Calming Anxiety and Stress

Using your body language to help him

Remain calm and relaxed, and go about your work as normal.
Don’t crowd him or make a fuss of him - give him his own space to allow him time to watch you and to realise you mean him no harm.

- he'll need his own space to feel safe, so give him some time alone and keep a watchful eye over him from somewhere close by.
2. To prevent your dog from feeling more threatened, try not to approach him head-on and don't make direct eye contact or lean over his body. Instead, approach him from the side and, if you need to touch him, move from under his belly not over his back.

Dont approach a nervous dog head-on, approach from the side.
Don’t look him in the eye, look at his nose or his forehead.
Don’t lean over him, go down to his level by crouching down or sitting on the floor or a step with your back to him Then use an encouraging tone to call him to you and, when he does, reward him with praise and a treat.
Don’t go to touch him with the palm of your hand facing him as its seen as a threat, show him the back of your hand. Approach from under his belly not to his back or from the side of his face slowly going to the top of his head to stroke him.

Taking control

Introduce your dog slowly to the areas you know will cause him anxiety and stress, such as crowded areas, places with dogs running loose, busy or noisy places. If you introduce these areas too fast the anxiety your dog feels may resort to him feeling ‘fight or flight’ is needed to get away. If you find yourself in this situation remove him calmly away. Keep your voice low, say nothing to negative behaviour and once he’s calmed down praise him for being calm.

If your greyhound is anxious around other breeds of dogs remember, a greyhound is the only known breed of dog who recognises its own breed, so they should be fine with other greyhounds, whippets or lurchers that look like greyhounds. Any other breed of dog could be something from another planet that has come to get them. If your greyhound is anxious try to avoid meeting head-on in a restricted space. Avoid eye-to-eye contact and calmly lead him away in another direction, or if this isn’t possible turn around and go back the way you came till you find a place to lead him away until the other dog passes. Teaching distraction techniques with lots of praise when in a place with nothing to worry about then used when the greyhound starts to show anxiety will help to take his mind off the possible threat.

Keep your dog’s lead as loose as possible while staying in control of a situation. The tighter the lead could increase your greyhound’s stress as he’ll read it as a sign of your anxiety.

Anxiety over meeting other breeds of dogs

If your dog pulls towards other breeds of dogs, almost a lunge, and you think the intent is to nip, and you find treats and praises alone won’t work, it’s more than likely he doesn’t know what those dogs are . For all he knows is it could be something from out of space about to get him - its a case of I’ve got to get you before you get me. Greyhounds generally don’t receive any socialising with other breeds when they are puppies as are other breeds. They are bred to train for racing. If the racing kennel they end up at has no contact with other dogs such as a kennel hand bringing other dogs to work, a dog walking path or pavement goes along the side of the run or field, or they are walked in areas where other breeds go then they won’t know what they are. This is what you can do to help and it’s what we were advised by a dog behaviourist registered with the Kennel Cub many years ago.

Put a muzzle on him and take him somewhere like a park or promenade where there is a seat for you to sit on, and other dogs walking by or round about. Simply sit there with a book with him on a short lead by your side and muzzled. Let him watch them, and if you don’t feel safe with him just on a lead get a Rabbitgoo training harness. Put it on him so its tight, but still keep the lead on the collar. The Rabbitgoo harness has a handle to use should you need to use it. Get a plant spray and fill it with water, turn it so it’s the jet not a spray. When he starts to get anxious say ‘LEAVE’ in a deep, low voice like a growl. If he ignores you say it again and squirt water at his head. When he is quiet praise him, when he reacts say ‘Leave’ and squirt him. They are very quick to learn. The water spray reinforces your command so it must be done at the same time. As he becomes more used to other breeds then simply pointing the spray at him and saying ‘Leave’ is enough to check him. In time it will progress to just saying ‘Leave’.

Take a look at the ‘Greyhounds and Cats’ section because what you will be doing is along the same principle.

When you take him for a walk remember you are the pack leader, and the pack leader determines everything he’s allowed to do. He is NOT entitled to a walk if he doesn’t behave. Behave and he’ll go for a walk. He’ll soon learn. Start your walk and when he starts to react to another dog tell him to ‘Leave’ and squirt him with water. If he continues then say ‘Home’, turn around and take him home even if you’ve only gone a few yards. Leave it half an hour and try the walk again. The moment he starts to show signs tell him to ‘Leave’, squirt him. If he doesn’t respond repeat ‘Leave’, and squirt him. If he responds and goes quiet, even for a few seconds, praise him. If he doesn’t respond say ‘Home’ and go home. You will be surprised how quick he learns that to misbehave means he gets wet and there is no walk.

People are often full of advice without the expertise to back it up, so If anyone comments about using the water spray simply say its part of his training as advised by a dog behaviourist.

QUESTION: My greyhound started chewing the inside window sill about a month ago, and I don’t know why.

ANSWER:
Chewing is an anxiety issue. You say it started about a month ago and it's on your window sill.
Think back to what changed in your household about a month ago, and it will more than likely be the cause.
Remember, a dog does nothing without a reason, he's trying to tell you something. You just have to work out what is causing the anxiety, and once discovered you are half way to resolving the problem.
Get a piece of paper and write down the day, time, what is going on in the house, and what is going on outside when you see him chewing. You will notice a pattern forming and from this you can help your dog overcome his anxiety.

In the case of the lady who asked me this question I noticed a month earlier was about the time the schools and playgroups started back after the summer break. The chewing of the sill indicated her dog was missing or looking for someone. She got her dog in June and it had been with her daughter all summer. Her dog was missing her, so I asked if her daughter could give her dog a cuddle, look her in the eye and say 'stay there, back soon, back soon' before she left for school or before she went though the school gates. Once her dog realises that she's coming back she'll be more settled and accept her being out of the house.

With another dog we found the anxiety started every time a man walked past their house with a small dog. The dog jumped on the furniture to watch it through the window and seeing it caused anxiety. The problem resolved itself by moving the furniture around so the dog couldn’t jump on it to see out.