GreytXpctations

Including fosters, my experience says one in three had it enough to be wary, and one in six enough to be dangerous. All overcame it, and none of them were allowed on the furniture (which I think is important for a sleep startle dog -YMMV). Like all things grey, it just takes time and patience.

google: Petmate Vari Pet Kennel Giant or Pet Porter Kennel They range from $175 - 250, but the basic size is 36"x48"x32". Because of the shape, they are a bit smaller than a wire crate of the same size, so this would be the minimum size I would use for "greyhound storage" (rated for [regular shaped] dogs 90-125lbs). Make sure that you get one with the door latch that turns (dial, not pinch latch). It has a 4-point lock. The other ones have a two point lock, which even a moderate Houdini can defeat. One of my greys regularly cleared my 36" hallway gate without so much as a whisper or thump. One of the fosters demolished my wire crate in under 30 minutes. The above crate is a bit pricey, but it will be a one time purchase.

It may take awhile for her to catch on, but like most things grey, it just takes patience and consistency. With you walking 4x a day, she should catch on pretty quick. Once they stop pulling, the walk just becomes so much more enjoyable for both of you, and you can let the leash out a bit more for sniffs and looks. Once you get the second dog, it becomes that much easier to walk both.

One of the women that used to volunteer with us had taught her dogs to do that. That was the first time I ever heard of it. Her old dog had done it for years (a BC, I think), so when she started with greys, it was the first thing she taught him. Very handy for the morning when the grass is dewey.

Good points about the water. I think Vayda's comment about keeping him on the Purina to some degree for bulking up is good too, especially related to the water, as long as he is tolerating the Purina well enough. After just going through some ongoing food/health related issues at home due in part to a higher end, lower sodium food; I think that the lower end Purina may encourage the dog to drink more. If the other food has low sodium, the dog may not drink as much. I know Carlos is hitting the water bowl a lot more, after switching him back to a mid-range food. Multiple full water dishes sounds good too; even if it is just two in the same room. ETA: I also agree with the comment above about letting your husband feed the dog to help the dog warm up to him. It's also good to know your vet has solid greyhound experience. You're a good person for looking after all this.

Some good advice here. My 2 cents worth, based on kennel dogs that came to us from owners that neglected them, and all mentioned above in one way or another: 1 Vet for blood work and exam to rule out medical and parasites 2 An extra meal: If the normal daily food is 4 cups of kibble, increase by up to 25% by adding in an extra 1 cup meal of regular food. 3 Easily digested calories such as raw pumpkin (not pie filling) and a couple table spoons of full fat yogurt will add calories, but also include some fiber and probiotics. This can be given with the extra meal. Fully cooked white rice and ground meat (do not drain the fat) also work well, or any combination. I would put the vet as priority 1 however. 20 lbs underweight (especially if it represents 25% of healthy weight) is dangerous. If it is due to neglect, the body can start to cannibalize itself for protein causing muscle loss and damage to organs. The vet may prescribe treatment different than 2 and 3 above. I included those for if the vet says the dog is ok medically, but just needs to put on weight. They should add a few pounds a week. If the stool is loose, it may be from recent change in diet, or a mis-match in food for that particular dog. Blending in the extra calories can help from upsetting the dog's digestive system, by having some of it's regular diet in every meal. Sometimes adding in meals or mini-meals of non-regular food types can cause digestive issues all on its own. Apologies for repeating others or telling you things you may already know. This is what I would do. This is what I have done.

She might just see it as an extension of the indoors. If you use the word (pee or potty) with a lot of praise whenever she does it outside so she learns the word well, it might help coax her to do it on the "grass" on the patio. I've used similar to train dogs to go while on the leash. Once they learn the word, they can pretty much go on command if they need to go, and once she learns that it is ok, she might start doing it on her own. I can see where a closed in patio can be tricky. I don't think I've ever had a house trained dog go on the lanai on their own.

Carlos has perfected "lay down", "stay" and "play dead". He is also good at "don't get up", "go to bed", and "come and eat". He learned "don't fetch" almost by instinct, he was so quick to catch on. I suspect he may have trained us to some extent. His only real "trick" is when we point a finger gun at him and say "bang!". The he drops and plays dead. It's easier if you go with what they know

Water content affects the outcome to some extent too.

I know what you mean. I have had to change routes because of other dogs, and have had one of my dogs attacked by a cat. My Frida was a severe spook when we got her, so even too much traffic was too much for her, and I am not on a busy street. We had to make real accommodations for her walk time in order to make it a positive, desirable experience. We started in the yard, then just to the corner, then drove her to a park. Now she walks the same route as Carlos at the same time and looks forward to it, but we still avoid certain areas.

I can see this being true in many cases. For a while we only had Carlos, and this guy would lay down in the aisle of Petsmart for a nap if you were moving too slow. The temptation to just let your dog out, rather than take him out, exists. People without fenced yards do not have this temptation, so the dogs have to be walked. Carlos would come out into the yard and lay down in the sun. I would have to grab the box of tennis balls and Frisbees and throw them one at a time for him to chase to get some exercise and loosen him up. He still does not fetch (otherwise we could just use one ball ), so we adapted to him to get him moving. Now that Frida has come out of her shell, they will run and play on their own. They still get the walks though, and at least now they can be walked together.

Which is why I clarified with it not being about absolute control or absolute obedience. I've used this on all types of greys and it works. Period. Obviously we need to respond to each dog's need individually, but this works. Compared to many of the other, less passive, methods of "showing who's Alpha" it is simple and it is effective, and contributes to a well adjusted grey in the home. It builds trust and bonding. Unless your dog is physically unable to walk, or you try to walk in an unsafe environment, I've yet to see it disregard the best interest of the dog. They all end up asking for the walk, and none of them end up needing to be on a tight leash. I also have a large fenced yard where we have active play time, so they don't need the walk for exercise. I am very passive with them in training, limiting it to things they need to know to live in a house. Tricks aren't necessary, but responses such as stop, come, leave it, are. If done a certain way, they can learn all this on the walk. They get to sniff, pee and explore, but they also respond to ignoring many distractions and continuing to move past certain situations without escalating them. Some dogs respond faster than others, some dogs respond better than others, but they all end up responding, and it helps their adjustment to their new life. As I said in my OP , I have found it very effective with a variety of greys over the years, and a number of other breeds before that, and that the response varies, but it really is a simple way to work with your grey. Especially when compared to some of the dog psychology out there. It just takes patience, and a willingness to be consistent. I have found it to be effective on fosters that were returned because they had behavior problems or didn't listen. It's a relatively easy and passive way to give your dog comfort in knowing that someone (you) is in charge. In the end, you are just walking your dog. Simple. You are just not letting him lead.

Agree with this.

Glad you were able to get her in so soon after. In lieu of peroxide, warm, very salty water will also cause immediate upchucking, and it is almost always immediately available. I've never actually used peroxide myself, since the salt water always works.

I see a number of threads about leashed behavior, walking the dog, behavior issues, exercise needs etc. So many of these things and more, come together and are addressed in walking your dog on the leash. It seems terribly simplistic to say, but it is true (and it is that simple). At the risk of telling you all what you already know in one form or another: Many years ago, while involved with shepherd dogs, we used to really push the importance of walking your dog. Shepherd breeds, and most breeds to some extent, need physical and mental stimulation regularly or there will be serious consequences. That is why these highly intelligent dogs have so many active rescue organizations. People don't realize these needs and give up the dogs when behavior issues develop. While greys have the reputation of being couch potatoes and being low in trainability (NOT the same as intelligence), they actually benefit from exposure to many of the same principles related to working with high activity, high intelligence breeds. They do need both mental and physical stimulation (how they react to it varies of course). I have applied this to all of my greys and foster greys over the years, including spooks, vecros, and aggressives, and it always works to some degree. Greys are more than potatoes, and are actually above average intelligence (sources vary on this, also not to be confused with trainability). When done a certain way, walking the dog can be exercise, training, and therapy. It can be as simple as you walking the dog, and not letting the dog walk you. Benefits of walking your grey (or any other dog): Exercise - for the both of you. Bonding - from shared activity and development of trust. Reduce Stress - by providing both stimulation and exercise you tire your grey out, mentally and physically. Reinforce Roles - You are the boss. You are in control. You set the pace, you set the path. Socialization - and adjustment to the outside world. Routine - he gets/stays used to being on the lead and doing his business on the lead. When you walk your dog, you expose him to the outside world in a controlled bubble that reinforces the fact that you are the one in charge. You provide mental stimulation and physical exertion that helps reduce stress, anxiety, and behavior issues. You increase the odds that anytime a leash is clipped onto your dog, he will behave (it may not be just you that has to take him on the lead -things happen), and you also maintain him doing his business on the lead as a routine event. You build a comfort zone for your dog from the familiarity of the leash and the controlled environment of the walk. It also reinforces behavior that is desirable such as heeling, stopping at cross streets, better focus, and general obedience. The walk is its own reward for good behavior and over time, the more control that you maintain while doing it, the better the reward will be, because it will be more enjoyable for both of you. It helps your dog to trust you and increases the bond between you. It also makes the leash less of an event and more of a routine in general. This I learned with Aussies, but it is just as true with Greys: When you set the pace slower than your dog's natural pace, he has to think about what he is doing and it will actually tire him out faster. He will still be exposed to the stimuli from the walk itself, but the unnatural gait will tire him both mentally and physically. It also reinforces your role as the boss, which helps with obedience in general. If he pulls, while on the lead, then you stop and wait until he stops pulling before moving on. In the beginning, this will be a bit frustrating and will wear you both out very quickly, but over time it makes for a much more enjoyable experience for all involved. It's also easier than yanking on the lead and/or yelling to heel or stop, and reinforces the fact that you are leading him and he is matching pace to you. This isn't about absolute control over your grey and absolute obedience, even though I have used the words control and obedience several times each. It's about have a well adjusted retired racer, who feels secure in your presence and behaves while on lead. If done correctly in the beginning, the walk becomes less about the outside world and more about quality time for both of you. At the same time, the walk becomes more than just the walk, as you build a bond and trust between you that will affect all aspects of your grey's life. I absolutely think having a fenced yard is a benefit for both you and your grey. As is the opportunity to run off lead (when a safe opportunity and environment allows, such as in a fenced park). But they are no substitute for the walk. Even ten minutes of walk time a day, if he is getting enough exercise in the yard, makes a noticeable difference. Again, you walk the dog, not the other way around. Many grey people I know don't train their greys a lot of tricks, instead placing their emphasis on a comfortable retirement and acceptable behavior. There have been greys go on to agility training, obedience recognition, therapy or other service, but the majority of retired racers just become companions. Adjustment to home life is paramount. Behavior is a big part of that. Walking can be an amazingly powerful tool.

Great news!

The only thing we have ever used for hook worm is Heartgard Plus. For initial treatment we just switched from an oral heartworm med to Heartgard Plus, and then kept him on it. We have since had all of our dogs on HG Plus (or a generic) and never had a problem with them again. Hookworms can be picked up repeatedly just from walking your dog through the "garden" patch in front of the pet store, or at a dog park. I haven't had any problems using pyrantel (in the HG Plus) on a regular basis. Heartgard (not plus) and some generics do not have the pyrantel, so you have to make sure it is there for hookworm.

Charlie was leashed, the cat was not. Sounds like he was defending himself, and irresponsible cat owners lost a pet. I would suggest keeping calm and trying (but not forcing) to keep Charlie to his normal routine. He will pick up on nervousness, which is the only reason I suggest to "keep calm". Put it behind you and go about life as normal. I had a dog attacked by a cat lying in wait under a hedge, and it almost cost him an eye. Sounds like you, your partner and Charlie have done nothing wrong.

I hope he heals well and heals fast.

How long has he been on the new food? With one of my greys, I have to switch his food VERY gradually and he is usually quite loose until being completely on the new food for about a week before starting to firm up.

The Advantix is also supposed to be good for mosquitos, which is a plus in Florida. Especially with all the rain we've had this summer.

Test results back were negative for infection. The diagnosis is that he had irritation from crystals forming due to the high alkalinity from high mineral, low sodium food. The old vet was supposed to fax over the other culture results but "can't find them" apparently. After a week on S/D, his urine was clear and I have been transitioning him onto Nutro Limited Ingredient Diet Lamb and Rice. He is "firming up" as the transition becomes more kibble, which is a good sign for him, and is showing no signs of irritation of the UT. Free catch tomorrow and drop off to the vet to look for new crystals, and again in two weeks to make sure - no charge, because the new vet is documenting the case. He thinks because Carlos is so reactive to changes in diet, he is very sensitive to dietary ingredients, which also explains his bouts of IBS during food changes, or from mainstream treats. Apparently about 50% of greys are like this, with the low body fat being a contributing factor, because other similar breeds show the same tendencies. Not all are, so genetics are the other half of the mix. Frida still eats the rescue kibble, counter surfs, has eaten rawhides, milk bones, and a tray or two of pickles without so much as a hiccup. She is still her racing weight and you can set your clock to her movements. She shares no ancestry with Carlos for at least 8 generations. Neither dog has been to the vet for illness or injury outside of Carlos UT problems which just started this year. None of my other dogs had significant dietary issues either. I will update on the tests and on the new food if anyone is interested.

I switched over to Advantix this year and haven't had an issue with fleas. It's good for fleas for three months and ticks for one. I gave every three months starting March, June, Sept., and just check for ticks while grooming or after time in the parks. So far, no fleas or ticks. My old topical quit working last fall.

Prayers for all of you. Beautiful pups.

I have had success taking the dogs out one at a time on six foot leads. If they know what "potty" means, then it is easier. Give them the full length of the lead to wander around. They usually like more distance between us than when walking (which is usually on 3 and 4 foot leads), so the longer lead helps. Limit their outdoor time to being on leash only and in the yard that they would normally be loose in to potty. They usually figure it out in a day if they know the word that you use for potty (as in: "good boy, good potty!"). For fresh out of the kennel, I'll use a 10 foot lead if I have to, but usually they just need to be able to walk around to loosen themselves up and more distance between you than when walking. Train them one at a time, where they normally go.