KickReturn

Yup to much of the above. Koopa should be on a dog bed in your room with you during the night. Close your door or gate the opening. If she whines offer her a quick turnout. She should sleep through the night in no time. At some point she will certainly be able to handle having the run of the house during the day. Build up to it by starting with a room or two with areas of concern blocked off. Then expand room by room to include the rest of the house. If Koopa does have an accident it not a big deal. Just clean it up with Natures Miracle and continue to praise her when she does her business outside. Eventually she will view the entire house as her kennel and will certainly not want to do her business in it. All of this assumes that Koopa gets a really good walk before bed. If not then I am not sure how useful my advice is. Never tried it without a good walk. Biggest mistake I ever made with a dog was following the advice to crate at night or when I left the dog alone. As greyhound owners we should be aware that some dogs should never be crated. If the dog goes into any sort of distress in a crate, other options should be tried.

This is quite a hilarious thread. What we go through... My boy Archer (85 pounds of ridiculous muscle) who could easily go over a 5 foot barrier, once completely spazzed out while trying jump into the back of my very high SUV. He seemed to forget his hind quarters and landed his torso right on the bumper. After that no jumping in or out (which was a great safety feature when unloading). At first I just scooped his whole body up and gently placed him on the bed in the back of the truck. The problem was that he absolutely loved it when I held him like that. When I tried to transition to placing his front feet up and then just hoisting his rear end, he responded by refusing to get close the vehicle. He would stand some distance away so that he would have to be carried like a baby by his daddy. What a character.

Do you have a friend with a large, easygoing, male greyhound? If so take the two dogs for a long walk together. If you can do it frequently this should help. Then take the two together to more challenging situations. The right greyhound, particularly a calm, sensitive alpha male can work wonders in these situations. It also helps if you are calm and fearless in these situations as well. Take a moment to check your own feelings the next time this happens. I recall a situation with a traumatized female greyhound that had been rescued from somewhere in Asia. She had been living on the street and fending for herself for an extended period of time. Judging by her scars she had been attacked many times by other dogs. At her first greyhound gathering she would absolutely freak out whenever another greyhound approached - she would shriek and lunge and snap at any dog that came near. I took the liberty of sending over my big, confident fellow and she just let out a sigh and completely relaxed. A polite greeting was exchanged and not a peep the rest of the gathering. Maybe your Shenzi just needs the right buddy to show her everything is OK.

I'll just second NeylasMom, you've got a dog with a low bite inhibition. Precautions will have to be taken - mainly, don't ever touch his feet. Hopefully it is a one off event but wow - no pulling the foot away, no growl, no attempt to get up and walk away - that's what is scary. I am so sorry you have had this happen, but please don't let this get you down. It sounds like this is very manageable. My Archer would bite the arm that was holding the leash when he saw deer as part of his attempt to get free (clever, clever dog), but even out of his mind in hunting mode, he was still inhibited enough so as not to do damage.To get a hard bite in the situation you describe is scary.

Sorry I don't know the full story, but what I do every night because I am always afraid my dog will disturb me, is to walk the crap out him before bed. We usually do 45 minutes to an hour of vigorous marching around the neighborhood. My theory is he will be relaxed and tired and therefore will not fret. Good for the dog, good for you, etc. If you have already tried this then you have my complete sympathy and apologies that I have no other suggestions.

4 poops in the crate. That means your boy is probably having a complete meltdown when you are gone. He's not just snoozing, then waking up to have a dump, and then going back to sleep. Have you filmed him while you are away? I bet you would see a dog completely losing his mind in a terrible panic. My strong advice - no crates for this one! One day he might break all his teeth trying to get out, or worse. Find another solution, any other solution. Don't confuse 20 dogs at the track all crated up beside one another with your dog by himself in an empty house in a cage. And yes to proper alone training - that is a given. The only serious error I have ever made with a dog was using a crate for a dog that had no business in one. I still regret it to this day. Learn from my mistake.

Update. I have been using the Surefit Harness in combination with the Gentle Leader halti. The harness allows me to control the direction and position of Archer so that I can properly use the Gentle Leader to give correction and reward. We have just started this combination, and while Archer's behaviour hasn't yet changed, my control is better. I tried with just the Gentle Leader and Archer would constantly adjust his body to any corrective action I took. I could turn his head in the direction I wanted but the rest of him would still go toward the prey. I would end up holding the leash, with him pulling backward toward the prey. This defeats the purpose of the Gentle Leader. But by using the harness to force his body to remain by my side and pointed in the direction we were walking, I could use the halti to bring his head off of the prey and then reward with a release of tension. This works as far as avoiding a wrestling match with the dog, but it still takes tremendous strength on the harness hand (and of course a delicate and deft touch with the halti leash). I also did some experiments with high value treats. Zero success. Archer will refuse treats as soon as he arrives at a location where he has seen prey in the past, even if there is no prey present or any fresh scent of them, He remembers perfectly every place where he has either seen or smelled prey and goes into hunting mode as he approaches these areas.

Some points: A greyhound can never be tied up unattended with any length of line. Long line leash - if you have all the line out and the greyhound suddenly sprints toward and then past you at 70 km/h will you be able to to stop it without breaking it's neck before it gets to the end of the line? Or will you just let go of the line? Those might be your only two choices. Neither is good Electric collars - I have no first hand experience but I would expect that with superior training and the right dog they could be useful. The problem is if the greyhound in question has some prey drive they may run through any distraction. My greyhound does not feel pain when he sees game. IMO the most important consideration in the situation you describe is the true nature or your Greyhound. Will it ignore prey? Squirrels, rabbits, deer? If not I would strongly recommend against any free roaming. On the other hand if your grey will always return to you/your home, not because you called but rather because that is its preference, then free roaming is entirely possible and something I would encourage. Maybe you will have to fence a smaller portion of your property for the dog.

The scent part is the big challenge. Every lawn, and I mean every single one has rabbit and deer droppings on it. Deer pass on both sides of my house every day. The scent is omnipresent. This morning we turned into my driveway at the end of our walk to come face to face with four deer - maybe 15 or 20 feet away. Archer froze, the doe walked toward us for a greeting thinking it was Hester, and then reared up at about the 10 foot mark and ran off with the two yearlings and a fawn. Archer did OK mostly because I used the harness to keep his front feet off the ground. It would be some impressive training that would prevent a dog from reacting to this type of situation. This is a typical encounter in my neighborhood that will happen multiple times per day.

Brandiandwe no need to apologize. I too find it funny. There is the other side, Archer is very affectionate. He'll rub back and forth against your legs like a cat. He loves all contact with people. I can climb into his bed and he'll roach immediately for a better belly rub. After a year Hester would still growl at me if I didn't show proper deference to him. Archer also has impeccable behavior in the house, sleeps silently, nothing startles him, etc. etc. Almost the perfect dog. Almost.

Thanks MnMDogs. That's basically what I have tried. The gentle leader is an option I will consider. What's interesting is that it's not a pulling issue. Once I stop moving, Archer doesn't pull. instead he leaps into the air, spins, etc. trying to get free. He's smart, he try to go backward if he thinks he can get free. The most frustrating part is that Archer is an absolute dream on a leash when there is nothing to chase.

I basically did just that but it was still too late. I'd have to keep a constant stream of steak going in from the moment we leave the house and I bet once he spotted a deer it wouldn't matter. Once he is on the scent, he lights up and that is the end of Archer as we know him.

Went with a harness. Safer, less pulling in general but when he sees deer he still goes berserk. massive repeated leaps in the air, yelping, spinning, the full show. Stuffed a piece of grilled steak in his mouth, he just let it fall out. We're hoping for mellowing with maturity. He's not even two. We should be OK in about 10 years.

I didn't read all the responses so sorry if I am redundant but IMO you and your dog are not ready yet. To early. I have extensive experience with Greys off leash, as many as three at a time, including a spook. The key is the dog's behaviour. Is the dog's highest priority to be with you? If the answer is no then I would never let the dog off leash outside of a secure fence. In your case the dog park is not a good idea. It sounds like your dog is giving of the victim vibe. She could get picked on and it could be a disaster. On the other hand, the one thing I notice with some spooks is that the bond very closely to their person. If this applies to you than you may find, many months from now, perhaps years, that in the right place, fenced or not, perhaps a football field, or a park away from heavy traffic, that you could let the dog run. But you have to be confident that even if a rabbit appears, the dog would rather be with you than chase the rabbit. That is a big ask for many Greyhounds.

Hester had a deal with the rabbits. He would protect them from owls, cougars, and other dogs in exchange for them providing him with a steady supply of their delicious feces. The new guy, a different deal. He can't be bought off.

A bit of a setback tonight. While he had seen deer before, he hadn't seen them run. Tonight a young deer startled and ran. Wow. I had to choke him with the martingale to get him to stop thrashing. Got home and adjusted the harness to fit him. I will use the leash and martingale also. We'll see how that goes. Now if I were a deer hunter, I wouldn't need a gun. Just a couple of these dogs...

Excellent information - thanks all. Archer is starting to get my vibe. I still can't get his eyes off the rabbits but he is not straining toward them as much. He pulls moderately at the beginning of walks regardless of wildlife but settles after about 20 minutes. I got him into an enclosed field today and he chased a ball pretty hard. He definitely needs an outlet. I actually have what I think is called a Velvet Harness but the design is identical to the no-pull, multiple clip locations. If we don't continue to improve the harness will come out.

Thanks Diane, that is good to hear. I am firm with Archer so he knows the chase is not going to happen. I just hate "manhandling" a dog for any reason but I guess it is for his own good. He is not food motivated at all so I am limited to physical interventions. I am a bit afraid to let anyone smaller than me walk him though. He is crazy strong. I think I need to teach the command "leave it". My wife made a very good point: that is that the dog is being punished for simply expressing his genetic true self. That's what makes it hard. It is a very good argument that high prey dogs should live in an environment where they can hunt if they want to. Unfortunately I won't be buying an estate in the Scottish highlands anytime soon.

The level of firmness you take with your dog depends on your dog and your situation. Everyone needs to get along in your house so decide on behaviour boundaries and do only the minimum discipline to get compliance. The dog will mostly want to do what you want it to do, so no real need to dominate. My philosophy with greyhounds is gentle calm leadership. No raised voices. And there is nothing wrong with allowing a dog to lead depending on the situation. Shouldn't a dog have an opportunity to make some decisions for itself? Where to go? What to sniff? The animal will not turn into an unruly beast just because it gets a little taste of freedom. If you live in a location where you have multiple routes to walk, why no let the dog decide which route? Your not there yet but keep this option open. Most dogs should be able to sense from you when it is OK for them to lead and when you want them disciplined and right by your side in a perfect heel. Takes time but is doable (again, depending on the dog).

Thanks, but I am an ordinary person who happened to adopt a most unusual Greyhound (my previous). Search any posts with the name "Hester" in the title or body and you will see what I mean.

Went to a forest this morning where there are no rabbits. He was a different dog. The greetings with other dogs also went very well. But wow what a difference compared to Hester. Hester had the law laid down before approaching dogs were within 30 feet. This guy just wants to party. Does not control the other dogs in the slightest.

This is very reassuring and I sincerely hope this is my experience. Tonight Archer was keen to go for his evening walk because he knew he would be going "hunting". His head was on a swivel. And the rabbits were out in force. He would "turn off" when he did stop to sniff and pee, but then right back at it. I had salami and roast chicken in my pocket and used it. A few times I could get his mind on me but only briefly. There is hope. He's young, he doesn't know me, and he is in a new world. I will be very patient. On a brighter note, I had Hester's gal pal visit and she taught him the stairs. She just left and he is sitting in our living room with an erection, crying. The whole thing is a bit hilarious.

Hello All, As posted in introduction, I am back in the game. 24 hours after Hester's passing I received a "tap on the shoulder". I am now in possession of Archer, a 19 month old, large male. He is small dog friendly, cat friendly, playful, happy, sweet, gentle. A dream in the house, a silent sleeper, decent eater. An overall easy dog. BUT and it's a big but, he gets excited when he sees deer, and he absolutely goes berserk when he sees rabbits. Problem is I live in a neighborhood where the amount of wildlife is beyond belief. Last night we encountered twenty rabbits and 8 deer in one hour. That is typical. While Archer is still unsure about the deer, the reaction to the rabbits is the full deal: bucking, leaping, trying to pull out of the collar. My tactic has been to shorten right up onto the martingale with my grip so that it is completely tight, and just keep walking. Even thought he tries to thrash and get after the rabbits, I give him absolutely no leeway and just march on. I am very fit and strong and even though he is a beast of a Greyhound, I can completely control him if I want to. After about 20 steps he gives up and returns to somewhat normal walking although he spends a good deal of the walk in super alert hunting mode. I have tried distraction/redirection techniques but there is zero response. The Cesar Milan technique of giving a little pinch on the hip or shoulder does help a little to break his focus. Please provide suggestions for various tactics and handling techniques. He has only been here a day. and we have only been on two walks. so I am hoping that he will settle as time passes - but wow. I also feel terrible for having to be firm about something that is a part of his very essence. I prefer a gentle approach but will do whatever it takes to help him. I am not worried about him escaping from the collar and would like to avoid using a harness unless it changes his reaction for some reason. A few photos if you missed his intro:

Didn't take long lol. A coincidental thing, but also an opportunity that I could not let pass. Meet Archer (as in archery, Sterling Archer, etc.) Less than two years old, mysterious origins. Surrended to our agency intact with no info, no tatoo, nothing. As good as he looks here, these photos don't do him justice. Lighting was difficult. Another big boy, not Hester big, but close.

Conner has a strange idea of how to manage greeting other dogs. I agree with the term "test chomp". If Conner was trying to do real damage he would have done so by now. He is clearly holding back. More of a nip it sounds like. It has been three years and unfortunately I don't think Connor will change this behavior. If it was my dog I would have a muzzle on in all situations where a "test chomp" was a risk.