Guest 1greytmum Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 Hi All!! I adopted a grey near the beginning of the year and she's been doing great! She really latched onto me and misses me so much when I leave for work. I've got two issues I am trying to work out with her and I hope you guys could weigh in.She's been peeing in the house every other day or so and its really hard for me to tell when she has or hasn't because by the time I get home it is completely dry. Our carpet is very old also so its hard to tell sometimes where one stain starts and another ends or if its new or old. The other issue is she does not like my roommate. The thing is, my RM actually works with dogs for a living at a day kennel and she has a small sheltie/beagle mix who lives in the home as well. Her dog is very sweet and her and my grey get along just fine! They love spending time sniffing each other and sleeping together. My RM can be a bit gruff sometimes and her dog is used to her commanding voice. She works well in the dog kennel setting because she has become "Top Dog" there where she works but my grey does not respect her or listen to her. I can get my grey to do what I need if its something she'd rather not do, whether its to jump into the car or "come" with repeated asking in a calm voice but my RM uses her "i'm telling you what to do and you better do it" voice and my grey will not have any of that. (Which I completely understand ) but my RM doesn't get why the dog won't listen to her.For an example, here's what our day looks like: Get up, let her out to pee, I get ready while she eats her breakfast and lays down on her bed, I walk her so she can pee and poo and then when we get back she always gets her treat and I leave by about 8:45. My RM doesn't leave until 10:30ish and usually she tries to get my grey to go out and go pee in the backyard but not only will she sometimes not go out, but when she does, my RM has a difficult time getting her back inside the house. She has to slip a collar on her to get her back in the house. I usually get home at about 6pm. She has access to water while I'm gone. I would just go home on my lunch and let her out but if I come home and then leave again she will cry the entire time until I return and my next door neighbor is annoyed at that. My RM is wanting me to get a kennel for my grey so that she doesn't pee in the house but I really don't want to do that. She doesn't ruin anything(besides the peeing) and basically sleeps the whole day anyways. I am considering maybe putting her in my room w/door shut (with access to water) while I'm away, hoping she will treat the room like her kennel since she sleeps on my bed with me, but don't know if thats a good idea or not. And the only solution I can think of for getting my grey to like my roommate is perhaps having her take my grey for a walk every once in a while or something? I am unsure of how to approach it since she knows a lot about dogs but not much about the major differences in Greys compared to other breeds. I don't think she's got much patience or wants to learn about them, but rather expects my grey to conform to what she thinks other dogs are like? She is always commenting about how my grey is so weird compared to other dogs and she doesn't get it LOL (I've loved the breed for 10 years!) Also, my RM was here about 4 months before I got my grey, in case you were wondering. Please comment with ideas! I'd love to hear what you all have to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndtime Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 re: Peeing; if you are not cleaning it well with an enzyme cleaner, she is going back to the scent and peeing again. If the rug is old, pick it up and throw it out if you can, or send it out for professional cleaning. Don't lock your girl in the bedroom with the door closed. They don't like closed doors. Baby gate her in the room or perhaps get a large x-pen for your room. I think having your room mate walk her or feed her once in a while might be a good idea. Good luck. Quote Irene Ullmann w/Flying Odin and Mama Mia in Lower Delaware Angels Brandy, John E, American Idol, Paul, Fuzzy and Shine Handcrafted Greyhound and Custom Clocks http://www.houndtime.com Zoom Doggies-Racing Coats for Racing Greyhounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 My dogs wouldn't listen or come to someone who spoke to them that way. Actually, plenty of dogs have problems with people who speak to dogs that way. Body language also plays a big part. Lots of people who use an "I'm the big boss" tone of voice also use body language that can make dogs avoid them. Leaning forward to or looming over a dog is a good way to make the dog uncomfortable, even defensive. Is your roommate receptive to the idea of toning it down or adjusting her behavior? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Sadly, working in a kennel does not actually make one an expert at dog behavior. Sounds like your roommate is clinging to outdated ideas of alpha dog and such. I personally don't expect my dog to obey anyone but me, but I don't have to deal with a roommate either. She should put the dog on a leash and take it out in the yard for a quick pee break and a treat, not just turn her out and then have a disagreement when it is time to come back in. Your rug sounds well past it's useful lifetime. Get rid of it! And you need to clean the flooring underneath too. If your dog has peed inside so many times you can't even identify the spots, she probably thinks it's perfectly OK to do so since it smells like pee (to her, I am not accusing you of living in a pee stinky house! I'm sure you do your best to clean up). Most dogs hate being in an closed room (unless you're in there with them) so please don't do that. Perhaps you could baby gate her into one room to at least restrict the places she might pee? Put a comfy bed in there, some toys, try giving her a Kong. Try a DAP diffuser. Try a radio playing for "company." You don't mention if she's been to the vet lately or not. If not, perhaps a check up is in order with a urinalysis (not an expensive test) to make sure there isn't something physical going on. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest k9soul Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) My greys, and most I seem to encounter, do best with a soft touch (e.g. calm lower/softer voice) paired with positive reinforcement. Your grey might find the RM's gruffness anxiety-inducing. Many greys tend to be on the sensitive side. Edited June 15, 2016 by k9soul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) If it were me my roommate wouldn't have access to my dog if she acted like that. Sounds like your dog is scared of her, and I don't really blame her. Who knows what your roommate is doing when you're not there too. Exercise her more in the morning so she's tired, have your roommate leave her be when she leaves, you come home at lunch to potty/exercise her and then leave her with a yummy stuffed frozen kong so she has something to do rather than barking when you head back out. If roommate arrives home before you, tell her not to take the dog out. Use an x-pen, baby gate or crate to contain her when you're not there if that will help with house training and/or roommate leaving her be. Or better yet, find a new roommate/place to live. Edited June 15, 2016 by NeylasMom Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyTzu Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 If it were me my roommate wouldn't have access to my dog if she acted like that. Sounds like your dog is scared of her, and I don't really blame her. Who knows what your roommate is doing when you're not there too. Exercise her more in the morning so she's tired, have your roommate leave her be when she leaves, you come home at lunch to potty/exercise her and then leave her with a yummy stuffed frozen kong so she has something to do rather than barking when you head back out. If roommate arrives home before you, tell her not to take the dog out. Use an x-pen, baby gate or crate to contain her when you're not there if that will help with house training and/or roommate leaving her be. Or better yet, find a new roommate/place to live. Quote Wendy and The Whole Wherd. American by birth, Southern by choice. "Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!" ****OxyFresh Vendor ID is 180672239.**** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1greytmum Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Thanks for all the advice. She's really quite amicable for the most part and really only interacts with my greyhound for those 2 hours between me going to work and her going to work. As for cleaning the spots really well, I will make sure to go over the spots well with a spot AND odor remover! Thanks for the tip!!!I was not aware about closed doors GeorgeofNE, thanks for letting me know! I will remember to never leaver her closed up in my room without me. She's always had free reign over the house while I'm gone anyways. I have not tried the "coming and leaving her with a frozen kong" trick. I've been meaning to pick up a kong for her. Knowing her tho, she is more worried about me leaving than getting a treat usually! I will try it and see how it goes after I pick up a Kong this weekend. LOL, my dog is sooo spoiled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kudzu Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 I have not tried the "coming and leaving her with a frozen kong" trick. I've been meaning to pick up a kong for her. Knowing her tho, she is more worried about me leaving than getting a treat usually! I will try it and see how it goes after I pick up a Kong this weekend. If that is the case you may want to start with a non-frozen Kong. Make it something very tasty & very easy to extract. Once she's learned how good a stuffed Kong can be then you can make it more challenging. Also, if you're not already doing so, make your departures very low key. Ignore her for a little while before you leave, anywhere from 5-15 minutes seems to work with most of my dogs. If you find she reacts to certain clues that you are leaving, like putting on shoes, picking up keys or, for me, rushing around to grab a to go cup of coffee, then try to desensitize her to that. Start doing those things when you are not leaving until she quits reacting. Then do those & leave the house but come right back in. When you come back in, whether just returning from work or during desensitization, ignore her briefly. Again 5-15 minutes works around here. Now, I do always let the dogs out almost immediately after returning home. Better that then having one pee on the floor while I'm trying to ignore them. However, I do ignore them just enough time to step inside, set my stuff down, take off my shoes & jacket, etc. I don't speak to them, make eye contact or even slow down when they attempt to block my path for an "oh boy, you're home" party. LOL, my dog is sooo spoiled. And that's not the way it's supposed to be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1greytmum Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Good to know about the Kong! I have realized that ignoring her when I come home will probably be harder on me than it is on her! She's soooo lovable and cute when she's happy to see me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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