When I first got Beckett he had some issues, with dogs, not every dog, just you know all the ones that were not greyhounds. One look at these ferocious four legged creatures, the scariest of which were 20lbs or less, and he would be turning around with a speed that would make any racing greyhound trainer proud.
After a truckload of patience, work, help, and time; when given the "go ahead" Beckett now will approach another dog from the side giving a small air sniff in the general vicinity of the back end. Sort of like a doggie air kiss, then he looks to me, gets his treat, and we move right along. I'm pretty proud of my pooch and once he warms up to a dog, things change, he makes friends. What more can a girl ask? However, when Beckett greets a greyhound everything is different he is excited, happy, and enthusiastic. Where is this going? (I have no idea) And what does it have to do with a goat? (I'm getting there.)
When Beckett met his first goat, with its funny goat shape and oddly slitted eyes, I was unsure of Beckett's reaction. The thing was, he didn't have one, he acted so normally it took me by surprise. With no signs of doubt or misgivings he gave the goat the same doggie air kiss he does every other dog we ever pass on our walk and then turned to looked at me for his forthcoming treat. Didn't he realize? It was a GOAT! Shocked and dismayed, but prompted by routine, I reach in my pocket give him his treat and we walked right along.
Racing greyhounds are generally socialized with other greyhounds, and only greyhounds. And though many post-track racers quickly come to understand that all dogs are - well dogs, some like Beckett don't.
Are all dogs goats to Beckett?
It suddenly brought new understanding to his original apprehension, to me they were simply dogs and correspondingly I had a hard time understanding his challenges. But maybe to Beckett, those other dogs might as well have been goats.
