RuthVictoria

That's a great suggestion, macoduck. And ramonaghan, he IS soft. The first thing people say when they meet him is Oh, he's so beautiful. The second is always Oh, he's so soft! A big velveteen rabbit.

I appreciate your latest suggestions, and the apologies also. It's difficult to ask for help, AND to give it, I'm sure. I never doubted your collective good will, and yes, I probably overreacted to the dog and to you. But we love him dearly, and want him to be happy, and thought we were doing so well... so it IS kind of a big deal. Still, my apologies for losing my cool. I confess to maybe suffering from ptsd after we (years ago) adopted an aggressive (non-grey) puppy, one that terrorized us both for seven months before we returned it to the breeder. This little guy bit or scratched my husband just about every day. We realized we were not the type of owners this dog needed. We tried our best, spent a fortune in puppy training (he flunked), aggression training, etc., without ever achieving any kind of bond with (or authority over) this dog. Since adopting Jack, we've loved the absence of drama, aggression, and dominance-seeking behavior that the mean puppy had in spades, and that Jack the hound seemed to lack entirely. It was a shock to see blood and know it was our sweet greyhound that brought it. Probably why I jumped to dire predictions (worse to come, etc.), as I was imagining us back in that mean-dog scenario. However, your suggestions have helped put things into perspective, I think, and reminded me of the challenges of housing a racer. We'll keep on keepin' on, then, and wish you well.

I've mulled over these 3 replies all day and some of the night. I do hear you when you say "don't lean over him," got it! As I said, we are aware. And I appreciate the tip of calling him over to us if we are pointing something out -- makes perfect sense. On the other hand, did I really need to be told "so maybe you need to remain mindful of your behaviour" when I'd just copped to that in my original post? And, yes, I do understand the concept of positive reinforcement -- that's what we've been doing all along and it was working just fine until yesterday. I came here for help in setting boundaries for a hound that, for four happy years, has not needed them. Yet I can't find the help in your replies. You seem horrified that we "continue punishing him" -- this amounted to denying him eye contact for a few hours, yikes! -- lest it cripple him emotionally. And yet you also insist that dogs forget why they're being punished in a few minutes anyway. How can it be both? If dogs didn't learn to recognize the consequences of their actions, how could they be trained to do... anything? Jack remembers everything else: our routine and when it varies, the precise timing of the evening treats, that car-keys signal a car-ride, a million things... Yet you say he cannot recall when he's crossed a major line: biting the master! I read somewhere here a post in which someone said they now trusted their hound not to destroy the house. What would they do if a trusted hound suddenly DID destroy the house? Offer positive reinforcement? Move to a new house? Do you really think that this previously-trusted hound doesn't KNOW when he's crossed a line? Sorry if my frustration is showing, but if Jack bites us again -- whether or not it's our fault -- what would you have us do? My original question remains largely unanswered. I've been chastened and scolded, but not helped.

We've had our nearly 6-yr-old retired racer for four years, and we adore him. My husband and I are a 1-dog household, with no behavior issues with "Jack" (an alias) until today when he bit my husband rather viciously in the hand. This happened when I was pointing out a small scrape Jack had gotten on his leg. Jack was lying on his mat and we accidentally leaned over him in our concern, which frightened him and he jumped up and bit down. We always avoid this action -- of looming over him when he's feeling vulnerable -- because we recognize it's a trigger for him, so we realized our mistake and backed off, and so did Jack. But what alarms us both is the degree of the reaction. Jack has snarled at us before -- more my husband than myself -- but he's never bitten us. I'm seeking guidance in how we respond. Let me describe our response so far today: This happened on the porch, so after saying NO we left Jack on the porch and went inside to tend to my hubby's injuries. Mostly deep scrapes, not deep punctures, so not serious physically. We've agreed not to make eye contact with Jack for the time being, no treats, and while he's got plenty of water available, he's getting only kibble/water for awhile without the cooked chicken he usually gets. We'll let him in or out as he pleases, but minimal conversation or interaction with him. So far he’s skulking around acting guilty, but he’s quiet and calm. It rained today, so at one point I dried him off without incident. Normally we shower him with affection, so we are fairly sure this social shunning will punish him effectively, as far as it goes. But that's my question: Is this punishment enough? Should we do more, or less, or different? Should we be hopeful this is a one-time thing, or worried it's a sign of worse to come? I've always trusted Jack completely, but like I said, my trust is shaken. We would value any guidance you can offer. Jack is large, around 95 lbs, but he's in excellent health and sees a great vet, gets lots of exercise, and we can count several ribs so he's at a good weight for his size. He raced only three times, no serious injuries so far, somehow ended up in a half-way house, then was adopted previously by someone who crated him excessively (his hindquarters were bald when he first came to us), so while we did crate him in the beginning, we never insisted on it, and when he became reluctant to use it, we put it away. He's got plenty of beds and alone space, and often sleeps on his bed on our bedroom floor. We forbid only two places to Jack: our bed and the couch. Other than that, he's at home and never misbehaves in any way, never counter-surfs, steals things, anything... Until today. What would you do if Jack was your beloved hound? Thanking all who offer guidance in advance!