When you rescue a dog you expect to be given all possible information regarding their personality and behaviour that the rescue organisation has available to them. You have no reason to distrust or disbelieve this information, and you feel prepared to handle whatever issues your new charge may or may not have.
For the most part this was our experience when rehoming Merlin. However, through no fault of their own, the RSPCA neglected to give us one little detail: Merlin has small prey syndrome. Less behavioural syndrome, more instinct, dogs with SPS are typically (but not always) breeds bred to chase, or crosses of said breeds. Unfortunately for us, no one thought to tell us this when we adopted our beautiful greyhound cross.
And why should they? Merlin had passed his temperament test with flying colours. He was friendly with big dogs, little dogs and people of all shapes and sizes. We found this to be very true; nothing made us happier than seeing him bounding around with our friend's border collie, Midnight, pausing to greet a little shih tzu. We had absolutely no reason to distrust him off lead until one day last week a small brown Norfolk terrier caught Merlin's attention from the corner of his eye, and that was that.
Fortunately for all involved the terrier was largely unhurt. We, however, were very shaken. Was our boy vicious? Why had he gone after another dog when he never had before? Would we have to give him up?
Several serious discussions followed; with the vet, with the RSPCA, with the terrier's owner. It was only now that SPS came to light. Merlin was not, and is not, a dangerous or vicious dog. In his sight hound cross eyes the terrier had seemed like a rabbit and prompted his chase instincts to take over.
Of course this came as a huge relief to us, but equally posed several new challenges. How would we ever be able to trust our boy again? The answer is simple. Merlin now remains on lead during his walks, and is muzzled if we find a quiet enough area with no small dogs around for him to run off lead - just in case.
This incident and the days following gave me a lot of opportunity to think, and to accept my boy for the brilliant dog he is. Merlin loves dogs, and its no fault of his own that his breed instincts mean he has to be muzzled off lead. I want to use this post to encourage anybody reading to put mind over a muzzle - very few dogs wearing them are vicious, and even if that is the case, the owner of the dog is being nothing but responsible by taking appropriate measures.
I also wanted to do what small bit I could to raise awareness of Small Prey Syndrome, and to urge other chasing breed owners to be aware of the potential for accidents like ours.
Thanks for reading,
Willow and Merlin x
