Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Pointy hounds thread! For new, old and prospective owners!

975 replies

SpaghettiTwirlerAndProud · 24/11/2011 18:46

Share stories, advice and ask for help if you need it! There are a few resident hound experts (myself not included) in the doghouse, so, feel free to share! :)

OP posts:
notjustmewithballson · 04/12/2011 21:47

Oh and the dogs are all very pleased that everyone finds them gorgeous too Grin

LordOfTheFlies · 04/12/2011 22:06

I bought a product called 'Urine Off' for the DCs beds when they were young (and could be relied on to miss the waterproof mats or gets their bums over the edge and wee on the floor) >There was a torch thing that showed up dried wee patches in ultraviolet light too. Oooh!

I bought Halo washing liquid for DS sports gear- works on sweat and odours. Might work on dog-whiffs. ?

SpaghettiTwirlerPrancerVixen · 04/12/2011 23:06

Oh bugger. Would white vinegar work?

MissBetsyTrotwood · 05/12/2011 10:47

Hey, all you experts. My big black greyhound has dandruff. We give him his oily fish two or three times a week and groom him every day but he's still bitty. His coat's getting a nice shine on it but I don't like the speckles.

Also, his stool's still pretty loose. He's on the dry kibble but we've started to combine the kibble from the kennel with Arden Grange Chicken and Rice now as it seemed nice and wholesome. He's pooing and weeing a lot (good) but the poo's hardly ever chunky. He seems to have lost a little weight in the weeks we've had him (his back rib is poking out a little more) but he is getting a lot more exercise than he did in the kennel.

Thanks all!

OldMotherDismass · 05/12/2011 10:55

I'm far from an expert, but when we got Whippetty (who is also black), he had a lot of dandruff for the first few weeks. I found a small teaspoon of fish oil in his dinner once per day and switching his food to prize choice mince, which we mix with rice and veg has made a world of difference. Cabbage seems to firm things up a little too.

OldMotherDismass · 05/12/2011 10:55

I'm far from an expert, but when we got Whippetty (who is also black), he had a lot of dandruff for the first few weeks. I found a small teaspoon of fish oil in his dinner once per day and switching his food to prize choice mince, which we mix with rice and veg has made a world of difference. Cabbage seems to firm things up a little too.

OldMotherDismass · 05/12/2011 10:55

Sorry for the double post. Computer went funny!

SpaghettiTwirlerPrancerVixen · 05/12/2011 11:18

Oh my gosh he's arriving any minute now! I'm so nervous! What if he doesn't like me? Shock

Oh man they're here.

MissBetsyTrotwood · 05/12/2011 11:23

Thanks! I never thought to give him veg as his tum's been so sensitive. He does get fast to the broccoli the kids chuck surreptitiously off their plates accidentally drop on the floor during their dinner. He does love it but for the love of God, his farts are eyewatering afterwards. Makes sense though. I'll keep him on the kibble for now and see how things go.

He was a bit off colour this morning but he did spend quite a while in the car yesterday as we took him to see DH's grandparents who love dogs. Maybe it spun him out a bit.

We're off to the Xmas do for the kennels he came from in a few weeks so I can persuade DH that Billy really needs a friend for mince pies and mulled wine!

MissBetsyTrotwood · 05/12/2011 11:23

He'll love you. Come back and tell all.

SpaghettiTwirlerPrancerVixen · 05/12/2011 12:05

Well he came, and then he left. He was too interested in DD, kept trying to get to her, his ears were up everytime he looked at her. He even tried jumping over the back of the sofa! He would probably be ok with her this time tomorrow but I've no way of separating them and I'm on my own all day! So we're going to keep trying different dogs till we find the right one. Sad

notjustmewithballson · 05/12/2011 12:07

That's such a shame :( How old is your DD?

SpaghettiTwirlerPrancerVixen · 05/12/2011 12:24

She's almost 6 months.

OldMotherDismass · 05/12/2011 12:25

Oh Sad. Was this the first time they had met?

SpaghettiTwirlerPrancerVixen · 05/12/2011 12:27

Well he saw her last weekend but she was so bundled up and in the buggy I don't think he really noticed her.

notjustmewithballson · 05/12/2011 12:32

That's a real shame - I think lots of dogs would be intrigued by a 6mo they've never met before - did they let the dog approach your DD to allow him to 'meet' her or did they just keep holding him back? I'm surprised the rescue thought it a good idea to have 'coming to the house day' on a day the whole family wasn't around :(

MissBetsyTrotwood · 05/12/2011 12:46

Oh no. Sad I'm sorry to hear this.

SpaghettiTwirlerPrancerVixen · 05/12/2011 15:32

They let him close enough to see her but he kept lunging at her and the woman who brought him didn't trust him to get too close, she said he was being "too bullish towards her." WRT having whole family here, they didn't ask and I didn't think to tell them DP wouldn't be here Blush it just didn't cross my mind at all!

notjustmewithballson · 05/12/2011 15:42

It's not your fault (or problem) that they didn't ask! It's their job to think of these things as they are the experienced ones - if this was a 'meet and greet' to see if he settled then everyone should have been there, or at least that's certainly the rule for the rescue I foster for.

Just going to drop you a PM :)

MissBetsyTrotwood · 05/12/2011 16:34

Any dog lunging at your baby is upsetting and doubly so if he's the one you've set your heart on. Better it happened now than if you got him home and it just started from nowhere. They were there and the best decision was made for you all. Keep searching. Smile

OldMotherDismass · 05/12/2011 16:52

Spagetti, take a look on the dogs trust website. If you search for greyhounds and likes children under 12 years, there are a number on there that are listed as suitable with children of all ages.

batsintheroof · 05/12/2011 20:32

Ohhh Spag, I'm sorry. It might be worth trying one of LGT's really laid back cat-trainable hounds. I have noticed that my girl is as much interested by noise (squeaks, rustling) as she is by sight, even more so I think. The sounds of a baby can interest greys sometimes. You WILL find the right grey, Some wouldn't lunge at all- My girl was considered 'boisterous' by the LGT and might lunge if she was interested and wanted a closer look- but a firm 'NO' would stop her- and it has stopped her mid chase after a non-family cat, eating stuff she shouldn't etc etc and she wouldn't do it again once told. You just need to ask them to show you a really calm, gentle grey and perhaps a failed racer?

LordOfTheFlies · 05/12/2011 20:50

Oh Sad Spag we were all behind you with your Operation Grab a Grund but as you say your DDs safety has to come first.
The rescue would far rather take him away today that get a frantic phone call from you next week.
Your greyhound is out there- keep looking.You'll find him/her.

SpaghettiTwirlerPrancerVixen · 05/12/2011 21:05

It's almost as if he was deaf to any sound other than DD, he didn't respond to his name, NO, or anything else like that. He also did that pointing thing that dogs do, you know, head down, ears up, paw raised.

Need to sit down with DP and talk about what we should do next.

Just so I know for future reference, what exactly should happen from home check to getting pooch home?

Thanks for the pm notjustme, I'll reply when I have time to read it all properly!

SpaghettiTwirlerPrancerVixen · 07/12/2011 16:46

Hello?