Sleeping Issues...anxiety Or...?

[adudle00]

So this is our third night with our new boy. The first 2 nights we took him upstairs in the bedroom where he has another bed and after walking around the room for a bit would go settle into bed and sleep peacefully. Tonight, however, we did the same routine and he absolutely refuses to go to bed. He paces around the toom then sits by the door and cries. I took him outside to go before going up to bed, so I know he went, but I though okay maybe he has to go again and took him out, again. Then took him back upstairs and same thing. Pacing around the room, won't relax, crying by the door, etc. I started to get concerned that maybe he didn't feel good (I'm hella paranoid about bloat since the people at the adoption agency warned me about it a ton). So, I opened the door, took him downstairs and he's now sleeping peacefully on his bed down here...and I'm sleeping on the couch. I really don't want to crate him because I know he doesn't like it and he cries. I don't think he really has separation anxiety because I will leave him in the living room (gated off) and go about the house and do other things and he's always fine, never cried. I'm just not sure what to do about this situation. Should I have ignored him and kept him in the room? Let him roam the house? Sleep on the couch? Advice please? TIA!

[silverfish]

Have you tried allowing to choose where he sleeps? Maybe try leaving him downstairs to sleep?

 

Ours have always slept downstairs. Jim, our first, was an only dog and always slept downstairs by himself until we got a second dog when he was about ten years old. When we lost Jim, Renie slept downstairs by herself, until we got Jack. When we lost Renie, Jack slept downstairs by himself until we lost him, too. Sid slept downstairs until we got Jeffie. Anyway, you get the idea. Not all dogs want to sleep upstairs with you though most would love it!

 

You could try giving him the choice; take him up with you, but leave the door open and see what he wants to do. However, it is early days, and he could just be missing the kennel noises he grew up with. Time will help with that.

[silverfish]

Oh, and don't worry yourself to death about bloat. Yes, it's something to be aware of, and greyhounds (being deep chested dogs) are a breed with a predisposition to bloat, but I've had greyhounds since 1995 and not seen it in any of mine.

 

Dogs with bloat do not just whine. Sure, they start off that way, and they'll start off with pacing, but usually it becomes apparent pretty quickly that you have a dog in distress on your hands. They try to vomit and can't produce anything, or they'll produce lots of stringy, white, frothy gunk. They stand with their back arched and tummy tucked up, head low, or pace with an uncomfortable-looking gait. The stomach begins to distend, and sounds hollow when tapped. Sometimes they'll try to eat grass. Sometimes they'll try to poop. Things go downhill rapidly from there, to the point where they're just groaning and in shock, and it's very difficult to save them at this stage so it's definitely worth knowing what to look for so you can get help ASAP. Bloat is a medical emergency, no two ways about it.

 

There are videos you can watch. They're quite distressing, but they'll make sure you know what you're looking for. And there are people here on GT who have experienced it first-hand. You can search for 'bloat' in the Health & Medical forum and you'll probably find some personal experiences there.

[a_daerr]

I really don't want to crate him because I know he doesn't like it and he cries.

 

My guess is that everything is coming at him too much, too fast. Pacing is a sign of nervousness, and it sounds like he is feeling unsettled.

 

For a brand new greyhound, the crate is an invaluable tool. He needs to have a space where he can feel secure and escape the things that make him feel anxious and stressed. Not to mention, it's almost impossible to housetrain a dog (not just a greyhound, any adult dog) without some type of crating or confining method. The idea is to define a den area for him to keep clean, then gradually give privileges to the rest of the house. Where did you first try setting your crate up? Most trainers recommend having the crate in your bedroom so that your dog can have his own designated space, but can still see and hear you. If you tried to crate him in another room by himself, he will whine and cry. Even in the bedroom, my first greyhound would cry for about ten minutes or so until he settled down and went to sleep at night. That's perfectly normal. Greyhounds for Dummies has a HUGE section on the importance of crating (and also the other issues you've posted about so far).

[adudle00]

Have you tried allowing to choose where he sleeps? Maybe try leaving him downstairs to sleep?

 

Ours have always slept downstairs. Jim, our first, was an only dog and always slept downstairs by himself until we got a second dog when he was about ten years old. When we lost Jim, Renie slept downstairs by herself, until we got Jack. When we lost Renie, Jack slept downstairs by himself until we lost him, too. Sid slept downstairs until we got Jeffie. Anyway, you get the idea. Not all dogs want to sleep upstairs with you though most would love it!

 

You could try giving him the choice; take him up with you, but leave the door open and see what he wants to do. However, it is early days, and he could just be missing the kennel noises he grew up with. Time will help with that.

Well, I want to let him sleep where he wants, but he's not fully housebroken yet, so I don't like him out of my sight. Last night I ended up trying that and he roamed the house for a while, then peed on something. After this I took him outside again and he refused to go (he probably didn't have any left, ugh). Then I took him upstairs again, shut the door and he went right to sleep.

 

My guess is that everything is coming at him too much, too fast. Pacing is a sign of nervousness, and it sounds like he is feeling unsettled.

 

For a brand new greyhound, the crate is an invaluable tool. He needs to have a space where he can feel secure and escape the things that make him feel anxious and stressed. Not to mention, it's almost impossible to housetrain a dog (not just a greyhound, any adult dog) without some type of crating or confining method. The idea is to define a den area for him to keep clean, then gradually give privileges to the rest of the house. Where did you first try setting your crate up? Most trainers recommend having the crate in your bedroom so that your dog can have his own designated space, but can still see and hear you. If you tried to crate him in another room by himself, he will whine and cry. Even in the bedroom, my first greyhound would cry for about ten minutes or so until he settled down and went to sleep at night. That's perfectly normal. Greyhounds for Dummies has a HUGE section on the importance of crating (and also the other issues you've posted about so far).

I do have a crate and it's in the room where he/we spend most of our time. I leave it open so that he can go in and out, but he really doesn't want to go in it much, other than when I first set it up to explore. I've tried putting little treats in there for him just so he would associate it with good things, but he's just not interested. Should I force him to spend time in the crate? He has free from of our family room/kitchen area and even when I've left him in here alone he's not had any accidents. He only goes in this one particular room, I'm not sure why. He likes the tree (yes yes I know, it's going out today!) and this one couch. =( Otherwise he has not tried anywhere else. I've been keeping him out of that room until last night I thought to try it, and sure enough he did pee in there again. I will definitely be reading Greyhounds for Dummies soon, any other recommended readings? Thanks!

[a_daerr]

Letting him have the run of the house too soon opens up a huge can of worms. One reason being, he's brand new and he's never lived in a house before. He doesn't have the ability to distinguish your belongings from his. He doesn't yet know what's safe and appropriate to touch or chew on. Another reason being, he's not housetrained. A lot of people think that greyhounds come housetrained because of their life at the track, when really, all your dog understands is that he's turned out at certain times everyday and he's not supposed to go in his kennel. Even greys who were housetrained in a foster home have to be re-trained once they get to their permanent home. Letting him have the run of the house before he's fully housebroken will ensure that he continues having accidents. Even if he's only had a few accidents or prefers one room, the floodgates are open and the idea has been put in motion that pottying in the house = acceptable. Now is the time to really start working on a food-water-elimination schedule and rewarding him for pottying outside. Otherwise, you may see a snowball effect weeks and months down the road where he continues having accidents.

 

Free roam of the house can also really overwhelm a new dog from a behavioral standpoint. If you work or are away from the home for at least some part of the day (really, unless you can be there 100% of the time to supervise), the crate is your best friend. You don't have to use it forever, but for new greyhounds, it's important to establish a "den area" for both the comfort and security and as a housetraining tool. Also there are many greyhounds that start off with space issues, so the crate also helps with defining "his space" from "your space." I've always put the crate in my bedroom, right next to my bed. When you're sleeping or away from the house, the dog should be crated. Even if you don't crate him when you're home, three days is way to soon to leave him unattended in a strange house when you're not home. The last thing you want is to come home and find that he's gotten ill or hurt. If not crated, then at least babygate him (this is called "confining") to a safe, small area of the house like a kitchen where you can easily clean up any accidents.

 

Initially showing reluctance toward the crate is pretty normal. Greyhounds for Dummies goes into this in much better detail than I can, but there are ways to retrain him to enjoy the crate. Never put him in the crate as a form of punishment - positive things only. Put him in the crate at various times during the day with a kong or chewy. Leave him for 10-15 minutes, then open the crate door back up. Gradually increase his exposure, until he starts going in on his own. It may be something you have to work at a little bit, but most greyhounds enjoy the safety and security of their crates. It's what they are used to at the track, and it's a place for them to retreat when they're stressed or anxious.

 

Just keep in mind that greyhounds are a little bit different than "normal" dogs. It helps to do your research and learn as much as possible as you can to help your new guy adjust.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

When I first brought my grey home we kept her crate on the main floor, but she slept in our bedroom. I simply leashed her up and looped the handle of the leash on my arm. She had plenty of play in the 6' leash that she could be comfortable and turn about, but if she decided to wander off, it would wake me. That worked really well, and she learned to sleep next to my bed.

 

Later, she decided on her own that she wanted to sleep in her crate, so we moved it to the bedroom and there she's slept ever since.