Help-Serious Problem

[Guest saabqueen7]

saabqueen - I have noticed a few things that are similar to another forum and I think you may be the same person? Do you live in the McKinney area? If so, I live in Plano. I would be more than happy to help you with whatever you need. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me.

 

I looked on your page and can't email you. If you can change that, I would love to talk with you personally. Thanks!

[kamsmom]

You can email me at blambdin@verizon.net

[Guest saabqueen7]

Thank you everyone for all your help. After meeting with an area behaviorist, getting help here and talking to my husband who was finally back in town the second night after getting Finn, we all agreed his human aggression was very serious (other incidences have arisen since my last post) and he needed to go back and let them deal with him. I cried pretty much all the way there and off and on all the way home last night. But I know it's better for us and for him. He was growling and "hunting" my neighbor's 3 year old through our chainlink gate and all I could think of was what if he got out. My neighborhood is full of kids and small dogs. It would have been a terror to walk him each day, and at over 80 lbs, he could put me on my ass easily. On the other hand he was a sweet and funny guy, and it hurt to let him go even after just 3 days. The owner of the group agreed completely and was in no way accusing. He took responsibility for giving us a dog that was opposite what we asked for, and is convinced he can find the perfect dog. I am not convinced. I have no real reason to think he was dishonest even though some people have questioned that. As has been said here, dogs can act very different outside the kennel and they can "cheat" on their small dog/cat test. This one did.

I have to say, this has been utterly exhausting and painful. And now, truthfully, I am scared to death to get a grey with cats in the house. My cats were adopted too, years ago, and I have a responsibility to them to provide safety. My collie loves them and has never been an issue. Can I ever have that with a grey? Complete confidence? I don't know.

[BootsyCollins]

For what it's worth, I think you made the right decision. I also think there is a grey out there who will be the perfect match for you and your family. I've had 2 of my own, and I frequently dog-sit others, and I would trust any of them around my kid and my cat. When my cat was alive (his death had nothing to do with the hounds ), he and the resident grey were loose in the house when we were at work and there was NEVER an issue. I also have a 3 year old son and there are tons of kids in my neighborhood, and my Bootsy is wonderful with all of them. Every dog is different, but I think Beth (kamsmom above) will be able to help you find a group that can find the right pup for you!

 

 

This was about a week after we adopted Argos:

 

[vjgrey]

Does the group use foster homes? If not, you might consider finding one that does. They'll always surprise you (my 8 1/2 year old still does, five years after I adopted her), but with a dog that's been fostered, you shouldn't have any big, awful surprises.

 

You could also ask for a bounced hound. Lots of "perfect" dogs are returned because of financial problems/divorce/owners' health, etc.

[Hawthorn]

And now, truthfully, I am scared to death to get a grey with cats in the house. My cats were adopted too, years ago, and I have a responsibility to them to provide safety. My collie loves them and has never been an issue. Can I ever have that with a grey? Complete confidence? I don't know.

 

Yes, you can. There are many greyhounds who are completely cat-safe. I've owned four of them. It's just a matter of finding the right one.

 

I'm really sorry for the bad experience you had, and FWIW, I think you did totally the right thing too in handing your greyhound back to the group.

[dante2zoe]

I am sorry that you had a mis-matched dog for your household. I have lots of small children in my neighborhood and that wouldn't have worked for me, either. That being said, there are lots of us here that have greys and cats that live in harmony. It can and is done regularly.

 

 

 

I wish you luck! If you are worried about this particular group, it may work best to find another. I feel for you.

[krissy]

I have 3 rabbits.

 

[Guest SusanP]

I'm so sorry you had to go through this. You know, all living creatures have issues and quirks, but there are issues, and then there are ISSUES. A dog behaving toward children as this one did is best adopted by someone who understands what the issues are up front and feels confident dealing with them. These folks exist, thank goodness, and they are likely to achieve the best outcome for this dog. In only 3 days, I doubt if this boy really had time to bond with your family. As far as he was concerned, your home was a stop along the way to his forever home.

 

I have to say that 4 of our 5 hounds were right off the track/farm/kennel, and only one was in a home for 6 months before we got him. The one who had been in a home has by far been our biggest challenge, behaviorally, and I sometimes think someone more adept at training could have done a better job with him, but we do ok and we love him. We've had him for about 4 1/2 years, and at 8, he's starting to mellow just a little, finally.

 

I have to say that only one of our 5 hounds had a low prey drive, and even he joined in when one of the others caught a neighbor's cat in our yard. Personally, if I had cats, I'd want to adopt a hound who had been fostered with cats and had a proven track record.

[Guest saabqueen7]

Beth, email coming your way.

I loved the pictures. Here's a question. My cats run and play a lot, and will be seriously unhappy about a new dog, I am sure. They will be acting scared and skirting the furniture, acting like hiding prey, I am sure, for awhile. Did any of your cats do that? I understand from other sources that this can cause real problems.

[revamp]

I'd love to be able to post pics of my first grey Rocky, who is straight off the track snuggling with my two cats but unfortunately that's not possible....because he is afraid of the cats and won't get within a few feet of one if he can avoid it. They sometimes come to a truce of sorts when sharing a sunbeam, though.

 

Please don't give up your plans for adoption--somewhere there is a dog waiting to be welcomed into your home.

 

I'm also sorry that Chad took out some of his baggage/issues with other adopters out on you. It was uncalled for and inappropriate for this situation.

 

Take some time to heal from this stressful and painful situation, but then I urge you to still be open to meeting the right hound--there are so many of them!

[Trihounds]

Beth, email coming your way.

I loved the pictures. Here's a question. My cats run and play a lot, and will be seriously unhappy about a new dog, I am sure. They will be acting scared and skirting the furniture, acting like hiding prey, I am sure, for awhile. Did any of your cats do that? I understand from other sources that this can cause real problems.

 

First - good decision to return the hound. Sad, but absolutely the right, objective decision.

 

I don't mean to put this topic of mine front and center, but wanted you to see the events that led to our recent addition and how he has acclimated to being a pet. I chronicled a daily 'diary' of Omie's transition from the track to our house 2 weeks after his last race. We knew absolutely nothing about him. We have 2 cats and 2 daughters (7 and 9) and brought Omie in (Zosma) without any knowledge of his cat or kid safeness. or general disposition whatsoever. Just a really short recap to show you another perspective. Most people would say this is an extremely easy case and not representative of the 'norm', however:

 

- easy cat intro and no issues

- slept on my daughter's lap the whole way home (10 hours) in the car

- does not chase our cats, even when we are outside all together

- no aggression, be it sleep or space or human

 

Here is the thread so you can see there is hope and a dog out there for you. Please don't give up....with your thoughtfulness and the attempts you made to 'make it work' (ie: behaviorist), you sound like you'd have an excellent home for a grey.

 

First week of pet life

 

[kamsmom]

Beth, email coming your way.

I loved the pictures. Here's a question. My cats run and play a lot, and will be seriously unhappy about a new dog, I am sure. They will be acting scared and skirting the furniture, acting like hiding prey, I am sure, for awhile. Did any of your cats do that? I understand from other sources that this can cause real problems.

 

It was great talking with you. I know that you are a caring person and I do think you did the right thing. The right grey will come your way with some patience. Keep in touch with the groups and names I gave you and they can help.

 

I also want to reiterate that it is more than ok to ask a group for a "trial" weekend. Not every dog is right for every person. Have a great day and I can't wait to hear from you when you get your dog

[PrairieProf]

TONS of us here have greys and cats. The grey will be interested in the cats at first, naturally, but you should review how to handle cat introductions. A cat-correctable greyhound needs to learn the "leave it" or "no kitty!" command fast and be rewarded for breaking focus on the cat. And a good whack on the grey's nose by the cat, which is likely to happen, gets the household order nicely established too.

 

I will say that I have cats and although my grey has never been inappropriate with a cat, after three years the cats are one reason I still crate her when I am out -- just to make 101% sure the cats are safe (but there are other reasons as well).

 

And make sure the cat has an "escape route" in every room or furniture to get under. I also like baby gates with small inset pet doors for starting off, so the cat can choose whether or not to be in the dog's space.

 

There are thousands of greyhounds out there who are nothing at all like the one you were mistakenly given. And plenty who come directly from kennels, too.

 

 

[Guest saabqueen7]

It was great talking with you. I know that you are a caring person and I do think you did the right thing. The right grey will come your way with some patience. Keep in touch with the groups and names I gave you and they can help.

 

I also want to reiterate that it is more than ok to ask a group for a "trial" weekend. Not every dog is right for every person. Have a great day and I can't wait to hear from you when you get your dog

 

Thanks Beth. Will do

[NeylasMom]

I can only reiterate what many people have said at this point, there is a greyhound that will work just fine for you. I've fostered over 60 greys at this point and dog sat many more and have plenty of them who have required virtually no training. There are definitely greyhounds out there who never look twice at the cat in the house and exhibit virtually no prey drive. I am always still careful to use muzzles and baby gates for a period of time, especially until I'm certain the cat has done all of the exciting things he's going to do (sprint back and forth through the condo at top speed, play with his ball that zips around the wheel, dramatically screams in pain when his tail is stepped on, vomits, and so on ) without a reaction from the dog, but iwth how many dogs that have come through my house, I can usually tell now right away the ones that just aren't going to have any interest.

 

I will also mention that prey drive can and does change over time so adopting a dog who was returned for reasons not related to himself (life change with adopters for instance) and who previously lived with cats might be a really good option for you.

 

Good luck!

[Guest saabqueen7]

In terms of all the experience represented here, is it a better choice to go with an older dog? Less likely to have problems? There are a lot of seniors out there.

[NeylasMom]

In terms of all the experience represented here, is it a better choice to go with an older dog? Less likely to have problems? There are a lot of seniors out there.

I think so. The returns I've taken in, with the exceptions of the ones that had serious behavioral issues, were all dreams, the easiest dogs I've fostered. And if you don't mind an older dog and are prepared for the potential of additional medical expenses, you'd be doing a very good thing.

[Guest dwolfe711]

Just now reading this entire thread - I am sorry your boy didn't work out - we have never had this problem in 11 greyhound adoptions - but only three of these pups were right off the track. We have been adopting mostly returns - greys that have been in homes and returned to our group for whatever reason - death of owner, birth of a skin baby, financial problems, etc. - usually not a greyhound problem but a person one. Sometimes these returns are seniors but not necessarily so - our oldest return adopption was a 12yo female who lived with us until she was 14.5! Our youngest return adoption was a 7.5yo female who is still with us and just celebrated her 13th birthday!! These pups come into our home and settle in as if they have always been here - it is always a very simple transition. Perhaps you should talk to your adoption group about a greyhound return - there will be history on the grey's personality and you may even find one that has already lived with cats. Just a suggestion that may work for you and eliminate the grey coming into your home without any history of behavior -

 

I hope you will find another grey to fill your life with greyhound love!

 

Donna

[a_daerr]

Oh wow. I'm very sorry you had to go through this. You've received a lot of good advice here. I just wanted to share this with you- I adopted my first greyhound, Henry, about two years ago. He was very shy and timid. We had lots of problems with him, but we were able to work through them. He is now a certified therapy dog and behaves wonderfully. So, yes, I do agree that all dogs have issues and need work. But awhile ago, I entered into a foster-to-adopt situation in which the group told me the dog was "cat curious." I consider myself a pretty good trainer, but I knew immediately that this dog would not be safe in my home. She was extremely high prey-drive, absolutely dangerous with my cats. It was agonizing, but I ended up returning her after two days. Sometimes you just know.

 

After this whole ordeal, I never thought I'd ever want to introduce another dog into my home. There was so much stress for everyone involved. Several months later, we bit the bullet and adopted Truman, a four-month-old greyhound puppy. He has had a thousand problems, but they are ones I can handle and control. It is 100% okay to acknowledge your expectations and limitations as a pet-owner. I hope after some more thought, you will decide to try again. You can absolutely find greyhounds that are safe with cats and children. My two boys are living proof. Either way, you deserve a ton of credit for your efforts.

[Yamaha_gurl]

In terms of all the experience represented here, is it a better choice to go with an older dog? Less likely to have problems? There are a lot of seniors out there.

 

It's hit and miss with dogs, just like human relationships...some work, otheres don't. From the brief reading that I did in this thread, perhaps a greyhound that has been in a foster home for a while is a good fit.

[Brandiandwe]

I'm sorry you've gone through this. But absolutely the right grey is out there waiting for you!

[GeorgeofNE]

Really, you read my post and don't understand my suggestions? If you want to personally attack me at least do it, don't make rediculous remarks. When someone comes here and has questions about things such as how to introduce cats, then within hours suddenly is giving the hound back, I am going to call them on it. I am not going to be all sweet and nice when someone blames the group saying accusatory things. Groups do the best they can, and adopters should do just as much. Let's start holding adopters to the same standard as we are expecting from the groups.

 

 

 

What set up a red flag for me was the other posts--how do I housebreak him, my other dogs were already housebroken. How do I leash train him, my other dogs were already leash trained. It sounded to me that what the OP was looking for was a dog who had ZERO issues, needed ZERO training or time to adapt, and yet she said she was an experienced Greyhound adopter. ????? George is my first Greyhound, but not my first dog. Nor was this the OPs first or only dog. How do you own dogs for years and not know even the most basic of things?

[heartdogs]

My DD took an old brod straight off the fam & when Concerto walked into the house the nutty young cat came out to see the new dog & all Concerto did was sniff him over & give him a bath! She never cared about the cats after that! I've had dogs that would curl up with cats as well as ones who couldn't be trusted at all. It can also make a difference if the cat is fluffy or smooth coated. There is a dog for you, good luck.

[kudzu]

What set up a red flag for me was the other posts--how do I housebreak him, my other dogs were already housebroken. How do I leash train him, my other dogs were already leash trained. It sounded to me that what the OP was looking for was a dog who had ZERO issues, needed ZERO training or time to adapt, and yet she said she was an experienced Greyhound adopter. ????? George is my first Greyhound, but not my first dog. Nor was this the OPs first or only dog. How do you own dogs for years and not know even the most basic of things?

Maybe there were posts I wasn't seeing but the ones I read seemed to be those of a person trying to educate herself ahead of time so she would be prepared. It didn't come across to me as someone who wanted zero problems. It sounded like someone who was aware those problems could exist & wanted to be able to cope with that. If people to be judged poorly for asking questions then we might as well just ditch the whole Training & Behavior discussion section of the forum.