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Help! New Greyhound Pooped All Over His Crate When We Left Him


Guest fluteplayer67

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Guest fluteplayer67

We are brand new owners of the sweetest 2 year old greyhound. We read several books, etc., but lavished him with attention when he arrived. He stayed in the crate while we went to church last Sunday with no problem. That night I left him in our bedroom alone for about 15 minutes while I was getting my son to bed. He pooped on the bedroom floor while I was away. Then he kept rearing up when I tried to crate him during the week. I am a stay at home mom so I am around a lot. When we crated him to go the grocery store a few days later he had diarrhea all over the crate and himself and had some blood on his paws from trying to get out. He is an angel in all other ways, great with the kids, fine with the cat, just a joy.

 

I am wondering what to do now. My husband has been getting him in the crate for about 15 minutes with a kong treat the past several nights. We do this while we are home. He loves the treat but does seem a bit stressed, panting a lot when he gets out. Is this going to work when we need to leave? At his foster home he was crated for 8 hours a day, no issues whatsoever.

 

He loves his little area with blankets and I would leave him out of the crate there but am afraid something will happen.

 

Thanks for any suggestions, we love our Jett!!!!

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May I ask where you have his crate?

 

The reason I ask is because Luna was a disaster with her crate when I first got her, and would chew the bars until her gums bled. I was surprised because her foster family also said that she was great in her crate. I originally had her crate in the spare bedroom, which isn't used very often. After I started to have issues with her time in the crate, I moved it out to the main room. All problems ceased. I think she prefered to be in a room where she could see the doors and see what was going on. Perhaps your boy is having similar issues? He's most likely still adjusting to his new environment, and a big change can be overwhelming.

Laura, mom to Luna (Boc's Duchess) and Nova (Atascocita Venus).
Forever in my heart, Phantom (Tequila Nights) and Zippy (Iruska Monte).

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I am sure you will get varying opinions and your strategy is really your decision. You may not want to give up on the crate just yet, but there will come a time when.....maybe the time is now?

 

Given the anxiety he is experiencing, he'll either get used to his new surroundings and settle down in time, OR, he may really be telling you he doesn't want to be 'locked in' - fine to leave the door open for him to enter at his choosing (you may wish to do this when he is outside the crate if you don't already). My guess is that it's anxiety driven.

 

Should you decide to try him out of the crate, keep an eye on him by leashing him to your body (in the house) for awhile to see how he does (given his pooping in your bedroom). Then, baby gate him into a small area (with cleanable floors) to start....progress from there bit by bit. You can also practice alone training for the times you need to go out..start short: 1 minute out of the house then come back, progress from there over time, etc.

 

If he doesn't have other medical symptoms causing the loose stool, then my guess is the new surroundings and routine have caused a little anxiety.

 

If you are worried about him chewing anything during alone training - use the muzzle.

 

Everyone has a different experience as some dogs really need a crate, others, not so much. Here is our experience (none of our dogs were fostered or lived in a home):

 

- Brucie - first dog....found him out of his crate one day with it in another room (2 months into adoption). Walls scraped along the way. That was his last day in the crate and he was perfect thereafter.

- Bumper - crated for about a month - stopped using it when we stopped with Brucie. No issues. I'll tell you though, he was a crate chewer at the track and I was told he messed his crate more than normal. Guess he didn't like it.

- Squirt - crated 2 days. Waste of time, she hated it, let everyone know it, and never needed it thereafter.

- Omie - crated 1 day. He was fine in it but no issue out.

 

No crates in the house anymore. For us and our experience, the crates weren't needed. The 4 of them lounge on dog beds throughout the house.

 

Good luck - it is nerve wracking for the humans the first few times with the dog(s) out of the crate but we learn....it's a bit of a risk at first though. Just plan it and start slow at first should you decide to give it a try!

Doe's Bruciebaby Doe's Bumper

Derek

Follow my Ironman journeys and life with dogs, cats and busy kids: A long road

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Guest Gillybear

We tried crating our first grey but she had diarrhea and had actually bent the metal wire with her nose! She was allowed free roam after with no trouble. When we brought Gill home, we crated him twice. Crate was up in our bedroom. Both days he met us at the front door when we got home..happy as could be to have escaped his fabric crate!! :). Both dogs, thankfully werevfine being left out.

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It might be a food problem. Try a low residue dog food. How much food are you feeding him? Check with your adoption group.

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Then God sent the Greyhound to live among man and remember. And when the Day comes,

God will call the Greyhound to give Testament, and God will pass judgment on man.

(Persian Proverb)

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I'm a big believer in crates--for SOME dogs. Turns out the Greyhound I adopted considered being crated like being sent to his own private hell. He was beyond miserable. I know, because I videotaped him after I had neighbor after neighbor (I live in a condo) complain that he was "howling for hours." I didn't believe them. When I watched the tape, I cried. Before my door was even all the way shut, he tipped back his head and howled until the 2 hour tape ran out. Oh sure, in between howls he might have licked his Kong for a second or two. But that was all. He never relaxed. I tried all the alone training tips. I tried DAP. I tried all kinds of things. Nothing made any difference.

 

George was nearly 5, and had been in a kennel environment his entire life (aside from his stint in foster care). Why wouldn't he be OK in the crate?

 

Well, cause in a kennel, there are dogs above you, next to you, across from you. Very, very different than being locked in a wire box all alone in a condo while the person you just met disappears.

 

As soon as I put the crate away where he couldn't even SEE it, he was fine. He never chewed anything. He never stole anything. He never did ANYTHING bad.

 

Your mileage may vary, but really, it seems rather clear your dog doesn't consider the crate a "safe haven" (which is, after all, much of the point of a crate). If he's housebroken, I'd say stop with the crate.


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Susan,  Hamish,  Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck

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We need more information, but just from your first post, I'd suggest this:

 

Stop lavishing affection on him. Let him come to you when he wants attention. I know this may sound cold and harsh, but you have to be aware of the situation from his perspective. He's probably never had very much affection from people, so a bunch of strangers suddenly cooing and fussing over him is a VERY scary thing. You have to ease him into that kind of thing. Give him lots of quiet time and space, let him decide when he wants attention. Over a few months, he'll crave more and more, and pretty soon you'll have a cuddle bug.

 

At the same time, I agree 100% with what Laura and Susan said about having the crate in a location where he can see and hear the family. He has never, ever been alone in his life. Being alone is a terrifying thing for a new greyhound. Keep him nearby. Also read "I'll be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell for easy training on how to teach him to tolerate being alone. This is a small booklet, worth about five times it's price. My adoption group includes it free in our adoption packets - it's THAT valuable. Read it. Do it.

 

Also, are you walking him on a regular, frequent basis? He undoubtedly has diarhea from stress, and he's in a strange place with strange people and has no clue when "turn out" is now. For a couple weeks you need to take him out as if he was a young puppy. This is to both give him relief from his upset tummy and also to teach him that you can be relied upon to let him out when he needs to go. After a couple weeks, you can take him out less, three our four times a day. But for now you should take him out more frequently - say every two hours. As his stool firms up, you can gradually back it off to every four to five hours.

 

And keep up updated! Good luck. You're in for a lot of love!

Sharon, Loki, Freyja, Capri (bridge angel and most beloved heart dog), Ajax (bridge angel) and Sweetie Pie (cat)

Visit Hound-Safe.com by Something Special Pet Supplies for muzzles and other dog safety products

:gh_bow

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Have you tried feeding him dinner in the crate? Put him in, fix his food and then put that in as well. Leave him be till he finishes, then take him out to potty and keep him out with you. I did this for Eli - he hated the crate at first and would whine and kick the door and rear up when it was time to go in. After a couple weeks of gently pushing him in (guide with the collar and push gently from behind), he now loves it - actually, now it's kind of hard to get him to stay out with us! I think he's just really comfortable in there... Anyway, if you're intent on crating (as others have said, it's not always necessary - our first Grey hated it and was the perfect dog outside the crate), try feeding him his meals in the crate, offering a special treat every time he goes in, etc. Make it a nice place with soft blankets. And when you have to leave him alone in it, play soft music - I use a meditation Pandora station (called "Liquid Mind"). Best of luck!

Mom of bridge babies Regis and Dusty.

Wrote a book about shelter dogs!

I sell things on Etsy!

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Turns out the Greyhound I adopted considered being crated like being sent to his own private hell. He was beyond miserable.

 

Some greyhounds don't like cages. I have one of those greyhounds, too. No cages here.

Edited by 45MPHK9

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Tricia with Kyle, our senior mutt dog 
Always missing Murray MaldivesBee Wiseman, River, Hopper, Kaia, and 
Holly Oaks Holly
“You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.“          -Bob Dylan

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May I ask where you have his crate?

 

The reason I ask is because Luna was a disaster with her crate when I first got her, and would chew the bars until her gums bled. I was surprised because her foster family also said that she was great in her crate. I originally had her crate in the spare bedroom, which isn't used very often. After I started to have issues with her time in the crate, I moved it out to the main room. All problems ceased. I think she prefered to be in a room where she could see the doors and see what was going on. Perhaps your boy is having similar issues? He's most likely still adjusting to his new environment, and a big change can be overwhelming.

That's the way my new Mali was. Upset/pooping/running even in the crate until I moved him into the bedroom with the rest of us at night. He immediately began to sleep peaceful then with no problems.

One thing though is you need to give it some serious time. It takes a long time for them to adjust to their new home sometimes. I'm inclined to think he probably just couldn't hold the diarheaa when that happenned. Also it may take a year or more before it is safe to let him free in your house when you're gone even once he settles down. He is a youngster and being free in a house is a lot of responsibility to put on a young dog. Some take to it early like a duck to water, others take varying amounts of time before they're safe to leave free, and some are never able to accept the responsibilty of having free range in the house while you're gone. Just depends on the dog. But it sounds like to me the main thing is to just give him lots of time right now. Some of them will poop/pee in their crates for months and then just suddenly stop and don't do it again. Time is a great healer. Congrats - I really believe you've got a fine dog- just give him lots of time.

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Never crated any of ours nor foster hounds either and not had any problems. I'd leave him with the run of the house (downstairs at least) for short periods initially and see what he does. You need to ignore him a lot more so he isn't so dependent on you, do intensive 'alone training' and make sure he has emptied before you leave him.

Sue from England

 

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Guest fluteplayer67

I am thinking maybe the crate is not for him but my husband still wants to give it a try. I did forget to mention that at his foster home there was an Italian greyhound so Jett was never really alone. While we are home Jett is perfectly content sleeping on some soft blankets clear in another room without us. He will watch out the window when anyone leaves. And there was one other time when my son had closed the crate when we left for ice cream and when we got back he had gotten out and seemed pleased as punch.

 

So I think we might just try a short trip around the block with the dog out and see what happens. We had wanted to make sure Jett and the cat were not alone together but they don't mind each other one bit.

 

Thanks for all the help so far, it is really nice to have input from those who already have greyhounds.

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And there was one other time when my son had closed the crate when we left for ice cream and when we got back he had gotten out and seemed pleased as punch.

 

Just be aware that a greyhound can really hurt themselves breaking out of a crate.

4894718087_9910a46faa_d.jpg

Tricia with Kyle, our senior mutt dog 
Always missing Murray MaldivesBee Wiseman, River, Hopper, Kaia, and 
Holly Oaks Holly
“You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.“          -Bob Dylan

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Guest Wasserbuffel
We had wanted to make sure Jett and the cat were not alone together but they don't mind each other one bit.

 

If you decide to stop crating, I would suggest locking the cat in a separate room for the first little while. Just to be on the safe side, unitl your grey is really settled in.

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Guest fluteplayer67

A quick update. All of us left for 15 minutes to go get ice cream with Jett out of the crate with a treat. When we got back he met us at the back door, tail wagging but panting. There were no messes of any kind. The panting is probably stress? Hopefully this is a good sign.

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Guest Wasserbuffel

Also, the stairs my grey learned on were painted wood (basement) stairs. I didn't put any carpeting down and she learned fine.

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Guest fluteplayer67

Whole family went to the store tonight and left Jett uncrated about 45 minutes. Came home and all was fine! Jett was waiting by the door and the cat was right by him in his cat bed. I guess the crate just wasn't for him. Thanks everyone for your help, I am sure I will be back with many other questions down the road :)

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I'm glad to hear things are going well without the crate. If you have any concerns about Jett and the cat, you might confine the cat while you are away. I had greyhounds and cats before, and one of my greyhounds was a little interested in the cats; I never felt comfortable enough to leave them all together, I always separated.

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Shannon, mom to Shae, Jesse James and Linus the Chinese Cresteds,and bridge angels Sydney Sue and Stewart.

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Great to hear that Jeff did better. It definitely makes things easier for everyone. Are you muzzling Jeff while you are out? Just asking because of the cat as some pups while they seem fine with smaller animals, things do happen sometimes so either separation or muzzle may be best. Not sure how Jeff reacts with a muzzle but they can be your best friend sometimes.

Kyle with Stewie ('Super C Ledoux, Super C Sampson x Sing It Blondie) and forever missing my three angels, Jack ('Roy Jack', Greys Flambeau x Miss Cobblepot) and Charlie ('CTR Midas Touch', Leo's Midas x Hallo Argentina) and Shelby ('Shari's Hooty', Flying Viper x Shari Carusi) running free across the bridge.

Gus an coinnich sinn a'rithist my boys and little girl.

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