Advise please, new baby and jealous lurcher

[alfiesmum]

We have always used the crate as that was what we were advised when we got him. He's always been highly strung, but he's got worse since the baby arrived.

[becgeo]

I don't know of any behaviourists in the Stoke area (I am in Berkshire) but I am sure someone else will have some ideas.

[samburns]

Ok, so there's been a huge amount of upheaval in his life (and for all of you!) - with the separation anxiety you may well need to go back to basics - if you think about it dogs with S.A can regress over smaller things like their owners just being home for a week off from work so with such massive changes at home its bound to have some effect - see Lisa's threads on S.A above specifically this one: greyhoundgap.proboards.com/thread/29758/okay-late-seperation-anxiety

I asked about the crate because obviously your dog needs to feel comfortable using one for it to be effective.  You mentioned earlier that you would try getting him to used the crate while you were in - have you been doing that?  It seems to me, if you cannot use baby gates, you really need somewhere where you can separate him where he feels safe so that he can have some time out when things are stressful ie when you have visitors.  And build in reward based training, rewarding the calmer behaviour that you want from him? 

[alfiesmum]

Thanks for your advise. We will give it a go.

[julies]

Have you changed his food- in my experience the protein levels and/or bright colours and/or other intolerances can really affect behaviour - we had a growly greyhound in class who had nipped his new owners- turns out she'd changed his food to a cheaper greyhound Complete so she changed the food to Burns (not as expensive as you think) and the dog calmed down.

I'd suggest no bright foods (eg Bakers etc), less than 20% protein and maybe try sticking to one meat source, assess his behaviour then change the meat source and again see if his behaviour changes ... my grey is itchy on beef and manic if given Pedigree Marrowbone snacks .. well worth trying rto see if food affects him - it does affect a lot of lurchers and greys.

Leave the crate door open when you're there and put nice treats inside so he can go in and out, when he's happy to go in and out and lie down then - when you are there, shut the door briefly while he has a nice Kong or chew (all this is separate from your other dog and give both nice treats).

Do brain games with him and the other ... have him on a lead so he has to stay at a distance and watch -put a treat where he can see it in the house, send him off lead to 'Find it' do this three or four times then once he's got the hang you can show him as you hide a treat and send him again to 'find it' build this up to not letting him see where the treat is hidden - use small and large boxes as his ability grows, do it inside then in the garden and get more difficult but use lots of enthusiastic words and voices and lots of praise so he feels included.

Do some training with him in the garden and find a nice training class so you can get him out and occupy his brain plus do 5 mins practice at home as often as you can ... down stays while you put the kettle on, sit stays while you turn the TV on or dust ... whatever to find the time Mine practice sit stay while I wash up

Be honest and see if his exercise routine has changed .. a nicely tired dog is a quiet dog so get him out as much as you can and somewhere interesting where he can either run about and burn up his energy safely or on a harness and longline. I take mine on country walks where there are lots of nice smells to tire them out. If he's got an active breed in his make-up he'll need a lot of stimulation ... my collie- cross lurcher needs soemthing doing with him daily or he gets manic

Have you put the baby's clothes in his bed ? Just to encourage him to understand she's aprt of the family... hopefully someone with knowledge of babies will come along here too

J x

[Lisa]

I am back from holiday and am presuming this is our Alfie so can you give me a call on either 01782 544728 or 07917422489