Scoutsmom

I'd check to see if it said it was safe for puppies. If not, I would never use on my grey/ If it does, it should be okay, barring any alergies.

The word "Bitch" has come to mean a bossy female for a reason. Many dog bitches are bitchy. My small girl, Bree, regularly snarls and snaps at my big lummox, Henry, when he gets too close. Of course she does then give in and let Henry have the bed or the couch that he wants. It sounds horrible but no one has ever spilled blood so I don't interfere and let them work it out. My sister's smooth collie is the ultimate bitchy bitch and she and Bree cannot stand each other. However Henry really likes her. I would recommend my approach for your household. Leave them to it unless blood is drawn. They will work it out As to Dozer's diet (love the name): Most greys come to their forever homes with dry, flaky skin. Good food, regular grooming, and fish oil supplements will help with that. Most vets will let their clients come in and use their scales whenever they want. If you think Dozer is losing weight, take him in and weigh him. I'm not sure what you mean by significant output from Dozer--is it more than your girl produces? Is it comparable given his larger size? Also I have learned that cheap food produces much more output and smells. The real high end stuff often produces diarrhea as they are too rich. I have found the Iams Turkey and Barley works great for my pups. You might want to try experimenting with foods. What has your girl been eating? I don't know what size Dozer is, but my Henry (80 lbs) gets 1 1/2 cup plus a little cat food 2x a day. As to his skinniness, remember to compare him to other greyhounds, not labs. If he then looks skinny, consider trying to fatten him up. Just remember that many non-greyhound people are used to fat (excuse me, "well-loved") dogs and think all greyhounds are skinny. It is not just American people that are over -weight.

I am so sorry that Leia had to leave you and for the gaping hole it has left in your family. It is always hard to lose a pet, but it sounds like her last hours were particularly difficult. I'm very glad that you and your wife were there to comfort her and help her during those hours. Your wife should not blame herself. It sounds like Leia was living on borrowed time and imagine how much worse it would have been for her if she had bumped something when you were away and she had to struggle thru those last hours without your loving pressence.

You've received good advice from the other posters. The only thing I would add is consider walking him with a companion dog. Do you know someone with a confident greyhound or a dog that he has met and liked? If so, ask if they could join you on your evening walks. It will help show him that the noises are anything to worry about if the other dog remains calm. Otherwise it is just time and patience. I'm not sure why he would need boots in the snow. I'd only use them if there is salt on the roads or if the snow has icy chucks that might cut his paws. My dogs have no problem with walking in snow and give no sign that their paws are cold. But we don't live in Arizona and I don't know what your winters are like.

I'm afraid I follow the "open the mouth and pop the pill in method". It's kind of like putting a bit in a horses mouth--apply pressure as far back as the lips will let you as that makes it difficult for them to clamp their jaws together. After the pill goes down or is about to, I tickle their nose by either blowing on it, or lightly tickling it. EIther way it makes them swallow (a trick my vet taught me).

Awww--the joys of a 2-3 year old. My second grey was 2 when I adopted her. I had all sorts of these problems until one day, when she was about 4, she decided to grow up and become an adult. This is why I much prefer adopting older "adult" greyhounds. Give me a calm 6 year old any time. The only advice I have for the original poster is to consider rotating her toys. Leave out a couple and put the rest away. After a few days, change which ones are out to be played with. This should help keep her from becoming bored with her toys. And remember that, unlike a kid that takes 20+ years to become an adult, you only have to wait a couple years! Enjoy and Good Luck.

My advice to new owners such as yourself is "don't stress so much about food." Find something that gives a firm stool, little gas, that the dog likes and is easily available. It most likely won't be the highend dog kibble as they are often too rich for greyhounds. I feed my 2 greys Iams Green Bag Chicken and Barley Recipe and I have fed Purina's Pro Plan, plus appropriate treats (meat and veggies) from my own dinner). I don't know if those brands are available in the UK. My dogs have all lived healthy long lives (except for the one born with defective kidneys.) I have never dealt with a raw diet. I hate cooking and am not going to add to my burden by cooking another meal just for the dogs. But if you are into cooking and have access to the foods and time to work out a nutritious diet, go for it if you want to.

Hey, my 2 greys (8 and 10 years old) are healthy. The only problem I have had is when the oldest somehow swallowed a sewing needle and needed surgery to get it out. Yes it was expensive, but with CareCredit it was manageable.

Something scared him at the door. It could have been something so small that you or the petsitter didn't notice it, but he sure did. You could try putting a treat on the floor just inside the door-so he has to reach in to get it Then gradually move it nearer the stairs. Or continue with the nudges and give him a treat each time he reaches the stairs. Hope this helps.

I am so very sorry.

Just a passing thought: What if you spread a thin layer of peanut butter on her chew toys? Maybe it will get her started chewing and when the peanut butter is gone, she will just carry on?

I totally agree with CA about getting the dog checked by the vet. While that is being done, I have 2 suggestions. 1) reclean the spot and put something over it (like a chair) so he can't easily get to it. Sometimes putting foil over it will also work (the sound of pee hitting the foil scares the dog--at least in theory). 2) Take your pup outside really really frequently. Most greys come to us not realizing that they need to signal when they need to go out. So you need to learn what the signs (often very minor) are that he needs to go out. I swear my Bree doesn't give any physical signs, just uses some kind of ESP to let me know. Sometimes I'm not receiving and we do have an accident but at least it's usually in the kitchen.

I would say they age as well as other large dogs and better than some. Yes they are bred for racing, but that means they are relatively healthy dogs with good temperments-their owners/trainers don't waste time on unhealthy dogs or dogs with bad temperaments. Their breedings are carefully planned. But show dogs are bred for their looks and temperament so there isn't much difference. Neither type of owners/breeders really look at quality of aging in the dogs. But looking at other old dogs that I have known, I would say they are no different from other dog breeds. That said, greyhounds live about 12 years, plus or minus, similar to other large dogs. And like all long-legged dogs they are prone to bone cancer. And they do get other kinds of cancers but again no more than other breeds and fewer than some. I've had 5 greyhounds, only 2 died from cancers one of which was bone cancer.

I am so very sorry.

If this were my dog I would first do a web search to find out about side effects of rymadyl. Then I would seriously consider finding a new vet. A vet cannot tell just by looking at it, if a lump is just a harmless cyst or not. They can guess, but that is all. I would take my dog to a specialist of some sort (I'm not sure what specialty Cushings falls under). If she is not doing good now, I would take her to an emergency clinic, but make sure it is a good one and not one that just stitches up wounds and deals with upset stomachs.

I have IBD myself. In my case it is Ulcerative Colitis. I won't go into all the medicines we've tried that have and have not worked as dogs probably use different medicines. One thing that you may find helpful is that I find that raw vegs cause me to cramp up and feel miserable. Cooked veggies are fine. Good probiotics also help some.

Thank you for sharing your story. My Scout had bone cancer about 12 years ago--before I knew much about cancer in dogs. I have my fingers crossed that my current greys don't suffer from it, but if they do, it is stories like yours that will help us deal with it.

I think you need to get a King-sized bed.