is a greyhound the dog for me ?

[nadav]

Hi,
after much thought i decided to adopt a dog, doing the research lead me to believe a greyhound is the breed for me
though I've read many articles, I've never had a chance to speak with an actual owner, so i have a few questions to help me make my mind.
so here we are :
1. i would like to know about behavior problems in ex-race dogs, any advice in this matter will be useful.
2. i live in the city - there are a few parks here but none of them is secure or far away from traffic, should i expect many trouble letting my dog off-leash every now and then ? how much exercise do greyhound need ? can walking with a lead replace running free (in the sense of physical and mental well-being of a dog) ?
3. last question - this will be my very first dog, i am very willing to spend alot of time and energy to fulfill my pet's needs but my knowledge (specifically in educating dogs) is limited, are greyhounds good as first pets ? i would not want to take a dog only to find out i cannot provide he's needs.

sorry for the long post, and thank you in advance
Nadav

[houndhomage]

Hi there and thanks for posting your questions. These were the thoughts going through my head before I had been to the Greyhound Welfare kennels near to me. I had never had a dog before.

I think you should pop down to your local kennels and have a chat with th staff there, perhaps take a greyhound for a short walk.

If you are not an experienced dog owner then the kennel staff will not match you up with a dog with behavioral problems which would end in a failed adoption. The main problem you will face is that your greyhound will probably not be cat friendly and tend to want to chase small furries. Other issues are covered in marked threads under 'advice and help' here on the forum.

2. Greyhounds are ideal for city dwellers. They spend a great deal of time chilling out unlike other breeds. They do not require long walks (but wouldn't mind) and can enjoy a walk in a city park just as much as country walks. About two half hour walks a day are good. I never let my dogs off lead as they do not have good recall and they re not bothered at all by this.

3. Greyhounds are my first dogs and I would never have another breed! Their needs are nearly the same as all dogs but namely,

Feeding twice daily
Free access to fresh water
To live indoors and not outside
Warm bedding
A pack leader to look to for guidance- (you)
Affection and company (not to be left for long periods of tme alone)
Exercise
Regular vaccination, worming and flea/tick treatment
Veterinary care when needed.

You will learn with our dog, but the greyhound welfare will be the best people to provide you with on-gong advice and support.

Good luck and I know other Gappers will add to this,

Tania

[samburns]

Hello, and to the forum

My initial thought on reading your query was that if you spend a bit of time looking through the info here you will probably find many answers to the questions that you have asked - there are so many experienced greyhound owners here who have asked or been asked similar questions - I'm sure lots more Gappers will be along to offer advice .

I would start by saying that like any breed, greyhounds do have certain traits in common but each one also has its own personality, some are more energetic than others, some have high chase instinct, some lower..... having decided that you might like a greyhound why not visit a homing kennels and walk a few to see these beautiful dogs ?

What any owner needs to understand with a greyhound (and an ex-racer will usually be between about 2 years and 6 years old) that they have most likely never lived in a home environment before so it may take them some time to adjust. For some that may be a matter of days or weeks, for others it is longer. For some their entire life may have been in a kennel so things like staircases, televisions, french windows, the doorbell, laminate flooring or the hoover may all seem very scary to some dogs. For others they just see the sofa and know that they have found heaven straight away ;D New owners just need to have some patience - but this is to be expected with any dog. Also, the ex-racers are used to a fixed regime of exercise, meals and toilet and have to adjust when they go to a home. Some dogs are clean very quickly, others take time to learn the new routine.

Living in a city is not necessarily a problem as long as you can give the dog the exercise it needs. There is frequent discussion on the forum about lead/off-lead walking. To answer your question, some ex-racers may never be able to go off lead because of a combined lack of recall and prey drive, it depends on the individual dog and whether training is an option. Any dog, i think, would prefer a life of love, attention, affection, exercise and a sofa to call its own and spend the rest of its life walking on lead than to remain in a kennel. If you do not locally have a secure area to walk your dog off lead then you may be able to find somewhere secure to go on occasion where your dog can go off lead. It is again about understanding the nature of your dog, its breeding and having the dog's safety and security always at the forefront of your mind (and of course the safety and security of others and their pets, and the local wildlife).

Greyhounds ask for very little, they have often had very little in their lives so provided that you can give it what it needs in terms of your time for exercise and attention and financially for its upkeep, given the support you will get here too there is no reason why a greyhound should not make a good first dog.

Hope that helps and hope that you can give one of these magnificent creatures a home

[Jen Wren]

Hi and to the board.

All your questions are sensible, and need to be answered before you take the plunge into adopting your first dog.

Here is my advice, point by point

1. The main problem with ex racers as stated before is the prey drive. The reactions to small furries, even small dogs can vary from dog to dog. Remember Greyhounds have never seen other breeds of dog so will take some time in getting used to all the weird breeds out there. The keenest of Greys can 'overreact' to such things which might include barking, lunging etc. If you're prepared to put in the work this should change in time. I am very lucky with all the greys I've had in my care, they all love other dogs, although they HATE cats.

2. Greys are very lazy and are well suited to city life compared to other large breeds. They require minimum 2 x 20 mins a day walk but it would be much better to walk them more often then this. From what you say of your local parks, sadly I think they would not be suitable for off lead exercise. Greyhound's recall is extremely hit and miss and they cover a huge amount of ground in a short space of time. If the areas are not secure and there is traffic nearby, I think there is a real danger of an accident. It's normally recommended a secure open space for off lead running. They are not any worse off for not going off lead and most are happy to mooch around by your side.

3. The main thing to remember with hounds is most have not been in a house before, so if you approach most homing kennels, the dog will never have been in a home situation. If you are happy to go through house training and desensitising your dog to household noises, that's fine. If you're not confident, I suggest you go through a rescue who uses foster homes first, like Greyhound Gap! You will know exactly what you're getting in regards to how the dog reacts out and about and in the home, the dog will have been house trained, although you will still need to get the dog used to your way of doing things.

Have a look at the homeless hounds section and if there is any dog you like, give Liz or Lisa a ring. They know the dogs backwards and will give you honest advice and will know what dog will fit into your lifestyle best.

You don't say where you live, but there may be someone on this board who lives nearby who would be willing to introduce you to this lovely breed so you can see whether they would be right for you

Good luck

[ellieraven]

Hi, we have had our retired greyhound Kym for 6 months now. We decided to get her after i had done a lot of research on greyhounds and saw an ad in the local paper about ex racers needing homes. We had a Jack Russell before but unfortunately we ended up having to have him pts as he bit one of my children (long story). We were dog-less for a year before we got Kym so as not to rush into getting another dog. All i can say is now if anyone says they are thinking of getting a dog i always recommend greyhounds, we would not have any other breed now. Well done for doing some research and thinking about it, too many people rush into getting dogs and it ends in tears. Good luck

[kizzeysmum]

As said previously, if you do decide that a greyhound is the right dog for you, it would be sensible to consider getting a dog that has been in a foster home. You will then know what you are getting and the first steps in getting the dog used to the home environment will have already been made in the foster home.

[bigbird]

I'd never had a dog before and Lisa here at Greyhound Gap sorted us out with Flash- a fabulous, easy first greyhound who is absolutely no trouble and has no issues. He doesn't even try and steal food. He's happy to sleep all day or come out on walks/trips. We can take him anywhere (pubs/friends houses/the golf course/B&B's etc) and he's fab. He has good recall and doesn't like to stray too far from our side. We got so much help from Lisa settling him in I came back again for hound #2! There is lots of good stuff on here about the breed, I'd never have anything other than greyhounds now...

Jen

[Lisa]

Nadav thank you for your email. I will make a few enquiries to see if there are any centers abroad that home to Czech.

Sorry folks and thanks for recommending Gap but this time it might be just that bit too far

[simba1]

Hi Nadav,
We have had Millie for 3 months now and she was our first dog and we did about 6months research before we went ahead and got her. Greyhound Gap,especially Lisa, were absolutely fab when we first got her and adviced us 100% all the way. She has totally settled in and definitely knows she's loved and has her own sofa!
We did not know all the answers but always knew people to ask, so good luck in your quest for a greyhound,
Sara.

[andywillow]

Feb 17, 2009 11:56:13 GMT -5 Lisa said:

Nadav thank you for your email. I will make a few enquiries to see if there are any centers abroad that home to Czech.

Sorry folks and thanks for recommending Gap but this time it might be just that bit too far

That'd be one hell of a transport run to organise

Sue

[nadav]

Thanks everyone for the quick and kind answers.
i am now confident with my choice (i even met with an owner of a wonderful hound and we had a talk and a nice walk in the park ;D)
unfortunately, since i am currently living in Czech, i realize adoption via Greyhound Gap is not possible (transport is not a problem - the problem is i cannot come to the UK and choose my dog)
i was hoping i can give a home for an ex-racer, here since dog racing is illegal there very few hounds and even less in shelters and rescue centers, i am now searching for shelters in the Czech republic, so hopefully soon i will be able to tell you about my new dog.

Nadav