Sighthounds and Displacement Behavior

Sighthounds can't be trained by a common template.In previous posts I have mentioned the importance of understanding a dogs' genetic behavior. Most dog trainers understand that while genetic behavior is a major factor in planning a training program, every dog is an individual and their training must be custom 'tweaked' to obtain the best results possible.

Last week I overheard a conversation between an owner and a professional trainer concerning a young show quality female Whippet I was personally quite fond of.
She was a family pet and clearly the mother and daughter had vastly different expectations of suitable behavior of the Whippet than did the father. Previous conversation with the family led me to think the dad needed his own dog, one that thrived on pleasing his owner like a Rottie or Standard Poodle, certainly not a sighthound...

On this day, it was Dad who was asking for advice from the trainer.

He was upset about the Whippet jumping on him when he came home. This is a concern for many dog owners and one I understand, especially if you value your wardrobe!

Jumping is what sighthounds do, it is one of the athletic activities they are especially well built for, and to them it feels pretty natural to use jumping as a means of expression.

We all know why dogs want to jump on us when we come home...

...it is the 'perpetual puppy' temperment that dogs have been selectively bred for over thousands of years...

In the past, our dogs' wild ancestors left puppies in the safety of their den home while the adults 'went to work' hunting for food to bring home. The return of the adults was met with great glee and the pup who didn't join in the welcome festivities might not get fed.

When we return home from work, our dogs are happy to see us because it is in their genes to behave that way.
So what happens when we curb this natural genetic exuberance in our dog?

What happens is displacement behavior...

I was already seeing the signs in the young adult Whippet as the two men talked.
As she sat quietly beside her owner, the last five vertebrae in her tail twitched back and forth( much as my cat does when he is at the vet, behaving, but unhappy). And when this Whippet walked quietly on her lead, her neck was thrust farther forward in a way that was not in keeping with her conformation, causing her to carry her head lower and rolling her eyes upward constantly to monitor her owners face as she anticipated with dread his next command. And as is typical of many dogs walking in this situation, her tail was wagging.
If this Whippet wasn't already destroying things in the house she soon would be, or else she would soon develop some other neurotic behavior like excessive barking or chewing on her feet, etc.

Displacement behavior is triggered by many different situations, but it is always CAUSED by going against the genetic grain.

If you stifle a dogs natural behavior, you MUST provide a suitable outlet to release the 'blocked' energy...otherwise the dog will find his own outlet and it most likely will be one you won't approve of.

I was saddened at this man's desire to extinquish the very essence of this Whippet by taking away two basic sighthound characteristics, independence and enthusiasm.

Sighthounds were bred to think creatively, independent of mans' direction and to pursue their prey with a single minded diligence. They do not accept dominance well.

In fact, the majority of sighthounds downright resent it.

The Whippet in this photo is a rescue named Lucy. After being a repeat return to a rescue group I agreed to rehab her. Supposedly she had a lot of displacement behavior but she never acted out at my house. She was obedience trained and I suspected she was trained more like a working dog than a sighthound and felt that could have begun her behavior issues.

After she was adopted by Ginger ( pictured with her), she immediately pee'd pooped, or chewed up everything in the house. And at the sound of any sort of dominating noise, storms, vacum cleaners, etc. she hid in the closet. I worked closely with Ginger ( Lucy was her first dog) and using flower remedies much of her fear was overcome and her destructive displacement behavior was overcome with AGILITY work!!

We took the obedience work she hated and paired it with a fun and rewarding sport that appealed to her sighthound competitiveness.

Agility released her 'blocked' energy and allowed her to overcome the resentment of earlier obedience training that had gone against her sighthound nature. In fact Lucy acquired her Canine Good Citizen certification.

To the owners of the other Whippet, I gently suggested lurecoursng as a sport for them and gave them local information on it. For the dogs' sake I hope they participate, displacement behavior puts a lot of dogs in rescue.

Right Side, Wrong Side to Walk Your Dog

My great-grandfather was an Irishman. He was also a breeder of fine Irish Terriers.Perhaps it is genetic memory but I have always had a fondness for that breed. So the other day at the super pet store, I gravitated toward a handsome young Irish Terrier and his very handsome owner...as we chatted, the owner said he was at the store to attend training class and had come early so his dog could settle down before class started.I thought that was a great idea. As the owner walked off, he dragged the dog behind him, gave a big jerk and said very very loudly,"heel!!"
The poor dog could not keep up on the slick floor, his legs were all splayed out on the linoleum,scrambling for all he was worth, the dog tried to stand up and walk a few steps before getting jerked and yelled at to heel again...the owner was holding the leash in his right hand and had the dog on his right side. Perhaps, I thought, this will be the first lesson and the man has not yet learned how to walk his dog.
A few minutes later I spot the instructor walking the dog in the class ring.She was walking the dog on her right side with both hands on the leash, picking him up by the neck with the leash as he slid on the very slick floor.
Now why on God's green earth would ANYONE try and train a dog to walk on a surface with such poor footing and why would you want to train your dog to walk on your right side???????
Remember that this man and the other people in class with him paid over a hundred dollars for this sham of a learning session.
The dog is not going to concentrate on what you are trying to teach him if he is busy trying to stand up. That is just common sense. But I see this happen at various pet stores who offer so-called training all the time. At least provide the clients dogs' some secure footing for their hundred plus dollars please, big corporate pet store.
Walking a dog on the right side drives me nuts...it makes no sense to me. Most homes and retail establishments are geared to right handed people and thus doors and gates are made to be opened with your right hand....how are you going to open a door with your right hand if your right hand is already holding your dog, (or worse, both your hands are holding your dog). If you meet someone on the street and engage in conversation, your dog should sit quietly by your left side while you talk. If you shake hands with that person, which hand do you extend? THE RIGHT HAND of course. I could go on and on but I believe I have made my point. I don't understand why these pet store trainers are taught such nonsensical habits to pass on to unsuspecting dog owners....suppose the owner of the Irish Terrier decides he wants to go on and get a Canine Good Citizen certification or make his dog a Therapy dog or compete in obedience...well then, his dog will have to unlearn what the pet store instructor taught them about walking on the right side as proper heelwork is always on the left side of the dog. In other words, the man will have wasted his money...(money better spent on green beer Puff says). Real dog training clubs, many of them sanctioned by the AKC do offer Canine Good Citizen Programs and Therapy Dog training. Check your local area for a club near you before wasting money on a pet store program.
Happy St. Paddy's Day !