sobesmom

Excellent progress! Good for you!! Nothing wrong with giving Orion a little "something extra" on his meals to reward him as he's transitioning to a new way of doing things. Turbo could have a little, too, cuz he's just being the good guy. Occasionally. Maverick could get some too, as a reward, for letting you be close to/touch/feed him from his bowl. Reward for not being food-aggressive. ONLY then. Be very watchful if you give bones or chews. That could be an issue at this point with the personalities you've got going on, and the transition right now. Personally, I wouldn't until the food issues are fully resolved, but up to you.

The lamb thing again?!?!?! Seriously, I believe it, because it comes up here every year, and it's documented, but I swear I can't wrap my brain around it. If you want to get rid of fear of the grill - cook some liver on it. And feed it to the dog, of course (because IMHO no human should eat that). I had a dog try to rip the door off my oven when I was slow-cooking liver treats! I definitely want to know how this turns out. Quirky fear - or liver induced??? If she's still goofy after next time you grill, and it's not the "lamb thing", I'd suggest lots of positive reinforcement. We had one foster that was afraid of the sound of frying bacon, so we fried A LOT of bacon. The dog got over the fear, LOVES bacon, and it took DH and I weeks to take of the weight lol!

Glad to hear it! I just read this post - and that was going to be my suggestion. If you act like a jerk - OFF! try again later. We allow dogs on furniture, but they need to learn to be polite, and respectful to other dogs and humans. Total banishment is FINE if you don't want dogs on furniture at all. If you DO want to allow it - correct bad behavior ASAP, and allow another try and be happy that they learn "GOOD" behavior allows them on the couch. JERK behavior gets an "OFF". BTW- don't be surprised if "Jerk" behavior resurfaces in a week or so - they DO love to "test" us to see if we still remember the lesson we were teaching. Just correct, move on. BTW - thanks for reporting back in. I LOVE to see that a poster resolved an issue. Also - love your comment "pick-and-choose": from suggestions given. Very smart. We all have different dog, households, situations. So - asking for advice is awesome, and everybody gives their best advice, but you definitely need to pick and choose what is right for your dogs, your house.

We pup-sat for friends a bit ago (pit-mix), and among all the food, toys, crate, etc, etc they brought for their dog for the weekend, there was a deer-antler. The dad is a hunter so I'm sure it wasn't purchased. I was surprised that non-grey people even knew that antlers were a great chew. I was not thrilled when the dog wanted to play in the middle of the night and stabbed me with it LOL!

Ug. Reading your initial post, I'd have said no big deal. But it's ongoing. Crap. I hate to say it, but separate. Physical barrier. Now - that DOES NOT mean it's a lost cause. Just a solution for now. It could work in the future.

I'll concede the point. I should've worded my post better and thought about it in a broader sense. In my personal experience, and in that of the people that I talked to with the same issue, there was never a startle issue with other animals - BUT - there were only greys in those houses. In our experience, the other greys knew not to invade each others' space and trigger a reaction. So, I over-generalized. The OP has other non-grey animals in the house, and I can't in good conscience speak to that, but I did, without paying attention to the original point of the question. Thank you for calling me out on this. Glad others are paying attention and keeping me honest! I truly don't want to hand out crap advice.

Ok - I gotta ask - where in the world do you live? I've NEVER seen anything like that. They are cool as HECK!!! I wouldn't want to do them on a daily basis, but they are neat! So, most dogs probably can't manage those. Not just greys, most dogs of any type. Small, agile dogs, probably. Maybe agile herding dogs. Greyhounds? 1 in a million. BUT - that doesn't mean you shouldn't get a grey. It's one room. They grey won't be able to go there. No worries. Not all greys sleep in the bedroom. Acclimate properly (which probably means sleeping downstairs for a little while) and it'll be FINE. No grey is going to want to attempt those stairs, and IMHO no amount of training will work. So, adapt. No worries!

Did you look at the pic of the steps? They're not normal stairs at all. I've never known anyone that has a ladder for a stairway. No offense OP - but that's not going to be normal "steps training that we're used to.

Meh - some times the fools will do what they will do. Let it happen. It's an expression of exuberance and joy. My greys would occasionally race around the house, wipe out on the slippery floors, slam into the cabinets, start off again, take out a couple kitchen chairs - I'd fret,fuss, and worry, and my DH would cheer them on and jump into the craziness. Once in a while there was a scrape or a scratch or a bruise from their craziness, but they never noticed. Let the happy happen. You CAN'T bubble-wrap them. Yes, they are greyhounds, but never forget - they are DOGS. (Yes, I know this is NOT the response you'll get from many posters. Take it or leave it.)

I'm assuming your dog is very new. Less than 6 months in your home? If that's the case, I'd limit interactions. It's great that you want your dog to be able to interact with other animals, but it might just be too soon. Next time someone with puppy wants to approach, just say "hey - sorry- new greyhound and we're just figuring stuff out. It's better if we don't let the dogs have contact right now." Or just walk away and avoid the situation. New greys don't actually understand what a puppy, or a toddler, or a balloon IS. They've never been around them. So they may be curious, or fearful, or aggressive. Ir's a reaction from dealing with the unknown. IMHO - your dog didn't do anything "wrong" , and don't read into it that your dog isn't small-dog safe, But, I will say, your dog was in a situation that caused it stress. . So. Learn from that. Protect your dog through this learning phase by not allowing strange dogs to approach it. Your dog WILL acclimate to other dogs. Just take it slow. Focus on the dog acclimating to its new life first.

Don't worry about it. It's not that common. Use common sense. Let sleeping dogs lie. You'll be fine. I actually had a dog with sleep aggression - one out of the 16 that have lived in my home - and it was totally workable. Sleep aggression in the few greys that actually have it, almost never have an issue with other animals. My sleep-startle/sleep aggressive dog NEVER had an issue with other animals. Animals instinctively don't get into that. It's only with people that it's an issues, in the small percentage that actually have it. Side note - IMHO - you should plan on letting a new grey sleep in your bedroom from day 1. In a crate is fine. But, from my personal experience, a new dog NEEDS to sleep with its people. It's a scary transition, so being in the same room with people, and other animals is a GOOD thing. Don't leave it alone at night. Let it sleep in your bedroom. This is really important. And, a much bigger thing to think about and plan for than "possible" sleep aggression Good for you for asking questions! The BEST grey owners are those that ask for advice. After you get your grey, you're going to have lots of problems and questions - ASK! We've been there. We can help.

I completely agree with your point regarding prey-drive. The WORST dog I've ever walked was my Diana. An average-sized female, but she's the only dog that dang near dislocated my shoulder lunging after a rabbit. We live in a rural area, so our leash-walks are on the perimeter of hayfields, along brush-lines. Where all manner of critters live. So we definitely would see critters on every walk. No sidewalks here. Diana's prey-drive would make her LUNGE. That HURT!!! So, I learned to keep her leash short. She walked right at my hip. If she caught a scent and wanted to investigate - NO - let's go! Move on. If she saw a critter I'd talk and distract, and give a treat. It got much better over time, but for the fist weeks, until I learned to manage it, it was rough. I was walking 2 greys at that time - Sobe (the big male) had free range on a 6 ft leash to wander, sniff, and pee on everything as he pleased, Diana was at my hip with a 6 inch leash. She also got a halter in addition to the leash for a while, so if she did lunge, the pull from me would be on her body, not her neck. Eventually she figured it out, after a few months, a simple "NO NO MOVE ON", and she didn't lunge for years, She got to walk on a 6 foot leash and sniff and wander about too, but when she tensed up when she saw a critter and looked like she was thinkig of bolting, I always reeled her in and distracted her. At that point it became "hey Di-Di, come here, good girl!" and lots of ear-rubs.

I see that you have a ton of replies, and I didn't read any, so forgive me if you've moved on. IMHO size is absolutely NOT a choice factor. I've walked many, many greys, and bigger does not mean harder to walk. My Personal preference - give me the biggest male available, preferably over age 5. Most first time adopters want a "small, young, female". After adopting 2 greys of my own, and fostering 14, that's the LAST thing I'd ask for. I'm not as petite as your wife. But at 135-ish lbs, female, I walked 3 greys together, at a time. 3 dogs, 3 leashes, and just me. My Sobe 90 lb male (BIG boy), Diana 65 lb female with a prey drive like crazy, and whatever foster we had at the time, weight range from the smallest to the biggest. And I'm no fabulous dog-trainer. Most greys walk well on-leash. Some need some work. But there's NO grey that your wife can't walk. In my personal experience, big boys are calmer. And, I personally don't care for "puppies". Greys are "puppies" until they're at least 3.

Been there - done that. I was sure I "broke" my first grey 57 times. It's a terrible feeling when you're trying so hard to do everything JUST RIGHT. My first grey, Sobe, was also very challenging - SA, sleep aggression, space aggression, food aggression, food-obsessive to the extreme, etc, etc. We were in WAY over our heads. But, we muddled through. We made mistakes. Lots of them. I researched constantly, took good advice from GT, and made choices. Some right, some .... oops. The one thing that I finally figured out was to cut through all the BS. Keep life as simple as possible. Sobe HATED coats - so no coat. PJs? Oh, that would never work. They actually weren't "a thing" at that time, so we never considered it. But it would've definitely been a NO. Teeth-brushing? No thanks, I like my fingers. Nail clipping - I'll pay the vet to be the "bad guy". Crate? Well, he broke off a Canine tooth escaping. So, no crate for him. A lot of things that are "normal" or "expected" just don't work for dogs that are "challenging". Keep it simple. Cut out anything that's not necessary. As time goes on, you can start working on the real issues, one by one. PJ's - not an issue. Just don't do that. Lesson learned. Other thing I learned - dogs are NOT aware that you "messed up". They don't blame you for the "PJ incident of 2018". Move on. Forget it. Don't act weird. Just act confident, and happy. They want a confident, happy leader. Sorry - you didn't ask for advice, but I gave it anyway because it's a really rough road when you're a first-time adopter with a dog that's above your paygrade. We lived it, and it was so hard. But, then it wasn't. Sobe was never a "perfect" dog, but after a while, we figured each other out, and life worked. We knew his limitations, and adapted. And he got MUCH better over time. You did ask for encouragement. I can give you that. You're reaching out, you've done your research, you know that this a a "challenging" dog. Those are all amazing things. You are obviously trying very hard to do the best you can. I commend you. Sobe was my "heart dog", PITA that he was. He loved me desperately. And I've never loved another dog like I loved him. If you can survive it, the problem child is the one that may steal your heart. Other up-side, every other grey through our house (1 other of our own and 14 fosters) seemed like a piece of cake after Sobe!! Hang in there. Keep it simple. Focus on what's important, and write off everything else.

After one of my dogs had surgery he was super restless for a couple days. The meds really messed him up and made him very antsy. This may be the cause, and not a behavioral issue. I'd tough it out a couple days, than see.

I see no issue at all. The slight, and it is SLIGHT, decrease in weight is worth nothing. I wouldn't change what the dog was used to eating. I know new adopters, that are educated and looking to do everything right are so careful - I was one of those - but ... this is NOT an issue. Relax. Your dog is FINE. Ounces do NOT matter. Focus on the acclimation stuff. Do NOT focus on weight. Greyhound's weight can fluctuate week to week by pounds, for nearly no reason. Do NOT get hung up on that. Focus on your dog's health, happiness, and acclimation to the household. Stop getting your dog weighed. Look at it, and know what to do.

IMHO - unless there's a real medical or mental reason - dogs don't need to live in crates. Do the work you need to do to to transition. Baby-proof the He** outta your house (I had to for my Sobe). But let the dog outta the crate. It might take work. And time, and transition steps, but a dog without serious issues, IMHO doesn't need a crate. Not a popular opinion, so take it for what it's worth to you.

We've always considered the crate as a transitional tool. A step in the process of being OK in the house. That said, all dogs are different and have different needs, but all of the greys that have moved though, and those that lived in my house, transitioned to not being crated. But - the house was "grey-proofed" and some rooms (DD's bedroom) were closed-door and off-limits. You should, IMHO, transition to allowing out of crate. But do it in stages. Be responsible and thoughtful. Babyproof. And - nothing wrong with designating no-go zones.

It looks like you made a thoughtful decision, that was in the best interest of everyone. Good for you. I could've advised either way in the situation. I'm not hardline go or stay, but I really appreciate that you thought it through, and didn't just knee-jerk. No real harm done (I understand it was scary for sure). Not every dog is perfect for every home.

Does the dog look comfortable? That's the most important thing. NGA greys aren't really prone to bloat, so that's really not an issue. (Bloat concerns are the reasons many people suggest raised feeders, but it's really not necessary). It's a comfort/convenience thing. Nothing to fuss about. 11" is fine. 8" is fine. As they got older, I made sure their bowls were the "right" height. For a Senior dog's comfort. For younger dogs - Somewhere between the floor and the ceiling was fine LOL!!!! No issue. Good question to ask - you should always ask. But IMHO - non -issue as far as medical issues. My general rule - a comfortable level. My first grey was very tall. My first foster was very short. She looked like she had to raise her head up to eat, so I set her bowl on a coffee can, instead of the feeder I had for my tall grey. Then I got a short plant stand to put it on. Whatever looks natural for the dog you have, is the right height. Top of the shoulder bone height is the height that most seem to like when they're older IMHO.

Glad it's going better. I could tell you all the things I've done, but what I want to tell you, most importantly, is that at a certain point quality of life becomes more important than anything else. It's a huge mind-shift that's hard to get your head around. You've probably spent many, many years making sure his diet, his exercise, his vet visits, everything is his life was "right", and the best you could provide. You might be getting to the point when he's a "senior" and, the rules change. A Senior gets what a Senior wants. Even if it's NOT the perfect food. NOT the perfect schedule. He's a young senior, definitely. But do start wrapping your mind around the idea, that the "rules" are changing. "Quality next few years" is the goal now. Not "raising a dog". Tides have shifted. Quality of life of an older dog is the best gift we can ever give them. They're fine shifting into the next faze, it's we that struggle to see it. And the "next faze" can last for MANY years. And that's a beautiful thing. Wrap your head around it. Throw the rules out the window. Do research, and then do what is BEST for your dog.

Some dogs are poop-eaters, some are not. MOST do it when they're new, and then stop. Some continue forever, but only do it selectively. My Diana loved "Poopsilces". Frozen poop. After her first year with us, she only went after poop in the winter. The WORST was when she'd carry a "poopsicle" in the house, to her bed. That was NASTY. And yes, a couple times when she was new she ate it and threw it up. The smell of vomit and feces is..... something to be remembered. The muzzle is a simple fix. And time is too. After a couple months, it won't be necessary IMHO.

How'd it go?

Excellent. I just read this, but my best advice was going to be time. A week or more. It's hard, but they will adapt. And, a sleeping bag. Not everyone can or wants to do it, but I've spent many nights on the floor in a sleeping bag by a new foster, in my bedroom. ETA - watch out now that she's been on the bed. If she likes to go there to settle, then goes to her bed to sleep that's great. Don't be surprised, not that she's had a taste of that comfy spot, that she decides to stay in the near future. Then you need to make a choice. Allowed - or not.

IMHO exercise for a very new grey can be over-rated. Yes, it's important, but if the weather prohibits it, adapt. Where did your dog come from? If it's a warm climate, they may not be at all used to cold. SO, don't force him to stay out too much. Over time, he'll adapt to your climate. Probably not this winter tho. Just get the business done and call it good. My Diana NEVER adapted to the cold. I tried to wait her out when it was sleeting and below freezing, and refused to go outside, and she held her bladder for 18 hours. I finally shoved her out the door, she peed on the doorstep and I let her in immediately. We came to an agreement. When it was too cold - just go out, do the business, and back in right away. It made her willing to go out, and not think she had to go "get exercise" in weather she detested. And she knew if she "did business" she could come in immediately. So she stopped "holding it" and didn't feel the need to "go" in the house. My other grey, Sobe, hated coats, but would walk in ANY weather. They're all different. Your dog is VERY NEW. Do what works.