Scene One:
The proud, new owners of an Irish Wolfhound puppy visit their local dog park to socialize and exercise their newest family member. Over time, the pup is trained to the basic commands of sit, stay, down and recall. Ideally, these novice owners were also properly educated on and appreciate what we veterans recognize as the typical "I'll think about it" hound response to training. That is to say the momentary, delayed reaction to almost all commands as the hound deliberates before fulfilling any instructions given to them. Incidentally, I believe that our hounds eventually do as we ask not to please but because they merely tolerate our requests.
Scene Two:
Fast forward in time and the much-loved wolfhound, no longer a puppy, is very familiar with the dog park, having enjoyed the recreation and fraternizing for quite a while. Ultimately, some time ago, the owners believed they could trust their wolfhound, especially since the hound had not demonstrated worrisome disobedience nor an intense interest in chasing other dogs. As a result of his continuing good behavior, the gentle giant engages in off-lead play time, happily galloping and casting around for new scents.
Scene Three:
Today, a new dog comes to the park. Although there is a segregated area for small dogs, this leashed newcomer accompanied by his elderly owner, cheerfully trots into the big dog park through the double gated chain-link entrance. In the distance, our wolfhound previously occupied with a Golden Retriever buddy has now become keenly aware of the new presence. The wolfhound's owners who are yards away may notice, but are unknowing of sighthound body language. Veterans know the warning signs and understand what I gently coined ‘intense interest’ as actually ‘the look of death.’ A marked attentiveness usually, but not always, accompanied by rigidity of carriage, and lowering of the neck and head while the limbs crouch ever so slightly before launching into action.
Scene Four:
The wolfhound's owners react too late and are yelling their recalls that quickly turn into panic as they watch their hound, disregarding their commands, bear down on the small dog. Realistically, though just about any person’s reaction, unless one is nearby and can dive through the air and onto the Hound, will be too late for a swift gazehound. Meanwhile, the elderly woman is frozen with fear as the strange, giant hound gallops full speed towards her little dog. She does not turn and flee back through the gate in time.
Final Scene:
Amid all the tremendous sobbing and shouting, the elderly woman looks on as her dog lay lifeless. She too possibly has fallen after being hip checked by a 150-pound flying wolfhound body. The police are called, and animal control arrives to seize the giant sighthound whose only crime was having an innate response to stimuli. That being a strange little dog that appeared to the wolfhound as being a lot like prey. What fate lies in store for this poor sighthound depends on municipality ordinances, regional social attitudes, and the sympathy, if any, of the court. Certainly this hound is not to blame because his instinctual drive overrode any supposed clicker training, and sadly, he could pay the ultimate price— with his life.
Truth: The above scenario is certainly not preposterous nor unimaginable. I know first-hand that such a plot can happen, but my ending was significantly more fortunate. Though the setting was different, a long time ago I had a wolfhound run down two small dogs, harming one before I was able to intervene. My self-prescribed penance was the $700.00 in surgical costs as I was profoundly grateful that no lives were lost, as a result of the incident. Fundamentally, the essence of an instinct is any performed behavior that is not based on prior learning. Hard-wired prey drive is an inborn complex behavior and most sighthound breeds, many with origins dating one or more Millennium, once specialized in independent hunting and dispatching of Game. Indeed, this inherent ability is still well and strong today. In fact, this faculty has proven to be very surprising, though it should not have been, to breed fanciers and novice enthusiasts involved with the rehoming of wolfhounds. I am aware of a few rehomed Irish Wolfhounds who, allegedly, had not previously demonstrated any prey drive. Nonetheless, after the original owners placed their hounds for common excuses, such as finances, relocating, or divorce; these hounds' natural prey drive emerged, especially as they were highly stressed and they went on to dispatch neighboring dogs.
Consequences: There are possible aftermaths stemming from the above hypothetical dog park scenario. Court cases do exist involving dogs sentenced for euthanasia by the legal justice system for killing another domestic animal. One recent case involved two medium-sized dogs, who after having killed their neighbor’s cat, were both condemned by a Court Judge to be destroyed. Only after circulating a petition garnering over one hundred thousand signatures and the family retaining an attorney were the dogs granted a repeal, but the conditions required relocating them to another area.
The truth is that most companion owners who are not well versed in sighthounds do not understand, appreciate nor have deference for their sighthound’s instinctual prey drive. Many novices confuse this drive with the passive aggressive scent hunting attributes displayed by our other hound brethren, and mistakenly believe that prey drive can be trained away. Such as the prospective young admirer who recently contacted me for a wolfhound. Though an initiate in both breeds, she is an advocate of compliance training to resolve potentially high prey drive. Because she has insufficient acreage, she proposes exercising a wolfhound on another property. She writes, “I understand your concerns with the Wolfhound’s prey drive. Our Bloodhound has a very strong drive to run (because of that darn nose), but he was properly trained and knows better. However, with the right training and guidance, I feel we will have no problems. If I can unleash a bloodhound on a 60-acre farm and know that he will not go out of my sight because of our training — then I feel confident that we can do the same for a Wolfhound.”
Any seasoned sighthound fancier is aware that gazehounds have specialized attributes. Galloping hounds live to run and when they are in flight mode, both their speed and focus are simply amazing to observe; so long as their pursuit is performed in a safe location. Rarely can you instantly call off sighthounds while they are chasing live game or prey. I explain to newcomers that the hound enters a different zone or realm. While he is fixated on the quest, neither recall commands, whistles, clickers or shouts will break him off from a hunt. That is until his concentration wanes or is broken, especially if chasing white-tailed deer. Often though and quite tragically, their focus is interrupted by other means such as an automobile and, by then, it is too late.
Prey drive must be respected at all times, and even the most experienced fanciers can make mistakes. I recall one such time when I sat down ringside next to a woman with a reclined, relatively relaxed greyhound. Accompanying me was my 17-pound Australian Terrier who jumped on my lap and within seconds, the greyhound shot up and snapped connecting with my terrier's muzzle. Given that this occurred while we were seated and not while on the ground where the greyhound could have broken the terrier's neck was extremely fortunate. The terrier being a terrier shook it off and, of course, the only one to blame was me for disrespecting the Greyhound's prey drive and momentarily letting my guard down.
Before I go on, I acknowledge that the degree of prey drive can vary in singular sighthounds of the same breed, just as individual people have varying measures of aggressiveness. In my experience, I have had littermates with fluctuating levels of prey interest. Several demonstrating a keen interest in cats and small dogs, and a few that could mingle safely with them. Interestingly, at one time or another, I even have had one or two wolfhounds that would not leave my side, no matter the inducement. However, in my experience, this is very, very rare. That is not to say that a giant or large sighthound cannot successfully co-exist with small dogs or cats. For the past nine years, an Australian Terrier matriarch has governed our home. She imprinted on and raised each wolfhound out of the whelping box. Nonetheless, we have management protocols in place to protect her and exercise strict precautions, largely during feeding or when the hounds are roughhousing. Despite the presence of this queen who commands respect, some of our hounds demonstrate an interest in other, off-site smaller dogs. As a result, we tread carefully, and our hounds are not off-lead in public areas.
We, breeders, receive numerous queries and more often than not these potential owners have ambitious plans to exercise their sighthounds on public lands, dog parks or trails. At the outset, this may sound well and good, but new owners become complacent not believing or knowing that sighthound behavior can change instantly. Misplaced trust in a sighthound can result in sad endings. I'll soon not forget an AKC Gazette breed column written years past by veteran Scottish Deerhound fancier, Joan Shagan. A story that always stuck with me, she recounted an incident involving her 8-year old Deerhound, who accompanied her on a trip. During their travels, they stopped off to overnight at a friend's home. Upon arriving, the Deerhound vacated his bladder and returned to her as usual. Later that dreary rainy evening, Joan lets her cherished Deerhound outside. As she waited and watched, he began trotting away down a path and soon was gone. Without even a backward glance, the old Deerhound disappeared from his beloved owner into the gloom and kept on going. In the wee hours of the morning, and only after a long, sleepless night for all, the Deerhound -- wet, cold and frightened -- was discovered several miles away by a stranger and was thankfully identified by his microchip.
It goes without saying that this story's ending could have been much different as even the author expected to find her Deerhound collapsed, trapped, dead or dying. Mysterious behavior is not unheard of as those who are long versed in sighthounds know that these breeds can behave eerily. I once had a wolfhound slip out a gate and started trotting away down the road. She paused at my recalls, looking over her shoulder at me with an odd expression -- as if she did not know me -- and then continued away. We were able to secure her safely, but it was a look I had seen before throughout the decades in other Wolfhounds who have gotten loose at specialty shows. Unhappily, at one point in time or another old hand breeders, such as myself, have participated in search parties at specialty or all-breed shows to look for a spooked sighthound that has run off. We know full-well the resulting sorrow it can bring. I have endeavored to describe this meaningful glance to newcomers, but the majority of people do not get it.
I recall a particularly memorable and tragic tale that continues to haunt me in spirit, involving a hound that I knew very well. After having returned from a dog show, a wolfhound bitch ran away from a Handler and through a driveway gate that was not secured. Despite searches, even the use of a psychic, she was not recovered. The bitch's owners also retained the services of a bloodhound trained in trailing lost dogs who allegedly followed the wolfhound back to her home's open driveway gates. She had found her way back home, seemingly close enough to view and hear all her kennel mates who also may have seen or smelled her and who would have most likely been calling to her. However eerily, she turned and ran off, disappearing forever and reportedly, without any further sightings. Why this Wolfhound found her way back home but mysteriously left, we will never understand.
Suffice to say, if events such as these can befall hardened hound enthusiasts, it certainly can happen to novice owners. I believe it is important to educate new owners to sighthound flight tendencies and their typical reaction when spooked. Sighthound personalities can change if they are experiencing an immediate and continuous state of fright. For example, a frightened Irish Wolfhound runs away from and not towards humans as this is a natural reflex because the hound remains highly stressed and panicked. In contrast, a lost Labrador Retriever having a different temperament will approach strangers — friends or foe.
When introducing the subject to prospective sighthound owners, it is important to emphasize that if a sighthound is loose, frightened or lost it may be difficult to entice, lure or capture them again. In some cases, it has taken several weeks despite search parties, countless flyers, social media alerts, and radio announcements. In short, they can transform into flight hounds. One often overlooked consideration is the sighthounds impressive size and the subsequent reaction to such. Although those familiar with these breeds understand they are gentle towards people, the majority of the public may be shocked, frightened or just plain nasty and unkind. Some may even call the police who might shoot the strange, huge dog. When encountering a large loose sighthound, people might respond by shouting, gesturing angrily at them, or possibly throw objects which further terrorizes the hound. I recall a sad incident several years ago while attending the Rhodesian Ridgeback National Specialty. After a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy had become startled, he escaped from his owner and ran off. At one point, he reportedly was seen at the back of the hotel, near the rear kitchen and garbage areas but was waved and scared off by an employee. Though there was a collective search, he was not found alive after apparently being struck by a vehicle.
I am quite accustomed to the commotion a giant breed creates as I have lived in a year-round resort for over 33 years where we regularly socialize our leashed Irish Wolfhounds around the village tourist areas. The reception they experience ranges from people exclaiming their beauty and wanting to touch them, to a few screaming in fear. The latter has surely happened on occasions and from time to time children recoil or run at the sight of them.
As I write this article, I received a phone inquiry for a wolfhound from a family whose one and half-year-old wolfhound is dead. After recently moving to a new home that was not yet fenced, the wolfhound, while unleashed outside with the grandchildren ran out and was hit by a car. Several weeks later and still deeply upset, these strangers contacted me to inquire about a puppy, even then though they had no definitive plans in place for installation of proper fencing. It goes without saying that I would not place any hound with such irresponsible and reckless people. Yet, how very sad and wasteful that such a special breed is bordering on expendable and plainly seen as replaceable. As breeders, we cannot control every aspect of our hounds future life with a loving family. However, it is my policy to counsel owners on the 'what if' scenarios, such as moving to a new home, and every necessary precaution that must be made beforehand and during these stressful times. All to ensure the safety and well-being of the hound, leaving nothing to chance.
Though the above casualty did not involve my breeding, I too once had a novice owner with one of my hounds relocate with terrible consequences. The people transferred to another state and purchased a sizable farm. They did not safeguard their hound by erecting fencing before moving into their new home, and shortly afterward, their beloved wolfhound was killed. However, his demise differed from the above incident — it came at the end of a rifle. The wolfhound was shot and killed while wandering on his new farm. You see, the new neighbors did not care if the hound was friendly or not. Though his death was both violent and indefensible, in some states there are statutes allowing farmers to shoot a dog while he is roaming unattended if there is a claim the dog was attacking livestock. In some states, ordinances permit a farmer to pursue a dog away from the livestock and then shoot him. Short of having an eyewitness to defend the dog, there is no way of disproving a neighbor or farmer's allegations, except if the dog were slain in a secure, appropriately fenced area.
Subsequently, there may be no legal implications for the assailant such as animal cruelty charges. Even if there is a conviction, it is a small measure of comfort, and it will not bring your devoted friend back. What a pathetic and appalling way to perish for such a beautiful animal.