Guest grumpygrey Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Help! We adopted a second greyhound in June of this year and he is 4 years old. He is our 3rd greyhound we have owned and I have NEVER seen one like this. He will not sleep at night and sleeps some during the day, but is always on "full alert." He never relaxes and really settles down. The most he sleep at night is 3 hrs and I have given him melatonin (3 mg)and even tried some Benadryl (don't judge me, we have not had a full night sleep sine June). I know some are going to say more exercise, but when we take him out to run in the back yard, he just stands there. We try and play fetch, and he will fun after the ball a few times and then run to the door as if he is saying "I'm done." Any thought as to why he is so hyperactive? Where is my calm couch potato? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grumpygrey Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Also, I have another question...he will not go out and empty his bladder. He marks on walks and in the back yard. How do I teach him to empty his bladder when we let him out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 More exercise! Put him on a leash, and take him for a walk. Not only will that help with the activity level, it will no doubt prompt him to mark on every tree, fire hydrant, and trash can you pass! The best way to empty out a boy dog, in my opinion, is walking him around the neighborhood. Very few Greyhounds play fetch, and the truth is that most leash walked Greyhounds end up getting more exercise than the typical dog in the back yard (unless your dogs will run with each other). Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IrskasMom Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 (edited) I take my Dog twice a Day to the Park . He makes a hundred Peepees while we are there. If I let him out in the Backyard he makes one . Now on his restlesness ,did you consult with your Vet ?? Check on his Thyroidpanel ? Maybe a Vet Visit would be on Order. Edited September 4, 2013 by IrskasMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted September 4, 2013 Share Posted September 4, 2013 I imagine that if he's hardly sleeping, he must be VERY anxious. Does he exhibit any other anxiety related behaviors? Also, did the adoption group mention this before he came to you? I'd be curious if this behavior just started when you brought him home, or if he's always been this way. Either way, I would discuss with the vet ASAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyt_dog_lover Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 I have fostered many hounds as well as I know many more. I have seen 1 greyhound that will play fetch, one. What I have found that every single greyhound I have ever seen likes is a lure pole. Get a fox, raccoon, or other fluffy tail from a taxidermist tie it to the end of a horse whip and you have a lure pole. Your greyhound will chase that around, believe me, you will be surprised at how fast they can accelerate. Run him around with a lure pole for about 15 minutes and he will be DONE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambuca Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 Yes, he needs more exercise. Walks are an important part of a dogs life. They tire the body and mind. As a dog walker, I find that most dogs that don't get at least one decent walk a day are under stimulated physically and mentally. Marking outside is fine. On a decent walk, he should empty out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest StansMom Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 I agree with more exercise. A walk in the morning and a long walk right before bed helps Stan. We had trouble with him sleeping through the night; he was big on waking up and whining at 4am! We upped the length of the walk and the pace and he's been doing great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KickReturn Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 (edited) Reading about situations like this breaks my heart. What does hanging around the yard have to do with exercise? Even a few zoomies just won't cut it for some dogs. Assuming you work, take your dog for a one to two hour walk first thing in the morning. (Yes you will have to get up crazy early). When you get home after work take it out for at least another hour. Before you go to bed take it out for yet another hour. You can pretty much forget about the yard. Allow lots of sniffing and peeing for the first half of each walk and then march at a military pace for the second half. Do this every day. After a week report back here and let us know if the dog sleeps at night. If it doesn't and it was my dog - I would return it. Missing sleep is not something that can be survived indefinitely. For many Greyhounds the couch potato analogy is a complete myth and the propogation of this myth by adoption agencies is a huge diservice to the wellbeing of many retired racers. A properly exercised dog will be calm in the house and sleep at night, but couch potato, as in doesn't need much walking? - no. Edited September 6, 2013 by KickReturn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scarter55 Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Do you crate him at night? I'm sure more excersize will help, but it's possible a crate could help him sleep through the night by keeping him from milling around restlessly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamusrules Posted December 27, 2019 Share Posted December 27, 2019 (edited) my son just got his Grey Hound ,he loves him already,he walks him and plays with him ,my son works and that was his main concern about getting a dog ,the lady he talk to said the dog would be ok for eight hours,but my son drives back and forth on his lunch hour cause he does not want his GH to not be able to take a break and strenght ,his girlfriend wants him to take his dog back but my son refuses he said his dog is not a return he is a part of his family,the GH does not react to his GF when she comes over my worry is my son has to get up at 7a,m to go to work but he gets up two to three times thought the night to take Shamus outside ,so my son is going to hire a dog walker to walk Shamus thought the day,and he hopes Shamus will start sleeping more at night,the most important is shamus ,and Shamus took to my son right away they just bonded ,Shamus has every thing he needs my son gives him 4 cups of food two at night two at morning he is staying on schule the froster parent kept ,any ideal have to get Shamus to sleep more at night and believe me my son walks him and they go to the park ,Shamus is a great GH and when l visit my son Shamus behave so good,he is so smart,so meemaw loves Schumus,and he is my grandbaby boy Edited December 27, 2019 by Shamusrules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gracegirl Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 How long has your son had Shamus? How often does the GF stay over? Girlfriends are replaceable, dogs are not...so I applaud your son for saying that Shamus is here to stay! It could be that he just needs more time to settle in. Or the dog could be cold. Does he use a crate at night? Where does Shamus sleep? Quote Poppy the lurcher 11/24/23 Gabby the Airedale 7/1/18 Forever missing Grace (RT's Grace), Fenway (not registered, def a greyhound), Jackson (airedale terrier, honorary greyhound), and Tessie (PK's Cat Island) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyRunDog Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 On 9/4/2013 at 10:50 AM, Guest grumpygrey said: Any thought as to why he is so hyperactive? Where is my calm couch potato? How much protein is in his diet? For a retired greyhound it should be around 20% any higher can cause liver and kidney problems as well as making them hyperactive. Quote Grace (Ardera Coleen) b. 18 June 2014 - Gotcha Day 10 June 2018 - Going grey gracefullyGuinness (Antigua Rum) b. 3 September 2017 - Gotcha Day 18 March 2022 - A gentleman most of the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smt Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 8 hours ago, HeyRunDog said: How much protein is in his diet? For a retired greyhound it should be around 20% any higher can cause liver and kidney problems as well as making them hyperactive. Just curious . . . the kibble the foster group uses has 24% protein. Our vet just recommended Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach, which has 26%. What brands are as low as 20% protein? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyRunDog Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 I'm in the UK and feed Grace either Gain Maintenance https://greyhound.gainanimalnutrition.com/greyhound-feeds/ or Pet Greyhound Food from the Greyhound Trust https://greyhoundtruststore.com/collections/pet-greyhound-feed/products/pet-greyhound-food Quote Grace (Ardera Coleen) b. 18 June 2014 - Gotcha Day 10 June 2018 - Going grey gracefullyGuinness (Antigua Rum) b. 3 September 2017 - Gotcha Day 18 March 2022 - A gentleman most of the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.