Quote Originally Posted by Giselle View Post
Sorry, Karen, I have to vehemently disagree here. Perhaps it's the way I read it, but it implies to me that greyhounds are fearful because they've been "caged" their entire lives. Racing greyhounds lead very unique lives, but, as a whole, they are incredibly well socialized with other dogs and humans. They *really* know dog communication because they've been raised, literally, with a large pack since puppyhood. They are also handled frequently with a plethora of people. Greyhounds are introverted as an innate breed characteristic, rather than the way they are nurtured.
I never meant or implied that they are fearful because of being caged their entire lives. What I meant is that many greyhounds have fears of specific things like grass, stairs, cars, etc. - things they have never encountered, and that her dog may have some of the same fears because of her circumstances.

Some greyhounds are so sheltered that, combined with a greyhound's usual nature, it make getting used to the big world outside a slow and delicate process. I have known some, a teacher I knew had one that was afraid of everything when she got her. I only met her about 6 months into her living at her new home, and it was on one of her first "outings" to somewhere with a big crowd of people. She was doing pretty well, but only if her "sister" - a goofy sweetheart of a well-adjusted greyhound, had been rescued several years before - was on one side of her and her human mom on the other. Otherwise, she'd stand and shake, poor thing.

That's why I recommended greyhound rescue sites - they are more used to dealing with helping sheltered critters learn about the world in a nonthreatening way.