Is He Bored?

[Aidansmom]

Greetings all! I'm a long time stalker of these forums but a first time poster.

I know this question has been asked before but I just thought I would get some perspective from other grey owners.

 

We adopted our 5 year old Aidan back in April. He is slowly coming out of his shell as time goes by but the biggest concern I have (I know this sounds stupid) is that he is bored.

 

The only thing he seems to ever be interested in is our morning and nightly walks (Which he LOVES), but I can't walk him all day. Especially during the past few weeks it has been decently hot and humid outside so not great weather for walking a grey. As soon as we come back from morning walks he will settle into his bed and take a nap. We don't walk again till evening so I feel during the day he is more like a piece of furniture then a dog. He has no interest at all in toys (so play sessions dont work) but he does like treats. He often follows me from room to room as I clean house with no motivation other then keeping an eye on me I guess. We have a large fenced back yard but he never seems to want to stay out there long or when he does he still just lays in the middle of the lawn. Overall he is a health grey I just want him to be happy in our home. Is this normal grey behavior? What are your guys pups daily routines like?

 

Since I only work part time I am home with him often and wish there was something more I could do for him.

[Time4ANap]

Sounds like a normal, retired greyhound to me.

 

They don't all play with toys, but many will gain an interest in them over time. Usually the floppier and squeakier or if it makes grunting noises it will be a hit. If you don;t have one, try a dog toy that is a hedgehog. For some reason, most greys go crazy for hedgehogs.

 

He is still adjusting. It often takes 12-18 months before they really settle in for good.

 

Welcome and be sure to post pics of your boy.

[Guest Doggone]

Sounds a lot like Autumn's "agenda" , but I've never thought she was bored.

If Aidan seems otherwise happy and in good spirits, I think it's safe to say that he, like Autumn, just takes retirement very seriously!

Edited September 4, 2014 by Doggone

[Guest CleverJason]

Baron plays with toys for about two minutes a day. The rest of the time, he's a lazy, lazy (lazy) boy. I don't think he's bored...and if he is, that's clearly the way he likes it Did I say he was lazy?

[Guest greyhound_in_LA]

I used to worry about doggy boredom, too, so I bought a couple of food puzzles (Nina Ottosson) and a Kong Wobbler for mental stimulation during the day. LOL.

 

I recorded his first experimentings -- playing with these depends on how food-motivated he feels:

 

The Brick without the white bones you can add later to make the puzzle harder:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJwCO_aNpfA&list=UUIwvj_7fwaovhrEyy58TR8g

 

Tornado

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ucZRflxY6A&list=UUIwvj_7fwaovhrEyy58TR8g

 

The Kong Wobbler was a miss! Coe did not like playing with it although he could smell the liver inside. I guess he wasn't very food-motivated at the time I introduced the Wobbler.

 

 

Also, if your Greyhound doesn't like toys, he might like a flirt pole for exercise when it's not hot. Other than these things, I just discovered mine doesn't need more, and I stopped worrying about his level of boredom, as he really likes his sleep. He's also five years old.

 

 

I got our flirt pole from the store, but you can make your own by using a lunge whip and tying a stuffy on the end of it. Just be careful about getting the rope caught in the paw webbing or between toes. This is my husband using it for the first time:

 

[Aidansmom]

Thanks guys for the responses so far!. I almost felt stupid for asking but I know I have a bad habit of putting human feelings onto my pets such as boredom! He does seem happy over all except he has the constant greyhound sad face as my husband says. I sometimes wonder if my neighbors think I beat him or that hes miserable because he always has that look.

 

[Guest OPointyDog]

Sounds pretty normal to me. I used to feel terrible about leaving my dogs alone all day while I was at work, until I stayed home with them a few times and realized they sleep all day, everyday.

 

Here's a typical work day schedule at our place:

 

7:30am dogs fed

8am 30 minute walk

8:45 I leave for work

8:46-5:59 Dogs sleep, people work/commute

6pm Return from work, feed dogs dinner

6:30 Dogs walked 30-40 min

7:30ish Dogs get a kong while I cook dinner

Zoe then lays down on her bed and naps, and Mika will play with toys, do his zoomies or be a pest wanting petting until I relent

9ish dogs go out into the yard. Zoe zooms around with her ball (even if it's dark), Mika stands on the deck wanting to come in

9ish Snacktime (tiny bit of kibble, wet food, and calming biscuits for Mika; meds for Zoe)

9:01 - as soon as snacktime is done, both of them conk out and go to sleep

12:30 am - last call in the back yard before bed - Zoe has to be forced out, and I follow them around to make sure they both pee. They go out on leashes so nobody catches critters in the dark.

 

We are extremely lucky that neither of them bothers us in the morning. They just sleep and wait for us to get up.

 

ETA: That look - yes they do sometimes look very sad sometimes but it doesn't mean they ARE sad. My parents have golden retrievers and my mother swears they stay home all day practicing looking sad. I like to ask Zoe, "why the long face" and then I laugh.

Edited September 4, 2014 by OPointyDog

[ramonaghan]

Sounds just like Sweep. We'll have had her two years in November. Her days are just one long nap punctuated by potty breaks/walks, meals, cuddles, and occasional zoomies or stuffy flinging. And on a really exciting day, a car ride!

But I do understand how pitiful those big brown eyes can seem—and rest assured, the dogs know it too!

[Aidansmom]

I LOVED the flirt pole idea! As soon as I saw that I went a scavenged in the garage for parts to make one. Found a old mop handle and some tie down rope and the final touch the sacrifice of a stuffed squirrel from my collection. When it gets cooler out I will report back on my success or failure lol

Sounds pretty normal to me. I used to feel terrible about leaving my dogs alone all day while I was at work, until I stayed home with them a few times and realized they sleep all day, everyday.

 

Here's a typical work day schedule at our place:

 

7:30am dogs fed

8am 30 minute walk

8:45 I leave for work

8:46-5:59 Dogs sleep, people work/commute

6pm Return from work, feed dogs dinner

6:30 Dogs walked 30-40 min

7:30ish Dogs get a kong while I cook dinner

Zoe then lays down on her bed and naps, and Mika will play with toys, do his zoomies or be a pest wanting petting until I relent

9ish dogs go out into the yard. Zoe zooms around with her ball (even if it's dark), Mika stands on the deck wanting to come in

9ish Snacktime (tiny bit of kibble, wet food, and calming biscuits for Mika; meds for Zoe)

9:01 - as soon as snacktime is done, both of them conk out and go to sleep

12:30 am - last call in the back yard before bed - Zoe has to be forced out, and I follow them around to make sure they both pee. They go out on leashes so nobody catches critters in the dark.

 

We are extremely lucky that neither of them bothers us in the morning. They just sleep and wait for us to get up.

 

ETA: That look - yes they do sometimes look very sad sometimes but it doesn't mean they ARE sad. My parents have golden retrievers and my mother swears they stay home all day practicing looking sad. I like to ask Zoe, "why the long face" and then I laugh.

 

Reading this schedule makes me feel so much better! Thank you for taking the time to post it. I actually think something similar would be a good thing to include in new adoption packets so people are not caught off guard by there laziness.

 

 

Are zoomies refering to the random acts of OH MY GOSH I HAVE TO RUN AROUND IN CIRCLES LIKE A CRAZY DOG! ? Just curious

Edited September 4, 2014 by Aidansmom

[cristar]

Yup, sounds normal to me.

Frannie's day consists of sleeping all she can. She only gets excited when it's walk time,

dinner time or a day at the Meet and Greet at Petco.

I used to think that mine were bored too but we've had seven and they all pretty much acted

the same way.

He's not bored, plus he's got a beautiful kitty to keep him company too and that sad look on his

face? Completely normal. I always like to call it the look of love.

He's fine.

[Feisty49]

Greetings all! I'm a long time stalker of these forums but a first time poster.

I know this question has been asked before but I just thought I would get some perspective from other grey owners.

 

We adopted our 5 year old Aidan back in April. He is slowly coming out of his shell as time goes by but the biggest concern I have (I know this sounds stupid) is that he is bored.

 

The only thing he seems to ever be interested in is our morning and nightly walks (Which he LOVES), but I can't walk him all day. Especially during the past few weeks it has been decently hot and humid outside so not great weather for walking a grey. As soon as we come back from morning walks he will settle into his bed and take a nap. We don't walk again till evening so I feel during the day he is more like a piece of furniture then a dog. He has no interest at all in toys (so play sessions dont work) but he does like treats. He often follows me from room to room as I clean house with no motivation other then keeping an eye on me I guess. We have a large fenced back yard but he never seems to want to stay out there long or when he does he still just lays in the middle of the lawn. Overall he is a health grey I just want him to be happy in our home. Is this normal grey behavior? What are your guys pups daily routines like?

 

Since I only work part time I am home with him often and wish there was something more I could do for him.

 

You are describing Annie to a T, except she doesn't follow me from room to room, though she does like to be on the same floor in the house I'm on. The *only* time she shows an interest in a stuffy, and it has to be a stuffy-less, flat stuffy, is if I'm taking too long getting ready for a walk and then she'll grab one and chew on it for... ohhh.. maybe 30 seconds.

 

I too used to think she was bored so tried my best to liven up her life. She wants nothing to do with anything involving moving, unless it's a walk and as she aged, and with the hot summer, she's not so happy with walking anymore. Sometimes I feel like I'm forcing her around the block.

 

Zoomies? Ha! Maybe... every once in a while.. like every 4 months.. she'll do a zoomie around the back yard. In her opinion the back yard is a big toilet and wasn't mommy nice to make it so big I don't have to P&P in the same spot all the time.

 

Annie doesn't roach. She barks maybe twice a year (last time was November last year). She doesn't much care for other dogs, Greyhound or not. She's not mean. She just ignores. We have a lurcher on our street (3/4 Grey, 1/4 lab) who thinks Annie is her BFF. Daisy goes nuts when she sees Annie. She zooms. She wiggles. She gives Annie kisses. Annie stands there, looking bored.

 

Annie does lean. She does seek out what I call kisses, which means kisses as well as lots and lots of petting and loving. But overall, Annie's a laid-back, downright boring, dog...LOL.. and I love her!!

[Guest CleverJason]

 

Reading this schedule makes me feel so much better! Thank you for taking the time to post it. I actually think something similar would be a good thing to include in new adoption packets so people are not caught off guard by there laziness.

 

 

Are zoomies refering to the random acts of OH MY GOSH I HAVE TO RUN AROUND IN CIRCLES LIKE A CRAZY DOG! ? Just curious

 

I think that's just about the best description I've heard for zoomies.

[greysmom]

He's not bored. He's a greyhound.

 

Even my puppy will sleep for HOURS at a time (sometimes!).

[TINMANPDX]

Sounds pretty normal to me. What means the most to Aidan is the quality time you spend walking him and interacting with him. You are his everything. Those sad looks are really just adoring gazes ... Or he's hoping for a treat.

 

Edited to include: he is one handsome boy!

Edited September 5, 2014 by TINMANPDX

[Guest OPointyDog]

Are zoomies refering to the random acts of OH MY GOSH I HAVE TO RUN AROUND IN CIRCLES LIKE A CRAZY DOG! ? Just curious

 

Ha! Yes, some of them run in circles some are more erratic - but it's that burst of frantic energy that doesn't last long. Mika does sprint intervals back and forth across our living room and throws his kong around for about 3-5 minutes. Zoe rarely does zoomies in the house, and instead will run in cirlces around the backyard. We had to put reflective tape on our clothesline poles because she sometimes does zoomies in the dark. Mika won't run in the yard (except occasionally in the snow), preferring instead to stand on the deck hoping to be let back into the house where there might be food or pettings.

[DocsDoctor]

Everyone's given you good advice but I will just add that another activity for you and Aidan that he should enjoy and that will be good for bonding with him is regular grooming.

 

Doc gets a quick going over with a rubber houndglove every morning, then a soft brush, then a microfibre cloth to make his coat shine. This may seem like overkill for a short-haired dog, but he enjoys the attention and it helps me keep on top of any burrs, fleas, etc that he may attract. He also gets his teeth brushed every day, though this is less popular. But the routine he likes best is having his ears cleared out once a week, gently with a babywipe - he leans against me and groands with pleasure!

 

A little light massage is also good, and something that he will probably be familiar with from his racing days. If you are not confident about this try googling 'T-Touch' for details of one gentle, non-invasive system.

[tra708]

This sounds exactly like my greys also. I used to worry that they were bored, too. But then I decided maybe that "look" was one of contentment.

Brushing with the hound glove is excellent, mine love that, and it's good for them.

[Guest Sarah2214]

As a new greyhound owner, I'm so pleased to hear that all the behaviors listed are completely normal! I just adopted my Piper almost eight weeks ago, and I've worried about her being bored as well, and have wondered whether or not she's happy in my home. Aidan sounds just like her! Piper acts almost exactly like your greyhound, except she does show interest in toys, but only when she's playing by herself (She acts as though she isn't sure what to do when I throw a tennis ball or try to play tug-of war. I hope this will change in time!).