Another Lurcher - advice please

Polmop

Thanks for reading, we currently have a lovely lurcher - greyhound/saluki/whippet x, and a cat.
Called the kennels the other day to book her in for when we go on holiday and the owner mentioned he had a lurcher - Labrador/Grehound x that had been booked in with him and the owners had given false details and never returned to pick it up.

Dilemma time, he has asked if we will have it. OH has been to see it and has said it is about 12 months old and very lively and gets on really well with our dog.
Our own dog pretty much has the run of the house and sits on our knee of an evening when watching the tv.

What do you all think think, will our own dog be a bit jealous as she wont be as spoilt
I just really dont know, but I dont like to think of it living in the kennels.
Thansk for reading

krlyr

Would the kennels be willing to let you take the dog on a trial?
We had Kiki first and she's always been one to want attention and fuss. I was a little concerned that a second dog might put her nose out of joint but the pair of them compliment each other perfectly. If we fuss Casper, Kiki will come over and insist on fuss too but Casper isn't bothered to have his cut short. If Casper fetches a toy, Kiki goes and pinches it out of his mouth - but Casper will happily just go and grab another toy. He's so chilled out he's even let her pinch food out of his mouth before! (though we don't encourage this as we don' want an accidental scrap). Kiki still gets her fuss from the humans in the house, but she now has a canine buddy to play with when we're not around/we're busy, win-win.
Do you know how the kennel dog is with cats?

Polmop

krlyr wrote: »

Would the kennels be willing to let you take the dog on a trial?
We had Kiki first and she's always been one to want attention and fuss. I was a little concerned that a second dog might put her nose out of joint but the pair of them compliment each other perfectly. If we fuss Casper, Kiki will come over and insist on fuss too but Casper isn't bothered to have his cut short. If Casper fetches a toy, Kiki goes and pinches it out of his mouth - but Casper will happily just go and grab another toy. He's so chilled out he's even let her pinch food out of his mouth before! (though we don't encourage this as we don' want an accidental scrap). Kiki still gets her fuss from the humans in the house, but she now has a canine buddy to play with when we're not around/we're busy, win-win.
Do you know how the kennel dog is with cats?

Thanks they have said he appears to be ok with the cats in the cattery, also he needs to be neutered but they said they will do it

krlyr

Would it reassure you if you popped down with your OH and your current dog to see how well they get along?

Polmop

I am to scared to go with him as I know i will bring it home, LOL

moomin5

Poor dog, surprised how many get dumped like that.

It can depend on characters, if both are very attention seeking then it may cause issues so pairing with a more laidback dog can work out better. I think a bit of sulking in the early days is normal, my lad was a bit grumpy when we brought the new girl home, but they get on fine now and he's happier with a friend.

A trial is probably best if the kennels are willing to take him back if things don't work out. If he turns out not right for your home at least the kennels will then have more info about him.

Sagz_2

Polmop wrote: »

I am to scared to go with him as I know i will bring it home, LOL

GO! :rotfl:


The idea of a trial seems the best option for all, you can see how you feel about having 2 dogs, you can see how your dog and cat get on with him and if, (IF) you decide he is not for you you will be able to tell the kennels how he is in a home and help secure his future.

IMHO I will never have a single dog again, all of mine have been so much happier when they have one of their own species for company.

Let us know how you get on OP - and you know we demand pics!!

Polmop

Well we picked him up on Saturday, he is so eager to please and wanted a fuss all day long. Our other dog got a bit snappy with him so he kept away.
Yesterday he slept almost all day and this morning was as boisterous as ever.
Just hope Bonnie will learn to get on with him, she has snapped and pulled fur twice, but then seems to ignore him. The cat just isnt bothered and stood between his front legs eating his food yesterday.
The bottom of his tail is red raw and he needs the snip, I have told the kennels i want him to see a vet asap to get checked over.

krlyr

Try keeping them seperate in the house but taking them out for walks together often. You with one dog, your OH with the other. Keep enough distance between you so that they realise the other dog is there but not so close that Bonnie snaps at him. Parallel walking is a great way to get dogs used to each other
A babygate in the house could be useful to keep them seperate but able to see each other and interact, though if either of them get stressed or snappy between the bars, keep more of a distance/barrier between them. You ideally want to stop all negative behaviour and only have positive interactions between them - if that means keeping them completely out of sight from each other except on walks then keep that up for a few weeks, until they can manage to interact between babygates then finally in the same room. Remember to pick up all toys, treats, etc. so there's nothing for them to squabble over either.
The tail issue is an unfortunate one, probably started by wagging his tail and hitting it against the kennel walls. Unfortunately tail injuries are difficult to deal with because the dog constantly keeps knocking it as it heals. You may want to try to cover the tip of the tail to allow it to heal - perhaps some cheap crepe bandages from Tesco, bandage down several inches then hold in place with some micropore tape. The vet might prescribe some antibiotic ointment to apply to prevent infection - the last thing you want is infection spreading to the bone resulting in amputation, because you'll have an equally difficult problem keeping the surgery wound from getting damaged further (sometimes it can need as drastic action as amputating the whole tail just because of a tail-tip injury)

dizziblonde

krlyr wrote: »

The tail issue is an unfortunate one, probably started by wagging his tail and hitting it against the kennel walls. Unfortunately tail injuries are difficult to deal with because the dog constantly keeps knocking it as it heals. You may want to try to cover the tip of the tail to allow it to heal - perhaps some cheap crepe bandages from Tesco, bandage down several inches then hold in place with some micropore tape. The vet might prescribe some antibiotic ointment to apply to prevent infection - the last thing you want is infection spreading to the bone resulting in amputation, because you'll have an equally difficult problem keeping the surgery wound from getting damaged further (sometimes it can need as drastic action as amputating the whole tail just because of a tail-tip injury)

If it's what sometimes gets referred to as "happy tail" - usually because an idiotic greyhound's wagged so hard they've belted it off a wall and split the end of it open (basically the sort of comedy injury mine is liable to have)... sometimes what I've seen used instead of a bandage (which is likely to go flying off the end of it) is either an empty syringe outsidey bit, or a smarties tube taped over the damaged bit to let it heal and stop them licking at it - tragically this option involves eating the smarties! My hound's currently sporting a very attractive fashion statement of one legged pink pyjama bottoms to stop her licking a scab on her leg - hound skin being such a pain in the butt to heal anyway.

krlyr

Smarties tube, great idea (and what a shame about having to eat the contents!)
I'd quite recommend the "Dermacton" cream by Aromesse, I used it when my GSD gave himself a lick granuloma (think he was picking up on the house-move stress), a blob of that, covered over with crepe bandaging to break the licking habit, it took a few weeks to heal but it's all sorted now It's just an essential-oil based cream though so I wouldn't use it where there was the possibility of a skin infection, Casper's leg was purely just a bit of raw skin from him licking it continously, rather than a wound.