vagreys
10-22-2007, 05:15 PM
HI...IVE HAD BEAU A WEEK NOW.THE LADY WHO I GOT BEAU FROM SAID IF HE ATE ANYTHING APART FROM HIS FOOD HE WOULD HAVE A RUNNY BUM.IVE NOT NOTICED THAT YET I CHANGED HIS FOOD STRAIGHT AWAY BECAUSE HE WAS ON TESCO DOG MIX WHICH WAS NASTY.IVE CHANGED HIM TO NUTRO SENSITIVE AND HE DIDNT HAVE A RUNNY BUM.ALSO BEAU IS UNDERWEIGHT YOU CAN SEE ALL HIS RIBS THE VET SAID HE WEIGHS 27IB HE SHOULD WEIGH 31IB.ALSO HE WONT WALK UPSTAIRS ANY SUGGESTIONS ON THAT.ANY HELP AND ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE WOULD BE APPRECIATED.HE IS SUCH A LOVLEY DOG WHY MORE PEOPLE DONT REHOME GREYHOUNDS IS BEYOND ME.:)
Hi. Welcome to the mysteries of being owned by a Greyhound. You're going to love every minute of it. First thing, there are a couple of books you should read: Adopting the Retired Racer by Branigan, and Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies by Livingood. I like Lee Livingood's book a little better, but either or both are must reads for a new Greyhound owner. It's worth having a copy of Lee Livingood's book on your bookshelf, in my opinion.
Beau doesn't necessarily have a sensitive stomach. Many dogs have the runs, if they have been fed the same thing for a long time and you suddenly switch them to something new. This digestive upset lasts for several weeks, until they get used to their new food. If it doesn't clear up after a month or two, then something in the food is probably disagreeing with them. Since you have already switched him, keep him on the Nutro Sensitive until you get close to the bottom of the bag, and then switch him to something better suited for him. Also, Greyhounds may have loose stools as a response to stress, and changing homes, or going from the track into retirement, is stressful. Since you haven't had to deal with the runs, yet, chances are you won't, so feel lucky.
Retired racers, at track weight, are typically 2-4kg under their weight in retirement. You say he weighs 27 lbs, but that would be light even for a Whippet, and 31 lbs would be about 30 lbs too light, even for a small male Greyhound. I suspect he is 27 kg, and you are shooting for a retired weight of 31 kg? That would be about right for a small male Greyhound. It sounds like he is at racing weight, not underweight, and if you feed him a normal diet, he will gain a few kg, over the next several months, just because he is retired and not racing and not working out. He doesn't need a special diet for putting on weight, at this time.
Beau is an extreme athelete. He doesn't tolerate much fat in his diet, so avoid fatty foods. He has a small liver and pancreas, and can get pancreatitis easily, if his diet is too fatty. Ideally, you want a kibble that is 22-26% protein, 10-15% fat, and 4-5% fiber. If Beau is going to be competing in retirement and very active (e.g., coursing every weekend, or competing in agility or flyball), then he needs a diet that is a little higher in protein and fat: 26-30% protein, 15-18% fat, and 5% fiber. This includes his snacks and treats, by the way. Fortunately, there are many foods that will fall within these guidelines. Choose the best food you can afford. Look in our Nutrition forum for guidelines on evaluating and choosing dry foods. Feed him the recommended amount for his target weight.
For the record, there is a lot of disagreement about the ideal balance of protein and fat in the diet. The numbers I have given you are my opinion, and one shared by many, but there are those who argue for either lower or higher amounts of protein in the diet. In my experience, newly retired racers do better with a higher protein diet when they first come off the track, but need to switch to a lower protein diet after they have been retired for a few months, so I start them on a performance diet, higher in protein, and then switch them to a regular diet after about four months. Regardless, you will have to tailor Beau's diet to his needs and preferences.
To switch foods, I gradually shift them over from one food to another over a period of 7-10 days. I start out at 75% old and 25% new for 3 days, then 50% old and 50% new for 3 days, then 25% old and 75% new for 3 days or until the old food runs out.
My feeding plan is as follows: I feed twice a day, at 0530 and 1730. The morning meal is lighter than the evening meal. The morning meal is kibble and lukewarm water, with a very occasional supplement of a couple of dollops of cottage cheese or a slice of cheese as a treat, and a vitamin/enzyme supplement. The evening meal is kibble, lukewarm water, a vitamin/enzyme supplement, a 1000mg fish oil capsule, and one of the following: 1/2 cup of pureed raw veggies, 1/2 cup of homemade wet food, 2 oz raw ground meat, or a couple of dollops of yogurt. One day a week, I feed them 2 cups of homemade wet food in the morning, and skip the evening meal. The recipes for the homemade wet food I feed will be found in the Nutrition forum.
Most retired racers have to learn several things when they first come off the track. You need to show them that it is, in fact, possible to walk on a hard floor. You need to show them that windows and sliding glass doors are solid (I have safety tape on the sliding glass doors and windows at hound-level). You need to teach them how to climb and descend stairs.
Teaching them to ascend stairs is often easier than teaching them to descend. Their deep chests shift their center of gravity forward, and they feel very uncertain and tippy on the way down. Patience is key. Having a helper doesn't hurt, either. I recommend having a helper. Not all stairs are the same. Carpeted stairs are often easiest to negotiate. A shallower pitch will be easier than a steep set of stairs. And open stairs (stairs they can see through) freak a lot of Greyhounds - if they can see through it, they are very hesitant to get on it. Oh, did I say a helper would be a good idea?
If you do not have a treat pouch, I suggest getting/making one, or finding something you can carry treats in that leaves your hands free for this. I use thinly sliced coins of chicken hotdog, for this, but you can use any very tasty treat, like small bits of leftover chicken or steak.
Here's how I teach retired racers to climb (carpeted) stairs:
I lead them to the bottom of the stairs. I try to keep my voice light, encouraging and happy. I hold a treat in front of the hound's nose, and lead him forward, encouraging him to put his paws on the first step, and then to the second step. Sometimes, his rear legs will follow on their own, but sometimes I have to encourage him to move his rear legs to the first step. Then I alternate front legs and back legs all the way up the stairs, rewarding and praising frequently. If you have to encourage him to move his rear legs, just place your forearm behind his knees and below his butt (or better yet have your HELPER do this), and gently press forward a little so that he decides to move his rear legs away from your arm.
Coming down the stairs is easier if he can't see all the way down that scary descent, so stand in front of him. Generally, he will follow the treat, but you may have to encourage him to move, similarly to the way you did on the way up, and praising and rewarding lavishly as you go.
You should train the stairs several times a day the first few days. Also, associate getting to the top or bottom with good things, like special toys, food, or something else he values. Soon, he'll be going up and down the stairs as if he were born to it.
Funny story: I know a Greyhound that learned to climb stairs from the resident dog. The resident dog was a tripod, having had one leg amputated. Yes, the Greyhound watched this dog go up and down the stairs, and decided that she could only go up and down stairs if she raised one leg off the floor; so, she's perfectly normal the rest of the time, but for going up and down the stairs she only has three legs!
Enjoy your retired racer. Explore Dogforum and you will find that many of your questions may already have suggestions/recommendations/answers. If you don't find an answer that suits, just ask. We're all here to help each other.
Hi. Welcome to the mysteries of being owned by a Greyhound. You're going to love every minute of it. First thing, there are a couple of books you should read: Adopting the Retired Racer by Branigan, and Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies by Livingood. I like Lee Livingood's book a little better, but either or both are must reads for a new Greyhound owner. It's worth having a copy of Lee Livingood's book on your bookshelf, in my opinion.
Beau doesn't necessarily have a sensitive stomach. Many dogs have the runs, if they have been fed the same thing for a long time and you suddenly switch them to something new. This digestive upset lasts for several weeks, until they get used to their new food. If it doesn't clear up after a month or two, then something in the food is probably disagreeing with them. Since you have already switched him, keep him on the Nutro Sensitive until you get close to the bottom of the bag, and then switch him to something better suited for him. Also, Greyhounds may have loose stools as a response to stress, and changing homes, or going from the track into retirement, is stressful. Since you haven't had to deal with the runs, yet, chances are you won't, so feel lucky.
Retired racers, at track weight, are typically 2-4kg under their weight in retirement. You say he weighs 27 lbs, but that would be light even for a Whippet, and 31 lbs would be about 30 lbs too light, even for a small male Greyhound. I suspect he is 27 kg, and you are shooting for a retired weight of 31 kg? That would be about right for a small male Greyhound. It sounds like he is at racing weight, not underweight, and if you feed him a normal diet, he will gain a few kg, over the next several months, just because he is retired and not racing and not working out. He doesn't need a special diet for putting on weight, at this time.
Beau is an extreme athelete. He doesn't tolerate much fat in his diet, so avoid fatty foods. He has a small liver and pancreas, and can get pancreatitis easily, if his diet is too fatty. Ideally, you want a kibble that is 22-26% protein, 10-15% fat, and 4-5% fiber. If Beau is going to be competing in retirement and very active (e.g., coursing every weekend, or competing in agility or flyball), then he needs a diet that is a little higher in protein and fat: 26-30% protein, 15-18% fat, and 5% fiber. This includes his snacks and treats, by the way. Fortunately, there are many foods that will fall within these guidelines. Choose the best food you can afford. Look in our Nutrition forum for guidelines on evaluating and choosing dry foods. Feed him the recommended amount for his target weight.
For the record, there is a lot of disagreement about the ideal balance of protein and fat in the diet. The numbers I have given you are my opinion, and one shared by many, but there are those who argue for either lower or higher amounts of protein in the diet. In my experience, newly retired racers do better with a higher protein diet when they first come off the track, but need to switch to a lower protein diet after they have been retired for a few months, so I start them on a performance diet, higher in protein, and then switch them to a regular diet after about four months. Regardless, you will have to tailor Beau's diet to his needs and preferences.
To switch foods, I gradually shift them over from one food to another over a period of 7-10 days. I start out at 75% old and 25% new for 3 days, then 50% old and 50% new for 3 days, then 25% old and 75% new for 3 days or until the old food runs out.
My feeding plan is as follows: I feed twice a day, at 0530 and 1730. The morning meal is lighter than the evening meal. The morning meal is kibble and lukewarm water, with a very occasional supplement of a couple of dollops of cottage cheese or a slice of cheese as a treat, and a vitamin/enzyme supplement. The evening meal is kibble, lukewarm water, a vitamin/enzyme supplement, a 1000mg fish oil capsule, and one of the following: 1/2 cup of pureed raw veggies, 1/2 cup of homemade wet food, 2 oz raw ground meat, or a couple of dollops of yogurt. One day a week, I feed them 2 cups of homemade wet food in the morning, and skip the evening meal. The recipes for the homemade wet food I feed will be found in the Nutrition forum.
Most retired racers have to learn several things when they first come off the track. You need to show them that it is, in fact, possible to walk on a hard floor. You need to show them that windows and sliding glass doors are solid (I have safety tape on the sliding glass doors and windows at hound-level). You need to teach them how to climb and descend stairs.
Teaching them to ascend stairs is often easier than teaching them to descend. Their deep chests shift their center of gravity forward, and they feel very uncertain and tippy on the way down. Patience is key. Having a helper doesn't hurt, either. I recommend having a helper. Not all stairs are the same. Carpeted stairs are often easiest to negotiate. A shallower pitch will be easier than a steep set of stairs. And open stairs (stairs they can see through) freak a lot of Greyhounds - if they can see through it, they are very hesitant to get on it. Oh, did I say a helper would be a good idea?
If you do not have a treat pouch, I suggest getting/making one, or finding something you can carry treats in that leaves your hands free for this. I use thinly sliced coins of chicken hotdog, for this, but you can use any very tasty treat, like small bits of leftover chicken or steak.
Here's how I teach retired racers to climb (carpeted) stairs:
I lead them to the bottom of the stairs. I try to keep my voice light, encouraging and happy. I hold a treat in front of the hound's nose, and lead him forward, encouraging him to put his paws on the first step, and then to the second step. Sometimes, his rear legs will follow on their own, but sometimes I have to encourage him to move his rear legs to the first step. Then I alternate front legs and back legs all the way up the stairs, rewarding and praising frequently. If you have to encourage him to move his rear legs, just place your forearm behind his knees and below his butt (or better yet have your HELPER do this), and gently press forward a little so that he decides to move his rear legs away from your arm.
Coming down the stairs is easier if he can't see all the way down that scary descent, so stand in front of him. Generally, he will follow the treat, but you may have to encourage him to move, similarly to the way you did on the way up, and praising and rewarding lavishly as you go.
You should train the stairs several times a day the first few days. Also, associate getting to the top or bottom with good things, like special toys, food, or something else he values. Soon, he'll be going up and down the stairs as if he were born to it.
Funny story: I know a Greyhound that learned to climb stairs from the resident dog. The resident dog was a tripod, having had one leg amputated. Yes, the Greyhound watched this dog go up and down the stairs, and decided that she could only go up and down stairs if she raised one leg off the floor; so, she's perfectly normal the rest of the time, but for going up and down the stairs she only has three legs!
Enjoy your retired racer. Explore Dogforum and you will find that many of your questions may already have suggestions/recommendations/answers. If you don't find an answer that suits, just ask. We're all here to help each other.