Guest HopeSLP Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 The Facts about Petey: -3 year old male -rescued 4 months ago -is a solo dog; alone during the day while I'm at work about 8.5 hours -was fine holding his urine at first, but then starting peeing in the house ONLY while I'm at work -can hold his urine for 6 to 9 hours while I'm home and overnight -I have had a full work-up done twice at the vets--no UTIs, no crystals in his bladder Things we have tried: -a belly band (which he now wears all the time so that most of the urine is caught in it) -leaving less water out while I'm gone...doesn't seem to make a difference -someone letting him out halfway through the day: this SOMETIMES helps because he will urinate either before or after he is let out. -Anti-anxiety meds. We tried them for about a month. I didn't really notice a change. He doesn't strike me as an "anxious" dog. -Video-taping him. He naps on the couch for several hours, then changes to the guest bed, then when changing positions will stop to urinate along the way. The vet seems to think his urinating in the house is behavioral. I agree because it's only when I'm gone for a longer amount of time, as if he's just bored so he pees. He doesn't pee when I'm gone a few hours running errands on the weekends. My question is: should I crate him? Or should I try baby gating him in the guest bedroom where he likes to lay on the guest bed and look out the window? I have never crated him before. I feel guilty about it because other than the peeing he doesn't destroy the house like other dogs I have read about can. I am at my wits end cleaning up urine after work several times per week. I can't help but feel like I'm not a good owner for Petey sometimes, but I really am doing everything I can. I walk him at least once a day, I don't leave him alone often other than work because of this issue...I need any advice you guys can give about crating versus gating. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest verthib Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Well this advice is coming from a person who does use the crate sometimes, but not because of peeing. We have cats. I also have someone come in half way through a 9-10 hour workday. I've tried going over 5.5/6 hours and my boy pees. I don't hold my urine all day and all night so I don't expect them to. (there will be varying opinions about this). I think you should gate him in one room and still have someone come in at half day. Can you leave him things that will lessen the boredom like a kong or other treat ball and leave a TV on? Also I'm not sure belly bands should be worn all day especially after a full pee. They're more for dribbling and then removal. Lastly, this is a long shot, but can you adopt a second one to keep him company? I say this because I'm of the camp that one is generally too lonely when theyve spent their entire lives with other greyhounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatterseaBrindl Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 If he would be fine in a crate all day, then it is certainly worth a try. However, if he is going to be anxious...crying, chewing, etc then I'd say no. Have someone come and let him our mid-day. Quote Nancy...Mom to Sid (Peteles Tiger), Kibo (112 Carlota Galgos) and Joshi. Missing Casey, Gomer, Mona, Penelope, BillieJean, Bandit, Nixon (Starz Sammie), Ruby (Watch Me Dash) Nigel (Nigel), and especially little Mario, waiting at the Bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sheila Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I don't know where you live or what the set up is like, but is a dog door an option? Having a dog door that leads to a fenced dog run has worked out very well here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mcsheltie Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I would crate him and video the first day or two. I would have someone come in halfway thru the day and let him out. He is now in the habit of going whenever he wants to. You'll have to break that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DragonflyDM Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Greyhounds come from a world where crating is normal. So why would you change the world view by removing the safety of a crate? When I am home my dog is out of the crate, but when I am out of the house (from the very first day) he has been crated. I have never done this with a dog before in my life (I was not a greyhound owner before this)-- but I will tell you that the dog feels comfortable with it and I do to. Too many people see crating as unloving-- but I seriously don’t think that the dog does. It also, in my opinion, reduces separation anxiety as long as the owners see it as something natural and normal. If the dog is getting a lot of “oh I will miss you and hate putting you in the crate” energy then they will pick up on that. I just calming and dispassionately ask my greyhound to crate and he goes. I give him a treat for obeying and then leave him alone. (for work I give him a really good treat that he will naw on for awhile). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Greyhounds come from a world where crating is normal. So why would you change the world view by removing the safety of a crate? When I am home my dog is out of the crate, but when I am out of the house (from the very first day) he has been crated. I have never done this with a dog before in my life (I was not a greyhound owner before this)-- but I will tell you that the dog feels comfortable with it and I do to. Too many people see crating as unloving-- but I seriously don't think that the dog does. It also, in my opinion, reduces separation anxiety as long as the owners see it as something natural and normal. If the dog is getting a lot of "oh I will miss you and hate putting you in the crate" energy then they will pick up on that. I just calming and dispassionately ask my greyhound to crate and he goes. I give him a treat for obeying and then leave him alone. (for work I give him a really good treat that he will naw on for awhile). While GENERALLY what you say is true, for a racing hound, being crated IN A ROOM FULL OF OTHER CRATED DOGS is "normal." Being locked in a wire box all alone in the house for 8 or 9 hours is very, very different, and while many of them adapt just fine, some of them react in a manner that can be truly distressing for both owner and hound. For MANY hounds, a crate is a familiar feeling "safe" zone. For some, it's a torture chamber. I expect that's why the original posted was asking. My dog was so awful when he was crated, I nearly had to return him. The moment I let him out, he was fine. I come from a crating family; my last dog was crated all day while I worked for his first two years. I am not anti crate. What we need to guard against is assuming all dogs feel the same way about the crate! Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fostr_Mom Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I have a crate up permanently because I foster. But my personal hounds love sleeping in the crate and will race each other to see who will get it first. My boy has been sleeping in it lately for part of the night. It is a very useful tool if used properly. Quote <p>Mom to Kyle (Diehard Kyle) & Angel Gracie (KB's Sankey) Foster Mom for AFG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DragonflyDM Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 While GENERALLY what you say is true, for a racing hound, being crated IN A ROOM FULL OF OTHER CRATED DOGS is "normal." Being locked in a wire box all alone in the house for 8 or 9 hours is very, very different, and while many of them adapt just fine, some of them react in a manner that can be truly distressing for both owner and hound. For MANY hounds, a crate is a familiar feeling "safe" zone. For some, it's a torture chamber. I expect that's why the original posted was asking. My dog was so awful when he was crated, I nearly had to return him. The moment I let him out, he was fine. I come from a crating family; my last dog was crated all day while I worked for his first two years. I am not anti crate. What we need to guard against is assuming all dogs feel the same way about the crate! I never entertained crating with my other dogs-- but my experience (which is not comprehensive-- is that my dog ran to his crate every time I asked him to do anything: walk up stairs, walk on tile, etc. He did find it a place of safety. If I thought he hated it, I certainly wouldn’t do it. But when I talk to other grey owners, they tell me a story that their grey is out of control and they started crating again after a long period and now it is miserable for the dog. If they had continued the practice, I think it would have stayed a normal experience for them. And I hope that no one is putting a dog in a cage for 9 hours. We do it for 5 hours or so, and even that makes me feel bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Matty Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Growing up we had 3-5 dogs at all times, and we never had a crate. We just got the dogs on a schedule, and kept it constant. Your milage may vary, and keep in mind we usually had black labs, irish wolf hounds, beagles, or chihuahuas - not greys. However I imagine as smart as they are, they probably can adapt just as well as the others. I don't plan to use one with Nemo unless we find he's having an unacceptable amount of accidents - he doesn't like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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