sobesmom

That's exactly what I did with most of mine. But for the outliers..... gotta do something different. I was 9 foster in before I had to get "creative".

Full disclosure - box walking isn't a proven training method. It was something suggested to me, and it worked for me, for some dogs. I just thow it out there as one of the options you could try. But - you've learned some stuff by trying it. She's not ready to go for walks into the big bad world I'd absolutely keep it as close to home as possible based on what you've said. And - my original premise stands that box-walking happens right outside your door. Going nowhere. If you have to go somewhere else, the distractions could be rough, and undermine the point of it. I used the backyard because it was RIGHT there. Safe. Close. That's the point. You never leave home. Box walking training won't work if you have to walk to a park to do it. And yes - she's going to hate it, and be terrible at it for a few days. All of mine took 2-5 days to figure it out, doing it 4 times per day. The point isn't her getting good at box walking, the point is her gaining confidence on-leash. Sooooo.... maybe you could circle walk! Right outside the door, walk in a big circle over and over. Gain confidence. Maybe the structure of the box doesn't work for Arrow. That's fine. Do a circle. Close to home. Gain confidence! Then we move on! But stay home. That's the thing. The longest I ever box walked my spookiest foster was 6 days. He hated it and was confused for 3 days. He got into the routine after that, and became confident. He wasn't ready for the scary sights, smells, etc out there before that Then we went outside the yard a half mile, he peed, I praised, and we we right back home, and I praised and gave him a treat. Every walk was a little bit bigger after that. You need to figure out what works for Arrow. The world is too big, and too scary for her right now. Narrow her world. Let her gain confidence in a small world, then expand slowly. Arrow has a an owner that cares enough to try really hard, and reach out of help. She's a very lucky grey.

Benadryl.

Food obsession is 100% normal in some new greys. Not all of them do it - but the ones that do try to convince you that they're dying of starvation!!!! Don't fall for it! I had one of my own, and several fosters that acted exactly as you're describing. Just make sure all food is NOT accessible. I can tell you horror stories (or you can look up my old posts) of all the mistakes I made that let my food-obsessive dog get into WAY too much stuff he shouldn't have. Food-proof your house. Feed a reasonable amount of dog food. Don't fall for the "I'm Starving" eyes. This WILL pass. It may take months, but be strong. Your dog IS NOT starving (although those eyes try to convince you). Good for you for asking!!! Greys are quirky! And, and issues you're having - we've had. Keep asking questions!!!

I have friends that hunt, so when they butchered their deer, I was there to take their thow-aways! I snagged the antlers (if they weren't mount-worthy) and bones, and my dogs were in heaven!!! If the antlers were big I'd cut them into chunks so the didn't poke an eye out while they were chewing on one. They're not too hard, just fine. The antlers and deer bones my dogs got were from fresh kills. If you're buying them - there might be a difference. I know a shed antler has a different composition than one taken from a live animal. The ones sold commercially might be "sheds". I'm sure that a fresh antler is far more appealing to a dog than one that's been processed and packaged and sold. Go to the source, if you can. And, mine were free.

Please let me know if it helps.

I agree. He's poop marking. After the reasonable poops, that you can pick up, I'm not sure what to do. Maybe just drag him along? Don't let him go? It almost sounds like he's in a habit that you need to break. I applaud your attempt at clicker training, but it's not working for this. You're about to become "that jerk with the dog that has runny poo in public" Not good. Stop taking him places where he's going to cause you an issue. At least until this gets sorted. You really don't want to be "that person".

I have a fenced yard, so fosters would be let out to "go", and after a few days, we'd start leash-walking outside the yard. For the ones that statued, or acted like jerks on-leash, I'd start "box walking". Put the leash on, go right behind the house. Walk forward 10 feet (ish). Stop. Turn 90 degrees. Walk 10 feet. Stop. Turn 90 degrees. Walk a box, with stops at each corner. For the crazy ones, we didn't start moving again until they settled. For the skittish ones, we didn't start again until they were cool. Repeat, repeat, repeat. The skittish ones got less skittish. The crazy ones got less crazy. No corrections at all. The scenery never changes. Just walk, stop, wait, repeat. Mild praise. I didn't fuss about "correct" side, or length of leash. Just move with me, stop with me. They could have the whole 6 foot leash if they wanted to be that far away. I always said "let's go!" and "Ok stop", so they had a verbal cue of what we were doing. (My neighbors absolutely thought I was nuts, but after they saw me carry a 70 lb greyhound home one time that had statued in front of their house, they started to "get" it.) Always a really nice treat and praise when we were done, even if it was the first time and they were clueless through it all. When they "graduated" and did the box walk well, we'd go out of the yard but KEEP IT SHORT! Quick, successful walk, Back home, and praise! Next day, a bit longer, etc. Always make the graduation walks short enough that they always succeed. For many, a quick box before the walk was a really good start to the walk. Get centered, feeling good, now we we go out. Anybody that reverted (it was usually the jerk walkers) got the box treatment again next time. Out the gate, you start lunging, back in the yard, do the box a couple times, now we can go out in public. They knew what it was, so when they got "demoted" to the boring square, they straightened up right quick. I never had a statue hound need to go back to the box walking. The worst was my own Diana, a very young, hyper lunging dog. Even years after we'd had her sometimes she'd revert back to her crazy ways on-leash, I'd turn right around, go back to the yard, and do the box walk. One square, and she was "fixed" for walking on-leash. She knew that acting out got her the "Boring" walk. I NEVER scolded or punished. Just "ok - we'll walk in the back lawn today". Fine by me! It gave confidence to the skittish ones (OK, this leash thing is boring, and nothing bad happens, so I can do this in other places) and removed stimuli for the hyper ones (OK, this leash thing is boring - I don't get to go see anything cool if I lunge and jump). I always let them relieve themselves at any time even if it meant a bit of a detour from the square when the urge hit. Quick beeline to the tree!!! Then back to the square for a round or 2. I think I only did 5-15 minutes at a time, at the most. It's quirky, but it worked for me. It's more about the dogs training themselves, and gaining confidence, and recognizing what is acceptable behavior on-leash, by their own choice more than anything else. NEVER let them see it as a punishment, just as a learning tool. Always be happy, upbeat. They get a little exercise, a little confidence on-leash, get to relieve themselves, and want to do something else.... cuz this is boring!!!!

I will say that the more dogs - the more they join in. Not just greys, any dog will join in the crazy if one starts it. I think you hit on a good point to NOT feed them as soon as you get home. Come in, don't acknowledge the drama. Move about the house and ignore them. Or, if it's jumping, turn your back. Don't look at them, don't talk to them. When they calm, talk to them but don't feed them right away. Just go about your business for a bit. When the behave, interact. My Diana was a terrible jumper and nibbler when she was excited, like when I came home. I know it was done out of excitement and happiness, but it's not OK behavior, and she could hurt someone with her enthusiasm. It was SO HARD for me to turn my back, cross my arms, and ignore her for 10 minutes every time I came home.... but it worked. She learned to curb her enthusiasm, and we were good. Now, she still wiggled and snapped in happiness when I walked in, and that's pretty cool.

I've used "box walking" with success for some fosters.

You SHOULD be proud!!!!!! That is HUGE win!!!! Apparently you did everything right, and your dog is adjusting very well! You're VERY luck to get to this point so early! The day my first grey didn't maul me at the door when I walked in, I nearly cried with JOY. It took 2 years. I tip-toed around for 5 minutes just to make sure it was real!!! Then I checked to make sure he wasn't sick

100% normal. IMHO it will decrease over time. Meaning, when the dog is not under your feet, he will lie down and keep a line of sight to wherever you are. Then, that too may decrease. But it may be years. In the meantime, you can set boundaries. When I had 3 greys in the house, 2 of my own and a foster, my 2 resurrected the habit of being underfoot constantly, along with the foster. SO - I had 3 greys at my heels in a very small house. I tolerated mostly, for the foster's sake, but then I started closing doors. I decided I could go to the bathroom without an audience. Also "back,back,back", which was basically me saying that and flapping my hands, and the 3 of them backing up so I could get out of a room. Also "watch your feet" became code for "move or I'm going to step on you". Not true "training" but you can do little things to get some space, but you're pretty early on, so just accept it for now. It's not a reflection that your dog isn't ok, it's just something they do for a while. The fact that he's fine when you're gone means he's doing really well. It's a quirky grey thing. They don't call them "Velcro Dogs" for nuthin! LOL.

Hi! Thanks for posting and welcome! Camilla is Lovely! I do love a brindle! She's a pretty little girl, and I love her name. I'm from the US, as are many posters on this forum, so please do understand that there are cultural differences. If I get your question - you want to be able to crate your girl for short periods, in specific situations. She's not crated long-term. In that case, I'd say definitely give her a fabulous treat along with a "code word" when you want her to go in the crate. Never use the crate as a punishment. If you do - it will totally undermine your ability to use it as a containment when you need it. I do understand your partner's perspective. My DH had dogs his whole life, but he had to change some of his thinking when we got greyhounds. Yes, they are dogs, but they act and think and need to be trained a "little differently" than other dogs. Just a little. One of the big things my DH learned was that positive reinforcement went way farther than discipline. Some things he could have just "taught his dogs" , didn't work on a grey. You have to reward them for what you want - not "tell or teach" them. They're not dumb, they just have a different mindset than other dogs. That can be hard for people that have raised other breeds to understand.

It sounds like you're dealing with a lot of issues all at once, but all of them are normal. My advice is to pick the most pressing issue, and work on that. You can not fix everything all at once. It's very early days - so everything is going to seem like a mess. Try to minimize everything. Keep everything as simple as possible. IMHO - priority 1 is eliminating outside. Focus on that. You might have to get pushy about getting her up and down the stairs. Use the suitcase method, maybe. But, if stairs are necessary, you have to make that work. Always have an upbeat, confident attitude. You showing "it's ok" makes her believe it. Always happy, always upbeat! "Here we go! Good girl! We can do this! " but don't over-play it Be firm. This is what's going to happen, and it's ok. On a side-note, yes, routine is important, but routine in any given house is what it is. We had greys and foster greys in our house with a crazy work schedule for both humans, and it worked. Hang in there. Tackle issues one at a time. It's going to be hard for the next month, or two. Take it in bite-sized pieces.

Well I think you've got it figured out!

And let's not forget the benefits of raw eggs (cracked on top of kibble), and the occasional Jack Mack or sardines, or tuna - or just the "juice" out of the tuna when you drain it! I couldn't run my can opener without my Diana climbing up my leg waiting for the "juice" from the tuna can to go into her bowl LOL! Beloved by all dogs! (And great protein and wonderful for skin and coat). I've never raised a puppy myself, but it seems like a REALLY good idea to me to introduce her to multiple food additives, as supplements to her "normal" diet, just to get her gut acclimated to be able to enjoy the variety you're willing to offer. I have friends with dogs they raised from puppies, that never ate anything other than kibble. They were perfectly healthy. But, if someone dropped food on the floor, or tried to offer the dog a bite of hamburger at a cook-out, they'd freak out. NO! She can't eat "people-food" ! She'll be sick for days. Yes, there are dogs with food issues, but most dogs, IMHO, should be able to eat a maintenance diet, and also eat appropriate add-ins. Variety is the spice of life.

My Sobe's ability to eat everything he shouldn't is legendary, and when we got Diana, she became his sidekick in crime. You could look up my old posts about it. We couldn't ever leave anything on the counters, so I started putting my loaf of bread, snacks, etc, in the microwave. He learned how to open the microwave. So I put them in the oven, he learned how to open the oven. Top of the pantry cupboard, he stood on his hind legs and bounced it until stuff fell off. Dogfood in a closet,, he opened the door and destroyed the knob. $70 locking dog-proof trash can - conquered in 3 days. Child-proof latches on the cupboards, I witnessed Sobe and Diana work collectively (when they forgot I was home) to get through them. The refrigerator was epic. He opened the door, and trashed the house with the contents of the fridge. Eggs are apparently really fun to play with! And there were "intestinal consequences" of the escapades. Sobe and Diana were 100% housetrained, but if they went on a rampage and got into stuff, well, they pooped, puked, etc. because of it. Never by the door - in DD's room if they could get in there. Shame pooping in the most out of the way place they could get to. If the only thing your dog is getting into is the dog food stash - move it. Locked closet, basement, garage, trunk of your car - anywhere inaccessible! Remove the issue. And pray to all the gods and heavens that it's the only thing your dog will be too smart about getting into.

Simple solution to me is lock him out of that room when you're not there, and figure out the "more food than he's supposed to" thing. We never had to deal with a lot of true house-training issues, but I do know that if my dogs wanted to throw up, or had Big-D and couldn't hold it (usually from getting into something they shouldn't have, I had a serious raid-the-kitchen dog) - they went to my DD's room to make the mess. Dog ate a loaf of bread - poop in DD's room. Dog ate a plate of cookies - poop in DD's room. Dog ate a bag of sugar (yeah, that happened) - poop in DD's room. Dog ate the contents of the refrigerator (yep, a couple times) - poop in DD's room. The most out-of-the way room, the one they were least often allowed in, and the only one with carpeting. So, the absolute worst place in the house for a mess. One of the reasons why there was a baby gate across her room for most of her life here with dogs after we figured that out. And probably one of the reasons DD is not a dog-person. If it's a true house-training issue - that's a different thing. If it's the dog "Having" to go because he ate what he shouldn't or too much, etc, then the room makes sense to me. So.... if it's the latter, control the damage (close of the room) while you fix the eating issue. At least then the messes will be in a better place to clean up.

I have no advice for you in regard to what to feed, as I've never raised a puppy. I will tell you that as someone that didn't want to feed 100% raw personally because it just didn't fit into our lifestyle or household and I didn't want the responsibility of getting all the nutrients right, I do see the benefits of it, and gave my kibble-fed greys occasional raw along with their kibble. Sometimes once a week, sometimes once a month, it depended on what was on sale, and frankly, the weather. I mostly fed raw outdoors. If I bought a big pack of chicken thighs, I'd give the dogs each one, etc. Mainly their diet was kibble, but the occasional raw never upset their stomachs or routine, they enjoyed it, and it was good for them. If I bought bone-in chicken breast and I de-boned them for what I was making, the dogs got the bones and skin. Later in life they got cooked meat/rice/veggies along with kibble to supplement for health issues. No trouble ever with mixing kibble, occasional raw, occasional cooked. Some dogs definitely DO have issues with mixing up their food, but we got lucky. If you can do variety - I say go for it.

Cool! Lotsa personality in those ears!!

I used baby gates most of the time we had greys. They'd get kitchen access first, baby gated, so they could see the rest of the house, then kitchen and livingroom, baby gated, etc. Adding a room at a time. Worked for all but my Diana. The first morning I set up the babygate before leaving for work she jumped over it, got up on the couch, and just looked at me like "Well that's a fun toy you put there for me!". She cleared it EASILY. I double stacked them, and she never considered trying to go through, or over. Most greys can easily jump over a baby gate if they want to, most just don't. Heck I had a dog that putting a laundry basket in a doorway would keep him out. I'd use babygates 100% before shutting a dog in a room, but if you have a jumper, stack 2. Most of the time I had dogs there was a babygate across my teenage DD's room to keep the dogs out. She wanted a no dog zone of her own. Diana went over and in constantly, but she was more "allowed" by DD than any of the others. Until she ate the hamster.... 'nother story.... lol.

I'm one of the people that posted that we crated very little or not at all, but there's nothing wrong with crating for the time it's needed. Which could be a little while, or a long while. It depends on the individual dog, and the household. I'm not anti-crate, we just were able to move away from them more quickly, but our situation was different. Don't feel judged, always do what makes sense for YOUR dog in YOUR house. Best of luck!

SA is the reason we started fostering. It worked wonders for my Sobe, but of course, it's no magic bullet. Every dog is different. But if it's an option for you, it can't hurt to try. And turns out, we LOVED fostering.

Excellent update! Thank you for letting us know how it worked out! You obviously knew the right time to uncrate. Well done! I also think it's a great idea to keep his crate accessible for his "private place" choice. That will come in handy when you have plumbers, etc come in the house, so you can put him in there for his safety and he'll be cool with it. Well done. You get the win !

Awww... what a sweetie! Congrats to both of you. She's a collector! My Sobe was one when he first came to us. If anything was missing, it was in his bed. He never chewed things, just "collected" them. It was really very sweet, and funny. At least you'll know where to find your shoes in the morning LOL!