Greyhound afraid of the moon/outside/growing list of fears - help!!

[Brindle_Wonder]

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

I posted back in July about my greyhound who is afraid to go for walks outside...his list of fears seems to be growing and growing and I’m at a total loss with what to do.

I’ve now had Wonder for nearly 9 months and I still can’t take him for walks along pavements but I have found success in woodlands and in secure fields when I’m with a friend as he’s learnt that going in the car should be positive.

However, he seems petrified of hot air balloons which unfortunately are common where I live (in Bath) and I can only think that he’s transferred this fear onto the moon. It sounds funny, but it’s really stressful as in the morning he shakes if I even open the front door and I can’t get him down from upstairs. His safe space is the top of the stairs (it’s a small square shape hallway). As I can’t get him outside he is constantly soiling in the house. I’ve taken him to my mum’s house and the same issue occurs although we have more success getting him into the garden at my mum’s.

The fear of the garden did seem to occur when a new neighbour neighbour moved in with her cat. The cat keeps coming into my garden so I don’t think that scent helps either, so I think the issue is two fold. He sky scans a lot and will bolt inside.

I am working with a behaviourist who with the vet consent has started Wonder on anxiety meds and told me to try and stay at my mum’s. Staying at mum’s can’t be a long term solution for me.

I’ve been going through 9 months of behavioural issues and I’m really exhausted and worried about Wonder.

If anyone has any helpful suggestions I would love to hear them.

I don’t feel that I’m in a position to foster another dog as I’m single and don’t have the capacity to potentially take on a second dog with issues. I’ve been asking for help from friends for a long time now and do feel like I’ve used up all my favours.

Kind regards 

Laura

 

[Time4ANap]

I would reach out the group you adopted through and see if they have anyone who is good at dealing with the type of dog we call a "spook."   This is not something you should have to deal with alone so hopefully the group is there to support you.  I'm not sure what else to suggest at this point because it sounds like you are trying the right things. 

Definitely reach out to the adoption group. 

The only other thing I can think of might be a complete vet check to include thyroid tests and make sure that nothing in bloodwork is off. 

 

 

[HeyRunDog]

I agree with Time4ANap, reach out to the group you adopted him from. They should be able to help.

The other unthinkable option is to return him so he can be adopted by someone who lives in quiet surroundings and is experienced with spooks. It's not a failure on your part and you won't be letting him down because at the moment neither of you are at your best. There are plenty of other greyhounds who would jump at the chance to live with someone as caring as you and would be better suited to your situation.

[greysmom]

Spooks are a special issue and not everyone can deal with them.  As said above, it would not be a failure on your part if you considered returning him.  I know there are many differences between US adoption groups and UK ones, but you might contact the group you got him from and discuss your options.

How long has he been on anti anxiety meds??  And what is he taking??  If it's only been a few weeks, you need to give them time to work, sometimes it can take as long as a couple months to build up to a clinical level in their bloodstream and begin to help.  They are NOT a miracle cure, however.  The only thing they do is rebalance brain chemicals so you can use behavior modification techniques to help him work through his fears.  Hopefully it's enough to give him a chance at living more or less normally.  

And there's no guarantee the one you are currently giving him will be the one that works.  We had to try - four?? five?? - different drugs before we found one that worked for our spook.  It took about 2 years of discussions with our vet, trying a drug, letting it build up, behavior modification, deciding if it worked, weaning her off that one, trying another.  It's a process and a commitment, and it can feel at times like you aren't accomplishing anything.  All the behavior modification work helps, but it's a slow slow process.  

Cash eventually ended up being a great dog inside, loving and affectionate and pretty normal, but I had to walk her - on leash - in our own fenced backyard for pottying for her entire life.  She was afraid of doorways, wind, metal food bowls, moving bushes, loud sounds, hard rain on the roof, the heater/AC turning on, planes flying overhead - the list was endless. 

We also had either four or five other greyhounds all this time - it never made any difference to Cash.  Much like an autistic child, she never bonded with any other dogs, and never seemed to need them.  She would do repetitive soothing behaviors like licking and pacing.  And in many ways it helped to view her as a dog with autism than a normal dog with behavioral challenges

She was on meds (Trazadone is what ended up being her savior drug) for the last 6 years of her life.  She ended up passing at 12 years old from liver cancer.

We've been where you are, so I wish you all the luck in the world, because every dog deserves a good life.

Good luck!

[Brindle_Wonder]

Apologies, I didn’t receive any notifications so only just found the replies. Thank you all for taking the time to respond.

I have reached out to the charity, I haven’t found them to be helpful. At 3 months I contacted them and they said they’d check in on me in a week’s time and I didn’t hear back so contacted them again last week and I received an email implying this was my fault and as he isn’t happy I should give him back. I don’t think it will be best for him to be returned as he is scared of the moon at my mum’s house where it is really quiet so I don’t see how rehoming would help as he’d still be exposed to the moon. I’m still baffled how this fear of the moon has happened so quickly.

i have had a check with the vet, his thyroid was flagged as low but the vet said this is common in greys so didn’t think it was worth exploring more yet.

he has been on Prozac for around 10 days so I appreciate it is early days.

His behaviour is weird as he loves people, if the doorbell goes and he can hear someone at the door he’ll run down with his tail wagging, he loves going to the secure field for a run around. I’ve taken him to friends houses (when the moon isn’t around) and he’ll potter around as if it’s his place. I can trick him into the garden sometimes by calling a friend and putting them on speaker so he’ll come outside to try and see them...because I have more success when I have someone with me that’s why I’m wondering if another dog may help...a good friend of mine is getting a greyhound when his new house goes through  (he is completely in love with my weirdo) so it maybe that I’ll have to wait to see how it goes when he gets his new addition.

@greysmom it’s good to know that you found a good drug in the end. Sorry to hear about her liver cancer.

[MP_the4pack]

Can you contact another rescue? 

I hope the Prozac works. 

[HeyRunDog]

On 11/25/2021 at 10:38 PM, Brindle_Wonder said:

His behaviour is weird as he loves people, if the doorbell goes and he can hear someone at the door he’ll run down with his tail wagging, he loves going to the secure field for a run around. I’ve taken him to friends houses (when the moon isn’t around) and he’ll potter around as if it’s his place. I can trick him into the garden sometimes by calling a friend and putting them on speaker so he’ll come outside to try and see them...because I have more success when I have someone with me that’s why I’m wondering if another dog may help...a good friend of mine is getting a greyhound when his new house goes through  (he is completely in love with my weirdo) so it maybe that I’ll have to wait to see how it goes when he gets his new addition.

Have a look on Google or Facebook and see if there are any greyhound walks near you. Most of the greyhound rescues in the UK hold monthly ones where anyone with a sight-hound can just turn up and walk with their hounds. This will give you a chance for both of you to mix with similar minded people and dogs. Grace and I have done a few of these walks and it really boosted her confidence. You might find someone with a confident grey who would be willing to go for a few moonlit walks with the pair of you.

[Brindle_Wonder]

Thanks @HeyRunDog, funny you've written that as I actually looked that up last night and forever hounds trust are running something in the middle of December so we'll try that. 

I also spoke to the vet today and he said he expects it to be really another month until the drugs start to work and that I should consider getting some dog glasses and a marquee that blocks out the sun for the garden so my dog can go out without seeing the moon so I've got doodles, a dog hat and some tarpaulin to cover the back door entrance on order.  I really, really want to get him back on track.  X