Adjustment Problems! Please Help!

[Guest retdmd]

I've had my four and a half year old greyhound for right at eight weeks now. It's been so tough! I was actually reflecting yesterday which will be harder, my first dog or my first child. I'm single and live in a one bedroom apartment. It's just the two of us here.

 

Though there are many, these are the two newest problems I don't have answers for:

(1)

She wakes me up once or twice during the night to go out. UTI was treated a couple of weeks ago, secondary to chronic diarrhea caused by hookworms. Urine tests fine now. She does have crystals in her urine but no signs of stones according to ultrasound. She is on daily ivomec to treat that lingering hookworm infection while we wait on input from a parasitologist. She hasn't been completely healthy since I adopted her so I'm having a hard time determining what are medical issues and what are behavioral.

(2)

About two weeks ago she started peeing in her crate when I leave, no matter how long I'm gone. This is the newest iteration of her separation anxiety, I believe. I'm gone 4-5 hours max on my off days. On workdays, I must be gone for 10 hours since I commute far away. Be it 4 or 10 hours, she won't pee it if she's just on the plastic tray. If there's any kind of bedding (I've tried both plush and meager), she'll pee on it and push it to the side.

 

My troubleshooting. I think I've exhausted all the advice that YouTube and Google has to offer:

• Regarding crate training
  • Her crate isn't too big. She's a 64lb girl in a 42" crate. She can stand and turn and that's it. When the peeing started, I downsized her from the 48" crate she'd had originally.
  • She has to be in her crate when I'm gone. I conservatively tried to leave her out but she gets destructive and pees on the carpet.
  • Last night I tried to crate her and refused to take her out when she demanded. It was as rough and sleepless a night as all the nights previous. I don't want her to be in her bare crate but I don't trust her with any bedding in there.
  • She has a bed at the foot of my bed. Bare crate is also in there. In the living room she has a bed that she prefers. At bedtime she starts sleeping there and sometimes will mosey into my room to sleep (or wake me up).
• She gets lots of walks and exercise. We go to the dog park usually twice a week. She gets to go out for four breaks on a work day: twice before work and twice after. Two of those outings are about 15-20 minute walks, one morning, one evening. On my off days, she gets an additional mid-day break of some kind and I try to take her along on my errands and outings if I'm able.
• She's on a fairly regular schedule. The first outing is right when we get up, no later than 5:00am, even on weekends. The second is a walk at 7:00, about an hour after she eats. The third is a few minutes after I get home from work. I get settled and then I get her out of her crate, about 5:30. The last is 8:00-8:30pm, which is 30-45minutes before bedtime and after her 6:00pm dinner.
• I've noticed she's generally more peaceful during the day (naps most of the day) and more restless after bedtime. Not sure why.

Really, I'm getting to the end of my rope. It seems that when we work out one issue, there are two to follow. I adopted her because I wanted some company around here and I wanted to give a greyhound a good retirement but we're both suffering. She's got the plethora of issues you see above. I'm not eating well, sleeping, or working out like I used to.

 

Thank you guys for any guidance. Did anyone have a similar beginning with their grey? How long should this last? When will she become comfortable and more of a companion than my canine patient?

[Roo]

I don't have many suggestions, but I'd start with longer walks if you're able, and definitely a longer, very energetic walk and more exercise in the morning before you leave for work. It may mean restructuring your morning a bit, but a 15 minute walk isn't really enough.

 

Is her last potty break before bed at 8:30? I've always taken mine out very last thing, right before I get in bed.

 

What have you tried for her separation anxiety?

Edited July 8, 2018 by Roo

[MaryJane]

7am to 5:30 is too long to hold it for most dogs - do you have dog walker ?

[greysmom]

The crate peeing is probably secondary to her separation anxiety. What steps have you taken to resolve that issue?

 

It can take months to clear a bad hook infestation. There's a particularly drug resistant strain going around now. And that can definitely impact other behavioral and physical issues.

 

I would also test her for a UTI again, and make sure you have the proper antibiotics for whatever she might have. Ask your vet if she has a hooded vulva. That can make treating any kidney/bladder/UTI issues harder.

[JohnF]

It think you need a mid-day dog sitter to call in, or take her to doggy day care. Greys from the track will never have had any experience of being 'only dogs'. Have a word with your adoption group because they may have released the wrong kind of dog to suit your present lifestyle. You might have another 6 months of these issues until the dog habituates to being home alone regularly for 10 hours. One of mine managed 9 hours for a while, but then she was a very calm dog.

[NewGrey2017]

It took from November through March to clear my dog from hookworms. Once they were gone, he began to sleep through the night.

[mychip1]

Mine have long days alone because I work. When they were young, they could hold it - so I do wonder if it's the separation anxiety. My older boy has trouble now - so I put a diaper on him.

 

I agree that a longer walk is good. That tends to help with the accidents.

 

Hang in there. If you can make it work, you will have the best companion in the world.

[Guest Myca]

I have never had just one dog. Since you just have one dog, you could hire a dog walker for mid day. You might want to consider doggy daycare on your work days. If you can find a good one, you would pick up a happy tired dog at the end of the day. If you decide a dog is not for you, you might want to think about a cat. Ragdoll cats are great companions.

[GeorgeofNE]

All day in the crate and all night?

 

It's most likely the crate causing her anxiety.

[mychip1]

How are you making out?

[marion]

Honestly...if your dog has to sleep all night long and during the day he's crated for so long hours,

I would suppose it's just too much immobility for the dog...I don't believe in crating a dog, confining

him to such a tiny space...imagine the terrible boredom and the lack of free movement for so long hours.

Than the lonelyness...please try to give your dog a good walk with some exercise before you leave

the house and leave him free roam, so that he can sleep at a place of HIS choice. He can at least

move around a bit...I personally have never ever crated a dog, over here people don't use crates to confine their dogs unless

for travelling. I wish you luck!