Time4ANap

Thanks for reminding me to clarify! Sheri, the trainer, gave this advice after an in-home consult, so the advice is specific to us and our dog. She told us that with some of the greys she works with (especially the older ones), she would never recommend what she did to us for sleep aggression. Her suggestions were partly due to his age (she thinks he's young enough (turned 2 in June) that his brain can be re-trained to respond positively to being startled awake) and partly our history of it, which is: 2nd night we got him he startled awake and bit my husband before we'd even heard of sleep aggression or knew what it was. A week later, he growled when petted while sleeping with his eyes open. A week later, he grumbled softly when petted while sleeping with his eyes open (the eye-open sleep was also new to us). I'd been reading articles about sleep aggression, and using that advice I'd been tossing treats gently beside him while sleeping so that when he startled awake, there would be a treat. (He's highly food motivated.) We'd also been petting him while lying down a lot, so I'd pretty much been doing step one of what she told us for over two months. He's now so comfortable with being petted while laying down that he rolls over on his back so we give him belly rubs. Most recently, he fell asleep with his paws sprawled all over me while I was petting him on the floor. Without thinking, I moved him to get up--I should have woken him first. But he didn't do a thing. When I told the trainer that, she scolded me and said I should have never let him fall asleep on me without a lot more work on it. She's very cautious about it, so that's why she had us start a step back from where we already are. So, this approach is already working for us...what she told us really just builds on what we were already doing. Oh, and I don't have kids. :-) Sounds like you learned the hard way like we did! We stick with the standing up rule even though Rocket will be motioning for belly rubs while on his back. I have had him snap at me while rubbing his belly because he relaxed so much that I think he momntarily fell asleep and then went into a startle. He bit me once when he was asking for belly rubs, so i'm not risking that again. He does get some abbreviated belly rubs, but nothing extended that risks him going to sleep. I think it's a good clarification that there is no "one size fits all" training for sleep startle. Some hounds never get better with it, while others can get used to the activity around them. We find that visitors are quick to get down in the floor with him because he looks cute and cuddly. We now warn everyone when they come in the door that there is no petting if he is laying down. He has no trouble coming around and demanding pets while he is awake and standing. Good luck with your new hound!

Good luck keeping all of your fingers if you try the sleep startle techniques. There's a good chance you will get bitten depending on your hound's level of sleep startle. Hounds from the track have had their own private space since about 6 months of age. They are not used to being touched while sleeping which is a major reason they startle. You will be better off respecting your hound's space when he/she is sleeping is they are at all sleep aggressive. Also - be aware that many sleep with their eyes open. Eyes being open when on their bed or stretched out on the floor or sofa does not mean they are necessarily awake and want to be petted or nudged. Others here have overcome sleep startle by throwing stuffed animals to land near them and get them used to movement in their area. Regardless of how "safe" you think a hound may be, if you have children of any age, they have to be taught to respect the hound's space and bed as off limits to them. We have a rule in our house that petting only happens when a hound is standing. That way, there's mistaking their sleep status and risking a bite.

If stools haven't been checked recently, take a fecal sample in for each and have it checked for worms / parasites. Worms are a huge issue in the midwest this year. Note- they don't always show up - it is pure luck if they find them most of the time. Your vet may prescribe a preventive de-worming depending on symptoms. We have done 3 rounds of Panacur this summer for Rocket. Within a few hours of the first dose each time, he is obviously feeling better and the grass eating / belly rumbles go away. I'm sure he is picking them up on our walks. A friend who works for a vet in Indy advised that they are often having to treat 4 or 5 times to get rid of them.

Run pain free Matt. Thank you for giving him his real forever home.

Sounds to me like the Cookie Man has another mouth to fill with cookies.

Welcome to GT. Rocky is gorgeous. That's a very nice lawn in the picture. Get a good picture of it now - it's days are numbered with your new SUV.

Have you tried mixing in some scrambled eggs? You can make those up and store in the frig - they don't even have to be warm - hounds will usually chow down on those pretty quick.

Run free handsome Mike.

Gorgeous pups! Rocket has that same Elmo and loves it!

Rocket responded to Kennel Up when we taught him to get in the car. Prior to using it, he had to be lifted into the car, one end at a time. We tried it after we saw it work to get him in his crate at the boarding place. Throwing a treat into the car didn't work until we paired it with the command. He came from Daytona, so maybe it was used there, or he just learned it at boarding - not sure. He does know "Move" or "Move Please," "Wait, " "Go Lay Down," "This Way" and probably some others. "Wait" impresses the neighbors because he waits to cross the street until I tell him "OK".

Definitely check for worms. Rule out the simple stuff first. Rocket has had several bouts with a stomach issue this year that basically had no rhyme or reason. All fecals and blood tests were negative. The only thing that actually worked was a 5 day dose of Panacur. A 3 day dose originally had little effect. We have still never identified a worm or parasite. He did vomit blood which is what prompted me to escalate him to the Vet Clinic at the University of IL Vet Med Program where they prescribed some RX food instead of the bland diet for a bit, and the 5 days of Panacur. It worked well, but i saw the symptoms return this past weekend. i am doing another 5 days of Panacur, and last night after dose # 4 of Panacur, I had a completely different dog who obviously was feeling much better. Worms / parasites are out of control this year in many areas. Feel better soon Dustin!

Pacing, panting, stretching an unusual amount? See link for other symptoms Symptoms of bloat.

There are a number of past threads on this very subject since it is a common problem. Enter "loose dog" or "aggressive dog" in the search box with the quotes and you will find lots of posts about the items people carry to ward off aggressive dogs. People here carry everything from dog repellent or pepper spray, to riding crops, tasers and firearms depending on their local laws. The main thing is to find what works to make the dog turn around and go the other way before it gets near your hound. Hound skin tears easily, and if the loose dog gets close enough to get in altercation, it can be deadly. (Not trying to scare you, but for the most part we are realists about the danger that loose aggressive dogs present to the hounds.) I carry Halts2 dog repellent which shoots a 10 -15 foot stream, and either a walking stick or riding crop. Since we are in the People's Republic of Illinois, we are severely restricted as to the items we are allowed to legally carry. Welcome to GreyTalk. Don't let the responses on this topic scare you. It boils down to what works for you.

He wanted to check his email????

Congratulations Skye!!!!!! Just think, with 3 dogs in a condo, among your neighbors you go from beng "the lady with the greyhounds" to "crazy dog lady" status....... :rotfl

There has been some discussion about this in the past. Might want to search the names on Gt and see if the threads still come up. I don't remember specifics, except that Rocket is in the same lines and we hold our breath every time he stumbles a little or holds up his paw. Fortunately, it's usually a charley horse, or something between his toes on a walk.

The only way to get a read on the food itself is to discontinue all of the add-ins like yogurt and probiotics for a couple weeks. Then, slowly add one thing back in at a time, about once every 2-3 weeks. This is is the only way to know what is actually impacting the tummy. You don't want to give new treats during that time either, if you give new treats, then don't do the add-in. Often the food isn't the problem, but one of the other things they are eating in combination with it can really throw things off. Been there, done that! Good luck.

Beautiful pictures of your boy. Run-free Ryan.

I am so sorry for your loss Marc. Run free sweet Kara.

Feel better soon, Havok!

The hook really can't live inside the house as it needs soil to thrive. However if your other dog comes into contact with a poop accident from the infected dog, it would be possible to become infected through paw contact then licking the paws, or being a poop eater. Bleach is the most common cleaning solution to sanitize the surface that has been in contact with the eggs. From checking around, it looks like either Bleach or an Iodine solution are the 2 methods that work. The bigger concern is making sure that you pick up and dispose of the dog waste as soon as it hits the ground. Even then, there is a chance that some eggs may shed into the ground and live in the yard. We have members here who will most likely provide additional info. This is about as much as i know about them, and there may be other suitable cleaning methods that I'm not aware of, and other info that they can provide.

We have a rule in our house -no petting unless the hound is standing up. Many hounds sleep with their eyes open - it doesn't matter that it was your daughter who approached him, it wasn't personal or directed specifically at her. The same thing would have happened if you reached down from the bed and touched him, or brushed him with your foot getting out of bed if he was startled. I'm sure that your hound probably loves playing with the kids, but they need to understand that if the hound is laying down, they are NOT to approach or pet him. Visitors and the kid's friends need to understand the rule also. He is not necessarily awake just because his eyes are open and it is DANGEROUS to startle him. That does not mean that the dog is dangerous, he is simply protecting himself from the unknown because he was asleep when something touched him. In our house, the people who have made that mistake, (me included) have ended up with a well deserved bite. In both cases, the bite went through the hand completely, I was lucky that it caught the web between the thumb and index finger. The other person needed stitches which brought Animal Control to the house, and a 2 week quarantine with no walks. The other option was that they would confiscate him and keep him at AC for 2 weeks. Fortunately Rocket is a charmer, and charmed the female AC officer who understood that he was sleep startled and allowed the in-house quarantine instead of confiscation. . It is an adjustment. Rocket has been here for almost 4 years, and we still don't pet him if he's laying down. His space, is his space. Good luck!

Maybe a stomach ache given that had both a hot dog and ice cream in addition to his regular meal? Just a thought. Is the hot dog necessary? I can just give Rocket the interceptor and he swallows it with nothing added. If he needs the hot dog to take the pill, maybe cut 1/4 cup or so out of his dinner kibble and avoid the ice cream on Interceptor day.

Sorry to see that you and your boy are going through this. No medical advice to offer, just hope that he is better soon.

If you are seeing them they are probably tapeworms or some type of roundworm. Drontal Plus will take care of them, but check with the vet to see if you need to wait since you just finished the Panacur. Normally, hookworms can only be seen under the microscope.