We often hear people describe their greyhound as being ‘stubborn’ when it comes to learning new things or adjusting to pet life. Here we’ve laid out some of the common times hounds are labelled as stubborn, and why this isn’t the case!
“My greyhound always freezes when we are nearly home from our walk – she’s so stubborn!”
When a greyhound is learning how to be a companion, everything is new to them. The big wide world can be scary and also exciting. A Greyhound may take some time to learn how to go for walks down the street and may be prone to freezing. This is commonly due to becoming overwhelmed, or in some cases wanting to continue exploring. This is a common example of when our hounds are labeled “stubborn”. In actuality, they are simply overwhelmed by their new surroundings, routine and learning how to adapt to pet life.
“My greyhound takes so long to learn new things, he gets bored of training sessions – he’s so stubborn!”
The Greyhound is categorised as a sight hound. They were essentially bred for sighting animals, speed, and their desire to chase. Most greyhounds these days are bred for racing, raised in kennels and often have little social engagement. In their forever home, the case may be that they simply don’t understand what you are asking them to do, or they just need a little longer than other pooches who have had more of a headstart in life.
“Greyhounds are such a stubborn breed!”
No dog deserves to be labelled as stubborn. We need to take into consideration the history and breed specifics of the greyhound, and consider how the majority of our rescue hounds were raised in comparison to other breeds that may not be considered a “stubborn” breed.
Take the Border Collie for example.
The Border Collie was originally bred for herding animals. It was integral for the breed to work closely with humans and pick up communication and signals from their human companions to work together. Nowadays, Border Collies are a very popular breed for Australian families, as their motivation and willingness for completing tasks and training is very compatible with activities like obedience training and agility competitions. The average companion Border Collie is raised in a home, begins learning and training from only a few weeks old, and experiences the big wide world with their family.
Labeling a greyhound as “stubborn” is not only inaccurate but also unfair. These gentle and loving dogs are intelligent, sensitive, and highly trainable. Instead of using negative labels, it’s important to understand their unique personalities and needs.
With patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement, greyhounds can thrive and make wonderful companions. Let’s give these amazing creatures the respect and love they deserve, and never judge them based on stereotypes and misconceptions.