The Quirks of a Greyhound

“Quirky” is definitely one word that springs to mind when I think of the greyhound breed. But is this something generally recognised by others? I think possibly not… So, here I will attempt to summarise the five strange quirks of a greyhound, special to this particular dog breed, that personally make me chuckle.

1. Chattering

Okay, so despite reading copious amounts of research on the internet, as well as a number of recommended books, before bringing Niko home with us, somehow I had not yet stumbled upon the “greyhound chatter”. Well, what a treat this was indeed! After around a week of having Niko, I began to realise that he would frequently chatter his teeth – and by chatter, I mean that the clinking of his teeth was sometimes so loud that I could hear it a few metres away… After desperately trying to warm him up, presuming that he must have simply been constantly freezing, I discovered that greyhounds rather endearingly chatter their teeth when they are happy! Much like cats purring, greyhounds will chatter their teeth when they are content – a trait rather unique to their breed!

2. Leaning

In a nutshell, greyhounds like to lean. And by lean, I mean that they relish in pushing their entire weight into you as you give them a cuddle. So much so, that often our 32kg greyhound has been known to almost push us over when giving him a snuggle. However, if a greyhound does this to you, please feel privileged, as this appears to be another sign of contentment and trust.

3. Knitting (or, as we call it, “biteys”)

Scientifically, I must confess that “biteys” is most certainly not a thing. However, the phrase “knitting” is what many in the greyhound community refer to when a greyhound gets a tad playful. Often when excited, these noodlehorses will begin to seemingly nibble the air, almost as though they are trying to bite it. They may even try to softly nibble you but, despite how this can look rather alarming for someone who knows little about the breed, they actually will barely make contact and are incredibly gentle, as though they are almost pretending to nip you out of excitement.

4. The Greyhound Scream of Death…

Yes, I know what you are thinking – what is this woman on about? But, despite their large exterior, greyhounds are actually often complete wimps. Niko never ceases to amaze me with how much of an absolute baby he can be in certain situations. Therefore, when they experience the slightest injury or discomfort, the infamous “scream of death” is often the result… Truthfully, I did not personally believe in this, assuming my lovely hound must be exempt; until one day, when Niko accidentally got a phone wire stuck between his little toes. Wow! The chaos that ensued. He let out an almighty shriek and I am certain that our neighbours must have thought that I was being murdered. After much scrambling to remove the thin wire from being wrapped around his paw, Niko then ceased to scream and plodded off casually, looking back at me as if to suggest that it was me being dramatic… Precious? Yes, indeed.

5. Roaching

Lastly, we arrive at the concept of “roaching”. If you have never seen this phenomenon before, then you are truly missing a great sight! This amusing spectacle is when greyhounds decide to goofily lay on their backs, with all four legs up in the air, darting out at ridiculous angles. Often you will also find that their tongues are dangling out of their mouths rather attractively and that they will fall asleep in this position, often remaining this way for even hours on end! Research suggests that this term originates from the resemblance of a dead cockroach (classy!), as they can be found lying on their backs. Regardless, this fabulous act, which is fairly unique to the greyhound breed, is simply adorable in a silly, indescribable way. Just another reason to be entertained by these majestic (alas, goofy) creatures!

So, there you have it – five quirks of the greyhound. Please feel free to send me a message on my contact page – I would love to hear your own experiences. Also, if you feel that I have missed off any wonderful quirks, please get in touch.

Love and snoot kisses,

Berry x