True Nature

Sweet faces they possess

with calmness they express 

only part of who they are.

The other part, a hunter keen

who watches stealthily a scene
of small game to catch. 

                      Alice Brown

In the search to determine what I was going to write about this month, I came across an interesting article in Greyhound Articles Online (greytarticles.wordpress.com).  The article was written by Megan Robertson and asked the question - Why Don’t We Talk About What Our Dogs Really Are?  Sounds ominous, doesn’t it?  In reality, the author wanted us to look at our greyhounds realistically not from a romanicized version of the breed.  Yes, they are beautiful and fast, lazy and quirky, mellow and sweet, but they are also hunters with a keen sense for prey.  The author wondered why, as people who love these magnificent creatures, we don’t address that part of their nature more with adopters.  

When doing Greyhound Meet and Greets, I explain at length the virtues of the breed.  I do ask the interested party if they have other animals, and emphasize the importance of listing all animals in their household on any application. I explain that some greyhounds have a high prey drive and should not be with cats or small dogs.  Ms. Robertson’s article explained that whether we call it high prey drive or low prey drive, as a hunter each of our greyhounds has it.  Therefore, we need to clarify this issue more with any new adopter.

When a new grey comes into my house, I make sure that it is cat tolerant (this means, when tested, the dog showed little to no interest in a cat).  However, that does not mean that I should stop paying attention to the dog’s behavior.  Even a cat tolerant dog has prey

drive.  Three years ago in Florida, I was privy to an event that, even after 27 years of caring for greyhounds, surprised me.  My husband and I had gone to a dog park where we frequently brought our dogs.  This park had a large dog area and a separate small dog area.  Unfortunately, the small dog people insisted on bringing their dogs into the big dog area of the park.  This had never seemed to be an issue for our dogs.

That day, we were meeting friends at the park.  As we arrived, there seemed to be a mass exodus.  My friends and their chocolate lab were still there as was a gentleman with two small fluffy white dogs.  As we came in, I asked my friend what had happened to cause most everyone to leave.  She explained that there had been an aggressive dog in the park, and everyone got upset.  My friend’s dog was jumping around and wanted to play with my dogs, but the two small dogs were emitting weird undoglike sounds as one of them perched his front paws on Kiowa’s face.  I did not realize what these dogs were communicating.  After looking Kiowa in the eye, the dog got down but continued to make squeal-like sounds.  That is when my gentle, laid back dog turned his head and attacked one of the small dogs.  

Chaos soon reigned.  As Kiowa, went after one dog, Emma’s excitement escalated, and she began chasing the other white dog.  We finally separated the dogs, but one of them was injured.  Luckily, the injured dog, after veterinary care, was fine.  Later upon meeting those two dogs again, neither one made that prey-like sound, but barked normally.  Perhaps that sound transmitted as prey to our dogs with their fluffy white appearance adding to the illusion.  Something happened in the park that day that changed its very air and feeling, and the dogs special senses picked that up.  Our dogs have lulled us into this false sense of security.  I forget that they are hunters, and have the potential to act on it.  

Emma is our squirrel and rabbit dog, and she enjoys chasing them when an opportunity arises.  I don’t like this side of her, but this is what greyhounds were originally bred to do.  So why then does it offend me?  My greys are so sweet and easygoing that this sudden fierce side of them startles me.  It’s hard to fathom that within them they carry this trait.  

Since the event in the dog park, I am much more careful even when leashed small dogs approach my guys.  I watch carefully and pay close attention to body language. I will never underestimate my dogs again or go to a dog park. 

The fact that all greyhounds carry this inclination need not prevent adopters from loving them.  But we must realize that they are dogs, and this is a part of their nature.  It is neither good nor bad, but a part of what makes this breed special.  The greyhound is a hunter, but he is also a cuddler, a lover, a sleeper, a sprinter, a clown, a friend and a companion.  We need to embrace all of what this breed is and share it with people who want to love greyhounds as much as we do.      

  

Resources:

Why Don’t We Talk About What Our Dogs Really Are? by Megan Robertson, Greyhound Articles Online, greytarticles.wordpress.org