Signs of aggression

[Lydiatamsin]

Hi all, after a bit of advice and reassurance please.

We have had our retired greyhound Timmy since October (our second grey, we lost our first girl Misty in June) and so far he has seemed to settle in really great, he has a gentle nature and has been very well behaved and generally a typical greyhound - loves food, fine with walks, loves sleep!

On a couple of occasions he has growled in his sleep but never at us or another dog. Then suddenly this week he has growled at a dog on his walk and then when on the sofa with my partner a couple of nights ago he has growled at him. Tonight he was on the sofa and I’ve stroked him (he was 100% awake) then went to kiss his head and he has growled and snapped at me! It’s really shook me up because it’s not the lovely gentle boy I’ve started to fall in love with!

I made him get off the sofa and in to his own bed and gave him a stern shouting too. He looked suitably ashamed! But I’m now anxious about what we do next. Anyone else experienced this? Is he just pushing boundaries now he’s 6 months in to our home? Any advice would be massively appreciated x

[1Moregrey]

He may just be testing your leadership and seeing what he can get away with.  I would use the nothing in life is free training.   If you are concerned about a bite please put the muzzle on just till you sort it out.  The more scheduled and routine you can be the more relaxed and comfortable he will be.  It might just be culture shock and adjustment. 

If everyone has become comfortable with the routine and started to relax it a little he might just need more structure to make him feel secure and understand his place is not being in charge/defending the couch or resources they are yours he just gets to share.

I like to do a slower introduction into being a pet from a racer.  Mine are not allowed the house privileges until they have been in the home for a while.  They have all the comforts just not the furniture and they have to be asked up.  

I am sure others will also offer help.

[HeyRunDog]

It could be as you and 1Moregrey say he's starting to test the boundaries but also make sure he hasn't got a niggling injury. Run your hands all over him with firm pressure and see if he flinches even slightly. Greyhounds are notoriously stoic. Also a lot of dogs don't like being loomed over from the front so approach him from the side when putting his collar on, kissing his head etc.

8 hours ago, Lydiatamsin said:

I made him get off the sofa and in to his own bed and gave him a stern shouting too.

Usually with a greyhound a stern NO and making him get off the sofa is sufficient but also remember to praise him when he gets on his bed. You don't want him to think of his bed as the naughty corner.

[MerseyGrey]

Our dog doesn’t like us leaning over him when he’s on his bed/resting. I assume it makes him feel a bit trapped, so we just don’t do it (and if he lets us know he doesn’t like it, we don’t tell him off, as he is telling us the only way he knows how that he doesn’t like something)

[Lydiatamsin]

1 hour ago, MerseyGrey said:

Our dog doesn’t like us leaning over him when he’s on his bed/resting. I assume it makes him feel a bit trapped, so we just don’t do it (and if he lets us know he doesn’t like it, we don’t tell him off, as he is telling us the only way he knows how that he doesn’t like something)

Yeah it’s just strange because he hasn’t been funny about it before - maybe now he just feels confident enough to tell me!! I definitely won’t do that to him again as he clearly didn’t like it!

[Lydiatamsin]

Thanks for your advice all. He has been lovely this morning but looked quite sheepish - think he knows he’s done wrong. He tried to get on the sofa so I just told him no and back to his bed and then praised him when he got in his bed. Think we’ll keep it like this for a few days and see how we get on. Will give him a good pat down to see if any injuries too that’s a good shout!

[greysmom]

Couple things

First of all, true aggression in dogs is really pretty rare.  Usually what humans interpret as "aggression" is just the dog trying to communicate in one of the only ways they have available to them.  YOU did something he was very uncomfortable with, so he growled to let you know.  YOU persisted in doing the thing he was uncomfortable with, so he escalated his response to make sure YOU got the message.  Then you forced him off where he was laying and yelled at him.  I'd be grumpy too.

It's not a good idea to punish a dog for growling.  Ever.  As I said above, it's one of the only behaviors a dog has to let humans know how their feeling.  If you continue to punish him for it, he will learn to just skip the growling and go right for the snapping/biting.  You've probably missed the more subtle body language dogs use to indicate they don't like something, so he growled.   He's beginning to settle into his new home and adopted life, so he's feeling more comfortable letting you know how he feels - he's trusting you, but you're not listening.  Plus, you yelled at him, and by your own body language and actions, continue to punish him for something he forgot as soon as it happened, so he's acting cautious and giving you lots of appeasement signs, wondering what he's done wrong.

Dogs in general don't like anyone standing over over them or being touched on the top of their head.  Particularly when they are laying down on a favorite sleeping spot.  There *may* be some resource guarding going on, so having him get down/stay down off the furniture is a good thing.  Now you know he doesn't like to be touched or approached when he's laying down (a really really common feeling among dogs), so  - don't.  Call him over to you so he's standing up, and awake, for attention and pets, or wait until he's up and moving around on his own.  And make it a "house rule" to let the sleeping dog lie - for yourselves and any visitors who come to the house, most especially for any children who visit.  If he's on the couch, don't grab his collar to move him, either teach him a command (go to your bed, scoot, whatever) or use a treat to lure him off.  

Once you have rebuilt a level of trust between you he *may* become comfortable enough to be approached and petted when he's laying down.  Some dogs end up liking it and some don't ever.  The important thing is you and your dog learn to communicate better and build your level of trust.  

[ShebasMom]

Sheba passed last December at almost 14 years old, but in all the 12 years I had her, she did not like to be leaned over, touched when on her bed, sat next to on the couch or bed, etc. I just went with it and let her be the one to come to me for petting. She had sleep startle, too, so was not allowed to sleep in the bed with me. All house guests learned the rules so there were no incidences.

[Sniffy]

Add me (actually, add Stanley) to the list of dogs who sleep with their eyes open, have growled while on their bed (for no apparent reason, even if we are completely still and silent at the other end of the room).  I agree it is their space for their alone-time.

No sofa/human-bed opinion from me--he doesn't get on the sofa or human beds.

[mychip1]

On 3/18/2022 at 12:46 PM, greysmom said:

Couple things

First of all, true aggression in dogs is really pretty rare.  Usually what humans interpret as "aggression" is just the dog trying to communicate in one of the only ways they have available to them.  YOU did something he was very uncomfortable with, so he growled to let you know.  YOU persisted in doing the thing he was uncomfortable with, so he escalated his response to make sure YOU got the message.  Then you forced him off where he was laying and yelled at him.  I'd be grumpy too.

It's not a good idea to punish a dog for growling.  Ever.  As I said above, it's one of the only behaviors a dog has to let humans know how their feeling.  If you continue to punish him for it, he will learn to just skip the growling and go right for the snapping/biting.  You've probably missed the more subtle body language dogs use to indicate they don't like something, so he growled.   He's beginning to settle into his new home and adopted life, so he's feeling more comfortable letting you know how he feels - he's trusting you, but you're not listening.  Plus, you yelled at him, and by your own body language and actions, continue to punish him for something he forgot as soon as it happened, so he's acting cautious and giving you lots of appeasement signs, wondering what he's done wrong.

Dogs in general don't like anyone standing over over them or being touched on the top of their head.  Particularly when they are laying down on a favorite sleeping spot.  There *may* be some resource guarding going on, so having him get down/stay down off the furniture is a good thing.  Now you know he doesn't like to be touched or approached when he's laying down (a really really common feeling among dogs), so  - don't.  Call him over to you so he's standing up, and awake, for attention and pets, or wait until he's up and moving around on his own.  And make it a "house rule" to let the sleeping dog lie - for yourselves and any visitors who come to the house, most especially for any children who visit.  If he's on the couch, don't grab his collar to move him, either teach him a command (go to your bed, scoot, whatever) or use a treat to lure him off.  

Once you have rebuilt a level of trust between you he *may* become comfortable enough to be approached and petted when he's laying down.  Some dogs end up liking it and some don't ever.  The important thing is you and your dog learn to communicate better and build your level of trust.  

Agree with all of the above.  My Sammy is a bit moody and uses the growl to warn us....and it has only happened when he is lying down.  He resource guards the bed a little - and if he does it when on the bed, we give him a stern "no" and have taught him to go to his own bed at that point. As Chris said, don't try to grab him at that point.  They will listen if you firmly tell him without yelling, to scoot.