What Is Going On With Kevin?

[Laurenbiz]

 

So, if it appears to be SA do we try another grey? What if that does not help? Then we have two messing?

 

 

No no no!

 

Some friends of ours have even told Justin and I, "Hey, just get another dog," to solve Bernie's SA. We have absolutely no proof that this would help him. We also don't know if the new dog may even contribute to it!...we may have tinkle and poops alone - DOUBLED!

 

We aren't opposed to getting another dog, but we are convinced to get Bernie well on his own before adding another dog into the mix. I don't think it's right to add another dog to a situation, in some effort to fix things, in which the first dog isn't balanced himself.

 

You could always try fostering another Greyhound, or volunteering with your local rescue group to be a pet-sitter for people going out of town.

 

Also, I've heard many SA stories regarding multiple-dog households where a dog still has bad SA when the owner leaves. A friend of mine has 2 pedigree Goldens and 2 Cardigan Welsh Corgis. One of the Goldens is on meds because she panics so much when the owner leaves - even though she clearly isn't alone around three other dogs! Many times, I believe SA is the anxiety caused by the person/dog separation. The dog is panicked because its person has left him/her.

 

(I've seen similar stories even here on Greytalk.)

 

Keep us updated!

[AEB]

So, I have some answers and took some steps today and also made some interesting observations.

 

First, he drank 1 cup of water yesterday.

 

Second, today we purchased a belly band, DAP diffuser, and baby gates. We looked at video cameras but might buy online to get the one we want.

 

Third, we attended a M&G today (we just intended to pop-in). We talked to Kevin's first foster mom from right off the track. He was with her one week. She has multiple dogs. He loves this woman like she gave birth to him BTW. Anyway, she works 10 hours a day and he held it in his crate for all the time with NO ACCIDENTS!! She has a crate room and he would have been with all the other dogs. This is interesting info.

 

Also, he was at first nervous with the hubub at the store. He was not himself. We almost put him in the car. But then he relaxed and had so much fun we stayed the rest of the time. He enjoyed the people the most but also the dogs. He peed and pooped before going in. But after we'd been in there for about an hour and a half, maybe less (just as a woman was saying to me "oh there are some for adoption??") he starts to lift his leg/squat. Before he can get anything out I pulled him away and walked him outside and he went quite a bit. I think the excitement makes him fill his bladder and then he can only hold it so long. He also barfed-up about a tablespoon of food when I had my back turned. He was excited.

 

We will try the diffuser and camera. We will try the gates in the kitchen and maybe wearing a muzzle and belly band. But if none of this works ultimately we might try fostering a boy we met to see if this will help (no commitment then if the problem is worse or unresolved). The foster co-ordinator was there so she's got the scoop. I guess I feel (after knowing that he did so well off track and he was with the other dogs) that another might help, more than just a blind guess. And, I forgot to mention that in his second foster home he was with a cat. So even when alone he had something else in the house with him that was alive (even if non-canine) and I'm sure that helped.

 

So, if I had to guess, I would say that he does ok for a while but then panics just because he's alone and then has to pee b/c he filled his bladder b/c of his emotional state.

Edited February 19, 2011 by AEB