Zoomdoggie
-
Posts
66 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Gallery
Store
Articles
Posts posted by Zoomdoggie
-
-
Whether you use yoghurt or kefir, just make sure it's plain and unsweetened.
I switched from yogurt to kefir, because yoghurt has lactose in it (sugar), and kefir does not. Also, kefir has a LOT more probiotics in it than yoghurt.
-
-
I used to use "processed" probiotics, but an old trainer told me buttermilk or kefir is better, kefir being best.
I put a couple tablespoons of unflavored/unsweetened kefir in our greyhound's food 3-4x/week.
-
Who are the clinicians?Hum-no documentation -just working within the industry you hearthings ;-)
-
Can you provide any source to this information? I'm not doubting it, but it sure sounds interesting.
Many clinicians feel diet/stool has nothing to do with the anal glands-needing firm stool to help express the glands as the dog passes stool was only a theory which is being questioned now. A newer train of thought is it may be more allergy related.
-
This ^More opportunities for outdoor running may be needed -- the more he gets his energy out outside, the less he'll be compelled to zoom outdoors.
I don't think most dogs get enough REAL exercise, whether it be physical or mental. Even the old dogs thrive on it if given the opportunity. Sure, our couch potatoes will lie around all day if that's what we let them do, but sooner or later, the zoomies come to surface and the demon must be released!😨
-
It might be just stress due to the changes in her life. It probably took a good 3 months after adoption before our boy's dandruff finally got under control. After 5 months or so (it's now been 7 months), I hardly see a single flake on him. He gets brushed daily with a "Zoom Groom". We've only had to wash him once, and that wad bwcause he was playing and dighing in a big dusty hole. His diet is about 60% raw and 40% kibble. But I've never added any oil in his diet.
-
Leica doesn't mind wading through crashing waves in Lake Michigan, but he gets all freaked out if a harmless little dragonfly gets within 6 feet of him. Silly doggies!😜
-
Yes. First of all, reprogram yourself to forget every single thing you read regarding "dominance theory." It is a thoroughly outmoded training model based on faulty information. Dogs don't follow an "alpha" behavior model. Actually, neither do wolves on which that theory was based. So just let it go. Cesar's way is not the right way.
What you're dealing with is called resource guarding. The resource she's guarding is her bed/sleeping space. If you think of it, her behavior is entirely normal from her point of view - she has never had to share her space with any other living being since she was a small puppy, so she doesn't take kindly to having it invaded. Dogs can also guard their toys, their treats their food, and just about anything they feel is high enough value to them. Once they develop a bond of trust with you, the growling will usually extinguish itself.
Your basic premise is fine - reward her whenever she's calm and not growling when you or your wife are near her bed/space. DO NOT discipline her when she growls. The growl is her only way of warning us stupid humans that she's feeling anxious about an activity or behavior. If you extinguish the growl she may - and has - skipped it and go right for a snap or bite. All of this is happening while you're trying to build a trust bond with a new dog.
She sounds a bit anxious and overwhelmed at the moment - why she's not comfortable when you moved her bed - What the heck are you going to do to her next - she thinks!! So let her relax where she wants to be. Except on the couch - she shouldn't have furniture or bed priviledges while she's still guarding. If you need to move her off the couch or around her bed, clip her leash on or lure her to the new position with a yummy treat.
If you want to interact with her when she's laying down, call her over to you - that way you know she's awake and aware, and she's off the bed she's guarding. Make sure you reward her with a yummy treat in addition to the attention when she comes over to you. More bonding activities include walking together. And give her time. LOTS of time and patience. This is all so new to her, and an environment that she's never experienced before. Even if she was fostered or in a home previously, your home and lifestyle are totally different.
Time and patience. patience and time.
As far as your other thread, I haven't read it, but from the title it sounds like she has some leash reactivity as well. Patricia McConnell has an excellent training book called "Feisty Fido: Help for the Leash reactive Dog."
GREYT advice!!!
And the book by Patricia McConnell is excellent.
My first greyhound I raised from a 9 week old puppy, and I thought I knew it all. When we got our retired racer this past spring, I soon realized I had so much to learn. What Greysmom says about their previous life is so very important to remember, every day. There are certainly different challenges when comparing raising a blank-slate puppy to a retired racer. But now rhat we're having our own success in getting through the resource guarding issue, I am SO much appreciating the early training and socialization that these dogs get as a result of their previous life.
-
This ^Look for books by Patricia McConnell.
-
I don't have an answer to your question, but I would like to suggest being very careful that Milo doesn't get anywhere near that insecticide, or even inhale it. Personally, I wouldn't even have him in the same building while you're spraying it.
-
I think you're overdoing things.
It's cool that over in the UK you can take dogs into bars, but it's hardly near the top of the list of things a brand new pet should be doing with his new family!
He needs to know and trust you before you expose him to such potentially nerve wracking activities.
Work on things like leash manners, and casually meeting neighbors and such while out and about.
There will be plenty of time for him to hone his social skills with strangers later on!
This!
-
i really hate hate felxi-leads but i must confess, when my welsh terrier was around 10 or 11 i purchased a ribbon style flexi for our walks on horse trails.we rarely ran into other dogs/people and willie was the demo dog in obedience classes, he was a perfect gentleman most of the time. i was tired of bundling up the long line. so, i clipped it on him and relaxed the stop .....HE HEELED AT MY SIDE!!!! it never extended beyond 3 or 4 feet. it was a joke to say the least, it lived in my car's glove box as an emergency leash and i eventually gave it to my daughter.
great prices on ALL COTTON WEB LEASHES(washes well, don't burn hands, lasts until your dog eats it!), leather leashes, etc http://www.max200.com/cp5200/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=53
Interesting! My present greyhound and my last one do the same thing whenever I've tried to walk them with a flexi. I guess they just have become to know that 3-4 feet us where they're supposed to be.
I will occasionally put my grey on a flexi when we're just hanging out in the yard. Both my greys learned how to do mini figure-8 zoomies right in front of me, in about a 10 foot area.
-
It's fairly likely he may have seen other Greyhounds do this behavior on his breeding farm or in a kennel environment. As others mentioned, it is considered scent marking the ground as a double marker (in addition to leaving pee-mail or stool) in the territory. I've had female/male fosters do the same behavior upon arrival, but I'm usually able to redirect their behavior. Perhaps our Greyhounds just give up since they're on an equal playing field (so to speak). Their stool is picked up instantly.
Thanks. Yes, as I mentioned in my OP, I'm aware why they do it, but just wasn't sure if the behavior is based in nature ot nurture.
I think you may be right in him originally picking it up in his prior life. It's quite possible this particular behavior went into a kind of remission until he became more at ease and sure of himself in his new home. And quite possibly, witnessing the little strong-willed Jack Russel display it was just enough incentive to help him start it bavk up again!
-
Marking with the scent glands in their feet\
Here it was is what I've always heard It was learned behavior - I had Barkley 5.5 year before Pitou came and he never did itt once.. After watching Pitou he does it every time. It never comes and goes with Pitou.
I've had personal experience with canine sweat glands. Many years ago, I took some lessons from a professional tracker. This guy was so good he could track over bare stone. After finding an initial physical track of a fox on a gravel path, we were able to follow it just by the scent of each paw plant.
-
Come to think of it, my old whippet mix onlt did it when she pooped too!It must be at least partly instinct???
My Bazzy did it after a poop. He almost always pooped on walks instead of in the yard, so I had to be extra careful to have him poop only in common areas so people wouldn't think a turf aerator had run amuk.
Yeah, it must be partially instinct.
😨 LOLIt seems like some dogs do and some don't. My terrier tried it once and spooked herself and never tried again
-
I've seen it come about as a learned behavior. One dog in our walking group is a very enthusiastic kicker after potties. Multiple dogs started this behavior after seeing Louie do his thing. Some only do it on walks with him, others have taken it up as a regular habit.
Interesting! The Jack Russell that must have taught my boy, was ALSO very enthusiastic (like a Jack would ever do anything WITHOUT enthusiasm!).
I thought it was mainly dogs that did that but my fairly dominant lurcher bitch quite often does it. She lifts her leg to do a wee too.
It's funny to watch my grey do it. While he's scratching, he always looks off to the side, and I imagine him saying, "Yeah, that's me, and don't you forget it!"
My first sighthound, a female whippet-mix would often lift her leg too.
-
We've had "Leica", our 2 year old greyhound for 5 months now. Just about a week ago, he started scratching/kicking up the dirt right after a pee. I understand dogs probably do this to "spread their message around". What I'm curious is to know if this behavior is common to start after maturing a bit, or if it's just something dogs might pick up at any age, by example. As far as I know, he hadn't seen another dog do it until about 2 weeks ago, when a little Jack Russell mix displayed it in front of Leica.
-
We may adopt Sardine Saturdays here, too! Might have to be flexible about the day, though, as hubby can't bear fish so won't do ut if I'm working! Been doing online grocery shopping and noticed you can get boneless sardines - do I need those? I personally don't eat sardines, but I thought the bones weren't an issue. I'll get them if necessary, but they are twice the price!
Does anyone add coconut oil? What do you do with it? (Do you melt it, mix it in?)
Give them the sardine bones! That's one of the best sources of calcium you can give a dog, short of a raw diet.
-
I agree with John.
Personally I wouldn't give anything with sharp bone fragments to a suspected IBD dog. I wouldn't give bones to a dog on acid reducing drugs either.
-
We got our Florida grey in March with hooks. 3 rounds of Panacure at 3 weeks apart, and no luck. Then I heard that hooks actually have a 2 week life cycle. I dud 2 rounds if Drotal at 2 week intervals. We've now had 2 negative results in the past month (second test was today). We're still dealing with loise stool though,so I'm not sure what to think. I'll do another test in 2 more weeks. Best if luck. These Florida dogs have been going through some pretty rough times.
We got our Florida grey in March with hooks. 3 rounds of Panacure at 3 weeks apart, and no luck. Then I heard that hooks actually have a 2 week life cycle. I did 2 rounds if Drotal at 2 week intervals. We've now had 2 negative results in the past month (second test was today). We're still dealing with loise stool though,so I'm not sure what to think. I'll do another test in 2 more weeks. Best if luck. These Florida dogs have been going through some pretty rough times.
-
Greysmom has the best advice here. I've struggled with similar reactions from my Greyhound shortly after adoption, and you have to use patience and some good treats, to help them learn that doibg what you adk will bring greyt rewards!
-
Just wanted to post a quick update as I check in regularly for info etc and see there's some people with new dogs or just about to get theirs home.
Its been over 3 month's now since bringing Zoopy home and me seriously questioning whether I'd made a huge mistake and I guess others may feel that way initially.
We are so in love now 💕 he is no longer a stranger in my house, we cuddle regularly and he shows not the slightest bit of aggression at all. We are all chilled around him and he is definitely part of the family now.
Stick with it even if you have doubts in the beginning. Couldn't imagine him not being around now 😊
Yay!!! We've had our 2 year old "Leica" for almost 4 months now, and I have to say that sometime around the 3 month mark I began to see a change in his relationship with us. Now we see this soft look in his eyes of adoration, where as before he seemed indifferent. I know I'm anthropomorphizing here, but it's the best description I can give. There were times I was questioning if I made the right choice, but now I KNOW I did.
It sounds like you got a keeper in Zoopy!
-
Greyh9can definately learn how to swim. I trained my first one to retrieve Frisbees and sticks from out of Lake Michigan. He could at distances of maybe 200 feet, in mild waves. It wasn't easy, but he loved it. A pool is a different issue though. The safety of the shallow end isn't always so obvious.
How Much Is Enough?
in Food and dietary discussion
Posted
Maybe pick up a small bag of frozen raw dog food. A friend has an 11 year old grey who's been fighting cancer, and had little appetite. They recently began feeding her 100 raw, and now gobbles up everything given to her.