Greyhound Is Scared To Go In Different Rooms

[Guest KatieAlice]

We got our new grey on the 26th from her foster home. She hasn't been leaving her crate much at all, and is scared to go in any other room than the room her crate is in. She'll step out to greet someone if they come through the door, wagging her tail and licking them but only for a minute before running back to her crate. She followed me into the living room once but the floor was too slippery for her and she was sliding all over the place!

 

Is it normal for her to be so nervous?

Edited July 31, 2014 by KatieAlice

[robinw]

Relax and give her time. Everything is very new, different and scary for her.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

You will need to put down some runners so she doesnt slip around. Yes she is nervous, she has never been on a surface that moves under her feet. Imagine going up to space and trying to float around in zero gravity, and being expected to perform your normal tasks. She is way out of her element. She is probably going to see a lot of things that make her nervous, her background is a farm with grass and sand, then a kennel with crates, dull concrete floors, sandy fence area for turnout and rides every now and then between tracks. Thats about the limit of her life experience. No glass doors, no windows, no tv, no stairs. The list can go on and on. They have very limited life experience and they all deal with it differently. Have patience with her and be confident for her. She will come around as she starts to learn not everything is trying to eat her.

[ozgirl2]

Here is something Kathleen Gilley wrote - it's great for newbies - gives you some perspective on your new grey!! I re-read it every year or so!!

 

 

 

Let us review a little. From weaning until you go away for schooling, at probably a year and a half, you eat, grow and run around with your siblings. When you go away to begin your racing career, you get your own "apartment," in a large housing development. No one is allowed in your bed but you, and when you are in there, no one can touch you, without plenty of warning.

Someone hears a vehicle drive up, or the kennel door being unlocked. The light switches are flipped on. The loud mouths in residence, and there always are some, begin to bark or howl. You are wide awake by the time the human opens your door to turn you out. A Greyhound has never been touched while he was asleep.

You eat when you are fed, usually on a strict schedule. No one asks if you are hungry or what you want to eat. You are never told not to eat any food within your reach. No one ever touches your bowl while you are eating. You are not to be disturbed because it is important you clean your plate.

You are not asked if you have to "go outside." You are placed in a turn out pen and it isn't long before you get the idea of what you are supposed to do while you are out there. Unless you really get out of hand, you may chase, rough house and put your feet on everyone and every thing else. The only humans you know are the "waiters" who feed you, and the "restroom attendants" who turn you out to go to the bathroom. Respect people? Surely you jest.

No one comes into or goes out of your kennel without your knowledge. You are all seeing; all knowing. There are no surprises, day in and day out. The only thing it is ever hoped you will do is win, place or show, and that you don't have much control over. It is in your blood, it is in your heart, it is in your fate-- or it is not.

And when it is not, then suddenly you are expected to be a civilized person in a fur coat. But people don't realize you may not even speak English. Some of you don't even know your names, because you didn't need to. You were not asked or told to do anything as an individual; you were always part of the "condo association?; the sorority or fraternity and everyone did everything together, as a group or pack. The only time you did anything as an individual is when you schooled or raced, and even then, You Were Not Alone.

In my "mobile abode," the Greyhounds each have several unique names, but they also have a single common name: it is Everybody. We continue to do things as a group, pack or as we are affectionately known in-house, by Kathleen's Husbandit, "The Thundering Herd."

Back to those who have not been permanently homed. Suddenly, he is expected to behave himself in places he's never been taught how to act. He is expected to take responsibility for saying when he needs to go outside, to come when he is called, not to get on some or all of the furniture, and to not eat food off counters and tables. He is dropped in a world that is not his, and totally without warning, at that.

Almost everything he does is wrong. Suddenly he is a minority. Now he is just a pet. He is unemployed, in a place where people expect him to know the rules and the schedule, even when there aren't any. (How many times have you heard someone say, "He won't tell me when he has to go out." What kind of schedule is that?) Have you heard the joke about the dog who says, "My name is No-No Bad Dog. What's yours?" To me that is not even funny. All the protective barriers are gone. There is no more warning before something happens. There is no more strength in numbers. He wakes up with a monster human face two inches from his. (With some people's breath, this could scare Godzilla.) Why should he not, believe that this "someone," who has crept up on him, isn't going to eat him for lunch? (I really do have to ask you ladies to consider how you would react if someone you barely knew crawled up on you while you were asleep?) No, I will not ask for any male input.

Now he is left alone, for the first time in his life, in a strange place, with no idea of what will happen or how long it will be before someone comes to him again. If he is not crated, he may go though walls, windows or over fences, desperately seeking something familiar, something with which to reconnect his life. If he does get free, he will find the familiarity, within himself: the adrenaline high, the wind in his ears, the blood pulsing and racing though his heart once again--until he crashes into a car.

Often, the first contact with his new family is punishment, something he's never had before, something he doesn't understand now, especially in the middle of the rest of the chaos. And worst of all, what are the most common human reactions to misbehavior? We live in a violent society, where the answer to any irritation is a slap, punch, kick, whip, or rub your nose in it. Under these circumstances, sometimes I think any successful adoption is a miracle.

He is, in effect, expected to have all the manners of at least a six-year old child. But, how many of you would leave an unfamiliar six-year old human alone and loose in your home for hours at a time and not expect to find who knows what when you got back? Consider that if you did, you could be brought up on charges of child abuse, neglect and endangerment. Yet, people do this to Greyhounds and this is often the reason for so many returns.

How many dogs have been returned because they did not know how to tell the adoptor when they had to go out? How many for jumping on people, getting on furniture, counter surfing, separation anxiety, or defensive actions due to being startled or hurt (aka growling or biting)? So, let's understand: Sometimes it is the dog's "fault" he cannot fit in. He is not equipped with the social skills of a six-year old human. But you can help him.

Read more: http://awesomepaws.proboards.com/thread/45/fear-pain-training#ixzz393z8oBcA

Edited July 31, 2014 by ozgirl2

[grey14me]

I agree with putting some rugs down.

[Guest normaandburrell]

My first dog was like her. He initially went into every room in the house, and then for some reason decided it was too scary to go from our bedroom directly into the living room. He also decided that the front rooms of the house were off limits, which was really okay as far as I was concerned, since we didn't spend any time there. However, having to take him from the bedroom into the living room by way of the back porch got pretty tiresome (especially when it was raining on the porch!) It literally took two months for him to start going directly from the bedroom into the living room without having to go through the porch.

We tried coaxing, putting down rugs, since we thought the slippery floors might be an issue, and even leaving a trail of treats to lure him across the room. Mainly it was just a matter of letting him decide it was okay. For the rest of his life he was a little scared of shiny floors, and he never really liked things being moved around in the house. But outside of the house, he was a much more confident greyhound.

Now our new greyhound is confident in the house, but is timid around new people and in new situations. He would never approach a new person who just came into the house!

Just try patience and love the dog you have, quirks and all. She will get better, especially if you just laugh and don't make a big deal or try to comfort her.

[XTRAWLD]

I might also suggest, turn mirrors around that might be in the room if you are able. I know Ryder was really timid if he saw his reflection since he thought it was another dog and didn't want to walk into his space.

 

Every thing very very new, you will need to give her some time to adjust. Every grey is different.

[Feisty49]

Every Greyhound is different but I think most have some sort of nervousness when they first get to their forever home.

 

You have to remember that Greyhounds are not raised like other dogs. They don't usually have the personality of, for instance, a Lab or a Golden Retriever. I've had Annie for 3 years and she has never run to me with joy and exuberance when I walk in the door as would be shown by another breed of dog.

 

Your girl's personality will blossom and change for a very long time -- over months and sometimes into years.

 

You can help the process of her adjusting to her forever home by paying a lot of attention to her; perhaps hand feeding her part of a meal; and walking her. Walking is a great way to get to know your hound and vice versa.

 

Floors: It's not unusual for a Greyhound to not like slippery flooors. (My girl **hates** wooden floors and only in an emergency would she walk on one. Funny thing is she doesn't mind the slippery floors at the pet stores we go to.) You'll need to put down runners or throw rugs that don't move so she has one safe spot to another to walk to.

 

Don't get discouraged. For all you know, your girl may think this is yet another temporary place to live, until the truck comes to take her to another track.

 

BTW, what is her name and do you have a picture to share?

 

ETA: There are certain rooms in my house that Annie won't go into, even after three years. She has never been in a bathroom, and I've got a good-size bathroom. She won't go into the kitchen. She's fed in the family room. I moved into this house a year ago tomorrow and it was months before she'd come into the bedroom I use as an office. They're just weird like that sometimes. :-)

Edited July 31, 2014 by Feisty49

[macoduck]

Thane came to us as a senior return. He always stayed in a back bedroom. Rarely did he venture out to peek his head in the living room. He always came out at mealtime. Outdoors he was a bit braver. When he was around us he was affectionate.

We never forced him to come out of the bedroom. It was an amazing gift to have him stand in the living room for more than 30 seconds. He was just happier being a shy boy, though not truly a spook.

Give your girl some throw rugs for the slippery spots and plenty of time to adjust to her new home. She'll come around too.

Edited July 31, 2014 by macoduck

[EllenEveBaz]

 

She will get better, especially if you just laugh and don't make a big deal or try to comfort her.

 

-- Treat like she is the luckiest, happiest, smartest, most confident girl in the world, and that's what she will try to be. Treat her like she has something to be scared about -- "Poor baby!" -- and that's what she will act like. Adding my vote for runners on the floors. Then hang out casually on the floor in the living room, just happening to have some delicious dog treats by your side. Don't force it, but show your girl that being outside her crate is a cool thing. (If all goes well, you can gradually remove the runners.) .