especially in that unexpected risky small dog situation. Fingers crossed that he may work well for you. He sounds like an affectionate sweetie -- a diamond in the ruff (pun intended).

Welcome to GreyTalk! Yes, there are Greyhound adoption groups in central CA. Please take a look at this map link with group contact information: http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/directory/list.cfm?usState=ca I agree that Greyhound forum support is highly valuable for all of us. Quite different from years past when dog "parents" flew solo. We'll look forward to reading about your new Greyhound experiences, and possibly a new hound in your future!

ASPCA site: Onions and Garlic All close members of the onion family (shallots, onions, garlic, scallions, etc.) contain compounds that can damage dogs’ red blood cells if ingested in sufficient quantities. A rule of thumb is “the stronger it is, the more toxic it is.” Garlic tends to be more toxic than onions, on an ounce-for-ounce basis. While it’s uncommon for dogs to eat enough raw onions and garlic to cause serious problems, exposure to concentrated forms of onion or garlic, such as dehydrated onions, onion soup mix or garlic powder, may put dogs at risk of toxicosis. The damage to the red blood cells caused by onions and garlic generally doesn’t become apparent until three to five days after a dog eats these vegetables. Affected dogs may seem weak or reluctant to move, or they may appear to tire easily after mild exercise. Their urine may be orange-tinged to dark red in color. These dogs should be examined by a veterinarian immediately. In severe cases, blood transfusions may be needed. VPI site: Are All Onions Dangerous To Pets? All onions — whether cooked or raw — are a danger to your pet. It takes a very small amount of onions to poison your cat or dog. Consumption of as little as 5 g/kg of onions in cats or 15 to 30 g/kg in dogs has resulted in clinically important hematologic changes. Onion toxicosis is consistently noted in animals that ingest more than 0.5% of their body weight in onions at one time.* About 600 to 800 grams of onions can cause acute toxicity. Your pet can also become poisoned by eating extremely small amounts of onions over a period of time.

I'd suggest calling your friendly ER to ask about unsafe onion powder amounts per dog's weight. If they tell you to induce vomiting: Hydrogen Peroxide dose is 2 tablespoons for a 60 Lb. dog. (The breakdown is 1 teaspoon per 10 lbs. of dog's weight.)

I don't know about your girl specifically, but the last time I checked (couple years ago), your girl's sire "Lonesome Cry" was still doing great and in good health. I was told that he is one of the easiest handling dogs they've ever had on the farm.

Try to enjoy your happy time with Huston today. He will benefit from your love and positive strength. You're both in our positive thoughts for a smooth and successful surgery tomorrow.