Rakete

When the first vet panicked, it was because of a heart murmur. She said that if he would not be put on medication, he will be gone within weeks or months. Sent us to a cardiologist. Cardiologist found nothing disturbing. Did not put him on meds. This was 2 years ago, when he also developed a severe pancreatitis, which might be why his heart could have been out of the normal range. And the first vet was not experienced with sighthounds. Things could have changed as 2 years is a long time in a seniors life. Going to check this soon. And I do not know his regular heart rate 2 years before or as a younger dog. So there is nothing to compare it to and see if a significant decrease happened. But I did not find anything on heart rate of aging greyhounds and lurchers and thought it might be interesting for others as well what heart rate at rest could occur. As it is really hard to feel his pulse on his hind leg it might the case that I misinterpreted things but I always counted similiar number of heart beats. Right after a short walk, some stairs and waiting for food: approx. 60bpm At rest, not sleeping: 30-35 bpm Allthough it says nothing about my own dogs condition, I find it interessting, what other old, resting dogs have.

As my Lurcher (date of birth unknown, but he must be at least 12,5 years) is doing not so well since a few weeks, I am in a constant concern and have a look at things, I never ever looked at before. So I do not know what his regular heart rate at rest was. But actually it is around 30 beats per minute, which I find extremely low. Well, he has always been a sportive dog and, considering all his health problems, he still is. 2 Years ago he had an ultrasound of the heart done by a specialist, that found nothing concerning, allthough the regular, non sighthound used vet was afraid he might die the very moment. Cardiologist just mentioned a big heart but as he was running a lot these days, even as a senior, she said this would explain it. He still loves running (as far as his back lets him, his symptoms of LS are getting worse) and even now does not seem heartsick to me. But there was a lot of panting during the last weeks - it was incredibly hot and he was at least in light pain because of his back - and his breathing at rest seems sometimes flat and fast, but...given all his health issues, he seems incredibly fit. And that sometimes we can hear him breathe, maybe this happened before and we just did not think about it. Who knows. Maybe 30bpm is just fine for the old guy. Clearly, I have to consult a vet (last week we have been to the emergency vet, because of Seniors eye, but the vet did not mention any concerns about his heart) to know what is going on with this particular dog- we have an appointment on friday. I only wonder: Is bradycardia common in old hounds? What usual heart rates at rest do your senior dogs have?

I just experienced sort of this behaviour in one of my foster dogs, that has never been in a household before as well. I could only give it a guess, what it really was, but to me it seemed as it had something to do with certain angles of light and open spaces and flat surface. She could cross a hall with slippery ground without trouble from the one side, but lay down and refused to move, when we crossed in from the other side. It mostly happend when a room was very bright, with artificial light or it was a sunny day or late at night, when light poles lit the ground. Or if it was coming from a small room, entering a broad and wide room. Distances and dimension of spaces, light, something like that seemd to cause her refusal. I literally dragged her through, as I did not know what else to do. The behaviour vanished after some time. That I forced her out did not cause trauma to her. But she was no fearful or shy dog from within, she just was not used to human arcitecture. I do not know what kind of dog your George is. So sometimes forcing a dog is not the right way, sometimes it works pretty quick. We had to go this direction, so we went this direction, allthough she definitely did not want to. Never made much of a drama about it, but draged her (on her harness, not a collar!) trough, if necessary. Sorry, as I am no native speaker, I do not always get it in the first time - you mean, pooping takes him much longer and he did it in the apartement as well? Dogs that have not been a pet or never lived in an urban area before, might have difficulties in releasing themselves. Some dogs do not like to poop when on the lead or of there is just concrete. And in the beginning of housetraining, many might do better, if you just let them pee and poop on one certain spot (even if this takes time, my personal record with one dog, that was too nervous to let go, was standing in one spot for an hour) and not wander around. Using the same place every time might help them to adjust to the fact, that there are noises and smells and people and cars and animals they have never seen, heard or smelled before. Good luck with your boy. Guess, he just needs a little more time and then he will be fine.

Hm...if I got that right, he is fine with walking into the elevator but not with leaving it, entering an more open space like a lobby? Are there lots of windows, glass, light, shiny underground?

Elevator, hallway, stairs, the outside. Everything new to him. Slippery Underground (Are there tiles in your hallway?), reflections of light, sound of the elevator, ... All of this might be overwhelming. Also reminds me of young puppies, entering their new homes, away from their mother they often have a phase where everythimg outsside scares them or is a little too much. Had a Galgolady once, that walked the stairs and on slippery ground when she first entered my flat. It took a while for her, to, let's say realize, what is new to her and what frightens her. It helped a lot that she had my other dogs around her. But if she was alone with me, she as example lay down flat on the floor whenever there where tiles etc. Was not used to walk on it. Had to carry her out of a mall once. What helped? Mostly time. 1 week is nothing. What I would try. Not walk him around outside till he has gotten adjusted to things better. Well, surely take him out to do what he has too, but not more that that. I'd try to get him familiar with elevator, halway etc first. How I would do it? Hm...I do not know where and how you live. If it is safe for the dog, I would mine let roam freely trough the hallway or sit down with him somewhere near the elevator, reading a book, not paying him too much attention, just be with him, while he might find out, that everything is okay. I would try to turn the lights on and off. Carry the trash with me. Talk to the neighbour next door.Let him watch people entering and leaving the elevator and their apartements. Everydaybusiness and everydaynoises - But to him this all is a completely new world. So after he has done his business, I would not walk straight back to the apartement. I would spend time with him outside in the hallway. I would recommend to give ot a try after he was outside, when his bladder is ready to let his mind focus on other things. It is not necessary to talk him out for longer walks right now. He would do fine without sports for a while. Let him spend his energy on getting familiar with what seems to scare him.

No new dog so far. He is my 13 year old Lurcher, with a lot of aging issues. And his name is "Herr Pferd"/"Mr. Horse" I am just trying to be prepared of what might happen if he is gone. I do not want to live without a large dog. He is doing okay so far. But I have to face the fact that this will not last forever. I am more of a person, that wants to be prepared. As far as I see it now, there should be another dog moving in quite soon after him (whenever this will be). But as there is this tiny dog, a child and that we live in a city, even a future foster dog needs to be choosen wisely.

Did not work out as I planned, but at least there is a picture: Senior and the little one. After some more reading and talking to people, I can't remember, why I was bothered that much. Right now I try to enjoy the time that remains with senior dog. He's loosing sight in one eye (thank god, no glaucoma as the pet clinic we lately consulted at night found out), his back is getting worse and nobody knows if age or cancer wins, but he still is a funny guy that likes to go out for a long walk, eats and drinks, but age and diseases made him look old within a few weeks, even strangers see the old dog in him now. But as long as he is enjoying his days, there is no need for any other dog. Might be weeks or months, who knows. Whenever it is the time, I have sort of a plan. Did some research on the sactuarys the adoption group works with and want to contact them personally, not only via adoption group. This might enlarge the chance to find the right dog. And luckily I found out, that the group @Smurfette is with, has a contact person in Austria. We that a nice an pretty long talk on the phone and she is willing to do sort of a home visit, as she lives near my hometown. Still it might all be a little complicated. There are no dogtransports to Austria, the hounds arive in Germany which means 1.500k traveling with my mother in laws car and frankly speaking, I won't drive that far, just to visit a dog in foster care. So why not do it, as I did it before? Pick up a dog, fostering it by myself. As now there are a few more greyhound contacts im my nearer surrounding, there might be a Plan B if it would not work out as expected. But for now, I allready have a great hound.

@Jerilyn Oh, then I spent my nights 7 years later at "Shamrock" and "O'Malley's". Will reply to the other comments with a little delay. Senior is doing not so well tonight.

@Jerilyn Haha. When was this? I studied in Salzburg as well. Hm...study might not be the right word for it. Lived in an Irish Pub would describe it better. @All the others Thanks for your input. Gave me something more to think. Will sleep it over. (Middle European time: half past 1 in the morning. Husband might believe I finally became crazy over that doggie thing.)

@cleptogrey Little One is around 4,5pounds. The spanish Ratonero Bodeguero I fostered for nearly a year was around Emmas weight and size - and ran with the sighthounds without any trouble. So little one is smaller than an average cat. She is a hunting dog trough and trough but...if there is ever some any dog in a prey driven state going for her or if there where serious dog to dog agression she won`t have any chance. Right now she lives with Senior, who had at least medium prey drive when he was younger (Oh...today I was really concerned about him. He did not even raise an ear when there where chicken running free next to him). He never had little dogs made him switch to "killing time", only cats and other small animals. He reacted strongly to squeaking toys but never to Little One, alltough she can make some strange noises. He was not cat safe and still can not be trusted with cats outside, but he got along with mine. After quite a while of training. Crate. Lead. Muzzle. Seperation during my absence. Some vocal reminders to do not lose his mind or let his eyes fall out of the head. Lots and lots of treats. Time. This was where he lost his strong reacitivity to some sort of sounds I guess. But having to accept a tiny, weird sounding kitten that he liked to chase and tear apart made him more predictable. Or was it due to aging? But he clearly never showed signs of "that certain look" that my foster Galgo had, when she became aware of any small dog. She chased an shook them and would have done damage, so she was consequently muzzeld. But she got better. I fostered her for quite a while. 1 1/2 year I think. Still you I would not have called her perfectly small dog safe and I do not know, how so got on with this in her new home. She was able to adapt to living with a cat. But...same procedure as with the Lurcher. And no outside cats... Considering that small sample of sighthounds I lived with so far (maybe to mention my 2 daycare Whippets to enlargen my sample, but their prey drive was somehow different or it was the small weight and size that made it seem more manageable or less present) I personally would believe it to be possible, given enough time and done with sufficient methods, means and carefulness. Never gave issues like that a thought. Just gave it a try. Got my foster dogs without any information. Took them home. Worked with what apeared. But I never had a dog that small before to confront with a stranger that might go nuts over it`s pure presence and I never dealt with greys before. Maybe I`ve read too much. As mentioned before - there arose this picture in front of my inner eye - the greyhound being the least small dog compatible sighthound of them all. Still do not know if this pictures reality, I barely came across this topic in Galgo owner circels. Is it is just some sort of "better safe than sorry" or is there really a tendency for greys being less sociable with smaller breeds than other sighthounds? Gave it a long thought. And you a long read. ;-) This should be the essence what really made me asking. Maybe easier to answer: How do I attach pictures on this board?

@JohnF What really irritates me: Is there really such a difference in prey drive of different sighthoundtypes? To me it seems as the greyhound is told to be the "worst". Surely there is a difference in the upbringing of Galgo and Greyhound (And other differences as well) but is their prey drive and what might trigger it really that different? My galgogirl tried to kill smaller dogs. She was an experienced hunter and reacted to many things in her new life. Lurcherboy was standing on his hind feed, screaming whenever he saw a cat, duck, rabbit. He jumped 1,7m fences to kill neighbours chicken and caught flying birds. Squirrels still drive him nuts. He jumps against trees. And so on and so forth. The first years with him where full of surprises. How high a dog can jump or where potential prey might hide and how long dogs can remember that they have spotted a cat at a certain place. Part of what I am trying to figure out is: Are Greyhhounds right of the track more prey driven than as example Galgos that actually did some serious hunting? Cause to me it sounds a little like it. But I am confused. Clearly a dog from the track and a coursing dog have experienced different things and might react at different triggers. But is all the warning more for people that never before owned a sighthound and I will give it a laugh? Screaming dog with that insane killerlook in it's eyes - pah, been there, done that before or is there "more" truth in it. From my actual point of view I would say: You have to be careful to bring such different dogs as a fast, large hunter and a tiny, loud dog together. It will take time and it needs seperation for at least a while but it is manageable in most cases. But all that "oh my god a greys preydrive" made me really insecure. The greyowners I know so far are mostly first dog owners. So that is why I came here, where I might find people that live with sighthounds for more than just 2 years or so.

@greysmom I am from Europe. There is no such thing as a racetrack within hundreds of kilometers. Greyhounds that are for adoption usually come from Ireland, where they spent some time at a shelter. Then they are brought to Germany, Italy, Czech Republic or Austria. Some of them are adopted right out of the transporter, some come into foster care. As far as I know right now there are only two fosterfamilies for Greyhounds in Austria. There are way more for Galgo Espanol or Galgo Inglese and Podencos, but to me it seems as if the popularity of adopting sighthounds has slowed down a bit during the last couple of years. I come across more hounds right from a breeder. Whippets are booming. I am in contact with one adopting group from Germany that has some contacts here in Austria and has brought like 12 Greys to Austria during the last years. They seem to do great work and to be nice people. But as I already had a home visit it was like "Ooookay. So let's be honest. I am the one with the sighthoundexperience, alltough I never had a grey"

Hey there! (As I am not used to write or talk in English, grammar or structure of my sentences may come out alittle strange. But I fully understand your answers) Well, where to begin? I am thinking of adopting a Greyhound in the nearer future. Which sadly means my senior Lurcher (Spanish hound with unknown history or origin. Galgo or greyhound blood. The longer he is with me (10years by now), the more I see half a greyhound in him, he is so ungalgolike in many ways) has passed away by then. We believe him to be 13 and he is suffering from a whole bundle of diseases. From mild Cauda Equina to numerous tumors, some of them maligne. I do not want to live without a large and fast dog for very long. I am not that much into Galgos any more, mainly because most of these I know are to reserved with strangers. A shy and reserved dog won't fit into my life (alltough there are shy Greys as well). Azawakhs and Sloughis, whom i adore, won't fit into my/our life neighter. Great dogs, but not in my hands and household. I am pretty shure a greyhound will be it. BUT... I would call myself semi-experienced. Fostered some smaller dogs before and a whippetlike Galgolady right out of the hunting kennel, that was a real pain im the ass of every other dog, especially if it was a small dog. My first dog was a Pit Bull, that did not like other dogs but became a great compagnion to the Lurcher she simply had to live with. And all the other dogs. My Lurcher and the Galga where not catsafe but I managed to train them, to live with cats. The Pit Bull did not like puppies but we trainend, and she was doing great with this miniature doggy I brought home. Right now there is only the senior dog and a 3 year old Prague Ratter with me. Prague Ratter means she is way smaller than a MinPin. A two kilo dog with the heart of a Pit Bull (behaviour more like a squeeking, jumping Pit Bull Doll). They get along okay. Different interests. Small one is the watch dog and the one that would bite. Both of them are doing theirs, seem to not care much about each other, but sleep together and whenever there is trouble with any other dog, they stand together as one. A tiny, jumping, squeeking, high pitch barking brown dog - and a Greyhound. Will this work out? There would be room to seperate them for a while. I am experienced with the use of muzzle and houselead, as this was where I started with two sighthounds that wanted to kill the little kitten in the livingroom. I brought home different types of animals in different sizes an let them live together and in the end it always worked out. Not necessarilly perfect, but noone ever was hurt. BUT... I always added new dogs or cats to dogs, that already knew me and that I knew at least a little and as my Pit Bull had no such thing as a prey drive she was always correctable, which maybe influenced the others on the long run. Two dogs want to kill the cat, the chief bitch just wants to cuddle it. For the first time I am really insecure. The dog I really know and that responds to me, is the one that might be in danger, whereas the potential smalldogkiller is new in town. No problem to seperate them for a while, dog to dog aggression or prey drive is nothing completely new for me but still. This would be a different situation than I had before. If you did not fall asleep during reading - congratulations! So what really bothers or interests me: Bringing Greyhound and very small dog together and keep the little one safe. Has anyone here done it before? (Maybe it might be good to know: when on lead my dogs walk together, unleashed the run seperated. Little one has a great call back and is allowed to run free very often, whereas the Lurcher is only allowed to run in sighthoundfriendly places. Then the little is on the lead. Due to their different sizes and energy levels I never let them run together. At home they roam free in the room if little one does not prefer to sleep alone in her crate, but outside the follow a different regimen) I would really appreciate to read your stories. The good, the bad and even the ugly, if there are any. What is or was important for you in making such different types of dogs get along?