NeedlenoseJake
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Posts posted by NeedlenoseJake
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Yeah, I would just stop telling them about the issues.
I know, but we talk about our dogs to each other A LOT and pretty much everyday say "how's Jake?" I don't want to lie, but yes, in the future I will be more careful about what I say.
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Am I totally making this up or didn't you at one point post asking for input because you suspected something like LS? Am I losing my mind?
Um... I wouldn't say that, but no I don't think I've ever posted something like that before
You're probably just thinking of someone else!
Thanks sireltonsmom for the muzzle idea!
So on a different note, I'm so frustrated right now... I've posted in a different post about my co-workers who have dogs and whenever I tell them about incidences with Jake (last time he growled at Jesse when he tried to move him by the collar- which I totally know how to train against) they tell me that I need to show him we're the alpha and to either (1) smack him or (2) lay all of our weight on him to make him submissive. Umm, no!!! But I feel like they gang up on me and don't believe me when I say that would NOT be helpful. I guess I'm frustrated because with the growling when moving, I can say he's guarding and we're working on training for that. But this was totally out of the blue and I don't know how to fix it. One coworker today said she would "put a dog down" if he bit!
Sorry for the rant... just frustrated today and having a pity party...
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Jake has LS or some similar issue, yes? Zuri since developing LS has issues related to having his hind end and back handled. I have to be very careful to warn people, especially men, to pet him gently (and I have to define petting - smoothly stroking him from front to back) on his ears and neck where he enjoys it and not on his body because anything that is too rough (especially I think when it goes against the direction of his fur) is uncomfortable from his LS. I warned a guy who watched the dogs for me when I went out of town, but this was before I realized how very clear I need to be (as in spell it out) and he was giving Zuri scritches or something too roughly and Zuri snapped at him. He also snapped at a good friend (he's Zuri's favorite person after me) while getting pet after I had groomed him (so I think he was already sensitive).
All of this to say, no, I probably wouldn't keep taking him. Yes, you could instruct people on where and how to pet him, but there is still a risk. IMO, a therapy dog should be relatively bomb proof, without a history of aggression or a risk that the dog will snap or bite someone. Think of the potential ramifications if he did.
Also worth passing on to anyone who does have to handle him that he is likely sensitive and needs gentle handling. When I towel off the dogs after a walk in the rain, I am much more careful with Zuri. He's also particularly sensitive about having his back feet handled.
Anyway, it sucks, but it's probably best not to take him. For the same reason I say no to kids asking to pet my dogs. I have learned that they can't or don't always follow instructions and I'm just not willing to put my dog at risk if someone doesn't listen and he snaps.
Nope, he doesn't have anything like that. He did have a scratch on his leg, but Jesse was handling his front leg and the scratch is on this back leg. I tend to agree that he should not do more visits, even though it breaks my heart because he's so so good 99.9% of the time! I just have to accept him for who he is, which is a 99.9% sweet, 0.1% cranky snapper, people-loving, dog-hating, dog...
We already don't do play dates or go to the dog park (except late at night when alone) because he's a brat! But he is my brat
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So last weekend we went to a nail trimming/ spa day for greyhounds. After Jake's bath, DH was rubbing him down with a towel and out of nowhere Jake barked, snapped (all in one motion) and got him on the arm. Not a serious bite, nothing that needed to be treated, but just scary because he's never actually drawn blood before. He's only ever snapped and usually with a growl.
So... my question isn't really about his behavior (I think he was very annoyed already at the bath and was giving off signals, but we ignored them because we knew he was annoyed but needed to be dried off!), but about whether or not we should do pet therapy visits.
He passed his certification, is usually a doll and loves people, and has been on one visit so far. It just worries me that on the very few times he gets snappy, he doesn't really have a good warning. Or maybe I'm just not the best at seeing it. Anyway, just looking for advice. I think we both do/would like therapy visits because Jake LOVES seeing people and getting pet. However, I don't want anything bad to happen. Thanks in advance for the advice. My DH knows I always turn to GT when Jake does anything out of the ordinary!
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Good thoughts! Jake had a lump on his foreleg biopsied and it was just scar tissue. Hoping yours is similarly benign!
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I don't have anything to add to the excellent advice above, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry you are dealing with this. Good luck with whatever you decide. Although giving up a dog is never easy and there can be a lot of shaming by some people, you can see from the posts above that people understand it's sometimes what is best.
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OMG
OMG 
OMG 
That is the cutest face I've ever seen. WANT!!!!
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I shared this on my FB page in hopes that my coworkers will see it- the ones who say I should retaliate when Jake growls at me! In fact, I wish Jake would growl more because he goes very quickly to snapping (the very few times he isn't being sweet and bombproof).
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Sending good thoughts to you and your gorgeous boy. That white face
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We feed raw chicken, where the bones are much bigger, so I don't think you would have to worry about robin bones. Do the feathers just come out the other end? I don't think they can digest those. Gross!
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Every time you say something about one of Jake's behaviors, it reminds me SO MUCH of Gambler. They seem to be a lot alike, Jake is just a bit more intense. I learned early on that G does NOT like to me manhandled or forced into anything. I completely get that, I wouldn't either. He does growl and snap sometimes. A couple things I've noticed (and I don't know if these will all be helpful but they've helped me figure out my boy's grumpiness).
1.) I started using a harness on him. He get's more leash reactive, prey driven, and just plain a pain in the ass when I walk him in a collar for the most part, and will growl and snap when it's pulled accidentally.
2.) His growling/snapping increases exponentially the less real exercise he gets (completely understandable). But in the heat, or times when I work a lot and can't take him to run in the park as much, he growls a lot more and I know to just give him extra space during this time and cut down on petting.
3.)Whenever he does growl, I usually just stop doing the thing that made him growl. Snapping however, gets a firm "No".. then I stand tell him to get up from wherever he is and go lay down on the floor ( I don't yell). (Mostly because he snaps when he's on the couch or bed with me). He'll stay down and sulk a bit, but then after a few minutes I'll invite him back up and give him space and less attention unless he asks for it.
4.) His collar (or harness) comes off when we get home after a walk. When the collar/harness comes out he know's its walk time and it gives him something to be excited about.
5.) I would work on teaching him "get up", "come here", and "lay down". Treats really help with this, especially because if he's really comfortable he won't get up for anything else.
6.) I hardly ever manhandle him. I have been slightly teaching him to yield to pressure (kind of like you do with horses). I'll place a hand on his shoulder and with very light pressure, say "move over" (in a gentle voice), if he moves away, he get's a treat and a "good boy". If he doesn't respond I invade his space a little more by standing closer, and the second he does anything to move over, even if it's a lean in the other direction, he gets a treat and we build on it.
7.) If he does growl when I'm trying to get him to move a certain way I stop, grab a treat and ask him to do something else I know he can do to get things back on a positive note, then find a better way to ask to do the thing I wanted (if that makes sense)
I don't know if any of these help specifically, but this is just what I do. It really helps to do things that help bond you with the dog, like grooming, playing, etc. And just learning how they move and react.
Thanks, this is all good info! I should mention it was his tag collar, because his regular collar only comes out when we're going out. Jake and Gambler are just two grumpy old men I guess
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Thank you all so much. I feel a lot better! I was super surprised when they told me how much to feed her, since I had read that 2-4 cups a day was average, but she is our first grey (in fact, our first dog not including ones we had growing up) so I didn't know for sure. I really, really appreciate the feedback!
"Porkchop grey" bahaha! Definitely going to avoid that!
Thank you! I think I read somewhere that we should only be able to see the back 3 ribs, but not the hip bones or backbone... is that accurate?
Agree with the above statement that all hounds are different. Jake is very tall and we've always been able to see his spine clearly. That's just he way he is because he's not underweight.
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By the way, you haven't "given him his way" if you continue to try to move him by grabbing his collar. Not that it's about giving him his way in the first place, but the issue here is that he doens't like being moved by his collar. So stop doing it. He's escalating because you continue to do it when he doesn't growl at you. Who can blame him? He's asked you nicely a bunch of times not to do it.
And while I'm on a roll, anyone who gives you "training" advice based on dominance theory, RUN don't walk the other way. Those theories are disproven and unfounded at this point. Anyone who's still spouting that type of advice is getting their ideas about training from a certain TV personality who has no actual understanding of learning theory, or worse. Glad you were smart enough to second guess it and ask here.
Yes I tried arguing with them but it only gets so far. I think those kind of methods CAN work with SOME dogs, but I know they wouldn't work with mine! I'd get a nice bite and stink eye for my trouble! By the way, they even mentioned said TV personality by name
Yes, I know better 
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Hello all! My Jake is almost perfect... almost
Besides not liking other dogs much (which we've come to accept) he very occasionally will growl or snap at us (very, very occasionally, but we are NOT accepting of this). I know growling is communicating, so we don't do anything about that except give him his way (it's almost always if we try to move him from somewhere and he doesn't want to move). This morning, he skipped growling snapped as my husband tried to move him by grabbing his collar. I know you will all say this angered/frightened him and don't grab him by the collar anymore... BUT what I'm wondering is how to handle snapping situations when they happen.
It's honestly been less than 5 times in the past year we've had him, but I don't think snapping at us is ever right, especially when we respond to growling. My coworkers keep telling me to use force to make him know he's "submissive" to our "dominance" but I know that's an outdated theory. One says we should lay on him when he does this so he knows we're in charge. How do you guys deal with snapping situations?
Sorry for the drawn-out post!
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Not as good as nothing, but at least Pannus is easily treatable!
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You can also try bully sticks. They take Jake awhile, especially the really long ones.
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I'm so sorry to hear this. Everyone think's their dog is the sweetest, but I can attest that I only met Sallie one time, but she will stick in my memory because of how sweet and friendly she was. Prayers for you
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Hey guys, just wanted to update you!
Ive let him sleep upstairs with us and last night was actually his first good night so hopefully it sticks. We ended up leaving the door wide open to our room and our guest room and brough his bed -not cage- upstairs. Hes been quite all night and then decides to go downstairs to sleep in his cage around 5am. Hopefully this turns into a habbit and wasnt a one night fluke!
Sounds like that might be what works for you. Good luck!
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I'm sure no one will begrudge you a chance to remember your kitty here. I am not a cat person, but she was gorgeous!
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When I was in college I had an extraction because it was a back tooth and cheaper than a root canal. I think it was like $150 for the one tooth... but I didn't have to be put under.
Oops, I was assuming you meant a people dentist! I was thinking this was in Off Topic... Carry on
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When I was in college I had an extraction because it was a back tooth and cheaper than a root canal. I think it was like $150 for the one tooth... but I didn't have to be put under.
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Is it a possibility to keep the crate door and bedroom door open so that he can choose where to sleep? Jake sleeps in our room most of the time, but sometimes he wanders to other rooms. I think he would freak out if he couldn't get into our room though.
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Jake went crazy over the mulch we put down a few months ago. We tried to get him to stop, but he would still sneak some. Crazy dog!
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So sorry for your loss, but if they have to go, at home in your arms is the best way. Your poem reminds me of the "Spirit in the Sky" song
OMG 
OMG 
Yes, I know better 
Hating Her Crate
in Training and Behavior discussion
Posted
Look up alone training. Also try giving her a stuffed kong or other long-lasting treat when she goes in the kennel. I'm sure others will chime in with more advice.