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Greydawg

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Posts posted by Greydawg

    Meeting Other Dogs On Walks

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Yep. Avoid close encounters. At least for a while.

     

    And be calm and firm with other dog owners who push their dog on you, like "oh, my dog is ok... she thinks she is a big dog." Nope, don't fall for it.

     

    My guys have mellowed toward small fluffy dogs over the last couple of years, but I still try to avoid encounters when we are walking. However,

    Heisman and Alex act like lunatics when they see another dog running with its owner, but that is another story. (sigh)

    Itchy Itchy Itchy!

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    In adition to the above suggestions...

    Try bathing her with Allergroom shampoo -- it seems to offer some relief from the itchies.

     

    The other thing that worked the best on itchy Heisman's paws was Bag Balm. (I tried so many things!) I applied it to the red, inflamed, ugly red paws every day for a couple of weeks, and his itchiness / irritation subsided. Now his paws are a pale pink, instead of bright red, and the hair is even growing back on his knuckles. :yay

     

    Good luck.

    How Often Do You Take Your Hound Out For Bathroom Breaks?

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Here is what worked for me in the house-training department with Heisman, my first Greyhound (he had been in a foster home for about a week when we adopted him)... I tethered his 6-foot leash to my belt, so that he was never out of my sight or reach. I took him out about every 3 hours or so, asking him first if he wanted to go potty. Then I took him out on the leash and I praised him profusely when he did his bizness. It didn't take long for him to get it. We adopted him on the eve of a 4 day weekend, and he and I were tethered together most of that time. He never has messed in the house in the 3.5 years we have had him. We have also had short-term foster dogs that I have crated and/or tethered, without issues.

     

    Heisman tells me he wants to go out. How? Several signals. He comes over to me, then goes to the front door and looks back at me. I ask him if he wants to go out, and he responds by lifting his front paw and striking whatever is nearby (the door, the wall, my leg, whatever). Other times, he gets more demonstrative... He will hit an object, stretch in to a play-bow, wag his tail, and sometimes talk. Yep, talk. This could mean "outside," "treat," or his all-time favorite, "dinner." We play the guessing game. When I say the magic word, he gets very animated, like saying, "Yes, Yes, you got it!" If it has to do with food, he will accompany all those signals with licking his chops. That tongue is fast, and I've learned to look for it. One time, he even woke me up at about 2 in the morning standing next to my side of the bed with a plastic bag in his mouth! He got it out of the poop bag dispenser we keep on the wall in the laundry room. His message was loud and clear: "Hey! I gotta go poop!" :lol Indeed.

     

    Alex, our other Greyhound, was previously adopted by a family, so he was already house-trained when he came to live with us. He does not let me know he needs to go out, and he seems happy to go out at regular outside times or whenever Heisman directs it.

     

    Their typical potty breaks on a regular work day... 7am, noon, 6pm, 9-ish pm. Weekend schedules vary.

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