ramonaghan

Here's another article on those subtle cues (calming signals) that might help you identify when Piper's had enough or is feeling uncomfortable before a situation escalates. Other than that, just want to thank you for your commitment to Piper and willingness to work through this. I suspect that for many parents, this single incident would be a deal breaker. No matter what the future holds (and I sincerely hope it all works out!), it's obvious that you're putting in the effort and research, which is commendable. (Seriously, scratching the hardwood floors? Wow. Didn't know that's why she was bounced from her first home.)

Exactly what I was thinking. For good measure, Sweep even continues limping for a few steps once you've removed the acorn/pebble/whatever. Then she realizes she's going to live and ceases her dramatic display. Hope your boy is fine today!

I sprinkle it over the kibble and add a little warm water and stir to make it like a gravy. Sweep loves it. I recently switched to this formula since it also contains a probiotic and thus has the added benefit of firming up poo.

I have followed your posts since Tempo's diagnosis and am so sad to read this. My thoughts will be with you and Rocko. Rest well, Tempo.

Welcome! Mickey is gorgeous and looks like a very happy boy!

Is that a fawn thing? Sweep's a year-round shedder too; her chest and belly have bald spots but her thighs and butt do not. We have been using Missing Link with her and it seems to help with the shedding a bit, but it definitely makes her coat soft and shiny. We recently got this formula (previously, we'd gotten Ultimate Skin & Coat), which contains a probiotic, so there's a great side benefit: perfect poos!

I know this is an old thread but just wanted to post that I got the Northmate feeder mentioned by the OP, and it works well! (I actually got it for my two cats, but I let Sweep check it out first.) Her long nose was not an issue; she just used her tongue to reach between the longer "blades of grass," which are probably no deeper than the average Kong. She tried to use her paws quite a bit, which was entertaining for me but not very productive for her. If I were to keep using it for her, I'd probably weigh it down somehow so she couldn't flip it. Seems like a great, albeit not the cheapest, solution for the fast eaters out there.

No stories to share, just my deepest condolences on your sudden loss. Rest well, Jonelle.

My condolences. Rest well, Morgan.

Welcome from Nashville! I too am looking forward to photos of Blaze—blues are so gorgeous.

Oh no, I hope that is not the impression I gave! I certainly don't abandon Sweep and am often in the room with her (I work from home, so that's usually the case). It's just that I don't baby-talk her or hold her close throughout a storm, which would be nearly impossible anyway since she retreats to her crate. I act normally, meaning I do still talk to her and pet her, but if I need to do something in another room for a couple of minutes, I will. I also try to remain calm myself; as hard as it is to see her stressed, I wouldn't want her to sense any tension or weird vibes from me on top of what she's already feeling. I second the radio suggestion (we go with classical); that's the one thing we've tried that does seem to help her stay settled rather than becoming Pacey Pacerson. I turn it on before the thunder starts whenever possible. We have not had much luck with Rescue Remedy.

Very sorry for your sudden loss. Rest well and free of pain, Katie.

Sweep is a butt/crotch sniffer too. I have posted on the same topic before, and it seems like it's fairly common (for all dogs, not just greys, but greys have a height advantage!). We're pretty used to it now and just try to get dressed quickly or avoid bending over when she's nearby. It's still embarrassing when she does it to strangers, but it's just how dogs gather info and say hi, so most people are pretty understanding about it if I don't manage to pull her back in time. Sweep is also a thunderstorm-phobe. We've had her for 10 months, and she's progressed from pacing/panting during storms to seeking out her crate and staying in there til it passes. I think it's OK to let them hide; seems like a natural instinct to me. I do make every effort to behave normally and go about my business instead of babying her (as tempting as that is) because I don't want to reinforce her behavior. There's some good info and suggestions on my vet's website. BTW, Minnie is beautiful!

Same here. Sweep mouths affectionately and excitedly, usually right before she flops over into a roach when we're petting her.

So sorry for your loss. Rest well, pretty girl.

Smart girl!

Here is a good recent thread on this that you might find helpful (coincidentally also posted from someone in Boston).

Great news! Good boy, Rocket.

Such a beautiful girl she was, and that's one of my all-time favorite greyhound names...makes me smile every time I see it. Happy birthday, Bee.

Don't know about the OP, but I'm learning a lot! Sounds like many of you give treats right after, which is probably part of my problem. I thought that sort of negated the effect of the toothpaste (we have tried the PetzLife mint gel, which specifically says withhold food and water for 30 minutes after brushing). I think the mint is too strong for Sweep; she thrashes around like I'm torturing her. I'm going to get some chicken-flavored paste and try again armed with bribes treats.

Ah, totally makes sense that you'd have baby gates everywhere (and hey, when the kid outgrows them, you can still use them for the dog—score!). Piper will definitely grow to like and trust you more; you'll start to notice tiny changes and then one day realize how far you've come. My husband and I spent many early days saying, "This dog hates us/is totally bored here/is so hard to read" and now she's like a completely different dog (well, she's probably still bored sometimes). She has always slept 18-20 hours a day, but when she's awake, she's much more engaged and expressive than in those first few weeks, and she's a roaching fool. You might see Piper perk up with cooler temps too; Sweep, despite coming from Florida, wilts in the heat but goes bananas when it's chilly out. You didn't butcher Macherey at all, but I bet that's why so many people call her Dr. Carol. That is great that you're seeing her, and she can give you some insight into the panting incident (my vote's just anxiety too, FWIW). Glad the moo tube was such a success! Dr. Macherey will approve of that for sure. Signature: you have to upload a pic to a hosting site (I think most here, including me, use Photobucket), resize it to a max of 500x150 and make sure it's less than 15 KB, copy the IMG link (on the righthand side of the page if you're using Photobucket), and paste it into the signature field in your profile settings. Hope that makes sense; if not, there are more detailed instrux in the Technical forum. For the avatar, you have to post 50 times or donate to Greytalk for that option to be available in your profile settings. In either case, you submit a ticket with the pic attached and a moderator will resize it and set it as your avatar for you.

Hi again! Glad she's official now—congrats! Sounds like things are going well. As far as squeakies/stuffies go, some dogs really like them, some don't. Sweep prefers stuffies that sort of "grunt" rather than emit high-pitched squeaks (which suits me just fine). It did take Sweep a few weeks to play with them at all, and even now, she's done after a couple of minutes. We keep them in an easily accessible basket and she likes to collect them on her bed and use them as pillows. Maybe Piper's a hoarder too. Crate-wise also sounds similar to Sweep, and I imagine in Piper's situation (being bounced a couple of times), it's even more of a safe haven/sense of consistency for her. We're 10 months in and still have Sweep's up because 1) that's where she sleeps overnight, and 2) that's where she goes during our terrifying Tennessee thunderstorms, but other than that, she's out and about with us. I am sure Piper will get there too in a few weeks. Do you have a bed in the family room (or wherever you spend most time) where she can observe the activity without being in the flow of traffic? Also make sure she has an easy escape route to her crate/a quiet room if she starts feeling overwhelmed. I wouldn't take the crate down unless and until she really doesn't need it or really doesn't like it. And, finally, bribery is an excellent dog training tool, so I don't think there's anything wrong with how you're approaching the stairs if that's working for you and she's not showing signs of stress about it. Very encouraging that she's already doing them on her own sometimes! She'll come around...just be as consistent as possible. Dogs thrive with a routine, and it'll help ease her anxiety to know what to expect and when. Soon enough she'll realize that she's finally home for good, and you'll be amazed at how much her personality comes out.

So sorry for your loss. He was stunning. Rest well, Kingsley.

I also have one who won't let me brush so I will be following this thread with interest! But in the meantime, we've conquered the bad breath with a water additive (we use Tropiclean, but there are several other brands on the market) and gotten her teeth pearly white with marrow bones, lamb ears, beef tracheas (aka "moo tubes"), or bully sticks a few times a week. I'm not convinced the Dentastix and Greenies dental bones do much, but Sweep sure does seem to love them, so I indulge her every now and then.