Help My Greyhound Has Become Destructive

[Guest Lwo123]

I need some desperate greyhound owner advice. I have had my greyhound for four years now. He's eight years old. When I first got him he was really fearful but after a lot of work and trial and error w/ advice he's a hundred times better. I live in a townhome (condo) and for years I would let him on the upstairs patio when I wasn't home with no problem (after a long time of making sure he was ok-short 15 minute trips away, etc). This past december he went nuts and tore up part of the banister. I figured it was some heavy roadwork sounds that set him off and he seemed ok. a couple of months ago he went crazy again tore up the deck, and was acting so bad that my neighbor called me at work. I banished him from the decks when I'm not home. I also took him to the vet (with a lot of grey hound experience) and found he had extemely low thyroid and begain medication. He seemed to be responding to well, and his behavior was great. Today I left a window open no more than four inches (with a stopper). he tried to get through it, hurt his face pretty bad, tore up the blinds for two windows. I don't think it's boredom or seperation anxiety. I think its cats or dogs going by. So what do I do? I don't want to crate him, but if it keeps him from injury I will. Medication? Will a baby gate keep him in a room, or if I close the door for a room, will he tear up the room? He doesn't always get along with other breeds and I have odd work hours (I go to work before any doggy day cares open). I don't want to give him up, and with these issues not sure he would fare well in another home. so any suggestions?

[Guest d0ggiem0mma]

It is really important to figure out why he is suddenly becoming so destructive. I would suggest talking to a veterinary behaviorist if possible. Once you figure out what is going on, treatment will be much easier.

 

In the mean time... if you thing animals passing by the windows is the problem, you could buy some decorative window film to put over the bottom parts of the windows. It would still allow light in, but block your hound's vision of taunting kitties.

 

Of course I can't resist the thyroid issue. There is a fair bit of controversy amongst greyhound owners on this subject. It is my firm belief, based on the research and experience of Dr. Couto at OSU (amongst others,) that MOST greyhounds diagnosed as "low thyroid" are misdiagnosed. Standard T4/T3 testing will often show "very low" thyroid levels but if you do a fT4 and TSH it will show the hound's thyroid FUNCTION is perfectly normal. Unnecessary thyroid supplementation is dangerous and should be avoided as it can cause major kidney and GI issues.

[greyhead]

Has your dog's thyroid been rechecked at all since starting the medication? It probably should be, and it's standard practice to do so anyway.

 

 

[macoduck]

Email Dr Dodds at Hemopet with all the lab results and any medication he is on. hemopet @ hotmail. com (omit spaces)

Dr Dodds responded within hours of my email. Turns out my friend's iggy was rescribed double the dose of thyroxine he actually needed.

[Guest june]

As a temporary measure, until you figure out what is going on can you muzzle him?

 

I wouldn't put him in a room with the door closed as they often really hate that and can be very destructive. A gate is a good option if it will hold him. Try leaving him for 15 minutes or so with a gate to see how that works. Also, could you get someone to check on him during the day or better yet a pet sitter who could drop him off at doggy day care when they open.

 

I'd follow up on re-checking the thyroid levels.

june

[Shaysmom]

Are you sure it is not anxiety? It really sounds like it to me. How long is he left alone? Does he get enough exercise before being left? Having worked with several hyper foster dogs with energy to burn, I have learned (the hard way) that a tired dog is a happy dog, and is bound to be less destructive and/or anxious.Perhaps you could hire a dog walker or someone to check on him in the middle of your day?

[Guest Lwo123]

wow, thanks for your replies.

No need to worrry about the thyroid issue, he's been rechecked and his medication adjusted (and the vet and I had a loooong conversation concerning greyhounds and thyroid issues before we started medication). I do have someone who walks my dog midday-he's the one who found my dog hurt and rushed him to the vet. I believe he's getting enough exercise, He's walked about 7 times a day, and every couple of days I take him on a two mile walk, that I just about have to carry him home from, and my dog sitter friend will about once a week, take him to the dog park before anyone gets there and let him run. Any more execise, and he start limping. The rarity of the "incidents", and the fact that the only damage to the house is at points of exit (windows, patio banisters, rather than pillows), still leads to belive me to think there is an external trigger. I just don't want him to keep getting hurt.

[ozgirl2]

Really sounds like separation anxiety to me too - they'll often try to get out. Has there been a change to the schedule or routine? You may have to try alone training again with him - but there are others here much more experienced with SA...

[GeorgeofNE]

Sounds like anxiety to me too. If it were other dogs or cats, don't you think he'd behave the same way when you were there? I doubt the neighborhood animals stay away when you're home! I'm not trying to be flip--but seems unlikely to be something OTHER than your absence if nothing like this goes on when you're there!

 

Do you have a web cam?

 

I recently set mine up on "surveillance mode" to see what my dog was doing during the day. It only recorded when it detected motion. It was very interesting to see that what I THOUGHT might be be bothering him clearly wasn't.

 

Do you give him a Kong when you leave? That could help. Also, I'm not sure if it did much or not, but it can't hurt--I used a D.A.P. diffuser for George when he was having anxiety issues. And finally--taking him out 7 times a day isn't the same as exercise. I walk George almost 2 miles every single day before I leave him to help relieve his anxiety.

Edited May 22, 2011 by GeorgeofNE

[Guest Lwo123]

Maybe it is anxiety. I have always used a kong before I go out, and he wears a DAP collar. Perhaps since the thyroid meds are working and he seems more socialable, this is becoming a new issue? he does get a little exited when I'm home and another animal goes by, but he is corrected w/ a sharp no.

[Guest RichardUK]

I too am a little sceptical about Thyroid levels. I lean towards separation anxiety. We had an adopter who had a greyhound for three years and he was fine - but they decided on a vacation and couldn't take the dog - so they hired a dog sitter full time for the two weeks - the dog was fine. Until they came back then he started to become very destructive - no remedial treatment worked so they returned him to our kennel. Mascot was re-adopted quickly and was fine with his new adopter. The original adopters did adopt another dog and decided that they would kennel the dog in future at our kennels when they went on vacation.

 

Another point to consider is epileptic fits as the dog destruction episodes seem random and possibly violent. We had one dog who had intermittent fits. He was effectively unadoptable but easily treated - He lived happily for seven years at the kennels with his friend. He was twelve when he died.

 

But the idea of the web cam or similar could be a good way to monitor.

[Shaysmom]

The webcam sounds like a great idea to get an idea of exactly what he does when left alone. My greyhound is anxious, and in addition to wearing a DAP collar, I have a diffuser plugged into the wall. It really does help him.