Laurenbiz

Of course the cats are not pleased For the first week or so, we monitored Bernie's adventures in his new home - and if Kay wanted anything to do with him, she could come and go as she pleased. When we couldn't monitor him, we kept him in the crate when we left the house, or we kept him baby-gated in the bedroom at night. Kay still had the run of the house, and if she wanted to come into the bedroom, she could - we positioned the baby gate in the doorway about six inches off the ground.

Keep up that alone training! That is the best you can do to help her understand that you come back, and that your leaving is not a reason to panic. I wish you luck! Keep us updated.

Hi everyone! I wrote a big response to this thread yesterday, and then my internet went kaput! Well, I must admit that this was never our ideal option, of course. We have struggled with alone training since we got him. Even on Day 1, he urinated when we left the house to go grab Subway for dinner. (So, we didn't leave him alone for a long time.) Alone training even since then has not been successful. We read Patricia McConnell's book called "I'll Be Home Soon." I liked it - and it still sits on the kitchen counter as an available resource! We've followed her instructions with crate training, desensitizing, and counter-conditioning. He's not a huge fan of his crate, but when he's in there, he tolerates it. I catch him frequently walking in and out to 'check' for treats even when I haven't put any in. He knows that his crate has been his 'treat dispenser.' His issue is definitely the SA because he urinates no matter what environment he is in. We're having to crate him to control our urine clean-up; he'll urinate wherever he happens to be alone - and even with a belly band, he figures out how to bite it back or maybe he rubs it back if he stands at a wall. We're not sure how, but if he is out of the crate with the belly band, he'll still puddle on the floor because he's moved it away from his groin. Our hope is that training can be successful (alone training especially, and also desensitizing/counter-conditioning,) if/when he is not in an anxious state! Like I said, we've struggled with the training because he's already stressed to the point that he's trembling, and he won't accept treats with counter-conditioning. If he can be more calm, then the training should be effective. I'm sure it will be a long road ahead, but we're going to help this boy Thanks again, everyone!

OK, I re-sized it and then I saw that the moderators didn't let that re-sized image stay up. I changed the size a little smaller than 500x150 and I've reloaded it.

I am confused! I went into Photoshop with a blank canvas sized at 500x150. I made this. I uploaded it to Photobucket and used the link code when I edited my signature. Why does it look so small below???

Where in Missouri are you? I grew up in KCMO, and my family still lives there. I went to Mizzou, but I've been in Wisconsin since I graduated. Some boy named Justin brought me up here. (Who, grew up in Blue Springs, MO!) Go Tigers :colgate

I think many of you on Greytalk may know my SA issue with Bernie. I'm here to tell you that we've now sought help from a vet, and we got a prescription for Clomipramine today. Bernie tinkles every time he's alone! I've kept record, too, of the good times he was alone - he only had 5 good times in December, 2 in January, and I think 2 or 3 times each in October and in November. (We got him in October.) Here is the laundry list of everything we've tried: Crate training, alone training, obedience training to increase confidence, desensitizing anxiety triggers, NPR radio, TV, regular music radio, calming dog music, Yanni music, Justin and I having a conversation on a recording, curtains open and closed, two daily walks - always a morning walk, multiple potty breaks, ignoring him 30 min. before leaving and ignoring him for 10-15 min. after we come back, toys and treats while alone, DAP pheromone wet wipes and spray, Rescue Remedy, throwing our dirty clothes into his crate with him so he smells us, and I think that's it. We tried him without the crate for a few weeks. We came home to puddles on our carpet or in the middle of the kitchen floor. We tried barricading him in the kitchen using a bunch of chairs, (safe room,) but he managed to get past our barricade by clawing up the back of the couch and squeezing into the living room! (And making a wet spot on the floor in the living room.) We enrolled him in the Greyhound-Only Obedience Class back in December. We thought this would help with his confidence. Even though he has gotten better with the training commands, he still has his SA. We've been working with desensitizing the triggers that make him think we're leaving. BUT, he's trembling and scared when we do this, so he won't accept treats. (He also does not eat his Kong or any treats we leave him when we're alone - he is too scared alone and will totally ignore food!) After a bad experience this past weekend, Justin and I had a serious talk. We visited the vet this evening, and he gave us a prescription for Clomipramine - 25mg. Sigh...and this is where we currently stand.

I don't know if the desensitizing CDs are the same as the 'calming dog CDs' out there. A friend of ours burned a copy of 'Through a Dog's Ear' for us for Bernie. He has fairly bad separation anxiety. When I'd looked online about 'Through a Dog's Ear,' it's apparently 'clinically proven' to decrease levels of stress. ...And Bernie still has separation anxiety.

I may try the Rescue Remedy. A family friend who does shows and agility with Goldens tells me that RR works with them. With the melatonin, I guess I can always take my own dose and see if I notice anything different with me. Then, I could try it with Bernie. I'm just really stubborn about putting stuff into his body that will alter his mood!

The trainer in our Greyhound-Only obedience class suggested the melatonin and Rescue Remedy. I guess I'm stubborn, and I've wanted to make sure that we can help Bernie overcome his anxiety (separation,) through behavior modification. I'm to the point now, though, that I'd like to see if anything else could help speed his progress. I thought I'd give tea a shot. I'm wary about the melatonin. It really does work, though? I've heard of Rescue Remedy but I've never seen it in stores. I may just buy it off the internet. Thanks!

Hi all- Because of Bernie's anxiety, I'd like to try chamomile tea. I read online that it helps reduce stress, even in dogs. Does anyone have experience with this and Greyhounds? Is it safe, is it effective? And how do I give it to him?...just mix some tea with his water in his water bowl? Thanks!

Do not take what you read in his book & assume he knows what he is talking about. Please do more research on on canine psychology, how wolf packs truly operate & behavior science before you conclude that Millan is giving you real insight. I really liked his opening chapter where he described his childhood living on a farm and how he learned about the dogs all around his farm by simply observing them. He clearly notes that they were not seen as 'pets.' So, of course his basis for understanding canine psychology is his self-taught, first-hand observance of the dogs being together. He indeed does lack the technical background - as another poster pointed out. I understand that other behaviorists' studies are much more evidence-based. I'm finished with the book now (finished it just earlier this week,) and it was an interesting read, nonetheless!

Theses ideas are sending dog training back into the dark ages. So many reputable folks in training are trying to debunk and refute this menace but I'm afraid they are only being heard in academic & professional circles. Very hard to get a money maker off the air and that is what needs to happen to stop this retrograde tsunami of misinformation. I agree .. poor poor puppy. For my two cents: I really enjoy his show. Also, I'm currently reading his book, Cesar's Way. It's a good read if you're interested in gaining insight on canine psychology and how wolf packs operate in the wild. It is NOT a 'how to' book with step-by-step info about dog training. I think his methods are compelling and, well, simple. Do they work for retired racers? ...I don't know. I don't think so. Some pieces of info I've discovered in the book have been helpful with how I deal with my Bernie. Other pieces of info, though, I've disregarded, considering that Bernie is a Greyhound. I think Cesar's methods really do work on the majority of dog breeds. Some methods may be too harsh for Greyhounds. Also, his procedures for exercise - especially the 3-hour roller-blading session he has with his dog pack at his Dog Psychology Center he explains in the book - don't apply well to Greyhounds. What Grey can exercise for three hours?!?!? :lol Now, the guy at the dog park suggesting that an 8-week-old puppy be put into an alpha roll sounds like a dummy. I do believe that Cesar's methods work with the right dog, at the right time, and when performed in the right manner. To take one of Cesar's methods (like the roll,) and perform it on the wrong dog at the wrong time (like the puppy,) is, I believe, irresponsible. I'm glad I found this thread! Now that I've been reading his book, I've been interested to hear what other Grey owners think about him.

Thank you for the responses! I feel like this was truly a revelation because the idea hit me: we've done everything we know to do to work with the SEPARATION anxiety, but we've entirely overlooked his anxiety prior to him being alone! Of course, he whines before we leave, and we just ignore that behavior. But, if he is already that stressed while we are still in the house, does our sudden disappearance make his stress magically go away? Ha, nope! (Which is where I'm thinking the pee comes into play.) So when I work with the counter-conditioning, does the way in which I give him a treat really matter? For example, he does get worked up when I put my purse on my shoulder. In counter-conditioning, do I put my purse on my shoulder and physically stick the treat toward his mouth to let him take it from my hand? Or put my purse on, and just throw a treat in his direction? (I don't know if it really matters either way - but I thought I'd ask!) Thank you

I'm sorry for my long posts. I'm back again, with my pee-machine, Bernie! We've had him since October; he is 4 years old. Raced for two years. His SA was obvious even on Day 1 when we left him in his crate alone for 30 minutes, and we came back to find tinkle. (And that's how it's been since!) UTI was ruled out, and he does not urinate and/or mark in the house while we are there. Only when he is alone does he urinate. Here is the laundry list of what we've tried: crate training and alone training, DAP collar/wipes/spray, Rescue Remedy, throwing in a dirty shirt of ours in his crate, calming dog music, Yanni music, lights, radio, TV, leaving toys with him, stuffed Kongs and treat dispensers (which he doesn't touch when he's alone - he only enjoys his treats when we are with him,) multiple potty breaks before leaving him alone, two daily walks, and ignoring him 30 minutes before leaving and 10 minutes after coming back. We even tried two extra Greyhounds - and other friends didn't help him, either! (He'll go in a belly band - and in his crate, or in a safe room, or if he has the whole run of the house.) He has shown some progress - SLOWLY but surely - since we enrolled him in a Greyhound-Only Obedience Class. We finished that class last month. Yesterday morning, though, I think I had a revelation: he gets so worked up and stressed when we go through the motions of leaving the house. Yesterday, he actually tinkled while he was in his crate while I was still in the room. I'd gotten him in the crate and then I kept getting ready. He was whining, but I ignored it. I'd started walking around the house quickly to make sure I was finished getting ready, I grabbed lunch out of the fridge, I picked up my purse - and I stood there and watched him tinkle! So, I feel like we've totally been missing the part about desensitizing him to the triggers that increase his anxiety. Since he's so stressed by the time we've gone through the motions to leave, once we do leave is when I believe he just loses control of his bladder. What can you tell me about working to desensitize triggers that cause stress???

Hi everyone, I will show my canine ignorance with this question. (Bernie is my first dog ever.) Why do dogs howl at sirens??? Last night at midnight, we heard sirens off at the distance. They were very quiet because they weren't close. Bernie then startled me with a bunch of huge, loud howls! He stopped howling when the sirens stopped. He has heard sirens before go on the street right behind our house, and he never had this response. I just don't know what to think of that behavior. ??? _________

Hi there- We were really concerned about Bernie and our cat getting used to each other, too. He is used to her now, after the 2.5 months we've had him. He likes to prance right on up behind her, stick his nose on her butt, and she gives him a big hiss!!! If your Grey hates the crate and is bending the bars, I suggest you allow the Greyhound to roam only a certain area of the house. The cats can have the whole house - because they can run underneath baby gates in doorways. When we didn't need Bernie in the crate (like throughout the night,) when we first got him, but we didn't want him to roam around the house, we kept him inside our bedroom with a baby gate. But, we positioned the gate about six inches off the floor, so our cat had access to the room if she wanted. Baby gates are worth a shot

LOL - I forgot to mention that he is our first Greyhound. He is also my first dog. So, I'm learning about dog behaviors

Lauren here, with Bernie the Pee Machine! As some of you already know, Bernie has separation anxiety, and he has lost control of his bladder nearly every time he's been alone since we got him in October. Fortunately, that issue seems to be getting better - slowly but surely! He is healthy, according to our vet. We took him in back in October. Bloodwork, urine sample, and fecal sample, we were told, were all 'normal.' Lately, though, Bernie has (unpleasantly) surprised us with a new behavior: he likes to mark inside pet stores! Bernie has visited a pet supply store - named 'Mounds Pet Food Warehouse' - at least five, six, seven times between October and November, and he's always been a good boy during those trips. This past weekend, though, we took him to a new Petsmart that he had not visited before. As Justin and I were ooo-ing and awe-ing for a split second at two adoptable cats in a cage, I heard a *trickling* nose, and saw Bernie lifting his leg, hosing down a pair of cat slippers on an end-of-aisle display!!! (Embarrassed out of our minds, we told him 'No,' only once without making a big scene, and let him finish outdoors. I helped a clerk girl clean it up, and I bought the cat slippers and threw them away!) Today, Justin took him to Mounds - that he's visited a handful of times previously, with no marking incidents. Justin told me that not even a minute inside the store today, Bernie lifted his leg, but Justin abruptly told him, 'NO,' and Bernie put his leg down. And, they continued just fine with their shopping excursion. I'm scratching my head here? Why is he suddenly doing this, and how can I prevent it???

Gosh, I have no advice for you. We've occasionally dealt with poops inside the house with our Bernie boy, who we got in October. But, we attributed the poops to separation anxiety. So, I don't know what to tell you. I'm interested to see other responses here.

Bernie eats TOTW Sierra Mountain. It is a lamb-based protein recipe. We are very happy.

Yay! Glad to hear. Your photo made me snicker. Before we settled on the breed of the Greyhound during our dog adoption brainstorming sessions that lasted more than a year...we also considered Goldens and Shepherds. Apparently, we were interested in breeds that started with the letter 'G' - Greyhounds, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds. No offense against your non-Greys, but after we met some Greys at the rescue group's booth at a dog festival back in June 2010, we easily scratched the other breeds off our list So, I saw your picture and it made me chuckle

The duration of time doesn't seem to matter. He will have an accident if we go to work for an 8-hour stretch, but he's also had accidents in the house/crate when we go run errands for only an hour on the weekend. Sometimes, even after he's had a walk and plenty of potty breaks, we will even go somewhere else but not really leave - like go to our basement or go to the garage to get something out of a car - and we'll come back inside to tinkle. (And, this is just a few minutes alone with an accident.) But, he has gone two 8-hour full days alone without accidents. These two days were back-to-back, just a few weeks ago. Sometime in November, he went for two one-hour stretches alone without accidents. And, just a few weeks after we got him in October, we went to a couple's anniversary party for two hours, and he had no accidents then. (I keep a log of his progress, so I know all these details! )

Hi everyone! Thanks for the responses so far. I will contact my rescue group and get names of some highly-recommended vets. The vet we took him to was recommended by two other Greyhound owners in our city. But, I agree that maybe he doesn't seem like the most-experienced Greyhound vet I can find! No, he will tinkle in the kitchen/living room if we let him out of the crate, too. We tried a 'safe room' with blocking him off in the kitchen, and he still tinkled only in there. The trainer suggested we get back to crate training and keep him in there to eventually diminish the soiling accidents since he should learn that he doesn't want to tinkle where he eats his meals and gets treats. The belly band has worked two times more recently that he was in the crate. On Nov. 30th and Dec. 1st, (I'm keeping a log of his progress!,) he went the full day - both days - in the crate without an accident with his band on. (I have faith that, somehow, we can get over this problem with those two days as evidence! I just have no clue what was different those days than every other day so far! .) Now that he's back in the crate in the kitchen, our webcam cord can't stretch that far, so we don't watch him anymore! When we were able to watch him before crating him in the kitchen, he whined for about 10 or 15 minutes after we left, and then he really just relaxed afterward. We never, on video, caught him actually having the accident. (This is actually what we told the vet, which made him tell us that Bernie doesn't have true SA because he relaxes that soon after we leave.) Bernie is our first Greyhound - and my first dog. Lots of people tell us to just get another dog. But, we feel as though we're between a rock and a hard place. A second dog may correct this problem, but on the other hand, we really want to solve these problem behaviors with one dog before adding anything else into the mix!

Hello all- I'm back with more news/questions about Bernie's issue with urinating in the house while he is alone. As you probably know, (I had another thread about a month ago,) he has urinated nearly every time that he's been alone since we got him this past October. No UTI, and he easily holds it all night. Our vet also told us that he doesn't have true separation anxiety because we always come home to the house in one piece. (So, the vet wasn't terribly helpful with Bernie's SA issue.) We initially crated him, and then we axed the crate when Justin told me that Bernie almost bit him one time that he was in the process of getting him into the crate. Then, he had access to only the main area of the house, but we would still come home to a puddle in the kitchen, or a wet spot on our carpet. (He never was marking much - he left large puddles smack-dab in the middle of the floor, and not on vertical surfaces.) We are not over-watering him, and we take him on two daily walks and give him ample potty breaks. We ignore him 10 minutes before leaving and 10 minutes after coming inside. He has a radio on, a light on, treats, a filled kong, and toys while he is alone. We've signed him up for a Greyhound-Only Obedience class. I've discussed his problems with the trainer, and she mailed me two relaxing dog CDs. She said that even though they sound like a joke, that she has had success with them. She also suggested to get the crate back out and get serious with crate training, and that he will get the idea that he doesn't want to soil where he eats and gets treats. She also suggested melatonin and lavender essential oils, but I haven't tried these. In the past week or two, he's gotten all of his meals in his crate, and the only treats he gets are inside the crate. I've thrown in bits of dried liver (his favorite) multiple times, daily. He very willingly and voluntarily walks into the crate now for treats and food, but he's still not happy when we close the door. Because of the tinkle nearly every time he is alone, we are using a belly band. Unfortunately, he still wets the band during his time in the crate alone. We've only had two periods of alone time where the belly band has been effective. This has been occurring almost daily for the 2+ months we've had him. There have been a handful of times - I believe 5 altogether - that he successfully went a period alone holding his bladder. He is 4 years old, and he's the only dog in our house. He came from a foster home with dogs, and the foster home let him out of his crate when he whined, which may still contribute to some of his crate issues now. But, I'm not for sure. I'd love to hear any additional advice you may have!!! Thank you