sarabz

Yep, our Bella does this too

Oh, Pam, I'm so sorry Run free sweet Buddy.

Oh, Pam, I just saw this - I'm so sorry

A few things - * Have you checked that she doesn't have a UTI or kidney issues of any sort? Probably not but just to ask the question * How long have you had her? Bella would do this the first couple of weeks that we had her but has long since stopped (going on 3+ years) * If it were me, I would make sure those middle of the night outings are short and sweet and on a leash. No freedom to roam the yard and play with toys. * Not sure if you do have a crate and if Grace is ok with it, but my routine to stop this would be to take Bella out for 5 minutes (max) and then she goes back into her crate, regardless of output. If Grace starts realizing that waking the parents up at random hours for fun isn't so much fun, that should help. Not suggesting using the crate as punishment at all, but to curb the peeing indoors part. Good luck!

Bella "air snaps" occasionally as part of play. Once she put some teeth marks into DH's hand - of course, then she got off the sofa and put herself in her crate and acted as though we were punishing her, although all he did was yelp like another dog would. I'm trying to train him more than her at this point that the kind of play that he's encouraging is not good for when we have kids.

This article gets posted frequently - it may help you understand a bit, too. We've had our Bella for more than 3 years and she is loving, affectionate, snuggly and not protective of her space. But, wake her up by touching her and she'll come up growling and snapping. I noted that you said that your girl is fully awake when this happens so a couple of thoughts (I'm not an expert ) * Are you absolutely sure she's awake? I've learned that greys have a remarkable ability to be sound asleep with their eyes open * If she absolutely is awake, then personally I'd make her get off the sofa. It's *my* sofa, not hers - we had this with Bella early on, too. No idea why she's fine with petting versus a body part resting on her : ******************************************** Here's Kathleen Gilley's great article about the new greyhound... sadly, we've lost Kathleen, but her advice/insight is still pertinent... 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 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 everything 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 won't 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 through 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 adopter 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.

Hugs for Minerva - hope this passes quickly.

Yes- this is what I'm trying to avoid and DH doesn't seem to care about. Bella loves to mark so I'm hoping that by taking her for walks, that will help satisfy her urge to mark but also help us with training in "her" yard

If we started treating Bella after every potty, she'd be asking to go out and would squeeze something out every 2 minutes Thanks for the helpful suggestions so far!

I have been using Petflow.com for quite a while and have been very happy with that company. I do have the auto-ship which is so helpful.

Hi all! We are moving to a house with a yard in a few weeks. A big change for Miss Bella who is used to walks. We'll still take her on walks to give her more exercise and stimulation, but I'd love to train her to do her business in one area so that I can walk around barefoot and not have to worry about stepping in poo. Or have brown spots on the grass. Has anyone sucessfully done this? Note that we do not have a very large yard and there's not really a good option, at least at the moment, to put a specific new surface anywhere just for her. Thanks for any and all suggestions! Sara

Yep - thin skin = often bleeding. Frequently, a loud scream (known affectionately as GSOD, or Greyhound Scream of Death) means something inconsequential. Not always, but often.

Bella gets little blackhead-looking things on her butt occasionally. Or regular pimples. She has a pretty much hairless butt so we see them. THey come and go - some pop and scab, some just disappear. nothing major to worry about unless they look like something more than a zit that a teen would get

Limping aside, Bella will meander at a pace that almost seems as though she is going backward. Sure, I would suggest that you have your vet check Hester, then maybe try a glucosamine supplement to help smooth things but he does look great Fabulous video!!! Love how amazing Hester is. Thank you for sharing.

My heart breaks for you with so sudden a loss. I have no insight to offer, and really not much else other than good thoughts and hugs. I've only been a grey owner for a couple of years, but with the retired racers (or bred to be racers but never started or didn't do much group), they generally are so healthy that deaths at an early age, and suddenly, are rare. And so hard to cope with. I hope you can find peace and perhaps one day open your home to another pup. As for answers, it may be a stroke - not common as far as I'm aware. hugs.

Hey all- Long story but it came to be that I now have an app on my phone for finding vet clinics based on my current location. Useful for traveling. It's called the "Iams Vet 24/7" - I'm sure there's an iPhone version as well. I know you can also use the map app to search for vets but this seems to be a bit easier as Google Maps isn't always 100% accurate. Again, not sure about the Apple versions I've also scanned and have on my phone (via Google Docs) Bella's vet records, her registration certfiicate, her NYC license, etc. That way I always have the info with me and don't have to carry the paper ones when we travel. Sara

I tried to PM you with a long message and got a note that you couldn't receive any new messages Basically, you're going to get stories about "the one time" and trusting your hound too much but it's your life and you need to do what you are comfortable with and can live with. Sounds like the pups had a great time!

There are tons of resources available re: separation anxiety. Run a search on the board for "separation anxiety" and "alone training" and you'll come up with help and advice. Recent thread - http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/294957-need-help-and-advice/ Article excerpted from advice given on Greytalk - http://www.jamesrivergreyhounds.org/documents/SeparationAnxiety.pdf A post from Never Say Never Greyhounds - greyt advice - http://www.neversaynevergreyhounds.net/separation.html Good luck!

Aww. great photos - so sorry for your loss.

Sorry to see that Jet has passed Hugs to everyone with bridge angels.

Yep, apples give Bella the runs, too I learned the hard way when I put some applesauce in her Kongs one week. My own applesauce, no sugar, no seasonings, just apple mush, really.

Thanks all. Yep, she's on Flagyl.

How long did is it taking your pups to get through it?

Yep, exactly this! Hope Aquitaine is better!!