Rescue dog - mixed signals

[DenverDoer]

Very early days (2 weeks in) with a 5 year old saluki cross, he's incredibly well behaved, great recall, clean in the house, chooses to sleep in his crate overnight (I've never locked him in, it's just his safe space).

I know sighthounds are a special breed! Have had a greyhound before. But he's very very nervous of me (and DH), is easily startled, but he will lay nearby me and put his head up looking at me with his big soulful eyes and 'bop' my hand with his nose, and lean into a head fuss, if I remove my hand he'll then bop me again! But while I'm fussing him gently, he will start licking his lips, excessively yawning, licking his groin, all signs I associate with anxiety displacement.

It seems he's wanting the fuss but then sometimes will just walk off and go in his crate, avoiding me it seems. (Oh the rejection!)

He'll also approach you and lean against you, but his head is held very low. Like he's expecting the worst!

He will also greet others more enthusiastically than he greets me, I really think he doesn't like me!

What am I doing wrong?

It is very early days, he will be a bit bewildered and decompressing at the moment. You need to make sure you keep the pressure completely off him. He doesn’t need to be walked yet either, he just needs the chance to relax and feel safe around his new family, in his new home.

Have a read up on the rule of 3 for rescue dogs. It’s not set in stone, but is a rough guide to how long it may take a rescue dog to settle into their forever home.

He isn’t rejecting you, he’s is just trying to make sense of the situation and feel as safe as he can. If his crate is his safe place, it makes sense that he will spend a lot of time in there initially, until he starts to trust and feel more settled and it’s good that he’s making that decision himself when he feels the need. By allowing him to choose to be in there away from you and letting him have some peace, you are actually building trust.

You’re right, sighthounds are special, but Saluki’s are even more special and particularly sensitive, so it may take him longer than average to unpack all his baggage, build bonds and really start to trust. When he does though he will probably pick someone to be ‘his person’ and will develop a really strong bond with them.

You're doing great. Just keep doing things at his pace and following his queues. He's got 5 years to get over, and salukis really wear their heart on their sleeve , plus are more cat like than greys so do the 'that is sufficient now, thank you' thing. My current foster is pure saluki and hand shy and he is much happier having the backs of his ears scritched than a whole head fuss at the moment

Are you fussing him on the top of his head or under his chin? Lots of dogs are head shy and don't like hands going over their head or touching the top of their head.

It's perfectly normal for a dog to have conflicting feelings. It's why so many dogs want you to throw a ball but don't want to give you the ball

This is really not on.

We need a picture

Photo of cute foster boy 😀

Have you tried only petting with permission?

So one stroke and stop. If he then asks for more, another stroke then stop etc.

It means the dog always has the chance to stop the attention without feeling pushed into it because there's never a break, if that makes sense?

Ah I just love Salukis! We've just got an Italian greyhound and I can't wait to get a sight hound one day

@PermanentlyDizzy thank you for your advice and the link!

@CMOTDibbler your reassurance really helps, thank you. Love that pic, he's utterly gorgeous!!

@Happenchance I have been fussing on top (from around day 3 or so) as well as underneath, as he sort of gets his nose under your hand and 'bops' it upwards, but I'll stick to his chin from now just to be safe.

@TGIFbishes I will upload a pic to the comp and post one!

@fairylightsandwaxmelts so honestly, 80% of the pets are when 'requested' and maybe 20% are ''I'll just reassure him he's a good boy'' so after your message I've stopped and switch to 100% only with request and done as you suggest with just one stroke.

I have a question if anyone can help - I was bending over to do my shoelaces in the hallway and he came and head bumped me (this is new), and lent his body into my face (lovely!) then looped around me and did it again, I was laughing, I kept my hands down and my head down as he sort of lent his weight against my head and turned around with his mouth open, curled lips lunging with his mouth, tail wagging, me laughing a lot (think I ate some fur) with his tail whipping my head, then he looped and did it again, all teeth, mouth open, and wags galore. My greyhound was a massive smiler which looked like a snarl - is this mouth open thingie along the same lines?

He then came and sat down by me later and did his 'bop' for a fuss, I stroked once under his head and he promptly put the whole weight of his head in my hand. Please tell me this means he's warming up to me!

That does sound like grinning, or as sighthound owners say, 'I love you so much I show you my teef', and it certainly sounds like he was happy initiating this.

That does sound really good
My rescue boy leans on us and rubs round our legs like a cat when he's pleased to see us.
He also likes a chest rub and a tummy rub but he does not cuddle as such
He won't lie very close to us and he never gets up on sofas or beds or at least he never settles there.