whovian
Junior Grey Lover
River (a.k.a Iruska Cool Chic) has claimed me as her "friendbeast"
Posts: 171
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Post by whovian on Apr 25, 2014 8:38:06 GMT -5
Hello again.
So lately River has been displaying signs of aggression towards my housemates and I and I am not quite sure how to approach it or deal with it. It started at Christmas, with one isolated incident. River was lying on her bed in front of the TV (we were staying at a friend's house), and my boyfriend's sister walked past the dog bed to the couch. She did not get closer than two feet away from River, did not bend down, just walked past. River sat up and growled at her, with a very low, deep-in-the-throat growl.
We don't know if River had been asleep or not, but I assumed it was sleep aggression prompted by being in a new house, with new surroundings and sleeping on a bed in a very "exposed" area (i.e. not a crate). It didn't happen again for a long time - until the middle of March.
In March my roommate was standing in the Kitchen beside River's kitchen bed. She was wagging her tail at him, head up, ears back (clearly awake). He squatted down to pet her, scratching under her chin and petting her chest like I taught him to do, and all of a sudden she started growling at him. My roommate jumped back and got away from her, giving her space. It was weird because she had "invited" him to pet her in the first place by wagging her tail and sticking her tongue in and out as she does when she is excited.
It's now become a weekly occurrence, mostly with her growling at me rather than my roommates. It's hard to know if she has always had sleep aggression in particular as she was in so much discomfort when I first brought her home and on Rheumocam which kind of "dulled" her. It was like she was in "shell shock" until she started to feel better around Christmas. But when I first brought her home, she was fine with me petting her, and would fall asleep with her head in my hand no problems. Now, if she starts to fall asleep while I'm petting her, I get up and move because she will get aggressive if she wakes up and I am touching her.
But these growling episodes are when she is clearly wide awake.
Her kitchen bed is where the majority of the episodes have occurred, and it was kind of out in the open where people frequently had to walk around her. I moved the furniture around in the kitchen and put her bed between the pantry and a wall so that she is walled in on three sides when she lies there. People still have to walk past her, but she is much less exposed lying there and she can still see what is going on in the entire kitchen. So far that's seemed to be helping, and she has been lying in the kitchen MUCH more frequently since I made the change. But then this morning she did it again - wagged her tail until I came over to pet her, let me pet her on her chest and the front part of her shoulder, and then started growling at me.
River likes to keep to herself and she has never been a cuddle bear, which is all right with me. I'm happy with giving her her space. But this new, frequent growling is disconcerting, especially when it so often follows what I perceive as an invitation to come over and pet her. She's never done it to strangers that come in the house, only to the people who live here -- but still, I want to know what sets her off so that I can make changes and nip the problem in the bud. Any ideas?
ETA: I am not aware of any injury in that front shoulder or her chest, and I don't think it's always been petting her chest or shoulder that sets her off, though I will have to think about that. There may be a correlation between discomfort and her aggression (she has osteoarthritis in her broken hock and is generally grumpy on cold, rainy days) but that doesn't explain all instances -- this morning is bright and sunny.
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Post by mustlovedogs on Apr 25, 2014 12:19:25 GMT -5
Hi there, Do you think it's possible River is guarding her bed? I'm not sure if she's ever shown a possessive/guarding tendency towards other objects or toys, but she could telling you her bed is strictly her property. From your post above, it sounds like she only growls when she's in her bed, which is why I've suggested this? I experienced a similar phenomenon when I first brought Teia home - when Teia would approach me and my little cairn on the couch, he would growl. Our trainer quickly deduced that Dexter was guarding me (I guess I'm property in his opinion, lol). Of course, it's also common behavior when some dogs have a high value item and growls when he/she feels it will be taken away. Perhaps River places high value on her bed. According to our trainer, it can be really variable what pups will guard...anything from beds, to toys to the very end of their leash. I'm not really sure what steps to take from here, our trainer has really helped with my cairn's guarding tendency of objects and people. I also like your idea of looking at a possible medical component - you never know if River could be in pain. Good luck.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2014 13:25:04 GMT -5
I really like what mustlovedogs posted. I think it's very accurate. One thing we must remember is that these greyhounds are in their crates by themselves. It's like their dens and I imagine that they would feel very sucure in them. Then we bring them home to an ongoing list of excitment in our househoulds, new sights, new sounds, new smells, new people, new routine. You get the idea. I've experienced this as well with some of my guys, it just takes time but I also let them know I'm not happy about their growling. I let it be for a moment after correcting them, then approach slowy and with praise. In my own experience, if we don't let them know we're not happy with their behavior, it can escalate because we're not giving them any direction so they just kind of think it's ok. I'm no professional by any means, it's just what works for me! I would think that if it's a pain reaction, it would be more of a wince than a growl.? Martha
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aeiou
Grey Puppy
Posts: 82
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Post by aeiou on Apr 25, 2014 13:33:28 GMT -5
A few things come to mind. First and foremost, have her checked over by your vet. I can't stress this enough. Sometimes they can be grumpy when they're feeling poorly. If you're seeing an increase of this behaviour that grumpiness can be attributed to pain or discomfort. Express the concerns to your vet so they know what has been going on. It could be something so simple like a sore tooth or an old injury. Particularly at this time of year when it's really damp outside, old injuries can flare up. Does River have a "safe zone" to retreat to when she's feeling overwhelmed? I ask because it sounds like you have a very busy household. If her beds are located in busy places like the kitchen and living room, then it may be that she's overwhelmed and needs space. Even moving her bed to the side of the room and making it clear to everyone that if she's in her space, leave her alone. These guys are used to long periods of quiet, alone time so it can be overwhelming if they're around a lot of activity. My personal feeling is that sleep aggression is really a misnomer. I've had many a foster where I've trained the "sleep aggression" out of them. Would I fully trust them? In time, perhaps, as long as they gave me no reason to doubt that they're ok. My first female grey had sleep aggression. I learned the hard way that I needed to address it and not ignore it... I woke up at 3 a.m. with her jaws around my ankle. I was bruised but not injured... though I'm sure my ego was bruised more. LOL It just takes time and patience to re-code their brains to understand that the disturbances while sleeping is not in itself an aggressive act, but just a normal part of life. Sleep aggression as well, manifests in being disturbed while asleep and it sounds like some of River's occurrences have been while full awake and alert, which suggests to me that she was likely feeling threatened in some way. As for why it's just starting to manifest now is easily explained by the Honeymoon period. Every hound I've brought home goes through a period of time where they are absolute angels. They couldn't put a fur out of place until one to two months into being home when they are relaxed enough to push some boundaries. From there, it's all in how you handle the behavior on whether the relationship will remain solid. To address the roommate incident because you've given a very detailed account: that was a very mixed response from her. The ears back suggests she was tentative and the licking is often a sign of anxiety. The tail wag depending on the manner it was given could have been a "approach me slow; I'm anxious" or "please pet me".. hard to know without seeing it. In effect, she was already warning him not to get too close. In a position like that, he should have called her over and let her make the decision to be pet rather than approach. So, the solution... What has worked for me with the "Grumpy Gus's" is start by playing it down and taking it slow. If you hear the slightest growl, a firm "Knock it off", "Hey" or "Now now" and redirect either yourself physically or her attention. Don't get angry or emotional because that just heightens her emotions to the event. Emotion = anxiety * Don't get into her face.* In the dog world, forcing them to look you in the eye is a threatening behavior. If someone must crouch to pet her, make sure they are at her side and not directly in front of her. Co-sleeping is probably not a good idea until she can fully trust you. Don't put yourself at risk or set her up for failure. If she's on her bed, she's off limits. When anyone wants to pet her, they should call her forward and let her make the decision on if she feels comfortable enough to approach. Learn her boundaries and use those as your guidelines. She'll let you know when the limits are near with posture. It takes some time to push past some of these issues, but the important thing is letting her move at her pace. The relationship you will build is one of complete trust and it is a reward in itself. My heart was torn out when my "space aggressive" girl crossed the bridge because she and I had a very tight bond. If you feel you need help, locate a Doggie Behaviourist in your area. There are many qualified folks out there who are trained to work with these issues. They can give you tips and tricks, but also help you understand her language a bit better. That will help you establish the boundaries. Good luck and scritches for River.
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Post by angelollie on Apr 25, 2014 19:48:07 GMT -5
When greyhounds live at the track their kennel is their only solitude, the only place they can call their own, just as Hound Haven stated. This is the place they call "home" ... they eat in their kennel, sleep, relax, play, etc. River probably views her bed as her kennel as well and even though she appears to be happy to see people (and I believe she is) she may see that person as a threat to her space (her kennel) as that person comes too close.
I would let River know that this is not a behaviour that you approve of by correcting her each time she growls at you or your friends. After all, you are the alpha in your home and you are alpha to River. But in all fairness to River, as Aeiou suggested, move River's bed off to the side of the room and let people know that when River is on her bed (her kennel) that her space is off limits. If people want to see her, then let River leave her space and go meet that person.
I have a hound that is space aggressive and he is more then aware that I don't approve of his behaviour. He wasn't an overly affectionate boy when he first arrived home but today he and I have the most amazing bond. I would take advantage of those times we would go for a walk or play or maybe just sit on the floor together (any place but his space) .... give him hugs, lots of praise and it paid off ... today he is the most affectionate boy ever.
Good luck ... and hugs to River
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whovian
Junior Grey Lover
River (a.k.a Iruska Cool Chic) has claimed me as her "friendbeast"
Posts: 171
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Post by whovian on Apr 25, 2014 23:30:26 GMT -5
Thank you all for taking the time to write your well-considered replies! It rained today, all day, of course. I should have known. There is an absolute correlation between rain and a very grumpy River. So several warm, just-out-of-the-dryer blankets and a taste of Rheumocam later (she felt pretty crappy today), here we are. Still, the rain, in my opinion, only exacerbates what must be an underlying problem. Unfortunately I live in a house of hallways, and there honestly isn't anywhere where I can put River's bed in the kitchen where she is 100% out of the way. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen and I learned early on that she must have a bed there, or else she will cry till the cows come home and try to eat the wallpaper. Not that I mind the sentiment - it is terrible wallpaper. With a bed in the kitchen, however, River is quite content to lie and watch us cook and eat our dinner. She doesn't usually make a peep, and therefore no cows show up on our doorstep (which is a good thing since I live in an urban subdivision). Attachment DeletedShe's been much happier since I moved her bed to the location shown in the picture above. We still have to walk past her to enter the kitchen (entrance = the wall on the left) but it's much less exposed than before. If that corner still isn't enough, I might try putting something in front of that left wall to discourage people from walking too close to her. I will take your advice and start imposing a "dog is off-limits when she is in bed" rule with my housemates. There are four of us, but River and I have the house to ourselves a lot of the time so it really isn't as busy as it seems. And since River is 100% my pup, and therefore petting her is a privilege for them, I should have no trouble retraining my housemates. I tried sitting cross-legged on the floor at the end of that runner carpet in the picture (4 feet away from her) for a total of about half an hour over several sessions tonight waiting to see if she would come to me and let me pet her. River is a very "what's in it for me?" kind of greyhound, and I've discovered that, without a treat, there is no way she will be getting up off that bed. Her ears were up (not flat against her head) during these sessions, so that was a positive sign. But with the exception of the session where I sat down beside a piece of broccoli, she did not once get up to come see me. And let's be truthful, that one time she got up to see the broccoli, not me. But it's a start, and we will keep trying. It's really hard not to make eye contact, especially as she stares at my face the whole time. Next time I will try harder to make myself perpendicular to her line of sight. Lastly, I realized tonight that River's antisocial behaviour may actually be a two-way street from her perspective. River's floor-is-lava problem means that a lot of the time she can't actually come to us if she wants attention. Right now I am sitting at my kitchen table and there is about 4 feet of tile floor separating me from the nearest runner. She'd never cross that without magic shoes. My desk where I work is likewise separated from the nearest mat precipice by about 4 feet of lava *cough* I mean, hardwood. I have tried putting runners over these sections, but she's shown no interest in using them. I've tried to help River understand that the entire house is "her" territory, insofar as she is allowed to go everywhere, but still she has confined herself to about 35 feet of carpet runners. I have 5 more 7 foot runners spread throughout the house, connected to her 35 foot "safe zone", but she is too afraid to use them. Given all that, it is absolutely understandable that she would get territorial about the small amount of space in this huge lava house where she feels safe. And also why she's taught us to go to her instead of coming to us herself -- most of the time she knows she can't reach us, so she doesn't try. The floor-is-lava situation is on-going. We've made humungous progress in the last nine months: a five foot "safe zone" has turned into 35 feet including a step and a terrifying stair landing. Patience, a lot of Hansel-and-Gretel style trails of treats, and time will tell if she ever sees the whole house as safe. In the meantime, I will add a "come to me for pettings" into our training routine and see if I can nip this in the bud. My plan was to give myself until September (her 1 year gotcha day) before I turned to a professional doggy trainer for help, but if the aggression continues that will be my next step. Once again, and as always, I appreciate the feedback. This forum has been invaluable to me as I work with River. I live in a house full of cat people, and while there is nothing wrong with that, my housemates nevertheless find training animals to be a rather foreign concept. I simply can't have conversations with them about what the source of River's aggression might be, and the best way to go about dealing with it. Largely because, up until now, they've all found pet aggression rather adorable (I've never really understood why some people allow cats to scratch and claw them and call it "playing"). Anyway, that's beside the point. Thank you all again, and anyone else who wants to chime in. I will keep you updated on our progress and I will be extra vigilant to pay attention to River's flat-against-her-head instead of up-and-perky ears.
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whovian
Junior Grey Lover
River (a.k.a Iruska Cool Chic) has claimed me as her "friendbeast"
Posts: 171
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Post by whovian on Apr 25, 2014 23:43:57 GMT -5
I should also mention that yes, River has a crate about 10 feet away from her kitchen bed in another room where she can "retire" if things get too busy for her. She uses it daily, and there is no reason for anyone to come within three feet of her crate.
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whovian
Junior Grey Lover
River (a.k.a Iruska Cool Chic) has claimed me as her "friendbeast"
Posts: 171
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Post by whovian on Apr 26, 2014 7:26:47 GMT -5
Update: River peed the bed.
Sometimes I feel like River is secretly a Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde doggy experiment and that what transforms her into the bad version of herself is rain. She is a completely different dog when it rains.
Last night I took her out at 1 am before I went to bed. After much cajoling we went outside and stood in the backyard for 10 minutes. She did not pee. 6 hours later I wake up to her crying. I roll out of bed, walk down the hall to the study where her crate is and where she sleeps, and I am greeted immediately by the smell of pee.
She only ever pees in her crate. It could be a bed aggression/protecting thing, but that doesn't explain why she only ever does it when it's raining. And even if that were the case, it doesn't explain why she pees on her bed and then lies in it. The pee was dry, both on the bed and on her, so she must have done it hours ago, likely not long after we went outside.
She displays no other signs of a UTI or bladder infection. She is not peeing unusually frequently, and does not appear to experience discomfort when she pees. I expect that she just finds the soft bed easier to squat on than the hard ground outside.
Sigh. Now all the things are in the wash and as soon as she has digested her breakfast, we're headed for a trip to the tub. Maybe it's time to hire that professional trainer. I honestly don't know what else I can do.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2014 7:44:34 GMT -5
Take a deep breath and be sure to have a nap today, it sounds like you had a rough night. I mentioned in my earlier post that I didn't think it was pain related but I take that back. My body aches all over on a day like today and makes me feel crappy so I assume River feels the same. As for peeing in her bed, I've had this happen as well and boy, very frustrating. I also have a pup who wouldn't possibly go out in the rain. Have you ever tried Rescue Remedy? It's a dropper bottle of calming essential oils. You can buy it at the grocery store for about $12.00. Perhaps something to think about and if you do, use it consistently. It sounds like River has some signaficant stress going on and sometimes it's so difficult to see what's before our very eyes. You are very dilegent about working with her, so in time, yes, time, I'm certain you will figure things out. One of my boys that I adopted took 9hrs to come into my house when I brought him home, peed all over the place, not marking, just terrified. Today, he is the funniest, sweetest boy on earth. I realise this post is not very helpful for you, I just wanted to convey that many of us have been thru things like this and for you to hang in there. It's so worth it. Keep us posted and we'll be keeping pawsitive thoughts for you! Martha
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Post by newtothis1 on Apr 26, 2014 10:39:29 GMT -5
You have hit a bit of a rough spot for sure, but it will get better. My guy shocked the heck out of me the first time he snapped when someone walked past his bed. He had been home for a few months and had never done anything like it in the past. I was so shocked that I did not react and put it down to the whole, this is my bed and the only thing I have thing. But then he did it again. This time I was ready and told him in no uncertain terms (firm voice) that he was not to do that again. Since his bed was right in the living room and I always have people in and out we could not have this continue. He did it a few more times before he realized that it was not acceptable and has not done it again. I am always on alert when the kids are around (toddlers) but so far s good. Consistency is the best thing. Stop it before it starts, even when someone is going by and she is not growling. Tell hr to be a good girl and no growling etc...
He is very timid and I have found that over time as he has gained confidence it has made a huge change for the better. River could even be frightened of the rain and that is what has started the peeing problem. Try putting a rain coat on her and going or a walk in the rain hopefully she will pee that way. I think that anything you can do right now to boost her confidence will be the best thing for her. My guy used to refuse to go out in the rain as well, now he goes begrudgingly only after I force him off the deck, he does his pee then practically knocks you down to get back in the house where it is dry and if it storms, forget it, he will hold it for hours or until I go all the way out with him and keep talking to him the whole time he is out.
Good luck you are a great Mum to take so much time and care with your girl.
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sandysfarm
Grey Lover
positive reinforcement is theElegantSolution
Posts: 676
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Post by sandysfarm on Apr 26, 2014 11:49:21 GMT -5
Update: River peed the bed. Sometimes I feel like River is secretly a Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde doggy experiment and that what transforms her into the bad version of herself is rain. She is a completely different dog when it rains. Last night I took her out at 1 am before I went to bed. After much cajoling we went outside and stood in the backyard for 10 minutes. She did not pee. 6 hours later I wake up to her crying. I roll out of bed, walk down the hall to the study where her crate is and where she sleeps, and I am greeted immediately by the smell of pee. She only ever pees in her crate. It could be a bed aggression/protecting thing, but that doesn't explain why she only ever does it when it's raining. And even if that were the case, it doesn't explain why she pees on her bed and then lies in it. The pee was dry, both on the bed and on her, so she must have done it hours ago, likely not long after we went outside. She displays no other signs of a UTI or bladder infection. She is not peeing unusually frequently, and does not appear to experience discomfort when she pees. I expect that she just finds the soft bed easier to squat on than the hard ground outside. Sigh. Now all the things are in the wash and as soon as she has digested her breakfast, we're headed for a trip to the tub. Maybe it's time to hire that professional trainer. I honestly don't know what else I can do. Hi I haven't read your posts in entirety but it's reading to me like you've got a dog that's shut down and it's either fear- or pain-related. i also think you don't have enough room for her to get away from you mentally. So she's stuck in quarters that for her right now too tight to let her observe and acclimate without constantly having to deal with one of you tromping into her unique, physiologically-dictated separation space - (I'm a trainer so forgive the cut-to-the-chase here) She's left snapping at you because you're over her threshold - it's quote irrelevant that you think it should be enough for her - it's not. So she's got her ears back on her head, she's averting, she's licking her lips, snapping, not wanting to be taken out of her bed, growling, How much more dog language does she need to deliver to tell you she needs help? As if that isn't trying enough for her, now you're supposed to tell her not to growl - People need to thank their dogs for growling at them because it's what a normal well adjusted dog does to tell you you're freaking it out - AFTER you've missed the head averting, pinned ears, lip licking comments to date. Read that: You've got a normal well-adjusted dog in your house! Yay!! Since she's so normal, she's going to use her mouth next if you squash her. Then you get to find out how her bite threshold is...not something we want. I don't buy the "dampness makes her grumpy" thing - at all. I'd assume, if you have the vet's say so, that there's a bit of pain and treat that as a separate issue. Do you walk her for an hour? Just you and her? In a park or on grass where she can sniff? Do you treat her while you're walking her? Walking works the large muscle masses. That drains off adrenalin, which helps her normalize her levels and that's needed mentally and physically. Stressed dogs have high cortisol levels -' cortisol stays in the system for days after one single incident which causes havoc with the ability to normalize - it's sort of like being poisoned permanently. Walk her - more space - way more - if you can't meet more of her needs, this may not be the dog to live with. Lots of people have had that experience through no fault of theirs or the dog's.
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whovian
Junior Grey Lover
River (a.k.a Iruska Cool Chic) has claimed me as her "friendbeast"
Posts: 171
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Post by whovian on Apr 26, 2014 17:16:25 GMT -5
Hi Sandysfarm.
I appreciate your feedback. What you've said has convinced me that it's time to bring in a professional to look at our situation, because I am obviously in way over my head.
The problem is not that River does not get enough exercise. I walk her as far and as long as I feel is safe - when we've gone too far, her bad leg reaches tetanus (maximum fatigue) and we have to stop because the muscles in that leg are shaking. I pay very very close attention to this, avoid it as best I can, and I walk her a little bit more each week as she gets stronger. We cannot walk an hour every day, but we walk until she is tired. It is hard sometimes, but I have to remember that River spent almost 6 months in her crate with a broken leg and absolutely no exercise on Vet's orders. We only just got the go ahead to run again 6 weeks ago, and that doesn't mean she has all her strength back.
We walk in the neighbourhood, at the park, and through the forest (alternating) every day. In the park and the forest she can sniff to her heart's content. She is very, very good on our walks now.
It makes me unbelievably sad that you think that my home environment is poisoning her and that she might not be the dog for me to live with. Given how hard the adjustment process has been for her, you might be right.
But I don't believe that returning her to the kennel at this point is in her best interests. If I was going to return her, I should have done it when I first found out that her hock was still broken in September. Then she would have had a chance to recover in her crate in a kennel, a familiar environment, instead of in a crate, in a house, where all the surroundings are new. That kennel scenario might have saved her from developing all the fears that she now lives with in my house. But I loved her, and I was selfish. I kept her and cared for her and personally made sure that her hock healed properly, finally, last fall.
River is a wonderful, beautiful dog with a great big personality and lots of love to share. She also has a full blown phobia of flooring - linoleum, hardwood, tile, marble, metal, polished concrete, and even unfamiliar carpet. Perhaps I am still being selfish, but as I cannot guarantee that her next owner will be ready to deal with her disabling fears, I cannot feel comfortable returning her. Her fear travels with her - I know she will be just as afraid of a new house and new floors as she is of mine because I have taken her to the vet, to the pet store, and to visit other houses and all those experiences terrify her. It would devastate me to watch her stay for months on that adoptables page because she is waiting for someone else with enough love and patience to rehabilitate her and transform her into "a well-adjusted dog." I haven't given up on River yet. And I don't think she's given up on me either. She's just telling me right now that something isn't working, and you're right, that I need to work harder at listening to her. I came on here because I was realizing that I still don't know how to listen. I thank all of you for helping me find my ears.
River has become my closest friend. I will do whatever it takes to make her well. Unfortunately, I will probably make a lot of mistakes along the way. Like I said, you've convinced me that it is time to seek professional help as this new aggression makes it clear that she is shutting down. If that professional trainer suggests that she can never be happy living here with me, then of course I will do what is best for her. But in the meantime, I am going to keep celebrating her progress and keep learning how to listen. Once again, thank you for helping me figure out how to start.
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sandysfarm
Grey Lover
positive reinforcement is theElegantSolution
Posts: 676
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Post by sandysfarm on Apr 26, 2014 19:29:24 GMT -5
Hi Sandysfarm. I appreciate your feedback. What you've said has convinced me that it's time to bring in a professional to look at our situation, because I am obviously in way over my head. The problem is not that River does not get enough exercise. I walk her as far and as long as I feel is safe - when we've gone too far, her bad leg reaches tetanus (maximum fatigue) and we have to stop because the muscles in that leg are shaking. I pay very very clos e attention to this, avoid it as best I can, and I walk her a little bit more each week as she gets stronger. We cannot walk an hour every day, but we walk until she is tired. It is hard sometimes, but I have to remember that River spent almost 6 months in her crate with a broken leg and absolutely no exercise on Vet's orders. We only just got the go ahead to run again 6 weeks ago, and that doesn't mean she has all her strength back. We walk in the neighbourhood, at the park, and through the forest (alternating) every day. In the park and the forest she can sniff to her heart's content. She is very, very good on our walks now. It makes me unbelievably sad that you think that my home environment is poisoning her and that she might not be the dog for me to live with. Given how hard the adjustment process has been for her, you might be right. But I don't believe that returning her to the kennel at this point is in her best interests. If I was going to return her, I should have done it when I first found out that her hock was still broken in September. Then she would have had a chance to recover in her crate in a kennel, a familiar environment, instead of in a crate, in a house, where all the surroundings are new. That kennel scenario might have saved her from developing all the fears that she now lives with in my house. But I loved her, and I was selfish. I kept her and cared for her and personally made sure that her hock healed properly, finally, last fall. River is a wonderful, beautiful dog with a great big personality and lots of love to share. She also has a full blown phobia of flooring - linoleum, hardwood, tile, marble, metal, polished concrete, and even unfamiliar carpet. Perhaps I am still being selfish, but as I cannot guarantee that her next owner will be ready to deal with her disabling fears, I cannot feel comfortable returning her. Her fear travels with her - I know she will be just as afraid of a new house and new floors as she is of mine because I have taken her to the vet, to the pet store, and to visit other houses and all those experiences terrify her. It would devastate me to watch her stay for months on that adoptables page because she is waiting for someone else with enough love and patience to rehabilitate her and transform her into "a well-adjusted dog." I haven't given up on River yet. And I don't think she's given up on me either. She's just telling me right now that something isn't working, and you're right, that I need to work harder at listening to her. I came on here because I was realizing that I still don't know how to listen. I thank all of you for helping me find my ears. River has become my closest friend. I will do whatever it takes to make her well. Unfortunately, I will probably make a lot of mistakes along the way. Like I said, you've convinced me that it is time to seek professional help as this new aggression makes it clear that she is shutting down. If that professional trainer suggests that she can never be happy living here with me, then of course I will do what is best for her. But in the meantime, I am going to keep celebrating her progress and keep learning how to listen. Once again, thank you for helping me figure out how to start. hey whovian? way to go!! I don't think you need a trainer; I acrually think you've got this. Anybody that can stick up for their dog and their relationship with their dog like that just needs a bit of advice here and there from a good solid source. that's the second time, for anybody else reading, that you've stepped right up to the plate and claimed her. I approve of you...
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Redhead
Grey Lover
Teague (Natural Red Head)
Posts: 823
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Post by Redhead on Apr 28, 2014 21:47:00 GMT -5
Sorry you are going through this, but it is great to see you are dedicated to your pup! Most greyhound "attacks" are due to anxiety or fear and you can easily see this from their body posture as was mentioned above.
Have you tried food rewards for counterconditioning? It sounds like your dog has a negative association with people moving or coming over to her on her bed. Food can be a great tool to recondition her and to make her feel more confident with people being near her. In the beginning, you can simply have people walk by and toss the most high value treat you can think of (boiled chicken, steak, etc.) near her as they go by. They shouldn't look at her or talk to her in the beginning. Most dogs will eventually start to wait for people to walk by, and after this you can gradually use food as a reward for touching and petting on the bed. Doing some training and exercising together is also a great way to build trust and respect as Sandysfarm mentioned. Good luck!
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Tipsy
Grey Puppy
Posts: 91
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Post by Tipsy on May 6, 2014 13:23:28 GMT -5
I agree with Redhead - food is a huge motivator! In the beginning, Booker would growl at us if we left our hand on him too long, or if we sat too close while he was eating, but with the right incentives(cheese, turkey, and more cheese), he's realized the benefits of us being nearby!
And if you feel overwhelmed, don't be afraid to visit a trainer, that's what they're there for. Even if it's something fairly minor, a good trainer can not only help you find solutions to current problems, but also teach you how to go about handling any future issues.
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