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RedHead

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    Greyhounds On A Farm? Looking For Some Feedback

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    My greyhound is fine with horses, I don't know if they are ever exposed to horses at the track, but mine acted like it was no big deal the first time he saw one.

     

    I think your place sounds like heaven for almost any dog. The only thing with a grey though is to expect an adjustment period. They might not instantly bond with you and follow you around faithfully like some other "farm" breeds you may be used to. The novelty of everything might be really exciting in the beginning, you may have a dog that just wants to run, chase, etc. at first. Once the novelty wears off though, most greys are very adaptable to any situation.

    Rice

    in Food and dietary discussion

    Posted

    I would use white. Their bodies will not break down the hull of brown rice unless you cook if forever and then blend it up. Much easier to just use white. Also, brown rice does not have the same stool firming benefits as the white rice.

     

    Oatmeal or pasta work well too and sweet potato helps to add in more nutrition to the mix.

    Weight Check

    in Food and dietary discussion

    Posted

    I agree, 6 cups of food is a pretty crazy amount! Some foods are much higher than others in calories, sometimes adoption groups feed "cheaper" foods so they may have to feed more. 6 cups on an average food is a lot, I would see how things go on 4 cups.

    Raw Meaty Bones

    in Food and dietary discussion

    Posted

    :nod to the above post. If you are worried about gulping feed larger pieces, not smaller. Dogs are gulpers and swallowers. Their jaws are only hinged to move up and down, not side to side like ours (and other plant eaters) to chew and grind food. It is more like crunch, crunch, swallow. I have been raw feeding for years and all of my dogs have seemed to naturally just know when to chew and swallow (no matter if it is a big or small piece). For overenthusiastic beginners though, you may want to try larger pieces of meat (that are impossible to swallow). Small pieces will just encourage them to gulp and swallow whole. I actually give my guy half chickens sometimes, but normally he gets large chicken quarters. It is normal for them to swallow quite large pieces, and like Neylasmom said, usually the worst that happens is they regurgitate it back up or maybe throw up some undigested bone. If you are really nervous, you can also try larger pieces of boneless meat (like cheap beef roasts, etc.).

     

     

     

     

    3 Cups In 5 Cups Out?

    in Food and dietary discussion

    Posted

    Does your food have a lot of fibre? I know it is grain free, but those foods can contain a lot of potato/peas/starches to replace the grain. That can really bulk up the poop. If it has potato, peas, etc. in the top 2 or 3 ingredients that could be the cause from my experience.

    How Long Before It's "safe" To Let Them Off Their Lead?

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    I have had many (non grey) dogs who have gone off leash and were fine. They were totally uninterested in other dogs and had a great recall because they had literally grown up that way. They had been off leash since puppyhood (I am in a fairly rural/natural area) and it was no big deal...there was no way they were just going to randomly take off. The best behaved and most well adjusted dogs I know have all grown up this way. With greyhounds though, they sometimes see the offleash thing as "I'm free!!" and take off because they aren't used to it (combined with a strong instinct to run and chase). I think it depends on your dog, where you live (social norms), and what type of area you have for off-leashing. If I had a dog that was spooked by noises or didn't have a good recall I would never take a chance.

     

    I know I can't trust Teague, but I also know that he NEEDS to have the chance to really run and be a greyhound. I am lucky in that I have several fenced in areas where he can burn off some steam 3-4 times per week. It does sound like your pup would benefit from off leash running, but you may want to ask around for some safe, fenced in areas to see how he does.

    Super Dry And Itchy Skin

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by RedHead

    Do you add a vitamin supplement? If you are feeding a lot of carbs there could be a lack of things like zinc, iron, copper, etc. that often leads to a poor coat. Omega's won't do much if the diet is lacking in some of these.

     

    Could also just be the time of year? Teague is shedding now, he always gets a bit of a brittle coat during this time, but then it goes back to normal.

    Moving Across The Country

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Dogs are amazingly adaptable. I bet your pups will settle in just fine once they know the new routines. I have moved several times with mine (the last time from a 2 acre country property to a 20 by 20 foot townhouse backyard). They have adjusted far better than me :P

     

    One thing I always do is to take them for a walk around the new neighbourhood right away. Maybe it is me imagining things, but it seems like once they have explored their surrounding "territory" they seem to settle better in the house. Since they won't have their old yard, hopefully they will get into the routine of pottying on walks.

     

    I wouldn't worry too much about the temps. It won't suddenly get cold, it will be gradual so they usually don't even seem to notice. Teague came directly up from Alabama. He loved the cold from the start.

     

    Good luck with your move!!

     

     

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