So so upset.

I don't know quite where to start. Yesterday my husband and I watched a 3 hour film starring a dog who was chewing on the dog gate, trying to nudge up the latch, tried to paw out and made various very distressed noises throughout....oh yeah, it was Axel.

We got home yesterday from work to find him in the living room, he'd somehow got out, nothing was destroyed, only a half loaf of bread gone. I wondered if his excess energy has something to do with it, he's on the 2nd week of not being allowed to run or anything after hurting his shoulder by going upstairs to sleep with us.

So we decided to set up our webcam to record what he was like when we were out. Above is the description of that film. It was truly distressing to watch. It broke my heart to see him so distressed and in the 3 hours, it wasn't constant, but very regular.

We have obviously decided to go back to doing lots of practice leaving. But also, we want to record him again after he's been able to get some physical exercise as I do think that will make a difference. I really hope a combination of the 2 helps.

We did discuss getting a second dog, as obviously it would help him. But we don't really have space or money for a second dog right now. If we move house, it could be possible perhaps, but I don't know. We also had to have the horrible conversation that if practice leaving and being able to exercise again doesn't help, that it might be fairer to him to let him go to someone who has another dog and isn't out as much (it isn't that much, but some people are home almost all day).

I REALLY don't want that to happen, obviously. I think you're all aware how much I love this dog...but we had no idea it was so bad. Please wish us luck on our venture to get him happier again!

I have to say restricting exercise causes many dogs problems and when I did that with my lot when they had KC it was a nightmare but of course needed to be done.
When you leave him do you leave him anything to do? Stuffed kongs, tough chew toys etc? Also is he still having some sort of exercise or is he currently being totally restricted? Maybe a quick trot around the block before going out, then combined with a treat or puzzle to occupy him he may settle better?
Becky

Thanks for your reply Mahooli
I have tried leaving him food things like that in the past, but he doesn't eat if we're out. He also rarely plays with any chews or toys.
The only exercise he's having is the run upstairs and downstairs. He's not even allowed to run in the garden or go on any walks. We are taking him to our friends house today to try and give him a change of scenery. But we can't take him round the block or anything til Tuesday. Even then it's 10minute lead walks and building it up slowly...so no running around like a loon in the field like he loves for a while. I feel stuck. I know he's a Greyhound and very lazy, so I know it could be worse. But even he has steam to let off...just feel bad I can't help him let it off. We're doing more training to try and mentally tire him, but he can only last short sessions before he lies down and gives up.

Hi Mel , so sorry to hear, I can understand how upsetting this is , sure it is a setback due to not being able to excercise at the moment, maybe you could let Axel have a bit more freedom in the house when you are out and then he wont feel the need to escape ? Not sure if this is practical for you but just a thought, keep your chin up and maybe when the short walks start again he will become more settled, he is a well loved , well cared for hound and maybe in a couple weeks time when back to normal excercise and being able to let off steam he will be fine. Take care x

It can be very difficult when they are on restrictions. After my Dobe had TPLO it was 6 weeks of no walks at all and then building up lead walks very very slowly over the coming months. He was used to several hours of exercise a day so it was a real shock to the system but it can be done.

I got him loads of raw meaty bones and he went through alot of rawhide (I know some people don't like this, but he would merrily chew away for up to 2 hours at a time which kept him happy and I was always there to supervise). We also spent ages sitting out in the garden (with him on harness, head collar and lead incase he spotted a squirrel!).

Unfortunately I didn't drive so we really were just stuck at home the whole time, but if you do drive could you just take him somewhere in the car and park very close to where you could just sit with him and watch the world go by...? Not actually walk anywhere but it might give him some mental stimulation just being out.

Obviously you have to go to work and can't always be there but I would try to fill the time you are there trying to keep him mentally stimulated in other ways until he can have physical exercise again, and then see how his behaviour is after that.

Hope he gets better soon!

Toro drives us crazy if shes not excersised, thankfully though she settles when we're out cause she knows theres no one to give her attention, shes a clever wee thing...if Axel doesn't wreck anything why not leave the gate open ?, do you leave a radio on for him ? I do for Toro and Inka...it won't be long till hes able for an on lead walk, so I'd persevere, your watching too much and its causing you to worry, when you came home did he look like he was stressed ?
hang on in there Axel needs you xx

I'm sure you saw the state I was in over Layton's kitchen trashing. I was utterly devastated at the thought of having to give him up - but when we've worked through it a bit more (and done lots of spying on him - he goes through a milisecond of "oh, you've gone out and I'm not with you" before ...."ok... playtime") with him, it IS pure mischief making and not SA.

I'd wait till he's back up to normal exercise levels and refilm then before you do anything else - he's BOUND to be utterly wired and stir crazy anyway at the moment.

One toy I hadn't investigated before (obviously when he's better) - we always did Kongs and stuff was their Wobbler one (the one that looks like a giant Kong)... and if we have to pop out we leave his meal in that. Granted, we now come back to a kitchen that looks like a large plastic red tornado's hit it with him playing wobbler hockey to get that one last bit of kibble out - but he loves it and picks it over a stuffed normal Kong anyday. I'm seriously impressed with that one! I also realise that Layton really doesn't actually LIKE the kitchen very much - longer term we're considering giving him more run of the house when we're out because I think a lot of the door-pawing we were getting is just utter indignation that he's been evicted from the sofa!

Garbled but kind of saying I know how you're feeling at the moment cos I was there myself a few weeks ago - but you don't have typical dog at the moment anyway, he's obviously still in a bit of discomfort, he's full of pent up energy (do greyhounds actually DO pent-up energy?!) and things are a bit different from the norm just in those respects.

Oh I am sorry, I can imagine how stressed you are

I totaly agree with the above if he is calm in the car then a nice run in the country might give him a bit more mental stimulation

and spred out his dinner - frozen kongs anything to keep him busy

What about scenting games - even just getting him to sniff out which cup a treat is under or something? If he sniffs I know my friends dog wouldnt sniff for anything he had to see it - yet my Ben snuffs around like a train

Thanks I hope we can start building up his walking soon! :S

Thank you, I'll get some meaty bones in, good idea! Sadly I don't drive either, and it would be quite a walk to get somewhere to get a bus or sit and watch We did take him to our friends house yesterday and my father-in-laws, so plenty of watching going on yesterday.

He does have the radio on yes, he doesn't wreck anything normally, but when he was distressed previously he dug up the carpet in the hall, we live in rented property so have to be really careful. Yes, he was stressed when we came home, he's not normally, so hoping just the exercise thing.

I didn't know that they did pent up energy either! Well, I guessed after a while, but didn't realise this much. When we're here it doesn't manifest itself though. He is VERY lazy the majority of the time, but he does need the occasional burst. A few days without walks is one thing, but we're at nearly 2 weeks. He's nearly 5, so young enough to still have the occasional burst.
Thanks for the idea, I'll look into the wobbler, sounds good!

I'll try the sniff cup game, thanks I can't drive os have to wait til hubbie home from work to be able to take him out. I'll do more kongs too, thanks

I`m sure we`ve all been reduced to tears (of rage / frustration / exhaustion / pity) by our dogs at some point, so you`re not alone.
What you do is have a good weep and/or rant and work out what to do about it.
This is a common problem so someone out there must have conquered it.
I had a dog with severe SA (the first time he was alone he wrecked my house, the second time he battered the door open, jumped the neighbours fence and dug an escape tunnel under the alley gate and went looking for me ) but we managed it by never leaving him alone. Not helpful in your case but as a temporary measure - could you find a nice neighbour or friend who could have him when you`re out?