a_daerr

Get the collie neutered! Is there a reason he's not neutered?

There was a thread on this a little while ago. It could be a bunch of things, kidney issue, UTI, seizure. I'd probably have bloodwork and a urinalysis done.

Here it is! http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/287573-littermates-at-play/?hl=minerva

HA!

Nature's Miracle is pretty much one of the only cleaners that breaks down the urine enzymes. However, (like the other posters), I hated having to pour such a large amount on the floor and wait days for it to dry. Even though I used Nature's Miracle religiously and steam cleaned our carpets several times a year, they still smelled and looked horrible when we finally ripped them up. I like the idea of the powder.

Vet now! Dogs actually can break, fracture, or dislocate their tails. If it's visibly kinked (crooked or limp), it's very possible that's what happened. The longer you wait, the worse it can be for the tail. Severe tail injuries can end up in amputation. If you catch it in time, the vet can sometimes just splint it to get it back in place.

Yep, mounting is definitely a behavior that both males and females do to establish dominance. Your female is saying, "Hey! I was here first, and I'm the boss of this place!" I probably wouldn't worry about it too much. If your male looks visibly threatened/scared, only then would I intervene. P.S. There is a funny picture somewhere on GT where zombrie's Minerva is mounting her littermate Doolin in a playful way. Some greys are just more assertive than others.

That's the truth... I'm at a disadvantage right now because of my work schedule and the PA winter season. My commute is over an hour each way (five days a week), so it's always pitch-black dark when I get home. We have some light from the street lamps, so that allows us to play in the backyard for awhile. But it's not the same as letting him run off-leash with other dogs. He's actually very good when it comes to other dogs- the problems right now are only with his housemate (go figure). I know a few other local people and we do meet up on the weekends. He has so much fun with them. I might try the doggie daycare once a week and see how he does.

We do Iams green bag (large breed formula, "bigger" chunks). I prefer the bigger chunks for the dental aspect, although the same ingredients are in both formulas. The ingredient that makes the poops better is the beet pulp, which is a source of fiber that greyhounds seem to do well on. For us, it also seems to be the right combination of ingredients to make the poops pick up-able, without causing gas or skin problems. With two dogs, it's also very cost effective. I can get the huge bag from Sam's for a little over $30. We tried four different grain-free, organic, limited ingredient (i.e. fad foods) over the years. Iams has been the best so far- shiny coats, good teeth, firm poops, and no gas. It's not the terrible food made of ground up flea collars and horse hooves that people think it is.

What a handsome dog... so sorry for your loss

No problem! Good luck, and please let us know when you decide on a name

I'm hoping Chad will chime in here because he has a very helpful set of steps in relation to cat training. It sounds to me like you may be going too heavy on the "correction" side and not enough on the positive reinforcement end. You want your new guy to associate positive things with the cat. Only use correction (verbal, spray bottle) if he tries to advance or chase. Reward him for being calm and looking at you when the cat is in the room. Also, please make sure you MUZZLE and SUPERVISE for at least the first few weeks. Greys can cheat on their cat test! I fostered Henry's littermate earlier this year, and it was months before many of his true behaviors came out (and we realized he was definitely not cat safe). It's good that you are addressing the issues now.

Oh lord... someone forgot to give my dogs the memo! They really did require LOTS of training. I joke that with all the time, energy, and effort we've put into training, I would have a seeing eye dogs by now had they not been greyhounds

I agree with this. We can tell Henry, "I want a kiss!!" and he does it on command. Otherwise, he never does it. Good luck

Right, but I believe they're typically lower in carbs, in so far as the protein: fat: carb: ratio.

It sounds like he has a combination of both sleep startle and resource-guarding. Both are fairly common among greyhounds, and there are training methods for both. If you're 100% sure that he's awake, and he gives other signals before the freak-out (growling, snarling), then you are correct. He is displaying some type of resource-guarding issue. Dogs resource-guard for a couple different reasons. It can either be territorial, fear-based, or a combination of both. If you think he is a fearful dog, I wouldn't start doing any type of training until he's settled in and you've developed a trusting relationship with one another. But if you've had him awhile and the behavior seems to be getting worse, not better, than it's probably an appropriate time to start a training program. For resource guarders, I recommend counter conditioning. You want him to be touched so much on his bed that (1) he starts understanding that it's no big deal, and (2) good things happen when he lets you into his "bed space." Keep in mind, this is a very GRADUAL process. Sit as close as you can without him growling and toss treats in his direction. Do this for a few minutes a couple times a day, then get closer the next day. If he accepts that, have him take treats out of your hand. Then graduate to treating while he's calmly accepting pets on his bed. Anytime he growls or shows aggressive behavior, stop the training session immediately and ignore him for ten minutes or so. Try again later that day or the next day. By walking away, it may seem like you're conceding and letting him "win." But keep in mind that when the session stops, the treats (rewards) also stop, and that's his "punishment." After a few weeks of this, he will begin to associate positive things with your presence near his bed. Once he is accustomed to being touched on his bed, you can start counter-conditioning the sleep startle part. Wait until he's fully asleep, then try to gently nudge him (you can use an object like a broom handle). Other people on GT suggest throwing socks or other soft items in the same manner. If he has an appropriate response, toss him a treat. After doing this for a few weeks with a good response, try nudging him with your foot. If at any point, he becomes snarky and growls/barks, do not try to correct him. With sleep startle, your dog is not fully aware of his actions, therefore it is not appropriate to punish him. Another recommendation is to consider the location of his bed. Make sure that when you're doing the training, he has the ability to get up and walk away. Both issues can be exacerbated if your dog feels trapped or cornered.

He's probably fine, but sometimes it's hard for dogs to keep weight on when they're fed grain-free. Many grain-free foods are high in protein, low in carbs (although some are also high in fat). I'm not certain how BB Freedom compares. But anyway, it's sort of the same for humans (like how people use the Atkins Diet to lose weight). Protein and carbs are both used to supply energy to the body, but protein is metabolized slower and used to build lean muscle whereas carbs are more likely to be stored as fat. Some greys, who already have a high metabolism, need the carbs to maintain weight. Grain-free is great for dogs with allergies or weight issues, but IMHO not necessary for a dog that's otherwise healthy. Then again, everyone has their own thoughts on food, and everyone knows their own dog best.

Lilly and Truman may need to get together sometime! They are similar in so many ways! Any advice on where to buy a lure pole? I'm also taking him for a beginner lure course session in March.

Do you find that using a lure pole makes them more prey-driven? Truman already harasses the kitties to high-heaven. He's grown up with kitties almost his whole life, but he's still a kitty chaser.

Wow, that's crazy! Maybe he is the exception. I know other breeds (like labs and retrievers) will become lazy and eat until they're obese. My experience with greyhounds has been different. One thing you said got me thinking though... It's a little unusual that he lost weight after you adopted him. They usually gain a few pounds when they're done racing. The muscle mass does goes down somewhat with less activity, but the ribs fill out and they get a little stockier. Do you have him on grain-free for a medical reason?

I really hope so... It does help to know that most of this is typical of adolescent behavior, and as I go back through my Truman posts, a lot of it makes sense. He's having lapses in several different areas- housetraining, hyperactivity, mouthiness, security issues with other dogs (resource guarding and on-leash behavior). So I hope with consistency and some more advanced obedience work, he'll grow out of it. I'm thinking of enrolling him in dog daycare one or two days a week for the exercise and socialization with other dogs. Any thoughts on that?

Looks good! We're starting a new training class January 7, so these are also things I'm going to ask to work on in class.

I've actually dealt with a similar problem... on a few different occasions, I've found Truman gnawing on our wood bedpost. It happened while he was lying on the bed. We sprayed Bitter Apple, and then it stopped.

It's harder for some dogs to keep weight on when they're on grain-free diets. If his weight is good, I would either bump up his kibble or add in some high-protein mix-ins. Also, if you think he's hungry, feed him. I don't really find that greyhounds as a breed are the types of dogs who will eat and eat and eat until they become overweight. Even my 15-month-old (voracious eater) will stop when he's full.

Thank you for the info. I have trained them both to sit politely next to their bowls before meals. They wait to be released before they can eat. Then, I will stand between them (usually fixing my own lunch before work) for the duration of their meals. I think one of the issues is that Truman gets more food because his dietary needs are different (i.e. more food, the longer it takes for him to finish). So when Henry finishes and goes to walk away, that's when Truman gets nervous tries to guard the rest of his food. I'm going to try a few different exercises and see what happens.