Feisty49

Ya know, I wondered if it was the same houndie. LOL Good luck. I know your frustration, embarrassment and irritation. My Annie Bella **hated** to have me push her but it got her moving.

What you call statuing , I call planting. I got Annie Bella just a year ago this month, and she used to do this all the time. I HATED and DREADED walking her. This comes up every once in a while and I can feel your pain because it is painful to be on a public street and have this dog just stop and refuse to move!! Someone else asked about this today and my suggestions are here: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/288132-walking/

I call it planting. My girl did it all the time when I first got her a year ago. I HATED to take her on walks. I got to be an expert on getting her moving again. Here's what I wrote on the topic back in March: If you decide he is done with his walk, that is he has P&Pd but is just not wanting to go home but you want to go home, here are some suggestions to get him moving that I wrote somewhere else on the forum (the link appears below). When I first got Annie Bella (July last year), she planted herself more than walking, I swear. She still plants occasionally, but I have many ways to get her moving. The first thing I recommend, which sometimes stops the planting, is to not slow down just 'cause your boy does, if indeed you ever do that. Walk along with the expectation he'll come along and don't slow or stop, even if he falls back a few feet. Without realizing it, we often pace ourselves to our dog's pace, and it should be the other way around. Try walking him in a circle. Hold him close to your thigh, walk around pressing on his shoulder with that thigh and as you come out, keep on walking. I don't use this any more because my Annie Bella is beyond that but it always worked for me, if not the first circle on the second. Give him a gentle push on a shoulder with your knee or a hand. I don't know about other Greyhounds, but Annie Bella does not like that at all. Talk about giving me stinky eye. The push should be firm enough to make her feet move and that movement starts them walking again. Using two hands, give a gentle, but firm, push on his side. If the push on the shoulder doesn't work with Annie Bella, I do the side push, firm enough so that all four feet have to move, and again, that movement gets her going. The above two pushing/touching moves work the best. Once their feet are unplanted you get going and going quickly. What also works for me, and I tried it out of frustration one time when I was really really really irritated with her, is to stand in front of her, bend down (I bend down so close that often her nose is touching mine), look her straight in the eyes and say with great firmness and aggravation, "Move!" or "Annie come." That always gets her going, because if I've reached that point, she knows I am pissed! Often, especially when we're in the driveway heading to the door, she'll plant, or go slowwwwwwly, and I use my shame-on-you voice, and say something like, "Shame on you Annie Bella. Shame on you," my voice just dripping with disappointment and I tug. It took a few months of bonding before that worked. You can always use treats. I never walk Annie Bella without treats in my pocket. They're good for training, if the opportunity comes up, and they're good to get her going. Gotta toss them, though, so your dog has to move. Once he's moving, you start out at a good pace with expectation in every step that he will follow. The final way to get Annie moving - which I've had to use only twice because she refused to walk through a doorway -- is to hold her collar by the loop on the Martingale, which has her touching my thigh, and walk, tugging on the loop at the same time. The thing is to get their feet moving again so don't be afraid to give that firm push, either on a shoulder or on the entire side. He may not like it but he will soon know that it will be done each time he stops. Annie Bella still occasionally pulls the planting thing and all I have to do is move my hands toward her body and she starts moving. Good luck. I used to feel so foolish on a public street practically begging Annie Bella to move but those days are long gone, thankfully. http://forum.greytal..._1#entry5145374 http://forum.greytal...ng#entry5184756

If it were me, and I thought the heat from the sidewalks was part of the problem, I'd put socks on his feeties. A few year ago I saw for the first time how hot cement or macadam can burn a dog's pads and it was just terrible. I'm thinking also that something like Musher's Secret on his feet would work better for protection.

FYI: Calm K-9 Order. I've been following this subject not because Annie Bella has SA but has anxiety on long car trips. Well, she is anxious every time in the car, but most trips are 30 minutes or less so I don't treat it. It's long trips I treat, and Xanax has never worked very well. I just ordered the Calm K-9 directly from the Dale Edgar web site and paid with PayPal. There was a small glitch in completing the order. It got hung up between the PP page and returning to the Dale Edgar Calm K-9 page. I got it to work by clicking on BACK (upper left in navigation bar) and was able to complete the order. Don't know if it was my machine, PP's server or the retailer's server. The facebook332 coupon code also still works.

He's a very wise old boy and it's scary to think that he may be approaching the end. I'm sorry.

I'd love to have Annie and Luke meet up. She doesn't often see other Greys and I think it's special when she does. As an only-dog, it's good for her socialization. :--) Hope to see you and Luke soon. Marla

I give flea/tick topical on the 1st of month and heart worm on the 15th, but pretty much this is because that's the schedule my girl was on when I adopted her a year ago.

We did meet!! I didn't put 1+1 together when reading. Ohhhhhhhhhh, poor Luke. He is such a sweetie. I remember him leaning and letting me pet and love him up while my girl wanted to play with your BIL's dog (which I didn't let happen much because of my nervousness of Annie Bella getting hurt). As you say, Luke was very much into the attention rather than another Greyhound. LOL The Route 2 place is the only e-vet I'm aware of in the Capital District. Thankfully I haven't had to use it yet. My vet is Albany County Veterinary Hospital. It's not exactly next door to Greenville (but then nothing is). I live right in the middle of the village on Route 32 and it takes me about 35 minutes to get there, going up Route 32 into Delmar and then a few side roads into Guilderland. Here is its web site where you can pick up its address and phone number. http://www.albanycou...vet.com/ The practice was one of only half a dozen my group recommends (adopters from my group have to agree to only use a vet the group recommends with the recommendation based on the Greyhound knowledge of the practice). I like this practice a lot for many reasons and give them a big thumb's up when it comes to caring for my Annie Bella. I don't know if they take off-the-street, so to speak, clients, but a call to them before you need their services explaining your frequent travel up this way would let you know. It might be a good idea to carry copies of Luke's medical records with you in case he ever needs the services. I was down at the Cairo park last evening just to walk in a different, and cooler, place. We didn't go into the dog park because there was a highly-excitable dog in there already, and I just don't trust that type of play. While walking the park, though, we ran into a man who was walking his 3 Greyhound boys!! Well, actually, I saw him from across the parking lot as Annie and I were getting ready to leave, and I practically ran them down trying to get to them! It was exciting for me to see them all together, walking so calmly as most Greys do. Annie Bella, being the only girl, got a lot of attention. :--) I hope Luke's medical issue is well on its way to healing. If you'd like any more info about my vet, you can email me from my profile page. Marla

I just read your posts. I'm so sorry that your boy got bit. I have no advice to give, though I read with interest the concern your vet expressed at the e-vet you went to. I am interested because I live in Greenville, NY (just south of Albany) and am wondering if you went to the e-vet in Latham? That's the only one of which I'm aware. If you ever need a recommendation for a non-emergency vet on a visit up here, send me a message and I'll be glad to pass on the name of the vet to whom I take Annie Bella. The practice is very Grey savvy.

My girl, whom I have had almost a full year, is hesitant in the dark and things that she doesn't look twice at in the daylight make her suspicious in the dark or even twilight when shadows are threatening (those darn flowers!.. LOL). I've always thought that their eyesight, which is so keen and upon which they rely so much, is compromised in the dark and therefore it makes them more careful. Got any pictures of your girl?

It's a lovely picture. As my son would say, "Wow, looks like a regular dog." Sometimes I wish Greyhounds, my Annie Bella in particular, were regular good ole' gals and guys who just jumped in the truck, ran through the woods or on the beach free, and could be let out the back door into a non-fenced yard. But then they wouldn't be Greyhounds, IMO. I know some pups are as yours is: seemingly trustworthy and so relaxed that nothing will grab their interest. I'm sitting here shaking my head, though, and hoping that your Hester always is as close and relaxed as he is now and never takes off. How long has he been in your family?

Definitely wait. Your pup needs to start living at his forever home with just those who are going to be his forever family. You'll want to start the bonding process, get a routine going and get him established at your vet right away without interruption. A less complicated household will also give you the opportunity to find out her signal for going potty, any space issues s/he may have, and closely monitor the interaction between your Husky and your new pup, etc.

http://forum.greytal...ce#entry5073172 There are a lot of comments about the cold and dressing in the above topic. I do not judge by my reaction whether to put a coat on Annie Bella. I get cold in relatively warm temps and wear mittens, at least in the early morning when the air is at its coolest, about 6 months a year. My girl wouldn't need any covering at 40 degrees, unless it was really windy bringing a wind chill to 30 or lower, but I'm wrapped up tight! LOL IMO, you've got to get used to your dog. If she's shivering, she's too cold. If she's panting after a walk, she's too hot.

My girl started eating grass on and off on her first morning P&P (at 6 AM, give or take) about a month ago. It's grass in my back yard so I know it's safe. Sometimes she eats 3 blades and that's it. Sometimes she eats enough to vomit it back up with bile. She might go 3 days and not touch it and then she might chomp every morning 3 days in a row. Feeding her supper an hour later in the evening *and* then giving her a biscuit about 11 PM didn't change whether she ate grass or not. I just figure it's "one of those things." Maybe it's summer time. Maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's the sun rising early in the morning. She's fine in every other respect. She's peeing & pooing & eating well. I'm not worried.

Thanks for the info!! I don't have a big problem with fleas right now, but where there is one, there are 100. I've done the usual cleaning, vacuuming, washing, laundry and she's on Advantix II. I also bought a natural spray today that has a pleasant odor because of the cinnamon in it, but the summer has only begun. I want to have as much in the house to battle the damn things as possible. Again, thanks for the quick input.

I've never heard of it until today when a friend mentioned that she uses it for her dogs to give them immediate relief from fleas. From what I've read via my research on line, it appears to be safe, but we know that not all meds are safe for Greyhounds. Does anybody use it? If so, were there negative side effects?

When I adopted Annie Bella, I was told she would eat her meals only in her crate. Both foster homes told me that she would go all day without food unless the dish was put in her crate. That didn't suit me. The crate was in the TV room and was comfy with blankets. I didn't want the smell of food permeating the blankets and room from spilled kibble, etc. Within 24 hours, she was eating in the kitchen from her bowls and was feeling so much at home that she did not want to use her crate for anything. When I insisted, she would go in it but with extreme reluctance. I figured, though, that crating her when I left was the best thing to do because that's what my group said. Thing is, Annie Bella has never been a destructive, garbage-eating, counter-cruising, cat-chasing dog. She was so good -- and I just knew she was that good -- that 48 hours after I adopted her, I stopped crating her, though I left the crate up for a couple of weeks with the door open. (She avoided it like the plague.) She is an only dog who lives with an only cat. The worst thing she's ever done when left alone was to go on a gathering trip around the house. She likes to hoard socks, my granddaughter's slippers and an occasional t-shirt. This happens very seldom and I consider it my fault for leaving these things out. So like someone else said, I don't believe that crating is necessary if a pup is reliable, i.e., doesn't poop/pee, chew, etc. I've never even used a baby gate because there's no room Annie Bella can't go into if she wants.

Do you have water inside also for Stanis? It was unclear if he whined because he wanted water and it's available only outside in the bucket or if he just prefers to drink from the bucket and it's outside. There should be water available for him all the time both inside and outside (if he spends much time outside). One of the reasons for not letting Stanis off a leash was to ensure he didn't run away. We're all concerned, of course, about fights and skirmishes with other dogs, but a bigger concern is a Grey taking off and not returning. I know you said the beach is surrounded by rocks but he can probably run out the same way you entered with him. Stanis will eventually settle in and become more a dog-like dog. It can take months (6 to 12 sometimes) for a Greyhound to adjust to a real home. In the meantime, make sure you give him lots of attention and affection and he'll probably return it and eventually ask for it. But having said this, my girl is very self-sufficient and I've had her almost a year. She doesn't often seek out affection, but very willingly takes it. She's not one to go crazy wild when I come home. She comes running and wags her tail, but it's not overwhelming. She does like to be on the same floor of the house with me, though, so if I go upstairs, even for 30 seconds, she trots right up behind me and then follows me back down.

Volume and weight are two different types of measurements and can't be compared in relation to how much food to feed.

I hate posts about food. I hate posts about food. I hate posts about food. So why do I read them???? Arggghhhhh!!! I have no freakin' idea!! Maybe 'cause if feels good when I stop?

My girl gets fed twice a day and poos 3 times: First thing in the morning (about 6:30 AM). On our morning walk (about 8:30 AM). And then again on the last walk of the day (about 6 PM). (She of course gets taken out more than these 3 times.) Today she didn't poo on the morning walk which is very unusual. Maybe she's had fewer treats in the past day or two or maybe the cool weather that started yesterday has slowed things down. Her first poo of the day is usually pretty good but by the evening, it's much less firm. As far as panting, Annie Bella pants very very hard after a walk in the heat, and the temp doesn't have to be very high for it to be hot for her. She will pant for upwards of an hour and then breath very heavily for another hour. A cool towel laid on her side/tummy helps her get over it quicker. She also starts out walks with a good spring in her step and, if it's not hot, playful. On the way home, she's slowed down a lot. In the hot weather I walk her about a third less distance than when it's not hot. If the humidity is also high, the walk is cut in half. She can't take the heat.

Stanis is handsome handsome! Love the head hanging off the bed. My girl almost never has her head on her bed. It hangs lower than her body all the time. Food: You'll get a lot of suggestions about food. My suggestion is if he was doing fine on the Proplan -- that is his poos were good, he ate it, etc., -- then don't bother to change. Just sayin'. There are a lot of threads about food on here. I think most of us try to do high-end food. It doesn't always work. Who knows why. I thought I had found the answer to Annie Bella's soft poo by switching to Iams in the Green Bag (not rated highly), which worked for a while. Now I'm on Nutro Venison which worked great for about 10 days and now her poos are deteriorating a little. Oh well... she's not acting sick so she can have deteriorated poos as long as it's not diarrhea.

This breaks my heart. The hounds that no nothing more than their own backyards Why would it break your heart? Many such dogs are healthy, well exercised and, as far as anyone can tell, happy. And my Annie Bella is one of these happy and healthy Greys who leads a rather dull life. She is walked 2-3 times a day because I don't have a fenced yard, but if I did, she would not get walked as often -- what's a fenced yard for anyway? Our walks aren't particularly jazzy because I live in a small rural town and I can go either north or south on the main road when I leave my driveway. Also, Annie Bella does not want to be engaged in play. I have tried over and over since adoption last July to entice her, engage her, tease her, play with her. Nada.. nothing.. nope! Her stuffies look brand new. She only touches them -- occasionally -- the final 30 seconds before we walk out the door to go for a walk or a ride, when her excitement is high. I bought her a Nylabone which she ignored up until the day a friend visited with her dog, who latched onto the Nylabone, at which point Annie Bella walked over and took it away from her. Did she chew it? No. She laid on it and hasn't looked at it since. I have tried training. She pretty much wants nothing to do with it. Clicker training has not worked because she is not food motivated. If Annie Bella doesn't want to do anything, she turns her head and stares at the wall. No amount of tempting food will change her mind if she doesn't want to be bothered. I can toss her a treat and if I'm off target, and the treat is out of tongue range, it will lie there until the next time she moves. She doesn't get off her bed when people come to the door. A knock at the door might bring her head up, but then again, it might not. She did come to the window this evening when I called her to show her 3 deer on the terrace. Her response? She returned to her bed, gave a huge sigh (why did you bother me, mom) and laid down. She is totally into retirement. I love her calm demeanor and because of it she is welcome everywhere we go, but sometimes I wish there was a little spark there.

I've heard of another cooling pad (I think it was mentioned somewhere else in the forum) that doesn't require being wet. There's a substance inside that when compressed by the weight of a dog becomes cool. I was going to buy one a couple of weeks ago but no pet store in the area had one. I'll have to revisit this idea.