a_daerr

A couple days. Truman got it right away. Henry seemed hesitant to go out on his own, almost like he wasn't sure if he was "allowed." But when I stopped opening the door for him, he had no choice. Dog door = best invention ever! YEP. Us too.

I'm surprised that your vet suggested Purina HA (hypoallergenic) instead of Purina EN (gastroenteric). Was Mika experiencing actual allergy symptoms (itching, licking, scratching), or just digestive problems? Either way, I'm not sure I would do grain free. Sometimes greys on grain-free have a hard time keeping weight on, which might be a problem if your dog is already B12 deficient.

Yep, sounds like Slayer has mastered the GSOD. Truman is a brat about being touched. He used to yelp over everything, especially if I tried to touch his belly touched while he was lying down. I used the same desensitization training process as Kari described above, and it worked very well. But there are other times, like when I have to change bandages, clip nails, clean ears, give baths, etc. and he still tries to fuss. I have to be firm with him. I make my voice more serious and say, "You have to." Eventually he stops fighting it... except when it comes to feet. If I graze him slightly with my foot, he yelps like he's enduring Chinese water torture. Another unique greyhound characteristic is their innate ability to act like a huge baby over the slightest indiscretion. But if something is seriously wrong (like the time Henry caught his tail under the door), they act like absolutely nothing is wrong! Half of Henry's tail was missing fur and the top layer of skin, but he still had his head hanging out the window all the way to the vet's. Go figure.

I had a similar experience with lymphoma in my cat. She was only four years old though, and had been in excellent health prior. I was given the option to do chemo, which would require weekly visits to a specialist vet that was 45 minutes away. During these visits, they would've had to keep her for several hours to do blood tests before the actual treatment. Not to mention, it was a huge financial risk because the chemo cost thousands of dollars with no guarantee that it would even be effective. The vet explained to me that (at least in cats), lymphoma can only be managed, not cured. So the chemo would just be buying time until the inevitable. It could go into remission for months or years, but it almost certainly come back. In the end, I decided it wouldn't be fair to put her through it. And it also wouldn't have been fair to my other pets if I maxed out every credit card for a shot in the dark. I am sad that things happened that way, but I never regretted not doing the chemo. We did try the prednisone, but it made little difference. She died at home about a month after her diagnosis. I took some comfort in the fact that she passed very peacefully with her companion, Walden, and me by her side. Lucy, what type of treatment options you pursue for Jabari is a very personal decision. But in the event you decide not to go through with the chemo, it doesn't mean you're giving up on him, or that you love him any less. There are things that happen that are way beyond our control, and we have to make the best decision possible for our pets. Just wanted to throw that out there.

Certain pain meds can have an opposite effect. It makes the dog seem almost drunk physically, but very agitated and restless mentally. The side effects should wear off in a few hours, but I'd ask the vet for an alternative type of pain medication. If you're really concerned, call the e-vet.

White rice and boiled (boneless skinless) chicken breast. You can also do any variation of rice, oatmeal, cottage cheese, chicken, turkey, or hamburger. If you're cooking a meat that's on the greasier side, like hamburger, drain the grease off and rinse it first.

Beanie. Please forgive yourself... Beanie would want you to.

Given Peggy's past behavior, I would guess it's nervous peeing. New sights, new smells. She's probably going into sensory overload like, "OMG, where are we?!" I agree with the suggestion above. I would also make your parent's house a very rewarding place to be. Is there a special treat (chewy, bone, kong) that you could reserve just for your parent's house? Or maybe try a DAP diffuser there?

Aww, he looks good. Continued good thoughts for your boy.

Ahh, he's getting back to his old, food-stealing self.

Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach Nutro Chicken and Oatmeal for Sensitive Stomachs Hills I/D

Don't worry. You're having an "OMG, what have I done?" moment. We've all had them. Just try to make sure there is nothing medically wrong with her, and keep your routine consistent. My guys have both gone through periods of behavioral regression. Try not to let your frustration show, have a sense of humor, and believe me- this will pass.

Very common... Henry has a really bald butt. His thyroid is fine. People have asked several times why I shave his butt. It's somewhat controversial, but people here have had success using melatonin to grow back patchy fur.

I wouldn't assume dominance/challenging behavior. One of my guys is just really uncomfortable around kids, and as someone who doesn't have children, I can see why. They're loud, they make sudden movements. There might be something about your daughter that makes Dancer uncomfortable. It could've just been one incident that freaked her out, and now she's acting defensive. I would do a lot of positive reinforcement training that centers on your daughter. Let her be the giver of all things good. Until Dancer starts feeling less anxious around kids, don't correct the growling. Aggression only begets aggression. As for socializing with other dogs, it's just a matter of time and exposure. I'd continue with the training classes and reward her for sharing space with other dogs.

I recently posted about Henry's seizure meds working tremendously. We are going on three months without any seizures! The weird thing is, he seems to have much more energy than before. Now, he's having problems sleeping through the night. He gets up and plays with toys. Most times, he gets Truman up too and it's a free for all at 3AM. I plan on discussing this with my vet first, but I'm just wondering if anyone has insight on seizure dogs and melatonin. It might also help with Hen's bald butt and belly.

Cosby has the look of, 'What IS this thing?? And why does she keep stealing my toys??'

No furniture privileges... Don't discipline the dog for growling. Gradually, you can desensitize the space guarding by spending more time near her while she's on her bed. Start as far away as you can without getting a reaction. Toss treats in her direction. No direct eye contact. If she is okay with that, move a little bit closer the next time. Do this a few minutes each day and gradually work up to letting her take treats out of your hand, petting her, gently nudging her. Anytime she responds appropriately, give her treats and praise. If she snaps or growls, end the training session and try again the next day. The idea is that she learn that a human's presence in her space is positive, not threatening. Don't do too much too fast- teaching a grey how to share space is a process, as they have never had to share with any other human or dog in the past. Understand that her growling is most likely a result of fear and/or lack of confidence (i.e. not challenging or alpha behavior). The more you develop training strategies to eliminate the fear, you'll also eliminate the growling. For safety reasons, make it a rule for the kids to only pet the dog when she's standing. The book 'Dogproofing Your Child' is a really good resource also. I'm not a huge fan of PetSmart/Petco training, as their trainers generally do not have professional dog training certification, but any type of positive reinforcement training is helpful.

Your fuzzy is getting playful! Both of my guys air snap when they're excited. Totally normal.

This is incredible news!

Crate aversion can develop when the only time you crate your dog is when you're leaving the house. My advice is to start crating him for small intervals of time when you are home. When he goes in the crate, reward like crazy. Use high value treats, like Kongs or bones to entice him. Then leave the house for ten minutes, come back and let him out. There are some dogs with true crate anxiety that require an alternative training method... However, if your boy is going in his crate regularly with the door open, it sounds like you can still work with it. If he is reluctant to go in, don't push or force him in. Trying gently leading him by the collar, encouraging him in a happy tone, saying 'yes!!' and 'good boy!!' when he goes in. I agree that it's not a good idea to stop crating altogether if your dog isn't reliably housebroken and there's a likelihood of him being destructive in the house. Here is another good resource on crate training. http://www.goldengreyhounds.com/about/training.htm

Housetraining is a work in progress... it's always harder when you work and have a dog that does not like to be confined. My thought is that Hutch gets some confidence and reassurance from his brother- it doesn't necessarily mean they're bonded. It could just be that Tibbs is the ONE thing that is familiar, and being around him makes him feel more comfortable. The fence + dog door made a huge difference for us. Best of luck.

Keeping you and your boy in my thoughts. I hope the biopsy can give you some explanation.

Okay, gotcha!

Email me at [alicia dot daerr at gmail dot com] if you are interested in being added to our Pittsburgh Greyhound Playdates mailing list.

Glad to hear Snowy is improving! I just wanted to add that that removing her from the bed is a perfectly acceptable "punishment." Henry had some guarding issues on my bed, and they quickly subsided after he realized growling got him kicked off. It's also good to teach the command "off" by saying it, and throwing treats down on the floor. When she leaves the bed, mark the behavior by saying "yes!" or "good girl!" or using a clicker. That way she understands that the bed is YOURS, and you decide when she is allowed and not allowed on it.