Hi all,
I just brought home my first greyhound on Friday and she is a real sweetheart! She has adjusted very well to everything and is such a loving, sweet girl. The only issue I have had with her is when I need to leave. I have been crating her and she yelps like is is seriously injured and I don't think it stops, because I hear her as soon as I pull up to my home. Not only does it break my heart to see her in distress (she pants like crazy and it takes a while to calm her back down when I take her out), but I also worry about the neighbors. Are their any tips to help relax her or help her realize I will come back? I tried leaving her out today in my room with a closed for about an hour to see what would happen, and even though I had put everything away (I thought!), she found a way to knock everything off every counter in my room. I worry about her hurting herself. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

My dog Rowdy had some serious adjustment issues- the advice I got was a radio left on and it seemed to help Rowdy.

He actually prefers his crate so that wasn't a problem for him however I think the dead silence was so the music helps.

Good luck!

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You can click and watch a video where the CD is played at a noisy kennel. I used to play this to help my Oliver with his thunderstorm fears.
Another thing to try is Rescue Remedy drops, available at GNC and health food stores. It's labeled for humans but is OK for dogs. Place several drops on the dog's tongue rather than in the water bowl.
Google "separation training" and you'll find techniques to help you.

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has several forums including training and behavior. You'll see you're not the only one to go through this.
Do not leave her behind a closed door in a bedroom. That's asking for trouble. Continue to try to use the crate. Perhaps leaving her with a Kong stuffed with some peanut butter (freezing it will make it last longer).
You may see that she would be OK loose in your home but keep her muzzle on to help deter mischief.
There's stress and there's extreme stress. While I've had several with slight separation anxiety, they acclimated in a short time. Only one had extreme anxiety - really extreme - and we had to use Clomicalm for 3 months. I do not recommend medicating a dog if you haven't thoroughly tried the separation training.
Your grey has landed on a strange new planet. Here's an interesting article about the Gilley Girls greyhounds. It's long but you can see things from the dog's perspective.

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having something to distract them really helps alot, and like maccoduck said definalty not behind a closed door. i know i found with my dash that even when iwas sleeping in the bedroom at night with him if i closed the door it seem to make him way more nervous. now i just use a baby gate. but some kind of music or something really help mine. and if its kinda dark in the room where they stay a light of some sort helps as well. mine have a night light right next to the crate doors, kinda like like a pourch light for them. if im gonna be back after dark or if i leave in the evening i leave a lamp on so they can see. and have there crates looking out the door of the room they are in. also put them in the crate while you are at home, and close the door. let them know you keep coming back so they feel safe and not abandoned. basically my thoughts are just think of what makes you comfortable if you were to be left alone in your home. and kinda go wtih some of that. they like some sense of secrurity like people do. most will adjust in time. it just takes patience and effort and they come around.
very interesting i just went to site for canine lulibies and played it, i played the one where it says let you dog try it and my alex was in the room. he was a bit restless as he tryed to lay down but as it played i watched his eyes shut tighly and his breathing slowed a bit to nice and calm in stead of fast and heavy. if that little bit works it may well be worth a shot to try the cd.

That CD seems to have a mystical power over some dogs.
But for the humans who have to listen to it it's the most boring music you've ever heard. Oh, the things we do to help our dogs.

Thank you for your advice! I am hoping something will work. I know it is very soon, but the neighbors have now complained. I love her so much and she is the best dog, as long as I am around! It is good to hear what has worked for others...

It will work- Trust me. Maddie was the queen of SA and sometimes still is. She hated her crate and managed to chew her way out of a plastic one and a wire one and "houdini'ed her way out of another wire one. To this day I still don't know how she did that as the latches were still latched and the doors were closed. She chewed on door knobs and managed to rock her crate against the drywall in one of the rooms. and boy did she cry. It was like I was leaving her and never coming back. I used kongs with peanut butter (frozen)to distract her when I left as well as a radiot and/or tv left on, alone training, and a leap of faith and folded up the crate and stopped using it. (this is a personal preference) and also clomicalm prescibed by our vet. And closed the doors I did not want her exploring in rooms, as well as baby gates. and a DAP diffuser. She is a totally different dog and her personality devleloped (and still is) - she tends to hang out in my room when I am at work but when she hears the garage door open, she is there to great me at the door, toy in mouth, butt in air and helicopter tail going at full speed.
Just take one day at a time and be patient. This is new to you both. PM me if you need any help.

You might also let the neighbors know that this is just a stage that She is going through and to have a little patience, that it will get better.

Gary

Many greys have separation issues when first adopted. You have to keep in mind Caroline has always been in a crate with lots of other dogs and noise around her 24/7.
She is in an adjustment period. Everything is new and strange to her. Try putting her in her crate with a treat and close the door when you are home, so she can hear and see you, as you go about your normal activities. If she fusses, try to ignore her. If everytime she crys, you let her out, she will figure out that all she has to do to get her way is to throw a little baby fit, and "Mom will come let me out." Wait until she has calmed down and then take her out. Then repeat that several times for a day or two. Just so she knows that her crate is not a bad thing. I also feed my dogs in their crate. When the crate door is open, mine will go in and nap on their own. It's their little den and it's safe and warm . I leave a tv on for my guys and a small treat or Kong with frozen p-nut butter in it..just to keep them busy for a little while.
You could try putting some Rescue Remedy on the tips of her ears and massaging it in. That has a calming effect and may help. You can buy that at a health food store. (It's helpful if your hound is afraid of thunder storms as well.)
Call the kennel if you need more help. That is what they are there for and they will do anything to make the adjustment easier for you and your hound. They are always available to take your calls.
Good luck.. and keep us posted

Jean

I thought things were getting a little better for Laramie. She is definitley more comfortable with the home, but only when I am there. I tried crating her when I leave, but she barks uncontrollably and has also hurt herself. She body slams herself against the wires, and actually made the crate fall apart, so by the time I got home, she had escaped. Last night I tried leaving her out of the crate and in my room with the TV on, lights on, and a kong with peanut butter, and I came home to find out she had torn up all my carpet! She had dug and dug at it until she pulled it up, and now I have a giant hole in my carpet. I live in a townhome and am dreading telling the landlord about this. I have only had her a week so I know she is still adjusting, but she gets so worked up when I am gone and I worry about her. She will pant for 3-4 hours after I come home because she is so upset and can't calm down. When I only need to go into work for a short while, I have actually resorted to leaving her in the car with a blanket and toys, and she actually handles it much better and stays much more calm.I go out and check on her and walk her every hour or so. It doesn't seem to bother her but I can't continue to do that as soon as it starts to get warm. I know I have recieved every tip in the book, but does anyone else have any thoughts? It has been very stressful for her and I to try and get through this!

I am sorry you are going through this. Did you close the door to your bedroom. That almost never works. I use babygates to keep the dogs out of rooms I don't want them in. Some dogs just don't handle crates well. The crates we use are different than the ones in their kennels and being alone is a problem for some. Most can adjust it just takes time. I really don't have any experience with SA. My first greyhound was an only dog for 5 years but had no SA. Now with a pack, a new one comes in and finds other greyhounds to hang with. I have been told that sometimes another hound friend helps with SA. Maybe you could foster.

Sorry to hear about the separation issues. When i brought Pandy home as soon as i would walk out of the house she would start to bark and jump at the door. It took awhile but she got over it. In the book "Greyounds for Dummies" it talks about going outside for 20-30 second to start then slowly increase the time as she gets used to you leaving. I don't think it's the leaving part that bothers her it's that she thinks you're not coming back. Once she realizes you are going to come back she should start to calm down. If your wire crate isn't working out i have a plastic "airline style" that you may be interested in. It's an XL but it was too small for Trooper. If you are interested in let me know. Good luck.

I agree that the plastic crate would not work. I speak from experiece on this. Maddie had SEVERE SA when I first got her. I had the plastic crate first and she ate her way out of it. It does not have as much visiability as the wire crate does. I then bought the wire crate, Maddie got out of that as well (she houdined her way out) I kept using the crate- she then rocked the 2nd crate up against the wall damaging it, and managed to somehow get blood on the carpet as well too (can't remember how she did that as I checked her out after ward) brought a 3rd crate again it was a wire crate. It is now in the garage as I consulted with our vet and decided that she was not going to be crated. I made the decision after I had Maddie for about 2 1/2 months to put her on clomicalm for about 2 months, and what a difference. this was after I had tried everything else

All during this time I was told to keep use the crate, however, I took a leap of faith and stopped using the crate after the 3rd crate and used baby gates and closed doors that I did not want her in going into.

I did (as I stated in my prior post) do the following
-used frozen kongs when I left
-increased the time I was away from the house (even if I went out to get the mail or talk to a neighbor)
-I also would get my keys and coat on (on a saturday) like I was going to work-to get her into a routine
-Used a DAP diffuser with Comfort Zone
-Alone training
-left the TV and/or radio on
-exercised her (a tired dog is a good dog)
-consulted with the vet
-took a leap of faith and stop crating her
-and last resort - used the clomicalm (which I still use when we are travelling)
and took it 1 day at a time.