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Anxious When Being Sniffed


Guest lovemyblackgrey

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Guest lovemyblackgrey

hi friends,

 

When we took our grey home almost a year ago she was not social with other dogs at all. She had two bad interactions (did not get physically hurt but a bit of growling action etc) with separate dogs which did not help in the socialization process so to speak :unsure iIn particular the first couple of months she was afraid (aka tail between the legs when she spotted one)of all dogs (and cats, rabbits, ducks and so on)

We've done a lot of work on this as there are lots of dogs in our neighbourhood and she has come good to a degree - I think she had to learn that those weird looking creatures on 4 legs are similar to her and she is fine now; she chases/ terrifies the cats, ducks and rabbits :unsure and when other dogs are approaching, the tail is wagging and she does the 'meet and greet' thing but as soon as the other dog moves to explore her behind :rolleyes: the party is over...

She doesn't like that bit at all and once a dog is sniffing her behind she tries to get away from it. It seems strange to me as she does snif other dogs herself. I always thought that is what dogs do, part of the greeting process, but not for my girl. Does anyone know why she would be having a problem with it and if anything can be done about it?

cheers

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Angel, my last one, would not tolerate other dogs sniffing there but they just got a loud and assertive warning 'woof' (she was Grey X GSD I think). She couldn't be trained not to do this but never bit the other dogs. I know another female Greyhound that behaves just like Angel did too. My current dog couldn't care less if they want to sniff or not and seems to put up with it like feet handling and grooming. Try dissuading the other dogs: "Hey YOU... back off!!" You're then taking first control of any possible threat. But some of the SOB's will get right around behind you no matter where you put your dog, I've often had arguments over out of control dogs doing that because the owners only have 5 milliwatt brains and don't understand their dog might easily get bit.

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Guest Greyt_dog_lover

the "cujo" act is a warning. There is nothing wrong with your hound growling at another dog for something that they are uncomfortable with. I wouldn't train this out of my hound as you are now taking one of the forms of communication away from the hound. Hounds have 3 general methods of communication before a real bite:

1) calming signals such as licking lips, yawning, turning away, etc.

2) growling

3) air snap extreme growling barking

4) biting...

 

So, if your hound has moved from step one to step two, do you really want to take away one of the steps?

 

We as humans are afraid of a dog growling, we are used to growling being a prelude to an attack or being indicative of aggression. In greyhounds (dogs that have been raised as a pack animal, not a human surrogate as all other dogs are raised) they are totally fine growling, it rarely turns into violence. We as humans need to get used to their form of communication and not try to "convert" them to our inefficient way of communication.

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Guest BrianRke

the "cujo" act is a warning. There is nothing wrong with your hound growling at another dog for something that they are uncomfortable with. I wouldn't train this out of my hound as you are now taking one of the forms of communication away from the hound. Hounds have 3 general methods of communication before a real bite:

1) calming signals such as licking lips, yawning, turning away, etc.

2) growling

3) air snap extreme growling barking

4) biting...

 

So, if your hound has moved from step one to step two, do you really want to take away one of the steps?

 

We as humans are afraid of a dog growling, we are used to growling being a prelude to an attack or being indicative of aggression. In greyhounds (dogs that have been raised as a pack animal, not a human surrogate as all other dogs are raised) they are totally fine growling, it rarely turns into violence. We as humans need to get used to their form of communication and not try to "convert" them to our inefficient way of communication.

Thats great advice! People all to often try to read their dogs like they would read other humans and it just doesnt work that way.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest verthib

the "cujo" act is a warning. There is nothing wrong with your hound growling at another dog for something that they are uncomfortable with. I wouldn't train this out of my hound as you are now taking one of the forms of communication away from the hound. Hounds have 3 general methods of communication before a real bite:

1) calming signals such as licking lips, yawning, turning away, etc.

2) growling

3) air snap extreme growling barking

4) biting...

 

So, if your hound has moved from step one to step two, do you really want to take away one of the steps?

 

We as humans are afraid of a dog growling, we are used to growling being a prelude to an attack or being indicative of aggression. In greyhounds (dogs that have been raised as a pack animal, not a human surrogate as all other dogs are raised) they are totally fine growling, it rarely turns into violence. We as humans need to get used to their form of communication and not try to "convert" them to our inefficient way of communication.

 

So my question is, why would my dog be licking, and more often yawning, when she's around my husband and I in seemingly non-stressful or threatening situations? Sometimes she does it if she's on the bed and we lay down on it, or if we're in the living room playing and suddenly she's done so we sit down, or even when she's on a walk and there are no cars, people or dogs around. It seems she does it a lot. I wonder why?

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Guest Greyt_dog_lover

Without knowing more information, I would say your hound is afraid of your husband. It is very common for greyhounds to be fearful of specific people, or even the sexes. My female was terrified of men, it took me nearly a year for her to be able to stay in the same room as my father-in-law (6'5" tall and large). I know my shy female will still lick her lips and yawn when I get down on the floor with her to snuggle. She's still nervous around me after years. Outside, your hound may be "smelling" the air (yes by licking), or there may be a stimulus that you dont see, but she does, who knows.

 

Chad

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