KickReturn

Some good ideas above but I don't understand how you can even begin this conversation without addressing the walking issue. An inquiry was made in the first response and you have given no indication of how much you are walking Nancy. What is the point of exploring all these creative "solutions" if it turns out the dog is simply frustrated due to lack of physical and psychological exercise.

As for the peeing and pooing issue, you don't mention about taking her for walks. If you are just turning her out in the yard than she is probably just finding her rythym. After all it has just been a day and this should sort itself out. However if you can build her up to a solid walking routine all your issues will be resolved. Congratulations on no accidents. The food amount of course depends on the type of food but two cups per day is a good start. Exercise level is crucial as well. A super active dog can eat double what a sloth of the same size might need. Eyeball her over the next couple of months and increase or decrease according to how you want her to look. I like my dogs slim. I won't comment on the pack dynamics other than to say that if you can have the pack go for good walks together it will probably help the bonding.

Cute idea but than who gets the car back home? And to make it worth while we're talking about a few kilometres.

I am off dog walking for about 10 days due to recent knee surgery. The problem is my boy Hester refuses to walk with other members of the family. He will go out just long enough to do his business and than turn toward home. No amount of urging or treats will get him to change his mind. My wife and children are reluctant to be to forceful with the leash as we prefer to always be gentle with such an angel of a dog. They say they have tried pulling a bit but he really plants and looks very sad. Everyone else in the family feeds him, pets him, treats him nearly as much as I do. I am touched by the bond and his devotion to me but this is ridiculous. I know it's only 10 days, but for a dog used to 3 hours walking minimum per day, I don't think he'll be too happy. I am also worried about the deeper implications of him being so stuck on one person. He gets a ton of love from all four of us, I just wish he would spread his around a little more. He hasn't budged from my side since I came back from the hospital, sniffs my leg every once in a while. Maybe this just comes from being a bounce and knowing the pain of multiple separations. I get the impression that he feels safe from all his past pain and loneliness as long as he is with me and me alone. The definition of a velcro dog. If anyone has any tips I'll take 'em. Thanks.

The last walk of the day can happen at 8 or 8:30 if you are the early to bed sort. Forgive my preaching but I strongly advise you to include a significantly longer walk in your routine. It does not apply to all dogs but most benefit from significantly more walking than you are providing. In your case there's a good chance doing so will solve you current problem. A young healthy dog will love a one-and-a-half or two hour walk as part of his daily routine. Such activity transforms the animal physically and emotionally. (Sniffing around the yard doesn't count.) Wish I had a blue - can we see some pictures?

No one likes to hear it but what about a longer walk after 9:00 PM. We give our boy at least a 40 minute walk every evening before bed. Never had a problem. It's the only way for a dog to truly empty himself.

I have to use pre-made. I need something he will eat in a bowl. I can't send him out when the weather is bad and I can't have him carrying a half a chicken around the house. The pre-made I use (Mountain Dog Food) seems of good quality and is about $2.50 per lb. My boy needs about three lbs per day due to his high activity level. He gets one pound for breakfast, and another at dinner. He also gets a very large Turkey neck mid-day and a can of fish or beef chunks dumped on his dinner. Adds up to about three pounds and costs me about $7 to $8 per day. I figure I could cut that number in half if I did my own butchering and bought a spare freezer. Food is expensive in this part of Canada. Worth it to me though, I can't get over how fabulous my broken down ex-racer looks.

My approach has always been to allow my boy to express himself. If he growls I will move away. I like knowing how he is feeling. I don't want to inhibit his communication with me in any way. He has generally magnificent behaviour and is cooperative at all other times. So if he is down and wants some peace why should I mess with him? Works for us. Maybe it's different with a puppy or a dog with other issues.

I think for his safety (and your pocket book) you have to muzzle. I know some dogs, that even as seniors, always had to be muzzled when left alone. They were clever dogs that just loved to occupy themselves with mischief. Muzzle is better than crate IMO.

A little trembling after anaerobic effort is normal. Most important - based on your description it sounds like you have an absolutely wonderful dog. We would love to see some photos of her in action in the field. Take your camera next time.

I buy them by the 30 lb case. My boy gets one everyday. If they are huge he get's half. Only thing that gets him to jump in the air.

The best I can recommend it lots of long walks together. Is there a forest you can visit? Or a trail system near you? Being in a dog park or sniffing around the yard doesn't count. The long walks with you will stimulate her and make her feel she is a part of a pack (of two). It will contribute to the bonding process more than anything else you can do IMO. Please remember that if she has not been walked a great deal then it will take some time to build up her endurance.

We have to accept that some Greyhounds just do not like chasing balls or putting them in their mouth. My boy has had plenty of opportunity, witnessed many dogs retrieving and playing with balls many times, and yet he would never even consider it. He loves chasing the dogs that are chasing the balls but that's where it ends. His Greyhound girlfriend on the other hand once swam out into the ocean to fetch a ball that a pack of Golden Retrievers had given up on - blew everyone's mind. I have given up on training (other than recall) and stimulation will have to come from our constant adventures together.

Noteworthy that the article above makes no mention of the difference in fecal output between raw and processed. Surely massive amounts of soft or loose feces is a sign of a less than ideal health in a dog (as it would be in a human). And no mention of benefit to teeth? The problems cited seem to relate to mismanaged raw diets. That article really smacks of a one sided slam against raw diets, not an objective analysis. Something smells fishy. Count me skeptical of the skeptic! My boy did well on both but with raw it is actually possible to pick up after him. With kibble, no way. Below is just a small sample of the problem.

Thanks everyone. I am glad to hear we are on the right track. The four to five bowel movements per day is indeed impressive. I don't think I am over feeding. He gets one pound at breakfast and another pound at dinner. With the added Turkey neck, fish, and eggs, it adds up to about 2.5 to 2.75 lbs per day. I am not worried about his weight. He is looking lean an cut. He weighs just under 90 lbs with some ribs showing. His lean physique and active bowel may be the result of his level of exercise which is very high. Three to four hours of walking daily plus running when he feels like it - about twice a week. Anyway he loves his raw diet and we would never go back. Sometimes I do throw in some raw beef from the grocery store if he is having a particularely busy week. The only other thing we add is Kelp and Coconut oil.

My boy is now happily on raw (Mountain Dog Food, http://www.mountaindogfood.com/). He is eating the Turkey, fruit and veg mix (without added bone). On our morning walk his first bowel movement of the day is literally dry and crumbly. The second is hard like cold plasticene and the third is "normal". He will have a fourth bowel movement that is normal during either his afternoon or evening walk. He seems to have no discomfort and is very regular. His extras include a raw egg, a can of Sardines or Tuna, plus about half a pound of Turkey neck every day. Question - should I be concerned about the dry and crumbly for his first deuce of the day or is this OK? FWIW he looks fabulous and has great energy.

Feisty49 - wow 220 years old in NY. Can you post a photo? (Sorry - off topic but sounds neat.)

Nothing is strange here. He is bonding with you and now it is more important for him to be with you. My boy simply cannot tolerate me out of his sight if I am in the house. He would go through a wall if he had to. But if I leave he is fine with the run of the house. He finds his favorite bed and snoozes until I return.

It doesn't count unless we get to see some photos . Congratulations.

My boy is completely respectful of me and desperately in love with me - an extreme velcro dog. However he will on rare occasion growl at me. It is just his way of communicating that he wants to be left alone. (This has only occured when he is on his bed. He had never attempted to get on my bed or any other furniture.) It is a good thing that your dog is able to communicate his feelings. Don't be the slightest bit afraid, just work at understanding him and encouraging preferred behaviour. Also remember that it has only been 6 months. Things can certainly improve for more than a year with some dogs.

Hello All, My boy has sucessfully made the switch to a complete raw diet. However he will have to spend a week with another family and I am not sure they will be able to handle the raw feeding. He was always OK on kibble. Is there anything to be concerned about switching back to kibble for a week? Thanks.

Of course any dog would rather not have its nails done and if they feel free to protest or get up and walk away they will. People will chime in with peanut butter/muzzle tricks which I'm sure work, but what has worked for me is to leash my boy to a door handle so he can't move. Once he realized that he could not walk away, he simply conceded and endured the process without complaint. He now happily lies still without any restraint and allows me to dremel away. If he puts up any resistance I just have someone rub his tummy while I dremel and he is fine. Always dremel, never ever clippers. For those of you without a dremel, get one, install the quarter inch sanding wheel and get to work. Super easy, anyone can do it and you can't hurt the dog if you use common sense. Quick, short strokes to keep the nail from getting hot. Check YouTube for a how to video.

I highly recommend going on as many long walks as possible with your dog. And by long walk I mean two hours. It may take time to build up to it but most dogs can do it. If you can't do two hours at once than an hour at least twice per day can work. It is easy to overlook how depressed some of these dogs can be and the walking really helps. Wandering around the back yard doesn't count. The sniffing, physical exercise and ultimate fitness helps the mood. It also really helps the bonding process. In the case of my boy it has resulted in him becoming my "partner" and very affectionate toward me and he was extremely meloncholy and detached in the beginning. Good luck, it will work out.

You are all very lucky. I wish my boy would grab me with his mouth or make a little more contact. It is wonderful your dogs have the confidence to express their affection in such an overt way. My boy is just too darn polite and "careful" with the humans to ever do that. He goes through all the motions but always just short of contact. The best we get is tap on the leg with the snout, and the occasional lean. However he will grap my leg with a paw when he's down and wants a belly rub.

The cost is silly. Over $40 for a bag of 12 patties so $3.40 per patty and he eats 4 per day = $13.40. 365 days and you have a grand total of $4964. It's a shame because he loves it and after 3 day I can see a big difference in his fecal output. Two small perfectly formed poops per day and compared to multiple massive log piles followed by a mudslides that were impossible to clean up. I think I will have to make more effort for him and make sure he gets 100% raw but at a lower price. Just worried about getting the right balance of nutrients. The science behind the Natures Variety is impressive. Yes Brianamac, it is really paradise here. I pinch myself every morning to make sure it's real.