HELEN LITTLEJONES

Hi Adrienne I have just taken on a rescue greyhound, Misty, who is 5 years old. Last night she suddenly became very reactive to our neighbours whose kitchen window overlooks a part of our garden. We let her outside to toilet but instead she just stood and stared up at their window for ages and ages. They have recently seen her through the window and reacted to her and she loved to see them but this didn't seem to over bother her until last night. She would just say hello and come away. However, something changed last night as their cat was sitting in the window!!! For the rest of the evening she was back and forth, back and forth to the back door wanting to be let out. She got herself (and us) in a right tizzy and would not settle. She was barking and trying to open the back door herself and when we did let her out again she would just stare at the neighbour's window and bark, even though the cat had by then, gone. She didn't seem to be listening at all to us and was becoming very distressed. I tried to walk her outside the front door but she didn't want to. When we went to bed she settled but got up a couple of times. I came down once with her about midnight and let her out in case she needed to toilet and could see her just standing staring in the neighbour's window in the darkness. She then did toilet and came in. This morning we have let her go outside and stare as our neighbours are out so she is getting no reactions and she seems to be relaxed now. I don't know what will happen tonight when it's dark though. It sort of made us afraid to let her out last night in case she just stood there barking in the dark. But if we don't let her out she will have to toilet in the house which of course we don't want. I am hoping she will grow out of this after seeing that going to the neighbour's window is not bringing any reactions for her. I have talked to my neighbour and she is aware of what is going on. Could you suggest anything?