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Feisty49

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    Aggresion

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    Lots of good advice above. Just want to say that you shouldn't apologize for asking questions or thinking a post is too long. People here want to help and everybody loves to talk about Greyhounds!

     

    BTW, how far west in MA are you? I'm in the Albany, NY, area so not far from certain parts of MA.

    Hi I'm Laura And New Here

    in Introductions & Biography

    Posted

    Hi from Upstate New York. Sounds like you've been bitten by the "I need a Greyhound bug." It's a powerful one and once bitten, it's almost impossible to get rid of it, as you've discovered. The only cure is to adopt a Greyhound. It's so exciting. Even after 3-1/2 years of being owned by Annie, I can remember the excitement of preparing to adopt her and then bringing her home.

     

    Good luck and don't forget pictures when you do adopt.

    Is Pet Insurance Worth It?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I just signed Claymore up for Healthy Paws - even though it may seem like a waste each month, I have no idea what the future will hold for him and I'd would never want to have to decide palliative care over a potential treatment. I've seen other people go through with it and it's something I never want to have to deal with. I think of it as nixing a couple nice dinners a month for myself in order to have a long time with Professor Claymore. Didn't realize that so many people on here had it! I wish I would have known, I'd have put your names in!!! Sorry!!! :ohno

     

    It doesn't seem like a waste to us. I hope my girl lives to a grand old age without any serious health issues, but what are the chances? I'm glad the decision for treatment of anything won't be based on the cost.

    Is Pet Insurance Worth It?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    I've got Healthy Paws Pet Insurance for Annie and have had it for about three years. The younger the dog, the cheaper the start-up premium. Premiums rise a little bit each year, just like human insurance premiums.

     

    I pay just under $40 a month and have a $250 yearly deductible with a 90% reimbursement rate. I believe there are some companies that require a deductible for each different need.

     

    This is a **great** company. Annie is on three meds, one of which is OTC prescribed by her vet. After I reach the $250 deductible, the company pays 90% of all three meds. They cover all the tests she's needed (she has an auto-immune eye disease). Their reps are courteous and do a good job. It's easy peasy to submit a claim. The vet doesn't have to sign anything and the claim can be mailed, faxed, emailed or submitted via the app for iPhones (an Android app will be coming soon).

     

    Like most companies, they do not cover preexisting conditions, which is why it's a good idea to get insurance, no matter with whom, before something happens to your boy. Also, like most companies, it doesn't cover well care, that is the usual yearly exam; it doesn't cover the actual vet exam for an illness, but will cover everything else; it doesn't cover dentals.

     

    I think the $40 I spend a month is very well spent.

    Appropriate Length Of Walk?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    IMO, let him walk on the side that feels most comfortable to you. Annie walks on my left side. I put my right hand through the loop of the leash, the rest of the leash crosses in front of me, and my left hand holds that part of the leash to a length that generally gives Annie no more than 2'. It also controls where she wants to go in case she wants to walk somewhere of which I don't approve. I let out more leash when it's OK, such as when she wants to poo (she likes a bit of distance) or when she wants to climb the snowbank that another dog has pee'd on (the last one to pee wins, ya know :)).

     

    I almost never let her out the full 6' of length because if she decided to run -- which she hasn't done since 3 months post adoption so I doubt it would happen now but one never knows -- she'd pull me over because I'd have little leverage to hold her.

     

    It appears you know the answer to not letting him walk where he wants is to keep the leash short. Be consistent, toss in some "heeling" training, and soon he'll walk nicer.

    Give Him Time? Or?

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    I have no advice as my one and only hound has never had SA. I just want to extend some warmth because you sound so sad and scared and overwhelmed, as I would be. The one thing I will say is I lean toward the opinion of GeorgeofNE in that he may not be the Greyhound for you. It's something to consider.

    Appropriate Length Of Walk?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    I've no experience with a dog as young as yours. Annie was 3-1/4 when I adopted her and liking retirement a lot! She is now 7-1/2 and liking retirement even more.

     

    We've always walked at least 20 minutes twice a day with distances between 2 and 2-1/2 miles in total, depending on how much I let her sniff (for sight hounds, they sure do like to use their noses a lot) and how many friends we stop for. Annie considers our walks a time to socialize rather than for exercise.

     

    In spring/fall weather, when it's neither too hot or cold, we'll take three walks a day which adds another mile to our total. In the worst of winter weather, when the wind chill is -15 or lower, we don't walk at all. We're both unhappy about it but Annie can do her P&Ping in the fenced backyard.

     

    Like GeorgeofNE above, Annie is a very easy dog. Whether we get out twice a day or not at all, she doesn't get into mischief.

     

    You'll soon be able to tell if you're exercising your boy enough. If he starts doing naughty/unwanted things, he's got too much energy! BTW, we need a picture.

    Feeding Schedule

    in Food and dietary discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    Hey guys :chow

    I have a two year old greyhound x - we feed him twice a day, once in the morning around 8.30am and then again at 2.30pm. But I struggle to get him to do his evening poop before bed (around 11pm) resulting in a surprise in the morning on the floor!

    We walk at 11am and if I did an evening walk too he would poop but I work and he wants to stay in bed!

    I guess I need to change his dinner time but would you recommend moving it earlier or later? I wouldn't want him starving overnight so I was thinking if I changed it to around 5pm he might wait and poop in the morning?

    What works for your greys? Thanks for any advice!

     

    Annie eats breakfast anywhere from 7 to 8 AM, depending on when she gets up. She eats supper at 3 PM, which used to be 4 PM before we changed the time last fall and fell back. I actually think 3 or 4 o'clock is too early for supper, considering she doesn't eat b'fast until 15 hours later, so I also think feeding supper at 2:30 is too early. If you fed him earlier, he'd be eating lunch and then go 20+ hours without food. That's a long time.

     

    You say an evening walk isn't possible because you work AND he wants to stay in bed. How do you know he wants to stay in bed if you're working? I ask because if somebody else is home and can take him for a P&P outing late at night, have them do it no matter what your boy wants. This also raises the question: How often does he get a chance to go outside for a P&P? You mention a walk at 11 AM but I assume he is taken outside more often than that.

     

    We all love our Greyhounds and spoil them shamelessly sometimes, but I think that we agree that the bottom line is a GH is a dog and we are the humans. If he needs to be taken out late in the evening so he doesn't poo in the house, then he has to do it. You wouldn't allow him to eat a box of chocolates just 'cause he wanted to. Don't let him sleep instead of pooing because he wants to.

     

    How long have you had him? What is his name? We need a picture! :-)

     

    ETA: Annie's first P&P is when she gets up. She then eats. She P&Ps again on morning walk at around 9 AM, depending on when she got up. She P&Ps again on walk around 1-2 PM. She eats supper at 3 and usually goes into the fenced backyard about 5 for a quick pee. Her final pee is about 7:30 PM at which time she gets her meds (well, I get her meds..LOL) and puts herself to bed. She can go out much more often if she wants, but doesn't want to.

    In Nw Arkansas, But From Florida...i Call It "temporary Assignment

    in Introductions & Biography

    Posted

    Claymore is beautiful. I love his ears. My adoption story of Annie isn't quite as involved as yours, but very similar in that I waited a couple of decades before the time was right to adopt and I *knew* Annie was for me. I too like quiet, calm dogs that can be alone if necessary but also like car rides and visiting friends. Annie was/is like that and thankfully she picked me. I'm sure she felt my need for calm and quiet in my life.

     

    I bet Claymore will do great on the ride home. It is a long way, but it will give you time to have nice conversations with him. :) No food is probably good, but I'd bring along water, though on my car trips, Annie will drink nothing until we arrive at our destination. I'd also bring a couple of blankets or a big comforter so he can make a comfy bed.

     

    There are always adjustments and they are all different. Some go crazy, wanting to see and sniff everything. Some, like Annie, settle in cautiously, don't show much curiosity and can take months to understand the new home is the forever home, but being sweet during the adjustment. Annie is a doll. She's never gone into the garbage, surfed counters or shown more than a sniffing interest in the cat.

     

    Bet you can't wait until Saturday!

     

     

    When The Cold Is Dangerous

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    The deep snow in certain areas on the coast is just terrible. I'm not there, but a friend sent a few pictures and she can't see a thing over the snowbanks. I hope the booties, etc., work, but him holding his P&P is stressing you out more than him.

     

    We're at an air temp of 3F with a wind chill varying between -25 and -50. The 4" of snow we had overnight is blowing all over creating whiteouts. For us also this is the first day this winter Annie and I haven't taken at least one walk. Thankfully, she likes the cold. She's the type who pants on a 20-degree day with the sun out and dressed in a winter coat.

     

    Today Annie has willingly gone out three times in the backyard to P&P. She was dressed in her heavy winter coat and snood, of course, and sorta meandered down the path I've kept shoveled to the back of the yard, sniffing here and there -- which is silly 'cause the only P out there is hers -- until finally taking a huge jump into the unshoveled part of the yard and running around like crazy to find just the right place to poo.

     

    I feel so bad for houndies and their parents who have to face this. Good luck!

    Red Eye, Drops Not Working?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    If it's not clearing up, I'd seek the advice of an animal ophthalmologist if possible. A year ago Annie's left eye was blood shot. When it didn't clear up in a couple of days, I took her to the vet. Vet #1 wasn't sure what it was but gave me drops and said if it didn't clear up in a week, to come back. Two days later it was much worse, so I got an appointment that day. Vet #1 consulted with vet #2 at the practice. Vet #2 didn't know what it was; said it had some looks of Pannus. I was referred to an animal ophthalmologist.

     

    The ophthalmologist diagnosed Nodular granulomatous episcleritis, an auto-immune disease which, if left untreated, can result in blindness. It's only in Annie's left eye. She's on eye drops and the condition has not worsened. While being examined by the ophthalmologist, she discovered that Annie also has an atrophied optic nerve in her right eye, something she's had since birth.

     

    I'm not writing this to alarm you. Just a head's up that sometimes a specialist needs to be seen.

    Car Rides

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    (Ask a monitor to delete the other post or edit it, and replace your words with a reference to look at this one.)

     

    I have one Greyhound. I drive a Ford Escape SUV. The backseats are divided one seat behind the passenger, the other two seats go down together. I put down the two together seats so Annie has 3/4 of the cargo area, unless I'm traveling with luggage, then she has to share.

     

    When we leave, she jumps in via the cargo door, stands until I get in the vehicle, then turns around a couple of times and settles down on her blanket-covered bed. Once down, and as long as we're moving, she gets up only occasionally to rearrange her body. If I've been traveling an interstate, she will get up to look out the back window when I get off. As long as we're moving at a steady speed, she pretty much sleeps or watches me in the mirror.

     

    Annie has a distinct lack of curiosity. If we're traveling in the city, and it's warm enough to have the windows down, she might lift her nose to smell, but she almost never stands up to look out the open window.

     

    Safety: I never have to worry about Annie trying to get in the front seat or climbing out an open window. I do have concern about an accident where she would go flying because she's not secure. I don't know how to address this concern so I don't dwell on it.

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