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Feisty49

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Posts posted by Feisty49

    Going Up Stairs

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    My Annie would do the 9 outside steps, which are blue stone, to get into the house, but it was 6 months before she would go up the carpeted stairs to the bedrooms. I tried to teach her when I adopted her. She freaked, so she stayed downstairs, alone, but she didn't whine or cry.... until the night she did, about 6 months post adoption.

     

    That one night, I slept on the couch to keep her company, but I like my bed and was unwilling to spend more nights on the couch. The day after her whining/crying, I gave her a good talking to about the rules of the house -- the talk was more for my benefit and confidence... LOL -- and proceeded to teach her to do stairs. Front paw, front paw, back paw, back paw, gentle nudge on her bottom. I did this to the top of the stairs, showed her the bed in my bedroom and then did the stairs with her going down. I admit, going down was nerve wracking for me but it had to be done. I did this 4 times in a row: up the stairs, turn around and go down the stairs, with major food rewards each way (she's a sucker for sharp cheese). The 5th time I started the lesson, she just walked up the stairs herself, got her treat, and turned around and went down to get yet more cheese. That was that.

     

    As somebody else asked: Are your stairs carpeted? Mine weren't but when I adopted Annie, I carpeted them because she didn't like bare wood. Also, you have to have confidence that teaching your boy is more than a possibility. It can be done and it has to be done because you don't want him to keep you awake whining and you want to sleep in your bed. You have to look at it in a way that says, "This is not negotiable as learning how to sit may be." It took me a few months before I felt confident enough with my wonderful girl to understand that I'm the person in charge of my household and certain behavior is not acceptable.

     

    Good luck. If my Annie B will do it, your boy can too.

    Dremmel Recommendations And Questions

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    I bought my dremel on Amazon and love it. It is cordless and has 2 speeds. The higher speed does the job on Annie Bella's nails perfectly. It has a removable, rechargeable "battery," and a charge, which only takes 3 hours anyway, lasts a long time. I dremel my girl's nails every 3 days and probably recharge only every 3 weeks or so.

     

    If interested, the link is here:

     

    http://www.amazon.co...et grooming kit

     

    Re introducing it to your girl: She may have no issue with it. I introduced Annie to it by letting her sniff it and then, standing about a foot away, turning it on. She had no issues with it so I just started on her nails. She doesn't jump for joy when I say, "Time to dremel," but she does lay quietly, looking like the martyr Greyhounds do so well. :--)

     

    ETA: The description on Amazon calls it a Pet Grooming Kit.

    Comfortable Room Temperature At Night?

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Wow. Your house is lovely, especially the backyard! It must have a wonderful history. And, yes, those older houses were definitely built differently, with future technologies not in the blueprints. Good luck with the sale! (We are also about to put our house on the market. Ugh).

     

    Thanks, and good luck to you too! I take the house off the market for the winter 'cause I need a break. It went on the market in April 2010, three years ago from this April. ::big sigh:: The economy back then was very bad, and it takes a special person to want a house this old. No matter how well kept, old houses have issues and problems that a new one doesn't, but a new-house person wouldn't be interested in something this old and vice versa. Again, good luck with your sale. As my RE agent tells me: It only takes one.

    Toddler Problems... Advice Greatly Appreciated

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    . . . My dogs are terrified! my female has always been terrified of everything around her, even my husband... she runs from her immediately, and has only nipped at her a couple of times because she was afraid my daughter was getting too close, but wasnt close to actually bite her. My male greyhound is much different, he doesnt move but I can tell he is very uncomfortable whenever she is around. He has nipped at her and almost got my daughters face, so you can see why i am very worried. we have tried positive reinforcement. You could hold a big juicy steak, and my female would not approach my daughter, and my male tends to get a little food aggressive when you throw food in the mix. has anyone had this experience? should I try something new?? right now I have to baby gate my greys in our bedroom when we are in the living room and visa versa. They HATE it! they whine and scratch... I dont blame them and I feel horrible about it... it feels like we are shutting them out of our family time and I do not want that. also when they run from the baby they have tipped her over trying to get away from her. I understand their fear. she is very unpredicatable. any advice would be appreciated.

     

    I've had a child and I've had a dog, but not at the same time. While you need to protect your houndies from your toddler (and as tiring as this age is, it's also one of the best, IMO), I was greatly concerned to read about the nipping. We love our dogs and hate to separate them and make them unhappy but honestly, protecting your child is your #1 priority. I know you know that, but don't let your love and feelings for your pups get in the way -- ever.

    Soft Stool?

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    I think you've hit it on the nail. He's excited or even a bit nervous in new places and it's shown by his intestines working quickly and overtime. This is, of course, just my opinion, but in the 16 months I've had my girl, new things can often create a temporary issue with her poo.

    Teaching Your Greyhound To Retrieve

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    Doing almost anything positive with our Greyhounds is, IMO, a good thing. It makes the bond stronger. It teaches them to trust us. It *is* mentally stimulating. It's just fun. If retrievers did only what they were born to do, they'd spend their lives retrieving and doing nothing else. If Greyhounds only did what they were born to do, they'd only race and run. We'd never have to walk them, play with them or buy them reindeer hats :P.

     

    Don't be discouraged by negative comments about trying to teach your boy to learn and have fun. He's your Greyhound. Do what you want.

    One Grey Okay?

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    One-Greyhound household here and it is terrific. I'm retired and home a lot. When I go out, I make sure Annie is left alone no more than 5 hours. Annie never had an adjustment to being an only. I adopted her in July 2011 and it's been smooth sailing in that respect ever since. When I bring a Grey home after a M&G while waiting for his foster mom to pick him up, Annie almost gets put out that I am paying attention to another dog and either goes upstairs to her bedroom bed or snarks just once at the "intruder" to let him know she's the queen. She's fine with other dogs as long as we're not at home.

     

    Life is easier with one dog. I'm a person who likes peace, quiet and calm. I also don't want double the vet bills that might come with a second dog.

    Comfortable Room Temperature At Night?

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    Our house is 120 years old with no insulation in the walls in upstate NY. We've always had it at 60 when we're awake and 52 at night, but in deference to our new greyhound, we've cranked it up to 64 when we're awake and 58 at night. I find she sleeps curled up rather than roaching now, but otherwise she seems OK.... Haven't tried jammies yet as she seems to be warm enough.

     

    Does anyone feed their dog more in winter due to the cold?

     

    Wow. You'd think one person in 120 years would have been smart enough to insulate the walls!

     

    52? Inside?? I'm pretty hardy, but that's just too cold for inside!!!

     

    It's not an issue of being smart, indicating somebody is dumb?? Nice. The problem with insulating old houses is that most of them -- at least mine at 220 years old -- can't have insulation blown in between the outside walls and inside walls because there is no room. From outside in, my house is clapboard, lathe, inside wall (plaster, with one room knotty pine). If insulation were blown in, it would blow all the lathe apart, and that's what outside and inside walls are attached to. One could cover the original clapboard with siding (ewwwww) over insulation, but I won't cover the wood of a house built in 1792 with siding.

     

    When my husband passed, I did have insulation blown around the sill in the cellar and in the attic, covering the ceiling and walls entirely. It has cut way down on drafts and just a little bit on heating costs.

    Comfortable Room Temperature At Night?

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    I live in a house that is 220 years old, with no insulation in the walls, so no matter what the thermometer says, it always feels colder. I keep the thermostat at 66 or 68 during the day and put it down to 62 at night, even in the dead of winter. I prefer to sleep in a cold room, and if Annie B gets cold at night in my bedroom, she lets me know and I cover her with a blanket where she snuggles until morning.

    Raw Food Diet; Any Problems?

    in Food and dietary discussion

    Posted

    We don't feed entirely raw - we mix half ground raw feed (blend of beef and chicken muscle, bone and organs) with kirkland kibble. He also gets a chicken foot or a turkey neck once a week as a treat which we feed with his collar on so we can keep him on the kitchen tile in case he drops it. Never had any issues with getting sick, though our pup has only been with us for a month and a half. His fur is really soft and thick (including his butt!), but he did come to us that way from the track so I think it's just genes and not food. He does have a small bald patch on his chest, which has just recently started growling some sparse hair.

     

    Only down side right now is that his stools are fairly soft most of the time (formed, but not always neatly pick-up-able).

     

    We are concerned about the humans in the house getting a bug from the meat since we hand feed his entire meal bite by bite. We wash really well with soap and scrub under the nails after feeding time... so far no problems.

     

    Our adoption group recommended Missing Link supplement as they've found it helps their fosters with their coats. I haven't tried it though.

     

    Not being critical but seriously curious because I don't know: If there is concern about humans getting a bug from the meat, why isn't that concern for the dogs?

    Are Some Just "untrainable?"

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted · Edited by Feisty49

    Keep on trying! I have an only dog so there is no distractions of that manner, but IMO, she can be quite stubborn (and I know there are many who don't think dogs can be stubborn but I disagree -- no big deal) and she can also push buttons to see what she can get away with. Overall, she's a really easy dog (doesn't go on furniture, chew things, jump, etc.), but I'd like her to become a therapy dog and there are certain "tricks" she has to learn in order to pass.

     

    What's worked with us is clicker training. I started out by clicking and tossing Annie Bella a treat (very small and smelly) for doing nothing but breathing. :--) I did that a couple of times a day for a few minutes for 3 days. She then associated the clicker with a treat. It was then a matter of catching her doing what I wanted, click immediately and treat immediately. Up until using the clicker, she would come to me in the house 50/50. After one day of saying, "Come," and immediately clicking when her feet started to move toward me and then treating when she reached me, she's now coming 100% of the time, and I am only clicking/treating 1 out of 3 times, soon to go to 1 out of 4 times, etc.

     

    If you can separate out your other houndies and work with Magic alone, this might do the trick!

    What To Expect When Adopting A Retired Racer

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    He's handsome. I met Annie Bella at a Meet & Greet on a Saturday I deliberately went to after searching on line for ones near me. I didn't know what dogs would be there. I went just to start looking around. When I walked up to the group of Greys, Annie B met me and leaned. I scratched her ears and pet her side and she leaned even more. I moved a bit and she almost fell over. I talked to the volunteers and Annie followed me around as much as her leash would allow. I spent three hours at this M&G and the volunteers started calling me "Mommy." When I came home, I filled in the group's on-line application, indicating I had met Annie and would like to adopt her. On Monday night, two days later, I had been approved and arranged to pick her up the upcoming Saturday, a week after I had met her.

     

    My group, with which I now volunteer, moves quickly once all the criteria has been met and a good match is found.

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