ramonaghan

Yikes! I will tell my husband to be extra, extra careful when walking Sweep alone.

Oh, yeah, she likes butts too, but that's an honor she usually reserves for people she knows.

Any training tips for stopping Sweep's overly friendly greetings? She is a chronic crotch sniffer, and it can be pretty mortifying (women in skirts are now to be avoided at all costs). People probably wonder why I'm holding her leash in a death grip til she's literally gagging herself trying to say hi, and then they find out. I know it's a common doggie hello and she's at the perfect height for it, but sheesh. Everyone's been a good sport about it, but I'd rather curb the behavior altogether if possible than count on that. FWIW, we've taught her the commands sit, stay, wait, lie down, look at me, and go to bed (as well as the completely impractical but entertaining "roach" and "shake") and she does them quite well in the house, but she's not as reliable outside with all its visual and olfactory distractions. We're still working on that, so any additional ideas we might try? Has anyone successfully trained their dog out of this behavior?

Hi! Welcome from Nashville. Are you working with GPAN or All About Hounds? We worked with AAH and had a lovely home visit with three beautiful girlies last fall. One was a bit of a spook, which we didn't feel ready for since we hadn't had dogs since we were kids, and of the other two, my husband preferred one and I preferred the other. Admittedly, Sweep was a bit of a diva with the other dogs on the home visit (she'd never been out on one before or to a M&G because her foster always intended to adopt her, but had to back out due to some work changes). Sweep was the one whose photo had prompted me to inquire about adoption in the first place, and she was such a complete attention hog it was hard not to be charmed by it. So I got my way. No regrets at all! Although it's definitely been an adjustment going from a cat-only household to one with a dog, she has been so easy and makes us laugh all the time. My husband even says that he might not have ended up with the dog he initially wanted, but he got the one he needed. I think you'll know, and remember, a lot of times, they pick you too! (Sweep walked in, leaned on me pretty much immediately, and when I sat down she laid her head in my lap. .) Keep us posted!

We'd be obligated to report you if you ever inflict the Biebs on Grace.

Aww, thanks! Bela is a looker too (those eyes!). We retired the muzzle within the first 3 or 4 weeks. The Hannibal Lecter aspect bothered me too, and Sweep also pawed at hers endlessly or rubbed her face on the furniture trying to remove it (that's how I knew about muzzle straps!). She'd been fostered in a cat-free home for five months before coming here, so hadn't ever worn one there as far as I know. Luckily, I work from home, so I just worked from the bedroom where everyone hangs out during the day (usually, cats on our bed, Sweep on hers—layabouts, the lot of 'em!). I watched her like a hawk and made sure I was mindful of where everyone was at any given time. It can be exhausting to be that vigilant all the time, I know, and I can totally relate to your comment that you notice *everything* around you now. When my husband got home from work, I would tell him, "You're on duty now." Thankfully, that feeling subsided after a couple of months and I leave them alone in rooms together all the time now...but still only when we are home. I am also very fortunate in that Sweep has always crated easily. We put her in there with a stuffed kong and some music (maybe Grace would like DMB?) when we leave, and that's where she sleeps at night. After her last potty break at 10, she RUNS upstairs to it, gets her bedtime treat, and conks out for the night. She does not even cry to be let out in the morning and we usually sleep til 7:30. We tried leaving the crate door open for her a couple of weeks ago, actually, and she looked at me like "huh?" and wouldn't lie down until I closed the door! That's also where she retreats during those terrifying thunderstorms; it's her safe place. Our townhouse is very open and challenging to baby-gate, but that's my eventual plan (we're hoping to sell soon and buy Sweep a house with a yard). Who knows if we'll ever get rid of the crate entirely. Sweep's never tried to get on the furniture, so I think that's been helpful for the "reinforcing the cats as alpha" point mentioned above. The cats have the run of the house and furniture at all times. All three animals get plenty of individual attention. Henry's a jealous sort and comes over for pets when I am lovin' on Sweep, but that's easier to manage than vice versa. You are lucky to have found Greytalk so early in your journey! It's such a wealth of information and support.

I love your posts because it's like you're in my head from 8 months ago when Sweep arrived. . I didn't even know if it was okay to let the cats and Sweep sniff each other or if I should just discourage any interaction at all initially. I was a huge ball of stress for the first two or three weeks (in that regard, you seem like you're doing much better than I!). I too have a gatekeeper cat, Henry, who stood on the stairs giving Sweep the stink-eye until she either retreated or got brave enough to pass him. And I have had similar incidents where I questioned whether Sweep was chasing my scaredy-cat Olive up the stairs or just trying to reach the same destination. Sweep has even play-bowed to them a couple of times ("OMG, what do I do about THAT?"). All evidence here is that Sweep is not interested in eating the cats. Olive now does cat yoga six feet from a sleeping Sweep (never on the same bed, alas). Henry can do the mad-cat-dash right by her bed and she doesn't even lift her head. (Last week he must have sniffed her while she was asleep. She startled slightly, barked once, and went back to sleep. He slunk away in typical offended-cat fashion. Can't get much safer than that, I don't think.) But, like you, I still worry sometimes, and that's okay. I still don't know when or if I'll get comfortable leaving them all loose together when no one's home, but I am leaps and bounds beyond where I started. It's still very early days, and you and Grace (and Béla) have already made great progress. You've got this!

I'd say large for your boy. That's what we have gotten for Sweep, though she probably would also be fine with a medium since she's only 60 lbs.

Himalayan dog chews. They're not cheap, but they lasted quite a while here—three or four hour-long chewing sessions for my moderate chewer. The pros for me are that it has limited, all-natural ingredients (yak and cow milk, salt, and lime juice), it smells fine (like smoked cheese), and when it gets too small for safety, you can microwave the nub for 15-30 secs and it puffs up into a crunchy treat your dog will love. No gastrointestinal issues or choking issues here (I always supervise with everything other than a stuffed kong).

Muzzle strap.

Sweep was still having problems occasionally on our hardwoods after several months here, and she was starting to show signs of anxiety about it. Someone here suggested putting this on her pads. You can pick it up at any office supply store, and much to my amazement it has really helped. I also sometimes apply Mushers Secret at bedtime to help keep her pads supple for better grip; it's one of the uses indicated on the jar, although it's more typically associated with snow/salt/heat protection.

Thanks, all! She seems okay and is now walking totally normally again. It's been a big day for her between the morning run and the family gathering (with my 6 yo niece and 9 yo nephew), so I imagine she'll sleep very soundly tonight. Will continue monitoring her closely tomorrow, but I am feeling pretty confident that it was just a cramp or spasm. We walk her on lead a bit before and after letting her run (and will start implementing JohnF's suggestion to jog her beforehand instead), but I'd never thought to do this. Thanks for the tip!

We don't have a fenced yard (live in a townhouse) so on weekends we try to get Sweep to a fenced ball field as often as the weather permits, which until a few weeks ago was 2-4 times a month. However, it being the South in summer, we had not had a cool enough day for about five weeks until this morning. She did one full-out circuit and seemed fine, and I was willing to leave it at that since it had been a while, but DH got her stirred up again and she did another couple of minutes of zoomies. When she leaned down to get some water afterward, she yelped a few times in succession and then was limping (front leg) on the walk back to the car, even stumbling once. There is no sign of injury or swelling, so I am assuming a charley horse or pulled muscle, but is there anything specific I should be watching for? I massaged her legs and back and she let me inspect all her feet without protest. We've been home about 30 minutes and she seems much better, though still moving a little slower than normal. I was planning to take her to my parents' house for my dad's birthday today; is there something OTC I should/could give her for soreness beforehand? (She'll just be occupying her bed in their living room; no more exercise today.) Thanks! Paranoid newbie

Yikes, you have my sympathy. And as a fellow Southerner, I know the muggy summer weather can't be helping either of your situations. You might be right that the meds are contributing, but for what it's worth our vet (Dr. Macherey at Grassmere—very grey-savvy) told us it's basically luck of the draw on whether a grey sheds a lot or not. She said one of hers always gets compliments on his bunny-soft coat and in the back of her head she's thinking "if only you knew how much of this lovely fur ends up on my floor." We give Sweep baths more often than is typical for greys (every six weeks or so) with Earthbath's Aloe & Oatmeal shampoo and their conditioner, and that *really* helps with the shedding for a while without causing dry skin or irritation. Still, my Roomba is a godsend. Hopefully others will chime in with some better ideas. Best of luck to you!

Do you give them fish oil and/or coconut oil?

Welcome! Adorable pic.

Neither is raw. The lamb ears are slow roasted and dry to the touch (i.e., not greasy feeling at all). The trachea, aka moo tube, is dehydrated—it's very crunchy, but again, even though it's not raw it's still somewhat greasy and stinky, so you probably want to put down a towel or give it outside. The added benefit with tracheas is that they're a great source of chondroitin so good for joints too. I buy both products locally at a Nashville-only store (I am sure I look like a crazy person digging through baskets of lamb ears for the biggest ones!), but you can get both from Best Bully Sticks or other online sources. I have noticed that the Merrick lamb ears are gone in 30 seconds—they are very puffy so may go through a slightly different process than the Red Barn ones I buy (which, admittedly, still only last a few minutes at best). Have you tried Himalayan dog chews? Nothing icky there, and they last forever (so they're worth the $$ if your dog likes them). Sweep lost interest before she finished them (same with antlers), but she's not exactly a power chewer.

I give them 2–3 times a week. I buy the braided ones at Trader Joe's and break them in half (they're $4.99 and about 10", I think, so it's a good deal). Sometimes they last half an hour or more, sometimes 5 minutes...some are tougher than others, I guess. (I don't want to ponder that too long .) Just posted on another thread that my vet, who owns 6 or 7 greys herself, recommends lamb ears and beef trachea for teeth. The ears don't last very long, but they do scrape the teeth well, don't stink, and seem easy on greyhound tummies. We have to give the beef trachea in moderation because it does tend to cause soft poos, probably because they're a bit greasy (I wipe them with a paper towel before giving them). But with both, the squick factor is not as bad as with hooves, snouts, feet, etc., IMO!

We use this water additive: http://amzn.com/B0054WTPBY. I think it's helped tremendously with the "breath of death" Sweep had when she first arrived. We also give frozen marrow bones once a week or so, and other teeth-scraping treats like beef trachea and lamb ears—both recommended by our vet, who has 6 or 7 greys of her own and does not give them dentals. She says Sweep's teeth are great.

So very sorry for your loss.

:yay

Sending good thoughts to you and Sam!

Thanks, all, for the replies! I keep a couple of pots of wheatgrass out for my cats too, and oddly enough, Sweep has never expressed much interest in those (except as a toy—like your dog, she has occasionally pulled a plant out whole; she tosses it like a stuffie but doesn't eat it!). Apparently she has very specific ideas about which grass/greens will do. That said, this: and this: are good enough reasons for me to try the powder with her—regardless of whether it resolves the outdoor grazing and its unfortunate "second tail" side effect.

Does anyone feed this to their hounds as a supplement? I drink it in orange juice daily, and I'm thinking of trying some with Sweep in hopes it will discourage her grass eating. She never throws up, but after a couple of unpleasant incidents with long blades of grass resurfacing at the back end, I am looking for a solution. I could use a muzzle with a stool guard, but I am wondering if she's actually craving greens? (Is that a crazy theory? ) She will not touch frozen green beans, and since I already have the wheatgrass powder on hand, I thought it might be worth a shot. Here's the specific product: http://amzn.com/B0038B3AGO. The company website says it's safe for pets.

Don't have anything to add to what the others have said re: loose stool, but for the gassiness a spoonful of plain, unsweetened low-fat yogurt (Greek or regular) at breakfast has worked wonders for our female. She could clear a room when we first got her, but she almost never has gas now.