Undesirable Frisky/agressive Behaviour Inside

[Guest quinoa]

So, Rocket has been here 7 months, he is almost 3 years old. An "only" pet. He does get exercise, off lead, in our large fenced yard - not every day but pretty often.

 

On a number of occasions, he has signaled to us that he really wants to run around outside. He is doing it in a very inappropriate manner, though, most often first thing in the morning. He comes into the bedroom, to the foot of the bed, and barks. (head down, front legs forward) then runs around in circles really fast, jumps, sometimes play growls. It is very different from his normal request to go out (whining at the door) When he does this outside, it seems like he wants me to run with him, which I do sometimes. (I run about 10 feet then stop, he continues, of course) AFAIK, he is trying to initiate play fighting/running... but it does scare my older kid. (who does not play fight with Rocket and never runs with him.)

 

Is this all expected? Any ideas on how to make it stop???

 

Thanks!

[Batmom]

Joseph who is nearly 8 and who has been here for nearly 5 years does @ the same first thing in the morning. He wants his breakfast .

 

Making it stop: If your dog does have to go out, I would certainly take him. Otherwise, two things: -1- A bit of obedience training, so that he learns a "gently" or "settle" command, and -2- plenty of exercise during the day. At 3 your pup is going to be full of beans, so he will appreciate several chances a day to romp and run. I taught Joseph to play fetch at that age -- made it lots easier to tire him out.

 

Good luck!

[phall]

I'll chime in here - my boy, Star, who is only 2 1/2, does this in the house when he hasn't gotten enough exercise. He's my first greyhound that really requires a LOT of exercise - he's such a youngster. (I have two other greyhounds, one of which is only 3, that don't need as much exercise. But Star definitely does.) He needs to be able to run at least once, if not twice, a day in order to stay calm and well behaved. When he hasn't been able to run in his yard due to weather or whatever, as soon as I can get him out, I put him in the yard with his favorite rubber toy. I throw the toy for him to get him started, and off he goes. He runs like a maniac. When he comes in, he's much nicer to be around. We do this either early in the morning or in the early evening - or both. It really does help.

 

It seems some of these guys need lots more exercise - running and play time - than others.

 

Good luck.

 

Pat

[Guest sheila]

when my hounds do this (with the barking and the pushy demanding) I will say a loud, 'HEY!' and they knock it off. However that is when I know that they really really need to work off a little steam and so I make it part of my plan of things to do in the very near future.

[GeorgeofNE]

Sounds totally normal to be! I have found that George, my first greyhound, plays very differently from any other dog I've had. It's very brief, but very intense!

 

Why doesn't he get to play in your yard every day?

[OwnedBySummer]

Sounds like he's saying that he wants more exercise. I'd certainly let any greyhound run and and play in the backyard every day (well, unless weather or something is making it dangerous that day). Summer is a pretty low-energy houndie and even she will run with her toy and do zoomies more than once a day. And she's 6. Personally, I absolutely love it when she invites me to play with her like that -- it makes me feel very special. I ignore the fact that, really, I'm her only playmate at home during the day and I just enjoy the feeling of being chosen.

 

Normally, she also runs with other greyhounds 2 or 3 times a week. I (& others) have portable gates and we block off the dugout entrances at a baseball diamond and we let 'em rip. Do you not have other greyhounds that Rocket can play with?

 

Failing that, perhaps you could make a lure pole for him and he can get some additional exercise that way.

 

Is he getting daily walking?

Edited August 15, 2011 by OwnedBySummer

[Guest quinoa]

Sounds totally normal to be! I have found that George, my first greyhound, plays very differently from any other dog I've had. It's very brief, but very intense!

 

Why doesn't he get to play in your yard every day?

 

He is getting multiple walks a day, of course, but we have to plan for the back yard - we have to muzzle him so he does not start picking apples from the trees.

[greysmom]

Sounds totally normal to be! I have found that George, my first greyhound, plays very differently from any other dog I've had. It's very brief, but very intense!

 

Why doesn't he get to play in your yard every day?

 

He is getting multiple walks a day, of course, but we have to plan for the back yard - we have to muzzle him so he does not start picking apples from the trees.

 

 

So???? Muzzling him, take him out, and let him run and play! A two year old will want and need several hard play times a day. This will decrease as he gets older. A lure pole is a great idea.

 

Our muzzles are kept by the back door and get used every day. Most of mine are pretty raring to go right off the bat in the morning. They tear out the door and do a lap around the yard even before they pee. Just make sure he calms down and cools down a bit before you feed him breakfast.

[GeorgeofNE]

Awww, the picture of him picking apples is awfully cute!

 

Putting his muzzle on should only take about 10 seconds--I've never had a young Greyhound, but I've lived through plenty of young dogs, and they really do require a LOT of exercise as the others are saying.

[BatterseaBrindl]

Ditto to all that has been said!

 

Muzzle him and let him run!!

 

This young boy needs to have a couple of good 'Zoomies' in the yard every day.

 

Nixon, who is 6 and pretty low-energy, does his Zoomies every morning... for about 30 seconds... then he's ready to lay down for the rest of the day.

 

We have just added Ruby to ou rpack. She is four and full of energy.

She does her Zoomies in the morning with Nixon, then again a couple more times during the day, especially if I am out there to throw a ball or something for her to chase.

 

They both get walked for 30+ minutes, as well as weekly visits to the huge dog park.

 

We have had multiple large dogs of assorted breeds for 30 years. These are our first Greys...and they really are not like any other breed when it comes to exercise needs.

Edited August 16, 2011 by BatterseaBrindl

[JJNg]

Putting his muzzle on should only take about 10 seconds

I keep all my muzzles by the back door too. It probably takes me about 10 seconds to get 4 dogs (sometimes 5 if I have a foster) muzzled and out the door.

[cleptogrey]

it sounds like you have a good canidate for soccer, frisbee, lobbing tennis balls and what ever it will take to tucker that pupper out. the young ones(and you have one) really need play time where they can run,run,run. our yard is not very big- 70'long and felix runs back and forth after tennis balls getting a couple of miles of running in. now that he is over 4 it's down to one or two times a day. when he was younger it was 3xs a day. at 5pm felix stands at the top of the steps to the studio and drops balls down the steps until dh stops painting and plays with him. our yard looks like it's growing tennis and soccer balls in stead of mushrooms(everyone else around here has mushrooms galore).after a 3 mile walk in the woods he's always ready for a fling w/ the soccer ball. so, get out the tennis racket,target's tennis balls are the cheapest(i collect them from the local college tennis courts) and have fun. jolly balls are fun as well.

 

i also second obedience classes.

Edited August 16, 2011 by cleptogrey

[krissy]

[cough] Agility class. [cough]

 

No, seriously, after some basic obedience I would do agility. I wish Summit was younger and had a little more energy. He loves agility, but he never really gets up to speed. Which is fine because we both enjoy it, but still, it would have been nice to enter some trials. You're lucky. It sounds like you have a young, energetic pup, and if he's also food motivated/inclined to learn you have the makings of a great agility greyhound.

[Sambuca]

I agree with everyone about giving him more exercise.

 

I also want to add that from what you describe I don't hear of anything aggressive that he is doing. He is trying to get you to play. Maybe inappropriately if he's growling, but it still only sounds like play behavior to me.

[TheFullHouse]

The muzzle should slip right on, no need for adjusting and then let him outside to burn off some energy. My little boys have to go outside a couple of times a day and run off that energy or it turns into mischief! When mine start to get into things or start to chase each other in the house I throw on the muzzles and let them go outside. They're out there for 2 or 3 laps and then they're ready to come back inside and take a nap. My youngest came home at 18 months and had to do this several times a day to burn off all the energy he had. Now he's good with once a day.

[Guest SpicyMom]

Sorry to tell you - that is COMPLETELY appropriate behaviour. He's saying "let's go play!" That's friendly and specific. He's probably picking the apples because it's a fun activity. Give him something else to do, like chase a soccer ball or play catch with a "chuckit" flying squirrel (like a soft frisbee) or a tennis ball. Whatever the preferred toy is. Three years old is still really YOUNG for a greyhound. At that age, they DO need more exercise then later. And off-leash, by himself, not every day is just not enough. My two have two walks a day (morning and evening) of about 30 minutes, lots of off leash play time in the yard and twice a week they get to race around at full speed at a fenced field (they'll go for an hour). They are 3 1/2 and 3 yrs old and some days, that's still not enough.

[Guest ShanYu]

This is exactly how Nike lets me know that he is very excited and very ready to go for a walk - nothing aggressive in his behaviour despite the growls and barks ( he never barks at any other time). If I am not fast enough he will come up behnd me and poke me in the butt with his nose. He is an angel and I love his playful encouragement to "let's get going!!". Sounds like your guy is doing the same thing.

[Guest SusanP]

Spinner loves to do this. We just let him get it out of his system. It doesn't last long, and he really enjoys it!