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Good sit, Dudley! Now if I can only get my own dogs to take my training advice

Wow, quite the opposite problem from what we usually see on F&D! Have you ruled out anything medical-related (tumor, enlarged prostate, rectal abscess, anal glands, back/tail problems)?

I think you'll be fine without it. Iams already contains prebiotics and probiotics. Welcome to the dark (green) side, BTW

I have two big boys. Henry is 76 lbs. and Truman is 81 lbs. I'm 135 and have no difficulty handling them both, even though together they outweigh me. To be honest, I've never really had to lift them for anything. They jump into our Jeep with ease. Our local dog wash has rubber-backed ramps so they can walk into the tub. When we taught stairs, we didn't "lift," rather, just guided them by the collar. I think the only thing you might have to worry about is if your dog badly injured multiple legs and couldn't walk, then you might have to help them to the car or something. Sort of a "worst case scenario" kind of thing. With our adoption group, size usually isn't too important for most people. They're all big dogs (even the smallest females are usually 60+ lbs) and you don't ever really have to lift them for anything. Be forewarned, usually the people who say they want a tiny female end up going home with a big male!

Awww, Peggy is coming along nicely. Welcome home, pretty girl!

Ditto!

I get Dental Fresh from Amazon. You can buy it at Petco, but I think it's way overpriced there. The one I usually buy on Amazon comes in a huge jug, and I just add a cup to our three-gallon gravity waterer. It ends up lasting forever. The one thing about the enzymatic water additives is that once you stop using them, you can DEFINITELY notice the difference. Even if I fill our waterer one time without the Dental Fresh and they go without for a few days, their bresh gets a little jenky. So if you're going to start using it, be prepared for that if you ever decide to stop. As for the rawhide rolls, the reason we use them as opposed to the rawhide strips is because one of my hounds gets impatient and tries to swallow the strips whole. I've never heard anything about the rolls vs. strips, except for the fact that you should always purchase rawhide that clearly states on the packaging "Made in USA." The rawhide made in asian countries adds chemicals and perservatives that are dangerous in high amounts. We get a huge package of the rolls at Sam's Club for $11. The knuckle/knee bones I get shipped from bestbullysticks.com. How is the ND Salmon and Sweet Potato working out? One of my friend's greys was on it and doing just fine for about six weeks, then got chronic diarrhea and lost close to 10 pounds.

Obviously you know your dog best, so you'll be the one to make the best decision. IMHO, twelve days isn't enough. My experience and all the literature I've read says 4-6 weeks to be able to truly say whether or not the food is working.

I'm thinking that might not work. The idea of using crating for housetraining purposes is that the dog establishes their "den" and is responsible for a small area they need to keep clean. Then, you gradually expand their privileges into larger areas as the dog becomes more reliably housetrained. I'm not sure that concept would translate if you were only selectively using the crate. Also, given the fact that she has/had an aversion to being crated, I would not just crate her only when you're gone. Dogs are social creatures and they love their humans. So if she begins making the association of crate = mom being gone, she is more likely to hate being crated. You can inadvertantly create separation anxiety or crate anxiety that way. The key to crating is to make the area a desirable place, one where she can feel safe and comfortable. In order to do that, you will have to have regular periods where she's crated, both when you're home and not home. If you decide to start crate training again, my vote is to do all or nothing.

That's even cheaper than what I paid! I love the GEM Store. They have everything.

Hmmm, I thought this was something that just started happening. If she's drinking and otherwise acting normal, maybe that's just her pee routine? Anyway, this is where we got our stool guard. http://www.k-9designs.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=89

You're gotten good advice. She sounds a little spooky, so the best thing is just time and patience. I would definitely not deny her access to her "safe area" or try to force the interaction. Just take it slow, and allow her to show affection on her terms. Some of the shy ones will make a 100% turnaround and bloom into tail-wagging social butterflies. Some of them will always be shy. If you are commited to keeping her and working through her quirks, the best thing to do is just allow things to progress naturally. My first retired racer started out very shy. It was wonderful and beautiful seeing the progress he made day-to-day. He's my heart dog.

Doesn't sound normal, especially if she's straining to go. Have you noticed any change in the color or odor of the urine. Dark, concentrated urine is a sign of dehydration. Are you taking the muzzle off every so often and allowing her to drink? Even if she can drink, it may feel unnatural to her, and she's not drinking enough. I like muzzles + stool guards better because they still have holes that allow the dog to breathe and drink normally. We used duct tape for about two days after Truman's gastropexy, and he kept thowing up (my guess is either the smell or taste of the adhesive on the sticky side).

Here are a few other resources that describe similar transitioning schedules: http://www.pheasantsforever.org/page/1/tip-newdogfood.jsp 20%-40%-60%-80%-100% schedule over 13 days http://www.hillspet.com/faq-7-day-transition-schedule.html Similar, but only 7 days http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/frequently-asked-questions/how-to-feed-dog/ 7-10 days with gradual increases of 20% http://www.lets-talk-dog-health-problems.com/switching-dog-food.html Two week transition

Oh wow, you are a wonderful person for intervening and taking this little guy on. Here's my $0.02. The behaviors you are describing (minus perhaps the prey drive), are typical of ANY dog that is not used to being a pet. I don't feel as though you need an expert on sighthounds necessarily to help deal with these kinds of problems. However, if you are intent on keeping him, he will probably need some type of formal training program. For a dog that has sustained abuse, the training has to be based in positive reinforcement. Contact a certified trainer in your area (avoid places like PetSmart), and sign him up for a basic obedience class. Most of the people I know who start obedience training with their dogs love it, and they go on to do subsequent classes. But even if you only do one class, you'll gain a lot of tools needed to continue the training at home. It sounds like Isaac just needs some socialization and self-control, and of course, an owner who will give him a chance to be a dog. Unfortunately, the one draw about owning sighthounds is their speed and prey drive, so it's never a good idea to let him off-leash in an unfenced area, especially not until he has a reliable recall. If he lunges at moving vehicles, it's probably best that he wear a well-fitted harness on walks. This behavior can be mitigated with desensitization (walking by cars so much that he starts to learn it's no big deal) and positive reinforcement (lot of encouragement and treats). For barkers, there is a training method to teach "quiet" and "speak." But it's also important to ignore the barking and not give him any attention for barking or obnoxious behavior. Dogs who have difficulty with housetraining benefit from a strict feeding schedule (only giving access to food and water at specific intervals in the day) and a housetraining method that is based in crating, confining, or the umbilical method. If you've only had experience with labs, try to give Isaac a clean slate. Labs and sighthounds are very different- they each have their own benefits and challenges. Isaac may be a dog that takes a little longer to build trust and gain confidence. He may be a dog that you have to work with for a long time. But in my experience, the ones with the quirks and issues are the ones that offer more special and unique relationships with their owners. Good luck and have fun with him- he looks like a handsome, deserving boy.

We use an enzymatic water additive called "Dental Fresh" that works great. We do LOTS of bones and chews in our house (knuckle bones, knee bones, and rawhide rolls). Henry is five, and he's never had a dental. The vet always comments on how good his teeth look. Same with the puppy. Just a few things, I wouldn't introduce any new bones or raw parts until you're 100% finished switching foods. A food transition is sometimes hard on the dog's GI tract, and the gas you're describing is an indication that he's already having some issues. Introducing a new food on top of that could exacerbate things and cause even more digestive upset. Because he's already had a dental, it may be a good idea to just start brushing his teeth and integrate bones and chews later. Also, you may want to consider the size of the kibble you're feeding. Some people say it doesn't matter, but I feed the "large breed" version of our kibble, and I find that it forces them to actually chew the food instead of swallowing it whole.

Bellybands are great for markers. They were a life-saver for one of our fosters who had the habit of liftiing his leg on everything... However, IMHO, bellybands aren't very helpful for a dog that's not actually housetrained. Not to mention that when saturated, they are a breeding ground of bacteria and pose a potential risk for UTI. You would probably do better with a strict food-water-elimination schedule and a housebreaking method (either crating, confining, or constant supervision, like the umbilical method mentioned above). If he continues to have opportunities, he'll continue having accidents. For a week or so, you're going to have to let him out A LOT, especially after meals and naps. You first want him to understand the idea of where he's supposed to go, then you can cut back. Reward reward reward when he goes when he goes outside. My favorite resource on housebreaking is "How to Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days" by Shirlee Kalstone. It's a very quick and easy read, but also very comprehensive.

I did five different switches over the course of several years trying to find the right food for Henry. My method is a 25%-50%-75% transition over the course of at least ten days. The last few times, I added Forti-Flora which helped. You won't see the full effects of the food for 4-6 weeks, so don't get discouraged and give up at the first sign of loose stools. Decrease the new food back to the last level where the poops were normal. Give it another day or two before increasing again. I also recommend staying with the same protein source (assuming your dog was doing well on it before). If the dog is showing signs of allergy (swelling, licking at paws/bum, sores for scratching) then obviously discontinue the new food. But it's important to give the new food a chance before you make a decision to stay on it. Transitioning is a pretty big undertaking. I don't really recommend that people switch willy nilly- only if the dog is having recurring problems.

I'm still in this camp. I've seen a lot of people create problems by coddling the dog. If everytime the dog hears a loud noise and you jump to comfort him, it conveys the message, "You need comforted because there IS something to be afraid of." Henry came to us very shy and fearful and after he became comfortable with us, we started taking him everywhere. If he balked, I used the phrase "no big deal," offered him a treat, and he would usually continue on. I never forced him to do anything he wasn't comfortable with, but I did gradually push his anxiety threshold. He's bombproof now.

Drontal Plus! It's expensive. Like $30 a pill, but it works like a charm. I'd also recommend washing all the bedding and cleaning up your yard really well.

We used a WWW harness on Truman because he's a puller, but phased it out in obedience class. I'd say a properly fitted martingale works 90% of the time.

Thanks I've been a mentor to a few new adopters over the years. And there were several people who told me, "I wish the adoption group was more up front and honest with me" about some of the common greyhound quirks like resource guarding, separation anxiety, fear-behaviors, etc. That's why I always like to be real with people and make sure they have honest expectations going into their adoption. If you're prepared and have done your research, then you'll be fine. Good luck finding the right one.

Wow, how very frightening. I'm glad Tracker wasn't hurt. I think there's something to be said for on- and off-leash behavior and the importance of leash laws. There is a huge, expansive park in Pittsburgh that I've taken to my dog occasionally, and it makes me very uncomfortable because I always see a ton of dogs there off-leash. When a dog comes running up to you, the first thing the owner always says is, "It's okay! He's friendly!" But what that person doesn't realize is that a dog who is on-leash is always in a more vulnerable state against one who is off-leash. They are not equals. Even though your dog may very well be friendly, my dog probably feels threatened, which could lead to bad communication and possibly a fight. Leashes aren't just tools to prevent your dog from running away. They are tools that we use to equalize dogs when they are forced to interact with each other in public places.

Not being negative, just honest. I've been seeing TONS of posts on here in T&B lately from new grey owners with questions like, "Help! How long until he will adjust?" "Help! My dog has SA!" "Help! My dog is growling at me!" I love greys (obviously!) and I'd never try to talk someone out of adopting one. But if OP's only other experience has been with a lab, then it would benefit her to know some of those things up front. That's all!

My suggestion is to work with your local adoption group closely, preferably one that does matching. Some groups are more lax and will let you adopt whichever dog you "connect with" in person. But it sounds like you have a lot of requests, so I would allow an experienced coordinator match you with one that most closely meets your criteria... Don't get discouraged if it takes a little bit of time. Also, because all of your prior experience is with a lab-mix, you'll need to go into the greyhound adoption with a very open mind. Greys are extremely different from labs. They're challenging to train and (as you'll note from the pages of Training and Behavioral threads), most have their own special quirks. I don't mean to say that greyhounds are less affectionate, but in general, they are more sensitive and take a longer time to warm up and trust people. It sounds like your last dog was very special to you. One other piece of advice is to make the new dog a "clean slate" and try not to compare it to a dog from your past. Chances are that you're going to have a vastly different experience, just because the breeds are so different. By taking an individualistic approach, you lessen the chances that you'll be disappointed in the end. I also recommend doing as much research as possible beforehand! Read Greyhounds for Dummies and if you have kids, Childproofing Your Dog.