Guest EZsElowyn Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I adopted Elowyn in December and she is almost 5. She hates car rides and walks that stray too far from the house. I know she is older and we have a long way to go with her socialization. I do positive reinforcement and I can already tell she is getting better. I take my other dogs ( non Greys ) camping, to the beach, and on many errands. For my upcoming camping trip she will be staying with family. Do you think she will ever enjoy something like camping or even future beach trips? She still gets so nervous that she overheats and gets diarrhea. I don't know if it's selfish to subject her to a trip just because I want her there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Ceasar Milan's show (OK a lot of folks don't care for him) had a dog like that which couldn't settle on different trips. He solved it by taking it with another sensible dog of his own and driving backwards and forwards around the area for an hour or son until the worried dog got so tired it had to relax and trust him that the car was safe no matter where it was. As is usual with him, he focuses just as much on the person's anxiety levels as that of the dog. http://www.cesarsway.com/askcesar/anxiety/Fear-of-Car I'd have someone ride where the dog rides just to make sure there isn't any wierd vibration/noise there that could set the dog off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I actually agree, a bit, with the prior poster--to a point. I'd suggest you take her on frequent very short trips in the car with one of the other dogs. Make it a lot of fun. Please don't think of her as "older" either! Five is not old. If you keep the outings short and upbeat, hopefully she'll relax, at least to a point. If you never take her anywhere, she'll never learn at all! Sounds like you're doing everything right. Do remember that Greyhounds cannot tolerate heat as well as "regular" dogs, so be careful with the car trips on hot days. If she has a favorite treat, feeding her those as you're riding around in the car will help too! Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vrice Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 (edited) I adopted Elowyn in December and she is almost 5. She hates car rides and walks that stray too far from the house. I know she is older and we have a long way to go with her socialization. I do positive reinforcement and I can already tell she is getting better. I take my other dogs ( non Greys ) camping, to the beach, and on many errands. For my upcoming camping trip she will be staying with family. Do you think she will ever enjoy something like camping or even future beach trips? She still gets so nervous that she overheats and gets diarrhea. I don't know if it's selfish to subject her to a trip just because I want her there. I'm having similar problems with my girl! She just turned 8, though, so maybe she is more set in her ways. She seems to be improving as we put the time in, going on short car rides to get her acclimated to them, and introducing more "stimulating" environments a little at a time. Personally, I would keep trying a little at a time. I wish you all the best! Also, I don't know if this is a problem for you, but I find myself becoming nervous that SHE will become nervous, which just perpetuates the nervousness! Edited April 28, 2012 by vrice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 It sounds from the initial post that the problem isn't only car-related. This pup sounds anxious about being away from home in any way. Does she seem more comfortable when you walk her with other dogs vs alone? We have a Labrador we adopted last August, Mabel, who was soooo nervous about leaving our house for months, even to go in the yard, and certainly to go on walks, at first. She for sure needed her pack with her, but even then, her entire goal on a 1/2 mile walk was, for the first half, to pull back toward home, and for the second half, to pull forward toward home. She didn't sniff or look at squirrels or stop to pee or anything. She is much more confident now,doing all the normal doggy things on walks, just because we kept at it, but I still can't walk her without at least one of our other dogs along. If you think your pup would settle down at the campsite, you might consider giving her a sedative for the car ride just to get her there. Do you think she'll be comfortable being left without you and the other dogs? If she'll be nervous either, way, I'd vote to take her along. One possibility in a situation like this would be a short course of anti-anxiety meds to help her learn that being out and about isn't so bad. We've used them occasionally on one of our hounds who becomes fearful of the stairs after stumbling on them. They don't work magically overnight, but they can give the dog a chance to learn/relearn something s/he has become fearful of. Then you can wean off the meds, and the dog hopefully stays unafraid of the situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryJane Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 Maybe start slower in the car - just go in there with her and take a book. Sit for about 15 to 30 minutes until she settles. Once she settles for 30 minutes start taking her for 5 minute car rides and then continue from there. Some dogs can start to experience the car as "being a home away from home" and feel pretty safe there but, only time will tell if it will be the same for your girl. In many cases much of the anxiety is caused because it is all so unfamiliar and the only way to get them used to it is to keep on doing it but, you also want to limit the exposure to the "unfamiliar" so they don't stress too much. It's too soon to tell whether this will be a life-long trait as you've only had your girl for a little more than 4 months so she is probably still unsettled - most times the true personality and the "comfort zone" takes about 6 months (up to about 1 year) for you to start seeing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trammell Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 If it is just the car thing, a soft sided crate may work...ours had diarrhea very time in the car, and was too nervous to eat treats . I better knock on some wood, but the crate works for us, no matter the length of the trip. It is soft sided so she can't see out as much as a wire one, and I think it just keeps her from sliding around which would be scary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EZsElowyn Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 I think I initially exposed her to more than she was ready for. I cut back to short car rides and errands. She gets treats and my other dogs go along. She gets lots of praise and we try to only go fun places like the pet store to get treats. She is initially excited when I get the leash out but gets very nervous once we start driving. I think new environments are just too stimulating for her sometimes. I havw done trips ( a 30 min car ride ) to my parents to acclimate her to stay there. They have other dogs as well. She gets extremely gassy and then has diarrhea. On the longer walks she tends to let my other dog lead and trusts him, but once we get to far she wants to put on the brakes and turn back. Her crate is her comfort zone so I think maybe if she has that safe spot she feels better. Unfortunately my car is not big enough for one. I wonder if composure or rescue remedy would help calm her a little? I know it will take time for her to come around. Does anyone else go hiking/camping with their Greys? I also wonder if she can physically handle it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christinepi Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 As far as the hiking goes, I think it entirely depends on her energy level. Each dog is different. My hound is 5, too, and even when he was 3 there was no way I could ever have taken him hiking. He poops out after 40 minutes, and if it's warm out, like 61 and sunshine, he just crawls. I would just see how it goes; once Elowyn is more comfortable on walks, you'll know what her energy levels will be on average. Tracker said he would consider hiking ONLY if we took his sofa with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 We take our hounds up to Northern Minnesota with us every summer, but honestly, they can't walk well on really rugged, especially rocky ground, and they generally poop out long before we do, except for our most energetic guy. They do enjoy lounging around the cabin and sniffing all the new smells, listening to all the new sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveRoooooers Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Sorella retired at nearly five y.o. She is now 12 and is a total homebody. She has never enjoyed going anywhere, hates car rides, hates going anywhere. Did I mention that she hates going places? The girl loves a walk down the road to graze and she loves doing laps in her yard. She lives with four other hounds and we have frequent visitors, whom she enjoys very much, especially when it's her party . But she is the definition of "homebody." I just don't ask her to ride in the car. Quote Old Dogs are the Best Dogs. Thank you, campers. Current enrollees: Punkin. AnnIE Oooh M, Ebbie, HollyBeeBop (Betty Crocker). Angels: Pal . Segugio. Sorella (TPGIT). LadyBug. Zeke-aroni. MiMi Sizzle Pants. Gracie. Seamie . (Foster)Sweet. Andy. PaddyALVIN!Mayhem. Bosco. Bruno. Dottie B. Trevor Double-Heart. Bea. Cletus, KLTO. Aiden 1-4. Upon reflection, our lives are often referenced in parts defined by the all-too-short lives of our dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EZsElowyn Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 That sound like my Elowyn. She has come out of her shell with people more and enjoys house guests. I think of her as a homebody though. We have 3 other non grey dogs that enjoy all outings, but when we go out she doesn't like to be left alone. I actually just took her on a quick trip to the pet store, literally about 3 blocks from us. It took her about 20 seconds to start panting and trembling. I'm going to keep trying with her, but I know how much she loooves her home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EZsElowyn Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Elowyn took her first trip to the beach today. She was panting most of the 1 hour car ride, but eventually settled down and stopped shaking. We loaded up the car with the pack of dogs. Once we got there and she got used to the idea she had a blast! She started wrestling with the other dogs in the water and sprinting back and forth. I am so amazed she actually relaxed and enjoyed herself like the other dogs! I think she liked having her pack there with her. I think she'll make it on a camping trip with us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamaha_gurl Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 I think she'll make it on a camping trip with us! All the hiking and swimming, new sniffies makes for a happy and tired pup, I bet she'll do a-ok Quote Greyhound Collars : www.collartown.ca Maggie (the human servant), with Miss Bella, racing name "A Star Blackieto" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Roadtripper Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Jealous you went to the beach AND you're going camping! I need to start planning my summer fun. Have fun! Post pics!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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