Guest jnmarz30 Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I'm glad to have found this place! I'm Jaimie and my husband, Nick, and I adopted our first greyhound, Angus (we call him Gus) a week ago. We love him to bits. Before Gus, we had a wonderful pit bull terrier who we adopted as a puppy; we had her for 10 years and lost her in December to cancer. We'd always talked about adopting a greyhound and we only made it about a month after Rosie died before we couldn't stand not having a dog around! We have two kids, a 5-year-old daughter (Isabel) and an 18-month-old son (Aidan), as well as a big, fat cat (Boo). Oh, and a hamster (Tracy Turnblad), who is never out of her cage, but my daughter likes me to remember her. We're a busy, loud house, but Gus has taken it all in stride and is fitting in well! We're having some crating issues, so I'm looking forward to reading the great information in the forums here and learning from all of you. Our new addition! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreytHoundPoet Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Welcome from South Carolina! Gus is Adorable! Quote Masquerade Hounds & The Hounds of East Fairhaven & Ibizan Hound Club of the United States Member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
September Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Gus is handsome!! Quote http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc124/TgrrValily/CookieMac2009pt2/siggyyayayayayay.jpg Waiting at the bridge: Buddy James, Cookie Dough, Shelby, and Mac. My angels New dog mom to dachshunds Ginger and Ruger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilysmom Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Welcome! As far as crating issues, can you be more specific? If it's an issue of Gus not wanting to be in the crate you can start by feeding him in his crate and inticing him with treats when he goes in his crate. Just put his breakfast/dinner in the crate give him praise when he goes in and then leave him to his food. What ever you do don't force him in the crate he will associate it as a bad place. Good luck! Quote Praying for all the missing greys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyhound1 Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Welcome! He is handsome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jnmarz30 Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Thank you! Lilysmom, what is boils down to is that he hates his crate. He was in his foster home for several months and hated the crate there, too, apparently. I work from home and homeschool our kids, so it's not too often that Gus needs to be in his crate for us. But he's young - only 2 - and still has some puppyish behaviors that can get him into trouble when we're not around. He also seems to have some separation anxiety, though his foster mom said he didn't and it seems to be easing up, so that may just be part of the confusion of transitioning to our house. We've tried giving him treats in the crate and saving his favorite bone for crate time, but he still hates it. He howls and tries to get out, pawing at the door and shaking it with his mouth. He injured his mouth doing that the other day; we were gradually increasing the amount of time we'd leave, to try to get him more used to it - when we got back, Gus had cut his mouth and bled everywhere, and his foot pads were raw from pawing at the door. It looked like a crime scene in there. (He's fine now.) Yesterday we had to go out for a very short time (about 20 minutes) and instead of putting Gus in his crate, we muzzled him and put him in the kitchen, which is blocked off with a baby gate. We made sure the counters were clear and put his bed in with him. He seemed to do better with that - no howling or barking, nothing cut or bleeding - but I'm getting a lot of advice that says we really need to be crating him. I'm not sure of the best thing to do - keep trying to force the crate, or keep him in the kitchen. There's more potential for trouble in the kitchen, I know, but we're afraid he's actually going to hurt himself in the crate. We never crated our last dog at all, so this is new to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Che_mar_Cody Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 What a cutie Welcome from PA!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Honeysmom Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Welcome to Gt! Gus is a very handsome guy! I look forward to seeing more of him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fsugrad Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Welcome from Gainesville, FL! Gus is so handsome!! Our Robin flips out if he's put in a crate. He just doesn't like them. When we first got him, he did much better being baby gated until he learned the ropes in our home. Since then, I've left him and our other GH, Toby, uncrated and with free run of the house when we're gone. Quote Rita, mom to Dakota (Dakotas Dream) & Wish (Kiowa Wish Wish) and my angels Toby (Sol Marcus) and Robin (Greys Robin Hood) Forever missing our beloved Robin and Toby "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Redpack Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 If he hates his crate babygate! I only use the crate as a transitional tool. It isn't going to keep him safe if he hurts himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest learnbygoing Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Welcome from PA! Gus is gorgeous! Looks pretty happy and settled in that picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest threedognight Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Welcome from Florida! Gus is a very handsome boy! We use baby gates and everybody is happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spencers_Greyt Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Hi and Welcome from Arizona! Gus is a very handsome boy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TBSFlame Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Some dogs just don't do well with crates and some love their crates. If baygates work then I would use the babygate. My Beecher would not even go into a small bathroom he was so afraid of small spaces. Memmie loves her crate. It depends on the dog. Gus is a handsome fellow. Congratulations on your new hound. Oh, and welcome from North Carolina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nat_JJ Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Hi from another newbie . Gus is very handsome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest koolaidnconner Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I would stick with the baby gates. If he does not like it your only creating more stress on him. If the baby gates work and you come home to no blood I would continue with that. He is beautiful and welcome to the GT family!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rycezmom Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Hi from Miami and from one Gus to another.. Gustopher P, Miss Isabella and Miss Skye Quote The more I see of man, the more I like dogs. ~Mme. de Staël Missing my Bridge Angels Ryce, Bo, Jim, Miss Millie, Miss Rose, Gustopher P Jones (Pimpmaster G), Miss Isabella and Miss Star Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest crazy4greys Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Welcome!! Gus is a handsome guy! If he is not happy in his crate and doing well with the babygate and muzzle, then continue doing that. Not all greys like to be crated. My first boy, Phoenix did not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jnmarz30 Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Thank you for the continued introductions! So many beautiful hounds here. I'm glad to hear so many of you say that you've had non-crated greyhounds. We're going to go out for a little while this evening and babygate Gus in the kitchen with his muzzle on. If it goes well again, that's probably what we'll stick with for the time being. We'll hang onto the crate and pull it back out if the kitchen ends up not working out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PiagetsMom Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Congratulations on your handsome boy Howdy from Texas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rschultz Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 welcome.. sounds like a lovely family..just keep the hamster out of sight from the grey...rofl Quote Lexie is gone but not forgotten.💜 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest terri643 Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Hey Gus, you are ADORABLE!!! Welcome from the Boston area! We don't like crates either. Kisses from, Jasper and Lily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dsszarzi Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Welcome from Wheat Ridge, CO!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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