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

Are you a Greyhound, Whippet or Lurcher owner? Come and have a seat on another new Pointy Hounds cushion!

986 replies

TheCunnyFunt · 13/06/2013 10:18

Pointy hounds include-
Greyhounds (Grunds)
Whippets (Whippys)
Lurchers
Italian Greyhounds (Iggys)
Salukis
Afghans
And any others I have forgotten. If you are a new pointy hound owner, an old and experienced owner or looking into getting one of these fabulous creatures, come and have a seat (that's not taken up with a hound :o).

Share stories, advice and shopping tips!
AK Creations
Dog O Nine Tails
Doggy Bags Bakery
Kitsch Collars
Meggie Moo
Milgi Coats
Silver Peacock

Come The Day
Come the day I take that final bend,
Can I count on you to be my friend?
To see I?m treated just and fair,
It means so much to know you care.

For, what the future holds in store,
Now that I can race no more,
Should be addressed for every hound,
Who parts the punter from his pound.

Tell them I don?t ask for much,
A kindly word, a gentle touch,
Somewhere warm to lay my head,
A meal each day to keep me fed,
Not just life- but quality,
This is how it ought to be.

Do not see me swept away,
I long to live another day,
With peace of mind, tranquillity,
And those who care surrounding me,
So tell them all- you have that choice,
I beg of you to be my voice.

By Denise Dubarbier.

OP posts:
mistlethrush · 01/07/2013 13:26

And, lets be honest, he's got a brain the size of one as he's a greyhound (I think there's lots of grey in mistlehound partly due to the lack of much going on between the ears) Grin

cinnamongreyhound · 01/07/2013 19:00

True Grin

Barry on homefinders, they've kept his racing name of Manjo :)

houndgirl2be · 02/07/2013 00:51

We adopted our gorgeous greyhound girl 4 weeks ago. She is amazing. So calm and happy. Loves her walks and eats up well. Ignores the cat and puts up with the kids. However... despite all the training tips we have had from the kennels we adopted her from, she is utterly distressed when we leave her alone. I'm so upset to leave her alone. I'm at home almost all the time at the moment but I would like to be able to go shopping without worrying about her. So the big question is. We have room, we can afford it and we would love it... Would having another greyhound help? I'd love another anyway but I'd like to know if it will help her. Any tips for two greyhounds? Better? Worse?

mistlethrush · 02/07/2013 08:14

Houndgirl - If you look down this thread you will see Moose has been having separation anxiety problems with her dog following the death of her other one - there are lots of useful things that she's been doing. However, you should also be able to find lots on separation anxiety from greyhound adoption sites, or places like Lurcher Link. It does take a lot of hard work, but its worth it - to be honest I would get your one less worried about being left before you get a second otherwise you might simply end up with 2 that both worry about being left!

moosemama · 02/07/2013 12:09

Hi houndgirl, you have my sympathies - you and I are in the same position - trapped in the house.

I am actually escaping tomorrow as my PILs have offered to dogsit for the day - first time in 24 years of dog ownership! [shocked]

I have been doing a lot of work with Lurcherboy to get him generally less anxious before we take on another pup, as I'm worried about doubling the trouble, iyswim and it is working, but it's a painfully slow process and three steps forwards, two steps back. We've reached the point where he's not a velcro dog anymore and doesn't stress when we leave, but starts howling when he's finished noshing his kongs and treat toys instead. Max we can leave him is 25 minutes at the moment.

I do know that often greyhounds are better in pairs though, as they are used to being with other greyhounds 24/7 until they are homed at the end of their career. Are you a member of the Greyhound Gap Forum at all? It might be worth joining and asking their advice, as they obviously have a lot of experience with adopted greyhounds.

Have to go and take dd to nursery now, but will be back later if you want to chat.

mistlethrush · 02/07/2013 12:19

(And, of course, Cinnamon has identified a lovely, not too large, hand reared greyhound who I'm sure that she would be really happy to know went to a good home and might indeed keep in touch a bit!)

We worried about SA in our lurcher shortly after we got her - got some advice and got that going and she's really settled down now. To the extent that, like previous dogs, we now tell her we're going out and she settles down on her bed in the hall where she can see us leaving - although she's normally back of the sofa by the time we return and weaves her way in a sleepy way back into the hall to say hello that we're back.

I'm also rather smug because she's decided that she would like to be with me, not DH. When we first got her, DH was definitely 'the one' - and she got worried when he went out even if I was around. However, she'll now choose to come and lie down on the hard bathroom floor whilst I have a shower rather than stay downstairs (OK, so she's probably getting out of DS's way too....) - its not food, and its not time spent with her (as DH works from home at the moment) so I think it is just because I tend to take her out for more 'extra' walks, and do a little bit more with her at the weekend, share the sofa with her and do more playing.

MagratGarlik · 02/07/2013 21:12

Complete change of subject, but Scruples had the most adorable whippet pup at the moment. She is 4 months old and her name is Lola.

moosemama · 02/07/2013 21:49

Oh yes Magrat, I saw her on FB today. She's beautiful. Smile

I had ds1 off with anxiety due to secondary transition today, so decided totake him and Lurcherboy out for a good long walk in the fields.

We ended up walking for over two hours and ds was a different child once we were out in nature. He finally relaxed enough to talk about some of his worries. On the way home, we walked through one of his favourite parks and he was delighted to find he had the whole play area to himself. It was lovely to see him clambering around looking relaxed and actually smiling. Didn't last long unfortunately, as one of the horrible girls from his year managed to upset him when we went to pick up ds2, by reminding him in a spiteful way that the rest of his year are off to visit the local academy tomorrow, so he'll be stuck with just 4 other children who aren't going there. Still it was lovey while it lasted.

The reason I'm telling this story is that the combination of lots of road work and free running once again hit the spot for Lurcherboy, who came home, flopped in his bed and slept through the afternoon school run! Shock

So, it appears not to be the amount of exercise (have walked him for that long before plenty of times, but without the road work) but the combination of roadwork and free running that makes the difference. Last time I walked him over that way and did a mix of road and field he was exhausted and went half an hour without a peep as well - so there may be something in this.

Mind you, I am paying for it tonight. I have a condition called CRPS (Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome) in my foot, following an injury last summer and boy is it hurting tonight. It was worth it though and to be honest, due to the bizarre nature of this condition I can get the same amount of pain from just walking to the corner shop some days and be fine on others. Hmm

I am sitting on the sofa with my foot raised and have dispatched dh to the shop for all important chocolate supplies! Grin

I have a day off from SA training tomorrow. My PILs have offered to look after Lurcherboy at their house for the day, as I have dd's Reception Transition morning to go to. So, we're going to make the most of it and go out to lunch, then do something nice together in the afternoon (haven't a clue what yet - probably shopping if she gets her way Hmm). Dh is dropping Lurcherboy on his way to work and picking him up on the way home. It's going to be really strange having a dogless house and I'll be desperate to get him back by tea time, but I do really need a break.

cinnamongreyhound · 02/07/2013 22:19

Sorry to hear about your ds and your foot moosemama.

Have unlocked the cat flap this afternoon, gulp!!

Random question, peanut will not poo when we're out. Have taken to putting him the garden as soon as we get home and he goes then. Would rather not have poo in the garden if I can help it, any ideas?

moosemama · 02/07/2013 22:29

Ah, thanks - my foot is old news these days and as the only treatment is using it to remind my brain that it still works, it fits in quite nicely with dog walking! Grin

Ds is a work in progress, we knew transition would be hard and the last couple of weeks at this school are bound to be particularly bad for him.

Good luck with the cat flap, but it sounds like he'll be fine from what you've posted so far.

As for the poo - sorry, I've no idea. One of my dogs used to refuse to poo anywhere but our garden and I distinctly remember panicking the first time we went away, as he held it in for four whole days before finally giving in! Shock We gave him loads of fuss and treats every time he did it while we were away, but he still carried on refusing to go anywhere but our garden as soon as we were home. Hmm

Could it perhaps be that he's just not feeling relaxed enough walking in new places and will start doing it when he's settled in a bit more do you think?

cinnamongreyhound · 03/07/2013 07:00

I did wonder that as he's not very sniffy while we are out and if dont stop the second he does to sniff he will leave it and carry on walking. He also jumps a bit at logs at the side or anything unexpected.

I'm not really worried about him with the cats but just that I've given them long enough to realise he's ok and for them to come back and feel safe. He's walked past all of them and hasn't done anything but whimper so hopefully they're smart enough to figure out he won't hurt them! They are getting really grumpy being in and dh is fed up of the litter tray (which I have been emptying!)

We are out walking now, and he's stopping a bit more so fingers crossed for a poo :)

mistlethrush · 03/07/2013 09:02

Cinnamon - can I offer you some encouragement? Mistlehound could be taken out every half hour for a walk or in the garden when we got her, then come in and perform on the rug in the hall. Or the one in the sitting room. She thought that 'in' was where you did things. But we managed to get her to accept that 'out' was where you did things - and she eventually discovered that you could even do it whilst on a walk and you would get praised, not told off.... If you see any hopeful signs I would use your trigger/ command word so that, if it happens, you specifically asked for it to happen and can therefore praise particularly highly. Its probably because he's used to 'out' being 'exercise' rather than other business and it will take a while to unlearn. I am, however, glad that mistlehound DOES accept the garden is appropriate - last night she even managed a very quiet whine to indicate that she needed to go out (too much baked pig's trotter I think) at 4am - and I really wouldn't have appreciated having to get up to take her out of the garden for a walk at that time!!!

Scuttlebutter · 03/07/2013 09:11

Hi Houndgirl, welcome to the cushion. Smile

A lot of greyhounds aremuch, much happier with company around. Bear in mind that they have spent their entire lives when racing with other dogs round them - being kept alone is utterly alien to them. On top of that they are then placed in a strange new home and have to adjust to living in a domestic household. It's a massive transition, and it's a great tribute to them that so many of them manage it so well. We waited three months after our first arrived before our second came and the difference it made to our first was remarkable. He really perked up and LOVED having this bossy little female to tell him what to do.

Personally, I'd have a chat with your rescue - if you are willing to give a home to a second dog, this might be an option. It's possible that they would be willing for one of their dogs to come and have a short trial stay with you to see how this works - you could ask about this. A reputable rescue will also be able to provide some advice on helping your girl to settle. I'd be working hard on helping her to establish a routine, and possibly considering a DAP diffuser to help too.

Good luck. Smile

Scuttlebutter · 03/07/2013 09:12

Magrat, I now have a Barry Manilow earworm!! Grin

MagratGarlik · 03/07/2013 09:37

Dp wanted to name our lurcher Lola when we got her actually. He said her tiger strips and eyes which look like she's wearing heavy eyeliner make her look like an ageing showgirl. I won Grin.

Cinnamon wrt poo, when we got our lurcher, she walked very well on the lead but didn't seem to know walking for fun. It took a good few months before she got the idea. She got there in the end though, just with time.

mistlethrush · 03/07/2013 10:27

Our lurcher was a bit like taking zebeedee out on a lead - if there was another dog she bounced. If there was mud or a puddle she bounced. And I'm not talking head to waist type bounces, I'm talking head on the same level as mine bounces... Everyone knows me as the one with the bouncing lurcher - we've got used to it but it still amazes people when they see her up at shoulder height with very little preparation when she wants to see something and is not tall enough. She has always, though, had the remarkable ability of hardly pulling on the lead, despite this (all this is forgotten when we go racing as she wants HER TURN NOW!!!)

moosemama · 03/07/2013 10:46

Dd has a cuddly toy dog called Lola - and also a best friend at school called Lola! Grin She actually have virtually a whole kennel's worth of cuddly dogs and they all sleep in a dog, bed next to her bed and get brought down in the morning. They get walked, clicker trained, groomed and health checked - have their ears and teeth cleaned, claws clipped and the occasional injection and bandaged paw.

Mistle, lurcherboy used to do those 4-paw head-level bounces as a youngster - very impressive Tigger impression it was too! Grin He's too big these days, but he can still leap a dog gate in one smooth deer-like movement if the mood takes him. Fortunately he now knows not to, as we had to do a lot of work to get him to stop when dd started getting mobile as a baby.

houndgirl2be · 03/07/2013 16:15

Hi everyone!
Thank you ever so much for the advice and sorry I have not got back to you quicker. Moosemama, sorry to hear about your clingy boy :( I hope things improve for you . I am trying to build our girls confidence and am following all the tips given to me by our rescue. I spoke to them about the issue and they seemed to think that another GH would help, as they have always been together in pairs. I think we would need a more confident boy to bring her out of herself. We are going to go and meet some hounds at the weekend and they have said we would be okay to bring one home for a trial, the difficult bit would be explaining to the DCs that it is just a trial. Things are okay at the moment because I'm not working, but I have a PT job in september which would mean that she would need to be on her own for a few hours at a time. I'll let you all know how we get on. I'm just on the way out (wish me luck!) but i'll try to read back through the thread and get to know people a bit better later on xx

moosemama · 03/07/2013 17:01

Thanks houndgirl, he's improving all the time, with a few backward slides here and there. Good luck with meeting the hounds this weekend.

I have enjoyed my day off, but the house feels so empty. It's horrible. Fortunately I have been out for most of the day, but coming back to an empty house three times has been awful.

Apparently lurcherboy was fine being left with my PILs this morning and has been thoroughly spoiled. I sent a big bag of his treats and his favourite ball, but am pretty sure he will have been fed all manner of contraband treats, which will make for interesting er ... deposits tomorrow. Hmm Grin

YourHandInMyHand · 03/07/2013 19:42

Hi everyone! Not been around much lately as been a busy bee.

However I am skulking back in to ask for advice about much less ShyDog. She has always been fine when I've gone out, if I'm going out for more than half an hour I leave her with a stuffed kong, but this last week she has been terrible. I'd noticed she was crying as went out - well she's obviously not settling straight down as in last week she has chewed and ruined my wooden bread bin (eating the full loaf inside it), a wooden bird box, and chewed a chunk out of my dining table leg!!! Shock Sad

All I can put it down to is her staying at my mum's for a week while we went on holiday, but she was home for well over a week before this separation anxiety came on.

I rent and I'm really worried I'll come home her to find she has chewed the door or a kitchen cupboard.

Please pointy owners what shall I do?? I am going to walk her to the pet shop tomorrow and get some DAP spray for her bed, and another sort of "busy" toy (although she seems to be saving her kong until I get home whereas she used to get stuck in while I was out). Is there anything obvious I might be missing??

YourHandInMyHand · 03/07/2013 19:52

Just reading back along the thread to see what I've missed and see others have asked or are working on separation anxiety too. At least I'm not the only one!

I was told my GH would be happier as an only dog, she didn't get on with the other dogs she was kennelled with (apparently she was quite the bossy boots). So I'd never considered getting another - don't think I have the room anyway TBH. :-/

moosemama · 03/07/2013 20:23

Hi YourHand, sorry to hear you are struggling with SA as well.

I'd recommend the DAP diffuser, rather than the spray. Lurcherboy started to connect the smell of the DAP spray on his bed with me leaving, so we had to stop using it. Hmm

As well as DAP, I use Dorwest Herbs Scullcap and Valerian tablets and top them up with a dose of valerian compound if he seems particularly on edge. I forgot to give him the pills for two days in a row last week and he howled like a wolf on the second day, so I do think they're having some effect.

I've found he doesn't really go for kongs. In fact he hasn't touched them at all since I bought his treat dispensing ball, even though I always put both down for him.

Also, only give her a kong/treat toy when you leave and remove it when you return. This will help her to associate you leaving with positive things happening and over time will counter-condition her current association with feeling anxiety/distress when you leave. If you leave the toy down when you are around, it doesn't have the same effect.

Have you tried desensitising her to your leaving routine? Doing things like picking up your keys then sitting down. Doing your hair, putting your coat on and picking up your handbag then watching tv. Basically, whatever your normal 'leaving the house routine' is, break it down and desensitise her to each step. Doing all this randomly, but frequently, gradually building up to doing the whole routine, but without leaving the house will help her to relax if she is picking up on signals that you are about to leave her.

Same with heading for the exit and actually going out of the exit. Work up to it very slowly, moving towards the exit a little way, but not leaving, then closer and closer, then hand on the door handle, then open the door, then stand in the doorway, then go through, then shut the door for a second, then gradually start extending the length of time you are on the other side before coming back in. You need to do each step lots of times and if she starts to look at all stressed or worried, go back a couple of steps until she is coping before moving on again.

You can also make sure she spends periods of time sitting in a different room to you with the door closed, so that she starts to relax when left on her own in a room. You can use a kong or treat toy for this, so that she makes positive associations with 'alone time'.

Do you usually have the tv or radio on when you are home at all? If so, perhaps try leaving it on when you go out, so there's some normal background noise rather than sudden silence when you close the door.

I presume she wasn't left alone by your mum, which could be what's behind this. It might also be that, after you brought her home, she started fretting when you left her sooner than you realise, but was perhaps just stressed and whiny at first, then worked her way up to the chewing/destructive behaviour.

The good news is that, as it's new behaviour, it shouldn't take very long to sort out. You just need to reaffirm the good associations she had with being at home and being relaxed when you left her that she had before she went to your mum's house.

houndgirl2be · 03/07/2013 21:00

All these poor pointy hounds that don't like to be left :( I hope they all get sorted soon. Strategies I have been using are: a DAP diffuser, desensitisation, stuffed kongs, radio on, only letting her sleep in the one place you want her to be when you go out. Anyone go any other tips? I still think this is what she thinks when I leave... fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/p480x480/1002394_322542794544993_1219898551_n.jpg (hoping I copied that link correctly!)

houndgirl2be · 03/07/2013 21:02

Oh - I'll get some valerian too! Thank you x

YourHandInMyHand · 03/07/2013 21:03

Thanks so much for all that advice moosemama! Smile

My mum didn't leave her, she took the full week off work to spend with her and I got the impression she was reluctant to let me have ShyDog back.:-D

I do leave the radio on when I go out as I tend to have it on when I'm in. The house seems oddly quiet without a radio on so I leave it on for her.

Keeping the kong only for when I am out is a good idea. She usually really enjoys her kong. Will look for something similar to that ball too.

I definitely need to desensitise her to going out cues. For example if me or DS open the under stairs cupboard where our coats are she runs upstairs!

I think she is on edge in general, I've had the odd little cry from her today at random intervals, which she doesn't usually do, will get some of that compound and a plug in.

Thankfully her and DS and the cat are all living harmoniously now. The cat and her sniff each other and the cat is boss, and shydog is no longer scared of DS but they are both respectful of each other's space. One problem is sorted and another arises!