I'm So Proud Of Him!

[lrbb]

So we've had Ollie for 6 weeks now. He is a pretty shy dog and really afraid of traffic, being outside, strangers etc but has been making huge leaps forward. I wanted to share this here because I'm so proud of him and from all the advice you've all given here has been fantastic and I'm seeing so many great things now.

 

He still freezes a lot outside but is now willing to walk around quieter areas of our neighbourhood, I let him lead the way and yet encourage him to try something new each day. It's paying off big time! He has been taking me down new streets ( we are new in this neighbourhood too!) he even discovered a playground which thrilled my kids.

 

We recently took him to a greyhound meet and greet with our adoption agency at a big chain pet store. Of course Ollie didn't want to go in but when two of the other greyhounds came to help him he went right in. He was fantastic! He didn't shy away, but stood right with me and the other greys and happily accepted some gentle scritches and treats. He got a lot of positive comments from everyone and they could see already how much he had improved. We were so proud of him.at his debut.

 

He is now allowing me within a foot of him as he chews a bully stick. I toss him some bits of meatballs and he even lets me hold out my hand with meatball in it and he will take it. So there is big improvement there too.

 

He's also been alone for two hours without a fuss!

 

He did have a growl/snap at my daughter within the first two weeks when she got a bit unruly on e floor and he was close by ( my fault for not anticipating that....and I learnt so much from that) so I made sure Ollie sits on his bed when she is playing in the living area ( he likes to lie right in the middle of the toys but then feels trapped). The other day when he was lying there and she came over to play, he got up and went to lie on his bed without.being.asked. So he seems to have learnt that it's not the best/ safest area to lie when she plays ( we have a very small condo so space is a premium!). He's not at all space agressive in his bed but I still rescpet his boundaries and there is no petting him by anyone on his bed. I learnt that the only time he sleep startles is if he is fast asleep and I touch him if he is on the couch. I let him on the couch once only and he fell fast sleep as I petted him and then suddenly snarled so he is not on the furniture anymore for a long time. He doesn't even ask now and he's not done that since. And even though I would love for him to be able to sleep with us or go on the couch with us I know this is not a good idea for a long while and keeping everyone safe is much more important. So another step forward!

 

He is getting much more trusting of us all, my kids help feed him by hand, so does DH and he is enjoying playing hide and seek with my kids. I can brush his teeth much longer too!

 

He likes to counter surf and his nose is perfect height at the dinner table so now he know he gets more little treats if he is lying calmly on his bed away from the table! He also dropped my kids bagel when asked after she dropped it on the floor in front of his nose!

 

He loves nature walks/hikes with us. We scramble over rocks, through forests, explore on beaches and he is definitely a nature type dog. We also took him to an off-leash, fully fenced area so he could run tonight' There were a few dogs there of all sizes and he was super good with all of them- and he had a few short runs! He was SO happy! And we were so happy to see him so happy! I was nervous letting him off at first as I didn't know how he was going to be but he's great! I also called him over a few times and he came. Every.single.time. He also came over a lot and stood by me when I didn't call him! What made my kids day was when he watched the other dogs playing fetch and he took a turn at going after the ball! He tossed it in the air and shook it (!) and went into a full play bow with my kids and the other dogs. They all ran around with him and wore themselves out.

 

It was the first time we have seen him play after weeks of trying to get him interested in his stuffies. It was awesome.

 

So I'm not sure if this is the right section to post in but I just wanted to share all this. Any comments or suggestions as we continue this amazing journey are always welcome.

[smurfette]

Seems you all are doing great. Congrats to your achievments.

[GeorgeofNE]

Just my 2 cents, but you have not had this dog long enough for dog parks, which many of us feel are way too dangerous for Greyhounds to begin with.

 

What would just be innocent play with regular dogs can send your greyhound with his paper thin skin to the doggy ER before you even know what's happening.

[BatterseaBrindl]

 

However I do agree that most dog parks are not suitable for Greyhounds.

Does your Greyhound group have play dates?

Edited April 4, 2017 by BatterseaBrindl

[lrbb]

Thank you for the replies and suggestions. I was reluctant about the dog park too after reading on here. We held off for days until we only saw two dogs that were well behaved and doing their own thing. One small one who wasn't interested in Ollie and another medium sized one that was fixated on a squirrel. We left immediately when other dogs came in. For the most part Ollie and the other two dogs did their own thing other than an initial sniff of each other.

 

Here's my quandary. It's the only fenced area close by and we don't have a yard. Our greyhound group do group walks but not play dates. I will keep asking around to see if anyone can offer that. At the moment he won't walk down the street with traffic to get to many places, so I have to wait until DH brings the car back from work and go anywhere

 

After tsking him on the beach on the leash and realizing he wanted to run and play ( first time I've seen him super happy and excited) I gave the park a go at a quiet time.

 

If we went again at the same time ( the other good owners said this was the best quiet time) with the same dogs do you think that's okay? We would leave if other dogs came. Or do you think it's best avoided altogether?

[robinw]

Great news! Keep taking it slow and all will be fine.

[Remolacha]

You have made a lot of progress in a short time! I think the dog park would be ok as long as you are only there with a few dogs that he knows, and leave if it looks like it is going to get crowded, but it is still a risk, things can change so quickly.

[robinw]

You have made a lot of progress in a short time! I think the dog park would be ok as long as you are only there with a few dogs that he knows, and leave if it looks like it is going to get crowded, but it is still a risk, things can change so quickly.

I take my dogs to a dog park, but only during off times like dinnertime. We leave as soon as it starts to get busy. It makes myguys good and tired, anda tired dog is a good dog

Edited April 4, 2017 by robinw

[BatterseaBrindl]

The 'problem' with many dog parks is not the dogs, but the owners who spend all their time chit chatting and pay zero attention to their dogs.

If you are paying attention and the other owners are paying attention and there are only a couple of dogs that Ollie knows, then by all means let him have a run.

But he won't wilt and wither away if he doesn't get to do that!

 

My guys do enjoy a good run with our other Greyhound friends in an enclosed ball diamond...although the running usually only last a couple of minutes, then they all just walk and sniff and then lay down.

We did not go at all last summer...it was just too hot. And the winter is too icy. So it has been at least a year since they have had a run off lead. However...we do have a fenced yard, so they do get some off leash time.

I am sure there are many hounds that get zero off leash time and still live perfectly good lives!

[greysmom]

This is all really great news! Congratulations!!! Time and patience win again!

 

 

As for dog parks, they *can* be problematic, as many have said above. And many, many greyhounds do just fine being on leash for exercise their entire lives. Owners who live in the city, or in apartments/condos, have to be committed to getting their dogs out and about for walking, just like you are doing. If you have a suitable place and take some common sense precautions, there's no reason it can't be a good thing for Ollie. As Nancy said, it's NOT the dogs in the park, but the owners! Make sure you're an advocate for your dog and being responsible for his safety. Watch for him getting too stimulated/excited, or the other dogs getting the same way, and take him for time outs or simply leave.

[lrbb]

Thank you all so much. I love this forum and so far, whenever I've followed the advice it's worked much better. When I have strayed from said advice ( e.g. Letting him on he couch too early) we've had a hiccup. So I am learning a lot and appreciate the thoughts and suggestions.

 

I totally agree about the owners. I've had close calls with our coonhounds and other dogs with irresponsible owners in the past. So it's the first thing I look at.

 

Before I took Ollie off, I spoke to the two owners. One had a friend with an adopted grey and understood my hesitations and I could tell she was super responsible and introduced us to the park ( the exits, the " rules" etc) The other guy was also very responsible and when he called his spaniel over he came right away to meet Ollie in a controlled manner. So I did feel okay with them. After a while when two other dogs came, we left right away. Ollie came immediately when I called him and didn't pay any attention to anything else - he didn't want us to leave without him and we exited at the other side of the park ( there are three gates) as I saw them get out of their car.

 

But it's still a risk I know. I'm so 50:50 about it. I could try it again if those same two owners are there or keep him away and on the leash on our hikes and walks. I do feel bad if he can't run off-leash and seems to love chasing a ball. We walk ( stroll, really because he's still very nervous outside and freezes) for a total of one-one and half hours every day around the neighbourhood during the week. At weekends we hike/walk for at least 2-3 hours on both days. Is this enough? I will also explore some other options and talk to our group maybe they have other condo dwellers who would be willing to get together and " rent" someone's big yard or farm area for greys.

[Houndtime]

Sounds like it is all coming together nicely. I am not a fan of dog parks either. If you can make it work for you, fine, just be very careful when there.

[lrbb]

Having thought ( worried) about it all day, DH and I decided that we will only take him when the park is totally empty and toss a ball. Not worth the risk otherwise and every time I've heeded the general consensus here things have gone well. Thanks for all the great replies!

[Remolacha]

I don't know if your dog park is privately owned, or run by the city, or something else, but sometimes you can "reserve" the park for a group for an hour or so. You might see if this is possible and if some of the other greyhound owners in the area would be interested in doing this.

[EllenEveBaz]

Sounds like things are going well. What fun for your family as you see Ollie coming out of his shell. It sounds like he is getting plenty of exercise. Playing hide and go seek in the house is fun and lots of exercise, too.

 

When I used to go to a dog park, I was there very early in the morning in warmer weather. Very few people/dogs, and no one ignoring their dog as they chatted on their cell phone. If you do decide to try the dog park again, or have another enclosed space like a friend's small yard, has anyone recommended a lure pole (flirt pole)? Study long stick, rope, toy. https://notesfromadogwalker.com/2012/04/24/flirt-pole/ I made one out of a broomstick with a hole drilled in one end for the rope. Then I bought a horse lunge whip, which is a flexible pole and line all in one. The toy can be just a plastic bag. I can't believe how relatively calm the dog in the video is -- mine go ballistic. Literally flying through the air.