gazehund

I am not sure where self education / research into greyhound behavior has gone but it quite clearly has run off the rails more than a few times lately on GT. Had you done any research on greyhounds you would know that what you perceive as "very little personality", "very little intelligence" and "very little interest in closeness" are common sight hound traits. Obstinate? Can't say that I blame him but I doubt he is being "obstinate" on purpose. Fearful? Anxious? Miserably unhappy with people who don't understand him and don't care to? Yeah, now we're talking. If you are looking for a group of strangers to validate your desire to return this dog (even though you "love" him.) By all means. Sooner rather than later. Like 2 years ago sooner. Since you are so giving, please do this dog a favor and give him up to the adoption agency. Tomorrow. I assure you he is getting absolutely nothing from you either.

Nobody can really answer this question for you. I have three hounds right now. I have had as many as four at a time. To me, two are just as easy as one. Three is only slightly more work than two. Three is actually my perfect number. There are people here who seem to struggle managing one hound and others who manage large packs effortlessly. The best thing for you to do in my opinion is foster with intent to adopt and see for yourself how having two dogs works for you. Good luck!

I have the salmon flavored gel for Pooter. She had plaque and the start of gingivitis. About a month after starting the Petzlife her teeth are spotless. I use a soft doggie toothbrush and brush her teeth with the Petzlife after she eats. For the first month I did her teeth after she ate morning and night. Now I only do her teeth maybe three times a week to maintain. Pooter is super easy though and a very good girl to work with. I want to get the spray for the boys. Cracker had a major dental after he came home and his teeth look great right now as do Dodgers. I tried brushing DD's teeth with the gel. Nope, that is a major wrestling match with Mr-I-Hate-To-Be-Touched. I think the spray will work o.k. for him. Cracker is pretty easy to work with too. Either / or would probably work for him. It does work, you just have to be diligent about brushing.

I am very sorry for your loss Wanda. Rest well Andy.

Thanks for doing the list all through the year Ducky. For the first time since 2008 we did not lose a hound. My deepest condolences to all of you who did.

A life well lived and well loved. I am sorry Segugio had to leave. Rest well special boy.

I am truly sorry for your loss Hope. You are right. 10 years is not enough. Rest well pretty girl.

Oh Lord yes. If you can appreciate the breed and what they are truly hard-wired to do, then watching a pack of greyhounds hunt is a stunning thing of beauty. Better if the prey gets away.

I am sorry Maisy had to leave Dee. She was a good girl. Rest well Miss Maisy.

So very young. I am so sorry for your loss.

You know I do Heather. Of all breeds of dogs, the ex-racing Greyhound has never had to be responsible for anything in his life. His whole existence has been a dog-centered one. This breed has never been asked to do anything for itself, make any decisions or answer any questions. It has been waited on, paw and tail. The only prohibition in a racing Greyhound's life is not to get into a fight----------------or eat certain stuff in the turn out pen. Let us review a little. From weaning until you go away for schooling, at probably a year and a half, you eat, grow and run around with your siblings. When you go away to begin your racing career, you get your own "apartment," in a large housing development. No one is allowed in your bed but you, and when you are in there, no one can touch you, without plenty of warning. Someone hears a vehicle drive up, or the kennel door being unlocked. The light switches are flipped on. The loud mouths in residence, and there always are some, begin to bark or howl. You are wide awake by the time the human opens your door to turn you out. A Greyhound has never been touched while he was asleep. You eat when you are fed, usually on a strict schedule. No one asks if you are hungry or what you want to eat. You are never told not to eat any food within your reach. No one ever touches your bowl while you are eating. You are not to be disturbed because it is important you clean your plate. You are not asked if you have to "go outside." You are placed in a turn out pen and it isn't long before you get the idea of what you are supposed to do while you are out there. Unless you really get out of hand, you may chase, rough house and put your feet on everyone and every thing else. The only humans you know are the "waiters" who feed you, and the "restroom attendants" who turn you out to go to the bathroom. Respect people? Surely you jest. No one comes into or goes out of your kennel without your knowledge. You are all seeing; all knowing. There are no surprises, day in and day out. The only thing it is ever hoped you will do is win, place or show, and that you don't have much control over. It is in your blood, it is in your heart, it is in your fate-- or it is not. And when it is not, then suddenly you are expected to be a civilized person in a fur coat. But people don't realize you may not even speak English. Some of you don't even know your names, because you didn't need to. You were not asked or told to do anything as an individual; you were always part of the "condo association?; the sorority or fraternity and everyone did everything together, as a group or pack. The only time you did anything as an individual is when you schooled or raced, and even then, You Were Not Alone. In my "mobile abode," the Greyhounds each have several unique names, but they also have a single common name: it is Everybody. We continue to do things as a group, pack or as we are affectionately known in-house, by Kathleen's Husbandit, "The Thundering Herd." Back to those who have not been permanently homed. Suddenly, he is expected to behave himself in places he's never been taught how to act. He is expected to take responsibility for saying when he needs to go outside, to come when he is called, not to get on some or all of the furniture, and to not eat food off counters and tables. He is dropped in a world that is not his, and totally without warning, at that. Almost everything he does is wrong. Suddenly he is a minority. Now he is just a pet. He is unemployed, in a place where people expect him to know the rules and the schedule, even when there aren't any. (How many times have you heard someone say, "He won't tell me when he has to go out." What kind of schedule is that?) Have you heard the joke about the dog who says, "My name is No-No Bad Dog. What's yours?" To me that is not even funny. All the protective barriers are gone. There is no more warning before something happens. There is no more strength in numbers. He wakes up with a monster human face two inches from his. (With some people's breath, this could scare Godzilla.) Why should he not, believe that this "someone," who has crept up on him, isn't going to eat him for lunch? (I really do have to ask you ladies to consider how you would react if someone you barely knew crawled up on you while you were asleep?) No, I will not ask for any male input. Now he is left alone, for the first time in his life, in a strange place, with no idea of what will happen or how long it will be before someone comes to him again. If he is not crated, he may go though walls, windows or over fences, desperately seeking something familiar, something with which to reconnect his life. If he does get free, he will find the familiarity, within himself: the adrenaline high, the wind in his ears, the blood pulsing and racing though his heart once again--until he crashes into a car. Often, the first contact with his new family is punishment, something he's never had before, something he doesn't understand now, especially in the middle of the rest of the chaos. And worst of all, what are the most common human reactions to misbehavior? We live in a violent society, where the answer to any irritation is a slap, punch, kick, whip, or rub your nose in it. Under these circumstances, sometimes I think any successful adoption is a miracle. He is, in effect, expected to have all the manners of at least a six-year old child. But, how many of you would leave an unfamiliar six-year old human alone and loose in your home for hours at a time and not expect to find who knows what when you got back? Consider that if you did, you could be brought up on charges of child abuse, neglect and endangerment. Yet, people do this to Greyhounds and this is often the reason for so many returns. How many dogs have been returned because they did not know how to tell the adoptor when they had to go out? How many for jumping on people, getting on furniture, counter surfing, separation anxiety, or defensive actions due to being startled or hurt (aka growling or biting)? So, let's understand: Sometimes it is the dog's "fault" he cannot fit in. He is not equipped with the social skills of a six-year old human. But with your love and help, you can make it happen.

This was going to be my suggestion. I brush my guys several times a week. Seems to help though they don't seem to shed a whole heck of a lot this time of year. Welcome to GT!

Don't know what to tell ya Jennifer. I have one a whole lot younger than Q who will eat well for three or four weeks than inexplicably (at least to me) turns his nose up at his food for a meal or two. Then eats with reservation for another meal, then goes back to his normal eating routine. Nothing ever changes, but the pattern is pretty consistent. He has seen his Dr. Bloodwork done and normal, just a vague little "something." Not really doing anything for it at the moment, it is so vague. I wish they could talk and tell us what is bothering them. Good luck with Q and please keep us posted on how he does. Merry Christmas to you too.

Dodger would too. Nothing at all to do with cold weather, the boy just loves food.

I am so sorry for your loss. Rest well Avalanche.

I am so sorry for your loss Mo, Sean, Sawyer and Spencer. I am going to miss your big loveable goofball. A life well lived and well loved. A dog can't ask for much more than that. Rest well Murphy.

Cracker is hound # 7 in our home. Only greyhound # 1 had his dewclaws removed.

Happy Birthday over the rainbow sweet boy.

Happy Gotcha Bee.

Nope my female is not a leg lifter. Neither is one of my males. I don't think it matters.

I always exercise first and feed later. Mainly because that is what works for us. My dogs have a dog door. I get up, feed them and go to work. No idea what they do when I leave but I would guess they just go back to sleep. Edit to add in the afternoon when we have time to go for a run, we run first and eat later.

What Heather said. I do what I do because my yard is 2.5 acres. Cracker "can" get up to a pretty good speed and he does for at least a minute or so. He is also pretty fast, even if he is just chasing me around the yard.

I only have one who will run hard and he runs really hard. I walk him off for about 15 minutes much as they would do at the track. After that I let him in to have a small drink of water. I wait until he stops panting then give him another 30 minutes before he gets anything to eat. Cracker runs very hard though. Almost like what he would do in a race. He is not just loping around, he is flat out. Pooter and Dodger just have to wait to eat until the crazy man gets back to normal breathing for a while.

Oh dear Lord do I have a vocal grey. I swear the only time he shuts up is when he is sleeping. He whines for his food, he whines to go out ( yes, he has a dog door; he just has to make an announcement.) He whines when it is time to eat, he whines after he eats. He whines to go for a car ride, he whines during the car ride. He whines for a walk, he whines during the walk. He sings along with music and he howls in his sleep (sometimes.) Yeah, he is a vocal kinda guy.

Raised bowls here too. 13 + years and counting. Never an issue.