Crating and IG and Dealing With Aggression

With our youngest daughter off to college, we were left dealing with her pet poodle. Normally, Darci, the poodle, and our IG, Berkeley, get along fairly well. Now that child number three has left the nest, we have to deal with the issue of the dogs sleeping in the same room.

Berkeley, who is the alpha of our three dog pack, has spent the past eight years, sleeping next to his Momma. Either with his head resting on her pillow when it is warm or under the blankets curled up in a ball next to my wife when it is cold. Our mix, Angel, sleeps under the bed.

The question now was where would Darci sleep? Within days the war had started. Darci challenged Berkeley for sleeping rights within the first week.

The result?

Several incidents of aggression that frightened my wife. The solution to me was simple. Darci could sleep somewhere else. Unfortunately, my wife is quite taken with the poodle. So much so Berkeley felt neglected, jealous, possibly even disrespected. As his anxiety level increased, so did the tension between the two dogs. So did the incidents.

With our young grandson in mind, my wife decided it was time for Berkeley to be re-homed. I could understand her stance. Under no circumstances was Berkeley in a mood for anyone other than me to receive attention from my wife. The poodle was also part of the problem and it was, in my mind, quite unfair to re-home Berk and not consider re-homing the poodle.

My solution solved the problem and everyone (except the poodle who was the cause of the problem) is fairly happy.

We now have two crates in our bed room. Berkeley was distraught his first night in the crate and let his Momma know how he felt about it. The second night, he went right into his crate (a treat helped), slipped under his blankets and was out like a light in minutes.

It took the poodle several nights to get over not sleeping in the preferred spot with Momma. He still has to be carried and put into the crate for bedtime.

As much as the poodle dislikes sleeping in his crate at night, and as certain as I am Berkeley would prefer to sleep with his Momma, the two crate solution has solved the problem. So much so, the two get along better than ever. Berkeley is much more relaxed and is doing a better job of being the pack leader. Darci no longer challenges Berkeley, creating tension and anxiety for the older, by six years, IG.

Why did this work? Simple. The resource/prize they were competing over was removed from the equation. Neither of them would have access to what they wanted. Thus, no need to compete anymore.

For many IG owners, part of their charm is the fact they love to sleep with their human. Other dog owners think crating their canine family member is cruel.

Let me assure you, it's not. Crates, when used appropriately, make life for your IG, and any dog for that matter, much better. Crates are man made dens. They are safe havens. Darci now takes naps in his crate. When our grandson visits and starts walking (he's a toddler), Berkeley wisely retreats to his crate without any encouragement from us. Darci has learned to be not far behind.

Introducing the crates did create an unforeseen problem. The two for a brief period antagonized each other over the others crate. Berkeley would get in Darci's crate and vice versa to antagonize the other dog. We solved this problem by shutting the crate doors.

It took a few days, but with the use of treats and fifteen minutes a day, the pair learned to scratch their crate door and bark if they wanted to nap in their crate. 

If you have more than one IG and aggression at bed time has become a problem, consider crating the two offenders. It solved the issue for us.

The Itsy Bits - Alec and Lucky

Sometimes you just cannot adopt another dog. Each dog who becomes a member of the family means added permanent expense. After 8 months we nearly failed as foster parents for a second time as it was looking like little Lucky was not going to be adopted. 

To be honest it was understandable. Lucky had been a puppy mill breeder and had produced over a dozen litters it was believed. At some point in her life as a breeder Lucky had lost her right rear foot. It was apparent the vet who had repaired the damage had done his/her best to create a functional foot for Lucky, she was simply missing about one inch of leg/foot and did the best she could with her repaired leg/foot.

Lucky was basically a feral dog when we took her in and had a mean streak about a mile wide. I speak from experience as Lucky bit me every chance she got for about a week. It was evident she had not only suffered from her experiences as a puppy mill breeder, she had been abused by a human male.

Lucky warmed up to my wife and daughters after a couple of months and would allow them to pick her up. Although I became her favorite human, and Lucky eventually picked a male to adopt her as her human, she never overcame her fear of being picked up by a human male. 

Lucky was nothing if she was not adaptable though and one of her favorite places to be was being held by a human, particularly her favorite human. Since Lucky would not allow a human male to pick her up, she devised an acceptable, to her, solution to the problem.

She would jump and poke me repeatedly until I sat down. As soon as I was sitting Lucky was in my lap and crawled up on my chest so she could attach herself and make known her demand to be held, preferably standing up. 

If I wanted or needed to pick Lucky up, all I had to do was sit down, pat my lap and she readily jumped up, ready to be held or carried.

Lucky's favorite person, and the individual who essentially "tamed" her, was our little Alec. Alec weighed all of 8.3 pounds soaking wet on a full stomach and Lucky, who was even tinnier than Alec, weight just slightly over 7 pounds.

To Al's dismay, Lucky just adored him. If Lucky was not in my lap or snuggling with another human family member, she was curled up with Alec. Nor did it matter how hard Alec tried to get away from Lucky, she simply pursued him until he gave up and let her curl up with him. Al eventually gave in and the two became inseparable buddies.

My wife nicknamed the two the "Itsy-Bits." They made a cute pair of Iggies.

Lucky was eventually adopted and led the life of a spoiled little diva. Sadly, her years as a puppy mill breeder combined with poor vet care shortened her life span. The last years of her life though Lucky lived as a spoiled Iggy diva, just as she was meant to be.

Consider Micro-chipping Your Italian Greyhound

Iggies will pursue anything that moves, if they are in the mood to do so. While this is not a problem, usually, in a well fenced in backyard, indoors or on a leash, it is definitely a problem for an Iggy off leash in open space.

Spend any time at all with a IG rescue and you will hear sad stories of a terrified Iggy who managed to bolt and not find his or her way back home, which by the way if often the case. 

Spoiled sight hounds such as Iggies usually have no "street smarts" and cannot find their way back home once they have bolted.

While it is infinitely preferable to not have your Iggy on the loose and lost, it is always better to be safe than completely sorry.

Micro-chipping your Iggy increases the chances you will be reunited with your four legged family member. Often, the lost Iggy is returned to his or her family through a simple phone call. The individual who found the lost Iggy can simply call the micro-chip company and provide the chip number. The company will get in contact with the owner and Iggy and human can be quickly reunited.

If the Iggy does not have a tag indicating micro-chipping has been done, a quick trip to the vet by the human who found the Iggy, or the rescue if the Iggy is turned over to a rescue, will provide the needed information to reunite the four legged family member with its humans.

If you are interested in having your Iggy micro-chipped or learning more about the process, discuss it with your family vet who will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Great Introductory Video for Anyone Thinking About Adopting an Italian Greyhound

The link below will take you to a short, less than five minutes long, video that provides a good overview about the breed.  If you are interested in adopting an Iggy, Italian Greyhound, this video is a quick and easy way to see if the breed might be a good fit for you.

To see the video click here.

The photo above shows our most recent foster, Sampson, known as Sammy, who was recently adopted. A senior, Sammy was almost our second failed foster. Senior Iggies make wonderful companions and have gotten past, mostly, the high energy level Iggies can have until age 5 or 6 in some cases.

Just One Reason I Love Italian Greyhounds (Iggys)!

Dogs in general are great. There is much to like about dogs when comparing them to people. But that is a discussion for another time.

Of all the breeds of dog why do I like Italian Greyhounds so much? Simple. These delightful little dogs are wonderful companions. 

My beloved Alec waited for me to get home so he could follow me around. Regardless of where I took up occupancy at home, little Alec had a place to sleep if he could not convince me of his need to occupy my lap or be held while he took his nap. Can you think of a single person who desires to be in your company this much?

Mind you, this can get to be a bit much. Iggys will follow you into the bathroom, interrupt human activity you would prefer not to be interrupted (ahem) and even make a good faith effort to follow you into the shower.

There are times when you would prefer to be alone with your thoughts and your faithful Iggy simply has other ideas.

Yet these inconveniences are worth it when weighing the value of these small dogs desire to be your companion and in your company. Most of the time after being held and petted for a few minutes they are content to sleep next to you or in your lap (I did say most of the time). Even better from the Iggy's view point is a nice nap under a blanket with its human.

If you don't own a dog, or are not currently in the possession of an Italian Greyhound, but are looking for a dog who needs to be a companion, you might want to look into being adopted by an Italian Greyhound. You will never lack for companionship again.

Consider Being a Foster Parent for an Italian Greyhound Rescue - Guest Post by Terry Nirider

This guest post is by Terry Nirider, one of the many hardworking volunteers who works for the IGCA Rescue-Houston. There is always a need for foster parents to take care of the rescues who are surrendered to ICGA Rescue-Houston. There are more dogs who need care and fostering than there are foster families to provide shelter, love and to socialize these often traumatized Italian Greyhounds so they can be adopted out to permanent "forever" family homes.

Terry has been gracious enough to share a bit about her foster experiences and the place these loving dogs have occupied in her life.

Terry: I’ve been working with IG rescue for about six years now, I think.  Although I volunteer in many areas, during all of that time I have fostered and am convinced that it is the most rewarding area in which to serve.  

Admittedly, I’ve had my share of  tiny blue females – even experienced foster failure with one – but the more I do this, the more I am drawn to dogs who will have a hard time finding that perfect forever home we want for each and every IG who comes through our doors.  

Two of my past fosters were puppy mill girls – both had had many litters and were absolutely traumatized.  Each of them was with us for a year, during which time they very slowly began to trust and allow their inner Iggy to show.  

Both of these girls found families who were just as special as the dogs they adopted.  Their willingness to love these dogs despite and because of their limitations is inspiring to me in a way that I just can’t describe.  No matter how dispirited I am after reading the morning paper, I know the world is good because people like these adopters live in it.

Another favorite category of mine is the seniors.  I admired the people above, but here I give the credit to the amazing dogs.  They are calm, dignified and exhibit such grace.  When they look you in the eye, there is wisdom.  

Really! They give me a model to follow as the birthday candles accumulate.  Yes, there are a few that don’t fit that description – one comes to mind.  She is hairless, toothless so her tongue hangs out, blind and I think she may have a mild case of dementia.  As if she weren’t “blessed” enough, now her hearing is going and she has a skin condition.  But she is the sweetest thing you’ve ever seen.  

You guessed it -- another foster failure.  It’s unfortunate that senior dogs who come in to rescue sit in foster homes a long time, but don’t feel too sorry for them.  You’d be amazed how many foster families feel the way I do – let others have the puppies, just give us the old ones and however long they are with us is just more time for us to enjoy them.

My husband and I are retired so spend a lot of time at home and that allows us to help another category of rescue dog that is closest to my heart.  It's a sad truth that by the time dogs get into the rescue program, many have endured everything from trauma to severe neglect.  

Sadly, conditions develop which take them out of the running for families looking to adopt.  You would be amazed – I always am – that there are seriously saintly people out there who are touched by these animals and take them along with their ongoing medical bills, determined to live happily for as long as there is.  

But for many more, their foster home is the last home they know.  We experienced foster failure with a couple of these dogs, too, but I finally decided it was a piece of paper that didn’t matter.  They owned us completely, heart and soul.   

It has been our privilege to love many of these very special dogs and each one has left a little tender place that no other animal can fill.  Probably.  But maybe the next one…!  It’s a little embarrassing when people say “So how many dogs DO you have?”  I never meant to have five, but what are you going to do?

One other comment about volunteering for a rescue group.  I often hear people complain that the causes for which they volunteer are filled with people who are catty, demanding, argumentative, etc.  

When you are volunteering with dog lovers, you just don’t run into that.  The people attracted to helping animals are all softies, and the biggest men have the gooshiest hearts of all.  They talk baby talk to their dogs and aren't even embarrassed -- how great is that!  

So if you are looking for a place to spend some time helping – choose an animal in need and you’ll find that the people you encounter are just as inspiring as the dogs.

If you are a resident of the state of Texas and are interested in volunteering for the IGCA-Rescue, you don't have to live in Houston, please contact Terry Nirider by e-mail at: tnirider@gmail.com

If you live in a different state, please contact your state's Italian Greyhound Rescue to volunteer. The Texas/Oklahoma IGCA Rescue website has a list of IGCA Rescues in other states listed on the left sidebar as you scroll down the page. Simply find your state and click on it to get in touch with the Iggy Rescue in your state.

The Iggy Rules According to Alec and Berkeley (and a few others)

Alec and Berkeley are typical Italian Greyhounds. Being the good Iggies that they are, these two have gone to great lengths in order to insure their humans, the Sivils family, have been well trained in the "rules." The "rules" are to be obeyed at all times and without question.  The rules are:

1) If I want it, it is mine. This includes any item formerly owned by a human in the family.

2) Humans were designed to be used as couches with automated scratching devices attached.

3) The scratching devices are to be used at all times when I recline unless I decide otherwise.

4) Food is to be shared, sort of. Humans share with Iggies. Iggies are not allowed to share with humans.

5) It is always nap time.

6) Unless it is play time.

7) The Iggy always determines what time it is.

8) My comfort is your number one priority. 

9) Cars are meant to take Iggies for rides, but never to the vet.

10) Furniture, in addition to being used for taking comfortable naps, is also meant to be used as an Iggy obstacle course.

11) Blankets are meant to sleep under, for Iggies that is. Humans are allowed by permission of the Iggy.

12) If the temperature is above 72 degrees it is too hot for an Iggy.

13) If the temperature is below 72 degrees it is too cold for an Iggy.

14) Only say the word "treat" if you mean it!

15) Iggies are happier when they have a human of their own for a companion.