Car Anxiety, Fearful, Frustrating, Early Onset Dementia?

[vjgrey]

I think the bottom line is that we want what is best for Coen.

 

Exactly. I don't think anyone has "attacked" the OP - just expressed concern for, and sincere offers to help, Coen.

 

My offer to go get him stands if the OP ever wants him to "pack his bags," as she said in her first post.

[gazehund]

I feel like I need to step in again. I actually know this dog - it was my foster and I am this family's adoption rep. I know this family and they are great owners. This is a dog that pulls excitedly on walks and likes to go for walks like many other greyhounds. He isn't "dragged" on walks like someone posted. This is a dog that pants in the car and drools probably more from excitement than stress. This is not a spook and is a happy dog that still greets his owners happily bouncing and wagging his tail when they get home. Sounds like a happy dog that likes the people he lives with to me. He is not a needy greyhound and is perfectly happy to be by himself sleeping on a bed most of the day but that doesn't mean he is depressed or unhappy like his owner originally thought. He would be miserable if his owners listened to the advice they are getting and gave him up after all the years he has been in this home.

 

The owners have said they love him and would never give him up. They were just frustrated and may have used the wrong words in their frustration or when commenting back but they came here for HELP. The owners have had a variety of tests on him to rule out health issues. They have called and talked to their adoption rep - me. They have followed every bit of advice immediately and are even taking a class with him to help their relationship. I don't know how many of you actually work with adopters but that type of family is RARE, VERY RARE and should be commended instead of attacked. Communities like this should be about education and support, not ganging up on people asking for help. What does a thread like this turned into really accomplish? What are the chances that these people will ever post or ask for help here again? What are the chances that others that read this thread will post similar questions for fear of being treated the same way? I have heard from many people that threads like this made them leave Greytalk or stop posting.

 

I am not sure why people are weighing in on agility as the wrong training method for a dog they do not know. From the comments I suspect it is because they don't know much if anything about agility. Dogs aren't "forced" to do agility - they do it because they love it. Purely positive methods are used and everything is a game. The first thing dogs learn is that their owner is the most fun thing in the ring - more fun than doing zoomies, marking or sniffing around. The owner learns how to be fun and mesmerizing to the dog. The dog learns that the owner has all the treats and gives out a LOT of them when he does certain things. The dog starts trying out new behaviors to earn a treat and magically learns to "work". The dog learns to listen, pay attention and focus on his owner and his owner learns to focus and pay attention on him. Owners learn what motivates each dog and how to communicate with him. The owner learns how the dog learns and what methods work to train him. Dogs start off on leash so they learn how to heel next to his owner and learn the self control necessary to stop pulling. Coen will learn that obstacles and new things are easy and fun with mom's help which builds trust and confidence. Add to that regular car rides and from training area where he has all this fun and our car problem may also be solved if it is stress related.

 

Dogs that are doing agility aren't just running the course on their own, they are totally focused and in tune with their owner and are having a great time. That is exactly the type of relationship that Coen's mom wants. Coen gets the fun of going to class once a week with other greyhounds and his mom gets the support of other greyhound owners and a professional positive trainer. I am also taking this class and have worked with this trainer for years with all my greyhounds.

 

Coen's mom has already posted how much fun they BOTH had at their first class. Our instructor raved to me about what a great team they are so it seems like everything is going well here in South Carolina even if things have gotten totally out of control on this thread.

 

 

I'm not one that jumps in and is harsh with people, especially new posters, but from the original post until now, there has been more back peddling, changing of story, blaming Coen and a number of other things that have gone on with this thread every time the OP posted. If you and she are upset because you think people on this site have ganged up on her, then I suggest she never post another problem on GT and take all her problems to you. You seem to know the dog and the situation and can be of the most help. I'm not sure why she even posted here in the first place and just didn't contact you with all her concerns. You seem to be in the best position to help Coen. Coming down on the heads of the members of GT who honestly wanted to help him doesn't do anything but get the members who spent time trying to help angry.

 

I honestly wish for the best for Coen and hope the steps you all are taking get the results you desire.

 

As always perfectly put Judy.

Oh yeah, I don't know anything about agility.

[Guest PhillyPups]

I feel like I need to step in again. I actually know this dog - it was my foster and I am this family's adoption rep. I know this family and they are great owners. This is a dog that pulls excitedly on walks and likes to go for walks like many other greyhounds. He isn't "dragged" on walks like someone posted. This is a dog that pants in the car and drools probably more from excitement than stress. This is not a spook and is a happy dog that still greets his owners happily bouncing and wagging his tail when they get home. Sounds like a happy dog that likes the people he lives with to me. He is not a needy greyhound and is perfectly happy to be by himself sleeping on a bed most of the day but that doesn't mean he is depressed or unhappy like his owner originally thought. He would be miserable if his owners listened to the advice they are getting and gave him up after all the years he has been in this home.

 

The owners have said they love him and would never give him up. They were just frustrated and may have used the wrong words in their frustration or when commenting back but they came here for HELP. The owners have had a variety of tests on him to rule out health issues. They have called and talked to their adoption rep - me. They have followed every bit of advice immediately and are even taking a class with him to help their relationship. I don't know how many of you actually work with adopters but that type of family is RARE, VERY RARE and should be commended instead of attacked. Communities like this should be about education and support, not ganging up on people asking for help. What does a thread like this turned into really accomplish? What are the chances that these people will ever post or ask for help here again? What are the chances that others that read this thread will post similar questions for fear of being treated the same way? I have heard from many people that threads like this made them leave Greytalk or stop posting.

 

I am not sure why people are weighing in on agility as the wrong training method for a dog they do not know. From the comments I suspect it is because they don't know much if anything about agility. Dogs aren't "forced" to do agility - they do it because they love it. Purely positive methods are used and everything is a game. The first thing dogs learn is that their owner is the most fun thing in the ring - more fun than doing zoomies, marking or sniffing around. The owner learns how to be fun and mesmerizing to the dog. The dog learns that the owner has all the treats and gives out a LOT of them when he does certain things. The dog starts trying out new behaviors to earn a treat and magically learns to "work". The dog learns to listen, pay attention and focus on his owner and his owner learns to focus and pay attention on him. Owners learn what motivates each dog and how to communicate with him. The owner learns how the dog learns and what methods work to train him. Dogs start off on leash so they learn how to heel next to his owner and learn the self control necessary to stop pulling. Coen will learn that obstacles and new things are easy and fun with mom's help which builds trust and confidence. Add to that regular car rides and from training area where he has all this fun and our car problem may also be solved if it is stress related.

 

Dogs that are doing agility aren't just running the course on their own, they are totally focused and in tune with their owner and are having a great time. That is exactly the type of relationship that Coen's mom wants. Coen gets the fun of going to class once a week with other greyhounds and his mom gets the support of other greyhound owners and a professional positive trainer. I am also taking this class and have worked with this trainer for years with all my greyhounds.

 

Coen's mom has already posted how much fun they BOTH had at their first class. Our instructor raved to me about what a great team they are so it seems like everything is going well here in South Carolina even if things have gotten totally out of control on this thread.

 

 

I'm not one that jumps in and is harsh with people, especially new posters, but from the original post until now, there has been more back peddling, changing of story, blaming Coen and a number of other things that have gone on with this thread every time the OP posted. If you and she are upset because you think people on this site have ganged up on her, then I suggest she never post another problem on GT and take all her problems to you. You seem to know the dog and the situation and can be of the most help. I'm not sure why she even posted here in the first place and just didn't contact you with all her concerns. You seem to be in the best position to help Coen. Coming down on the heads of the members of GT who honestly wanted to help him doesn't do anything but get the members who spent time trying to help angry.

 

I honestly wish for the best for Coen and hope the steps you all are taking get the results you desire.

 

As always perfectly put Judy.

Oh yeah, I don't know anything about agility.

 

 

Yep and none of us know anything about greyhounds and/or adoption.

[macoduck]

I think we've beat this thread enough.

 

I say let's give the owner a chance to work with her dog.

 

Turns out I actually met her and her husband once and they are nice folks who I think will work through this with Coen. I hope we will hear from her again about their progress.

As we all know, many who have found their way to GT get picked to pieces for how they have posted their dilemmas and never returned. Many others gleaned the information they were seeking and returned to help others by sharing their experience.

[4My2Greys]

I think we've beat this thread enough.

 

I say let's give the owner a chance to work with her dog.

 

Turns out I actually met her and her husband once and they are nice folks who I think will work through this with Coen. I hope we will hear from her again about their progress.

As we all know, many who have found their way to GT get picked to pieces for how they have posted their dilemmas and never returned. Many others gleaned the information they were seeking and returned to help others by sharing their experience.

 

Ducky, I'm with you on this. I would much rather like to think, as you and Courser attest to, that Coen IS in a good and loving home that is working with him than to doggedly stick to my assessment of the situation because the OP just didn't express herself in the best way.