Between the warmth of the blanket and the name that she knew only from me, I was able to break through, even in her sleep. It would’ve been lovely to wrap the poor, cold, skinny thing in some dryer-warmed blankets, but I sure didn’t want to be growled at for my trouble! I approached her with the warm blanket, softly calling “Spotty,” a nickname I use with her sometimes, because of her crazy, spotted coat. One cold night, I saw her tightly “snowballed (curled up in a ball).” Her usual nest of blankets was missing, because I had washed them that evening. With our next dog, Lily, a champion growler in her own right, I realized this idea might be ineffective, because – unlike Shannon – Lily didn’t get a new name when she came home. Toss a few soft toys near him, and then at him. If you’re not sure whether or not your dog is awake, start by quietly calling his name, as you approach from several feet away. The trick is to wake your dog gently, until he realizes that it’s you who is approaching him. With consistant training, you may even get rid of it entirely. The good news is you can manage your greyhound’s sleep aggression, so everybody’s safe. Your Greyhound’s Sleep Startle is Manageable He has no idea that he had acted-out towards you, so this only makes your discipline less effective for the rare times you’ll need it. Because of this, you don’t want to step over your greyhound, whether he’s awake or asleep.ĭo not reprimand your greyhound for growling at you in his sleep. It’s not unusual for a dog to feel threatened when he finds someone looming over him, even if it’s just in passing. I am startled by the frequency with which I have run across the comment “I was stepping over my greyhound, when he growled at me.” Stepping over a greyhound is always a bad idea, because they are so tall, strong, and quick – If your dog decides to get up while you are over him with one foot in the air, he can knock you over very easily. To modify your dog’s behavior, you may need to modify some of yours as well. It may simply be part of your particular dog’s genetic temperment (when he’s asleep, anyway). And – please – don’t conclude that this behavior means that your dog must have been abused. Because of this, he may automatically associate being touched in his sleep with unpleasant things. Your greyhound’s only experience with being touched in his sleep may be another dog in the next crate (or sharing a crate) annoying him, or a trainer dragging him out for a vet visit. Not only do you not know why your greyhound growled at you he may not know, either! In fact, he may not realize that he growled at you at all, because he was asleep at the time! That is called “sleep aggression” or “sleep startle.” To make things more complicated, greyhounds sometimes sleep with their eyes open, or their eyes will pop open without actually awakening.

Sleep Aggression in Greyhounds – It’s Not Personal Not only will your homelife with your greyhound be happier and more carefree it could also prevent misunderstandings between your dog and his people, which could lead to someone being bitten. That may seem “all over the board,” so please read on for the most complete guide on greyhound growls, the motives behind them, and how you can tell them apart.Ĭonsider reading this through twice, and sharing it with everyone in your family. Surprisingly, greyhounds also growl to express pleasure. An older greyhound may become physically sensitive, due to arthritis, and need gentler handling. If awake, it is typically a new pet who is still becoming accustomed to home life, and is feeling insecure (invasion of personal space or trying to figure out dominance order). The most common reason is that he has been startled in his sleep. Ever been there yourself, and asked: “Why did my greyhound growl at me?” The greyhound does not usually growl out of aggression. I had just sat down next to his bed, and had started petting him, when I heard a low, menacing rumble. Everything was rosey, until about a month later. After we lost our first greyhound, Peaches, I just couldn’t stand the sight of that empty dog bed so it wasn’t long before Shannon entered our lives.

Loud but friendly growl clue