Introducing Myself And Katie

[philospher77]

Hi!

 

I joined just recently and suddenly realized there was an Intro area, so I thought I would give you some background on me and my pets.

 

I had lived for many many years with two cats in California, a little 6-pound tiger girl named Rana and a 10-pound tuxedo girl named Pyret. When I moved to Texas for a new job, and realized I could get a house with a yard, I decided it was time to add a dog to the mix. I'd been looking into greyhounds, since they seemed very compatible with my lifestyle. Enter Trinkett (KB's Trinkett), who I adopted at 6 and a half. She'd had a long racing career, and been used as a brood bitch, but they placed her into the adoption group when she failed to get pregnant on her second breeding. She was pretty much a bomb-proof dog. I kept her muzzled when I first got her to protect the cats, until I quickly figured out that the problem was the other way round. Little Rana did NOT like having this strange new creature around, and made sure to impress on her exactly who was in charge around here! It really was amusing to have to go put Trinkett on her leash in order to walk her past the cat that had her pinned in the room by the simple method of sitting in the doorway. We had many good years together, going for walks, moving back to California, showing everyone what a delight a well-trained, friendly greyhound is.

 

When Trinkett was about 9 and a half, I started to think about the future, and decided it might be time to bring in a second dog to keep her company during the day, and so that when she finally passed, I wouldn't feel like I was "replacing" her, but would still have a dog in the house. And, since Trinkett was such a steady, calm, mothering type of dog, I figured it would be a good idea to take on a more difficult dog, who could learn from me and have her as an excellent dog role model. Enter Katie, aka Hot Az Katie, an extremely shy dog. The rescue group actually did this as a two week foster-to-adopt, because of her being a special needs dog and a bounce. Her previous adopter only kept her for two days before returning her. And, after my first week with her, I could see why. Pretty little Katie was terrified of everything. I'd been loaned a crate, and quickly learned that it was going to be a struggle to ever get Katie out of it. She'd plaster herself against the back wall and try to meld with the wires. If I did manage to get her out of it and close the door, she would plaster herself against the door and try to phase through it. Or she would squeeze into the 4-inch space between the crate and the bed. So I brought in a trainer that ad experience dealing with shy dogs, to see what I could do. Most of their advice I followed, some I didn't. This is the kind of dog where you learn what patience is, and to celebrate small victories. It was a month before Katie would go outside on her own... until then I had to carry her out. I boasted to everyone at work the day that she walked down the hallway on her own, the day that she came in to the computer room on her own, the day that she came over and stood by the chair and let me pet her. Heck, while other students in my obedience class were showing off how well their dog sat or laid down, I boasted because she ate in class! So it's been quite a journey with her. The shyK9s Yahoo group has been very helpful, as well as my trainers that I use, and Katie has now become a much more confident little girl. I've taken the final step of adding medicines to the mix (generic Elavil daily, generic Xanax when I know that there is going to be a potentially stressful situation like class). She is currently in a nose work class, and is back into a fun-and-games obedience class this week. I highly recommend that type of class to people with greyhounds. It's positive reinforcement based, and incorporates basic training into fun games that you can play with your dog, so that it's not just boring drills and repetition.

 

Trinkett took to the new addition with reasonable grace and good will. A little stand-offish, but I figured that that was just part of the settling-in process. Then there was the day, about a day or two after the foster period was over and Katie became officially mine, that Trinkett took a bad fall on her walk. We rushed off to the vet, who took some x-rays ad confirmed that the right femoral neck was broken. They recommended an orthopedic surgeon, who of course would not be able to look at the leg until Monday, since this happened on Friday. He looked at the x-rays and gave a 50/50 chance that it was osteo or just a bad break. It didn't present as typical for osteo, but the location and suddenness made it likely. After some discussion, we decided to do a femoral head osteotomy in order to try and preserve the leg in case it wasn't osteo, with the thought that we could do an amputation later if it was. (Which, in future, I wouldn't do... just go straight to the amputation.) She came through that fine, and was doing well with the rehab and learning to use the leg, when the biopsy came back positive for osteo. We started chemo, and she seemed to be doing well, until she stopped using the back leg and an x-ray revealed another fracture, this time down the length of the femur. At that point, there was nothing to do but amputate. She recovered from that very well, and enjoyed the next 6 months until the cancer returned and I had to let her go. So she is currently watching over us from the Bridge, probably resting in the swampiest pool of water she can find!

 

Well, that's pretty much it for me and the girls. Oh, for some reason, Rana did not have as much of an issue with Katie as she did with Trinkett. I don't know if that's because Trinkett told Katie to respect the cat, of if Rana has pretty much figured out that the dogs are not a threat to worry about. And Katie has come so far in her progress that she is trying to solicit play from Rana (play bows, barks, stamps at her, etc.), none of which Rana is at all interested in. I try and distract Katie with some other sort of play at those times, in order to keep peace in the house. And now that she is displaying such playful behavior, I am contemplating getting a second greyhound. I have to decide if that's going to be fair, since there is only one of me and currently three pets, and Katie does take a lot of time and attention (although you might not think that, since she has been curled up sleeping in the bedroom for the last 3 hours!). So... still on the fence there. I am going to see how the classes go, and if that dog-interaction reduces the amount she wants to play with the cats, may look into day care instead for a while.

 

Katie has her own YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/philospher77?feature=mhee where you can watch her progress and see some vids of Trinkett. The older videos are a bit choppy since they were done in 20-second increments and stitched together.

 

Rebecca

[Time4ANap]

Welcome from the cornfields of Illinois!

[Guest Vers]

Welcome and hello! My Stella started out extremely shy, too, so I especially appreciate the work you've done with Katie. Truly sorry for your loss of Trinkett -- she sounds like she was a real love. I've two greyhounds and two cats here, so don't ask me for advice to talk you out of getting a second grey

[Guest RobinAZ]

Welcome from Arizona. I am mama to GreyCee and Layla. Layla is a shy spooky girl too. It's very rewarding to help them become happy brave babies.

[Guest mbfilby]

Welcome to GT Rebecca. You Katie sounds just like our Cy. We also took him because he was nearly unadoptable due to his shyness. Two years later he is a totally different pup. It's such a joy to see the little victories.

[MaryJane]

Welcome from Mass ...

 

So sorry about Trinkett - osteo is difficult to deal with

[Guest IHeartDogs]

Welcome! I am sorry about Trinkett, run free sweet girl.

Katie is beautiful! Kudos to all the great work you have done with her.

She is a cutie in the videos.

[DesiRayMom]

Welcome from Ohio!!

[Guest BrianRke]

Welcome from Virginia!

[Jenbo]

Welcome!

[Charlies_Dad]

Welcome from Eastern Ontario!!! Sorry to read about Trinkett's passing, Osteo takes too many. Katie sure is a pretty girl!

[downloader]

Welcome from Montreal

[robinw]

Welcome! I'm so sorry about Trinkett. I lost my Phoenix to osteo in June.

[greysmom]

Welcome!

 

You've done a really good thing there with Katie! I mentioned in the WFUBCC that my Cash is also a spooky girl, so I completely understand how you feel about the "smal victories!"

 

On the topic of getting another greyhound, I would ask how Katie did while Trinkett was still with you? I know she was dealing with a lot of health issues, but if Katie did better when she had a companion, she might take another jump forward if she had one again. In my experience with Cash, and with some other spooky girls here on GT, having another girl dog in the house who is very calm and confident really does help.

[philospher77]

I'm torn about a second dog. I love the greyhounds, and I do think that the right dog would help Katie, but I also have to consider that I work long hours, and have two cats as well, and would (in order to be fair) need to devote time to both dogs individually and not treat them as a pair that never gets broken up. So I am not sure it would be fair to everyone.

 

Thankfully, I have found someone in the area and am in the process of arranging some play dates with other houndies, so that may be enough for now while I ponder option.

 

Oh, and Katie also refuses to go on walks when it's just us, although she will with other dogs around. And I have had to carry her home, when we have come back to find the kids out playing in the cul de sac. But seeing her when she is all happy makes up for a lot!

 

Rebecca

[jimsherriek]

Welcome from Texas!!!!

[Guest isntitgreyt]

Welcome from Delaware!

[4greyhounds]

Welcome from Ft. Myers Beach!!!! Katie is Gorgeous and it is obvious you have brought her a long way. Thank You for being patient and loving her! I am sorry of the loss of your other precious Girl!I ebjoyed the videos and it sounded like in the background you were having a Special Thanksgiving!!!!

[Guest KatJon]

Hello from a human Katie! :-)

[EllenEveBaz]

Sending sympathy on the loss of your Trinkett.

 

I've never had a shy or spooky dog, but I love having two at a time. Watching the different personalities and interactions makes everything more fun. Even when they're not closely bonded, I think they really enjoy having another dog around.

 

The only "one-at-a-time" problem I've experienced is when I've been working obedience with them and have to shut one of them away at a time. But that was only for 10-15 minutes per dog.