Expanding The Family? Sa Questions Too

[Guest brown1775]

Hello all,

I am apologizing in advance for the long post, but I could use some direction

It has been awhile since I have been on here, but our lovable pup Cyrus is doing good enjoying his many beds and comfortable naps they provide haha!

I have two questions really for you all:

 

1: Separation Anxiety- I wrote about this when I first came onto this site ~2 years ago. Cyrus has always had issues with being left alone. He tore through his first wire kennel so thinking that he didn't want to be in there we left him out while we left to go purchase another kennel. When we came back he had torn the blinds off of the windows the door frame off the front door and pooped in the kitchen. So needless to say the kennel was our only option at the time. Now it is coming up on our 3 year anniversary of adopting the little guy and for the most part he has done decent in his kennel. I say decent because I have to physically carry him up the stairs and once he is on his direct path of no escape from his dreadful kennel he reluctantly walks in. He only poo's probably once or twice a month I would say and it's not really based on time as sometimes I am gone for 30 mins and he poos and other times I am gone for 4 hours and he does fine. Now we bought a baby gate to keep him from running downstairs when he thinks we are getting ready sometimes he will run down hours before we leave he has an incredible 6th sense about that. We have however found a safe haven for him and that is in our cars. I have recorded him in the car watched him from inside and he does ten times better than I have ever seen from the videos from his kennel. So we take him everywhere we can, in the winter he has a nice jacket as long as it's not terribly cold he can join in for a "car ride" you say that phrase and he is beyond ecstatic. My question being this is there any way to somehow improve the atmosphere of our house or a room to give him the same level of comfort he finds in the car.

 

2: Expanding the Family: The Mrs has been begging me for another grey and while I would like us to have a house with a yard first we are moving into a good size condo. Now Cyrus had issues when we first adopted him with my roommates German Shepard puppy granted he still was warming up to us and my roommate didn't exactly make the pup give Cyrus his space. The only reason I bring this up is because he does seem like a bit of a loner, but then again we have never fostered any dogs and no other dog has been inside our current condo. I have read it seems every SA article out there and a lot of them say adding a second dog could be beneficial. Considering we have a true alpha male, even tried bossing me around our first night, we would be interested in only a female as to try and avoid unnecessary confrontations. I would be all for adding another grey i just want to make sure it is in everyones best interest. We have the means to be able to afford one more dog and the time will not be an issue. I just would like to have a more objective opinion about our situation based on the information above.

I appreciate any and all advice. Thank you all again. Take care.

[TheFullHouse]

Most greyhounds who have issues with other breeds don't seem to have issues with other greyhounds. They seem to know their own so to speak. Adding another dog may be just the trick for your boy. He may enjoy the company of another greyhound. It's not guaranteed but there is a good chance that most of his issues will resolve with the addition of a companion for him.

[Guest LokisMom]

Agree with previous posters comments 100%

 

I don't think either of mine would do well with a puppy of any variety (actually I know for a fact one of them can't handles puppies) but they are both great with other greyhounds. I'd take Cyrus with you to meet his potential new roommate and see how he does. Don't judge his dog to dog interactions based on when he first came home AND interacting with a puppy. Puppies can be a handful!

[Guest brown1775]

That is what I figured because kelley works at a vet hospital and when a grey comes in to board she takes themout together and they walk side by side the entire time! Never seen it but I am sure it is pretty adorable. That is why I am curious about adding a grey to our family because I have never seen him walk with any other dog at the dog park like he would with that grey. He stays on his own unless a dog starts running and then he chases it down just to show he is faster haha. Well I appreciate the advice Loki and Jill and we will begin our search for our second greyt grey.

Did you all happen to have any idea what to do about his fear of his kennel/being left alone?

Edited March 29, 2011 by brown1775

[TheFullHouse]

You may find that with the addition of the second greyhound, you won't need to kennel him any more because he may not be afraid of being left any more because he will have company. In the mean time, do you have an area that he can't damage where you could baby gate him? My other suggestion is an X-Pen. They're great for keeping a hound confined but they have a bigger area. You could put his bed in there with some toys and a kong filled with goodies and see how he does.

[Guest 2dogs4cats]

The only thing I would add is try to get a more laid back female. It seems to me the females are more likely to boss the males around and you don't want 2 "bosses", no matter the gender.