Guest TheModernMutt Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Does your grey yelp at even the slightest touch? Slayer tends to yelp at even the slightest handling that makes her uncomfortable. Lift a paw? YELP!! Pick up her front paws sort of for a "hug"? YELP!! Scoot her heiny around on the bed? YELP!! I've never had a dog yelp for so little, ever! Is she really that delicate, or has she learned that yelping is the quickest way to get humans to leave her alone? I'm starting to think its the latter because she runs and jumps and whips her tail when we get home, and she doesn't yelp in pain then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatterseaBrindl Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Welcome to the Greyhound Scream Of Death, more commonly known as the GSOD Nixon, like many Greyhounds, is a pro at this! Not sure why some do it more than others....Ruby and Nigel have never done it. Quote Nancy...Mom to Sid (Peteles Tiger), Kibo (112 Carlota Galgos) and Joshi. Missing Casey, Gomer, Mona, Penelope, BillieJean, Bandit, Nixon (Starz Sammie), Ruby (Watch Me Dash) Nigel (Nigel), and especially little Mario, waiting at the Bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racindog Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 (edited) My first greyhound Ivy (Dream Irish) would yelp (loud) if my son merely touched her-ever so gently. I really came down on him one day for "hurting" Ivy and making her "cry." He insisted he was innocent and demonstarted. While I watched he barely touched her as gently as is humanly possible and she yelped and hollered like she was being beat-it was so funny. She just didn't want to be bothered and she knew that if she yelped I would fly to her "defense" and make him go away lol. She never did it with me except for when I would gently lift her ears up-which I exploited into making a loveable endearing quirp "trick". Gotta love a greyhound! (With Ivy this was not the GSOD-it was distinctly different.) Edited March 20, 2013 by racindog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheModernMutt Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Should have known GSOD was a diagnosed condition! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonder Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I just happened to read this article yesterday. Might be helpful to try http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/7_8/features/Canine-Behavior_15643-1.html Quote Kari and the pups.Run free sweet Hana 9/21/08-9/12/10. Missing Sparks with every breath.Passion 10/16/02-5/25/17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheModernMutt Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I just happened to read this article yesterday. Might be helpful to try http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/7_8/features/Canine-Behavior_15643-1.html I'm not subscribing just to read an article. It won't let me read past the first few sentences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zombrie Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 (edited) My big diva boy Doolin will yelp if he doesn't feel like being messed with. He has sleep aggression so I no longer allow him to sleep in bed with me, but he continued to go up on the bed and when I tried to get him off he'd yelp. When he stopped walking on walks and I tried to get him to keep going he'd yelp. Basically whenever I tried to make him do something he didn't feel like doing he would cry because he figured out if he cries I would stop. I have since learned to be firm with him and not coddle him when he gets in that mode... and while he will cry every now and then, he mostly doesn't do it anymore. *ETA being firm worked with Doolin, but may not work for a different dog. Doolin was being more of a brat than anything. He wasn't actually scared when the yelping occurred, he just figured me out and was totally working it!Maybe try messing with her feet and lifting her paws in exchange for treats? Maybe that will help get her over it. Edited March 20, 2013 by zombrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IrskasMom Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Yes , we have one of them to. His Paws are super-sensitive and please " don't touch me ". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonder Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 (edited) Here's part The sequence of the next part is very important. You will touch your dog’s head first, very briefly – say for one second – then feed him a tiny bit of chicken. The touch must come first because you want him to understand that the touch makes the chicken happen. If you feed chicken first, then touch, he won’t make that connection. Keep repeating this step until your touch causes him to look at you with a smiling face as if he’s saying, “Alright – you touched me. Yay! Where’s My Chicken?” You want the “Where’s My Chicken?” (WMC?) response to happen reliably several times in a row before you proceed to the next step. Good job! You’ve accomplished the first tiny step on a long road; he thinks being touched softly and briefly on the head is a wonderful thing. Now you must decide whether to stop the session – ending on a high note – or continue on because you both are having a wonderful time and don’t want the session to end. If you’re unsure how much longer he will work with you, it’s better to stop sooner, while you’re ahead, than to push it too far and suffer a setback. If you proceed, the next step might be to touch him on the head, still very gently, but for two seconds. You may lose the WMC? response at first as he adjusts to the increased time, but it will probably return quickly. Continue to increase the time, very gradually, so you don’t lose the progress you’ve made. As your touches get longer, feed him several treats in rapid succession while you are touching. Remember to stop the treats when the touch stops. Be sure to end the session before one or both of you gets bored, tired, stressed, or frustrated. You can always do another session later that day or the next. If you sense that he’s getting restless, stop the session, feed him a few extra tidbits for being a wonderful boy, and release him with an “All done!” cue. Next time, stop a little sooner – you don’t even want him to think about getting restless. Session #2 – Taking the next step A “Where’s My Chicken?” expression tells you that your dog has made the link between a stimulus and an enjoyable reward. Make sure you elicit this response several times before increasing the duration or intensity of the stimulus. When you start up again with your next session, back up a little. If you ended with five-second gentle touches on your dog’s head, start with three-second touches. You’ll be able to progress more quickly back up to five seconds, but be sure to start within his comfort level and warm up to the place where you ended. When he has a positive association with gentle touching up to perhaps 10 seconds, you can increase the intensity of a different stimulus – the amount of pressure. Each time you raise the bar for a new stimulus, lower it for the others – in this case you might go back to two or three seconds, with a slightly stronger pressure when you touch. Work to get that positive “Where’s My Chicken?” response with the new amount of pressure at each length of time before you increase the time again. When he’s responding happily to a moderate amount of touch pressure at 10-15 seconds, you can increase the intensity of the third stimulus in the touch package – the position of your hand. Up until now you’ve been touching him in his most accepting spot – the top of his head. Now you’re going to begin to move your hand to more sensitive places – again reducing the intensity of the other two stimuli – time and pressure. Perhaps you’ll try ears first. Returning to a very gentle touch, stroke one ear for one to two seconds, then feed some chicken. Repeat this until you’re getting his WMC? response to the ear-stroking, then do the same with the other ear. Gradually increase the length of time you stroke each ear gently, and when you’re getting positive responses to 10-second ear stroking, it’s time to increase the pressure. Shorten your ear strokes back to one to three seconds, but stroke the ear a bit more firmly. Remember to be very generous with your chicken bits, feeding a morsel or two every time you stroke the ear, and several morsels as the touches get longer. When he’s happy to have you stroke both ears firmly for 10-15 seconds or longer, you can move to a new spot. Don’t forget to reduce the other stimuli each time you move to a new touching place. After the ears, you might run your hand down the back of his neck, gently and briefly. Treat! You should find that as you work toward various new spots around your dog’s legs and body, he’ll accept new touches more quickly in many places. Adjust your pace to his behavior. If he’s giving you WMC? responses very quickly, you can progress more rapidly in your program. If he seems slower to respond, you’re probably working on or near a very sensitive place, and you need to slow the program down. He’ll tell you how slowly or quickly you can progress. Listen to him. Attempts to force him to accept your touching will backfire, big-time. Edited March 20, 2013 by Wonder Quote Kari and the pups.Run free sweet Hana 9/21/08-9/12/10. Missing Sparks with every breath.Passion 10/16/02-5/25/17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BellaBean Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Oh yea, Gigi will yelp if I shine a flashlight beam on her feet! She knows I'm checking for cuts/scraps. She ripped a toenail out the first month we had her and I would shine the flashlight on it to check it out. I guess she has learned that the flashlight beam results in me messing with her feet! It really is the funniest thing! Quote **Shellie with GiGi aka: Good Girl (Abita Raginflame X Ace High Heart) and two honorary hounds Butter and Bella** https://www.etsy.com/shop/GiGisCloset2?ref=si_shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_daerr Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Yep, sounds like Slayer has mastered the GSOD. Truman is a brat about being touched. He used to yelp over everything, especially if I tried to touch his belly touched while he was lying down. I used the same desensitization training process as Kari described above, and it worked very well. But there are other times, like when I have to change bandages, clip nails, clean ears, give baths, etc. and he still tries to fuss. I have to be firm with him. I make my voice more serious and say, "You have to." Eventually he stops fighting it... except when it comes to feet. If I graze him slightly with my foot, he yelps like he's enduring Chinese water torture. Another unique greyhound characteristic is their innate ability to act like a huge baby over the slightest indiscretion. But if something is seriously wrong (like the time Henry caught his tail under the door), they act like absolutely nothing is wrong! Half of Henry's tail was missing fur and the top layer of skin, but he still had his head hanging out the window all the way to the vet's. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuff Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 In my experience the greyhound "yelp" and "GSOD" are two different ends of a spectrum My boy Top will give the loud yelp if his ear is even gentley squeezed (like petting a normal dog). I have to worn people. But the greyhound scream of death brings you running from the other room because you seriously think someone must have a broken leg.... but of course you get there and nothing is going on or someone is holding a paw in the air and maybe still screaming... but is fine 1 minute later. I agree that some of the real injuries or painful things elicit NO response. Jujube ran full tilt into a tree and no sound. Tiger ran into a low fence and flipped over it while doing two summersaults. I thought for sure he would have broken his neck, and no sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenbo Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I love this blurb about the GSOD http://vistacruise.blogspot.com/2007/12/greyhound-scream-of-death.html Greyhound Scream of DeathThere are many tools that coddled, spoiled Greyhounds use to ensure their ongoing success: sad eyes, whining, whimpering, and yowling, just to name a few. But the most lethal tool by far is the Greyhound Scream of Death (GSOD). Contrary to the visions of heinous, life-threatening injuries this may conjure in your mind, a Greyhound unleashing the GSOD is likely not hurt, but may have actually stepped on a blade of wet grass and wants you to fix it immediately. Let me outline an example; picture this…You and your Greyhound are sitting on your deck outside enjoying a beautiful spring afternoon. Your Greyhound is snuggled on a nice, soft blanket you brought out, snoozing and dreaming of happy things, while you are stretched out on your chaise lounge relaxing with a good book. The birds are chirping happily, playing in your new bird bath, not a cloud in the sky. It is an afternoon that defines serenity.Unbeknownst to you, a fly has decided to check out your Greyhound. It buzzes around cautiously, quickly realizing that the beast is not disturbed by its presence. It hovers briefly above your Greyhound’s nose, lining its feet up for maximum traction and then lands abruptly. Out of nowhere, your Greyhound goes from sweet serenity to a swirling mass of uncoordinated legs and tail, spiraling around in confusion, while letting out the most ear piercing, heart stopping scream of agony you have ever heard.It is a sound heard by the neighbors over their home theater system as they contemplate dialing 9-1-1. Chipmunks and squirrels you didn’t even notice are chattering the alarm and seeking higher ground taking the other woodland creatures with them. It is full of such portents of danger the birds leave and fly to trees miles away for safety. You, meanwhile, reflexively throw your book 20 feet in the air and rush to save your dog from the evil that has cursed it before you even realize you are standing up.Your dog, seeing that you are on your way, stands still with one front paw gingerly lifted off the ground, quivering with soft, sad eyes staring at you, wrenching sobs from your throat and welling your eyes with tears as you envision that some failing on your part has caused harm to come to your favored friend. As soon as your Greyhound sees that you are affected, he hobbles towards you so you can caress him and check him over to fix the horrendous injury that has caused his anguish.You take the seemingly injured paw gently in your hands, expecting spurts of blood or missing fur and scraped skin… but there is nothing. You spread his toes to check the webbing, expecting to see it split wide open and oozing blood… but there is nothing. You check pads for splinters, the wrist for gashes; you work your way up to the ankle, gently manipulating the whole way with your heart pounding so loudly you are afraid it will burst. You are expecting to find a twist or sprain with your ever-so-gentle massage that will elicit the GSOD again… but there is nothing.And then you see it… the fly laying on your dog’s bed, its heart stopped from fear, dead where it was tossed when your Greyhound jumped for the sky. You gently flick it off the bed to the grass below, and your Greyhound trots right on over (using all four feet) where he nests the blanket and settles right back to his snooze, oblivious to your gaping jaw. Quote Camp Broodie with tuxedo Summer 12 and tuxedo Dio 6 Missing KC Kitty 2000-2016, Myka and part of my heart 2006-2020, and Saint YellBoy 2014-2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambuca Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I had a foster dog that would give the gsod for no reason. He would be laying on a bed and he would see me look at him and just give a horrible scream, then continue looking at me like nothing just happened. No dogs or cats were moving, I wasn't near him and since he didn't even move afterwards, I'm assuming no cramps. He gave a few people minor heart attacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 In my experience the greyhound "yelp" and "GSOD" are two different ends of a spectrum. My boy Top will give the loud yelp if his ear is even gentley squeezed (like petting a normal dog). I have to warn people. But the greyhound scream of death brings you running from the other room because you seriously think someone must have a broken leg.... but of course you get there and nothing is going on or someone is holding a paw in the air and maybe still screaming... but is fine 1 minute later. I agree that some of the real injuries or painful things elicit NO response. I agree with all the above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deboosh Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Yep, Bonnie's definitely figured out that if she yelps, I'll stop inspecting her toes or wiping away her eye goop. What a mean mommy I am! Dh and I were talking about her GSOD and how it made us lock horns, just the other night. It caused a tiff when I chastised him for stomping on her toes when he swore it was barely a graze. "She would never yelp like that for just a little graze", I told him smugly. You phony little wimp, Bonbon! Quote Image removed, not within Signature Guidelines. Forever Home on December 20, 2012Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.My Etsy Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeniseL Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Another unique greyhound characteristic is their innate ability to act like a huge baby over the slightest indiscretion. But if something is seriously wrong (like the time Henry caught his tail under the door), they act like absolutely nothing is wrong! Half of Henry's tail was missing fur and the top layer of skin, but he still had his head hanging out the window all the way to the vet's. Go figure. This is SOOO true! I had a perfect example last night. I can downstairs and Izzy had a gash on her shoulder. Bloody, gaping, wound up with staples, and scared me half to death. Never heard a peep out of her. She didn't even know it was there...BUT, god forbid the leash rubs against her belly....OMG Scream of death in the middle of our walk, like I am torturing her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheModernMutt Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I love this blurb about the GSOD *SNORT!* LOL LOL Too true! Yep, Bonnie's definitely figured out that if she yelps, I'll stop inspecting her toes or wiping away her eye goop. What a mean mommy I am! Dh and I were talking about her GSOD and how it made us lock horns, just the other night. It caused a tiff when I chastised him for stomping on her toes when he swore it was barely a graze. "She would never yelp like that for just a little graze", I told him smugly. You phony little wimp, Bonbon! YES! EXACTLY!! I'm always getting on to my partner and yelling at him to "quit being so rough with her!!" Until the other day when she let out a GSOD because I picked up a paw a few inches! I was fearful that maybe she had some sort of degenerative disease that I wasn't aware of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeniseL Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I'm always getting on to my partner and yelling at him to "quit being so rough with her!!" Until the other day when she let out a GSOD because I picked up a paw a few inches! I was fearful that maybe she had some sort of degenerative disease that I wasn't aware of. Now you sound like me LOL. One of mine takes a funny step or sneezes the wrong way and I'm googling symptoms and scouring the threads on here for a possible diagnosis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest itsagreytlife Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 I had a foster dog that would give the gsod for no reason. He would be laying on a bed and he would see me look at him and just give a horrible scream, then continue looking at me like nothing just happened. No dogs or cats were moving, I wasn't near him and since he didn't even move afterwards, I'm assuming no cramps. He gave a few people minor heart attacks. This is just hilarious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfish Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 I'm not subscribing just to read an article. It won't let me read past the first few sentences. Me neither. Thanks for adding the article, Kari. I'm pretty sure this hasn't been the case for my 'yelpers'. I think in the case of many greyhounds, it's simply anxiety. When they get moved into a home, there is so much that is new and confusing or scary that they just over-react to everything, and expect the worst. Probably the same kind of conditioning would work, but I've never needed to go through all that. I just take the opportunity to touch them - very briefly - at every opportunity, particularly when something good is happening, or when they just pass by me in the kitchen (the source of All Good Things). I think it's important not to surprise dogs like this. They need to be aware that you are approaching and may touch them, before you do. Jeffie was like this, only if I took him by surprise and touched certain areas, like his feet, he'd add a growl. My experience is that time and gentle handling takes care of it. I love this blurb about the GSOD http://vistacruise.blogspot.com/2007/12/greyhound-scream-of-death.html That is hilarious!! And so true. Quote The plural of anecdote is not dataBrambleberry Greyhounds My Etsy Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest psdirector Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 We have heard it several times from Hutch since he came home two weeks ago. The first time was when his coat shimmied down over his butt; the second was when he lifted a paw and got it caught on the key lanyard hanging out of my coat pocket; the third was when he ran into our tiered garden (railroad ties) about five minutes after I let them out in our newly fenced yard for the first time. In the latter case, he held up a paw, hobbled in to the house, laid down - I checked his leg and paw and didn't see a mark, no swelling. By the time DH got home from work (after lots of tears on my part about what an awful mom I am and how I wanted the fence to be good for him and his brother - not to be a source of hurt), he jumped up all wags and happiness, no limps, no problem. W Fortunately, we don't get yelps when we touch our boys. Hutch yelped once when the vet hit a sore place deep in the muscle of his right hind leg when she was checking him over. I could tell that that really hurt him. So much to learn about these boys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scullysmum Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 In my experience the greyhound "yelp" and "GSOD" are two different ends of a spectrum My boy Top will give the loud yelp if his ear is even gentley squeezed (like petting a normal dog). I have to worn people. But the greyhound scream of death brings you running from the other room because you seriously think someone must have a broken leg.... but of course you get there and nothing is going on or someone is holding a paw in the air and maybe still screaming... but is fine 1 minute later. I agree that some of the real injuries or painful things elicit NO response. Jujube ran full tilt into a tree and no sound. Tiger ran into a low fence and flipped over it while doing two summersaults. I thought for sure he would have broken his neck, and no sound. You are so right .....my bridgekid Scully used to do the GSOD if you just hugged him a little too tightly(he nearly gave a vet nurse heart failure doing that)....when he actually broke his hock he didn't make a sound! Quote <p>"One day I hope to be the person my dog thinks I am"Sadi's Pet Pages Sadi's Greyhound Data PageMulder1/9/95-21/3/04 Scully1/9/95-16/2/05Sadi 7/4/99 - 23/6/13 CroftviewRGT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greytdogsks Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Is she really that delicate, or has she learned that yelping is the quickest way to get humans to leave her alone? I'm starting to think its the latter because she runs and jumps and whips her tail when we get home, and she doesn't yelp in pain then! My only experience with this is with my second greyhound.. not a retired racer, has a whole story behind her but ... when I first got her, many times, for no apparent reason, she would scream. I would run to check on her and she would just look at me like 'what?'. If anyone would gently touch her collar, like to try to get her up (or off the couch or whatever) to go out or something, she would SCREAM. The vet's suggested she not be adopted out because she was such a risk to bite. They muzzled her to draw blood for heartworm test, etc. Well, before too long, I 'learned' her ... and didn't react anymore. The most obvious thing I did ... I put my thumb and finger in a circle around her leg .. not touching her at all. She screamed and turned her head towards me as if to threaten to bite. When she saw I wasn't going to react, she stopped. So, I tightened the circle enough to just touch her leg. Scream, etc. again, yet, I didn't move... That was pretty much the last time she tried it on me. Except when it came to clipping nails --- I couldn't get that done because she would jerk away at the same time. However, she kept pretty much everyone else she was ever around or who kept her for me on occasion bamboosled! I friend was even 'afraid' to keep her for me she had the friend so spooked by the screaming! Can't speak for Slayer, but could try something like I did to see how she reacts. Quote Lee: (RR's Busy): Oswald Cobblepot X Lively Layla (10/14/97 - 01/22/10) ; Cool: (P's Cool Runner): P's Raising Cain X My Cool Runner (3/3/97 - 12/26/09) ; Nutty: (Itsanutterbutter): State of the Art X Itsalmostsaintly ; Waterproof: (KB's Waterproof): Oshkosh Slammer X Special Lady* ; Sadie: my sweet silly girl: 5/5/98 - 11/26/05 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PaulEmandStan Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Stan is such a wuss. He constantly stands in the way but if you step on his paw even slightly it's BOOM GSOD!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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