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First Type Grey Owner.. Need Help!


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Guest onboarderror

We just got our grey Saturday and she does not enjoy her crate if we are not around. I set up a nanny cam and she chews the bars till she bleeds. I had to come home at lunch because there was blood all over the floors from the chewing. She also is able after some time to chew just right to get it open and out! Im not sure what to do to help her. I have followed all the directions. We lock her in 15 mins before leaving and dont interact at all... We also give her a kong with peanut butter that she loves... but as soon as she runs out of that she goes into panic mode. Is it ok to muzzle her inside her crate to prevent her from injuring herself? Need any and all advice!!!

Edited by onboarderror
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Do you have a small space in your house (kitchen/pantry, den, office) you could baby gate her into? I would try that armed with your web cam you could monitor what she is doing.

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Is there a reason you are crating her? Many greyhounds do better at home out of the crate. Kennel experience at the track is NOT the same as a wire crate set up at home. So she needs to become familiar and comfortable with this new thing.

 

You need to do some actual "alone training," not just shove her in and leave. She's probably never been alone before in her life, so she needs to be accustomed to it slowly.

 

There is a current thread in Training and Behavior that discusses all of these issues. It gets a bit testy, but still has good information for you.

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/309462-couple-questions-about-new-grey/

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Guest onboarderror

We are crating her because she is alone while we are at work and we got her on the weekend. She is happy and a snuggle when we are around.. but if we leave its pull on panic mode.

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Guest greyhound_in_LA

You need to try something different ( B ) when A isn't working and/or hurting the dog or the dog is hurting itself.

Edited by greyhound_in_LA
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No crate. She's hurting herself, and that can lead to a giant vet bill or worse.

 

Next time I hear some alleged "expert" tell people to ignore (or crate) their dog for 15 minutes before they leave and after they get home, I'm going to implode. Ignore that advice. You don't want to make a big deal out of the dog at those times -- you don't want to baby her or get her all excited -- but there's no reason to ignore her. Just go about your business calmly when leaving, greet her calmly when coming home, all will be well.

 

I would pick a room you all hang out in, dogproof to the nth degree, and baby gate her in there. Do NOT put her in a small room and shut the door -- she needs to be able to see out. If need be you can use her kennel muzzle (plastic basket muzzle) to keep her from chewing on things.

 

Best luck!

 

 

 

ETA: I wouldn't muzzle her in the crate. It sounds like she's figured out how to get out of the crate. That is very very dangerous. No crate for this dog. You could probably use an exercise pen if need be.

Edited by Batmom

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Guest greyhound_in_LA

I also agree with the "see out" thing. Greyhounds, being sighthouds, are quite the visually oriented and like to see out. I have a pet-proofed balcony that Coe can go on and survey things in the yard or in our neighbors' -- it could be a squirrel hopping along the electricity cables, birds, or wandering cats. And he can sniff the breeze as it moves along. Our neighbors' dogs are outside all day, so Coe can hear them barking and go look at whatever those dogs are barking at in their yard.

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I started out with the crate and it was a bad idea because he bent it and broke a canine tooth. So, I just baby gated my bedroom at night. That rocked on for awhile. Then I just threw in the towel and let him have the run of the house. All was well for a couple of years. Then he decided he would chew on the furniture. So I always leave him with his kennel muzzle on. It does not bother him at all. This works for us. I do have 2 crates in my room (I have two greyhounds), but the door is always open.

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Make sure to leave the radio or TV on as well. A little background noise goes a long way to help avoid distractions from outside noises like truck or work going on in the neighborhood that she will be curious about, and at this point may be a new noise that scares her. You definitely need to do "Alone Training." The thread that was linked to will have good information, and you can also search that term using the search function on here for tons of results.

 

Good luck.

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No crate. She's hurting herself, and that can lead to a giant vet bill or worse.

 

Next time I hear some alleged "expert" tell people to ignore (or crate) their dog for 15 minutes before they leave and after they get home, I'm going to implode. Ignore that advice. You don't want to make a big deal out of the dog at those times -- you don't want to baby her or get her all excited -- but there's no reason to ignore her. Just go about your business calmly when leaving, greet her calmly when coming home, all will be well.

 

I would pick a room you all hang out in, dogproof to the nth degree, and baby gate her in there. Do NOT put her in a small room and shut the door -- she needs to be able to see out. If need be you can use her kennel muzzle (plastic basket muzzle) to keep her from chewing on things.

 

Best luck!

 

 

 

ETA: I wouldn't muzzle her in the crate. It sounds like she's figured out how to get out of the crate. That is very very dangerous. No crate for this dog. You could probably use an exercise pen if need be.

Always listen to Batmom. Always.

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Guest onboarderror

From what you guys are saying it sounds like maybe picking a spare room central in the house and dog proofing / gating it when I am not home till she understands or clams down. Those dog gates,,, are they also a chew hazzard? or easily passable?

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batmom is ALWAYS right on target. but may i add that you should call your adoption rep for local support and maybe a home visit. if you have never owned a dog a home visit to help dog proof the house/apt. is essential. also, a dog walker might be a good idea. your pup is now with out a kennel full of other dogs and the kennel help it knows. loneliness is not fun for anyone or any dog.

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Which room: I would try to pick a room that you all hang out in together when you're home -- one where the dog is apt to lie down and have a snooze while you watch TV or enjoy a chewy or play with toys; one where she seems comfortable when you are there. At my homes that has usually been a family or living room. :)

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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From what you guys are saying it sounds like maybe picking a spare room central in the house and dog proofing / gating it when I am not home till she understands or clams down. Those dog gates,,, are they also a chew hazzard? or easily passable?

Having her basket muzzle on should help with the chewing and the hope is she won't chew when she isn't crated. I have one that let me know right a way she did not want to be crated. Listen to your pup and batmom.

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Guest onboarderror

was thinking of a pen idea too but wondering if she will chew it just like the crate when she panics... anyone have a link to a quality one I can pick up in a store tomorrow?

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Guest Houston1219

We spent the few extra bucks and got the metal baby gate that you install in the door frame. It took maybe 20 minutes and it didn't even damage the door frame. It's super duty spring loaded. Worth every penny. It's chew proof and looks really nice. Skip the pet store and go to babies r us. Also, products marketed for children go through much more rigorous safety testing than pet products. No lead China paint, etc. we love it.

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Guest FordRacingRon

Listen to BATMOM. The wisest of seers.

 

You need to do alone training from the get go. My group says when you get a new dog you should get them on a Friday if you can and practice alone training the next day so by Monday if you have to go away, they may be ready for their trial.

 

My dog has never been in a crate. When she was new we discovered when doing the alone training she was best left in the open . At first we tried to confine her to a room or an area and she went nuts. When she was allowed the house and could see everything she had no problem, as long as she could get to her safe spot. They need that safe spot, for some it's a crate, for some a bed in a specific location. We had her trained in one day.

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CONGRATULATIONS on your new addition! When we adopted Bonnie, I intended on following advice "by the book". Unfortunately, my Bonnie didn't read it. She was also very unhappy in her crate. After another night of crying, we dismantled it. I made sure our house was dog-proofed and she's slept in her bed, without any trouble, every night ever since.

 

It can be difficult to know what to do when there are opposing camps who feel they have the correct answer. I got a lot of valuable help here as a newbie. But I've also learned to pay attention to my instincts to help me process an unfamiliar school of thought. Gut instinct has never failed me. As long as your decisions don't put your grey in emotional distress or physical danger, then in the end you will do what's most comfortable and what makes the most sense. Good luck, getting to know your grey can be stressful; but remember to have fun making memories with your new furkid. :D

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