He's Just Misunderstood

[Guest HeatherLee]

This is multifaceted topic/rant so bear with me, haha. Anyways, I've had my hound for about 10 months now. He's bonded to me, has a great personality, is pretty chill, gets a little anxious when I leave the house but then goes to sleep, for the most part he's awesome and I've never had any problems with his behavior. However when I first adopted him we was attacked by my roommate's dog pretty badly. He never saw that dog again as I promptly moved out. It took awhile but I gradually started socializing him again. Everything was fine because I took him to a dog park that was empty except for a few old dogs 90% of the time. So I made sure to take him to the park during times I knew were safe. Mostly it was fine. The park started attracted less responsible dog owners and there were fights, he got close to a couple so I stopped going there.

 

Then I moved away from that park. And in with my mother (long story). Now I'm more in central phoenix and the dog parks are ALWAYS crowded. I don't like to take him there because it's too much of a risk. There's just too many unruly dogs and I don't want mine torn up because he's not like the others. Gambler gets irritated with overly playful dogs and growls at them to tell them he's not ok with it. Which apparently makes him seem like the aggressive one when the other dog was the one who tried to jump on top of him. Or other dogs are way too nosey with sticking their nose in his crotch, or they tried to hump him, etc. So then a potential fight happens. So I stopped going to dog parks unless I'm absolutely sure there's no one there. SO my question on this is, IS he being too aggressive when he growls to let other dogs know, "hey that's not cool, stop it"? I personally don't think it is, it's not his fault he's not a fricking bouncing off the walls Labrador like everyone thinks every dog should behave like. (yes I'm bitter, haha) Opinions?

 

Also, I've since moved into my mothers apartment complex which is pretty lush with vegetation (it's know for this, it's like a forest) so there are TONS of cats running around (the apt complex feeds them, they keep the pests at bay). So Gambler is constantly "on" when he goes for a walk around the complex now. He also has started barking at random large dogs around the complex (which scares their owners, weirds me out and makes other people think he's vicious) for example... he barks and lunges at a lady husky and a playful boxer, but is totally fine with the pair of chinese cresteds, an older poodle, and a tiny yorkie. At first I thought that maybe his prey drive was overstimulated from all the cats and cat smells. But he walks by certain little dogs with no prob. The only think I can think is A) he's scared because he's been attacked by large dogs B.- the ones he barks at are almost always high energy, kind of obnoxious dogs. C) he knows I think these dogs look annoying and is reacting to me. Anyone else have this prob? (btw he's fine with other greyhounds)

 

And thirdly..other people. They just don't get greyhounds.. does anyone else have this problem? I stayed with a friend awhile ago and I can't tell you how many times I heard "why isn't he playing?""why is he just laying there?" "why is he sad?" "why won't he run around the yard and play fetch?" And he barked at my friends husband because he was in his face too much. And now.. living with my mom, who is pretty cool about everything.. is unfortunately driving me crazy about Gambler. She always says he's depressed, going stir crazy, needs to get out more, I'm not socializing him, thinks he's always sad. ALL THE TIME. I take him out about 4-5 times a day, play in the apt all the time every day, take him to the dog park to run (when it's empty) once or twice a week, let him sniff around the dogs he does like when we go for walks. He's not depressed or stir crazy, greyhounds always look sad, and he lays around a lot, that's what they do. I tell her this and she keeps bugging me about him. It's not a big issue,are the people I know just nuts?

Edited October 28, 2013 by HeatherLee

[Guest jetska]

Yeah a lot of 'dog people' don't 'get' greyhounds, until they spend some time with one. Greyhounds do play in my experience, but a lot of them have to be taught. I have gotten all of my foster dogs to learn to play 'tug' and sometimes you can get them to fetch. Or you can play 'ready set go' to set them off in silly zoomie loops, or get them to chase you (most greyhounds thing this is silly though as humans are so slow haha)

 

They are also very sensitive so he might be picking up on your vibes towards the dogs that you think he might react to. I would definately steer clear of dog parks for him and try to look for places that people don't take all their dogs to... or places where the dogs are going to be onleash and well behaved (inner city coffee strip perhaps?) It is not the be all and end all bad if he growls at other dogs, but remember you are there to protect him, not the other way around, so try to keep him out of situations where he feels he needs to growl.... I does sound like he could benefit from some work though, there are others on here who gave good advice on dealing with my reactive foster dog.

[Guest HeatherLee]

He does play with me, and people he feels comfortable with. It took him about 4 months to even start to play with the raccoon stuffie I bought him, now we play tug o' war every day. People get very offended at his aloofness. But that's fine, they get offended at mine too haha.

 

I like the coffee shop suggestion, it's starting to cool off here during the day so I'll have to take him out and about more often.

 

I agree about the growling and I kind of understand why he's doing it, i'm sure he's getting a lot of energy from me even though I try to be calm when I see crazy dogs approaching. I try to protect him the best I can, I've just started saying "no" when other's with questionable dogs ask if he's friendly and want to introduce their dogs and reassure him when he's acting scared. I also don't want to train to not be wary of dangers around him (or me)

[silverfish]

A lot of people do not understand why greyhounds lie around so much. I don't understand why some small dogs DON'T lie around more, being nice and peaceful like my greyhounds!

 

I always explain to people that greyhounds are like cheetahs. They have one very short burst of energy, during which they play or run or whatever, then they rest up for hours. I believe all really fast animals are like this. Also, they are used to long periods of inactivity at the race kennels. They are taken out for exercise, training and racing, but they spend a lot of time resting in their beds.

 

It does sound as if your dog needs a bit of socialising, but it needs to be done carefully and with patience. Simply having a strange dog hump him isn't going to work - that's just plain 'rude dog' behaviour and not many well-balanced mature dogs will easily tolerate it. Growling is the way dogs tell each other to quit what they're doing, if body language doesn't work - and sadly, so many pups of other breeds are taken from their mothers so early that they don't learn normal dog body language. Others don't mature very quickly because they are bred to remain puppylike. Others are simply not trained. All these dogs do usually understand growling, though, so that's the bit you notice: when it escalates to that point and the other dog hasn't taken any notice of the stiff posture, the head turning, the tail position etc, your dog will growl as a 'last warning'.

 

Growling at bouncy dogs - Sid does that. It's fairly normal if a dog doesn't want to be approached (and in Sid's case, potentially knocked on his backside, being a tripod) by a high-energy, undisciplined dog, they will growl quicker and at a longer distance. Particularly a nervous, previously attacked, or vulnerable dog. They like to get the first word in, if you like, but almost certainly, the other (bouncy) dog isn't listening to their body language and they will know that.

[GeorgeofNE]

The simple answer is stop going to dog parks.

 

Sounds rather clear he is getting nothing positive out of the experience. Perhaps YOU are, since it's easier than walking him and I know it gets awfully hot in AZ, but he has no NEED to go, and it doesn't sound like any fun for him at all.

[rascalsmom]

People have always commented on how 'calm' my greyhounds are. Makes me proud. I don't really appreciate an 'in your face' dog, so greyhounds are perfect for me.

 

My first male greyhound, Buddy, did not like other dogs. Well, he liked other GREYHOUNDS, but not other breeds. Don't know why, but he acted very aggressive when he saw one, particularly when on leash. I think what changed his mind was when neighbors moved in next door--they had an older Lab/Golden mix dog who was fabulous. She was calm, friendly, submissive...and she sort of changed Buddy's mind about other dogs. Granted, not about badly behaved dogs, but he became more tolerant of well-behaved dogs after getting to know Maddie--through the fence at first, and eventually on leash or even when she came into our fenced area.

 

So perhaps you could socialize him a bit if you could find a dog like Maddie was--someone well behaved, etc.?

 

I have not taken my dogs to dog parks, but that doesn't seem like the best way to socialize a dog....it leaves so much to chance, and there is always that possibility of your dog getting hurt....

[Feisty49]

When people ask a question, which might appear negative to us, I take it as an opportunity to pass on some knowledge, and since I love talking about Greyhounds, I have to remind myself to talk *less* when I get going. So I don't take comments such as you've experienced as insults. People just don't know, and why should they? I don't know a thing, for instance, about the personality of Dalmations. And if your 'friends' continue to ask the same questions over and over, a good response is, "What don't you understand about what I told you last week? THIS is how a Greyhound acts. Get over it."

 

It's too bad about the cats and the barking, etc., but IMO, this is something that can be worked on via training. It can be tiresome and seemingly never ending, but when I read your post, my mind immediately started thinking what I would do if my Annie did this. Lots of short leash. The use of critical words (not "Don't do that. Stop barking. Wait. Stop!" -- that's way too much info for a dog) relating to a specific reaction he has. Treats and praise when he even shows a modicum of giving you the behavior you want. If you feel overwhelmed, get the help of a behaviorist who will come to you and teach you how to teach him.

 

I'm not a fan of dog parks mainly because my sweet, docile, calm Annie goes away and her evil twin emerges in dog parks. She becomes too assertive for my taste. She loves to run with other dogs, shoulder to shoulder, and then cut them off. It's probably a normal trait from racing, but it doesn't go over well with other dog owners when their baby goes flying head over heels. Annie also snarks a lot. It's playing but it's asking for the play to be returned, which is asking for trouble on the part of a Greyhound.

 

Up until a month ago, I did not have a fenced yard and walked Annie 2-3 times a day. For most Greyhounds that's enough exercise. I now have a fenced yard and I still walk Annie 2 times a day with the backyard being used by Annie mostly for a big potty place. She runs in it maybe once a week.

 

Good luck! Don't let others' negativism get to ya. You know what you need to know and that's what matters.

[Remolacha]

OK, first, his growling at dogs he doesn't want to play with/finds rude is completely normal (and proper) dog behavior. I avoid dog parks because they are usually full of rude bouncy dogs and clueless owners! I think I know kind of where you live, in one of those complexes that have "forest"or something like that in the name and say "live in the trees!", right? He probably does need to become more used to other dogs, but I imagine he is sensitive to dogs that have bothered him in the past. Fletcher was pretty unfriendly to all non greyhounds, but certain types (sheperdy-wolfy types) really set him off, so they can have different reactions to different types of dogs, and some he may just never like. If you can teach him the "look at me" behavior, it will help a lot.

 

As for the people who don't get greyhound behavior, as opposed to say, labs, all I can suggest is keep educating them. No, he's fine. He's perfectly happy, this is just how greyhound are. If they don't catch on, at least maybe they will quit asking

[KickReturn]

Sorry you are facing this challenge. I would only add to some of the advice above that situations like yours often improve as the dog has more positive experiences with other breeds as time passes. There are training techniques that can speed this but it can also happen naturally. Of course it is extremely important to avoid negative experiences as they can lead to a setback in behaviour.

 

My Hester was much like you describe at first, a real terror toward any dog that didn't "speak" Greyhound. He would warn them all with a fairly ferocious display. Even other male Greyhounds had to mind their behaviour. Fast forward two years and he routinely endures being swarmed by packs of dogs without so much as a grumble. This morning a pack of 7 off leash large assorted breeds greeted him simultaneously. A year ago and there might have been real trouble. He seems almost to enjoy it now. I put it down to an accumulation of positive experiences and an absence of negative ones.

 

Perhaps you could walk him with some of these dogs with which he has trouble. Maybe he'll learn that everything is really OK and as a bonus he will have more pee to mark on top.

[Guest HeatherLee]

Thank you to everyone who replied to this topic, I really appreciate your comments and it's nice to know i'm not alone in my thoughts.

[Guest Bree]

Thank you to everyone who replied to this topic, I really appreciate your comments and it's nice to know i'm not alone in my thoughts.

 

 

It's good to know I'm not alone either on some of the same issues. Our girl is wonderful and friendly with all dogs and people and doesn't have even the slightest aggression in normal situations. EXCEPT when it comes to dogs at the dog park who hump her or play rough and won't take no for an answer. Usually when she growls and snaps towards a dog doing something she doesn't want, the other dog will get the idea and leave her alone...so I'm glad to hear that's the normal response that should happen. But last time another dog just wasn't getting the message and kept humping and bumping into her and eventually was snapping and barking back to the point that they were almost full out fighting. We ended up just leaving the park altogether even though it was the other dog stirring up confrontation.

 

We've gotten all the crazy comments and questions too. I try to use them as teaching opportunities to tell people what greyhounds are really like but some people will just never "get it". So you may have to use your patience and put your energy towards people who actually want to learn and not the ones who won't remember and/or make stupid jokes no matter how many times you explain something. And sometimes, there's just no good way to reply to some comments. We get the "I thought for a minute you were walking a deer!!" comment ALL THE TIME because our girl is red, huge, and can stand her ears up. Things like that you just have to laugh and say "yeah she's a big dog". Good luck and remember you're not alone!

[Guest Waterdog66]

Audrey definitely DOES NOT LIKE rude behavior from other strange dogs although her discomfort zone is getting better. IF she is well acquainted with the dog, her tolerance factor changes and rudeness is often overlooked.

 

What I did to help her along was to use the concept of "Parallel Walking". Whenever we go to meet/greet another dog, walk in the same direction as the other dog. (With the owners and on leash) She seems to respond very well to this approach. IF the other dog is approaching from the opposite direction, we step aside to a comfortable viewing spot and let the dog go by before following along behind.

 

Even when we are not going to actually meet the dog, she can still walk the trail and pick up some of the smells. (Familiarity seems to defuse her reactivity quite a bit)

 

As others have said, building up a portfolio of positive experiences and minimizing the chances of a bad experience is the key. BUT Snarking is certainly normal and I have never discouraged it. I would rather see her growl than bite

[Guest jetska]

 

 

It's good to know I'm not alone either on some of the same issues. Our girl is wonderful and friendly with all dogs and people and doesn't have even the slightest aggression in normal situations. EXCEPT when it comes to dogs at the dog park who hump her or play rough and won't take no for an answer. Usually when she growls and snaps towards a dog doing something she doesn't want, the other dog will get the idea and leave her alone...so I'm glad to hear that's the normal response that should happen. But last time another dog just wasn't getting the message and kept humping and bumping into her and eventually was snapping and barking back to the point that they were almost full out fighting. We ended up just leaving the park altogether even though it was the other dog stirring up confrontation.

 

 

Yep, though as your girl's guardian you have gotta remove her from that situation if a dog isn't listening so she doesn't have to escalate it. The other dog only has to snap and catch her skin and you will end up with a mess to deal with. My poor boy Bender (not a greyhound) just wants to fetch his ball. Some very rude and messed up dogs will bite him because he's ignoring them. I have gotten very adept at removing him from a situation where another dog is getting worked up. The other dog's owner is usually totally oblivious.

 

The nice thing about having the Greyhounds in my pack is that they will actually protect Bender by running between him and chasing dogs so that they can't get to him. It works really well to divert their attention!

[Guest Bree]

 

 

Yep, though as your girl's guardian you have gotta remove her from that situation if a dog isn't listening so she doesn't have to escalate it. The other dog only has to snap and catch her skin and you will end up with a mess to deal with. My poor boy Bender (not a greyhound) just wants to fetch his ball. Some very rude and messed up dogs will bite him because he's ignoring them. I have gotten very adept at removing him from a situation where another dog is getting worked up. The other dog's owner is usually totally oblivious.

 

The nice thing about having the Greyhounds in my pack is that they will actually protect Bender by running between him and chasing dogs so that they can't get to him. It works really well to divert their attention!

 

So true! At least now I know what to look for and know how Chai will react to those trouble dogs. Aww poor Bender, he should be able to play fetch without bullies.