[Steve M]

Adopted my greyhound from an adoption agency. He had been adopted before for two years by “hermit type woman” who turned him back in “saying he couldn’t be leash trained.” I think she really meant “house trained.” We live on a golf course and before we can get him to go out, he looks through the window and won’t go out (fenced yard) if he sees golfers out there. We have hard wood floors with runner rugs to prevent his slipping and if there is more than one foot gap between them he doesn’t want to cross it !!! Any help would be much appreciated. ‘[email protected]

[anonymous]

Take him to the vet. There are medications for canine anxiety.
Yes, dogs can have anxiety disorders and PTSD just like people.
The medication will more than likely be just to get him through the transition period.
Carry him outside if you have to, only stay a couple of minutes, bring him in and give him a treat. Just a small bite of something tasty, like chicken.
Same thing with the carpet offer him a bite to cross over.
Baby steps. Maybe a little more time outside every day. As he gets better make the treats smaller and smaller, like just a piece of kibble, as he will grow to expect something.

Don’t disregard the medication part, I’m talking about prescription meds via examination by a vet, not supplement waste of money crap.
Until you can reduce his anxiety (by meds and patience, tlc) he will be unable to relax and unable to learn anything, in fact he may get worse.

Good luck and give us an update. I was thinking of getting a greyhound myself, down the road, if I ever get another dog.

[anonymous]

Hope this helps http://fearfuldogs.com/medications-for-fearful-shy-anxious-dogs/

About supplements http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=anxiety

PS: You may want to remove your e-mail address. Not a good idea.

[pitlove]

Hi Steve-

Not sure about the group you got your Greyhound from, but the one in my area is amazing. The woman that runs it is always happy to help adopters with any issues they have and she knows the breed like the back of her own hand. Perhaps you could reach out to the person that runs the group you adopted from? Sounds like he wasn’t treated very well at his last home and might need some help with socialization.

[anonymous]

Also, you did not mention how long you have had him? It takes an adult dog at least a month to begin to feel comfortable in a new home.
Let us know what the vet advises.
The folks that run shelters are very dedicated and do a lot to help animals, however, often they are not veterinary healthcare specialists.

[Susan]

Hi Steve,
you need to build his confidence back up, some low life human has knocked his confidence out of him & put fear into the poor dog, if you raise your hand near him does he cower?
if yes, he’s been smacked hit etc, you need to teach him your hands will NEVER hit him again, your hands feed him, give him treats, pat him, walk him, etc he needs to gain trust in you & show him not all humans are bad, some are good…

He DOES NOT need any medications like Anon101 always posts, sometimes these anxiety meds can make your anxieties worse, not better, you’ll end up with a drugged up dog, that will never get over his anxieties, there’s better ways to treat anxieties, he will probably always be a stressful dog but in time he will get better, its all up to you & the way you treat him from now on….
He needs a animal behavourist not a vet & meds..

When he stresses about going out your back yard cause he can see a golfer then what about taking him for wee/poos out your front yard?? this is what I do with my boy now, I have a Staffy who suffers with anxieties, we moved about 4months ago & either side of me are little yapper dogs & everytime poor Patch goes out for a wee or poo these dogs bark at him, so now I let him out the front yard for his quick wee when he gets up first thing of a morning lunch time & before bed….

Does he know how to walk on a lead & go for walks?? his old owner might of tried walking him & he was very fearful of humans & wouldnt walk, she never took the time to reasure him & make him feel safe that everything is OK, she probably did what so many dog owners do they force the dog to do what they are very scared of doing, making the dog worse..

Teach him the word “it’s OK” & reasure him, it will be OK, I promise (say his name), then when he does do what you want him to do, you tell him in a very happy voice “Good Boy gee your a really good boy” give him heaps of praise & then he gets a nice small treat, buy those freeze/air dried treats or pieces of cooked meat….
also if you massage around his ears & play with his ears & side of his face this brings a calming feeling to the dog also softly pating & stroking him will calm….

My Patch was very scared of the car & water, baths, hose, Id say someone hosed him, he has IBD & he probably had dirrahea & his old owner probably hosed the poo & hosed him aswell… So I started taking him for a little 2min drive up the rd to the beach he had never seen a beach before & was terrified, I didnt know this at the time, so we would just sit in car & watch all the dogs swimming & playing at the dog beach, then we’d go for a walk away from the beach to the park, he was very scared of the ocean sound it made, after 1 week going to the dog beach everyday same time, he jump out of the car & pull me to the beach & ran along the wet sand & do the things he saw the other dogs doing but he was still scared to go in for a swim & get his ball or stick, then he started to gain more confidence & started to go into the water a little, this all takes time & patient.

Try & find a animal behavourist to help him gain his confidence back & enjoy his back yard when he goes outside, do you sit out your back yard? start sitting out the back yard with him or him watching you out in your yard put a chair he can sit in & watch his back yard then start playing ball with him, doing stuff with him out in the yard, then he’ll see these golfers wont hurt him it could be their golf sticks or hats he’s scared of, maybe start with your front yard everyday same time he needs a routine, my Boxer was scared of walking stick & men with hats & I had a old neighbour who had a walking stick & wore a old mans hat everyday i’d be outside around the time this old man came home from the bowling club 4pm & he would say hello to Angie at first she just stood behind me then after a while she started to greet him & say hello then she’d wait for him & I had another old neighbour who won Angies heart with food he was always giving Angie chicken…
also daily walks to parks where there’s people walking with their dogs even if you have to drive to a park & what I did with Patch when I first rescued him, was routine same time everyday he ate, he went for his walks etc routine helps them gain trust, we would sit at the park & just watch the dogs playing ball, watch people walking by & then Id talk to someone & in time Patch made alot of dog & human friends.. it will take time but he will get better in time, if you dont work then every day go for a little drive somewhere nice you both can sit & watch the world go by, same with your back yard, show him it’s OK if you have a back deck start sitting out there & bring out his breakfast or dinner, if he loves food he should walk out the back door with you & his food bowl sit with him while he eats, but if he wont go out the back then bring back in the food, dont leave it out there he isnt ready yet, think of ways to get him out the yard that are good things & talk in a happy voice & make sure you praise him when he’s done something really good, talk to him in a high happy voice, chase him, play games with him, he probably hasnt been shown what dogs do & play also he mighten have been socialized like Pitlove said…
Keeps us updated how he’s doing & remember baby steps, 2 steps forward 1 step back is OK..

[anonymous]

Medications were invented for a reason, when used appropriately under the guidance of a veterinarian and in conjunction with desensitization and gentle training techniques. they can be very helpful in decreasing anxiety levels therefore making the dog receptive to learning and getting over fears.
They are also very reasonable, especially when compared to “dog trainers” and such.

Example, this was prescribed for a dog I had years ago, she only needed to be on it a few months.
Excellent results. The dog never appeared sedated, she was alert, no change in personality noted, except for being less fearful. Some medications take up to a week or two to show effect, discuss with your vet. There are other medications to choose from now. Your vet will help you evaluate if this is an option for your pet.

Clomicalm is a tricyclic antidepressant (clomipramine) that’s used to treat separation anxiety in dogs as part of behavior modification plans. Clomicalm makes it easier for dogs to learn new, positive behaviors. By easing anxiety caused by separation, Clomicalm controls destructive behavior, vocalization, and other negative behaviors.
(above copied from vet depot dot com)

[anonymous]

There is a greyhound forum

Your topic is covered http://forum.greytalk.com/
Use the search button for “fearful”

Good luck

[Maria M]

HI Steve,
Was wondering how things are going with your “fearful” greyhound. I also adopted through a greyhound only rescue agency and have what is considered a “spooky” greyhound as well. This is sometimes a greyhound trait and the reason some greyhounds end up in rescue. Obviously they are not going to be big winners on the track with fear issues. I did a ton of research myself and have gone to different veterinarians about this issue, as well as the group I adopted her from. I have had her 3 years now and she is still a spooky girl. She is MUCH better since I first brought her home, with ME and one other person. As far as the rest of the world she is still almost as fearful as when I first adopted her. I do keep in mind that when you are with a dog every day, you sometimes do not notice you are making progress. Having said that, these are a few things that have helped my gal a lot and I wanted to share them with you. The best thing I think I did was to dump the traditional or allopathic veterinarians and instead use a holistic vet who uses homeopathy as well as supplements and herbs, along with traditional medicine but, only as a last resort. I give her a product called Bach Flower remedy almost daily. I buy it online vs the health food store as it is way cheaper online. (Make sure you buy the one labeled for pets or children vs humans. One is made with glycerin and the human formula is made with alcohol) It is an amazing product for anyone with animals of any kind. I have been using it for years and have had fantastic results which are immediate. I always give her an extra dose if I have to leave her – I am disabled and home with her all the time. She is literally like velcro! ( I would have named her that had I known what I was getting into) She is still terrified of people, other animals, anything that moves, has wheels, makes noise,etc, etc. I would say she definitely suffers anxiety disorder and maybe PTSD. She does have an area which looks as if she might have been in a dog fight as there are deep scars on her left side which look to be bite marks. This area still bothers her at times. She licks it and is constantly messing about with it. I have similar scarring from a pit bull attack years ago that still bothers me a times. It’s just a guess but I think that could be one thing that happened and one reason she is terrified of other animals especially dogs. I walk her at 11:00 or 12:00 pm due to her fear of everything. She loves her walk as long as it is quiet and private. During the day is out of the question and I might as well just torture her. I am not going to push this poor dog into socializing when she absolutely hates everything to do with it. Honestly, I can’t say I blame her. Maybe dogs are more like us than we will ever know. I have no problem believing some animals are introverts and some extroverts. My holistic vet has put her on a couple different homeopathic remedies that also have helped her a bit and my best advice, especially with a rescue greyhound is to be super patient. I know a women who adopted six years ago and her gal is also “spooky” and she has just finally decided she feels safe jumping up on the couch to sit with her human family. I have learned to accept my gal the way she is and work WITH her fears rather than try to force her to be more the way I WANT her to be. I do not think she is ever going to be social and that is fine with me. I work around it – I enjoy our midnight walks. Seeing her happily trotting on her leash under the night sky rather than terrified of every car that goes by during the day just makes more sense to me. People tend to be pushed into controlling or changing things about their animals too often. It’s just my opinion, but , I’d rather see her happy and calm, letting HER show me the way rather than force her into what “animal behaviorists believe to be best for her. (Ie: bring her to a dog park, social her slowly with other friends dogs etc etc.) To put it bluntly, I think that is idiotic! Not only do you make your own dog a miserable mess while doing these things, but, ruin it for everyone else who are there to enjoy their time with their dogs. I think humans have a bizarre need to control everything. These “experts” do not live with my best friend. She now sleeps on my bed ( which is fine with me) spends less time in her crate and more time actually relaxing. She has accepted one of my friends and even knows his ring tone and the sound of his steps on the stairs vs anyone else’s. She lets him pat and even play with her. She recently has started being goofy! She likes me to pretend I am going to chase her. She jumps up on the bed and even barked a couple times! These seem like such little things but, for her they are huge! She lets me wash her feet, brush her teeth, and has no fear of thunder anymore. On the other hand she hates anything to be changed. Almost Obsessive/Compulsive. She needs a very stable structured day. Meals always at the same time. The same food! The same dishes, blankets, and even the same walking route. She still fears 80% of the outside world. She can handle the noise of the smaller vacuum but not a knock on the door from the Fedex man – She is finally enjoying a couple toys! It took 3 years for her to understand what a toy is for and that the squeaky thing isn’t going to harm her. Patience, Patience and more patience is what I believe to be the key. She will do her business now outside or inside on pee pads if the weather will not permit going down the 3 flights of killer stairs I have to deal with in Maine. I put up a dog gate as she still prefers using any one of my rugs vs going out or the pee pads. She’s no fool! The rugs don’t splash back on her, they don’t slip or slide like the pads do and she is not happy about bad weather or the icy stairs. She knows where to go but the gate has certainly saved my scatter rugs. Sometimes, she is lazy and also a connoisseur of comfort. The gate just makes things easier for me as she will go to the gate if she needs to “go” but she still never tells me by going to the door and will use a rug instead. So, I hope this (novel, ha ha) helps and though it requires a huge amount of patience and understanding, eventually your greyhound will come a around to many things…in his/her own good time. Peace to all.

[Author]

Posts