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He is two. We take them to run twice a week (we have to drive to a fenced in run since we are in the city). He gets walked twice in the morning before work than once after work and once before bedtime. The walks are about 1/2 hour each, sometimes longer. He has a much lowere energy level than our girl. She NEEDS to run...but sometimes even when we take him to run, he just likes to trot around and explore and will only run for a minute or so. Sometimes he doesn't want to walk either. This morning for his second walk before I leave for work (my husband takes him a couple of hours earlier, when he leaves) I had to coax him out and he wasn't interested in going further than around the block for a potty. Some of this may have to do with his corns, which are somewhat under control, even though he doesn't limp and wears thera-paws on the sidewalk. As far as I can tell, he doesn't like the cold weather much, since he is very hesitant to walk when it is really chilly, as it has been the last few weeks. Inside the play, wrestle, jump around in the moring after breakfast and at night after dinner. Other than that, he likes to sleep. Just seems to be a lower energy hound. The time he ate our blinds we had just gotten back from an hour walk.... Right now he has been wearing his muzzle when we are at work and we haven't had any problems... As for things to chew, I have been hesitant becasue the last time I gave him a bully stick he chewed in for a while and then swallowed it whole...and looked very uncomfortable afterward. He did that once with a rawhide, too. He does like the kong, but is it ok to give a kong everyday? What can I fill it with that is good for him? I am sure that peanutbutter everyday would be a lot of fat and calories... If the muzzle is working, then that might be your solution! Also, my younger boy tries to swallow rawhide strips whole. We give him rawhide rolls (made in the US) and knee bones. Those keep him busy for a long time, and I don't have to worry about him choking. Kongs are good for keeping them occupied, but don't offer much in terms of teeth. Greyhounds are notorious for bad teeth, so the more you can get them to chew, the more it helps in terms of dental health.

I wouldn't assume SA unless there are other anxiety-based behaviors present (barking, whining, pacing, peeing, being generally destructive). If she is agitated and poops when you're picking up your car keys or putting on your coat, then SA would be something to consider.

Confining goes back to the concept of dens. Dogs prefer to keep their dens clean and generally will not go to the bathroom there. A smaller space makes the area more "den-like." If she has the run of the house, she can poop somewhere, walk away, and not have to deal with it. Ideally, the dog needs to earn freedom within the house. Once they become more reliable with housetraining, you can expand the "den" room by room until the dog views the entire house as its den. It sounds like she's not 100% housebroken (and the incident with the storm may have been the catalyst that threw her off track). A dog is not considered "reliable" until it goes 30 days without an accident. Doubt this has anything to do with it. Dogs aren't capable of human emotions like vengefulness or spite.

I'm so very sorry... I read through your previous threads. Lymphoma is awful- my favorite cat passed from lymphoma last May, and I too made the decision not to put her through chemo. You did the best you could for Summer. She is safe and peaceful at the bridge.

When he's peeing in the house, is he emptying out fully or marking? If it's marking (lifting him leg and only going in small amounts), it could certainly be related to him still being intact. If he's squatting and emptying his bladder, then probably not. Regardless, I would have him neutered. Unaltered dogs have a higher potential for other behavioral/medical problems.

A lot of people assume this, but it's not always the case. You probably need to go back to Housebreaking 101. If you're not crating, then confine her to a smaller area. Then reward reward reward when she does her business outside. NEVER punish unless you catch her in the act (even then, a verbal "uh uh" is sufficient). How long have you had her? If it's only been a few weeks/months, then she shouldn't have the run of the entire house.

How old is Miami, and how much exercise does he get per day? Some dogs, especially younger dogs, do become destructive out of boredom. I say this because my 14-month-old went through a phase when he was constantly into everything (stealing and "rearranging" household items, chewing, taking our belongings out the dog door). I started taking him to run off-leash for about an hour a day, and there was significant improvement. Also, make sure you're giving him something everyday to satisfy his need to chew, like bones, rawhide rolls, bullysticks, etc.

Hahaha! Awesome! I don't really have anything to add since we have a dog door. But this makes sense.

We were super fortunate because the Humane Society in Pittsburgh offers greyhound-only classes. So we started with Greyhound Basic, then because all the dogs did so well, they offered two more advanced classes (Advanced Greyhound and Greyhound CGC/TDI). Henry even became certified in Canine Good Citizenship and Therapy Dogs International. I would ask your adoption group if they have any classes that are specific to greyhounds. I found that for Henry, it was beneficial to have other greys there because it was something familiar, and he seemed less threatened by them. If that's not an option, then a standard mixed breed obedience class would probably be just as good. Private sessions are usually reserved for dogs with more serious problems, so she would probably do fine in a class without doing anything prior. Is she small-dog safe? If not, you may need to check to see if there is a large-breed class available to avoid any safety issues. Also, I would recommend an actual certified trainer as opposed to a place like PetSmart. You want to make sure the trainer works with positive reinforcement strategies and has some type of certification with AABP (Association of Animal Behavior Professionals), APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers), and/or CPDT (Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers).

Agree. What the OP described sounds typical of a puppy who is trying to push the boundaries. This is a different situation than a retired racer or shelter dog that may have past fear issues for one reason or another. Either way, I really don't feel like it's ever appropriate for a dog to growl, especially at its owner. If the behavior is rooted in fear, it's important to first establish a trusting relationship and provide opportunities for socialization- then you can work on correction. I have trained both types, an AKC greyhound puppy who came home at 14 weeks old, and a retired racer who was afraid of his own shadow. Neither of them growl. At some point, the OP's dog will be forced to share space with a human (getting nails clipped by a groomer, examination at a vet's office). There are a million things that can make your dog nervous or uncomfortable, but they should not be excuses for allowing aggressive behavior. Dogs are capable of communicating feelings of anxiety in other ways. ETA: Truman started his growly phase around 6 months old. It's definitely possible that the OP's dog is growling (or trying to).

Retired racers are used to having their own kennel, which acts as a "safe zone" where they can be alone and feel secure. If she's a little bit unsure and fearful, she may equating your bed with her safe zone. Her aggression with the bed sounds like a form of resource guarding. Because she's brand new and may still be a little bit fearful of her new environment, I would not allow her on the bed at this point. If you're not using a crate, set up some type of area where she can retreat. Maybe after some time passes, and she has gained more confidence and learned the rules of the house, then you can allow her access to the bed. I do allow my two greys on my bed but they trust me fully, and we have done formal obedience training. They understand the bed is MINE, not theirs, and they promptly leave when I give them the command. If she continues to have issues with sleep startle, she may never be a dog that is safe to be on the bed... and that's okay too.

Just wanted to add that my first grey, Henry, was extremely fearful of strangers when he first came to us, especially children. His behaviors were more overtly fearful than Treasure's (tail-tucked pacing, panting, staring), but the same underlying emotion was fear. To get him more comfortable, we would have friends come over and practice hand-targeting (really basic, when she touches her nose to your hand, the hand opens up and you give her a treat). We also did the "go to your bed" training with high value treats and bones when we wanted him to leave us alone, like when we were eating dinner. We also told our guests not to give Henry any attention unless he came to them. After time, he learned that guests weren't a threat, and he calmed down a lot. He still doesn't really enjoy having guests over, but it's a vast improvement.

Nope, I completely agree with this. Puppies especially will try to test you. It's important that you correct her early on to avoid having an adult who has worse problems (space aggression, resource guarding, etc.) My dogs understand that it is NEVER acceptable to growl at me. They know that whatever mom wants to do, she is allowed, even if it means sharing space, taking a toy or treat away, manipulating legs, checking ears/teeth, or a myriad of other things that may make them uncomfortable. Truman tried to growl a few times on my bed. I calmly grabbed his collar, gave him a firm "NO!" and moved him off the bed. All of my other training methods are based on positive reinforcement, but there are times when you need to remind them of who is the leader. While I agree that "don't touch the dog when she's on her bed" is a good general rule, especially for children or unfamiliar people, it's not a substitute for training. ETA: I don't think it's possible to over-socialize a puppy. Our trainer suggests doing 100 new things in the first 100 days of ownership.

Sorry you're having trouble... I had a ton of problems housebreaking my younger grey (coincidentally, also a blue). He gave me no warning signs that he needed to go, he basically would just get to the point where he would randomly squat down anywhere and everywhere. On the otherhand, my other guy was a dream to housebreak. He would probably explode before he had an accident in the house. Some dogs are just more challenging. From a training standpoint, Basic Housetraining 101 is based on crating or confining when you aren't there to supervise, and then supervising 100% of the time when you are there. Some people will even tether to dog to their waist so they can keep diligent watch. If crating is not an option, confine him to a smaller room with easy to clean floors, like a kitchen. Take him out often (every hour or every couple of hours). Then, when he does his business outside, reward reward reward. Make a huge deal out of it, and give him lots of treats and attention. NEVER PUNISH unless you are right there and can stop it while it's happening. Punishing a dog after the fact will only teach them not to go to the bathroom in your presence. It's equally important to keep him on a strict food, water, and elimination schedule. Also, be sure to clean all the areas where he's gone before with an enzyme-based cleaner like Nature's Miracle.

Probably not the answer you wanted to hear, but we feed Iams (yellow bag, large breed puppy) for Truman. Tried Science Diet, TOTW, and Diamond Naturals before that, and Iams is the only thing he's ever done well on. I also supplement with Nutro canned puppy food (chicken and oatmeal for sensitive stomachs).

Ugh... and they're sure it's not some type of cyst? Is it hard to the touch? This may sort of explain his recent weird behavior with your bird. Either way, I hope Opie is okay. Sending you good thoughts for a manageable diagnosis and treatment.

Yes, both of ours are shaky after they run. I think it's just because their leg muscles are tired. A lot of times, Truman will lie down at the dog park and roll around for a minute to give his legs a break. It seems pretty normal for us... I wouldn't be concerned unless she runs so hard that she lies down on one side, panting very hard, and seems to have a hard time recovering. As for the terrier, it sounds like they're friends! Dogs will use their mouths to play with each other (bitey-face). A high-prey greyhound probably would've attacked the terrier by now- they see small dogs as prey, not dogs. So if your dog is running with the terrier and doing some playful mouthing, I wouldn't interfere unless body language suggests that one of them is anxious or frightened. BTW, we LOVE working dogs, hunting dogs, and retrievers. They have a little more stamina than our hounds, so they will chase balls or frisbees over and over, then our dogs chase them. It's a great workout for everyone!

Hoping they both feel better soon And don't worry, we had two tail amputations this year! I think they were trying to one-up each other.

Hahahaha, I couldn't help but laugh at this! Whatever works!

My name is Alicia And we have two greyhounds currently, Henry (turning 5-years-old next month) and Truman (14 months). Henry is a retired racer (he only ran 10 races, and was retired at age 2 1/2). Truman we got as an AKC puppy. He was bred for professional show, but was not able to compete due to having only one descended testicle. There were times with boy of my boys that I thought, "OMG, I made a terrible mistake!" But with some time and patience, they really do become amazing dogs. I think you're going to have a lot of fun with Peggy. From her pictures alone, she looks like she has a really cute, goofy personality.

I wish we could use Advantix, but we have cats Your borzois are gorgeous by the way. Any chance you were at Grapehounds last year?

We had a lot of tick problems in PA last year, so I do Frontline Plus and Heartguard. Our vet says it's the most comprehensive combination.

I wasn't sure... In the US, traditionally, you fill out an application with one of the rescue groups in your area. Then the group tries to match you to a dog who is appropriate for your lifestyle, other pets, etc. There are usually a handful to choose from who are either in foster homes or in a kennel that contracts with (or is owned by) the adoption group. They work with the dogs for awhile to evaluate their personalities. So by the time you are ready to choose, the group has a pretty good idea of which dogs are safe with cats, other dogs, and children. If none of those work, there are more dogs standing by at the racetracks. There is usually a fee the adopter pays to cover veterinary expenses, muzzle, and a standard collar/lead. Some people are able to adopt directly from the racetrack if there is a particular dog they are interested in. It pretty much depends on where you live and which adoption group you're working with. I live in the Pittsburgh area, and there are at least five different groups that have their own ways of doing things. Interesting to see both similiarities and differences between countries! My DBF is in finance (Global Banks with BNY Mellon) so there is always a chance we could end up somewhere else in the world.

Greyhound, three Chinese cresteds, a chihuahua, and two hairless cats? You MUST get a photo of them all together!

Something must've happened that freaked him out pretty good. If you can rule out a medical reason, I would start doing some re-training with him near the bird's cage. Lots of high-value treats (chicken, cheese, hot dogs). Let him associate the bird with positive things. Does he know how to target? If so, work on hand-targeting around the bird's cage. Whatever you do, don't coddle him or give him unneccessary attention in the presence of the bird. This can make his anxiety worse and reinforce the idea that the bird is something to be fearful of. Keep your training sessions short, five minutes tops, a few times per day. If you're consistent, you should see some improvements fairly soon.