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3greytjoys, OP did say in another post that the dog was coming straight off the track.

If you are 100% on using the dog park, I wouldn't move forward with this particular dog. I know that's probably not the answer you want to hear. It is a very tricky thing to use a dog park if your dog has any amount of prey drive with other dogs. One of my best friends has a greyhound who cannot be trusted with small dogs, including puppies. As a result, he can't go to all-breed dog events, obedience classes, pet stores, or dog parks. They've learned to live with it (which is okay because he's practically perfect in every other way). The few times we have tried to take him to the dog park, she's been on edge the entire time. Some idiot always comes along and lets their small fluffy in the large dog side, saying, "Don't worry! He likes big dogs better!" The only way you'd be able to make it work is if you stand by the entrance and evaluate every dog that comes in, which is nerve-racking for everyone. Prey drive can be managed, but IMHO, it's almost impossible to completely "train out." It's also a sliding scale of possibilities. Some are okay with small dogs, but not cats (or vice versa). Some dogs are fine with small animals in their home environment, but not with those on the outside. Some are interested in chasing, but not actually hurting the animal. And some will kill anything that moves and can never be trusted with small animals of any kind. There are no hard and fast rules. It's possible that this dog's prey drive will get better with time, but there are no guarantees.

Wow, he looks great! Good boy, Harry!

Same here. Not only did they pay all the claims without incident, they emailed periodically to see how Henry was doing. I sent them photos, and they wrote back to say how much the whole office appreciated it. I was very pleased with everything. For $40 a month, it's been incredible. They've paid way more than I could have saved month-to-month on my own.

I did some simple CC with Henry, because he was still willing to take treats. But if you can't get Chloe to go on that part of the floor at all, even for high value treats, there is another method you could try. Place rugs down about a foot apart. Then each day, gradually space the rugs further and further apart. Two feet, three feet, six feet... you get the point. After some time, you should be able to remove the rugs completely without her really noticing. I would suggest removing the rugs altogether eventually. You want her to actually re-learn the behavior, instead of using the rugs as a permanent crutch. It's good that you're working with her now. Once you lose that window, the fear becomes deeper ingrained and much harder to reverse.

Are the other dogs well-behaved? Or are they also crazy like the Aussie? Teaching appropriate behavior in a controlled environment with other well-behaved dogs is one thing. But if these dogs are running around, jumping on him, or engaging in a play style that Gansett doesn't appreciate, that's a difficult thing to "train out." It's hard to make a dog "like" another dog, especially if their energy levels and play styles are a mismatch. He may be more tolerant of the Aussie because of its age (a lot of dogs are more patient with puppies, or with rambunctious dogs they know well and have grown up with). That higher threshold doesn't necessarily translate to every other dog of similar size, age, appearance, or physical characteristics (i.e. Gansett may like *this* Aussie, but not necessarily all other medium-sized, furry dogs). If he were my dog, and it was clear he was uncomfortable, I don't think I'd force it. I'd probably give him his space. You don't have to put him in another room or in a crate. That could actually make his aversion worse. You could try using a physical barrier, like baby gates or an x-pen so he has somewhere he can retreat to when he's had enough. It's a pain in the butt, but much easier and safer than dealing with a dog fight.

It could be a lot of things. Five seems too young to have a cognitive dysfunction problem that affects his day-night behavior patterns, but it's not totally impossible. It could be a source of pain that he doesn't show during the day, but something that bothers him more at night. Possible hearing or vision problems. Someone at the neurologist's office once told me their dog did a similar pacing/panting nighttime behavior because he was having seizures at night. I'd go to your vet and rule out some of these things. If it's truly just anxiety, the vet can prescribe a medication to help him relax. I know people are sometimes reluctant to try anxiety meds, but in this situation, he could really benefit. Think of how miserable it must be to never get a good night's sleep.

A few months after Henry lost his leg, he suddenly developed a fear of slippery floors. I'm sure he slipped and scared himself. But (as harsh as this might sound), I didn't want to baby him by putting down a path of rugs. The world is full of slippery floors, and it's not like I can throw down rugs for him everywhere, especially when we're out in public. I had him re-learn the floors through counter-conditioning. Leashed him up and walked back and forth over the floors, throwing down high-value treats in front of him, so he would learn to make a better association. He caught on quickly, and now he does slippery floors with no problem. For a dog who is terrified, you may have to go really slowly. Don't pull or drag her by the leash. Let her go at her own pace, and do quick sessions 2-3 times a day. The other part that I find really important with this type of problem is keeping nails as short as possible. Once they get spooked, they have a tendency to curl up their feet, which is when they start doing the "baby deer on ice" thing. As long as Henry's nails are short, he doesn't go sliding, even if he loses his balance and starts to lock up.

Do you free feed or have structured mealtime? A lot of the dilly-dallying with food can be solved by feeding her at the same time everyday, and giving her a set duration to eat. My dogs get two meals (7:30AM and 7:30PM). They get 15 minutes to eat. If they don't eat in that amount of time, the bowl comes up, and they can wait until the next meal. It sounds harsh, but it's really not. Dogs can go a much longer time than humans without eating, so missing a meal isn't a big deal. Sometimes, they need to miss a meal before they realize, "Hey, if I don't eat when I'm supposed to, then I'm not eating period." Having a set schedule makes your life easier, especially if you ever want to add a second dog.

I can't tell you how sorry I am.

I saw that little dog in your other video! Cleo bowed at her once, then sort of gave up. I agree about talking them both for a walk, but based on their reactions on that video, it seems like they'll be fine.

I'm so rooting for this boy to turn the corner. Come on, buddy!

Checking for an update and sending good thoughts for your boy.

If you've been consistently adding different 'bribes' and mix-ins, he's learned to hold out. He thinks if he waits, he'll get something better. I'd stop all mix-ins and take the bowl up after 15 minutes. Take it or leave it. After a few times of not eating, he'll most likely get hungry and give in. If not, then it may be time for a vet check.

The thing about only muzzling 'when you aren't closely supervising' is that a fight can break out in the blink of an eye. Even if you're standing right there, there is very little you can do, except get in the middle and possibly put yourself in danger. Other people can chime in with their horror stories, but just to give you an idea... My dog was attacked by another dog at a dog park who he was playing with two minutes prior. No amount of clapping, stomping, or yelling could've helped. Both dogs had to physically be pulled off each other (and as a result, my dog ended up with a puncture and an expensive trip to the vet). The videos you posted plus your description of the growling during crate time makes me believe that there's a good deal of stress and tension. Especially with the new dog, she seems a little unsure of herself. She may appear to enjoy the bitey-play, but her reactions (lip curled, teeth out, defensive posture) say otherwise. The snapping and growling (especially if it's happening at the end of almost every play session) is her way of saying, 'I've had enough of this.' Even though these behaviors are normal during the adjustment period, things can escalate in the blink of an eye. Just because they haven't had an all-out fight yet doesn't mean it can't happen. The safest thing to do, really, is muzzle both dogs. As time goes on, you can use them less or not at all. But for right now, IMHO, it's too volatile to risk it.

Muzzle NOW.

A little bit concerning, but who knows. Make sure you have muzzles on both.

I'm so very sorry, Judy. I love all your pups, but I especially loved seeing Arrow photos.

I love reading through Dr. Urie's discharge notes.

Agree with Chris that the rest of the bloodwork sounds off. Were these values in the "high but still normal" range, or actually "high"? I posted a thread about a similar issue I had with my boy not eating. We ran bloodwork too, but unlike your girl, everything came back unremarkable. I eventually solved the problem by swapping out his kibble for a new bag (IAMS) and eliminating a skin and coat supplement that may have spoiled.

The problem with a leather muzzle is that the dog can't (comfortably) pant or breathe. If you need to muzzle for walking/exercising, it's probably better to stick with a basket muzzle. I haven't known any greyhound owners to use anything but basket muzzles, except for the occasional metal UK/Australian versiosn. If fitted properly properly, basekt muzzles aren't uncomfortable for the dog.

Henry went to the oncologist today for x-rays and bloodwork, and everything was normal. He had not lost any weight since our last visit. The doctor gave him a clean bill of health. The veterinary dentist even took a peak at his teeth to make sure there were no slab fractures or other less noticeable issues going on. On the way home, I was racking my brain wondering if something might be up with his food. I picked up a new bag of kibble. Then, at the pet store, it hit me. The Missing Link! We lost power for almost a full 24 hours two weekends ago. This included the power to the refrigerator. It didn't occur to me that the Missing Link has to be refrigerated, otherwise, it can spoil. Just to be safe, I fed the new kibble (without the Missing Link), and he gobbled everything up in two minutes. I'm crossing my fingers that was the problem, and we can go back to normal.

I saw something similar once at a greyhound reunion. They held the event at a dog pool that was still open to the public on the same day. Imagine 30 or so greyhounds and a handful of other, smaller dogs. There was a group of greyhounds running after another dog (can't remember what kind- probably some kind of mix). Anyway, the greyhounds were getting very competitive running, and they all started ganging up on this other dog. They were boxing her out, knocking her over, barking. And when she tried to get away, they would not let up. It was like the more she struggled, the more amped up the greyhounds got. Eventually, the owners had to physically pull their dogs off, because it was clear the other dog was panicked and distressed. I think you get some of that "competitive fixation" when there is a group of dogs running together. It could be a fluke. But if he starts doing it all the time, I'd just stop going. Not worth the risk.

Two boys, huh? Let's ask Henry and Truman... They clearly hate each other. Seriously, though. I think boys are great. Mine are super bonded, and they really do have a fun, cool "brotherly" relationship.

Terrible news about Seka and Lucy. If their owners are reading, I'm very sorry for your losses. I think I have Henry's food problems pinpointed. We went about 24 hours without power last week when a tree went down on our street. We use a skin and coat supplement called Missing Link that has to be refrigerated… you see where I'm going with this… I think the Missing Link spoiled when the fridge shut off. Either way, we got a brand new bag of food today in case the kibble happened to be tainted. I gave him the new kibble sans Missing Link, and he gobbled everything down in no time. So happy to see him EAT again.