Greyhound Dogs--Training Update #244

[ducklite]

Skeet's photo isn't showing because he's been taken off of PetFinders!

I've got to call the rescue folks and find out what time they are planning on coming Friday night. My boss wanted to schedule a telephone conference for Friday that could end up going long, and I told him he couldn't schedule it after 1:00 pm, cuz I needed to be home for my Skeet!

Anne

 

[ducklite]

My Skeet is coming home Friday at 5:00!!

I just got off the phone with his foster mom, she say's he's doing great! They've got a kitten, and he's completely ignoring it. The only time he's "Chased" is when one of the other dogs went tearing across the room after the kitten, and the other dogs followed, and then Skeet got up to see what the commotion was about. I'm not sure I'd call that chasing a kitten.

Anne

 

[LoriKay]

Congratulations! I know I'm way late to the party and I really had to look for this thread! I'm not sure if I saw anyone mention this or not but do consider getting a harness type thing (our grey's is called a halti harness) to attach the leash to rather than relying just on the collar even if it is the kind that you can snap to make it tight. Our grey is very good at slipping her collar in an instant. And yes, I'm a neurotic grey mom! Can't wait to see more pictures of Skeet.

 

[manleykr]

We also use a harness. One of my girls has a very small neck and can helicopter out of the Martingale collar, so we have the Martingale collar but when they go on walks we also use the harness. I am truly a paranoid Greyhound mom.

 

[ducklite]

I'll try to get out of work early enough today to stop at the pet store and see if they have any of the halti harnesses.

29 hours to Skeet time!

Anne

 

[Jennasis]

We use a martingale collar on Janky. It was what the rescue group recommended at the time we got her. It's never slipped over her head or choked her (she has the most wonderful leash manners and we've never tied her up). I had considered getting the halti thing, but I don't like leaving those things on. Find the option that works best for you and Skeet.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I want to know what Skeet's DISboards user name will be...

 

[Magickndm]

I just use a martingale collar too, never needed a harness. I wouldn't recommend one of those retractable leashes tho. If your guy gets the feeling of freedom, he just might take off and pop it right from your hands.

 

[ducklite]

Skeets crate arrived today, and I just got done assembling it. I got him this one:

What a pain to assemble, ugh! But it's done, so that's good.

I wanted something that looked a little nicer than a regular wire crate as it's going to stay in my bedroom. It's extra-large, and looks like it will be plenty roomy for him.

The pad and bowls and Kong haven't arrived yet, they look like they should be delivered tomorrow.

Anne

 

[Fairy Dust]

Thats a pretty looking crate.

Have fun tomorrow and I hope Skeet settles into his new home quickly.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Skeets crate arrived today, and I just got done assembling it. I got him this one:

Ooohhh, I like that crate! Very pretty!

 

[MissMinnie]

Good luck with your new furry friend! He is a very handsome boy!

 

[MushyMushy]

It's Friday!

It's Friday!

Woohoo! It's Friday!

 

[ducklite]

Skeet's Home!

His foster family brought him by at 5:00 pm. They spent a little time with me, going over some basic care and showing me a few things. I let Skeet investigate for awhile. He has zero interest in the ferrets, other than taking a sniff. He's actually only interested in watching them when they start to play in the paper bag on their cage--the noise gets his attention.

He ate about half of what his normal dinner would be--I figure he's got a little bit of nervousness going on, this is his third home in two weeks. We went out for three walks, so far he hasn't pee'd or pooped. He's sleeping right now, when he wakes up I'll take him out again.

I don't want to bother him with the camera flash right now, so I'm going to wait until tomorrow when he's a little more settled to take photos.

Anne

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Skeet's Home!

His foster family brought him by at 5:00 pm. They spent a little time with me, going over some basic care and showing me a few things. I let Skeet investigate for awhile. He has zero interest in the ferrets, other than taking a sniff. He's actually only interested in watching them when they start to play in the paper bag on their cage--the noise gets his attention.

He ate about half of what his normal dinner would be--I figure he's got a little bit of nervousness going on, this is his third home in two weeks. We went out for three walks, so far he hasn't pee'd or pooped. He's sleeping right now, when he wakes up I'll take him out again.

I don't want to bother him with the camera flash right now, so I'm going to wait until tomorrow when he's a little more settled to take photos.

Anne

I'm watching my sister's lab/chow mix, and he's gone on and off his food so much this week, that I have no idea what's right or wrong for him. I think he misses his family.

He also has a bladder the size of a basketball! There are times that I've let him out at 5pm, and he hasn't gone again until 8am the next morning!

Three homes in two weeks is an awful lot for a dog. Poor guy must be so confused! It's probably going to take some time for him to quit waiting for the other shoe to drop. Love and consistency will go a looooong way!

I can't wait to see pictures of him, but yeah... I think the flash wouldn't be a good thing right now.

The day after tomorrow, I go to the dog show and get to see all the local rescues! Although I want another Golden, or at least a retriever, my daughter mentioned a Grey. I thought that was ironic!

Chloe hasn't taken too kindly to the interloper that's here right now. I think he's a little much for her. I need another couch potato, so I'm reading all of this with much interest.

Have fun with your new boy!

 

[Moonmom]

Welcome Home, Skeet! I've been following along here...and late this afternoon I looked at the clock and saw it was a little after 5; looked at my Minty, (looks rather like Skeet; black with the white tuxedo chest and white toes on the back) and said.."Skeet's home!" She sighed... and did what greys are good at...went back to sleep!
I know it's been mentioned that greys need coats for when it's cold; (I'm in the northeast so we have an assortment), but also heat can be a factor too.
Minty's our third grey; the two before her that have passed were white w/brindle patches and white w/red. I'd been told that the black greys were more sensitive to the heat; and it's definitely been true with Minty. She doesn't tolerate it well so we're always prepared with not just cool water to drink but if we have to be outside; shade; avoiding walking on hot pavement or surfaces that absorb heat; having bandana that we can wet to lay on her back or tie (wet) around her; carrying a "spritzer" bottle of water to off her off..(especially the bottom her paws.)
Have fun getting to know Skeet! Some personality traits seem to take forever to come..(at least with ours they did).. but with each it was like seeing the them discover a whole new world as they became more confident.
By the way... LOVE the crate!!

 

[ducklite]

Skeet and I had a bit of a rough night last night. Because he hadn't pooped or pee'd before bedtime, I was up twice in the middle of the night to take him outside to see if he needed to go. No luck. His foster home are night owls, and so he's used to being active at night. It's going to take a few days to adjust to my schedule. He was playing in the crate and somehow got the crate mat bunched up into the back corner. Being the nuerotic dog mom and worrying about him, that led to several trips to the crate to straighten it out--which of course he though it was playtime and I had a hard time getting him back in the crate.

Finally the lightbulb went on. The one thing he does well is walk on the lead. So I slipped the lead on and "led" him into the crate. Closed the door and gave him some encouraging words, then went to sleep. Or tried to anyhow.

I'm going to call the trainer today to get some basic obedience classes set up.

Of course now Skeet is sleeping soundly in his spot in the family room, and I'm up. I had chosen one spot, he kind of let us know in no uncertain terms that another spot was to be his, and that's fine with me. He finally pee'd this morning at 6:00 am. And pee'd. And pee'd. Still hasn't pooped. I'm also rescheduling his feeding time to morning, my mornings are a lot more predictable than evenings as far as walking him. I took Monday off from work, so we'll have a few days to settle into a routine.

He doesn't seem to know how to play with toys, so we'll work on that. He did pick up one of the toys and carry it across the room last night, and likes nyla-bones, so it's a start.

I had to "dog-proof" a couple of things I never would have thought of--including keeping the ferret's ping-pong size balls away from him, although he doesn't seem to have any interest in them. He still has nothing more than a passing curiosity about the ferrets, even when I had Jasper on my lap and Skeet walked by. He glanced over and kept walking. If he continues to have no interest I'll put the muzzle on him and let the ferrets out at the same time next weekend.

I got a little history on Skeet. He ran 98 races in Tampa and St. Pete. He hasn't raced for about 13 months. He won 13 races, placed 2nd in 8, and 3rd in 13 races. So he had a pretty successful racing career. I'm not sure why the breeder/owner kept him around for a year after his last race, he wasn't used as a breeder.

Here are a few photos:

More later!

Anne

 

[MsDisney23]

He is beatuiful.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

Ah-a! I seen you've joined those of us in the "wake up early to enable the dog to do his/her business club." Welcome!

And congrats on the new family member!

 

[ducklite]

Ah-a! I seen you've joined those of us in the "wake up early to enable the dog to do his/her business club." Welcome!

And congrats on the new family member!

Thanks! The funny thing is that SKeet was sound asleep on his back when I woke up, I had to wake him up! I'm the early bird in this house, but that will change as I adjust his schedule.

Anne