Codie chewing household things when I AM home!

[codiesmum]

Hi there - I am rather hoping for some advice.  My lovely rehomed grey,  Codie, who was such a problem when I first homed him (aggressive to me, other dogs, killed the neighbour's cat - list too long to mention!) has improved. He is much more relaxed with me now, (only recently had a "go" at me when he had a poorly leg the other week), has improved somewhat with not being as aggressive to other dogs but still got  some way to go on this one.  (Given up on the cat situation - just have to keep my eyes out for them all the time and be prepared for him to lunge madly to get to them). Having chewed  a few household things  when I left him in the early days, he stopped that and is fairly trustworthy on this now.  However, he's now taken to chewing household stuff when I am IN the house, in the next room, but don't happen to be paying him any attention at that moment in time.  He's got lots of toys, he's got chews which he regularly goes for, he has a knuckle bone once a week, he gets 4 walks a day (often at a weekend one of the walks will be a run around in an enclosed field in the village).  Basically he's treated like a king - so why is he chewing my things?  Whenever I have caught him in the act, I have always made it clear that he's being naughty and given him something else to distract him and praised him for playing with his own toys/chews.  I was always told how gentle, mild and docile greyhounds are - clearly Codie is the exception to the rule!!   I love him to pieces but he really would try the patience of a saint and it just really upsets me when we have a lovely time together and then he just wrecks something!!  No wonder he'd gone out from the dogs' home twice before I homed him - which I did not know until well after I'd collected him :-(  Today, having had an hour out running/walking with me this morning, then a 30 minute walk at lunchtime, and a lovely bit of lunch, he took himself into the living room and chewed one of my huge church candles that was in the fireplace!  Didn't eat it - just made a mess. Ideas?  How can I stop him from doing this?  Any advice would be gratefully received. Susie - Codie's mum

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[pat]

Hi
have you been back to the rescue that you homed him from and asked them about his issues? they may have some idea of why he was returned twice,ie was it because he was a chewer or was it because he was unpredictable,
they should be able to give you an insight as to why he is doing these things and if he was always a problem.
I would put a muzzle on if i know that whilst i was in another room he would be destructive, just in case he does something that would hurt him or cause him a problem, just so that i could keep him safe.
pat

[codiesmum]

Hi Pat - I got him from the Dogs Trust and the info that they gave me was massively inaccurate. Firstly they "advertised" him on their website as being 3-5 years of age. However, when I checked with the racing greyhound register (using the tattoos in his ears whilst visiting him one evening) they told me he was 8 years old - which he clearly wasn't. (Turns out his is 4) He is an Irish dog, his racing name was "Original Song" and he raced for 18 months in Dundalk and Lifford in the ROI. His father was "Kinloch Brae" (won the American Greyhound Derby) and his mother was "Mustang Lauren" - another strong racer. She had 3 litters in total - he's a pup from the last litter which was 11 puppies - 10 dogs and 1 bitch. I tracked down the info and he was a syndicate dog - owned by a company based in Bournemouth although he was kenneled and trained in Ireland. I have managed to get in touch with the previous owner who even managed to get me photos of him from when he was racing. He retired in July 2015. He was originally driven over the border to Dogs Trust in Ballymena and they were told that he had lived with a man for 18 months but that the man was ill and so had to surrender him. This story turned out to be absolute rubbish as he'd only retired in the July and was taken to Ballymena in NI in August, 2015 so I can only assume it was the trainer's way of getting rid of him without spending money or expending effort to find him a forever home himself! He was homed by a couple in the August but they returned him in early December 2015 as he "bit her"! He was transferred across from Ballymena to Kenilworth Dogs Trust. He then went out to an elderly couple who returned him 3 weeks later - once again, the reason given was that he'd "nipped" their grand daughter who was spending the day with them and had dropped some food on the floor and both the child and the dog had gone to retrieve it. The child obviously became frightened of him so they returned him. I then saw him at Kenilworth Dogs Trust. The only two bits of information that they provided me with was that he was very gentle (personally I wouldn't say he is) An example being I took him for a run at lunchtime today, we came back and he had a spot of lunch. I then had work to do. He wanted to be played with. So he went and took another candle out of the fire place and chowed down on it. As soon as I saw him about to do this, I told him "no" in a calm but firm way. He kept looking at me but continued to get the candle. He continued to look at me but then started to chew the candle. I tried giving him another toy to play with and distracting him. I went towards him to take the candle off him and you could tell he was about to spring/fly at me - so not really the behaviour of a gentle dog in my opinion. DT did tell me that he couldn't be homed with cats - understatement of the year. He absolutely hates cats and killed my neighbours cat within the first few months. He's so reactive with cats that on one occasion recently he saw the cat and I did not (it was dark). He went one way and I went the other - ending up with me being flat on the on the road and him scooting off between two houses to get to the cat! Thankfully he did not (he is always muzzled when out in public anyway) - and once he realised he couldn't get it, he came trotting back. I had a big rip in my jumper and bleeding elbow.:-( He's improving, slowly, with cats - and sometimes can now walk by at a reasonable distance by my using "leave it" and giving him a biscuit if he does to. But he does whine and whimper with the excitement. He's also reactive to other dogs - regardless of breed. DT also didn't tell me this until I had fallen in love with him - whereupon one of the kennel maids happened to let slip when I was visiting him that they'd tried to kennel him with lots of dogs and he'd attacked all of them apart from the one female lurcher, who he was eventually kennel mates with. DT never gave that information. So I have become a Ninja walker, having to use commands to get him to skirt past other dogs and dogs off the lead who run up to him are always a nightmare for me. I've spent a lot of time and energy (not least to say money) seeing a dog behaviourist to get him to improve - and I would say he is better - but it certainly doesn't make for a relaxing walk. You have to have eyes in the back of your head and you can't be buddies with the other dog walkers in the village which is sad.

He hates wearing his muzzle and on the occasions I've had to make him wear it indoors, (builder was here who is frightened of dogs) he just rips his face and makes it sore by rubbing so much to remove it so that's not an option. Poor lamb made his nose bleed by doing this and managed to eventually remove the muzzle anyway by rubbing.

It's only a small house. I can see him and he can see me from the different rooms. He seems to do it for attention. In can assure you, despite what other people have said to me, he most definitely knows he is doing wrong when he does it.

For a long time I wanted to take him back, despite loving him, as he is an awkward dog to handle (I live alone) but I knew no-one else would ever want to take him the DT were honest regarding his history. I'd always heard how gentle and quiet greyhounds are - mine defies this rule. It really does upset me when he acts up as I truly try and provide him with a wonderful life.

The DT were utterly useless in "matching" Codie with me/me with him. I saw they have quotas and targets to make re: how many dogs they have rehomed each week/month and that influences what they tell you.

At one point I thought he might be non-reactive with other greys, but a gentleman in the village has three grey-lurchers (that really look like greyhounds) and Codie is just as reactive to them as he is with any other dog!

Just feel a bit lost with him.

[pat]

Hi Codies mum
this is so unusual for a greyhound, firstly what muzzle are you using? is it a box type plastic muzzle?i can see he has made progress along the way but is still a hand full, i would put a plastic box muzzle on everytime he does something he should not do, ie the candles and tell him very firmly no, so he knows the reason you have put the muzzle on until his behavour improves, as for going out muzzle him and keep him on a short lead so you have control and take a tin with stones in it, when he sees a cat ect rattle the tin and change his direction, so his attention is taken off the cat and onto the tin, when he then walks calmly give him a treat and praise him.He should improve with time but will slip back on occasions.You really will have to be boss until he gets used to the idea and backs off, because of his age i would say it will not be easy by any means, but persevere and you will get rewarded,But if he gets bolder and you find handling him too much, i would say take him back, never easy when you love them, but safer for you

[jofisher]

This makes me feel so sad as I read this and I can sympathise with you but I feel so sorry for Codie too.  It just makes me wonder what has happened to him to make him behave in this way.

Would you consider a professional dog trainer for intense training.

I so hope this can be rectified, and I am very angry at the Dogs trust for their misleading information.

Good luck

Jo and Ollie (Pickapocketortwo)
xxx

[pat]

i can understand that feeling as it makes me very angry , why dont they be honest with new owners, if they had only kept him and undergone training before letting him into a home, how much happier everbody would be, instead you have afrustrated owner giving her best and not knowing the reason he does not repond to love and kindness
pat

[jofisher]

I was also going to say that Ollie does not like cats either and I just know he would kill one too given half a chance.

When we first got Ollie he saw a cat in a quiet steet and started making a noise like he was being murdered.  A lady came out of her house to see what was going on.  I reassured her and said, it's ok he's just seen a cat.  Ollie doesn't like squirrels too, and the other day was nearly halfway up a tree, very angry, barking at one.  I just smiled and said "Ollie you cannot get him, but to be honest I don't like squirrels either as I had them in my loft last year and they caused a lot of problems and sleepless nights!

What I am saying is please do not let the fact Codie killed a cat add to your worries with him at the moment.  Greyhounds were bred to chase, they are sight hounds and the fact that cats are fast is just a game for greyhounds, or most dogs for that matter.  They should not be punished, it is just something within their nature.  I am now one step ahead of Ollie and am looking out for anything he may react to when out walking with him.  

I so hope that things settle for you and Codie in time, but if there if anything you feel I can do to help you, please let me know.  I just want things to work out for you, and am happy to help you if you feel I can.

Much love

Jo and Ollie.....aka Pickapocketortwo

xx

We live in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, if you feel a walk together would help Codie then just let me know.  

[codiesmum]

Update on my lovely boy. Well, it's been over a year now since I homed him. He's a very different dog to the one I brought home - and I am probably a very different owner to the one that he encountered when I collected him. We've been seeing a dog behaviourist once a month since June/July last year - but next Friday will be out last visit to her :-) Codie's given up with chewing things, (when I am out of the house - or, indeed, even when I am IN the house!), - but he does go and pick things up when I am in another room but ignoring him if busy working - such as slippers, balls of wool etc. He's very playful. It's all done so that he makes sure I can see him do it!! I try and ignore it and then he stops doing it. He's getting very good with his recall. He's improved somewhat where other dogs and being reactive is concerned. Sadly he's only improved marginally where cats are concerned and the behaviourist says this is almost impossible to alter as it's not really a thought process for him, but more of an automatic reaction when he sees a cat run. I've trained him to walk past stationery cats - but he still whines a lot and shivers with excitement - but gets a treat if he manages to do it without going off on one! Interestingly, I now take him to a greyhound walking group on a Saturday morning and he's not at all reactive with other g-hounds.. so it's just regular dogs he can take issue with at times. He's even got the confidence now to run with another g-hound in a secured field. Lovely to see.
I've learnt the rule which is I don't fuss or pet over him once he's had his 8pm dinner (he has two small dinners - one at 6pm and the final one at 8pm) as he turns into a gremlin when he gets tired - so this has been a learning point for me. :-) Providing I abide by the gremlin rule, we don't fall out. He doesn't have a "go" at me - and I'm getting more confident with him. He gets into and out of the car really easily now and has even mastered going into small lifts in hotels etc without freaking out. He still can't do stairs - and long may that continue - as I don't really want to encourage him onto my bed as he does still suffer from sleep aggression and is not really likely to get over this. Other than that, he's come on leaps and bounds. He's healthy, runs every other day in a secured field - 3 walks a day with his mum and is now at a constant weight. So after a shaky start, he's turned the corner. I could not love him more!

[codiesmum]

He's been signed off by the dog behaviourist. Interestingly, turns out he's not reactive towards other greys when out walking with them in a pack! I finally got the courage together to take him to a local greyhound walk in my area and is as good as gold. He loves having a run in the secure field there with another, friendly greyhound (especially selected as the other dog is sooooo easy-going so no challenge to Codie at all). He's still a nightmare with cats, of course. He's still not very good with other, non-greyhound breeds of dog. I keep working on this but think I may just have to accept it is the way he is. Being around another greyhound really chills him out. He's getting more confident with me -- and me with him. Still a challenge (and WAY more active than I was lead to believe that greyhounds are!) but he is my family and we look after each other.

[sueb]

Great news, well done you! Some take longer than others to settle and as poor Codie was bounced back to kennels a few times this is not surprising, really. Good on you for sticking with him, the rewards when that happens are even greater!

[codiesmum]

Hi Sue - I spoke a bit too soon. He's decided to bite me this evening. Hasn't done anything like that for months so took me by surprise. No growling or showing of teeth first - just went straight for a bite and has bruised my arm. (thankfully had two long sleeved tops on). Anyway, I am afraid to say I did retaliate because I was so shocked by it - and gave him a sharp smack on his bum with the flat of my hand. This prompted him to have another "go" at me.. deep joy :-( Anyway, he's lying on the sofa now and I am ignoring him. Once he's had his supper and a wee in the garden I'll go to bed and leave him to rest. Fingers crossed he'll be in a better mood in the morning. :-)