I would like to introduce our new Greyhound!

[SirFelixCat]

Asher Gent!

He is a rescued retired racing greyhound. We picked him up last night and it's been stressful for all concerned, but he is learning/adapting so quickly! He's plum worn out now though...has been ever since about 7pm. Just been a lump of dog

Any other greyhound aficionados?

[dabvu2498]

Yes, sir!!!

Good for you for adopting a black one. Agencies have a hard time getting black dogs homes.

Best dogs in the world. I currently have 2. Have had as many as 4 at one time, if you count foster dogs.

Did you adopt him stright from a track or had he been in a foster program?

Have you looked up your dog's racing career?

Here's my baby: http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?z=rY5Faq&d=rcs+annetta

Her sister, who I also adopted, never raced.

[cincinnati chili]

Yes, sir!!! Good for you for adopting a black one. Agencies have a hard time getting black dogs homes.

"Hey hey mama, said the way you move . . ."

Congrats on entering the dog ownership club. If we still lived downtown, I'd try to arrange a play date at one of the dog parks. PM me if you need any suggestions of where to go.

And we definitely need to catch a Coors Field game in the Spring.

[Ltlabner]

Cute doggie.

Congrats!

[SirFelixCat]

dabvu2498, he was fostered for about 3 weeks after racing in Daytona under the name "Garnett Kigger". Apparently, he has some serious breed lines. Multiple HOF racers and such not too far distant.

CC- Definitely. We can set up a play date for any day of the week (just not during playoff games)

Ltlabner. Thanks!

So it's now been a week (technically, 8 days, but whatever) and things are going well.


Here is the rundown of what we have experienced:


Friday evening (last week) we went down to the foster's home @ Colorado Springs. It had snowed the day prior and was pretty icy/snowy still, so the trip took longer than it normally would. He was quite excited to see us again and after some luring w/ a treat, we got him into the backseat of our car. We drive a 2002 Cadillac Eldorado, 2-door, so it's not ideal for a large dog like him, but he makes due.

He prefers to stand in the backseat while I'm driving, which isn't good since a greyhound's legs are so thin, but after a little bit, he settles down and lays down. The drive was pretty uneventful.

When we got home, we took him for a small walk so he could go potty, then he had his first encounter w/ our outside stairs. We live in a loft that has a covered, but open-to-the-elements stairwell w/ 4 flights of stairs that have a small, lit landing before each flight. Now, the fosters had a very short staircase in their home (about 5 or 6 stairs) and he was able to do those w/o much issue. These, however, were a much different deal.

We tried luring him up them w/ treats and he would get as far as the 2nd step, but only w/ his front paws. No amount of bribery would get him to lift his hind legs up onto a stair. So w/ Amanda in front of him w/ a treat and me behind him, I lifted each paw and placed it on the stair above (front left, then front right, then rear left, rear right, rinse, repeat). We eventually got all the way up, but it was some work, to be sure.

Oh, I should probably explain that racing greyhounds come from a world that is totally flat. They never encounter stairs, windows, cars, etc. etc. And when they get frightened, their bodies lock up and they don't move. Imagine a mule that doesn't want to move, albeit on a slightly smaller, but no less stubborn, scale.

So after getting up the stairs, we have a doorway that leads to the hallway that has the doors to all 7 lofts up here. The good thing about this is that there is a door on each end of the hallway, then outside of that, there are the two stairwells and at the bottom of the stairwells, there is another gate/door. So if he gets out, he can't 'get out'. We lead him into our loft and take off his leash and martingale collar. He then proceeds to explore the entire downstairs of our loft. He doesn't get into anything, just sniffs and moves on. He wouldn't go up our stairs to our 'bedroom' but would stay downstairs and check everything out.

We tried to lure him up the stairs (these are carpeted...the ones outside are concrete, but luckily, both have backs and are not open-backed...those can add to the terror greyts have re:stairs) but again, the two steps up and locked up. Eventually he made it up and checked out everything up there. Then, to our surprise, he followed us down the stairs on his own! This was esp. surprising since most greyhounds have less issue going up than down...down is scarier. Alrighty then!

So then we gave him dinner and hand fed him his food (Canidae). The books we've read recommend hand feeding your new pooch for the first few times, so that he can bond quicker w/ us since he who controls the food is king, type thing wink1.gif He scarfed it down, drank some water and then the pacing started. We didn't understand what that meant (hint: take me out and quickly!) and he preceeded to drop a nice deuce on our hardwood floor. Well, he obviously didn't get in trouble for that since it was our fault and he tried to tell us. We took him out for a walk and on the way, obviously had the stairs first. He went down them w/ zero issue. That shocked the hell outta us! But yay! So we went for a 20-25min walk and then had to try the stairs again on the way up. The poor guy was petrified, so I ended up just carrying our 63.5lb lump of dog up.

Then for the next 3-3.5 hours, he would NOT lay down anywhere. We were pretty concerned by this. See, most greyhounds do not 'sit'. They aren't built to sit. They lay down though. And he would not. So we called our adoption counselor and she said this was normal. He's stressed out and doesn't understand what is going on. Give him time and he'll find a spot. So that's what we did. He has a nice bed w/ a thick blanket downstairs, along w/ his XL crate (w/ blankets in that) and upstairs he has another soft XL bed w/ a thick comforter on it. Eventually, he found the one downstairs and laid down. Whew. He promptly passed out.

A little while longer, it was time for bed and we thought it would be better if we brought the inflatable mattress that we have downstairs and sleep in the living room, near his crate, instead of lugging his huge crate upstairs. We wasn't thrilled about being crated, but didn't whine once and we were just a couple of feet away and he went to sleep. We did the same.

The next morning, around 630am, he woke us up whining, which we took to mean that he needed to go out. I got dressed and took him out (again, zero probs down the stairs). We made it two dog-lengths outside and he went potty. But at least he held it! So this was a very good sign. We went for a walk and again, up the stairs, this time, one paw, 2nd paw, etc. all the way up.

So we spent the day watching football and hanging out w/ Asher. We noticed that under no circumstance would he go upstairs though. Zero amount of helping would work either. He just was NOT going up there. Alrighty. So that night, again, crated and us down there, he whined for a good hour, but we were told to ignore it and we did and he crashed out.

Sunday, we got to sleep in...til 7am. Then out and again, zero accidents in the house. It was bitterly cold, so I didn't want to spend 30 mins on the stairs and I carried him back up. Then, all 3 of us went back to sleep after the walk.

Spent the day watching football and hanging again and come sleepy time, we thought we'd try to leave him uncrated, but make him come upstairs w/ us. I had to carry him up, but he instantly found his bed (at the foot of ours), whined a little bit, but crashed out.

Monday morning, again, 7am and he was ready to go out. Amanda works M-F, so she got ready for work and we worked on alone training that day. Gone 1 min, come back. Gone 3 mins, come back. Then 5, etc etc. But during this, he started to get more comfotable. I should also mention that during the weekend, we took him outside every 2 hours and come Monday, started weaning that down to every few hours. Also, worked on stairs each day (around my poker sessions).

Then on Wednesday evening, after a walk, he shocked me by walking up the outside stairs on his own! Lots of praise and treats followed. And each night, he would follow us up the stairs inside, so he got over his phobia amazingly quickly. I've heard from other greyt owners that some of them have had their dogs for over 2 years and they still have issues. Not our boy!

We've also worked on "Stay" and then releasing him w/ "Come" and after 2 days, he's picking that up pretty well too.

Since that first night (which was our fault), we've had nary an accident in the house and we've left him alone, uncrated, for up to 3 hours w/o any ill effects. He doesn't get into the trash or anything else he shouldn't. We set up our video camera, though, to watch what he does, which is walk his 'circuit' around the loft and whine a TON, but eventually, lays down and sleeps. So this is very very good. He is suffering from a little seperation anxiety (noted by his whining for the first 45 mins we're gone or so), but that too is being worked on each day.

We feed him Canidae right now (since that's what the fosters fed him), but we're going to put him on California Natural once this 15lb bag is mostly gone (slowly introduce the new chow w/ the old until the old is phased out). We are feeding him more than we normally will since he's underweight. He raced at 68lbs, he's currently 63.5, and he should settle out at about 71 or 72lbs. To tell what their weight should be, you run your hand along their sides and should only be able to feel the last 2 or 3 ribs. Right now, you can feel them all, but even in just this week, we've noticed him putting on a little weight.

Oh, also, I forgot to mention a couple of things:

1) He had his first vet trip on Monday. He not only wasn't scared, he actually seemed to enjoy it. Everyone was raving at how well behaved he was and how NOT skiddish he was. Everything checked out well and we got him some CET chews from the vet and some other little things, but the vet said he was in fantastic shape, considering him being a retired racer.

2) We live right in front of a HUGE parking lot that is the main Colorado Rockies parking lot. It's well over a mile long and about 200 yards wide and completely fenced in. So we let him go off-leash there, but he just doesn't run. We have a family of foxes that lives on the other side of the lot and they come over on occassion. Asher saw one about 40yds away from him the other day (I had him leashed though) and he bowed up, ears perked up, but never once made a move toward the fox, even after it started to run away. He was interested, but not enough to chase. Another good thing. Also, while at the vet, they have a couple of cats loose in there and he paid them zero attention smile.gif

3) He's met some dog friends since our loft area has a plethora of dog owners and he loves hanging out w/ them, although he's not big on playing w/ them. He will fetch his toys here in the loft and loves to play tug 'o war too, but only for a short time, then it's time to sleep.


He's definitely adjusting well and seems pretty damn happy. We're going to take him to the park here momentarily and then to a couple of the pet stores that we will use so that they can meet him. Should be fun!

If y'all have questions, definitely ask away. And if anyone else (HK) has suggestions or comments, definitely feel free. I'll be updating more often now that things have settled down.

As I write this, he's upstairs crashed out

Asher Gent pics!

[dabvu2498]

We had a lot of similar issues.

My first girl was so easy that it spoiled us. Nonetheless, she was skiddish for about a month. Didn't help that we got her on 4th of July weekend and everyone in the neighborhood was shooting fireworks. She had been in a prison program where they had introduced her to steps, tile floors, mirrors, etc., so a lot of that was no big deal for her.

But like you said, she wouldn't run for about 3 months, partly because she had been forced to retire because of a broken leg, we think. But once she got started, she runs like crazy. Loves it. They all seem to, you just have to find their triggers. For her it was rubbing her belly. Rub her belly, stop abruptly and get out of the way.

After her, integrating the new greys into the home was almost seamless. They really are a "pack" dog. They all have their own eccentricities, but they are more at home with other dogs. I'm guessing you'll have another within a couple years.

Has he rooed yet? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PapiZzOfj14

[SirFelixCat]

Nope, no rooing just yet. If he does start, we hope it's not too often, heh But he does smile on occasion.

TBH, the only thing that's been an issue thus far is a little seperation anxiety. He doesn't mess the house or get into anything that he shouldn't, he just paces, searches and whines for the first hour or so that we're gone. But we're working on it in baby steps

[dabvu2498]

Hopefully your grey doesn't end up doing this when left home alone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlA4bonXsIs

All of ours crate up easily, so that's where they stay when home alone.

Another thought, though I'm guessing you heard this from the adoption group where you got your guy -- be careful when selecting a vet to do procedures that require anesthesia. Their metabolism makes them particularly succeptible to dying when put under.

Another thing you may look into is donating your grey's blood. They are universal donors. We donate through a program at Ohio State and receive some pretty nice perks. My local vet knows what I do for the adoption agency and that our dogs are donors, so we get free check-ups and nail trims. And Ohio State provides all vaccinations, heartworm, and flea and tick products as well as free food.

In other words, my dogs cost me almost nothing.

[cincinnati chili]

SFC: Great to hear the story about your dog's first days at home.

It sounds like you've got a vet, but if you end up not liking who you're with and need a recommendation we've been very happy with the Center for Animal Wellness at 11th and Santa Fe.