Hurting Her Or Just Being A Cry Baby?

[Guest Trace]

Hey guys, Mike here again talking about my newly adopted (1 month) girl Trace. Shes almost 2 years old now, and I just have a quick question maybe one of you can help me with.

 

She loves to get in bed and cuddle, always slightly touching one part of my body just INCASE I get up to go to the bathroom which she follows me everywhere- I'm sure many of you know the feeling.

 

Well anyway, my question is- Whenever I put my arm around her when were laying down, or rest my hand/arm on a part of her body (not a sensative part, more like the muscle part of her arms/legs or her shoulders) she cries and yelps at me to get my arm off of her. Is this normal? Do they just not liked to be touched on their body? I can PET her while were laying down anywhere and she enjoys it, but once I stop and my hand is not petting her, she yelps~!

 

I know I'm not putting too much pressure on her, because I even tested it and very lightly put my hand on her. This only happens on her body, I can have my hand on her head all day long and she doest mind, lol.

 

 

Any advice? Thanks!

 

-Mike

[greysmom]

It's a space guarding/sleep startling issue. She's just not comfortable being touched while she's sleeping. Greyhounds aren't used to sharing space when they're sleeping, so when they come into a home situation it's another thing they need to get used to. When they are in the racing kennels they always have plenty of warning before anyone touches them, and that's a big change.

 

Some dogs don't want their feet touched, or have anything on top of them - it varies from dog to dog. If she's waking up and snarling/snapping, you should have her sleep on her own bed until she gets more settled in, otherwise, just don't touch her when you're sleeping together.

[KickReturn]

Of course you are not hurting her... physically. BUT never disregard her reaction.

 

Even though Trace is a velcro dog (the best kind IMO) and starting to bond with you, she absolutely does not trust you yet. Remember she has had a relationship with a human for only a mere month. When your hand stops moving she may fear she is about to be attacked by you or experience some other psychological discomfort. Most likely In time this will diminish and eventually stop however it may take years.

 

Also on a related note, it is very early to be sharing a bed. Many on this forum would advised against it. Please be very cautious. Despite your best analysis and judgement about Trace's character, she may surprise you with a snap or even a bite. And If you flop over while you are asleep and drop your arm on her while she is asleep anything can happen. Her yelping already shows some fear, insecurity, and lack of trust.

 

Remember that the typical pet dog spends much time as a puppy in the arms of its owners where it develops unconditional trust in humans. A retired racing greyhound has had no such experience and must be treated with the utmost respect no matter how gentle it is or appears to be. Act as if you have welcomed a benevolent wolf into your home. In time the dog will show its true nature and its behaviour will be predictable. Again, have a very long time frame in mind for this evolution although it can be just a few months for some.

 

A side note - Trace is a spectacularly beautiful grey.

Edited December 22, 2015 by KickReturn

[Guest k9soul]

Yes my best guess would be that she feels uncomfortable having an arm or hand rest on her when she is ready to go to sleep and her yelp is just telling you that. Maybe makes her a bit anxious or she may find it a bit intimidating. It may very well fade away after she has really settled and is used to her life as a pet. A year from now she may have no reaction at all . With my hound Rudy I got him more comfortable with me touching him while he was lying down by feeding him treats in one hand while petting him with another hand. For him that was enough to build a positive association and with time and trust-building he is fine with being pet while he's down, but still doesn't want to be disturbed when he is sleeping or going to sleep.

[a_daerr]

This is a very strange behavioral anomaly, but I'm familiar with it because my Truman does the EXACT same thing. Moving hand = perfectly okay. Still hand = yelp and growl. I've tried counter conditioning him to accept being touched with a still hand (rest hand gently for five seconds whilst rewarding with treats), but have only made minimal improvements. There's something about it that makes him very uncomfortable- I think it may have to do with not wanting to be restrained. He hates vet procedures, nail trims, stuff like that. He is absolutely fine with having his face/head touched, but his body is a different story. A lingering hand on his feet and/or belly make him the most anxious. We share the bed sometimes, but don't really "cuddle."

[Guest Trace]

This is a very strange behavioral anomaly, but I'm familiar with it because my Truman does the EXACT same thing. Moving hand = perfectly okay. Still hand = yelp and growl. I've tried counter conditioning him to accept being touched with a still hand (rest hand gently for five seconds whilst rewarding with treats), but have only made minimal improvements. There's something about it that makes him very uncomfortable- I think it may have to do with not wanting to be restrained. He hates vet procedures, nail trims, stuff like that. He is absolutely fine with having his face/head touched, but his body is a different story. A lingering hand on his feet and/or belly make him the most anxious. We share the bed sometimes, but don't really "cuddle."

The behavior is exactly as you described!! I also think it is the restained feeling, because if my arm goes around his neck (even if it is barely touching) he tries to move his head up and wacks my arm over and over with his neck until my arms is moved!

 

Thank you!

[dante2zoe]

Goose is the same way. Petting and lots of it, is A GOOD THING. Touching him, even against him and not ON him, is a no-no and elicits a growl. Needless to say, he likes to sleep in my bed until I get in and then he retreats to the sofa. Then, Maverick jumps up and plops himself down. You can roll over on him and not hear a thing.

[KickReturn]

To add insight to just how quirky these creatures are, my grey will stare at me until he is overcome by sleep. But if I put a hand on him and hold it motionless, he will let out a big sigh, close his eyes, and fall asleep immediately. Pretty much the opposite of what you have - uneasy without the contact, content with it. FWIW my boy was a bit terrifying (growl, snap, etc.) for the first year so any approach took courage on my part. So there is lots of hope for Trace.

[lukasmom]

When I first got my newest boy Carter he would do the greyhound scream of death whenever I put my hand near his collar. I wouldn't even be touching and he would scream.

I talked to my animal communicator Latifa and asked him why he screams when I am not even touching him. He said he was expecting pain. She suggested a chiropractor.

I took him to a local vet and after the exam we found he had stiffness in his back, his shoulder, neck and jaw. He yelped a few times but he seemed relaxed and I could see the trust in his eyes as Dr Whalen worked on him.

He goes for regular adjustments a few times a year. It has made a big difference.

Note: if you notice your dog does not shake when he gets up from a nap it could be an indicator of pain or discomfort.

[sobesmom]

This doesn't sound odd at all to me.

 

I'm going to give you some very simple advice. What do YOU think the right thing is to do for YOUR dog? Don't look for deep meanings. Greys are quirky, my friend. You'll go crazy if you try to figure out the "why" of their every behavior - especially with a new dog. You can do all the research in the world, and that's a great thing, but they will have their quirks where you just need to shrug your shoulders and roll with it. So - if your dog is uncomfortable with you trying to cuddle her, even though she's totally cool when she's the one trying to cuddle you, so it seems illogical - STOP THINKING. Stop trying to rationalize it. You aren't in the dog's brain, and you never will be.

 

Greys are quirky. Do what works for YOUR dog in YOUR house, on THIS day.

 

In this case stop trying to put a cuddling hand on her. She told you that. Listen. Now - a week, or a month, or a year from now that could totally change and she might love it. Listen to your dog today.

 

A new dog is all about changes. And your job is to roll with them. Be consistent with the basics, but don't stress over the quirks.

[RachelV]

My girl, Arya, was very much the same way when I adopted her. She loved being petted and was fine with laying beside people (even if they were touching), but she objected to having a hand or arm resting on her while she was napping (usually a growl followed by getting up and finding somewhere else to nap). After months of work and positive reinforcement (and more time for her to settle in and build trust in my husband and I), she now is completely fine with arms, hands, legs, etc. resting on her while she naps. However, we aren't entirely there yet as she will still object if we completely wrap her in our arms while she is napping--the feeling of greater restraint still elicits an immediate attempt to leave, although she is improving. Essentially, just give her more time to settle in and if she objects, immediately stop whatever is upsetting her. As long as she tolerates it, provide her with a steady supply of yummy treats (Arya particularly enjoys colby jack cheese--she is VERY particular about her types of cheese for some reason... ). Eventually, she will improve and be more comfortable with increased contact. Good luck!

Edited December 27, 2015 by RachelV

[greyhoundlov]

Gidge was an atypical greyhound - not friendly with strangers and a real snob with non-greys. She would get in bed with me and was fine unless I moved a toe, breathed, sneezed, coughed - you name it, she didn't like it. You could hear the deep breath, see the eye roll, and the tsk. Then she would get off the bed and get on her own.