Your new greyhound probably won’t be very good at sharing. In their working lives, they’ve largely been alone, or have to vie for what they want against other dogs. This can lead to some “resource guarding” behaviour, especially while they are still learning.
What is resource guarding?
Resource guarding is when your hound has something and they are scared that it might be taken away from them, or that they might be forced to share it when they don’t want to. Dogs can resource guard things like food and toys, but also spaces such as a bed or couch, or even people!
What should you do about it?
Prevention is better than cure. Work to teach your hound the concept of sharing rather than trying to fix a problem behaviour later. Resource guarding is the FEAR of something good being taken away, so aim to teach your hound that you are the bringer of good things and that you aren’t here to take all their cool new stuff away.
Listen to your greyhound and understand how they are communicating. The signs that they are uncomfortable include freezing, staring, eating faster, moving away. Please move away from your greyhound if they are displaying these signs, as they may progress to a growl. Should your greyhound growl you need to take that as a clear signal to back off – a growl is communication.
Never correct a growl because the last thing you want is for that early warning to disappear.
Don’t put your new hound in a position where she feels that you are trying to take her fun new things away or where they feel threatened, especially if she may have been mistreated in the past. It’s best to give her space to explore their new toy or food item and if she wants you to join in, she will offer.
If your hound gets a hold of something that you need to get back remember the golden rule: ALWAYS TRADE UP. Swap the thing you need to get from them by offering them a more exciting toy or a treat away from the thing you need them to give up. When your hound is sufficiently engaged elsewhere you can pick up the off-limits Item.
Where there are other pets present, feed separately at first and remove any toys etc until you can supervise. Make sure there are plenty of beds for everyone.
Your hound may also try to resource guard the couch or your bed if they are allowed free access. It’s best to provide them with their own space to sleep if this is the case.
If issues do arise, seek guidance from a professional.