Why Do Sighthounds Tend To Be Timid/sensitive?

[Mags]

Most of the sighthounds in my survey were greyhounds.

Might be more effective to ask why greyhounds tend to be timid instead then. ;) If that's what the survey shows and is what you're basing the question on.

Then shouldn't you say greys are timid not sighthounds as your survey looks at one breed not the whole group.

And were the greys all rescues? Because our grey Katie some people would call timid - I would call her nervous and for justifable reason - she has had bad stuff done to her in her life she is scared of hands and absolutely terrified of hands holding anything. She is also very scared of confined places. Over the months we have had her she is starting to realise that she won't be hurt here and is loved and safe and is becoming a happy, fun loving loon. She is gentle and sweet with everyone regardless of spp and size. If you only have rescue greys in your survey they could be carrying a lot of baggage. Which says nothing about the breed and alot about how some greys are treated. Very, very different to most purebreds and I am sure very different to greys that have been loved and cared for their entire lives.

Edited October 10, 2011 by Mags

[murve]

Well I can say, I have been told that my Whippet is not backwards in coming forwards he is very friendly to a lot of people, love saying hello to ppl down the st, kids at my grandaughters school, if there is ( & this is a Big IF) an arguement with any other of our furries hes in there giving his 20c worth (more so vocal)

When you are raised with a Rottie, JRT, Cavi X, & 3 Pappy's, no point in being timid our guys all live in harmony & accept everybody with excitement :laugh:

I have seen more timid dogs in other breeds than Sighthounds

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Saluki in prey drive:

Edited October 10, 2011 by SkySoaringMagpie

[Lowenhart]

I find wild type dogs (pariah etc) show timid body language.

I've had some Afghans that have strong flight responses from a very young age. These dogs were very aware of their surrounds and reactive to movement. Some turned out to be quite the hunter that their gregarious siblings were not.

Maybe the reason that sighthounds are so turned on to the chase is that they have retain that certain element of a wild dog type that makes them very aware of the goings on. A sighthound worth it's feed isn't going to want to fuss over a silly human when there is game afoot.

There are huge variations between sighthound breeds and within the breeds however I describe them as being not-human focused. They have been bred to chase and that is their first focus.

[poodlefan]

Another observation I'd make is that quite a few sighthounds are not into effusive gushing people. Make a big fuss over "the lovely doggy woggy" and many will just turn away.

They have their people, and then there are the great unwashed that may or may not get a greeting but they don't respond well to silliness IMO. Nervous types also get the cold shoulder. They like calm people.

There's not much "bolder" than a sighthound in full prey drive.. little inconveniences like barbed wire won't stop one and Im sure I"m not the only owner with the vet bills to prove it.

[Rebanne]

It's not a negative box at all. There is no need to be offended. Extreme boldness isn't exactly the bees knees. I'm not actually going to label anything 'timid' in the writeup, but don't feel like you want your dogs to be bold and if they aren't up there with the rotties they don't measure up somehow. Different dogs just have different styles. Obviously whatever they are doing has worked for them for a long time, so there's really no need to feel miffed. If it makes you feel any better, sighthounds as a group are far from extremely shy. It's a continuum rather than two catagories.

I think people have responded very moderately to what was a rather inflammatory question. If you posted that question into some of the OFC sighthound groups you'd be eaten alive.

it was such a stupid statement which has been borne out by the fact that the majority of dogs in the sample were one breed and could only have been adopted racebred greys, which is hardly a similar background to other breeds.

[Leema]

Wow, lots of discussion not about the original question.

I think Sir WJ may have the best conclusion to why the results have suggested sighthounds are 'less bold'. If many of the surveyed animals were greyhounds, and many of the greyhounds ex-racers, then they may have had less-than-idle socialisation as a puppy.

[Swizzlestick]

^^ What poodlefan said.

Very true. The more someone attempts to cuddle/smooch a sighthound, the more the hound will give them the cold shoulder.

Everything's on their terms, if and when they want to cuddle (with their people) they will.

[jacqui835]

Interesting. Plenty of the guardian breeds are also aloof, but they are also bold. I do not know many greyhounds, but I do know a lot of whippets and I have never met one that didn't seem slightly 'uncomfortable' and look a bit concerned. The owners often say that they only like other whippets. Borzoi and salukis seem reserved and aloof, but not timid.

I always thought (in the case of the whippets) that it was because they shared the same concern as the owners - if another dog should bash into them or step on them, well they look like they might snap. That's not to say that I don't think they're a rough and tough dog - if I was a rabbit there's no breed I'd fear more.

But I think they're just quite aware of the weight difference between themselves and other, larger dogs.

[Rebanne]

Interesting. Plenty of the guardian breeds are also aloof, but they are also bold. I do not know many greyhounds, but I do know a lot of whippets and I have never met one that didn't seem slightly 'uncomfortable' and look a bit concerned. The owners often say that they only like other whippets. Borzoi and salukis seem reserved and aloof, but not timid.

I always thought (in the case of the whippets) that it was because they shared the same concern as the owners - if another dog should bash into them or step on them, well they look like they might snap. That's not to say that I don't think they're a rough and tough dog - if I was a rabbit there's no breed I'd fear more.

But I think they're just quite aware of the weight difference between themselves and other, larger dogs.

I would have thought that made them smart not timid :rolleyes:

[New Age Outlaw]

I don't have much experience with other sighthounds (only a handful of individuals over the years), but I have met and observed many, many greyhounds over the past 15 years or so. I have certainly seen plenty who exhibit some symptoms of anxiety, ranging from mild to severe (probably more of them in the mild range than the other end). Certainly not all of them, but in my experience it is certainly not uncommon in the breed. Not that it is necessarily a problem in many cases, as long as it is managed. Doesn't stop me from loving them!! :D

Edited October 10, 2011 by New Age Outlaw

[fifi]

As well as breed and background, has AGE been taken into consideration ?

Many of the larger breed sighthounds go through two very distinct development / caution periods, around 7-9 months and 13-18 months.

Often I've shown under a sighthound specialist with a young and very touchy bitch and the judge has laughed, rolled their eye's in commiseration and said...oh yes...adolescent sighthounds !!!

fifi

[SkySoaringMagpie]

Often I've shown under a sighthound specialist with a young and very touchy bitch and the judge has laughed, rolled their eye's in commiseration and said...oh yes...adolescent sighthounds !!!

Fifi makes an important point, this is from the ANKC Saluki Breed Extension:

Characteristic temperament is reserved with strangers, dignified, intelligent and independent, neither nervous nor aggressive. Adolescents should be handled with sensitivity.

Edited for clarity

Edited October 10, 2011 by SkySoaringMagpie

[Greytmate]

I don't think the opposite of boldness is timidity. What are the breeds that scored highly in boldness?

[Alyosha]

It seems, in light of the initial question of "why do sighthounds tend to be timid/sensitive?" that the overwhelming response from sighthound owners here is - " they're not". So there can be no "why".

Also, considering that a few, including some highly experienced, have encountered such behaviour from a proportion of ex-racing greyhounds, it seems that the initial question may have needed to be targeted at that breed group in particular. It may well be based on environmental issues if that is the case, and not a breed-wide, inborn trait.

Either the information the initial question is based upon is not applicable to the sighthound breeds as a whole, or is being misinterpreted in such a way that it is mis-representing those breeds as a collective. If the base level information is so far removed from reality, how is it possible to use it to construct useful results?

Edited October 10, 2011 by Alyosha

[pixie_meg]

It seems, in light of the initial question of "why do sighthounds tend to be timid/sensitive?" that the overwhelming response from sighthound owners here is - " they're not". So there can be no "why".

Also, considering that a few, including some highly experienced, have encountered such behaviour from a proportion of ex-racing greyhounds, it seems that the initial question may have needed to be targeted at that breed group in particular. It may well be based on environmental issues if that is the case, and not a breed-wide, inborn trait.

Either the information the initial question is based upon is not applicable to the sighthound breeds as a whole, or is being misinterpreted in such a way that it is mis-representing those breeds as a collective. If the base level information is so far removed from reality, how is it possible to use it to construct useful results?

Written so well, better than i could.

[Kirty]

I got Borzoi cuddles last week and those dogs didn't know me from a bar of soap. At first they seemed completely disinterested as I patted them - but then I stopped... I got head-butted and nose-poked and whacked with paws until I relented and gave them more cuddles. :D They were dignified and reserved, not shy or timid. :D

[OSoSwift]

timid? - nope. Disinterested, aloof, sensitive - yes.

I have one who doesn't care about other dogs or people much. He is very sensitive and can hold a grudge if he feels he has been wronged (step on his foot hard and pay for it for over two months!!) He says hello to people but is not waggy and overly excited about it. He only takes noticed of other Whippets. He is a velcro dog and would get inside your skin if he could

The other, is a pat-me tart, loves everyone and sill sit on anyones knee for a cuddle. She roo roos and is a little jumpy and all over people. Will play with other dogs and will happily tell them off if she feels wronged. She is reactive as in if she thinks you are about to trip over her she leaps out the way. She likes pats and cuddles but will happily lay next to you on the lounge instead of ontop of you.

Yes when they are meeting random people they quite often stand with their tails tucked under, but they do that alot anyway.

If your sample included say lots of Whippets or lots of another sighthound then I would expect your results may have been different.

[Kirislin]

For the record Corvus I dont think your question was stupid, misinformed or misinterpreted by the dogs you studied perhaps, but at least you came here and asked it, and now hopefully have some information you can work with.

I didn't take offence at your question, after almost 30 years of having shivery trembling whippets I'm pretty used to all sorts of questions.

Their aloofness is what made me fall in love with whippets in the first place. I still remember the first time I saw them up close, it was a brother and sister, they were cream coloured, I've never seen that colour in the flesh since, they were laying by a fire and looked like marble statues. I thought they were the most beautiful things I'd ever seen. I was used to waggy tailed friendly dogs, and I said Hello! to them, expecting them to get up and come over for a pat. Instead, they looked me up and down, as if to say, you've got to be kidding, and then turned their heads away and ignored me. I was smitten! I thought, how can I make these dogs like me. I never did, but from then on, I wanted one.

[Cairo1]

Good Question Corvus!!

I owned and bred Borzoi for about 15 years and they were not particularly bold, but not timid either. I would say they were reserved and a little circumspect in their interactions with people. My dogs were extraordinarily calm in their demeanour too although they were certainly capable of having fun and doing zoomies. In some ways they were clowns as well.

They approached new things with caution but were certainly not fearful. They have a careful, calculated way of dealing with new situations and objects. When we talk about 'timidity', are we talking about 'people interactions' or general interactions with the world? Generally I would say they approach things with caution. I have also been involved with greyhounds and whippets and I think 'caution' sums it up better than timid.

Sighthounds are a gentle group and that is reflected in their approach to life.

Bare in mind that those are simply my observations based on 15 years involvement.

Still love my sighthounds but I am on a different path now. . . .

Cairo1 :D