HeyRunDog

Does anyone else turn their dogs food bowl round so their hound can get the last bits? Does anyone else carry their hound 50+ yards over a piece of particularly sharp stoned pathway? In my defence Grace suffers with corns and even with boots she doesn't like walking on sharp stones. Does anyone else stop mid walk just to give an ear rub? Or is it just me?

I agree with the others, don't keep bathing her and book a check-up by the vet just to check everything is OK and to put your mind at rest. It could be what she has or is being fed on causing her to smell. Grace smelled of the kennel when I first got her which wasn't helped by the smell of the flea treatment they had put on the back of her neck. I had to wait a fortnight before I could bath her and when I did what a bedraggled sorry looking hound she looked until she had dried off. I think the last time I bathed her was 18 months ago to help with flaky skin.

Annie's dreaming of roaching Lambie with mint sauce and new potatoes mmmm....

I don't know whether like is the word I'd use but I don't dislike mine. I insured Grace with Bought By Many when I first had her and like most of the other insurers there is a 14 day wait before you can make a claim. On the 15th day she developed an abscess between 2 toes caused by grit from her racing days. Several visits to the vet and two operations later and the bill came to just over £2000 which they paid up with no problems. I also get free video access to a 24 hour online emergency vet and get 20% of my premium back each year I don't claim.

Who feeds him and takes him for walks? If it's you get your partner to do it with you or on his own to see if that gets him to accept that your partner is above him in the pack

Give him time. He's just entered a bewildering new world and it takes time to understand it. Just because he is OK with a new experience one day doesn't mean he will the next. Statuing seems to be one of the many quirks that greyhounds have but it doesn't last forever and they do get over it. Grace was the same, walked OK for the first few days and then when she started to realise this world is more scary and strange than she first realised and she thought that statuing was the answer until she worked it out. You could find another dog and owner to walk with or try the same way the trainers put the dogs into the traps for races. You stand by the side of your hound facing the same way and put a couple of fingers through his collar. Start walking and using a similar action as if ten pin bowling you pull him with you and firmly say "Let's Go" and release the collar. This worked with Grace and I had to only do it 4 or 5 times to stop her statuing.

You say you checked his pads, did you check the rest of his joints to see if he has a bad back or arthritis etc?

She'll soon get over it although persuading your boyfriend not to throw the ball around might be a good idea as she'll associate the sound of it bouncing with it landing on her.

Just accept that your greyhound is just being a greyhound, and like they all do, they like to twist life's normality every now and again. It sounds like you are a house-proud greyhound mum but look at it from your hounds point of view. We are in lockdown and nobody is going to see the effort he is making to add his own touch to the decor and make it a designer pad for the new arrival. Seriously though, as others have said. Unless bald patches are appearing don't worry about it. My vet recommended Lintbells YuDERM Moulting Dog when Grace was moulting excessively and had flaky skin. It's not cheap but it works for Grace and her coat is soft and shiny and she doesn't shed as much....at the moment.

They are used to sharing their home with each other as well as you and your husband so the chances that sharing with the new baby won't be a problem just never leave them alone with the child. I know what you mean about high pitched noises. Screaming children send Grace running for the hills but I think that's because she can't always see the source of the noise. Once they realise where the high pitched yodelling comes from they should be OK. Also babies don't move that fast and smell different to cats

It could be that he feels his space has been invaded and he needs to reinsert himself in the pack's hierarchy. Have you a quiet area to put a bed, his toys and food and water so he has a quiet escape area?

There is an all white whippet living near me.

It might help because it doesn't give her a chance to think and once she's been out a few times she might realise there's nothing to be worried about and it'll save the bedding. Leave her collar on so you can quickly clip on the lead, say "Let's go" in a firm voice and march out before she has time to think and her giving her no choice but to go with you. Of course a big treat and a bit of fuss when you get outside.

I take it that you do give him the opportunity to go to the toilet when he does cry? Is there a noise that disturbs him at that time e.g. boiler starting up, milk delivery, neighbour's car starting as they go to work? Is he shut in his crate or can he roam around the room? My Grace has the through room with two beds, one at each end, but sleeps on the sofa which allows her to practice full stretch roaching and I think more importantly, she is off the ground.