A woman shared that she adopted a greyhound as a student, and they were happy together. However, things turned gray when she had two kids, and her dog behaved aggressively towards them.
She tried everything to make it work, but in the end, she had to rehome her greyhound.
Perfect dog at home
Elizabeth Broadbent shared in Today's Parent that when she was a graduate student, she and her husband would foster greyhounds in their home. Of all the greyhounds, they decided to adopt Axel. She remembered that Axel used to invade their couches and terrorize squirrels. He was catty and aloof.
However, years after, she stopped her Ph.D. program, left the university, and got pregnant. Eventually, they welcomed a baby boy. Axel did not seem to mind at first. However, it was clear that he did not like sharing her. They still sat on their couch when she nursed. She noted that Axel was not excited about the baby, but she was also not hostile.
Then the family had a second child, which changed everything. Axel stopped spending time with the family in the room. If the mom and her kids went into a room, the dog would leave and did not want to be around them.
Seeing kids as a threat
Axel stopped sleeping with the family and started peeing on the floor in the kids' room, a thing the dog had never done before.
For dogs, urine marking is a sign of stress and anxiety, and it has sensed an intruder and is marking their territory against it. The act is meant to assert dominance.
The couple then understood that Axel peeing in the kids' room every night was not a good sign, and they did everything to fix it. However, nothing worked.
Elizabeth and her husband were careful when they were with the kids. At some point, she admitted that they stopped letting him anywhere near the dog. Axel began retreating and appeared only at mealtimes.
One day, Axel growled at their toddler, who was slowly moving into his view. The kids were not touching him, shrieking, or walking toward him. The couple knew they had to rehome Axel.
Rehoming is advisable when a dog is stressed and displays aggression at home, especially on kids, Puppy in Training shares.
Rehoming a dog
Elizabeth cried. The people at the rescue center understood. She later learned that aggression toward children is one of the most difficult behavioral problems to treat. As per K9 of Mine, aggressive dogs need behavioral intervention, especially if there are young children in the home. But if the owners do not have the time and resources it takes to modify their behavior, rehoming may be a more suitable option.
Axel was only seven years old. Greyhounds live until 15.
Axel was taken back to the rescue home with a note on his write-up that he required a family with no children. Fortunately, he found a new home with an elder couple quickly. And although Elizabeth admits to missing him, she knows he is much happier in his new home.
