Faces From A Previous Life?

[Guest Waterdog66]

Our Audrey left the track in January and we adopted her just over 4 weeks ago and things have been awesome.

 

Now that her personality is coming out we have noticed that she LOVES kids and is generally quite friendly with everyone she meets.

We have had two experiences here she reacted to strangers in ways that we did not expect though:

1). She is deathly afraid of the gardener. The moment he gets out of the truck she is does everything she can to find a safe place to be. (IE. In the House) It is not the Lawn Mower because she has never been out when he is actually mowing the lawn. She seems to be triggered by just is appearance.

2). Yesterday in the park an older woman walked by on the path about 100 yards from where we were sitting in the grass and she got up with her tail wagging and started to Roo at her. (Very similar behavior to what she does when we come home after being gone for a while) After the woman walked around the corner she settled down again; but it seemed like Audrey thought she knew the woman.

My guess is that our gardener must look like one the trainers or handlers from the track and possibly the woman also looked like someone from her past. Possibly a mother who would bring her children to the kennel at the track to give the dog treats or maybe walk them. (I have heard that race dogs frequently gain experience with children this way) Audrey just turned 5 and she raced until she was forced into retirement so she has a lot of history.

Her reaction to these two people seem to hint at something in her past memories that will likely fade as we replace her memories with hopefully happier ones.

[Guest kkaiser104]

Contrary to popular belief, track dogs are generally treated very well. Teddi loves men because his trainer at the track treated him like his own dog (and he was a lousy racer! But a lot of personality ) So the chances of her being afraid of the gardener because they look like her trainer is unlikely. More likely, she's afraid of the gardener because she's seen/heard the lawn mower (even from inside the house) or maybe other tools the gardener uses frighten her.

 

My parent's have a grey who roos at everyone because he's happy to see them and hopes they'll pay attention to him. Not that unusual.

[a_daerr]

Henry was deathly afraid of men with baseball hats when we first got him. I remember telling one of my coworkers how gentle and sweet he was. Then when I introduced them, Henry barked his head off and got really upset. It was so out of character for him. He's gotten past that now, but I wondered the same thing myself- that maybe the man reminded him from someone in his past.

[Houndtime]

We had a dog who was afraid of men in baseball caps. It was our beagle and we had her from 6 weeks old. Read into things whatever you want, but sometimes the reason belongs to the dog and we will never know the why.

[GeorgeofNE]

I think that sometimes we read too much into dogs' negative reactions. My last dog was DEATHLY afraid of 1) the ironing board, and 2) the Hassidic Jewish people who lived (in large numbers) in my old neighborhood. I PROMISE you, no Hassidic person ever abused him, and the ironing board was never used to beat him. He was, however, thrown from a moving car at the age of approximately 10-12 weeks. He was NOT afraid of cars and actually loved to go in the car.

 

My boy seems to favor dark skinned men who smoke. As it's rather likely that some of the kennel workers at the track he ran at were darker skinned men who smoke, that makes perfect sense to me. He is afraid of long handled objects like brooms and rakes. I assume he's just smart enough to know those things can be tricksie! Not that someone beat him with a rake.

[XTRAWLD]

Ryder is still having a hard time not turning around and running at the sight of big, loud men. He is incredibly shy to approach. Women - no problem. Not sure what happened to him, but clearly, he's not a fan of those types. Loves hubby though, and gets along quite well with other members of my family. Just the big, tall and/or round ones that have a loud voice he just can't be comfortable around.

[dmdsmoxie]

We had a dog who was afraid of men in baseball caps. It was our beagle and we had her from 6 weeks old. Read into things whatever you want, but sometimes the reason belongs to the dog and we will never know the why.

 

This.

 

I had a Golden a number of years ago and like most Golden's she was everyone friend. She was inside my car and I was standing outside of it and person came over and asked if she was friendly. I said yes and as he approached the window Grrrrrrr teeth showing as she didn't like this person.

 

Others, at different times, would do the same thing and she was always fine with them. There was something about that person she didn't like.

[Guest Waterdog66]

I actually believe that she was treated quite well in her first 5 years.

Dogs frequently come from the track she came from with some pretty serious injuries and scars. (Broken legs, Ripped Achilles, Scars from the crate latches for example) She has none of that and does not exhibit any behavior to suggest she was treated poorly as part of her routine.

Her only physical feature from her past are two indentations on either side of her nose from wearing a poorly fitted muzzle and grey teeth from being given prednisone.

[Batmom]

The most common cause of tooth discoloration is tetracycline antibiotic use at a young age. Your dog wouldn't've been given prednisone at that time, and probably not since unless the adoption group gave it for an injury. Most female racers get a hormone to keep them from coming into heat during their racing career. That starts long after adult teeth have formed.

 

 

 

 

ETA: Sometimes dogs are frightened as a result of things they've seen before, and sometimes ... who knows? As already noted . Most don't like things such as brooms, rakes, mops with long handles extending far above their heads. Pretty smart when you think about it .

Edited May 28, 2013 by Batmom

[deboosh]

Our girl has no fear of people; should anyone smile or make eye contact with her, she's all over them. People are always surprised at how friendly and responsive she is, so we'll be exploiting that quality by doing our first M & G next month. On the other hand, Bonnie is fearful of brooms and rakes, and will back up and move away if she sees either of us using one. I'd like to think that these idiosyncrasies are a part of their make up, rather than a reaction to any past mistreatment.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

My grey had an immediate reaction when she met one of my guy friends. She practically turned herself inside out with excitement which she hadn't done for anyone else. Now she does the same thing over my mom, and any random woman that looks like she might be my mom from a distance.

 

I thought my guy friend might have looked like her trainer, but found out later that her trainer was a woman, so I guess she just liked the looks of him.

[Guest zombrie]

We had a dog who was afraid of men in baseball caps. It was our beagle and we had her from 6 weeks old. Read into things whatever you want, but sometimes the reason belongs to the dog and we will never know the why.

Yes! I have a Golden who has some anxieties. We got him at 12 weeks old, and did everything we were told to do (puppy classes, socialization, etc) it's just how he is. I've learned that he will bark and growl at things he's afraid of or just looks funny to him... Perhaps the gardener was holding something or wearing something that "looked funny" to your dog? Who knows.

I had a foster who was deathly afraid of tin foil, so these dogs can be afraid of the most random things!

[scullysmum]

My girl Sadi used to get very excited when she met older men wearing flat caps...and would try to stow away in white transit vans if the doors were left open when she was passing.

 

I appreciate that US folks may not know what flat caps or Transit vans are so...

 

 

This one even seems to be parked outside the net huts here in Hastings, which is remarkable seeing as I just googled it generically, and the flat cap...

 

 

I assume she had a favourite kennel hand or trainer who wore a cap and travelled to the track in said van....which I suppose proves she loved being a racing doggy! (at least until she became a spoiled pet that is!)

[Guest Doggone]

My girl Sadi used to get very excited when she met older men wearing flat caps...]

 

 

I assume she had a favourite kennel hand or trainer who wore a cap and travelled to the track in said van....which I suppose proves she loved being a racing doggy! (at least until she became a spoiled pet that is!)

Hey, MANY women would get very excited to see this guy wearing a flat cap!

 

Back to the topic.......ahem..........

The only time Autumn barks is when she sees HER reflection in the window/glass door! She never barks upon seeing other dogs in the neighborhood (and there are loads......all sizes and breeds). It doesn't even matter to her if they're barking their heads off......total "big deal" attitude.

Go figure........

[boopieface]

Our first grey loved loved loved women, especially blonde women. She was terrified of men. My unkle was dying of cancer when we got her. He asked us if we could bring her to his house so he could meet her. We told him that she didn't like men, but he asked us to please bring her. We did. The little stinker walked over to him, hopped up on the couch and put her head in his lap. She layed there while he petted her for a long time. She knew who she liked and didn't like and apparently he was one of those she decided that she liked.

[Hubcitypam]

Sorry to ask a silly questions, but what do crate latch scars look like and where are the located?...and where are the latches on the crates? What happened to her that she was forced into retirement if she was not injured?

 

Poodle cries and whines wanting to get to some people but not others and I'm sure he doesn't know the people that he is asking to go see. Barkley the terrier is terrified of all men. Some dogs just have issues - Barkley has a trailer full of them.

[Guest Waterdog66]

Sorry to ask a silly questions, but what do crate latch scars look like and where are the located?...and where are the latches on the crates? What happened to her that she was forced into retirement if she was not injured?

 

Poodle cries and whines wanting to get to some people but not others and I'm sure he doesn't know the people that he is asking to go see. Barkley the terrier is terrified of all men. Some dogs just have issues - Barkley has a trailer full of them.

Many of the hounds that come from this track have scars on their sides (Rib cage) that is supposedly from the crate latches. It appears to affect dogs that were in the upper deck of a stacked arrangement more so than larger dogs who where on the first tier. I am not sure if this is something intentional or accidental as I know very little of the racing industry and even less at the track where she came from because it is not in the US.

 

As for retirement, Audrey raced until just before she turned 5 along with 2 of her 5 siblings. I was told at the adoption center that racing hounds are retired at 5 (If not sooner) but might be kept back for breeding.

 

I am just tickled to be able to provide what I hope are the happiest years of our hounds life regardless of where she came from. In any case, she has been an awesome edition to our family

 

 

 

The most common cause of tooth discoloration is tetracycline antibiotic use at a young age.

 

That is probably what is was since according to her race history was never injured. (I probably mis-heard someone from the Adoption Group)

 

In the end I am happy to let her keep secrets to herself as long as she is a happy hound.

 

Just gonna avoid guys with baseball caps and distinctive "Pancho Villa" mustaches and make a point to let her spend as much time with children as possible.

 

I am seriously considering the thought of taking her through service dog training as she seems to have such a great disposition with people in general and children in particular.

 

 

[greysmom]

Her reaction may or may not have anything to do with anyone she met earlier in her life. I know that dogs that I have had HAVE recognized people again after not seing them, sometimes for years. Our first greyhound was foster for nearly a year with the same volunteer. Libby would absolutely squiggle herself out of her skin whenever she saw her foster Mom at greyhound events after we adopted her. Our first Great Dane we had from the time she was 8 weeks old, and she always had an issue with DH's brother. Sammi just did NOT like him, even as a small puppy. And her former owner looked nothing like Brother, so it was just something Sammi didn't like.

 

Whiskey will bark and roo at everyone as if he's saying hello. Both he and Lilly spent a day and a night at their Auntie Jennie's (jenners on GT) house the first day we had them, and I would love to know if they actually remember her. Maybe some day!

[Guest lucylei]

We took Missy to an obedience trainer when we first got her (for general things like sit, stay, etc.) and one of the first things he told the class was that when a dog displays fear or aggression towards something or someone, it is because the dog has never been exposed to it - NOT because it was ever hurt by it. So if your dog hates horses, isn't because a horse kicked it or anything. And men in baseball hats may appear like a totally different shape/species. In the training, they have entire spreadsheets of various objects that dogs need to be exposed to right away - everything from skateboards to the kettle to cats.

[greypuppyluv]

You've been told some interesting stuff. Seeing that you're from Carlsbad, I'm guessing your girl came from the Caliente track in Tijuana. Even though that track is not in the US, they do abide by the same rules that other tracks in the US abide by. For example, greyhounds do not have to be retired by age 5. If a trainer wants to, he most certainly can choose to do so, but our group has taken in greyhounds directly from Caliente when they were 6 years old and they had just recently retired.

 

 

Many of the hounds that come from this track have scars on their sides (Rib cage) that is supposedly from the crate latches. It appears to affect dogs that were in the upper deck of a stacked arrangement more so than larger dogs who where on the first tier. I am not sure if this is something intentional or accidental as I know very little of the racing industry and even less at the track where she came from because it is not in the US.

 

As for retirement, Audrey raced until just before she turned 5 along with 2 of her 5 siblings. I was told at the adoption center that racing hounds are retired at 5 (If not sooner) but might be kept back for breeding.

I am just tickled to be able to provide what I hope are the happiest years of our hounds life regardless of where she came from. In any case, she has been an awesome edition to our family

 

Just gonna avoid guys with baseball caps and distinctive "Pancho Villa" mustaches and make a point to let her spend as much time with children as possible.

 

I am seriously considering the thought of taking her through service dog training as she seems to have such a great disposition with people in general and children in particular.

 

As for her loving children? That could have happened on the farm. It's possible that whoever bred and raised her had kids around so she was used to being around them and grew to really love them. By the time the dogs are in the racing kennels, I would assume they have already formed their love/dislike for kids. I've been in a racing kennel in Caliente and it's not really a place a mother would want to take her kids on a regular basis.

 

And, I think the type of training you are possibly thinking of is therapy dog training. It sounds like she would be ideal for that. Congratulations on adopting such a wonderful girl!

[greysmom]

In addition to Paula's comment above, all greyhounds are required to be retired from racing by the time they turn 6 years old. So your girl retired a year early. If you look at her Greyhound Data (greyhound-data.com) page, at the listings for her races, you can view the comments and sometimes figure out what happened towards the end of her career. Sometimes it's an injury or sometimes, they just lose the competitive edge. Sometimes you just don't know and likely will never know. Every once in a while once of the racing savvy people on the Board will have a thread where they will analyze your dog's racing career. If your interested, this is really fun, so keep an eye out for them.

[Hubcitypam]

In addition to Paula's comment above, all greyhounds are required to be retired from racing by the time they turn 6 years old. So your girl retired a year early.

Sorry, but that is not true. There is no mandatory retirement age for greyhounds. It is up to the owner and trainer.

 

Few dogs race past 5 for 2 reasons. The first reason is that, like everyone, they get slower as they get older - think a 40 year old racing a college student, Second reason is that by that age they have run a lot of races and served their owner well. Many owners will choose to retire them instead of sending them to a lower tier track to get a few more bucks. Harley ran over 200 races and when he started to go down in grade at Bluffs his owner and trainer decided he'd done enough and retired him.

 

As far as them liking kids because they were exposed to them at the track. As Paula said, a track kennel is not really a place to take kids. I'm not sure what Caliente does, but at the tracks I've been to here Joe Public can't just stroll back there and pet dogs you have to pass through a security gate. Hard to imagine the safety and liability issues of allowing a kid to walk a racer, I also agree with Paula that most of them like kids because they grew up around them on the farms. I've seen kids from 3 up in the pens with the dogs (the toddler was with small puppies). On most farms the kids help take care of the dogs.

Edited May 29, 2013 by Hubcitypam

[Guest juliewicz]

This is interesting. My guy's foster mom said Zip didn't like guys, but he has bonded with all the men I have brought him around wonderfully. He was scared of a greyhound daddy in my neighborhood, but I will just say that's because he met a beautiful older grey girl and was nervous! Awww shucks!

 

He goes nuts for my sister because we all go somewhere else together when she is here, so he knows if she comes over, we're going to have fun.

 

The only possible glimpse into his past was once when he was really new, I was trying to teach hand commands and raised my hand in front of his face, and he cowered backwards before I even got kinda close. I like to believe he was treated well, but he cowered from me a handful of times when my hands were moving faster than he liked. My vet said he came from one of the not great kennels, so I wonder. But now he knows I will never hurt him, so haven't seen that behavior in a while. So that might have been "who is this new person" jitters, and not really a reflection into something more. Forced retirement, stolen manhood, new kennel, new foster home & then to a new forever home? I'd be scared, too.

[a_daerr]

Julie, I love your signature! That third pic is great.

[KickReturn]

Hester rushes toward black people and grey haired ladies stepping out of minivans who smoke. Perhaps the attendants at his kennel were black - he was in Florida. As for the Greyhaired ladies, who knows, maybe a kindly foster who smoked. Interestingly as time has passed these behaviours have moderated and now he wants to greet anyone that looks at him.

 

The exception and the only negative reaction toward people is that he will avoid anyone obese. This behaviour is consistent and applies to men or women, even when they reach out and try to say hello. He will just duck their hand and scoot past them. A bit embarrassing after these same people have watched him lavish affection on everyone else in the vicinity.