Greyhound (dog) question

I am having trouble getting my Greyhound to go out in the morning. He is 6 years old and I've had him for 3 years. Within the past month or so, he just will not get up in the morning. I literally have to push him out of my bed. Then he walks down the hall on the way to the back door but, instead, he veers off into my daughter's room and gets up on her bed. I seriously have to push him out the door. He goes out just fine when we come home in the afternoon, although then he doesn't want to go out before bed. I am afraid that the crazy beast will get some sort of bladder infection. Any thoughts?

Sounds like something must have spooked him outside....But it would be a good idea to get him to your Vet...He might have some kind of bug.....

Hi, Ellen. I've had Greys for 7 years now. I've NEVER run into anything like this before. You said you've had this dog for 3 years and he's 6 years old, but he's never demonstrated this behavior before. Robert mentioned some sort of medical problem. Usually, my first instinct with housebreaking issues is a UTI (urinary tract infection), but that sounds unlikely if he just doesn't want to go outside.

Has anything in your yard changed in the past month? Anything out there that might have spooked him? One of my pack won't go out after dark. But he's afraid of a whole list of things.

Are there steps going out to the yard? Is it possible he's got arthritis and it hurts him to go up and down the stairs?

Is he shy or scared around the door? All doors or only a specific one?

How does he act once you get him outside?

Does he hold it throughout the day and then only goes out in the afternoon when you get home?

Is he having trouble lifting his leg to pee? That could indicate a back or spinal issue.

Is he still running? Any limping?

You might try posting a query at http://www.greytalk.com. I bet there's someone on Greytalk who's run into this situation before.

Feel free to PM me or send me an email if you want to chat about this further.

Lois

sounds like doggie depression, any changes in the house lately?

Second thought , ran into three deer in my yard at 4:00 this afternoon (St. Matthews) maybe your dog was spooked by some in the early hours and now chooses to go outside only in the afternoon.

Ellen, I just remembered something! Does he have to cross a vinyl or tile floor or other slick surface to get to the yard? If so, has he SLIPPED recently?

My dogs come barreling in the back door into the kitchen at 45 mph. They hit the vinyl floor and all four legs go splaying out in different directions. This only has to happen once and, boom, they don't want to go in the kitchen any more because of the floor. Then the behavior/fear becomes ingrained.

We have cheap Dollar Store runners the length of our kitchen. They collect a lot of the dirt and mud they trail from the back door to the living room. They also keep their tootsies off the evil vinyl floor. They're easy to wash and, if they wear out, they're inexpensive to replace.

You might try snapping a leash on him first thing in the morning and then marching him calmly to the door, with lots of praise and encouragement. Do this for a week and see if he improves.

Let me know if I can help.

Lois

Thanks everybody! I have always considered my dog a "special" Greyhound. It took him exactly one year after we got him before he could walk across the hardwood floors by himself. I think something must have spooked him outside. We have a lot of birds in our yard, and maybe the birds were bothering him? I always give my dogs a treat when they come in from being outside in the morning. Today, I said the magic word "treat" before Kiwi went outside. He jumped right off the bed and came into the kitchen, then took the treat into the sunroom (which is where the dogs go outside from). After he ate the treat, he went right outside.
Hmmm, perhaps he's smarter than I thought!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey they are...They dont pay taxes and get taken care of free of charge....not bad...

Honey, they're all "SPECIAL"!

Sounds like he just wanted his "payoff" up front. Just keep praising him and doling out the treats and I'm betting he'll be fine.

They really are sensitive dogs. I bet you're right that something startled him outside and he's afraid it's coming back to get him. Goofy pups!

Lois