KickReturn

When a dog is coming at a run I have had success by dropping to one knee and turning sideways with the treat in my hand. I look at the dog and then down at the treat. I didn't learn this anywhere, it just seems instinctive. If your dog escapes out in spacem, once he starts to run he will want to finish his zoomies. Better just to wander after him in those situations and slip a collar on when you catch up. If cars are a danger, well then you have to call and hope. Sounds like a fun dog you have.

To what others have stated I will just add my usual: please do not crate a Grey that fights to get out of the crate. Teeth can be permanently damaged or destroyed and other serious injuries can result. For some Greys being in a crate alone is an absolute horror. Another solution must be found. Also many Greys also must be able to sleep where they can see you.

Hester is a big time kicker/ground scraper. But he never makes contact with his poo. Instead he moves forward and buries it with an avalanche of debris. The guy can easily tear up a garden. He will also do the same thing with a pee or nothing at all if another male dog is in the vicinity. The exception is when the surface isn't right - he is very careful with his feet it seems. Occasionally he will leap and spin when he is finished. Sometimes the whole display is accompanied by horse like snorting. I always laugh but to him it's serious business. Interestingly Hester will almost never step in poo - his own or that of other dogs, no matter how complex the footwork required. And he never seems to look at it. It's like a sixth sense - just knows where the poo is. What a talent, our carpets are grateful. All this from a dog that is still clumsy on stairs, etc. We also get serious doggy brakes. We call it dropping anchor. If we attempt a direction that is not in Hester's plans he will throw out the anchor. And the saddest doggy face you can imaginge. I can bribe with treats but the real solution is to run. If I run he will follow. Fortunately this only happens on leash so just certain night walks in the winter. Off leash he just follows.

This is unfortunate. I am sorry you had this experience. But several times? In 3 weeks? Maybe rethink your approach. Look up basic leash technique - there is lots of good info. Your girl really needs to get off to a good start and it is important for her to trust the leash and the person on the other end. A leash should only be associated with good things. If the leash should somehow get really tangled, reach over and very calmly take hold of Rose's collar and drop the leash. When she is relaxed just unthread the leash from her legs. Finish with a tummy rub and some treats.

Like most others here, to me the evidence suggests NO CRATE for this one. And (as I usually do) I will ask how much exercise does this dog get before it is left alone? I bet an hour or two of intense hiking (if she is in shape) would go a long way to settling this little angle down. Certainly worth a try. This is afterall a very young dog.

I follow the school of thought that if sitting is not comfortable or natural for a Greyhound, why would one ever ask for such behaviour? I taught my Grey to sit when he arrived. He learned immediately, but the next day when I asked for a sit he cried - that was the end of that. I wish I knew about him then what I know now. If you need control, then teach down into a sphynx. They run, they roach, they sleep, they do lots of amazing things. Surely they can get by without sitting.

I second not using the muzzle. Sorry to hear about Harvey's injuries. I hope he has a speedy recovery with no lasting effects. Sounds like so many of our Greys are such passive creatures. I guess if they are, we owners need to be ready to fight off the attackers ourselves. All of these attacks seem to happen with the Grey on a leash. I wonder if that is a factor. My Hester has only ever been attacked to the point of contact when he was on a leash. There have been multiple attempts since but he has always been off leash and frightens the other dogs off before contact can occur. But he is not a passive Greyhound. He is, in the jargon of the day, "the one who knocks".

Lygracilux, it sounds you have a real winner in Fusion. I too have been blessed with the "perfect" Greyhound. Sensitive, well mannered, no accidents. Seemingly perfect in every way (even off leash but that is another story). Your first few days sound like mine. My boy was at the track for a long time, happy in his crate I assume. But from day one in my home the crate was an absolute no go. I would get rid of the crate! Also expect that he will prefer to sleep in your room. Make sure there is a comfy bed there. (In fact make sure there is a good bed in every room lol.) It has been three years now and my greatest pride is I live with a Greyhound who has never heard a raised voice, never heard the word NO. Some of these dogs are just that good. My advice - count your blessings and take the lead from the dog. If you watch closely, he will let you know what is best for him. Try not to force anything. Such an approach is not for everyone or for the vast majority of dogs but it can work for the rare few. My only regret was not knowing such an approach was an option from the beginning. Be cautious, protect him and the cat, but "listen" to what he "says".

To the advice already given, I would add that it is important to keep in mind that this dog doesn't know you or trust you yet. Please be very patient, and keep it positive. Avoid forcing anything if you can. Avoid raising your voice. Many Greys are very sensitive and this can set back or stop the bonding process. In time she will know exactly what you want and be happy to please you. FWIW my dog refuses to pee or poop in our yard. So we walk three times per day - morning, after work, and before bed. Dog and people are all in great shape as a result. As to bonding and relaxing the dog, IMO the very best think you can do it go for long walks - particularely before you leave it alone. If you can find a quiet forest trail where the two of you can wander all the better. A tired dog is less likely to be upset when left alone. Finally if the dog freaks out when left alone in the crate - don't do it!!! Damaged teeth are forever.

Be open minded to the possibility that your dog's character (probably driven by genetics) may not be disposed to playing with other dogs. My Hester is an extreme example, he simply will not play with other dogs. It would appear that to him life is serious business. In some cases he will force other dogs to retreat that do not conform to his rules about greetings. Younger males tend to get the worst of it. And yes he will toss a stuffy around now and then.

Shut your dog out of the room when you are not home. Assuming there are other comfy places in the house I can't imagine why it would be a problem. My guy has his night den (my room with me) and his day dens (a bed in every other room). This should be an easy adjustment.

Sounds like you can tell whether or not your dog is getting enough exercise and stimulation. While you can only do what you can do, and you definitely have some challenges, there is a reason your intuition tells you more would be better. Your dog is certainly not suffering but he's young and IMO would probably enjoy more activity. Maybe you can have some big adventures on the weekends. You're in Denver where I assume there are some terrific hiking and other recreational activities that a young greyhound would love. I know some Greys that seem quite happy just lying around and getting a minimum of exercise but they seem that much happier when they spend a few days with me hiking and exploring up to 4 hours per day. (Sometimes it has to be dawn and dusk to avoid the heat of the day.)

Yes, full rectal exam (again not Hester's favourite way to spend an afternoon), everything felt normal. No infusion with antibiotic ointment but I'll ask about that on our follow up visit. Another unfortunate side effect is that he licked the underside of his tail near his anus raw.

How kind - thank you. Hester has had many fine adventures. I definitely owe the forum a few. One highlight was an overnight stay in a casino hotel and dinner in a house full of strangers whom he charmed the pants off of. And then there was the one with the rabbit that wouldn't run away....

I noticed a spot of fresh blood on Hester's poop. The vet expressed the anal glands and the right side produced a fair bit (>teaspoon, <tablespoon) of fresh blood. She felt no inordinate swelling or mass/tumor. We are treating with antibiotics working on the assumption that it is an infection. The vet commented that she was surprised to see that amount of blood. The rest of Hester's health seems better than ever. Energy, mood, appetite, etc. Does anyone have any experience with this problem. The one thing that has me curious was whether an infection could result in this type of bleeding. The vet felt this was unusual. Maybe this is a Grey thing - they are bleeders afterall. He was not amused with the procedure however:

Lillypad you are in the Kingston area - what about down by Picton/Prince Edward County. Maybe some of those beaches are safe.

FijiHound that is incredible. Great beach, great dog. There are two risk elements to this, a dog that will simply run away from the owner and get lost, and a situation where a dog gets hit by a car. If you have a dog that you remotely suspect might leave you and not come back, it should never be let off leash - period (unless there is a fence). As for getting hit by a car, that can be avoided if you choose your off leash places wisely.

Being raised from puppyhood in a home, in a city might improve the odds. But not so in the case of my Hester. He was not a pet until he was six years old. Raced very hard for 3 years, a determined chaser and still a competitive, energetic dog. He continues to run hard at least twice a week. But he is "sensible" and only runs where there is space and the surface is to his liking. Again I think it comes down to the character of the individual dog more than any other factor.

I never really understood why this is a contentious issue. Common sense should prevail. If you can't trust your dog don't do it. If you can trust your dog only do it where it is safe. And finally no matter what you, your dog, or the situation is like, do not for a minute believe that there is no chance that your dog could be injured or killed. There is always a risk. This would apply to any breed, the difference being that the percentage of Greys that could be trusted is pretty small compared to some other breeds. A couple of questions for Grey owners who are considering the off leash thing: can you call your Grey out of a full rush after a squirrel, rabbit or other dog? Does your Grey get anxious if they cannot see you? If you cannot answer yes to these questions, better to stick to a fenced area. Not sure if the OP has seen some of my earlier posts related to this topic but there are some Greys that perform off leash no differently than any other breed of a sensible disposition. I no longer use a leash, haven't done so for over a year. The exception is if we are out when it is dark or in a area with traffic. My feeling is that much of this comes down to the dog and the nature of the relationship with its person. If I actually knew how to train a dog I would attribute the behaviour below to my "amazing skills". The reality here is its just the dog and what seems to make him feel best. My experience with Greys is limited to a couple of dozen examples so perhaps my dog's behaviour is an extreme outlier. and recall (he's trotting to his second favourite person who is holding the camera):

At first I just picked my Grey up and tossed him in because jumping seemed out of the question. But eventually (after about a year) he was motivated by food. He still loves when I pick him up though - makes a happy grunting noise, but at 90+ pounds he doesn't get lifted if I can avoid it. I never ask our Grey to jump in from a paved surface - only something soft where he can get a grip like packed dirt, turf, etc. Same for jumping out. If we are parked on concrete or something similar I load and unload from the rear passenger doors where the step up is much lower. My truck's rear tailgate is very high and I want to avoid injuries. I also try to park facing downhill. This does make the entry easier.

Yes, you don't indicate how much exercise Rocket is getting. If he is thoroughly tired out and still tearing the place apart you have a challenge. Indeed have lots of appropriate chewables available but it you are not walking him enough than chances are you will not get to the root of the problem. Strapping a muzzle on might save your house but the dog will be very frustrated. If he is a young dog or a higher energy dog than the couch potato cliché does not apply. The often promoted two 20 minute walks per day is a fraction of what many Greyhounds need to be fully content.

Hester and I have been charged by small dogs literally hundreds of times over the last two and a half years. Until I learned that he was a master at de-escalating such events, I found the most effective strategy was to charge as fast and aggressively as I could straight at the offender with Hester in tow. Strange and counter intuitive, but the look on a little yappers face when he sees me and the big fellow coming full steam is priceless. Every single dog we did this to skidded to a stop and beat a hasty retreat. One Schnauzer fell when trying to reverse direction and skinned his little bum. YMMV

Sounds like you dog is pretty great. Maybe he doesn't need any training. Done right raining is good but if he is bored show him something. Not inside but outside. I am a big fan of going on adventures with my Grey. They learn to love the changing scenery and become very inquisitive. The stimulation of all that they see and everyone they meet/sniff and the exercise combine to give a very content animal. Also the best way to bond I can think of. Also IIRC you have only had this fellow since January. A blink of an eye. He may be a bit depressed and subdued as a result. A year from now you may have a very different dog. You may end up with that snuggler you crave. I am at two and half years and the bond is still growing. Space aggression - please don't discourage him when growls at you. It's a good thing. Just move away. Even though he no longer objects to it, I still do not stand over my Grey out of respect.

I wouldn't be to concerned about mounting. Just part of dog behaviour. Some are into it, some aren't. And I don't think it is so bad for a dog to get mounted, although it does seem to upset the OP's dog which is unfortunate. Maybe as she builds confidence it won't bother her as much or she will learn to speak up for herself. But there is definitely something to the idea that some dogs being more desireable targets and its not always females. I walk with a number of Greyhounds on a regular basis and if there is ever any mounting attempts they will alway be on my Hester - an oversized male. All others are ignored. Strange dogs will follow him obsessively, lick his privates, and than try to "climb aboard". Submissiveness does not seem to have anything to do with it. Hester either ignores other dogs or exhibits very assertive dominant type behaviours - he simply does not back down until the other dog shows some calming signals. In fact the dogs that do attempt to mount Hester only get the opportunity because they have shown some submission or calming signals first. Otherwise all they will get is the front end, usually with teeth showing. The interesting part is that when he was new to us, the dogs that tried to mount him were met with a terrifying display of teeth and growling that didn't stop until they fully retreated. But over the last two years it bothers him less and less and now he simply offers a half hearted growl to the offender which usually gets the message accross. He doesn't even bother with small dogs who on several occasions have successfully mounted either of his lower rear legs, somewhere around the hock. He'll just keep walking, dragging the little fellows along. There is even a 14 year old Lab with arthritis that is too weak to mount Hester but contents himself with standing beside Hester and air humping. While the OP's situation seems to require intervention, I have never intervened. I leave to Hester to detemine what is appropriate and what is not. He seems to know so much more about dogs than I do.

No on the spray bottle for me. Never. You didn't say how long you walked him for when you got home. Without knowing this it is hard to eliminate lack of opportunity as a cause. If you can eliminate the cause of the problem you will reduce the burden on the training part of things.