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Feisty49

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    New Behavior

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    I did one 8-week class of clicker training with Annie about a year after I adopted her. I was curious as well as wanting to give her socialization with other dogs. Honestly, I never got what's so great about a clicker. Using a word, as mentioned above, in a certain tone and emphasis would work just as well, IMO, and might be easier for the handler. I always had difficulty clicking and giving Annie the treat immediately but I'm probably in the minority.

     

    Annie did pretty well in the class. She responded to the clicker and learned a few things but we didn't return for the second session because I got out of the first session what I wanted.

     

    If you think that the class and/or the clicker frightened him, I'd not return for a long time.

    New Grey Seems To Have A 'switch' - Then 'bites'.

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    Re your wife walking him: The muzzle, of course, is necessary, but I wonder how she's holding the leash and how far out she lets him walk from her.

     

    When I adopted Annie, it was suggested to me that I hold the leash in a way which would almost certainly not allow her to get away. It worked for me. In the first three months I had Annie, she pulled me over three times (I'm a slow learner I guess... LOL) but the leash never left my hand. It's difficult to explain but what I do is make a second loop by feeding a portion of the leash through the hand loop already there. I put my hand in the newly created loop but put my thumb under the original loop so it runs across the palm part of my hand. I pull it snug. When Annie pulled on the leash, the movement tightened the leash even more.

     

    I also don't let Annie far away from me. I discovered that there is little leverage in controlling a dog when she's feet away. Annie pretty much heels until she indicates she's got to go potty. I let the leash out a little, but even then, I'm standing right next to her.

    Bathroom Habits?

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    I like reading how each dog is different. I don't know if it's normal, but if you're concerned, have her checked by the vet. If this is how she is, it's probably just her way, though I wonder if holding urine that long can contribute to UTIs, etc.

     

    Annie usually has at least 4 outings a day when she has an opportunity to pee, and she uses them all. She does a lot the first thing in the morning, about 6:30 AM, and at the last turn-out of the day, about 7:30 PM, both of which are in the fenced yard. In between is when we walk, and she's a marker because the last one to pee wins, don't 'cha know. So, I'd say Annie is a good pee'r.

    Treating Arthritis With Leeches Warning: Photos

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I am open to unusual idea, but this is beyond my open mind for arthritis.

     

    I saw something on PBS a while ago about leeches being used in modern medicine. Unfortunately I can't remember the specifics but one thing I remember is that it was something about circulation disorders because the saliva of a leech causes blood flow to increase and prevents clotting. No wonder the Greyhound in the picture is dripping blood. Leeches have also been used to help blood flow to places on the body where the skin is dying.

     

    Nonetheless, for an ear infection or arthritis, I'm not buying it.

    Probiotic ?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    I've purchased Forti Flora for dogs from Amazon. It usually costs around $23 for 30 packets, with one packet a day being used. It gets good reviews. I've never noticed any great effect on Annie but it certainly never harmed her either.

    Hydrogen Peroxide

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    On the bottles of peroxide I buy, there is an expiration date. It's difficult to read because it's stamped in a dark color on the neck of the brown bottle. The most recent bottle I bought was purchased in January of this year. It has an expiration date of November 2016. I don't know if this reflects it being unopened or opened, though if the bottle is kept in a cool, dark place, as instructed on the bottle, I think it would last to the exp date either way. As an aside, I've never had to give Annie peroxide. I know, lucky me. I use it myself, watered down in a cup as a mouthwash before flossing. I have for decades as recommended by a dentist.

    Behavior Regression

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    Don't we wish we could read our dog's minds?

     

    You know she can do the stairs and you are sure nothing negative is associated with them so not liking the crate might be the problem.

     

    Many of us, me among them, don't use a crate if there is no need. My girl Annie let me know in less than 24 hours after adoption that she didn't like it. In less than 48 hours, I was no longer using it and in less than a week after adoption, I folded it up. BTW, I too have a cat and there's never been a problem. Some people think that using a crate occasionally is a good thing in case there is ever a true need for it, a way to keep the hound in practice for it. ::shrug:: I don't subscribe to that, but that's just me.

     

    If your girl -- what is her name? :) -- is not liking the crate, have you thought about not making her use it? There are many reasons to use one: She might not be trust worthy around your cat when alone; she might be destructive when alone; she might have accidents when alone. If things like this don't apply, why bother with the crate? Or if you want her to be confined to a particular place, use gates to keep her in/out of where you want her.

     

    You can always leave the crate up but not make her use it. If she has a choice, she may like the crate as a place to sleep quietly.

     

    Good luck and please give us a picture or two.

    Hunger Strike

    in Food and dietary discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    Bet your dog really loves you. Would you treat a child like this ?

     

    As said above, pretty much. I too had to eat what was on the plate or go hungry. As my mom said, and I told my son, the kitchen is not a restaurant.

     

    My Annie often gets picky about eating breakfast, but she always eats supper. If she hasn't eaten her breakfast within 30 minutes after it's been put down, it gets picked up. Maybe that's why she always eats supper. ;)

     

    ETA: Ya know, I wasn't going to say anything negative, but I know Karen, the OP of this topic, and she *does really* love her dog. Who are you to judge her like that? We reach out to one another for advice and support and writing something nasty like this is neither.

    Diarrhea . . .

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Hi all, I have had my 5 year old for 4 1/2 months now, he came with pretty wet 'pudding' poo from the beginning and I have tried a number of things to improve this:

    1) Iams green bag - helped lots with fewer pudding poos

    2) tinned pumpkin (uk based so cannot get those carrot things) - not really changed much

    3) worming and stool sample for worms - all clear

    4) live yoghurt - didn't make a difference

     

     

    Olweo carrots are also sold by Amazon. I just checked the UK Amazon site and they are there.

    Dremel Tips Anyone?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    I don't know about others, but I don't use a pet-specific dremel, though just as many reviews on Amazon, from where I purchased it, say they use it on their dogs' nails. Annie tolerates it well for a very short time. I don't dare spend much time on the entire process because she pulls her feet away. Therefore, I do it often, every two to three days.. A little bit every three days is as good as a lot once a week and she doesn't mind.

     

    Don't forget to give a special treat, one that he loves and perhaps is only given when you dremel his nails. You could start that as soon as you introduce the instrument to him so that even seeing the dremel makes him think "Yummy." I have different treats for each thing I have to do to Annie so she knows something special comes with what she prefers I didn't do. For dremling she gets a big marshmallow, which is different than what she gets for teeth brushing and what I give when eye drops are administered twice a day. Nothing is high in calories so she's not going to get fat on them, but they are special to her.

    Filmed My Hound After I Left Today...some Q's

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    You used normal and greyhound in the same sentence..... :rotfl :rotfl :rotfl :rotfl

     

    Seems fine - Rocket often prefers the tile or concrete to nap on. Other times he stays in his bed for hours and doesn't move. Nothing to worry about.

     

    This made me LOL..literally. The thing with Greyhounds is that what they do today and tomorrow (this month and next, this year and next) may not be what they do some other time. The longer they own you, the more they morph.

    Cat Training Plan

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    I really wish groups would use the term cat-trainable rather than cat-safe. I did convince my group to change their language because I think it's much more appropriate. Cat testing is not always reliable, and how long the dog has been in a foster home (if at all) will also factor greatly into how safe the dog is with your cats right off the bat. A good number of dogs also don't generalize well so the fact that the dog has done well with the cats in a foster home is no guarantee that the dog won't have interest in the new cat in the new environment. I think it's incredibly irresponsible for people to discourage a new owner from doing training to help their dog and cat acclimate to each other based on their personal experience with 1 or 2 dogs. Not to be dramatic, but we're talking about an animal's life being put at risk if the introductions aren't handled carefully with a dog that needs some training.

     

    So to the OP, as someone who has fostered over 60 greyhounds and dog sat many more I think you are being incredibly smart to think this through ahead of time and take precautions. Aside from the factors above, each dog has his own individual level of "cat-safeness" and trainability when it comes to living with small critters. I've seen greyhounds that run the entire gamut from NO interest the moment they walked into my house straight from the track to dogs that could not ever be taught to live with cats. Most fall somewhere in the middle, requiring some training, but eventually adjusting well and living peacefully. The dogs on the extreme ends (absolutely not trainable and no interest ever) are in the minority. The other thing you may encounter, even if there is no prey drive interest there, is the dog, the cat or both having space or resource guarding issues. So your plan to introduce them slowly is great. I do recommend you follow something more along the lines of what Chad has outlined. Introducing them on your terms and being able to reward for good behavior is SO preferable to using punishment. Not only could you damage your relationship with your brand new dog, but you could also inadvertently cause your dog to associate the cat with bad things. You may find you are able to move more quickly through some of the stages Chad outlined, but I would stress 2 particular things that you shouldn't rush. The obvious one is leaving them together unattended. I wouldn't do this until you are absolutely certain your dog has no interest regardless of what the cat is doing - that means running, jumping, vomiting, etc. And then the second, which stems from that, is that you don't have the dog and cat in a situation where the dog might give chase even if you are there - most often when the cat does something (like running) for the first time. Getting to chase in and of itself is reinforcing to your dog, so it's best to prevent it in the first place rather than let it happen and have to backtrack. So baby gates, muzzling and tethering, and lots of treats for ANY good behavior (dog is sleeping on his bed and cat walks past and dog doesn't react, that is rewardable behavior!) are your friends early on.

    I don't think it's so much that the twitching tail resembles the lure, but just that picking up an object of prey makes it more interesting/tempting. This is definitely true with a lot of dogs. The final stage if I was cat-testing a dog who was in a foster home without cats and thus needed to be tested at my house was to pick the cat up and wave it around a little. If the dog didn't react to that, I felt pretty good about listing them as cat-trainable. :P

    And unfortunately this just isn't always the case. I've been on the receiving end of returns because the dog had been fine with the cat for weeks and then gave chase and killed it.

     

    So in reality, no Greyhound can ever be considered cat safe. I lucked out, though, because mine is.

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