I took Bridgett to Cinco De Mayo saturday. I thought she might be able to handle it since their would be so many grey's and grey people. She just went crazy. She could not handle the band, the noise, and the people. She was backing up on her lead, and trying to get out of her collar. I thought she was getting better. We have been taking her to the Raleigh meet & greet's, and she was doing ok. Still tail between her legs, and not so fond of other people putting hands on her. I feel so sorry for her. In the house when their is no nose outside, she if just a very different grey. So loving and outgoing. She will play with toys, run and play with you, get on the bed, snuggle with you, but when she hears one sound, in her crate she goes. I just can't imagine how she feels. I want to help her so much, but I think I know I just have to love her through this, and let time be my friend.

i was at cinco de mayo... i wish i had known you were there! i would have loved to meet you and your precious bridgett.

i totally agree with you! i have realized that you can only do so much when it comes to a scared greyhound. i have been working on odie for months (which is a short time) and he is better but i don't think he will completely come out of it. more than anything, i think it is genetic. after meeting odie's brother on saturday at cinco de mayo, i believe it more than before. ox, odie's brother, is the exact same way as odie. i think we can only love them and learn to appreciate their little quirks and things that make them different. they are special!!!

odie is a different dog since stormy came into the house... better and worse. he is much more confident and gets in the car on his own because stormy does it. (i still have to pick up his back half ) he does have his times where he can get an attitude and pouts a lot since stormy came. i think it really has helped him to have another grey around. did this help bridgett??? didn't you have a foster? if it didn't work, don't give up. i really wanted this one greyhound but odie didn't like him so i had to find the companion HE wanted.

You are right...it will take a lot of patience. I don't know if you are doing this or not, but I see a lot of people that have spooky dogs pay too much attention to the spooky behavior. They begin hugging and talking softly, petting, etc. This is actually encouraging the behavior. Its best to try to redirect their attention to other things like treats or toys. The key is in the timing. You have to redirect at the slightest indication that they are feeling spooked, which would include looking away, lowering the head, etc. Once they are tail tucked and pulling away its too late to redirect their attention and you have to detach them from the source. If they are shy of other people, have treats on hand to give the other people to give the dog, so it will associate strangers with good things.

Like I said before, this will take lots of patience and gradually exposing her to different stimuli.

I know this was unsolicited advise but I thought I'd put it out there.

Good luck!

I think you are right. Sometimes it is genetic. Tessie is my old gal. She is not really shy but just doen't like to go to m&g or the vet or ride in a car. I have taken her to open house before and she did fine but she really didn't enjoy herself. Flame hates to ride and gets carsick. Guess who stays home. lol. Star and Mem are my traveling dogs.

I got my first grey in July and then took him to BBH04in Sept., and he was terrified! Also he was bitten by a nasty Westie and is afraid of small dogs, so he doesn't enjoy crowds or loud noises. He was a return when I got him so I'm not sure what all he has been exposed to. I take him to the kennel twice a week when I volunteer and he is ok there, but I have chosen not to take him to Meet and Greets or events where there are large crowds or loud noises. I take Zeppelin to BBH and Sandy Paws and even pet therapy, & she is not effected by anything. Some dogs just would rather not be around a lot of people. It's not fun for me or Van Gogh to try to force him to do m&g's or other events. At the open house, he mostly stayed in the old office and slept. He likes to sleep in the big crate in the old office, so that works for both of us.
How long have you had Bridgett? Maybe if you take her to other events that are not as loud and can get her to gradually get used to being around crowds. If she was adopted from the kennel straight from the track, she may take a little extra time to get used to all the new things in her world.
Good luck.
Keep in touch and let us know how she does.

Thank You for all the great information. I welcome any help. I am sure that I am doing all of the wrong things, and some of the right things. I love on Bridgett all of the time. I hug her, I get down on the floor with her, sleep with her, hold her, snuggle with her, and yes I condole her all the time. She is a princess in my house, no question. But, I also praise her when she does good at going outside, when she does. I have had her for about four months, and she came straight from the track to the kennel, to me. When I first got her I made her go outside, and on walks, etc. But I stopped that about a month ago. I do not feel good when I do that, and I am sure that she does not either. It is a bad feeling when I force her to do those things. I now do get her to go into the garage and I will open the door to outside, and I will go outside and just call her until she finally comes. Sometines it takes about a minute, sometimes it takes ten minutes. And sometimes she does not come out, and we go back inside. She does not have accidents in the house or her crate. We have a foster now, the second one. The first was just a special and great grey, but just alittle too aggressive for her. Gracie is just a wonderful grey, and is I think just right for Bridgett. They do not sleep together, lay on each other, but they do occasionally will play with each other, and it seems to be a good play, although it will sometime scare me, those teeth when exposed are scary. But we have fallen in love with Gracie and are ready to give her a forever home. I think her and Gracie will just be great with each other. And at times, as someone said above, sometines I think they are great with each other, and sometines not. But that is the same with people.
I need to try and help her by not loving on her when she goes to her crate, or will not go outside, or is afraid of a noise, and I will try. I think if I start doing better at these things, that Bridgett will start getting better. I do not think I will take her to any more places with loud noises or alot of people. I do not even like being aroun d alot of people, so that will work just fine with me.

Thanks everyone for all the help.

I don't know why you feel badly about "making Bridget go outside?" She went outside at the track and at the kennel. She shouldn't be afraid to go out. Sometimes when I let my dogs out, I go out and stand there just to watch to make sure everyone is doing "what they are out there for," if you get my drift? I have a senior that will go outside and just plop down in the sun and not do her "business." I don't want any accidents in the house, so if I see her do this, I know she is going to have to go pee before I bring her back in.
Maybe Bridget is picking up on your feelings about going out? I don't think you are "doing all of the wrong things." Maybe just try to make it no big deal ....just say to both dogs...lets go out...then put them both out together. If you are anxious about their playing too rough, I'd muzzle them. I always muzzle my 3 when they go out even just to go pee. They have killed 3 rabbits and I was just lucky that they didn't get into a fight in the "heat of the kill," so to speak. Also...when I put the muzzles on...they know they are going outside for "business." When I walk them, I don't muzzle them, so they know what the game plan is when they go out of the door.
I'm not an expert on anything, just thought maybe some suggestions might help.
It's still only been 4 months for Bridget so it's all still new to her. I've been told some dogs take longer to adjust to being in a home then others.
Just be consistant with her. She'll get the hang of it all. I'm sure she is happy to be with you and have all the warm fuzzies you are giving her.
Keep up the good work.

i ignore odie when he acts "scared"... when somebody comes into the house, they know to just ignore him. we do our normal thing and odie is over there shaking. i glance over to make sure he is ok but we don't talk or baby him when he acts this way. he has gotten MUCH better when people come into our house because we ignore his nervous behavior.

sometimes when it seems that odie doesn't want to go out, i go out in the middle of the yard and sit in the grass. eventually, he will wander around and do his business. odie has become more relaxed outside since i got him. i NEVER saw him lay in the grass until about a month ago. he does it every day now and rolls around in the grass. it is so cute. i am relaxed so he is too. odie is a real house dog that really doesn't like outside either. he doesn't act nervous but he just stands at the gate/door and wants to go back in so i have to be calm and patient with him if i want him to do his business. if you look and act relaxed, so will she. take your time...

i am no expert AT ALL but i deal with a nervous dog everyday. it takes a lot of patience and more than anything, realize that bridgett is the way she is but ignore the behavior you don't think she should be exhibiting.

She is getting better I think with Gracie here. But at times when I tell her lets go outside and Gracie will run to the door, Bridgett will go upstairs and crouch down in the back corner of her crate. What I feel bad about is the way she feels. I think it is the noises, and people in the yards next door, etc. If their is no sounds, she will often go out. I do walk out and I am always very calm. I do not think she picks up any bad signs from me. At night she will run out, and cannot get out fast enough, if their are no sounds. I will just continue to love her and help her. I think she will one day just pop out of the fear. I have been afraid, and know how it feels. I feel bad for anyone that is afraid. I know that I need to be a better trainer. I will work on that. No matter, it will be just fine.

looks like you are doing a good job and trying very hard. she is very lucky to have such a caring father.

you have a fenced in yard, right? could you possibly try putting a leash on her and gracie and then walking them out together? once they are outside, let them both off the leash and see what happens. it seems it isn't just being outside that is the problem... getting her out there seems to be more of an issue. is this correct?

i think you are doing fine! we are all learning!