Pointy owners: could you give me a couple of book recommendations about owning a greyhound/whippet type hound?

[PacificDogwood]

Ta muchly.

I am a frequent lurker in The Doghouse. I would love to have a dog, but am waiting for DS4 (currently not quite 3) to become slightly less insane before even considering/looking for a dog.

I grew up with dogs (rescued mutts most of them, one purebred pekinese who had been a wedding present to my parents ) so have a vague idea what having a pooch involves.

I have done a bit of reading, mainly on-line, and think a rescue greyhound or similar would be perfect for us. Several books have been mentioned on previous threads but I cannot them for the life of me find them. If anybody has any ideas what I might mean , I'd be foreever grateful.

[paddythepooch]

I like Jackie drakeford the house lurcher but she may not be to everyone's taste as she works her dogs. She does know loads about lurchers and clearly loves them. She's also done books on the working lurcher. Fascinating.

The best of breed series on greyhounds is quite good.

[paddythepooch]

I like Jackie drakeford the house lurcher but she may not be to everyone's taste as she works her dogs. She does know loads about lurchers and clearly loves them. She's also done books on the working lurcher. Fascinating.

The best of breed series on greyhounds is quite good.

[PacificDogwood]

Thank you, paddy, I'll have a gander on Amazon.

Whatever potential dog we one day will end up with will most certainly NOT be a working dog .
Do you own a pointy yourself?

[PacificDogwood]

Just ordered it, paddy . £15 spent in a jiffy

[TheCunnyFuntIsAGrittersWife]

This is a good one, it's what I was given by the rescue when I got my Grund.

[paddythepooch]

Hi pacific, yes I have a beautiful lurcher boy. photos on my profile. He was a rescue. Probably dumped by travellers as he hasn't got much of a chase instinct. Great, great dogs.

Btw I would never work him. Live in fear of him catching a squirrel.

Not sure where you are in the country but make sure you look at the specialist rescues for grunds and lurchers. some, like celia cross, do volunteer walks which can help you get to know more about the type.

[PacificDogwood]

I am in Scotland, lots and lots of grund/lurcher rescues about - 'tis crap that they are needed, but makes for a wide choice IYKWIM.

I'd like a young adult or 2, not a chaser if possible, so an ex-racer might be out?

[TheCunnyFuntIsAGrittersWife]

You sometimes get failed racers in rescues, usually they're failed because they just weren't interested in chasing small furries or weren't quite fast enough.

[PacificDogwood]

Ah, I thought racers were often retired due to injury, not general crapness at chasing small furries , thanks, CunnyFunt.

I seem to have spent a lot of time on Scottish Greyhound Rescue sites today... . There is really no point at the mo' as the thought of toddler wrangling, working AND introducing a new dog (who may or may not have had a rough past) to the family is just not feasible.

BTW, would a grund cope ok with being looked after by the nanny 3 days a week? She has already quite eagerly agreed .

[TheCunnyFuntIsAGrittersWife]

They can be retired for a number of reasons, not fast enough, get too old or get an injury. Usually too old means about 3yo. Nothing really is it? Considering they live until mid teens! Failed racers rarely even make it to the track! Feel free to come over to the newest pointy hounds cushion if you ever feel like indulging in some hound talk :)

[PacificDogwood]

Oh, I have been an invisible presence on those threads for some time , but don't have anything to say, what with not actually owning a pointy. I did not think the one in my head counted...

[mistlethrush]

Pacific - my hound is probably a failed worker... she was in the pound 3 times and the last time her owners didn't bother to get her out (£70) so she was given to the lurcher rescue...

We've worked out why she's a failed worker.... lots of squirrels around - what is she interested in? A stick... 'OOoooh DS has a stick... I want the stick, will you throw it, I'm going to grab it and pull it.. I want the stick... there's a grey fury thing over there but there's a STICK....' At the witching our its slightly different - and I've had to recall her (with quite a bit of difficultly) and put her on the lead for the remainder of the walk at twilight, but if that's the only problem, we can live with that!

[PacificDogwood]

That's funny and interesting, mistlebrush, I have been fretting about the famous poor recall thing. Does she come back better duing proper daylight hours?

[TheCunnyFuntIsAGrittersWife]

Well you're always welcome any time!

I think it's mainly Greys that can't really go offlead, Lurchers and Whippies are more trainable ime. On the cushion there is a lady who's Whippy has the best recall on the beach!

[PacificDogwood]

There's hope yet, then!

DS4 is starting nursery next week, I am hoping that they will whip him into shape ! Once his recall is a bit better, I can start working on a canine one.

[TheCunnyFuntIsAGrittersWife]

I've heard clickers can be used to train all sorts of animals, from mice to horses! I'm thinking of clicker training my toddler. Just sayin'. . . .

[TheCunnyFuntIsAGrittersWife]

That was a joke by the way :o

half serious

[PacificDogwood]

Well, treats work, so why not clickers...?

[mistlethrush]

We let mistlehound off on a beach with a cliff on her first day off with us - so that she only had forwards and backwards to worry about. During the day she's pretty good and responds reasonably well, particularly if the 'voice of doom' is used. At twightlight its a completely different situation... I actually had to stop calling her and wait for the 'hmm I wonder where those two footed things are' thought to push its way into her rabbit-addled brain (it did) then use A LOT of the voice of doom to actually get her to come back to me... Voices seem to echo around the valley at that time of night too .

Some lurchers have to stay on the lead - some greys do too - but if you find the right rescue they will match you up with the right dog so if you specifically want one that will come back they will probably be able to sort that.

[Justfeckingdoit]

Sorry to hijack a bit pacific, but like you I spend lots of time on grund rescue sites, as I would love one (close family had racers and ex racers when I was growing up)

I just know I'd be unlikely to be accepted for a rescue sighthound as I have a 19m DD and a young rescue cat and for 3 days of the week we e are out 7.30-6.30.

Does anyone know if any rescues would consider us? I am assuming even with a dog walker at lunchtime it's too long to leave a dog alone?

Mind you it took us a while to persuade cats protection to give us a rescue cat, they had to see my DD interact with a lot of cats to trust that she has been taught to be gentle around animals and it was worth it as the long suffering cat we have now is perfect.

Guess I will have to keep dreaming, unless anyone knows of any hound rescues in the SE that would consider us? I don't mind having an older dog.

Hijack over. As you were :)

[mistlethrush]

With the right dog, that could be workable JFDI - but I would be looking at the more specific grey/ lurcher rescues and being completely open about your situation, and ask them to contact you if they get a dog which would settle into your lifestyle. I think probably that the cat is going to be the biggest issue with pointy hounds, particularly if you're leaving it for 3 days a week.

[tootsietoo]

I got a collie/greyhound 5 month old rescue lurcher at the end of November and DH got me The House Lurcher by Jackie Drakeford for Christmas and I read it in about 2 days! Really easy to read and sensible advice I believe.

You are sensible to wait a bit I think. My youngest DD is just 5, and the hound does treat her a bit like a puppy! The older child (6) is much better with him. I love my lurcher to bits. He is very gentle, friendly and intelligent, and his recall is great already. The only thing I would say is that he is a little bit of a worrier. He is my only dog, and he is really not very happy on his own. It's not a problem as I work from home and have friendly neighbours who do "doggy day care" when I need it. It's probably the collie in him I guess, but if you have to leave him alone for periods of time perhaps it might be better getting a pure grey, or perhaps a terrier x lurcher? But if you've got the nanny sounds like he probably wouldn't need to be alone much.

Must avoid the pointy hound thread otherwise I will never get any work done!

[PacificDogwood]

Justfecking, you hijack away, no worries.
Our situation is not dissimilar in that we are both away at work, but (so far) have no other pets to worry about and the nanny is a keen dog owner herself. I suppose we might have to pay her a bit more if we every got a dog

How do you walk a dog with no/poor recall?? I understand that a lot of sighthounds don't need/want hours and hours of exercise, but surely they want a good run from time to time? I don't know of anywhere around her where I could do that unless I had a dog who would come back. I have a good Voice of Doom (what with 4 boys ), but I'd be terrified to lose a dog tbh.

[Justfeckingdoit]

Thanks mistle and pacific.

I think I'll treat it like we did with getting the cat. On paper, although we tick most of the boxes, there is the issue of the cat/DD, but I'm sure there will a dog that suits us and I have no problem waiting for the right one to come along.

The way the house is laid out means we could keep the dog and cat separate while we are out. Cat is welded to the aga most of the day anyway, or under the sofa, where it has made a DD proof cat fortress :)

You have inspired me to get in touch with some smaller breed specific rescuses in the area and if the right dog comes up, I'll take it from there.

I met a beautiful 3 legged grey last week who reminded me what gentle and gorgeous dogs they are and how I miss having a dog around to worry about

[mistlethrush]

I would also suggest not being specific on the area you look - the rescue we got ours from rehomes across the country - and does transport runs with volunteers to facilitate that. Homechecks everywhere too...