why do greyhounds chatter
Most breeds of dogs have an ear set that is predictable. All 13 Greyhounds we’ve had over the years have growled in combination with the “Let’s Play!” play-bow stance of rump up in the air, elbows on the ground and tail wagging happily. Using the phrase “active aggression” is a misnomer in the pill situation. Greyhound ears are truly amazing. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. You may have disturbed it while it was sleeping or dozing. Back away slowly and sideways. We've all seen images of this sprinter, if only through seeing it plastered on the side of a bus, but many of us don't truly know the breed. Seasoned greyhound owners are used to this behavior, but if you’ve never had a chatterer before, you’re bound to want to know…. This article is written in three sections. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. He will thread his long tail through all this, and bring the end around so he can drape it over his nose. If you enjoyed those videos, here’s my rollicking, greyhound-packed video about teeth-chattering: The owner of the Greyhound Homecare website and YouTube channel, Gail has had retired racing greyhounds as pets since 1997. “Why Does my Greyhound Chatter his Teeth?” The great majority of the time a greyhound chatters his teeth, he is doing it as a harmless way to expend excess energy – usually happy excitement – without misbehaving in the house or on the leash. They’re actually smiling! Very important: When the tip of the tail wags, you are seeing possible aggression or dominance but not attack. Cockers have ears that flop. Often, a visit to the vet will uncover an injury or disease, such as arthritis, which may have been brought on by past broken bones, or from the simple acts of running, or perhaps lying on hard surfaces. You will need to brush his teeth daily. Anything can be expected here. 3 talking about this. Streak’s “happy tail” position. Is it true that when a dog is happy it will wag its tail? Whether or not you've seen one in the flesh, you know what a Greyhound looks like. Use "ctrl+" or "ctrl-" to increase or decrease text size. This mouse is grooming itself after eating. Most Greyhounds are fine with children, even babies. And, often one ear will go one direction and the other in a totally different direction and position. If you see that a dog’s pupils are dilated, if the corners of the mouth are down and the tail is now still and straight out, watch out; you have a dog about to attack on your hands. The Greyhound is far more likely expecting something, like a treat or a trip outside. Wystrach’s first reaction to the question, though, is that teeth-chattering is usually basic, goofy dog behavior that you see more in some breeds than others; so I was surprised when I read on, and the author at petmd jumped to conclusions, Fink-style : “But both experts agree that the most common cause of teeth chattering is oral pain. Their ears do, however, do many tricks. Again, you really have to look at several parts of the dog’s body to determine what is really going on in the dog’s mind. This is a serious attempt to have a conversation with you. Why does the greyhound have an average lifespan of about 10 to 13 years? You’re preparing a meal for your greyhound, and suddenly, from behind you, there’s a clicking sound. I love a greyhound chatter, Dawn the Fawn had a habit of chattering when I sat with her on her couch and gave her big scritches. If this happens to you, do not stare at the dog. But sometimes, the stare means aggression. Normally, when a dog shows its teeth, it is assumed there is going to be a snarl. is self-explanatory. Is it a rattlesnake, or a skeleton from a scary movie? I wouldn’t even know she was in the room, when she would give herself away by letting a little chatter escape. This site may participate in affiliate advertising programs. If you see your greyhound shivering (or chattering from the cold), that means he is very cold. This is a perfect instance of observing what the entire dog is doing, not just watching the tail. Kebo’s “What’s that I’m hearing? Not every type of body language is interpreted exactly the same way by animal behaviorists or even experienced dog owners. His job was about a mile from home, and Peaches would give the Thousand Yard Stare and start chattering reliably 20 minutes before he came home. His lower lip may tremble; he may even let out a little whine. Greyhound Racing in Florida will end soon. Rita’s human-looking eyes © Marcia Herman. Another way dogs use their eyes is for active aggression. At times this kind of behavior could become impulsive. If your greyhound hates his crate, it is well worth your time and patience to train him out of this. We encourage dogs to wear muzzles because they can nip and tear skin in the excitement of the chase. This might sound cynical, until you consider how illogical it would be to chatter one’s teeth while they hurt! Make sure that the dog knows the child is higher in the pack than he is. As a matter of fact, just because a dog is wagging its tail doesn’t mean it’s friendly. “What hat are you wearing today?” we ask. The author of the article is, at least, balanced enough to counter Dr. Fink’s reasoning: “But teeth chattering is not a breed-specific tendency. They’re not unless you have good reason to believe something is wrong. Plus, the deep, loud bark he also uttered at the same time would scare a new owner the first few times it happened. . Get to know your dog and it’s combo of body language. A greyhound when feeling cold will curl up in a round shape to reserve his energy and wiggle his tail. My dog, Peaches, would slip behind me while I prepared her food and start doing this. You may think the dog was awake, but it was in fact not awake. “Gee, what a happy dog!” is the first thing that comes to mind when a dog wags its tail. © Steve Nadeau. I emphasize may. The Greyhound is designed to be as fast as possible, and there are a … Most Greyhounds adore quiet, confident children but some, especially females, will discipline unruly children as they would unruly puppies. Some actually pull their lips back and show you a disarmingly human type of smile with teeth together. It is slightly different from that of “other” dogs. Some Greyhounds are simply afraid of men (or women) in certain kinds of hats and it has nothing to do with a bad experience! A set of ears held tightly against the head is showing tension. Some will growl when you want it to do one thing and it wants to do another. When this happens it may mean a bad encounter with a man or that they simply never met a man. They stand straight up like the Shepherd or Doberman; they go out like your average mixed breed; they go back tight to the head like a normal Greyhound. This is entering the subject of pack order/hierarchy (if you subscribe to this position) and will be covered in other articles, but consider this: the dog considers a small child as a lesser member of the pack and may try to push the child around. She … Ladybug in a modified play bow. We sell doggie tooth paste, brushes, finger brushes and a product to add baking soda to … If you see this, be careful. Wystrach, the other vet cited in this article, is not an oral surgeon, but the owner of an animal hospital. They often “freeze” if attacked. The pain could be due to an injury, Fink says. First, none of Wystrach’s comments indicated that she thought oral pain to be “the most common” cause of teeth chattering. Usually revolves around the great greyhound existential concerns of scritches/foodstuffs/sneaking into beds. Be careful; this is the beginning of aggression or dominance. If there is a thunderstorm brewing, and your greyhound lets out a chatter, that is not happy chattering. When I write “say,” I mean just that. section of this article describes the various sounds Greyhounds make and then explains what your dog is trying to tell you. Not with a Greyhound. Pupils of the eyes are a key to the dog’s feelings. Is Advantage ™ Safe to use on Greyhounds? While it can occur in various regions around the body — belly, chest, neck, thighs, behind the ears — it most commonly affects the backsides of the hind legs, where it is known as bald thigh syndrome (BTS). We worked it out once – She could sense the moment his intention turned toward going home – Clearing his desk, grabbing his keys, going to his car. To enlarge or reduce text or photo size, please use "ctrl+" or "ctrl-". Greyhounds are excellent character judging. Again, watch the whole dog, not one expression. Greyhound, Selling a House When It’s Gone to the Dogs, Greyhounds under general veterinary care in the UK during 2016: demography and common disorders, Important article on pain control for osteosarcoma. Greyhounds just like all other animals also feel the cold and chilly weather conditions. She’s Smart, She’s Jo Ann, THE PEDIGREE OF HB’s COMMANDER, THE AMERICAN DERBY, AND WHY RACING GREYHOUNDS RACE, Who’s On First? But those of us “in the know” smile and tell them “All is well.”, BODY LANGUAGE ~ EYES, EARS, MOUTH, TAIL, POSTURE. More commonly, the frightened greyhound will freeze and get this weird, blank stare. Make sure it’s light in weight; you don’t want to aggrevate any arthritis he might have. Kira’s First Halloween and Sheena’s Surgery, Using Acupuncture To Make Your Greyhound Feel Younger, High Potassium During Anesthesia Causes Greyhound Sudden Death. [Dr.] Wystrach says she’s seen patients ranging from Border Collies, Jack Russell Terriers, and Labrador Retrievers to Chihuahuas and Poodles exhibit this behavior….Like humans, a dog’s jaw may also click together if the pet is shivering from the cold or has a fever, Wystrach says.”. If a service person comes to your home and your Greyhounds isn’t happy, be forewarned about that person! © Shelley Ann Bunch-Lake. Rather, your Greyhound is simply not used to being touched this way and may interpret your affection as aggression. Other greyhounds will chatter their teeth when they are excited. It’s an “I dare you to pill me!” In another situation, that look may mean trouble of a very serious nature. This is a smile, not a snarl. Video: Phil Avent/YouTube 2. They just love to stalk, hunters that they are. There are different types of tail-wagging, but more about this in the. © Marcia Herman. He does not do well in an environment with chronic tension or loud voices. But there are other types of tail movements that mean something besides happiness and friendliness. Shepherds have erect ears. This position may occur long after the adoption in the shyer Greyhound. However, if your dog isn’t backing down or looking away from you, staring back at the dog is definitely the wrong thing to do. Chattering (chittering or knitting) is one trait that makes greyhounds special. While she’s trying to convince you it’s “tooth resorption,” slipping you her card, and advising you to call the office tomorrow, it might be a good time to reflect and realize that ‘fearful’ greyhounds with “oral pain” are probably the only greyhounds she ever sees. If this happens and is directed at a cat or other small animal, separate them quickly and be sure the dog is on a leash. Some Greyhounds don’t do well with cats and small dogs or small pets, that’s true, and a good rescue will test each dog’s temperament when they intake from the race track. “He” and “she” are used throughout this article because we love both sexes! Most breeds of dogs have an ear set that is predictable. It can mean your dog has to move its bowels! It is part of the race. There are many reasons why your greyhound is shaking. People mistake their demeanor for coolness. First, the growl can mean that you have invaded a personal space. But Greyhounds! Which leads us to the subject of submission. is the Question, Fast Times at N.G.A. Smiling can mean submission. Many people jump out of their skins the first time they hear their Greyhound bark. © Jan Zulkelski. There is no meanness here. When the dog starts shaking, you need to take time and figure out the cause. This singing can start out of the blue or be brought on by hearing a siren or other dogs howling or even hearing the phone ring. This is when the tail droops straight down and doesn’t move. Greyhound ears don’t give the same clues as do other breed dogs. In this writer’s opinion, the ears held out perpendicular from the head show an alert dog, whereas this may be the clue to possible aggression or dominance in another breed. If you are lucky, your Greyhound will stand at the door and whine or bark. This behavior is sometimes puzzling, if not downright frightening, to many new Greyhound adopters. TM: Prey drive varies from dog to dog. Check out this post which is one of the most popular of all time. And the usual suspect is my greyhound, Lily! This passage comes from petmd(.com): “Dr. Another show of dominance (and this can be with people or other animals) is the paw on the shoulder or other body area. Oddly, it is often a precursor to the Greyhound solo or chorus, coming up in the next section. Before jumping to any extreme medical conditions, go through this list and see if one of the following could be causing this behavior. This was covered in the section on tail-wagging. Often, they will tremble all over. The first deals with vocalization, the second with how Greyhounds express themselves with eyes, lips, mouth and other parts of their lovely anatomies, and the third with overall posture and body language. Yes, but the type of tail-wagging is the key to how a dog feels. I have never seen such a position in a Greyhound, possibly because there are very few aggressive Greyhounds or possibly because their ears just can’t do this. And you’ll have to see what the ears, eyes, and mouth are doing, too. The Greyhound Racing Industry Explained, Early Obedience Greyhounds – Some Racing Bred, EOS — Beloved Greyhound of HRH Prince Albert, Master McGrath – Ireland’s Famous Coursing Greyhound, Presidential Library Welcomes The Greyhounds, Racing and Coursing Greyhounds in the Show Ring, Racing for Peanuts; Monkey Jockeys of the ’30s, The Merry Prankster ~ A Champion in the Ring, Twelfth Century Greyhounds in Merry Old England, A Walk in the Park on a Cool, Breezy Day…PRICELESS, On Greyhounds, Computers, Star Trek and Balloons, 11. But Greyhounds! (This usually happens with men in the household, to their dismay.) I think that show breeders thought that breeding a greyhound with exaggerated structural features was sexy and the dog would be able to compete in the group and best in show ring at dog shows. Some of these actions will take place between dogs and children who are smaller than they. Most people love to see a dog wagging its tail. But – I get this look when I’m trying to give a pill and the dog is going to give me a hard time about taking that pill. Unlike humans, where teeth chattering is an involuntary form of shivering, greyhound teeth chattering is usually a sign of happiness or contentment, similar to a cat's purr. Shepherds have erect ears. Is a sign of a grey being relaxed-happy, as opposed to mental-zoomie-happy...best description I can give. This is very important to remember because, as you already know, Greyhounds are not barkers. When the ears are like this a lot you have a photogenic dog. This is a delicious little movement when the lower lip/jaw vibrates at the speed of sound. Tammy’s boy, Archie, demonstrating what greyhounds do most of the time – sleep and cuddle. To them, the singing/howling sounds like a death knell. Regardless of your opinion of racing, it’s pretty clear that Dr. Fink’s logic has some pretty deep cavities! Seek and Geoffrey playing. Rest assured your dog is not ill; he is content. Despite the relative health of the breed, there are a number of medical conditions that can affect them. Lisa Fink, a staff dentist and oral surgeon at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists, says she’s seen a lot of Greyhounds click their teeth together in her exam room. This behavior is sometimes puzzling, if not downright frightening, to many new Greyhound adopters. The videos provided in this article show perfect examples of this behavior. They seem to communicate more with a throaty assortment of sounds than the common bark.