Alone Training Tips For Grey That Barks Immediately

[Guest mebenz]

I've had my Fred for over a week (he was fostered for a week before me). He's crated but he immediately barks the second I leave the house. I went to work 4 days last week but he barked for the majority of the time except the times he tired himself out and slept. I use kongs, Rescue Remedy etc.

 

I'm trying to do the "Alone Training" but they all say only come back in when he's quiet but he never is. The second I leave (in his crate or half the apt with baby gate) he barks immediately, very loudly with whining and does not stop.

 

How do I alone train if he's never quiet? If I come back in because he doesn't stop, is that training him that I'll come back when he barks?

[Guest LunaTheGreyt]

I have a dog that had moderate to severe SA when I got her at the end of May. With the help of Clomipramine and behavior modification, she's about 80-90% better. I started the meds after a month, and had to double them after another month.

 

I'm not suggesting you go straight to meds, though. Have you tried any of the following?

• Kong stuffed with a treat/EZ Cheez/peanut butter - something really high value.
• Music/TV on quietly
• Covering the crate
• Tryptophan gel
• DAP spray
• Brisk 30+ minute walk prior to leaving

Also, what other behaviors does he do in conjunction with barking (chewing, scratching, panting, urinating, etc.)? And is it necessary to baby gate him? I know when I tried babygating Luna in my kitchen she absolutely flipped out and chewed up my curtains and windowsill. She's never been destructive before or since (she's now allowed in the living room and kitchen; I keep the bathroom and bedroom doors shut).

 

Luna always waited at least a minute before starting to bark, but I think what you should do is go back to the very beginning and take it step by step - literally. Place him in his area (crate, babygated area) and take a step away from him. If he doesn't bark, walk back to him (if he's not at all anxious, you can reward him). Try again with two steps away, etc. Only when he can stand being the length of your apartment, for example, should you graduate to actually leaving the apartment. When you first start leaving the apartment just go out, shut the door, and immediately return if that's what it takes. The trick is to come back before they start showing signs of anxiety, which I know you know. You could even try just stepping out the door without shutting it at first.

 

Furthermore, if he displays anxiety when you pick up your purse/keys or put on your shoes, try desensitizing him to this by going through the motions many times a day, even if you're not going anywhere. I like to stick my key fob in my back pocket so that my keys jingle whenever I get up/walk around. Eventually they just get bored with it. It also helps to pretty much ignore them for 5-10 minutes before leaving and upon returning (I just wait til Luna stops whining at me and relaxes before I say hello and pet her).

 

He is still very new, so try to be patient with him. If he's still extremely anxious after a month or so, you might talk to your vet about medicating. You can search my post "Separation Anxiety Woes" if you want to see what others told me and what else I had to say. Good luck!!

Edited August 11, 2013 by LunaTheGreyt

[Guest mebenz]

I walk him every morning at 7. He eats while I'm in the shower then put a frozen Kong of peanut butter with him in the crate while I finish getting ready. I also give him some rescue remedy. I don't look at him when I leave and just leave. I leave a radio on him. I'm told he barks immediately consistently for an hour, quiet for an hour then barking for another hour.

 

I'm going to pickup the Dap plugin tomorrow to see if it helps. Last night I waited close to an hour until he was quiet before I could go out.

 

I haven't tried leaving him home alone for an extended period outside of the crate as I'm worried about destruction and I rent so can't risk it.

How do I get him to go into his crate when I want? The only way I can do so in the morning is bribing with treats which I know is bad but he has to go in. He likes his crate but I think he knows when he goes in I go away now.

[Guest LunaTheGreyt]

I walk him every morning at 7. He eats while I'm in the shower then put a frozen Kong of peanut butter with him in the crate while I finish getting ready. I also give him some rescue remedy. I don't look at him when I leave and just leave. I leave a radio on him. I'm told he barks immediately consistently for an hour, quiet for an hour then barking for another hour.

 

I'm going to pickup the Dap plugin tomorrow to see if it helps. Last night I waited close to an hour until he was quiet before I could go out.

 

I haven't tried leaving him home alone for an extended period outside of the crate as I'm worried about destruction and I rent so can't risk it.

How do I get him to go into his crate when I want? The only way I can do so in the morning is bribing with treats which I know is bad but he has to go in. He likes his crate but I think he knows when he goes in I go away now.

 

Nothing wrong with throwing his Kong in there so he'll go in, IMO. That's how I always got Luna to "kennel up" (tomorrow will be her first time out of the crate for more than 4 hours - 6 - but I'm hoping she'll be just as quiet). It's worth mentioning that I got her a citronella spray collar that has resulted in her being quiet as a mouse since the first session wearing it (I actually forgot to turn the it on when I left for a few hours today, but she still didn't bark!). Still working on her mild anxiety (evident because she pants) but the crying, barking, and howling have completely stopped. If you don't have any reason not to try it, you might consider it. You'll know after the first time he wears it whether he is disturbed by it or not. When Luna got spritzed the first time, she didn't freak out, just went to her bed. She barked maybe twice more after that, just single barks, but after that she has not barked when left alone (so she has not received any spray since the first time she wore it). I don't like that I had to resort to it, but living in a condo, I couldn't have her howling bloody murder for hours at a time. :\ Plus, I think it helped her realize that she didn't need to be doing that all day...she's usually a very lazy girl who needs 22+ hours of sleep! Anyway, I hope you figure out something that works for you and your boy.

Edited August 12, 2013 by LunaTheGreyt

[Houndtime]

I always gave my dogs a quick second walk before I left for work. You are walking him before he eats and he might want to eliminate again after eating.

[Brandiandwe]

But you might also have to go back another stage in the alone training if he's never quiet when you're not there. So, do everything you normally do before you leave, open the front door, close it and undo everything. Over and over again. So he gets bored with the whole leaving routine. Then when he isn't concerned, step outside, then go to closing the door, then leaving and so on.

[silverfish]

I'm trying to do the "Alone Training" but they all say only come back in when he's quiet but he never is. The second I leave (in his crate or half the apt with baby gate) he barks immediately, very loudly with whining and does not stop.

 

How do I alone train if he's never quiet? If I come back in because he doesn't stop, is that training him that I'll come back when he barks?

 

Wow ... this is not how I do alone training! If you wait until a barking dog stops, you may never get back in the house.

 

Most dogs don't bark the instant you leave, but some do. Don't worry, however, there IS hope! Here's the way to do it, and save your sanity:

 

Before you start the training, exercise him so he's empty and pleasantly tired.

 

On the first day, do the things you'd normally do when getting ready to leave for work. Pick up your work bag (purse), put on the coat and shoes you normally wear, get your car keys and close any house doors and windows that need closing (assuming you don't have a/c) etc. Pop him in his crate at the point you'd normally do so. By all means leave him a special toy, or a kong, that he doesn't get at any other time. He'll ignore it at first, but do it anyway.

 

Now, here's your pattern:

 

Pick a key phrase (I use, 'Bye dogs - see you later!') and say goodbye to Fred in a casual, upbeat way as if you are not anticipating any trouble at all. Use this phrase every time you leave, and always in a light, happy tone.

 

Go out and lock the door just as if you were going to work. Then come immediately back in again, whether he is barking or not. Do not look at him or speak to him, but take off your coat, put down your bag etc, and go about your business as if nothing had happened.

 

When he has settled down again, repeat. And repeat and repeat and repeat.

 

Do this as often as you can stand to, leaving a very short gap between each pattern. Two minutes can be enough, after he's settled.

 

The idea is to bore him silly and get him used to the idea that you go out, you come back, you go out, you come back, and it's no big deal.

 

Once you find that he is quiet for even the tiniest amount of time with you outside the door, then you can move on to coming back in as soon as he is quiet, but the problem is that dogs who bark immediately you leave are also likely to bark as soon as you approach the door, let alone hear the key in the lock. Mine still bark when we come home and they're fine for 5 hours alone - it's a greeting.

 

IMHO, it's better just to get on with the pattern, increasing the time spent outside your front door very, very gradually until you've got time to walk up the drive, turn around and come straight back. At this point, on the next trip, you can unlock the car, open the door, shut the door and lock it again before you go back in the house.

 

Eventually, you can start the engine on each trip, without going anywhere, then the next stage is to drive two or three minutes and back again, then later, around the block. When you have reached this point, and you come back in without hearing barking, you've pretty much cracked it. He has learned to be comfortable for fifteen minutes without you. Stretching out the time to half an hour, then an hour, then three or four hours is easy and takes less time.

 

The most important thing is that you make steady, forward progress. Stay on the same step (for instance, going out and then immediately straight back in) until you are sure he has accepted this level of alone time before progressing to the next. This is most important. If at any point he slips back a step, you need to take a step back too. He may continue to bark each time you leave for a while, but take note of his body language when you come back; is it still high anxiety? Or is he beginning to relax, but still automatically barking because that's what he's learned to do? If it's still high anxiety, stay on the same step until he's settled and looks more relaxed. It's also a good idea to get a webcam (or a program for your tablet or phone) to monitor what he does when you're gone.

 

It sounds as if it will take weeks, but don't panic. My first dog was horribly anxious and panicked when we left but it took only about three days to train him to be alone.

 

Give it a try. And good luck!

 

Disclaimer: I'm not a trainer. Just telling you what has worked for me, taking into account what I know of dogs.

[Guest mebenz]

I went home at lunch today (20 minutes to get home, quick 10 minute walk for a pee in order to get back to work in an hour) and decided to let him out of the crate in my room with a baby gate with the bedroom door open so he's not closed in (he has his muzzle on to prevent any potential destruction). He's been barking and whining all afternoon and trying very hard to get over that gate. It doesn't seem to be the crate causing him to bark as he does it out of the crate. I have a camera on him and can hear him and he's always going back and forth in the room barking his head off.

 

He was walked for a good 30 minutes this morning and was let out at lunch so this isn't a lack of exercise or elimination issue. If I have to resort to Doggy Day Care, it's not only very expensive, but still doesn't resolve my issues with leaving him alone as I'll need to have a social life eventually.

 

The DAP plugin should arrive tomorrow but am running out of options. He doesn't bark immediately when I leave now but after some minutes, it starts then doesn't stop for an hour, then quiet for little bit, then back at it. It might be a little better in the crate as he doesn't seem to be sleeping at all out of his crate.

[Guest LunaTheGreyt]

Some dogs just don't like being babygated. I tried babygating Luna in my kitchen a while ago and she got so freaked out she pulled down my curtains and chewed on some molding. She's never been destructive when she has free range, so it was really weird. I'm also thinking of going back to crating her when I'm gone, because like you said, it seems like she doesn't sleep at all when she's left out.

[silverfish]

Mebenz, you haven't run out of options until you have actually tried to desensitise your dog by using an 'alone training' technique, and given it a committed, serious try, over the course of several days to a week. To be honest, that is your best shot.

 

Your dog may well be OK loose in a larger space without confinement, or he may freak out even more. It's not the lack of exercise or the need for elimination (although clearly you DO have to take care of those before you leave the house), but the mere fact that you are gone. Greyhounds have usually never, ever, been left alone in their entire lives until they are retired and adopted.

 

Have you read the famous piece by Kathleen Gilley? It's a truly wonderful and nicely written article about the reason for separation anxiety (SA) and destructiveness and 'bad' behaviour among newly adopted greyhounds. Once you've read it, you'll understand better what makes him vocalise this this and try to escape, and perhaps you'll see better how to help the situation.

 

Go here, to read it.

 

Click the link. It will take you to the Greyhound Pets of America seminar.

Edited August 13, 2013 by silverfish

[Guest Scarter55]

I would recommend getting him in his crate while you are in the house often, just for short periods of time. This would help him learn that as soon as that gate door closes, you won't neccessarily be gone for 6 hours.

 

Once he is comfortable with that, you can try leaving the room with him in the crate. Then the apt for a short period of time, etc. As someone else said, try to make that a routine that he is used to.

 

In terms of waiting for him to stop barking before coming back in, IMHO that is very neccessary. Dogs associate what ever they last did with the reward they get. In his case, the reward is clearly seeing you again. So if that happens when he is barking, he will assume that the barking brought you back. If he is constantly barking, you don't need to wait for him to be quiet for 5 min. Literally a few seconds, while he is taking a breath, is enough. When Lady was a puppy, we would put her in her crate and close the door to that room. Then stand outside with hand on the knob poised for reentry so we could jump on it as soon as she took a breath to bark again. As long as he isn't barking at that moment, he'll start to get the picture and you can start waiting a min, 5 min, 15 min, etc.

 

It takes some work, but is definitely worth it. Lady happily goes in her crate and doesn't even bark if I don't let her out immediatly upon my return, even if she has been in there for a few hours. Stick with it!

[Guest mebenz]

I just did it three times while he was in the crate and he barked when I left, barked when I was outside but was able to come back in just at the point where he was quiet. Will keep doing it in these little spurts. I give him a treat to go in his crate (as he won't on his own) say See you later and go out. He barks right away. Wait come back in then walk past. Repeat.

He's barking in his crate when I'm home so trying to ignore that.

[Guest mebenz]

I'm also trying the getting up and walking around the house but he still always gets up and follows me. I have his bed in the living area and his crate in the bedroom so I can't really practice this when he's in his crate. Get up walk around, he follows, ignore him, go back to where his bed is and ignore him until he's laying down. Repeat, repeat, repeat until he doesn't get up when I move around. Still waiting for that to happen.

[Guest mebenz]

I thought I would test leaving while he's out in the living room on his bed. Picked up my keys and purse, which he's now ignoring, got up, still on his bed, went to the back door, still on his bed, opened the door and heard him running for the door. He then paws at the door handle and the blind that's on the door so I can't leave him out of his crate as he'll wreck things.

 

Gonna try the crate again so I can at least get out to get a coffee.

[silverfish]

Hey - you've scored a victory; he's now ignoring you when you pick up your keys! It's a tiny step forward, but it IS a step!

 

Have you tried just literally going out and shutting the door, then opening it and coming straight back in, several times in a row? If you do it often enough, he should begin to ignore that, too, and then you can begin to stretch it out just a tiny bit.

 

Oh, the other thing you can do to reduce his arousal level is to make sure to give him plenty of approval, so he feels he's getting somewhere, too. Tell him he's a good dog whenever it's possible. If he simply stands quietly looking at you while you prepare food, without whining, if he lays down on his bed without you asking, if he's simply minding his own business but in a calm, easy-to-live with way, just tell him 'Good boy!' and if you're close enough, give him a brief touch on the shoulder. You don't have to make a big fuss, but he'll be registering it, and it'll make a difference. He may be a handful right now, but see if you can find many little things to praise, every day.

[Guest mebenz]

I thought I had his barking under control with a citronella spray collar but he seemed to have used up all the spray today and had to come home early because he pried the bottom of the crate open so now it'll never close. Barking, whining, not too much destruction other than his crate. I've taken the crate out and it's been suggested to leave him out in the living area. I have his muzzle, spray collar, a thundershirt, can they all be used at the same time? I've heard of clomicalm as another possibility? I hate to think of drugging my dog but I cannot get a second dog and can't fathom my adoption group suggesting that he may be better off with someone that works from home. Leaving him out now worries me about damage to my furniture/belongings, which the muzzle will help but he can claw too. Learned that when I left him out of his crate with the blinds down. Bye bye blinds.

[Guest mebenz]

It's been recommended to me by 2 different foster people that I should return him as I've now "fostered" him and know what he needs (ie someone that works from home) or has another dog. So let's just say I do that. I take in another. There's no guarantee that the next one will show zero SA so I give that one 2 weeks as well and if he's fine on his own, but then has other issues, I'm to return him too? The Human Society is full of dogs that had issues that either didn't get resolved or owners gave up. I'm venting but not giving up. I can't see how that's the best for him since we've bonded so well (maybe too well) and sending him off to someone else and trying it again? I don't think I can do that. He's become family to not only me but my friends and family. Just because Greys have such have adoption agencies that place them doesn't mean that it's the solution or am I just being naive? I had a lab for 13 years and many, many of those were tough. He's only 2.5 so still so young but young enough to learn?

[silverfish]

A citronella collar should not be used to treat separation anxiety. It's caused 'separation anxiety' for a reason; it's an anxiety-based problem. Punishing him for it is simply not going to work. Clearly crating him is causing him stress, too, as well as costing you money - and dogs have severely injured themselves breaking out of metal crates. You can use the thundershirt and the muzzle at the same time, but I honestly would not use the citronella collar. I do understand the concerns re neighbours and barking, but it simply isn't in Fred's best interests and it won't help either of you.

 

I am very sad to say this, but ... can you talk to the adoption group you got him from? To be honest, if they're saying he might be better with someone who is home most often during the day, they are probably right. He really doesn't sound like a good fit for you.

[silverfish]

It's been recommended to me by 2 different foster people that I should return him as I've now "fostered" him and know what he needs (ie someone that works from home) or has another dog. So let's just say I do that. I take in another. There's no guarantee that the next one will show zero SA so I give that one 2 weeks as well and if he's fine on his own, but then has other issues, I'm to return him too? The Human Society is full of dogs that had issues that either didn't get resolved or owners gave up. I'm venting but not giving up. I can't see how that's the best for him since we've bonded so well (maybe too well) and sending him off to someone else and trying it again? I don't think I can do that. He's become family to not only me but my friends and family. Just because Greys have such have adoption agencies that place them doesn't mean that it's the solution or am I just being naive? I had a lab for 13 years and many, many of those were tough. He's only 2.5 so still so young but young enough to learn?

 

I'm going to be blunt. There are never any guarantees. There is no guarantee that a Humane Society dog will be easy, either. SA is a very difficult problem for some dogs - the dogs who simply cannot adjust to life as a single, only dog. ALL dogs come with the potential to cause problems of one sort or the other, in fact, I'd say it's the one thing that IS guaranteed!

 

I am not going to say (since I don't really know you, or what your have done, or how long you've been trying) that it would be the right thing to return him, but you ask 'how is it best for your dog'? Well, look at it from his point of view. At the moment, he is stressed out of his head. He is stressed to the point where he is willing to risk hurting himself by breaking through a metal crate to escape. He is being punished for being stressed enough to bark endlessly with squirts of citronella in the face, but he is ignoring the citronella. He may, at the time, be too stressed even to notice it.

 

He is NOT a happy dog. He is happy when he is with you, and when you're not stressed (which a lot of the time with all this going on, you will be), but just stop and count up the hours: how long is that each day, during the time he's awake? If, for instance, it's two hours in the morning, and four hours in the evening, that's only six hours of happiness against between 8 and 18 hours of misery. Because he certainly is not happy when you are out, whether working or at social activities, and I'm not sure you can count the hours you're all unconscious.

 

He will no doubt have become attached to you, but dogs are extremely adaptable, and if you return him, he will be going back to a place he knows, and people he knows, and where he felt secure, and happy. In time he will be adopted by someone who either doesn't work or can find a way to work with him, or has another dog or even more than one dog. He WILL be happy, and he will be happy in a far shorter time than you will.

 

If you take a good long hard look at his life now, and be totally honest, who is going to suffer most if you return him? It is you. For his sake, you may need to tough it out and do what's right for him.

 

Yes, at 2.5 yrs he's young and maybe young enough to learn, but it doesn't sound as if he is learning, does it? Which means either that you don't have the time or energy to devote to the problem, OR he is incapable of learning this particular lesson without going through an awful lot of mental anguish, hardship, maybe physical injury, etc ... and in the meantime, yes, he may well destroy your house. Tough problem, tough decision.

 

Has to be your decision, because he's your dog, but please make that decision with him in mind, selflessly. Returning a dog is one of the toughest things to do, but nobody here will judge you for it.

[Guest mebenz]

I've read many, many posts of first time Grey owners that are having issues within the first month or 2 or 3 and are going through SA the same as I am. Lots of people are saying patience so at 2.5 weeks it's best for him to return him to another foster? The foster he came from was supposed to keep him for 2-3 weeks but I had to take him 2 weeks early because she called the agency crying because she couldn't get him down the stairs and she had fostered before (so much that he started limping and the agency thought it would be best for me to take him early instead of having him at yet another foster). So I don't think sending him to a third foster after 4 weeks is best for him.

 

He's improved so much in other areas. I can certainly not use the spray collar (was a desperate mom trying anything) but even another very experienced foster lady that came over this Friday night who used to work for GINA saw first hand his barking as well as said that he was one of the most stubborn Greys she's ever met. She couldn't even get him up stairs with treats so he's got issues as do I. He's not going to just all of a sudden be calm and happy at a new place because he wasn't at the first foster, nor the second.

 

I certainly have not exhausted every option with him. There is another lady on this forum who has the same issue and her dog 3 months in and is now on meds and all those responses are suggesting different meds and more patience, yet I'm supposed to return Fred.

 

I am going to leave him out of the crate tomorrow and let him have the run of the living area and see how that goes. I can always try the meds too as the other owners in this forum have tried first before returning him. I do care about his well being that's why I've put so much in to trying everything first before returning him.

[Guest mebenz]

I also need to stress that the citronella spray was recommended by the foster lady from a reputable agency who's fostered many Greys after visiting with Fred on Friday night. It was the last thing I tried not the first.

[Brandiandwe]

It's hard to let go. But you will bond with another dog. You now know what Fred needs and what you need. And maybe they aren't the same thing. Believe me, it is as easy to love the dog that's right for you.

 

A couple of years ago I had to sell my horse. He wasn't right for me, I wasn't right for me. It was a wrench because I will never have another. But he went to the right home. He's now with a teenage girl, learning eventing and showjumping and has his forever home. I get regular updates. It devastated me to let him go but I had to recognize that after six months we couldn't give each other what we needed. And I cared for him enough to get him the best home possible.

 

Whether you give Fred up or not, you need to do the right thing for him.

I've just read the other posts. If you don't want to quit you need to actually do the alone training as outlined. It takes days, not hours.

[Guest Jengrey1]

I know first hand what its like to give up a greyhound that you love very much. Last year, I became very ill and I could barely walk. I had two greys, a big male and female. I had no choice but to give back my male because I could not walk him, he would pull me down. He now lives with an amazing family in Oklahoma City. I had to do what was best for him. Not saying I don't think of him everyday, I had him for 3 years.

 

I agree with others you should do what is right for Fred. I have had fosters that were not a good match for my living situation. I enjoyed having them but I had to give them back. Alone training is long drawn out process and it won't be done the first day your have them, it could take a couple of weeks. As for giving him meds to keep him calm, I personally do not believe in that. I know there are others on here who would disagree with me. I personally would not want to give my grey any unnecessary meds.

[silverfish]

I've read many, many posts of first time Grey owners that are having issues within the first month or 2 or 3 and are going through SA the same as I am. Lots of people are saying patience so at 2.5 weeks it's best for him to return him to another foster? The foster he came from was supposed to keep him for 2-3 weeks but I had to take him 2 weeks early because she called the agency crying because she couldn't get him down the stairs and she had fostered before (so much that he started limping and the agency thought it would be best for me to take him early instead of having him at yet another foster). So I don't think sending him to a third foster after 4 weeks is best for him.

 

He's improved so much in other areas. I can certainly not use the spray collar (was a desperate mom trying anything) but even another very experienced foster lady that came over this Friday night who used to work for GINA saw first hand his barking as well as said that he was one of the most stubborn Greys she's ever met. She couldn't even get him up stairs with treats so he's got issues as do I. He's not going to just all of a sudden be calm and happy at a new place because he wasn't at the first foster, nor the second.

 

I certainly have not exhausted every option with him. There is another lady on this forum who has the same issue and her dog 3 months in and is now on meds and all those responses are suggesting different meds and more patience, yet I'm supposed to return Fred.

 

I am going to leave him out of the crate tomorrow and let him have the run of the living area and see how that goes. I can always try the meds too as the other owners in this forum have tried first before returning him. I do care about his well being that's why I've put so much in to trying everything first before returning him.

 

Well, first let me say that in your last post you asked 'how could this be right for him?' and I was attempting to answer that question. Also, I don't think that you had shared with us either your previous experience or Fred's previous experiences. We can only know what you tell us.

 

From what you have said in this thread, I had inferred that you had not followed through on the alone training properly, but had - dare I say - panicked a little and thrown everything you had at the problem without thinking it through properly. If that's not the case, then I do apologise. As I said, we can only know what you tell us - and it isn't fair to assume that everyone who reads and responds to a particular thread on GT has also read (and remembered) what you may have said in other threads, even if they were on the same subject.

 

However, though I do now see that Fred is not simply the usual new dog with a new, inexperienced owner, I still stand by what I have said: the very first thing to do is go through the alone training process, diligently and consistently and with patience and understanding, without trying to take short cuts. As others have said, this takes days, not hours. And it takes dedication and commitment. And quite frankly, if anyone has a dog with severe SA and is NOT prepared to do this as a first step, then I do wonder if that dog should not be returned so that someone else can take him, someone who is willing to do it. So, you can perhaps see why I responded as I did.

 

If you believe that Fred is meant to be with you because of .. well, not wanting to swap him around any more, not having anyone else willing to take him, or whatever, then everyone here will do their level best to help you work through this, but you will have to be prepared for strong opinions and differing opinions, and to be be fair to everyone who comments and tries to help, it will be useful if you answer the questions that people ask, and give full feedback.

Edited August 20, 2013 by silverfish

[Guest mebenz]

He was perfect all day today on his OWN out of the crate for 7 hours while I was at work. I monitored him the entire day via a webcam with speakers. He didn't destroy anything and didn't even whine/bark when I came home.

 

I think everyone on this site forgets that Greyhounds are in fact dogs. They need a pack leader and if you're not leading them, which I wasn't, they get freaked when left alone because he doesn't know what to do or can't lead alone. If you can't be the pack leader, of course getting a second dog will help as now he is the leader to the new dog or the new dog is the leader. That didn't actually resolve the issue just flipped the leader in the pack to another dog.

 

I focused on the walk this morning for 45 minutes letting him pee/poop where I led him, not letting him walk in front, no touch/talk/eye contact 15 minutes before I left for work and presto 180 degree new dog. The crate wasn't working so I tried something different.

 

Except for a few your suggestions and support has been great, but a few really need to check themselves. I will not be returning my guy. I needed to learn how to be his pack leader and this will be the solution for a calm and happy guy.

 

Signing off.

 

This was NOT separation anxiety.