Aggression Towards Others

[Guest newbie78]

I just adopted a 6 year old female one month ago and my dog has been displaying some problems I am concerned about. She is aggressive towards anyone that comes into my home. I live alone and I wanted to wait a few weeks before inviting others over to meet Ely so it's just been the 2 of us for the past month. She's done well with others outside of the house on walks so I didn't think there would be a problem. However, twice I've had dog walkers come to the house to meet her and see if they could help out those few days I work late and with both people Ely was aggressive, growled at them, snapped at them, would not let them near her. When I put the leash on Ely and the three of us went out for a walk (with the dog walker holding the leash), Ely would ignore the dog walker and would still act aggressively towards her and wouldn't let the walker take the lease off. What concerns me as well as that since I've attempted to add people to our lives she's seemed to become more aggressive towards me as well when she gets upset. A few times she has showed her teeth at me or snapped at me. She always stopped right away when I've said no. I called one behavioral trainer (after the second dog walker said that my new dog had "serious problems") and the trainer (with 38 yrs worth of experience) talked to me on the phone for 30 minutes and basically tried to convince to take Ely back to the rescue group. She says my dog has confidence and aggressive problems and she doesn't want to take my money to just tell me the same thing.

 

I'm at a loss. This is my first dog as an adult. I've already bonded with her and really want to make it work. I've invested financially and emotionally. I read several books about greyhounds and multiple website before I made this commitment and never anticipated going through this. I guess I wonder if anyone out there has had similar experiences currently or in the past. Any recommendations?

 

My mother is coming to visit this week and we had 2 weeks planned where the 3 of us were going to spend together and now I'm concerned about how Ely will treat my mother being in the house.

 

Thanks in advance.

Christina

[Batmom]

Can you describe in a little more detail what happens when you have someone over at the house? Where Ely and you are before they come in, what happens when they come in, etc.? And what happens on walks with the dog walkers? And when you say she gets upset with you?

[ShebasMom]

I'll leave it to the experts to reply in detail, but it sounds like she needed more time to settle in? Perhaps muzzle her while your mother is there to be safe, at least until you know one way or the other her response around your mother. It's hard to return an adoptee to the rescue group, but sometimes it's just not the right fit and time to try again with another grey?

[MaryJane]

Also, with the aggression was it more that she was going towards the person and growling and snapping or was it that she was backing away and the dog trainer or you were forcing her into a corner and she was resorting to growling and snapping?

 

Some greyhounds have "confidence issues" when they first get into a home because everything is so new and "scarey". It can take from 6 months to a year for some greyhounds to get used to their "new world".

 

You do want to get in touch with the adoption agency and let them know what is happening and maybe they can offer you some more insight as to whether some of these actions were seen in the kennel and they might also be able to provide some referrals to behavioral trainers that they have used in the past. Let them know that you are willing to try and work on this.

 

Is she kept in a crate at home? Does she get on the furniture? Do you walk her every day or does she have the use of a yard? The reason that I ask about walking is that it is a great "bonding" experience for both the dog and the person. Have you taken her to obedience classes?

[Guest newbie78]

Also, with the aggression was it more that she was going towards the person and growling and snapping or was it that she was backing away and the dog trainer or you were forcing her into a corner and she was resorting to growling and snapping?

 

Some greyhounds have "confidence issues" when they first get into a home because everything is so new and "scarey". It can take from 6 months to a year for some greyhounds to get used to their "new world".

 

You do want to get in touch with the adoption agency and let them know what is happening and maybe they can offer you some more insight as to whether some of these actions were seen in the kennel and they might also be able to provide some referrals to behavioral trainers that they have used in the past. Let them know that you are willing to try and work on this.

 

Is she kept in a crate at home? Does she get on the furniture? Do you walk her every day or does she have the use of a yard? The reason that I ask about walking is that it is a great "bonding" experience for both the dog and the person. Have you taken her to obedience classes?

[JohnF]

There is something unusual going on here beccause people that walk dogs for a living know dogs intuitively and don't send out bad energy or fear signs. I'm wondering if it may be you who is inadvertantly sending the dog on edge?

For now Ely will need to be muzzled or crated when people come over. I suggest you read the article on Calming Signals here and read your dog's body language. You can actually send the 'lick your nose, yawn and turn away' calming signal back to them.

It concerns me that the trainer/behaviourist didn't come over anyway. One their functions is to assess the dog as well as the human owner and to offer reassurance that their assessment is thorough and most likely correct.

It may well be that Ely needs to go back to the group and find a home with other dogs where the people equation is not so intense. I don't think the dog will mind after a few weeks anyway, but the major issue is how you will feel having bonded. If you do have to return you must look at it as if you have fostered Ely for a few weeks and discovered that the dog really wasn't right for you. There is no blame in it, not every dog is a perfect fit. Life is too short to put up with a dog that isn't right for you really.

 

I would expect a shy/reserved Greyhound to be on edge for the first two weeks and not start coming out of its shell for another month. They are raised not to be nasty to people, so something is amiss. I'd go for a full vet check and call in another trainer with expereince of Greys. If the trainer said it needs to go back then back it would go no matter how sad it made me.

[GeorgeofNE]

I'm afraid I agree with John.

 

I'm sure this dog can be helped, but it sounds like it's not the right fit for you. Nothing against you, truly. Doesn't sound like either of you are very happy, and you both deserve to be.

[sweetdogs]

I'm sorry you're having troubles with Ely. My first greyhound (first dog ever) was supposed to be cat safe, but was absolutely not cat safe. I remember how disappointing it was.

 

I'm wondering about 2 things: since Ely is 6, did she have a previous home & if so, did the group tell you anything about what may have happened there? And have you let the group know about these issues?

[a_daerr]

Henry did NOT like other people in "his" house for quite awhile after we adopted him. I think it has less to do with the dog being aggressive, and more to do with feeling that her personal space is being invaded. Once, my sister approached him on his bed (which was in a corner) and he snapped at her. We worked extensively on training Henry to be comfortable with people coming in the house. After two years, he still doesn't like it, however he has learned to tolerate it. We started by making sure he had a safe space to retreat. Then, when he was comfortable coming out and investigating, the visitor would toss him treats. We worked up to having him approach the visitor and taking treats from their hand. If you have a friend or neighbor who is willing to help you, just have them enter and re-enter a few different times and try this. Over the course of a few days/weeks, you should see some progress.

 

I really wouldn't make any rash decisions at this point. A month is still a relatively short time for a greyhound to adjust, get used to your schedule, and learn to trust you. I'm sure many (if not all) of the people on GT have thought to themselves at one point or another "OMG, I made a terrible mistake. I have to give this dog back!!" Henry was my first dog as well, and it was very exhausting and frustrating to deal with some of his fearful behaviors. I didn't know how to handle them. I would try some desensitivization training, and maybe think about taking an obedience class. Henry really started to come out of his shell after his first few classes. Now he's a therapy dog! Let us know if we can help in any way

[greymatters]

I'm glad you came here to ask for help and am sorry you're going through this with Ely. We have experienced a very similar problem with one of our greys and it is extremely challenging. Of course, it's certainly possible that the problems you described stem from her being so new to home life and that they will resolve as she settles in, but it's also possible that your girl may have a serious issue that requires attention. Based on our own experience with the latter, I have a few comments and suggestions:

 

First, IMO most aggressive behavior in dogs is fear-based (see link for a good description of fear aggression toward people). Moreover, dogs who are aggressive only in their own homes (you said Ely is fine meeting strangers outside of the house, and our pup is the same) may exhibit a specific subtype called "territorial fear aggression". These are among the most fearful dogs, who lack the confidence to behave aggressively unless they are in their own territory.

 

Secondly, although these issues can absolutely be addressed (with environmental management, obedience training, behavior modification, and possibly medication), in my opinion they represent a challenge that requires determination, patience, professional help, and a commitment to work on the problem, perhaps for the life of the dog. Because of this, not every home is a good fit for a fear-aggressive dog, and - again, IMO - there's nothing wrong with returning her if yours is not, for whatever reason. (For example, if you need to have a dog walker but she can't accept them.) As others have said, please contact your adoption group ASAP and describe the problem to them in detail. If you do return her, this information will be critical in finding her the right home.

 

On that note, I'd just like to say that after speaking with behaviorists, trainers, and - most importantly - people with decades of experience with greyhounds, it's my understanding that this specific problem is definitely not common among retired racers. If you decide that you and Ely are not the right match but still want to adopt a greyhound, it seems unlikely that another dog would have this issue.

 

Whatever you decide, please immediately take whatever steps are necessary to manage her environment carefully, to keep her and the humans around her safe. Again, as others have said, crate or muzzle anytime strangers are in your home. In addition to keeping everyone safe, this will make it easier for you to ignore any inappropriate behavior (or ideally, to redirect if you can to a "good" behavior). One key problem with fear-aggressive behavior is that it's self-reinforcing: the dog snarls or snaps and the scary person goes away = success. The "bad" behavior worked to achieve what she wanted, so she learns to use it. Some approaches for correcting fear-aggressive behavior can just make things worse, so it's important to minimize her opportunities to use the bad behavior "successfully", while you work on training for the "good" responses.

 

Lastly, if you do decide to keep Ely and to try to work through these issues, please do consult a good behaviorist (maybe not the one you've already spoken to, if she didn't seem willing to help). Obedience training is critical to help a fearful dog gain confidence, but a formalized behavior modification program of systematic desensitization and counter-conditioning may also be needed, to teach her the "right" way to react. And of course, please use positive training methods only, especially for a fearful dog.

 

Sorry to be so long-winded, but I hope you find some of this helpful. You don't have enough posts to PM here but if you'd like more details about how we're dealing with our own situation, please feel free to email me: greygeek 29 AT comcast DOT net (remove spaces and insert punctuation). Best of luck!

 

Michele

[Guest SusanP]

I'm not an expert, but we adopted a stray Labrador last summer who ran and hid every time a new person came into the house. She was clearly afraid. Now some dogs hide when they're afraid, and others get growly or snappy. In the case of our dog, as the months went by and she relaxed more in our home, she stopped hiding. All of our dogs behave differently than they did in the first month after they arrived at our home. So I have a feeling this is something that could change.

 

That said, you will need to be very careful with this dog so she doesn't bite someone. It sounds to me like you love her and want to keep her. But you will need support and help with this. I would think about starting with a vet visit, and while you're there, as for the names of several behaviorists, because one of them may be less dismissive of this dog.

 

I was once told by a behaviorist over the phone to give up on a new hound we had who was trying to rip our birdcage open to attack the birds. It took the president of our greyhound only an hour to teach this dog to ignore the birds. We've had her for 8 years now, and she has been very good with the cage, though of course we don't let the birds out around her. What I'm trying to say is than a behaviorist can be wrong.

 

Use the muzzle and the crate for now to be safe and observe her to see how she acts after someone in the house has been there awhile. You might be able to work with a *good* trainer on this. Our neighbors have a small dog with this problem. Sometimes they muzzle him when people come in, but with those who are willing, they hand out treats for the newcomer to give to the dog to show the dog that people who come in the house are a *good* thing.

 

PS: You may have to wait on using a dog walker with her, though, at least until you can find one who is willing to work on this with you.

[Guest DragonflyDM]

I just adopted a 6 year old female one month ago and my dog has been displaying some problems I am concerned about. She is aggressive towards anyone that comes into my home. I live alone and I wanted to wait a few weeks before inviting others over to meet Ely so it's just been the 2 of us for the past month. She's done well with others outside of the house on walks so I didn't think there would be a problem. However, twice I've had dog walkers come to the house to meet her and see if they could help out those few days I work late and with both people Ely was aggressive, growled at them, snapped at them, would not let them near her. When I put the leash on Ely and the three of us went out for a walk (with the dog walker holding the leash), Ely would ignore the dog walker and would still act aggressively towards her and wouldn't let the walker take the lease off. What concerns me as well as that since I've attempted to add people to our lives she's seemed to become more aggressive towards me as well when she gets upset. A few times she has showed her teeth at me or snapped at me. She always stopped right away when I've said no. I called one behavioral trainer (after the second dog walker said that my new dog had "serious problems") and the trainer (with 38 yrs worth of experience) talked to me on the phone for 30 minutes and basically tried to convince to take Ely back to the rescue group. She says my dog has confidence and aggressive problems and she doesn't want to take my money to just tell me the same thing.

 

I'm at a loss. This is my first dog as an adult. I've already bonded with her and really want to make it work. I've invested financially and emotionally. I read several books about greyhounds and multiple website before I made this commitment and never anticipated going through this. I guess I wonder if anyone out there has had similar experiences currently or in the past. Any recommendations?

 

My mother is coming to visit this week and we had 2 weeks planned where the 3 of us were going to spend together and now I'm concerned about how Ely will treat my mother being in the house.

 

Thanks in advance.

Christina

 

 

I am not going to read the other responses so I can give you MY honest opinion without filter-- an aggressive dog is only aggressive for two reasons: 1)It is bred to be aggressive (which greyhounds are not) OR 2) It has confidence issues.

 

Now, if you have lost your status in the pack and are doing behaviors that will show weakness an already insecure dog will not respect you NOR will they listen. Domesticated dogs (whether you believe in alpha dog theory or not) are social creatures. They will naturally look to the human (the one who has the food and sets the rules) for leadership. They overcome a lack of confidence (and all the fear based behaviors that comes from it) by trusting their human.

 

Depending on the anxieties and disorders that the dog is suffering, building that trust and confidence AND positive energy could take weeks, months or years. You essentially have to change the dog's world view through behavior (much the same way a therapist would with a person but with limited language skills of the patient).

 

Some of the behaviors you are doing may be undermining your success. If you are giving high pitch praise and hugs at the wrong time may translate into weakness and insecurity to a dog. How we punish and praise a dog can actually make things worse if they are done incorrectly.

 

I am shocked that this trainer told you to take the dog back without at least trying to work with the dog. The only reason I could imagine that would be because they had no confidence in you as an owner to put in the time and learn the skills needed.

 

This really is "Nanny 911" sort of stuff: regimens, consitency, leadership, confidence, appropriate praise, LOTS OF TIME with your four-legged companion, practice, practice, practice.

 

Some dogs, like people, create fundamental world views that bring them suffering their whole life-- but they CAN manage it. And not ALL bad behavior comes from a fundamental world view but a temporary anxiety.

[Guest DragonflyDM]

[AFTER READING THE OTHER RESPONSES]

 

I am really happy to see so many other people give the same sort of advice. I should add, that one person stated that you shouldn't feel bad if you decide to return the dog. I would agree with that. None of us are there so we don't know-- but this could be more than what you signed up for.

 

Nevertheless, dogs need to settle into their environment. Many dogs from the SPCA, even abused ones, understand what it means to live with humans and in a home. If you can-- give the dog some time to settle and adjust. DEFINITELY TAKE OBEDIENCE CLASSES.

 

And reading this again-- that "trainer" can have 138 years experience-- they should have come to the house and met with you and the dog.