Guest elika326 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Background: I grew up in a home with dogs and fostered numerous greyhounds during my teenage years while living with my parents. I had just adopted a grey girl when I met my husband 5 years ago. They get along great, Python just loves him We decided this year to add a 2nd grey (Python is now 8yrs old). We adopted a very shy, timid 2 year old girl (who would have been difficult to place with a family without greyhound experience) and it was a tough first few weeks. We have now had Rose for about a month and a half and it's going great in some ways...terrible in others. I have a regular 9-5 job and so the girls get up with me, I am the one that feeds them, etc. Rose is doing great with me, being more outgoing every day and playing with me and coming to me to be petted. My husband works a rotating night shift. Rose seems to still be afraid of him (not "afraid" but very skittish and shy) and he's getting frusterated. Python is SO easy going and affectionate. Rose is very different (so far). Rose goes out to potty in the yard just fine for me but when my husband is home with the girls he has to drag/lead her across the house by the collar to get her out and then she sometimes will just stand on the deck instead of going into the yard to do her business. I KNOW that it just takes time, we have only had her for a month and a half and she's so young, but it's just so hard to watch my husband struggle with this. Any advice would be appreciated... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAJ2010 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 He should start taking them both our for a leash walks. Very good bonding there! Also anytime he sees the dogs have a tasty hot dog or something in his pocket for them. Other wise all your new girls knows is him dragging her through the house and putting her outside. Not a very positive experience. Also whenever he's home have him feed them. Try some basic obedience, throwing balls to chase outside, flirt pole, etc. She just needs to assoc good things with her new Daddy Also, the shy timid ones are the hardest to work with Your going to look back in a year and not recognize your dog. Quote ------ Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamaha_gurl Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I'm a newb to this stuff, but perhaps it's freaking her out that he's pulling her by the collar to take her out, perhaps he can stand outside with treats to get her to go out Quote Greyhound Collars : www.collartown.ca Maggie (the human servant), with Miss Bella, racing name "A Star Blackieto" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 If you read the introduction in my Peggy's photo gallery here (others will know about Peggy already so nothing new except photos there), you'll see a very similar situation and one that was remedied by using Turid Rugaas' 'Calming Signals'. Certainly worth a try getting your husband to do dog body language and also know what's being too full-on for the them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racindog Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Tell him to give her lots of treats. Goldie was real gun shy of my husband and my huband just kept giving him treats without being too forward or asking for much if anything in return and in time Goldie got completely over it -except for one thing. He preferred that I be the one who would turn him out. If we were all in the tv room Goldie would come in and ask to go out. If my husband got up to let him out the back door he would start off with him and then turn around and come running back to the tv room so that I would be the one to open the door and let him out. We both thought it was funny. It takes time but cheese etc. will most likely win her over IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 He should start taking them both our for a leash walks. Very good bonding there! Also anytime he sees the dogs have a tasty hot dog or something in his pocket for them. Other wise all your new girls knows is him dragging her through the house and putting her outside. Not a very positive experience. Also whenever he's home have him feed them. Try some basic obedience, throwing balls to chase outside, flirt pole, etc. She just needs to assoc good things with her new Daddy Also, the shy timid ones are the hardest to work with Your going to look back in a year and not recognize your dog. This. The more time he spends tending to her needs the more she will bond with. Food, water, treats, walks, and playing, all good positive things he can do with her. He doesn't have to do it all the time but the more time he invests the greater the reward. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jodiesmom Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 We had the same issue...2 years later...she loves him! It takes time and patience. Find a "special treat" that only your husband give her. For us it was peanut butter on a english muffin. This was Jodie's favorite. I made sure that she never got this from me, even if I was eating one also. Just my husband. I know it is very hard, as my husband was becoming very upset that she was so afraid of him. All dogs love him! Why not her? When ever we went out in the car...he was the one to put her leash on, and also the one to get her out of the car to go to her favorite stores....Petsmart, Petco, Lowes. She will come around...be patient! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3greytjoys Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Also anytime he sees the dogs have a tasty hot dog or something in his pocket for them. Also whenever he's home have him feed them. Also, the shy timid ones are the hardest to work with Your going to look back in a year and not recognize your dog. A wonderful trick for shy hounds is to ask your understanding and patient husband to feed her entire kibble meals while sitting down from cupping the kibble in his own hands, while looking away from her face for at least 2-3 days. Thereafter, he can just hold the food bowl for a day or two, and that usually helps a lot. Then resume regular feeding. Please ask him to try to speak calmly and patiently around your new hound, but speak in an upbeat, happy voice when calling her towards him. Only good things should happen for your girl when she is called to either of you. Many Greyhounds are soo sensitive that if they get scolded or feel any negative vibes from a human's mood, they will shut down quickly. Please do read John's good link re: calming signals. The shy ones are my favorites to work with because our reward of their growing trust in us and their comfortable personality blossoming is sooo greyt over time! Good luck and please keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.