Guest greyhound_in_LA Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I know this is normal and to be expected for a sheltered greyhound, but how long did it take for your greyhounds to be fine with other dogs during walktime? Not just other unfamiliar breeds, but barking ones that pull toward you and insist on meeting your grey? Coe is nervous. He isn't curious to sniff the other dog; he switches sides on us to put distance between him and the other dog. Then Coe actually turns to "study" the other dog (gait, size?) as it and its person pass us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey14me Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Coe may never be fine with a dog that barks and pulls or lunges towards you...and to be honest I wouldn't blame her. Neither of my greyhounds liked to be approached that way. It generally meant that the dog was a jumper and both of my greys hated being jumped on. I always looked to see how the other owner of the dog behaved as well. If they were diligent and tried to keep their dog under control, then I wouldn't worry as much, but if they were the kind of owner who thought, "Oh, just let the dogs work it out.", or the ever popular, "Don't worry, he's friendly.", well then I was out of there. Better safe than sorry. Quote Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05 Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell Wag more, bark less :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lillypad Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Great advice from Grey14me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliemac Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Yep ... that's not a surprise, but I'd rather have a hound that's nervous than one that responds in-kind. I'd honor the signals you're receiving from your pup ... and watch closely for other (escalation) signals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyhound_in_LA Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Yeah, when we had our previous dogs (that were puppies at first), they pulled on leash and had to meet every person on the walk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scouts_mom Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 To me, pulling on the leash to meet your dog is different from barking and lunging at your dog. If the dog is merely pulling, I watch my dog's body language and, if they seem okay, I will allow the dogs to meet. My dogs don't like barking and lunging dogs so we avoid them. If the owner is trying to insist on an introduction, I yell (over the barking) that my dogs are not friendly and move away. As you have a boy, you may need to be careful about meeting other boys. My Henry does not like other guys (intact or not) unless they are still puppies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest normaandburrell Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 My new grey reacted well to other dogs within one or two days, but at first he would stare at little dogs, not in an aggressive way, but as if to say "what the ____ is that?" It was very comical. Once he got to sniff them, he was fine. If your dog is putting you between himself and the new dog, it shows he is trusting you to protect him, and I would go with that. Correct the other dog with a "shhh!" or its owner with a comment like "Can you hold your dog back?" However, we have had some problems with aggressive dogs in our neighborhood biting joggers and other dogs, and so for a while I carried doggie pepper spray with me. Luckily I never had to use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feisty49 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Your hound may never be fine with other dogs at walk time, especially those who are assertive via barking, lunging, etc. IMO, it's nothing to worry about. It will be up to you, though, to read what the owner of a lunging, barking dog is doing to keep control of her animal. My Annie likes to greet dogs that are calm like her. She studiously avoids looking at dogs who are barking, especially what I label little yappers, let alone try to greet them. I would never let her approach, or be approached by, a dog that is pulling on its leash, even if the dog seems like a great animal otherwise. It only takes one friendly jump by another dog with sharp nails to rip the skin of a Greyhound. Once the owner reels in a leash puller and has control (i.e., short leash), I'm happy to let them sniff each other. :--) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruitycake Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) I think that your grey is just showing good sense to not want to be approached by someone who is being rude or may be aggressive or too rambunctious for his taste. Putting you between him and another dog he doesn't want to meet: very smart! It shows that he trusts you to protect him as need be from unwanted attention from another dog. I'd make sure to be more proactive and making sure to be the protector he sees you as, because if you don't protect him (even from just overly friendly dogs) he may decide he needs to and become leash reactive (become one that growls, lunges, bites or snaps) himself. Keep allowing him to avoid those he doesn't want to interact with. Just as we wouldn't want to be thrown in with company that doesn't suit us, neither do our dogs. The difference is that we can rationalize it and know how long we have to put up with things if we can't avoid it (standing in line with a boor at the DMV, for example). The studying other dogs after they pass is also a good sign. He's not shut down, he's not aggressive after they turn their back, he's just checking them out. Also, dogs don't naturally approach head-on like we make them have to when we walk on a 6' wide sidewalk straight toward one another. It could be that if he were given his druthers, he'd be doing a slow "coming at them from an angle in a polite doggie way" and this is his compromise since he can't when on leash and constrained to narrow walkways. I think he's doing everything very well, myself! Edited July 31, 2014 by Fruitycake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sireltonsmom Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I used to ask owners of small dogs to pick them up and approach slowly while I short collar held mine until they met and decided if they'd be friends. I have the benefit of having two small dog friendly greys but I still do that first time as who knows what they might not like. If Coe is putting you between him and the barker, I agree you should honor that trust and keep the other dog away til he's comfortable (if ever). The pack walk (with space between the dogs) is a good idea - it often makes all dogs see each other as part of the pack and it eases things. We do that with all new to the neighborhood dogs and we're each in charge of our own dogs. It changes the focus of the moment to something 'normal'. Glad you asked - there's loads of experience on this site. Good luck with your new sweetie. We sure love our sighthoundies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey14me Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Oops, didn't mean to call Coe a girl...I couldn't see any "bits" in the picture. Quote Michelle...forever missing her girls, Holly 5/22/99-9/13/10 and Bailey 8/1/93-7/11/05 Religion is the smile on a dog...Edie Brickell Wag more, bark less :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EllenEveBaz Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 The pack walk (with space between the dogs) is a good idea - it often makes all dogs see each other as part of the pack and it eases things. We do that with all new to the neighborhood dogs and we're each in charge of our own dogs. What a good idea. I'm surprised you can get a lot of people in a neighborhood to buy into that. Quote Ellen, with brindle Milo and the blonde ballerina, Gelsey remembering Eve, Baz, Scout, Romie, Nutmeg, and Jeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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