Thinking About Adopting A Grey But Have A Few Questions

[Neighsayer]

Congrats! Waiting for pics!

[Dawnnziggy]

Congratulations! Can't wait for pictures.

[Guest Bean_Scotch]

Congrats! I'll just echo the sentiment...I adopted my first grey as a 17 year old freshman in college. I had 3 by the time I was 18. Minwe did completely fine with my erratic student schedule, sometimes I'd leave them for 10 hours, and they were fine. Sometimes it was 4, sometimes 8. They never had issues. They've all since passed after I graduated college and now I have 6(4 greys, 1 Saluki, and a border collie) and they all...once again...do just fine with my schedule. 1-2 come to work with me on a rotating basis, the others can be home for 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 10 hours...it just varies. They do fine. Don't let adoption groups make you think your dog needs to to be let out every 4 hours round the clock and it'll die if you can't make it home for lunch. I go 8 hours without going to the bathroom(I work a vet) and my dogs can occasionally go long hours too.

[Guest SoleSky]

Thank you for all of the help! My newest problem is that she won't pee!!! I walk her forever and she won't go. Then I put her in the crate before I leave and she pees in there. Not sure what to do about it. I keep taking her out hoping I can teach her that peeing outside is a good thing. She poos outside no problem, it's just the peeing part. Any suggestions?

[Guest bubbagumpshrimp]

Thank you for all of the help! My newest problem is that she won't pee!!! I walk her forever and she won't go. Then I put her in the crate before I leave and she pees in there. Not sure what to do about it. I keep taking her out hoping I can teach her that peeing outside is a good thing. She poos outside no problem, it's just the peeing part. Any suggestions?

 

She might pee off leash. Have you tried letting her off leash at the dog park near your house prior to leaving? My Barnaby is the opposite of your grey...he will pee on leash, but will not go #2 on a leash. In a fenced area though...he'll pace around the fence and eventually drop a deuce right near the fence. He does that whether it's at his house, my parents, or the dog park. I just have to give him a few minutes to wander around and let nature take its course. Good luck.

[Guest SoleSky]

She might pee off leash. Have you tried letting her off leash at the dog park near your house prior to leaving? My Barnaby is the opposite of your grey...he will pee on leash, but will not go #2 on a leash. In a fenced area though...he'll pace around the fence and eventually drop a deuce right near the fence. He does that whether it's at his house, my parents, or the dog park. I just have to give him a few minutes to wander around and let nature take its course. Good luck.

I took her to the fenced in area today and she just stayed by the entrance. She doesn't really want to be outside at all. Plus the fenced in area is about a 10 minute drive so I can't keep bringing her out there to pee. She did go tonight at around 7:00 pm but hasn't gone since. I've set my alarm for 6:45 so I'm hoping that she continues to hold it throughout the night.

 

I've been letting her out every hour or so to no avail. I can get about three poos out in a day but only about two pees.

[Guest bubbagumpshrimp]

I took her to the fenced in area today and she just stayed by the entrance. She doesn't really want to be outside at all. Plus the fenced in area is about a 10 minute drive so I can't keep bringing her out there to pee. She did go tonight at around 7:00 pm but hasn't gone since. I've set my alarm for 6:45 so I'm hoping that she continues to hold it throughout the night.

 

I've been letting her out every hour or so to no avail. I can get about three poos out in a day but only about two pees.

Have you tried a "belly band?" They're more for males (preventing marking indoors), but it's possible that she might benefit from it. Barnaby's got wet once or twice and he never had another "woops" issue. If you put her in her crate with a belly band on and she pees in there (the band will get wet and she'll stay wet)...I would imagine that she won't do it again (she wouldn't be able to just pee on one side of the crate and go be dry on the other side of the crate). I know that might sound mean, but it's a basic cause and effect scenario that any dog should be able to process. "I pee in crate, I get wet. I pee outside, I don't get wet."

 

I realize that you just got her, but have you done an initial vetting with her yet? If you haven't, it would be worth pursuing that angle if she continues to have issues. If you can exclude health issues (i.e. No bladder or urinary tract problems), you're likely left with environmental and/or diet issues. At that point, you can view the peeing issue like an equation that you just have to figure out/solve.

 

Granted my Barnaby is a bit of an odd duck, but with most of the issues we've run into with him so far...basic cause and effect analysis has enabled us to figure him out:

 

-Barnaby + Belly band (first few days) = "Great Success" (Borat, lol) with peeing outside.

 

-Despite the general consensus being to crate train a Grey early on...we established that wouldn't work with him. Barnaby + Crate = He flips out...so just don't put him in a crate.

 

-He will not drop a deuce for me on-leash. ----> Barnaby + Leash = No deuce....so let him go in an enclosure off-leash.

The other thing that worked well for us on Barnaby's potty habits was the positive reinforcement thing. For the first few days...he got treats + hugs whenever he relieved himself outside. If you aren't already doing that whenever she relieves herself outside, I would recommend doing that.

 

Another thing to keep in mind...it's entirely possible that she's not sure what to make of the grass. The turn-out area where Barnaby was kenneled at the track prior to us getting him had a sort of sawdust/woodchip floor. As a result, we had to get him used to going on the grass when we got him. Maybe bring a ball or something just to get her out in the area walking around. It could be that the smell of other dogs business and the newness of the grass has her a bit confused.

[Remolacha]

I have no advice for your problem, but you might want to post your question in the "Training and Behavior" forum, more people are likely to see it, including some who know a lot about behavior issues