a_daerr

Hahahaha! That would be hysterical.

Eh, I understand where you're coming from. You've paid a heck of a lot of money to have to start all over again with someone new. I would probably call and ask to speak to the office manager. Complain to them, and tell them you're getting fed up with getting the runaround. Tell them it's important that you speak to the neurologist directly, otherwise you will be taking your business elsewhere. That should light a fire under their arses. If not, then at that point, you'd have no other choice but to change doctors. My vet calls and has spoken to me on the phone for 30-45 minutes about my dogs (I'm neurotic and usually have a million and one questions). I can see how it would be frustrating to have to go through a middleman everytime.

So sorry you got your hopes up only to be turned down. I do kind of agree that two veeeery young children would probably be stressful for most greys (nothing against your children personally). Just that there's a lot of noise and commotion that comes with having little kids around. It's not uncommon for an adoption group to require the children be a certain age. But still, they should've made that clear in the beginning.

I think I get one of Felix's collars!

You can minimize sleep aggression by desensitization training. When she's sleeping, gently throw a balled up sock at her. Poke her with a broom handle. Anytime she responds calmly (i.e. not snapping or growling), toss her a treat. If you do this a few times a day, she'll begin to associate being woken up with something positive. Until then, it's important to only show her attention when you're sure she's 100% awake. Also, a lot of people think, "My greyhound snapped at me, he must be aggressive." While this behavior looks pretty scary, it's not a huge call for alarm. And it doesn't mean the dog is mean or aggressive. In this circumstance, it sounds like your dog was not fully aware of what she was doing. But even dogs who growl/snap when they're awake are not necessarily problematic or unstable. They're giving a warning and telling you, "I don't like this. You're making me uncomfortable." That's 10x better than an unpredictable dog who hauls off and bites.

Consider yourself lucky. One of my guys is VERY oral, and will chew anything and everything he can get his mouth on. Utensils, tupperware, remote controls, undergarments, shoes, cat turds, the mail... you name it, he'll chew on it. We've become more diligent about dog-proofing, but even then he gets resourceful and chews on stuff like the bedpost or couch cushions. I agree with the person above me- redirect to appropriate things to chew on. If she's a guarder, you can practice "trading up" by showing her the item, then slowly swapping it out for the thing you're trying to take away. Eliminate opportunities by keeping items she's known to chew on hidden.

I agree with the others- it sounds like an anxiety-related issue. Anxiety can manifest in a lot of different ways. I've met several greyhounds over the years who were VERY outgoing, loved people, and had a lot of energy. But, every so often, they developed anxious quirks over little things. One greyhound in my class was uncomfortable with exercises where he had to walk on different surfaces- he hated the grate. Everytime it was his turn, he got anxious and started play-bowing at his owner and barking. We thought he was just being silly, but we later made the connection that it was stress related. Peeing only during a specific part of your routine indicates fear or nervousness associated with that action. What you should start doing is positive reinforcement training. And to be clear- if a dog is hungry, he or she WILL be food motivated. So if she's having difficulty focusing on treats, cut back her kibble for awhile. Anytime you pick the leash up, she gets a treat. Click the latch on the leash, she gets a treat. Attach the leash to her collar, she gets a treat. Teach her the command "watch me" so that whenever she makes eye contact, she gets a treat. Then on your walks, reward her by giving treats and saying "good girl" everytime she looks at you for reassurance. When she does her business, immediately give her a treat. And watch her like a hawk when she's inside. If you catch her in the act, clap your hands or make a loud noise to distract her, then immediately leash her up and take her outside, and REWARD PROFUSELY when she goes where she's supposed to. You may want to consider a basic obedience class as a way to develop basic training skills and a stronger bond. It did wonders for my fear-aggressive dog, Henry. He started very growly-snappy as a result of fear, but he's pretty much bombproof now. He's also a certified therapy dog. Also, my other piece of advice is to just give her some time before you consider returning her. Often times, the "hard nuts to crack" turn into wonderful, loving, well-behaved dogs. That was certainly the case with both of my guys. We often look back and laugh because we almost returned Henry- I'd be kicking myself now if I did.

Well, suffice to say I'm a little embarrassed.

Really? I didn't know nipples were supposed to come that far down by his peep? They haven't always been there...

Okay, a little graphic, but here they are. I circled them. He has a few more on the other side too.

I'm starting to think these aren't blackheads now. They're raised up and kind of spaced out (not in a patch). I'll post a picture when he rolls over.

Truman has a bunch of blackheads on his belly and groin area. Right now, he has five large ones. I'm sure they don't bother him, but they look kind of nasty. The skin there is really thin, and he doesn't tolerate me squeezing them. I've read that you can use acne meds for humans... but there are so many kinds. What active ingredient should I be looking for? Has anyone had luck removing these kinds of blackheads with an extraction tool? Also, does anyone know what causes these? I never noticed them before, but he's now 18 months. A doggie teenager! So could it be similar to humans, like an increased amount of hormones? I'm wondering if he'll always have these blackheads, or if they'll just subside when he gets older. My five-year-old, Henry, doesn't have any.

Vetericyn is amazing! Glad Lydia is feeling better.

Oh goodness! I thought he might be traumatized with other dogs, but he seems to be getting along just fine.

It does get expensive. The other thing I recommend (that I do for my cats) is generic Drontal through the_medicinestore on Ebay or Amazon. One cat goes outside and hunts rodents and birds, so I have to de-flea and de-worm all three of my cats every month. Drontal is $20+ a pill at the vet's office, but it works out to about $2.90 pet cat for us.

I don't, just because Drontal is SO expensive. It's like $40 a pill. Panacur is less expensive, and you can get it without a prescription. If you use Trifexis, Advantage Multi, Sentinel, or Interceptor for heartworm prevention, those ones should also cover whipworms.

No advice, just hugs for my buddy Lydia.

I'm just now seeing this... what a tremendous loss. Sending positive thoughts through this difficult time.

So sorry you are going through this. Lymphoma is a merciless disease. I lost a cat to an aggressive form of lymphoma, and she suffered all the way. Hugs for Beanie. Hopefully Bruiser will meet her at the bridge.

Hmmm, I'm not sure about Sorbitol, but I use a water additive called Dental Fresh. It's made with chlorine dioxide, sodium benzoate, and chlorophyll. No stomach issues here. I also do knuckle bones and rawhide rolls a few times a week for dental health. Both of my guys have white, healthy, teeth.

He looks so good!! What a trooper. And way to go Christine for making this whole thing happen. Freddy really is Superman.

This reminds me, one time Henry ate an entire package of Ferrero Rocher hazelnut chocolates. It was during Christmastime, and not only got the wrapping paper off, he carefully unwrapped the foil from each piece. I panicked, but he ended up being fine. The vet said a dog his size would have to eat A LOT of chocolate to actually get sick.

You've gotten good advice... I just wanted to mention that since you're from the Pittsburgh area, the WPA Humane Society offers greyhound-only classes where you could work on loose-leash walking and heel. We've taken lots of classes there, and they have been great. Also, if you're interested in joining a playgroup for Pittsburgh greys, email me at alicia dot daerr at gmail dot com.

Thanks for your kind words, Debbie. It's one of those things I'll probably never forgive myself for... The one positive thing that came out of it was the realization that, even though I wanted to adopt him, keeping that foster was not the right thing to do. He belonged in another home. I believe the kitty I lost has sent me signs that she's okay. A few months afterwards, we adopted my heart-healer (the meezer), and now everyone has been happy and healthy since.

Thanks for the heads-up. I didn't think to start adjusting the times. We just started Henry on Zonisamide about a month ago, and he is doing well on it. No seizures since he started (knock on wood).