Help! He Tore The House Up

[rascalsmom]

Sounds like everything is going well. I think you will find that, with a dog that 'needs' you more, you will get even more satisfaction than with one who is 'good out of the box', so to speak. It is so rewarding to look back to how they *used* to be, and see what they have accomplished. And I believe it helps you form an even stronger bond with them.

 

Tipton is a very lucky dog.

[Guest Tiptons_Mom]

See, when I sleep with mom, I am much happier.

[Guest madredhare]

What a happy pup!

[Guest chimni]

Pups in blankets are the best!

I wonder if getting Tipton a houndie companion would also go a long way to making him feel happy when left alone? I guess I'm asking because I'm in the process of adding a 2nd greyhound to our family... I don't know if adding a new friend will make them care less when no one is home during the day, if they'll ignore each other and still want human company, or if they'll tag team and wreck everything in sight...

[silverfish]

Oooh, Tipton is HANDSOME!! Of course, I'm biased, because he's almost the same colour as Sid, right down to the blue mask! Gorgeous!!

 

 

I wonder if getting Tipton a houndie companion would also go a long way to making him feel happy when left alone? I guess I'm asking because I'm in the process of adding a 2nd greyhound to our family... I don't know if adding a new friend will make them care less when no one is home during the day, if they'll ignore each other and still want human company, or if they'll tag team and wreck everything in sight...

 

We've always found it works well for us. Both Jim, and later Sid, seemed fine as only dogs, though Jim did have some SA issues (which we worked through) and Sid didn't want to sleep by himself. However, adding a second dog really turned them both into much happier, more relaxed dogs. It was quite a stunning difference and made me feel a bit guilty for not seeing how UNhappy they had been before!

 

When I say 'unhappy', I don't mean 'miserable', I just mean not as happy as they could have been. I'd say they had been 'content', rather than 'actively happy'.

 

I'd be interested to know what Tipton's racing name was! Here's Sid's pedigree.

Edited December 13, 2011 by silverfish

[msjpk]

Of course he is much happier sleeping next to Mom- keep up the good work, you are both lucky to have each other.

[Guest Tiptons_Mom]

Oooh, Tipton is HANDSOME!! Of course, I'm biased, because he's almost the same colour as Sid, right down to the blue mask! Gorgeous!!

 

 

I wonder if getting Tipton a houndie companion would also go a long way to making him feel happy when left alone? I guess I'm asking because I'm in the process of adding a 2nd greyhound to our family... I don't know if adding a new friend will make them care less when no one is home during the day, if they'll ignore each other and still want human company, or if they'll tag team and wreck everything in sight...

 

We've always found it works well for us. Both Jim, and later Sid, seemed fine as only dogs, though Jim did have some SA issues (which we worked through) and Sid didn't want to sleep by himself. However, adding a second dog really turned them both into much happier, more relaxed dogs. It was quite a stunning difference and made me feel a bit guilty for not seeing how UNhappy they had been before!

 

When I say 'unhappy', I don't mean 'miserable', I just mean not as happy as they could have been. I'd say they had been 'content', rather than 'actively happy'.

 

I'd be interested to know what Tipton's racing name was! Here's Sid's pedigree.

 

 

 

His racing name was WV's Tipton, so we just kept it. It had a kind of regal sound to it.

I am not sure that my house would be big enough for another hound, though I know is room in our hearts for another one. Our family currently has Mom, three kids, three cats and Tipton. This would need to be a consideration down the road some.

 

I am so excited to report that this morning after breakfast, he decided that he wanted to play and started tossing and chewing on his plushy toys and was doing the "helicopter tail" that they had told me about at the rescue. He seemed so happy which made me feel great.

 

Here is a picture of my handsome boy, who will turn 3 on Monday!

 

[rascalsmom]

He is very handsome....I love his cute ears, too.

[Guest stacy6344]

Oooh, Tipton is HANDSOME!! Of course, I'm biased, because he's almost the same colour as Sid, right down to the blue mask! Gorgeous!!

 

 

I wonder if getting Tipton a houndie companion would also go a long way to making him feel happy when left alone? I guess I'm asking because I'm in the process of adding a 2nd greyhound to our family... I don't know if adding a new friend will make them care less when no one is home during the day, if they'll ignore each other and still want human company, or if they'll tag team and wreck everything in sight...

 

We've always found it works well for us. Both Jim, and later Sid, seemed fine as only dogs, though Jim did have some SA issues (which we worked through) and Sid didn't want to sleep by himself. However, adding a second dog really turned them both into much happier, more relaxed dogs. It was quite a stunning difference and made me feel a bit guilty for not seeing how UNhappy they had been before!

 

When I say 'unhappy', I don't mean 'miserable', I just mean not as happy as they could have been. I'd say they had been 'content', rather than 'actively happy'.

 

I'd be interested to know what Tipton's racing name was! Here's Sid's pedigree.

 

 

 

His racing name was WV's Tipton, so we just kept it. It had a kind of regal sound to it.

I am not sure that my house would be big enough for another hound, though I know is room in our hearts for another one. Our family currently has Mom, three kids, three cats and Tipton. This would need to be a consideration down the road some.

 

I am so excited to report that this morning after breakfast, he decided that he wanted to play and started tossing and chewing on his plushy toys and was doing the "helicopter tail" that they had told me about at the rescue. He seemed so happy which made me feel great.

 

Here is a picture of my handsome boy, who will turn 3 on Monday!

 

 

Tipton is very handsome! I'm curious...are you still crating him when you are gone? I have enrolled Tripp in Doggy Day Care for when I'm at work because I can't get home for lunch. It seems to be working well...he was a little nervous his first day, but today was great when I dropped him off! He doesn't like his crate though...I've been doing alone training in the evenings and on the weekends so if I go to dinner or out I can leave him in the crate. He tears up any blanket I put in there so I ordered a Primo Pad...hoping that will work. Just curious if you are still crating...thanks!

[Guest Tiptons_Mom]

Yes, I still kennel (crate) but only when I am out of the house. At night he sleeps in my room, baby gate at the door just to keep him from wandering the house.

With the alone training we did over the last few days, as recommended by the book "I'll be home soon" I have seen a HUGE improvement in his reaction when we go to leave. We also have been playing the "kennel game" where he gets big praise and treats when he goes into his kennel on command (good things happen in the kennel conditioning)he has been "almost" willing to go into the kennel when we are getting ready to leave.

The Kong with PB is a huge positive too. When he sees me get this out of the freezer he heads toward the kennel.

I have been checking in on him via Skype during the day, and he is not crying or barking and sleeps most of the day away, that is after he cleans out the Kong.

[Guest stacy6344]

Yes, I still kennel (crate) but only when I am out of the house. At night he sleeps in my room, baby gate at the door just to keep him from wandering the house.

With the alone training we did over the last few days, as recommended by the book "I'll be home soon" I have seen a HUGE improvement in his reaction when we go to leave. We also have been playing the "kennel game" where he gets big praise and treats when he goes into his kennel on command (good things happen in the kennel conditioning)he has been "almost" willing to go into the kennel when we are getting ready to leave.

The Kong with PB is a huge positive too. When he sees me get this out of the freezer he heads toward the kennel.

I have been checking in on him via Skype during the day, and he is not crying or barking and sleeps most of the day away, that is after he cleans out the Kong.

Tripp sleeps on his bed next to ours and does wonderful! Sleeps all night. I read that book as well...we've been doing some of those things. He doesn't like the Kong. I've tried a bunch of different mixtures. I put a stuffie in there and he shredded that. He's shredded every blanket that I put in there. He is good to get in the crate...he goes right to it and hops in when I go to leave and give him his treat (and he sees my IG go in his). Going in is fine...it's the staying in that's the problem! I also got a DAP diffuser a few days ago and have plugged that in.

[Guest TBSFlame]

I have one that loves to lay in his crate (with his door open) during the day but if you close the door he will eat his bedding. I just muzzle him now and leave his door open.

[Guest TheDoggfather]

I have one that loves to lay in his crate (with his door open) during the day but if you close the door he will eat his bedding. I just muzzle him now and leave his door open.

 

 

I THINK I know this dog

 

 

 

Glad to see that Tipton is feeling more comfortable ... and good onya for recognizing that you/he needed some help

[silverfish]

 

His racing name was WV's Tipton, so we just kept it. It had a kind of regal sound to it.

I am not sure that my house would be big enough for another hound, though I know is room in our hearts for another one. Our family currently has Mom, three kids, three cats and Tipton. This would need to be a consideration down the road some.

 

I am so excited to report that this morning after breakfast, he decided that he wanted to play and started tossing and chewing on his plushy toys and was doing the "helicopter tail" that they had told me about at the rescue. He seemed so happy which made me feel great.

 

Here is a picture of my handsome boy, who will turn 3 on Monday!

 

 

Yay! Good news! They do take a little while to settle in, and are remarkably sensitive to any ambivalence or worry on your part. Most get there though, and it seems Tipton is doing just fine!

 

He's gorgeous. Looking at the details on Greyhound Data, he's a smaller, daintier dog than Sid, who weighs 32kg without one of his rear legs, and has developed huge shoulder muscles to compensate for the loss. He has the same eyebrows though, which I love! No relatives in common until you go way back, and then, oddly, he's distantly related to my ticked white and black 'bridge' girl, Susan! Just goes to show.

[Guest GreyFan09]

Very happy to hear that things are going better. Speaking as someone who's dog suffered from terrible SA, all the advice on this thread is excellent and correct. It got so bad for us a few weeks after adopting him, we worried that we would have to return him to find a more suitable home before he injured himself trying to chew his way out of the crate (in addition to the fact taht no one was getting any sleep!). However we knew he was an otherwise excellent dog, so we chose to be committed to working with him and getting through this difficult period.

 

Definately read the "I'll Be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell, and all her other books for that matter. You did the right thing by letting him sleep in your room, which was a big help in our situation. They want the security that come to being close to you, especially being new in the house.

 

As for getting him comfortable in his crate, he need to be taught, or conditioned that the create is a "good place," and good things will happen when he goes in there. When we first got Comet, we had to drag him in there crying and whining when we left the house, and he hated every moment he was in there. Two things got us around this corner and helped the situation. The first was to move his crate into the bedroom where he sleeps. If you have his crate downstairs, but he sleeps upstairs with you, try moving the crate into your bedroom. If you don't have space in your bedroom for a crate, put it in another room close to your bedroom. Next, rewared him with super high-value treats when he goes into the crate. Frozen cow hooves and Kongs with peanut butter worked miracles for us in this regard. Everytime we put him in the crate, we used the command "go in your crate" followed by lots of praise and pets. Then he got a frozen hoof, which he immediately tore into and would forgot all about us leaving. After a short period of time (probably about a month or so) all we had to do is say "go in your crate" and he would run upstairs, go right into his crate and wait for us to bring him up his treat. After a while I would even see him go in there and lay down, which would never have happened previously. We no longer have to crate him anymore, except with he is sick, but he will still run up there and go in when he hears the word "crate."

 

Good luck to you and I'm sure things will improve. Follow all the great advice people have given you, and just remember it will take time.

Edited December 14, 2011 by GreyFan09