Feisty49

This is sorta what Annie does, though she'll only do one poo on our morning walk, and it is much softer, though not liquidy, than the one she did at first-morning P&P 90 minutes earlier. I also use paper plates, small enough to stuff in a poo bag, but Annie Bella is a "walker" when she poos. Most of it is in one spot but then she takes a few steps, drops a small poo plop, another step and drops another small plop of poo, so I never get all of it on the paper plate. After Greyhound ownership of 14 months, I've reached the conclusion that other than obvious illness or injury, most anything a Greyhound does is normal for itself.

I am wanting to make the ride itself a reward for being good and not messing the house while I am at work. I want him to know when I say "Let's go for a ride" that he know's what to do... Instead of going to the car every time he sees the car. He'll learn what the words mean because you'll use them often enough. My girl knows when I say, "Let's go for a walk," we're walking. She knows when I say, "Let's go for a ride in the car," that we're going for a ride in the car. As far as the ride being a reward for not messing the house, I don't think he'll associate the two. There's no connection because the time frame involved is hours long and he has no idea that he's done something good. It's not like him coming to you when called and you immediately give him a food reward.

Not too much information. As you pointed out, would we not brush our teeth for days on end? I try to do Annie Bella's teeth daily. Some days life gets too busy and I don't, but it's done at least 4 times a week, along with Dremeling her nails every 3rd day.

Welcome! Yah, Greyhounds are wonderful and unique dogs. You'll get lots of advice and suggestions regarding what to expect. The one piece of advice I always give is relax when s/he finally comes home to you. I know it's easier said than done, and I for one was hyped up for a good month after adopting Annie Bella in July 2011, but one day it hit me that while she's a wonderful dog, pet, companion and a real sweetie (I lucked out), she is a dog and she needs to learn my ways of living as well as me learning her ways of living. So while Greyhounds have what some consider idiosyncrasies (I often use the word neurotic when speaking of them... LOL), remember people are important too.

Walk an hour? Not in this lifetime during the bad seasons. No apology here cause I think that's crazy. For one thing, in the heat of the summer, Annie is worn out after 10 minutes with tongue hanging out and panting heavily. For another, she *hates* to walk in the rain. I'm lucky that I get her to go out at 6 AM for her first-morning P&P. Come winter, with ice and snow and wind chills of below zero, I won't walk 30 minutes let alone an hour. It's too cold for me and often too dangerous for a Greyhound (and her mom) to walk safely. I also don't understand the meaning behind "you can't judge a greyhound's behavior until they've had an hour's walk." ::shrug:: I must be missing something. I have no advice about the continuing problem with peeing. After reading all the problems, every single day my girl gets a special big kiss and hug because she has no major issues like that.

In response to your guy planting (statuing) himself, try reading the tips on this post: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/288132-walking/page__hl__planting#entry5283679

I'm confused by your question. If you make it more of a reward, won't he want to go riding that much more? Or are you asking how to make the ride itself a reward for doing something good? Or am I asking the same question? LOL Either way, does it matter if he runs to the car? Also, I assume he's on a leash so just keep the leash short with Dillon close to you so he can't do anything but walk by your leg. That will keep him from rushing anything.

Annie Bella doesn't mind being watched as long as I do it from the TV room. She won't even walk into the kitchen until I've put her bowl down, walked into the TV room and have sat down in a chair. Only then will she get off her bed and walk into the kitchen to eat. Why does she do this? I have no idea. I adopted her in July 2011. For the first 7 months or so, she had no problem with me being in the kitchen when she ate. Then one day she did and it's been that way ever since. I tend to generalize and say that Greyhounds are neurotic (don't hit on me, folks, I'm mostly kidding). Certainly they are not like other breeds or mutts but that's because of of their upbringing -- which I don't consider a negative. The way they are raised is one of the reasons, IMO, that they are also gentle, sweet and calm (at least my girl is). My son often asks me if Annie Bella does anything normal. LOL

My Annie Bella gets 3 cups of food a day split into two meals: breakfast about 6:30 AM and supper about 4:30 PM. If you're switching from two meals a day to one, I'd combine the quantity of the two meals and put it out at the one-meal time. Some mornings my girl eats her 1.5 cup breakfast with gusto. Other mornings, she nibbles on and off for an hour. She always chows down her supper.

I'm thinking insects are way too quick for him to catch whereas humans, if a dog is so inclined to snap at, are not. Annie Bella snaps at flies outside and often gets one, but I assume they're half dead to begin with. LOL

I can only answer for my girl, Annie Bella. I adopted her July 2011. She has never once peed in the house. In the first week or so after adoption, she did poo twice, in a room that is used only for storage, and her "accidents" were entirely my fault because I was ignorant of her signals for having to go. Once I got it -- even old humans can be taught new tricks -- there were no more poos in the house. Annie Bella *hated* her crate but for the first few days after adoption, I did crate her when I left the house. She did not soil her crate. After three days, I stopped crating her, though I left the crate up with the door open for another two weeks, and there was never a problem other than the two times mentioned above. I have many friends who have Greyhounds and none of them have ever had issues with frequent accidents in the house after adoption. There may have been a learning curve but the curve wasn't longer than a week or 10 days. Regarding soft stools or diarrhea: Yah, it seems like that topic is always talked about but that's because there are few posts that talk about bouncy/normal poos. Annie Bella does have some issues with 'normal' stools. They seldom bounce, so to speak, but after some experimentation with food and shaved beet pulp, they are formed. I think a lot of Greys have the best poos first thing in the morning with a deterioration in the consistency as the day goes on. Annie Bella poops 2 to 3 times a day, and the last one, about 6 PM, is much softer than the 6 AM poo. Whatever the consistency, though, she has never gone in the house except for the two incidences mentioned above. I think that if I had read this forum before adopting my girl, I might not have adopted her, even though I had wanted a Greyhound for over 15 years, just because it seems there are many problems. I know, though, because I've read some other forums, that every breed seems to have issues that their parents worry about. These types of forums are often the sounding board for people with questions and problems, but if you do a lot of reading, you'll see that there are many of us who have Greys with no issues at all.

Annie Bella was adopted in July 2011 and within just a few days, I dreaded going for a walk with her because she would just stop and not move. There are lots of ideas as to how to get your boy going here: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/288132-walking/page__hl__planting#entry5283679

Welcome. Pretty pretty girl and I love her blankets. I hope the storm doesn't cause you any problems.

I have no idea but it's certainly worth a phone call to the vet making the inquiry.

I adopted Annie Bella in July 2011. My granddaughter was 5 at the time, and as it's been since her birth, she visits me regularly and I visit her. Annie Bella is always happy to see her with a gentle tail wag and a smile and then she goes back to her bed and ignores her because one can't play and sleep at the same time, and most of the time, Annie Bella chooses sleep. Ember can run around, dance, sing, eat in front of her, etc., and Annie Bella ignores it all. When Ember was born, they had 2 cats and a dog so she was taught from a few months of age to be gentle, kind and respectful of animals. Kids and Greyhounds can live together with the right dog and the right kids.

I doubt it will do anything to stop the formation of dandruff, but brushing more often would, I think, at least make it less noticeable on her body. I brush Annie Bella thoroughly once a day and she gets hand brushing on our walks where the fur just goes flying off her butt.

A fence like this would work for my girl because she has issues with small, tight spaces. She also doesn't jump -- not even on furniture -- so a lot would depend on the personality of the dog.

I don't use seat belts and, anyway, wonder how they could be attached to the area Annie Bella lays in. I have an SUV. Is there safety equipment that doesn't buckle into a car's seat belt equipment?

Annie Bella shed a lot in the spring, up until about mid-June, then the quantity stopped until last week when she started shedding again. I take her outside every day and brush her, or use my hand going with and against her hair, especially around her butt. It flies off every single day.

I use half and half: Nutro Venison and a garbage food, usually Purina something. This is the combo that Annie Bella will eat and, with a couple of tablespoons of beet pulp in each meal, her poos are pretty good. Not perfect but better than not. Some people think that making too many changes at once can cause a negative reaction. Some think otherwise. I have no idea because I don't make changes in Annie's treats. There's no reason and I don't like to take chances.

Lovely story. I'm glad you picked up the thread.

Good luck. I'll be watching this with interest. I've had Annie Bella for 13 months and except for an occasional shake of her duck, mostly when she's been told we're going for a walk or in the car and is impatient waiting for me, she never plays with anything. I've gotten on the floor and teased her with a stuffy; tossed her duck; run around the house with a stuffy, squeaking it, tempting her to follow me. I've shaken stuffies in her face. I've teased her feet with them. I've played with them as if they were the best toy ever. She watches me and usually goes to sleep. Some Greyhounds just don't play with toys. ETA: Annie Bella won't even play with a Kong. If it's within her tongue range, she'll lick peanut butter from it until it's no longer easy access, but she has no interest if it requires her to work for the food inside.

Just read this today. I wonder what they would do? Annie Bella tends to get happy/excited when she meets up with a new dog but after 30 seconds of sniffing, she acts bored, and she gets bored quicker with Greyhounds than with other breeds or mutts.

I use Advantix II and don't see fleas, though Annie Bella occasionally whips around to get at a section of her body as if being bit. I think seeing a flea is no big deal. They can't be killed by any treatment if they aren't on the dog's body.

And if after all the tests, etc., are done and meds given, if necessary, if his poop is still soft (and I empathize because a year post-adoption, my Annie Bella still doesn't have great poo), try Iams in the Green Bag. Here's a couple of links to discussions on Greytalk about soft poo, etc., and if you do a search on here (top right of each page) using "Green bag" or "Iams in Green" (use quotes) you'll find a lot of references here. It's something many of us think about, worry about, wonder about, try to fix, etc. After a year of some good poo but mostly mediocre poo (messy to pick up), I've added shredded beet pulp which has had a positive effect, though Annie Bella's poo still isn't bouncing! http://forum.greytal...d/#entry5293460 http://forum.greytal...hl__"green bag"