Keeping My Dog

[JAJ2010]

Also Manuka honey is awesome for regranulating skin That might help a pressure sore. It healed a wound in 2 weeks that I thought would take 3-6 months. Was ready to cancel my vacation and everything

[Guest Bean_Scotch]

All right, let me first apologize for opening this can of worms. I did not mean to create so much animosity. I do appreciate any advice, even if it isn't what I want to hear, I just don't really see what me considering whether my home is the right one for Ari has to do with my commitment to being a veterinarian. To me that has nothing to do with anything and is just insulting, but maybe I jumped the gun.

 

I guess some more backstory is required to clarify... I first met Ari when I started volunteering as a dog walker in the blood donor ward at the teaching hospital at my school. I was struck by how quiet and sweet she was, and my heart went out to her because every time I brought her out to be walked she started shaking until we got outside, as if she was terrified that I was going to bring her to be stuck with needles. The guy in charge of the blood donor ward told me that she had been there for over two years, longer than any of the other greyhounds, and they had been trying to find a home for her for a year now and if they didn't find one soon she would be euthanized. I know several other people in my class who have dogs and they make it work in spite of our busy schedules, so I thought I would do the same. I admit that I didn't know the first thing about greyhounds and didn't do enough research, but the guy assured me that greyhounds are extremely lazy dogs and would be perfect for a busy student. Had I found this forum before and found out about the host of issues that newly adopted greys can have, I probably would have made a different decision, but I can't change that now.

 

So the reason that I adopted Ari was because I loved her and I wanted to rescue her, and I love her more than anything still. Which is why I have come here. If I gave the impression that I'm fed up or unwilling to work with her, I'm sorry but I didn't mean to give off that vibe at all. My real question, the one that I guess I didn't do a very good job of phrasing before, is will she settle down in time? Is her anxiety simply a result of being in a completely new environment, or is it because of my lifestyle and the fact that I'm gone eight hours per day? If it is the former, I am more than willing to stick it out, but if it is the latter then I want to do what's best for her.

 

Usually when I get home I take about two hours before eating dinner and hitting the books to walk her, let her run, and just spend time with her. On weekends we do at least one outing to the park. I agree wholeheartedly with Krissy that I would rather take a hit to my grades and have a life outside of school that includes pets. I do enjoy our daily walks and just having her around.

 

In conclusion, sorry that this is so long. If I came across as a flaky commitment-phobe, I apologize, and I apologize again for getting everyone so riled up. But once again, thanks to everyone for the advice.

 

Can this work? Yes. I adopted my first Greyhound when I was 17. I was in highschool. I worked part-time and paid for everything she needed. I adopted my 2nd 4 months later, and my 3rd 3 months later. I go to college full-time, work a full-time and a part-time job and in my 'spare' time volunteer for adoption. My dogs are happy, healthy, loved, and cared for. They went through my highschool graduation, 4 moves, and are still happy, well-adjusted dogs. Did we have some issues? Yup. Did we take 6 months to work them out? You betcha. There are now 4 here with the most recent one being adopted a year ago and there are zero problems.

 

1 adoption group turned me down because of my age. Because I was a student, 'didn't know what I wanted in life' and 'how could I make a commitment to a dog when I didn't have direction in my own life'? You know what happened--I adopted my dogs, turned around and volunteered for a group willing to take a chance on me, have fostered 60+ dogs with behavior issues(all have found homes) and now do application processing, in-homes, website, and grant writing. That first group missed out on a good asset to their group because they didn't even give me a chance. There's going to be people that say 'you can't'. Yes, yes, you can. You can get through this with her and her being alone 10hrs/day isn't unrealistic. Mine are home 10hrs/day 7 days a week. They are no worse for the wear. These dogs can be worked with, you just have to have the commitment to do that. Do you? If you do, then I guess there's your answer.

[Guest SusanP]

Most people *are* at work 8 hours a day, and that does not stop them from having dogs. If she can be with you when you're home and studying, if you make the time in your day for a walk with her, she should be pretty happy. It sounds like she's gotten settled finally--It can take months for a greyhound--or any new dog-- to fully relax in a new home. That really isn't unusual. So my guess is that things are getting easier for her now. I guess in my mind, the thing to ask is if you can be committed to this dog for better or for worse and adjust your life to her needs, because in any animal's life there will be times when they need more attention or develop a problem that has to be addressed. It sounds like you love her and adopted her for the right reasons, so if you can promise her that you are committed to her for the rest of her life, even if it cause difficulties for you, then I think you should keep her.

 

Most people *are* at work 8 hours a day, and that does not stop them from having dogs. If she can be with you when you're home and studying, if you make the time in your day for a walk with her, she should be pretty happy. I think often people don't realize how long it can take a new dog to get completely comfortable in a new home. It sounds like she's gotten settled finally--It can take months for a greyhound--or any new dog-- to fully relax in a new home. That really isn't unusual. So my guess is that things are getting easier for her now. I guess in my mind, the thing to ask is if you can be committed to this dog for better or for worse and adjust your life to her needs, because in any animal's life there will be times when they need more attention or develop a problem that has to be addressed. Our oldest hound can no longer safely do stairs and is having trouble "holding it" until we get her out the door to go potty, for example. Things come up with animals (as they do with us all!) It sounds like you love her and adopted her for the right reasons, so if you can promise her that you are committed to her for the rest of her life, even if it cause difficulties for you, then I think you should keep her.

[Guest RHDonna]

I understand your wanting your dog to be happy and it sounds to me like you don't really want to rehome her, just want someone to tell you it will be ok and she will be happy. I have had my grey for 7 months and we have good weeks and bad weeks and in the bad weeks I wonder if she will ever be happy here. I have seen a much more confident and playful dog when mine is back with her foster mom for boarding. As long as you love your dog, it will be good. Not everyone (or dog) is perfect but we do the best we can and have to stop beating ourselves up when things aren't as fairy tail as we imagined. Do you best and know that is good enough.

[LadyGrey]

Hey Arielle, KEEP HER!

 

Just think of all the snuggles and lovies you will have with her for years. Times when you will need the companion that only a sweet Greyhound can give. She is your baby girl.

 

Post a pic of your baby.

[Guest Arielle]

So to anyone that is still reading this saga, I am in need of further advice. Ari has done some major backtracking. She went from being curled up on her bed 90% of the time to constantly pacing and whining within the last few days. She is even worse now than when I first got her. The first few weeks that I had her, she would pace and cry during the day; once 7:30ish at night rolled around, she would go to sleep on her bed and was passed out for the rest of the night. Then for a while she quit whining and pacing all together, and I thought she was finally starting to settle in. Now she does it constantly, and she even continues into the night when she would normally be in bed. Absolutely nothing has changed about her routine. She still gets her two-mile walks every night and goes to the dog park every weekend. Is there something I can do to help her get over this? Is it time to try some anti-anxiety meds, or should I just let her sort herself out? Thanks! Oh, and I am trying to post a pic but don't know how...

[Lilysmom]

Maybe the coincidence of her calming down was in response to you being more at ease once you finally made the decision to rehome her? They can pick up on some of the most subtle signals that we don't even realize we are giving,

I can only speak from my experience but with all of my own dogs and 3 fosters it takes roughly 3months for a dog to fully settle in and start showing their true selves

Now if you don't have enough time for her long-term, that is a whole other issue that you must consider....

 

 

This is exactly what I was thinking

[Batmom]

How is her weight? Might check for a UTI also.

[Walliered]

One of mine had a tooth absess at the root. removed the canine tooth and all has been fine. Another thing that they will whine constantly is IBD. Trust me, I know. Vet should be able to help on both issues.

[Guest verthib]

Is she bored? Maybe try to interact with her more, play with her more. Gracie actually started doing that after having her for 2 months. She was finally starting to settle in. What we found was that she just wanted us to scratch her neck, throw toys around, etc. not just let her lay around. If that doesn't work I would definitely try the Vet. She may have more going on like the previous posters said.

[Guest mariah]

So to anyone that is still reading this saga, I am in need of further advice. Ari has done some major backtracking. She went from being curled up on her bed 90% of the time to constantly pacing and whining within the last few days. She is even worse now than when I first got her. The first few weeks that I had her, she would pace and cry during the day; once 7:30ish at night rolled around, she would go to sleep on her bed and was passed out for the rest of the night. Then for a while she quit whining and pacing all together, and I thought she was finally starting to settle in. Now she does it constantly, and she even continues into the night when she would normally be in bed. Absolutely nothing has changed about her routine. She still gets her two-mile walks every night and goes to the dog park every weekend. Is there something I can do to help her get over this? Is it time to try some anti-anxiety meds, or should I just let her sort herself out? Thanks! Oh, and I am trying to post a pic but don't know how...

 

It also sounds to me like she might be bored? If you aren't already, varying your walking routes might help a lot, so that she's getting mental exercise as well as physical. Sometimes the same walk two or three days in a row can become tedious. Also, setting aside a little time (even just 15 minutes) each day to work on trick training or

with a clicker could work wonders. I feel like this is especially beneficial to "only" dogs. Since they are not necessarily navigating social situations with other dogs on a daily basis, they need some other way to put those big brains of theirs to use.

[Rustyroo]

I'm not sure I should even go here, but maybe she needs a friend.

[Guest zombrie]

I haven't read the thread but do you leave bully sticks/chews/food games out for her? I was warned well in advance from her trainer that Minerva "frets" and having that stuff around satisfies her and keeps her brain occupied so she doesn't do it often. Just a thought.

[Guest verthib]

I haven't read the thread but do you leave bully sticks/chews/food games out for her? I was warned well in advance from her trainer that Minerva "frets" and having that stuff around satisfies her and keeps her brain occupied so she doesn't do it often. Just a thought.

 

I would not leave a dog alone with a bully stick. Once it gets small enough to fit in their mouth there is a real choking hazard. We give ours in the evening periodically to keep them occupied but we're home and remove them when it's too small. The previous suggestion of varying walks is a great idea. We do that and on weekends we rotate several places we take them so it doesn't become routine and boring. Maybe she just needs more stimulation.

[Guest zombrie]

I assumed that she is home while she is pacing/whining since that is what the OP made it sound like. If she isn't home when it happens then that of course is a different issue.

Edited February 1, 2012 by zombrie

[Guest verthib]

I assumed that she is home while she is pacing/whining since that is what the OP made it sound like. If she isn't home when it happens then that of course is a different issue.

 

True. Hey, what are your game suggestions? My male seems to thrive on stimulation and now that we're both working I was hoping to leave him with something to occupy him.

[Guest zombrie]

I assumed that she is home while she is pacing/whining since that is what the OP made it sound like. If she isn't home when it happens then that of course is a different issue.

 

True. Hey, what are your game suggestions? My male seems to thrive on stimulation and now that we're both working I was hoping to leave him with something to occupy him.

 

There are treat dispenser toys. When home you can also hide treats and tell him to "find it"

[LadyGrey]

So to anyone that is still reading this saga, I am in need of further advice. Ari has done some major backtracking. She went from being curled up on her bed 90% of the time to constantly pacing and whining within the last few days. She is even worse now than when I first got her. The first few weeks that I had her, she would pace and cry during the day; once 7:30ish at night rolled around, she would go to sleep on her bed and was passed out for the rest of the night. Then for a while she quit whining and pacing all together, and I thought she was finally starting to settle in. Now she does it constantly, and she even continues into the night when she would normally be in bed. Absolutely nothing has changed about her routine. She still gets her two-mile walks every night and goes to the dog park every weekend. Is there something I can do to help her get over this? Is it time to try some anti-anxiety meds, or should I just let her sort herself out? Thanks! Oh, and I am trying to post a pic but don't know how...

 

It also sounds to me like she might be bored? If you aren't already, varying your walking routes might help a lot, so that she's getting mental exercise as well as physical. Sometimes the same walk two or three days in a row can become tedious. Also, setting aside a little time (even just 15 minutes) each day to work on trick training or

with a clicker could work wonders. I feel like this is especially beneficial to "only" dogs. Since they are not necessarily navigating social situations with other dogs on a daily basis, they need some other way to put those big brains of theirs to use.

 

 

I did not know Greys needed so much stimulation. In the 17 years I have been with Greys, I have never had this. But maybe that just means I have slipped through the holes. But then, I have never had fewer than two at a time - until just now that I have lost my little Angel and Bella is alone. If you are walking her 2 miles per night???? wow, that should be exercise enough, should it not? That is great. Sorry I have no better advice or ideas. My Greys all loved chewies - raw hides. They would use a lot of energy on them. Loved them. But they gave most of my Greys BAD GAS.

Edited February 2, 2012 by LadyGrey

[Guest emma]

How is Ari? I hope everything is ok.

I've read your old posts about how you adopted her and I think it's really sweet.

All the best to you and Arielle

[Fruitycake]

Boy, she sounds like my Poozle.* Wandering around, fidgeting, whining and getting on my nerves.... I just tell him to go get another Playstation game or go out to see a movie or something and quit being so annoying! (*It's my hubby's nickname, to his chagrin!)

 

In a more serious note, maybe she needs a bit more mental stimulation, as Mariah suggested. Some smart dogs need to figure things out, and while Monty (our grey) isn't that kind of dog, his other-breed "sister" is. She wants to DO, and figuring out things for food is our savior - when we take the time to set up some food puzzles for her (and prevent Monty from figuring it out first - he's more determined when food is involved than she is). We got one of those dispense a treat things for Monty when he first came to our house, and it got shoved, nosed and slapped around the house with his paw for a long time. That's how we did a lot of the meals when he first came to our house, slow dispensing and prevention of the whining. A "find it" game with hidden kibbles, or even a simple "find it" game with different dishes with small amounts of food in them for her to find spread through the house helps her. If you have other people in the house with you, and she responds to you calling her, you can also take a few minutes to play hide and seek (someone holds her and you hide and call until she finds you, then the other person hides and calls until she finds them, repeated a couple times). Allie absolutely LOVES this one.

[Guest verthib]

So to anyone that is still reading this saga, I am in need of further advice. Ari has done some major backtracking. She went from being curled up on her bed 90% of the time to constantly pacing and whining within the last few days. She is even worse now than when I first got her. The first few weeks that I had her, she would pace and cry during the day; once 7:30ish at night rolled around, she would go to sleep on her bed and was passed out for the rest of the night. Then for a while she quit whining and pacing all together, and I thought she was finally starting to settle in. Now she does it constantly, and she even continues into the night when she would normally be in bed. Absolutely nothing has changed about her routine. She still gets her two-mile walks every night and goes to the dog park every weekend. Is there something I can do to help her get over this? Is it time to try some anti-anxiety meds, or should I just let her sort herself out? Thanks! Oh, and I am trying to post a pic but don't know how...

 

It also sounds to me like she might be bored? If you aren't already, varying your walking routes might help a lot, so that she's getting mental exercise as well as physical. Sometimes the same walk two or three days in a row can become tedious. Also, setting aside a little time (even just 15 minutes) each day to work on trick training or

with a clicker could work wonders. I feel like this is especially beneficial to "only" dogs. Since they are not necessarily navigating social situations with other dogs on a daily basis, they need some other way to put those big brains of theirs to use.

 

 

I did not know Greys needed so much stimulation. In the 17 years I have been with Greys, I have never had this. But maybe that just means I have slipped through the holes. But then, I have never had fewer than two at a time - until just now that I have lost my little Angel and Bella is alone. If you are walking her 2 miles per night???? wow, that should be exercise enough, should it not? That is great. Sorry I have no better advice or ideas. My Greys all loved chewies - raw hides. They would use a lot of energy on them. Loved them. But they gave most of my Greys BAD GAS.

 

Walking doesn't always equate to stimulation. For mine, I just feel I owe it to them to keep them stimulated in the evening because they sleep all day while we work and sleep all night while we sleep. Those 4-5 hours in the evening are precious.

[Brandiandwe]

I walk ours twice a day and while some elements of each walk are the same, we don't repeat the same route each time, so every walk is slightly different. I've also started keeping mine amused using some 'free-shaping' (thanks to whoever for that link, it's been great), although it really only works for one of ours - Paige tries a couple of times, gets bored and wanders off to kill a squeaky toy. Hide and seek is also fun with both pups. But I agree that stimulation is critically important especially if we've been out all day.