KickReturn

You'll have to wait and see. The fact that she went to the house when she escaped is a good sign. I have a friend with a recovered spook who will have it off leash regularely. This was a dog that was unapproachable and thought to be unadoptable because of extreme shyness. But this particular dog is also very needy and has learned to love affection from people. When I cared for her for a couple of weeks she dealt with her insecurity be becoming an extreme velcro dog even though I made her nervous (she is afraid of men). If your dog develops in this way she may one day be able to run on the beach but it may take years and I wouldn't try it if there was any traffic nearby. It all depends on if she is the sort who prefers being close to you above all else. This works much better then recall. (Still a good idea to work on recall regularely regardless of results.) At some point when you are in a safely enclosed area just walk away from her. Does she follow? When you stop does she stop beside you? Walk away again and repeat. If she follows tenaciously then there is hope. I would never do any of this without some high value treats in my pocket.

This situation is entirely the making of your 9 year old male. He is a serious dog that is unlikely to play with others. I have the same type. Countless greys and other breeds have invited him to play. Most of the time he will like yours absolutely freeze them in their tracks with just a stare. At best he will stand tall and allow the other dogs to inspect him. However just because he doesn't interact with your female in the way that you would like, doesn't mean that he won't develop deep affection for her and draw great comfort and contentment from her presence. Is your dog a splitter? Does he stop aggression between other dogs? Does he stop other greys from running or playing? It just may be that his genetics compel him to assume certain behaviours with other dogs, play not being one of them.

I think every dog will have a different outcome. I agree with the above that there are some that should never be trusted. We started with some minor prey drive. It was pretty obvious because the is a rabbit in every bush around here. But Hester was the sort who wanted to please and got the message that chasing rabbits (and deer) was a no-no. Sometimes when he sees rabbits that he recognizes from previous walks, he will wag his tail in a happy greeting. This is one rabbit Hester sees every couple of days on one of his regular routes. He seems to know it and alway goes over for a greeting. Moments before this photo was taken the rabbit was between his legs. I had to put his leash on and take him back to the lawn to get this photo (it was actually quite dark - almost night, hence the crappy photo).

Oh yes, there was nothing alpha about the whole exchange. I don't think Hester is wasting his energy trying to convince a puppy that he is top dog because of course he is already absolutely convinced that he is top dog, and top person, top everything in fact. When puppies approach, Hester appears to assume a rather avuncular dispostion. Once a puppy settles down he'll do some nose-to-nose kissy time with the pups. Sometimes I think I detect a hint of affection from him but I really can't tell if he likes it or is simply being accomodating. Same thing with small dogs. Maybe he's just a good boy with a good heart. (But heaven help any large male that jumps at him or tries to mount. )

On our walk yesterday Hester encountered an overly exuberant 6 month old female Golden Retriever puppy. After a bit of jumping at his face, he did his usual terrifying growl/snarl but this time he added a new twist. He soft pounced toward the puppy, landing with his foot on its shoulder and rolled it onto its back. He held it with his foot on its belly and sniffed it top to bottom. All the while the puppy was frozen in a semi roaching position, feet in the air but legs folded tight. Hester then released the puppy who bounced to its feet, then gave a perfect sit at Hester’s shoulder and proceeded to face wash Hester with its tongue. The puppy then ran back to its owner, then back to Hester for another sit and more muzzle licking. When the owner finally had corralled the little lady, Hester poked his snout into my hand looking for his reward, quite happy with himself.

Yes, her age and physical condition is highly relevant. So take her for whatever length and number of walks that she can handle. It's all you can do (along with the Vetrinary intervention of course). You can also look into her diet. Don't overfeed. There are some foods that result in less poop. Raw fed can result in up to a 60% reduction in output. But this will require significant education on the subject before you go that route.

So problem solved. Seriously, without knowing Mazi's full schedule, I will only say that if you are not walking her adequately, then of course you should expect her to eliminate in the house. For many Greyhounds at least two solid walks per day are needed, plus multiple turnouts. If you have a normal work schedule (9 to 5 or similar) then there is no reason that Mazi shouldn't get the better part of an hour walk before you leave in the morning, plus a similar walk when you return home. A nice walk around the block or longer before bed helps to make for a peaceful night. I have yet to see a Greyhound that can fully empty itself of feces in a turnout. The dog may be able to hold what is left for several hours, but its not empty or comfortable. If you are already walking her a lot and she is having this problem then then her problem is out of my league - sorry. It is also important to clean all pee and poo thoroughly using Natures Miracle. Follow the instructions. You must get rid of the smell.

So you don't even walk her on the weekends? Surely there are some days off when you can establish a walking routine that you can turn into a useful on leash potty regimen. Maybe keep up the walking after you move. Dogs tend to love walking with their people.

There are others on this forum that may be able to get into deeper psychological issues. My dog behaviour knowlege is limited to asking a simple question: Has Mazi ever pooped in the house after a vigorous one hour hike? Also have you filmed her in her crate when you are gone? Soiling the crate is somewhat unusual and it may be that Mazi can no longer handle being in a crate.

Sorry for not responding sooner. We have the same behaviour in our house. Almost every night, often several times per night, Hester has what we call "racing dreams". Growling, snarling, elevating into "woofing" and sometimes outright barking although barking is rare. Often his legs are going but not always. I give a simple pssst sound and he will quiet himself. We find it adorable and if I am not short of sleep I often don't interupt him just so I can watch or listen. The only other time I have heard him make the same noises is when he is chasing another greyhound. Otherwise he is a rock solid dog that will go for months without making a sound when he is awake. The interesting part with your dog is that he doesn't do it if you change up his sleeping arrangements. But that is not so strange. If he is not showing discomfort during the day then I doubt it is medical. Sounds like he should have a dental and the problem teeth should be dealt with just to be safe. Please brush every night.

Thanks Muskovy, he is a special boy. But I think it is proper to remind everybody and especially new owners, that even with a dog like Hester there are real risks. I have simply decided that the untethered life that Hester is able to enjoy is worth the risk. I don't post some of his bolder adventure videos as I am afraid there would be an outcry. Our late night turnout routine would make people cringe. I remember growing up in the 1970's when people would simply open their front door and let their dog out. The dog would take itself for a walk and return at some point. I lived in a nice neighbourhood in a very large city and as a kid you knew and were friends with the dogs that roamed the neighbourhood. Hester would have been just fine is such an environment.

I realize how lucky I am. My only contribution is to provide whatever physical comforts and stimulation I can, and whatever affection he will accept - he is not of the snuggly type. The rest is all him - no training, no correction, nothing - the credit is all his. I feel simply like a temporary custodian of this fine creature, never his superior. Amazingly he was a bounce.

Hester lives in the pacific northwest on beautiful Vancouver Island (not to be confused with the city of Vancouver). The city of Victoria is a peaceful place with very little traffic. The Greyhound population is very well cared for and the Greyhound community in general is quite strict about leashes. The agencies do a very good job of making the new adopters aware of the risks. What is different here is that there are many places, forest trails, beaches, parks, etc. where as long as your dog is not going to run completely away from you, there is little chance of encountering traffic. There are 170 parks in the Greater Victoria Area and 166 of them are off leash. That said, I only know of a small number of Greys who enjoy the occasional off leash experience outside of safe enclosures. Also there are only two animal by-law enforcement officers in my specific municipality who both know Hester and have made jokes wondering when I am going to buy a leash - they have caught me at a nearby Starbucks not even in possession of a leash let alone having one connected to the dog. No tickets, they just give ear scritches. Hester is a true one-off. I care for other Greys regularely and would never dream of allowing them the same freedom.

That's what I love about this forum. Everybody is very safety conscious and looks out for everybody elses Greyhounds. Thank you for your concern ShebasMom. To explain, Hester is a different sort of Greyhound. We rarely use a leash (although sometimes at night we do). His recall reliability has never failed but to describe the situation more accurately, I rarely recall him. We go on daily adventures together and he will sometimes follow a few yards behind and sometimes trot a few yards ahead. He constantly checks where I am and never lets me get out of his "range". This is the way he is, I have done no training with him. His ability with other dogs is extraordinary. He calms the frightened, settles the rambunctious, relaxes the aggressive, and showers affection on female sighthounds. He is not afraid to go on the offensive with those dogs that just don't have any manners, his display of teeth and snarling is terrifying, compliance from offenders is always total. And yet when he is swarmed by a pack of little yappers he will carefully lift his feet so as not to step on them. He also has the remarkable habit of breaking up fights between other dogs. He once saved a Flatcoat that was being attacked by an out of control pack on a beach. He has been seriously attacked once and that was when he was on a leash. He handled himself well despite the fact that he was tied to a useless human. The German Sheppard that attacked was ultimately put down. His vibe with other animals is inexplicable. Rabbits don't run from him, deer follow him, cats (both domestic and feral) come out of their hiding places to greet him. In his case a leash would only interfer with his ability to deal with what he knows best - dogs. One of my favourite photos showing his sweet sensitive side (that's not me in the photo, just a stranger walking by who was marvelling at the interaction between this mismatched pair):

Hester continues to amaze me with his dog savvy. His latest trick was his management of his encounter with a massive, agressive Pit Bull. Fortunately the owner of the Pit is very responsible and manages the dog with great care. However today we encountered this intimidating creature (close to 100 lbs is my guess) on a very narrow trail. The owner of the Pit Bull shortened up on the leash and held stationary at the side of the trail. I was a good 20 yards behind Hester so all I could do was watch. At first he momentarily paused to size up the situation and then he puffed up his chest, lifted his head as high as possible, ears to the sky, and with tail straight up he began a deliberate strutting, stiff legged trot (like a poodle at a dog show). He clung tight to his side of the trail and politely averted his gaze as he passed the Pit Bull. The Pit Bull started with his usual tough guy routine, growling and straining but then settled, sat down and watched Hester pass. I could tell by the way Hester passed that he was scared but his body language was clearly of the "don't mess with me" type - it was all a BLUFF! I could literally see him in that momentary pause summon up his courage to deal with the situation. And he tossed in a polite gaze aversion just to cover all his bases.

This needs to be handled with utmost care. For many dogs it would just be a flat out bad idea. There are some horse owners on this forum that might have some good advice for you. a lot can also depend on the particular horse. Many of the trails I walk are shared with horses, so all the dogs and horses around here seem to be pretty good with each other. My Greyhound views horses as large dogs which is not necessarily a good thing. He believes he should sniff their bums and noses - a risky proposition. But some of the horses are quite friendly with the dogs and don't mind. One horse will even rub faces with my dog which is a bizarre thing to see. Good luck.

I posted a couple of weeks ago about a visitor who peed in the house repeatedly. Well she is here for two weeks and she refuses to go near her raised feeding station. She dips her nose in and then runs to hide beside Hester while he eats, (she will drink water from the feeding station). Yesterday I was able to get her to eat out of the bowl if I took her outside. But this morning she refused even that. She is also refusing the kibble with which she was sent, but loves the Acana I had be using for training treats. (Hester is raw fed). She is still peeing in the house occasionally, once just five minutes after returning from a one hour hike - just a few drops to mark. Despite the peeing, I think she is quite relaxed. Lots of spontaneous roaching, playing with toys, etc. She also loves human touch and approaches for pets. But she does scoot around in a very quick, furtive, nervous manner. I think this is more because she is just a very high energy dog. I don't think she has any problem with Hester. She seems to like him a great deal and although he is a real alpha type, he never asserts himself with her. When I had to leave her alone for the first time she was completely relaxed upon my return 4 hours later and no pee accidents. What a quirky little girlie dog. The only way I can get her to eat is to sit beside her while she is on her bed and have her eat little handfuls out of my palm. What is going on? Any thoughts? I will try to take and post some good photos of her. She is such a tiny cutey pie. Her owner is out of touch which is why I am reaching out to this greyt forum.

A little anecdote and a warning about our favorite breed. A little while ago while out with Hester and his 63 lb velvety soft sweetheart gal pal, we decided to visit a very large area where many dogs of all breeds are free to roam and cavort. Well the girlie dog loves to run and when she took off it highly aroused the chase instincts of a number of other dogs. One very fit, large, American Labrador made an impressive sprint after her. Well girlie dog notices the chase out of the corner of her eye and eases up to allow the Lab to close. The Lab passes her, probably thinking he could have been a contender, and goes to full after burners. Girlie dog, in a gentle canter lets the Lab fly by, and then in an explosive acceleration darts up to the Lab's side and gives it a sharp smack under its chin with the top of her skull. The impact throws the Lab off balance and it goes into a violent rag doll cartwheel on the grass. It finally comes to a stop and does not get up. Those of us watching rush to the Lab. He is perfectly fine, just lying on his side gasping. He pops right up wagging his tail and slobbering on everyone. He trots off with no sign of a limp. I haven't seen this type of behaviour before nor since, but I always make a point of letting owners now that playing with a Greyhound isn't always like playing with other dogs.

I am going to restrict the area that she will have access to when she is here. Even just the main leveI, much of it carpeted, is just too much for a dog used to living in a much smaller space (a third of the size according to her owner) with mostly hardwood. I will put beds everywhere so she get the idea that the whole thing is her new kennel. I have a crate but I am terrified to leave her in it unsupervised. Her owner has never used a crate and has no information about her behaviour in a crate. The hard part is that I have to leave her alone for about 3 hours the first day so I cannot supervise her. She will have the company of Hester and another visiting grey. Maybe a crate is the way to go for the first few days whenerver I am not around.

She ate well. We have other visits planned before the big stay. She is a real adventure dog. Her owner covers a lot of ground with her quickly. I have seen her off leash and she is a happy explorer. Will leave the trails and scamper around the forest. Her behaviour seemed very normal other then the peeing. I think I have to house train again. But she never had an accident from day one in her new home so.... I wonder if the presence of another female caused her to feel competitive and mark as a result.

OK, seems like nothing too out of the ordinary. A new location, "got to make it my own". A bit nervous, let's piss up the place. I get it (if I were a dog.) Out of bed this morning, happy, bouncy, and straight to the yard with the others for a big pee party (and poo also of course). Ten minutes later, I turn my back for a second and she manages a sneak attack on an antique Persian rug. Fortunately I adore this little thing. More natures miracle I guess. Everytime she gets up to wander I open the door to the yard. And no scolding or raised voices ever regardless of behaviour. The only catch is I will have her for two weeks in March. This weekend was just a test run. Hopefully she will settle down during a longer visit. Note the grey circles around her eyes - like little goggles. She is such a cutey. Very delicate and wiggly snuggly. Does a little dance when you scratch her bum.

I have a special guest for a sleepover. She is a recovered spook who has absolutely come out of her shell under the care of her talented owner. She spent 18 months in a kennel facility where it was thought she would never be adoptable - no one could get near her. She has been with her new family for 6 months now. She is a tiny, black, roman nosed sweetheart of a greyhound. She is a bit unnerved without her owner. There is the odd whimper but she is mostly calm and getting along well with my boy Hester and his gal pal who is also visiting. She has no history of peeing in her home that I know of and yet even before her owner departed during the hand-off she began wandering and peeing or attempting to pee. She has had two accidents so far and I have stopped her at the last moment a couple of other times. Earlier today when I caught her right before she peed, I took her immediately into our yard where she set about furiously marking over top of any appealing scent. This occured about and hour after a 90 minute morning walk. There is absolutely no history of dogs peeing in this house so there are no left over odors that could trigger her to pee. In fact the carpeting is new. In addition to an hour and a half this morning, the thee dogs were also walked for an hour this afternoon. (They will get another hour of walking before bed). On these walks she marked over top of every pee of the other two dogs and any other previous markings she could find. Her accidents in the house were within and hour or two of these walks. The amount of pee was small because I assume she is quite empty. I am watching her like a hawk and cleaning up with Nature's Miracle. Any other advice? I have a funny theory that she is anxious about fitting in with the other two dogs and is doing what she can to establish her "presence" in the pack. Needless to say the other two dogs are low key to the point of appearing comatose. Perhaps she is just terribly upset and peeing out of anxiety but she just doesn't seem that rattled. And finally could it relate to the size of our house? It is very large and open plan, and maybe she just hasn't realized that the whole thing is now her kennel. I have no idea how big her home is but I assume it is smaller. Thanks for any tips.

If you get in this situation get the owner to call their dog. Sometimes this is the only way to save the situation. Often owners of other dogs will stand there in shock having never seen a greyhound in the chase before. I look after a grey with the same behaviour. A fast medium size dog is a lot of fun to her. It can get very scary very fast.

Regarding your inquiry about amputation. I have zero first hand experience but I do have a philosophical position. I might consider it with a smaller, younger grey. I would never do it to a large grey. My boy is very large, I couldn't do it. Keeping him going with an amputation would be more for me and than for him. Easy to say now when he's healthy. I hope I have the courage to do the right thing if he gets sick. Best wishes and so sorry you have to experience this. It is particularely cruel that you have had such a short time together in good health.

He is anxious and a bit worried so his adrenalin gets going a bit and it keeps him awake and restless. You don't say how many days you have had him but keep in mind he doesn't know or trust you yet. It will take time but it will happen. Soon he will fall asleep while staring at you and smiling. Nothing better than a greyhound fast asleep with a big grin on its face. Also, it should go without saying that a one hour walk before bed will make him feel better about being with you and help him relax.