Should I get a greyhound?

[AlreadyGone]

There's a greyhound thread a few years old which I've read and found very helpful. But there's still a few questions I'd really like help with.

We've been thinking about a dog for a while but couldn't decide / settle on the right breed.

Then a couple of weeks ago we met a beautiful greyhound. He was so calm and peaceful and friendly and tolerant I totally fell in love!! And then I find out they don't need hours of exercise - bonus!!!!!

But we do have 2 DCs, 7 & 5. We have a piano and a drum kit and generally sometimes they want to make quite a bit of noise.

Am I kidding myself? Are we just totally unsuited to have a greyhound?

Is it true they all need quiet homes?

Can they be trained to get used to kiddy noise?

Can they be taught to play?

Will they go to chase when on the lead and pull me over?

Where is the best place to buy pretty greyhounds coat?

[DespicableMeh]

You need a whippet!

[AlreadyGone]

Why's that?

[AlreadyGone]

Oh I maybe should have said we're thinking of retired greyhounds, not a puppy.

[FizzBombBathTime]

I had 3, the musical noise wouldn't have bothered them

All 3 of ours were very placid, except when confronted with cats or small dogs

I would go for an older one if I were you

Ours preferred being in a group (ie more than one) sometimes they get lonely on their own

Ours couldn't 'sit' either, but I hear some can/can learn

Always have to be kept on a lead and you need a big garden so they can run laps (ours used to have a 'mad minute' and do some laps every day)

They sleep ALOT, but we always had someone home so that they could go to the toilet when they needed (they are and drank ALOT!)

[FizzBombBathTime]

Ate not are

[ladygodiva26]

We have a lurcher, who is wonderful. He loves exercise and playing and although we don't have children he adores them. Our neighbours grandchildren would play ball with him until either they got tired or he did
He is very gentle, runs away from a fight (hopeless guard dog!)and is very affectionate. I would have a house full of lurcher if I had the room! We had ours from a rescue kennel and there was the most adorable greyhound there too but realistically we don't have enough space for a tall dog like that. Hope this helps

[AlreadyGone]

We're home all the time so they won't be on their own and going out for a run around the enclosed garden not a problem.

Will they play with the children? Catch and the like. Or literally just sleep? Perhaps the run around could be a game of chase after school.

I'm not sure the 5yo on the drums could be described as musical.

[ofudginghell]

We have a collie aged 9 and just adopted a 4 year old ex racing greyhound.
As we already had another dog she learnt the rules of house life as in no mess in the house quickly. She had one accident the day we got her and that's it.
She's the size of a bloody horse but is the most chilled docile dog I've ever met.
She loves the noisy clatter of the kids and wherever they are shel be nearby as she's used to being in kennels with lots of other dogs and noise.
My 6 year old holds her harness when we go out every day as she's so calm on a lead.
We adopted her from a greyhound rescue and I can't work out whether we r just lucky to have got such a gracious girl or they are all like it but she's fabulous
We have always rejoined rescues and only lost one of our rescues in July last year hence why getting another as our collie was sad.
They have the funniest habits.
They chatter their teeth when happy and excited which she does a lot 😀
Seriously I would get a rescue.
She sleeps about 18 hours a day and we have to tip her bed up to get her to move.
The kids think she's awesome
I will never buy into the puppy trade while there are so many beauties in need of a good family home

[FizzBombBathTime]

Haha no?! I bet he's awesome op

Ours would have slept through a nuclear bomb, lazy Sods

One of ours kind of understood catch but the other two never got it

They're never really taught that stuff (because all they do is race pre retirement) so they're not like a lab for instance

Oh and be warned, from experience they have very sensitive constitutions, the poop... Oh the poop...

[FizzBombBathTime]

Oh and their tails are strong! I got whipped by mine many times 😂

[AlreadyGone]

He's the next Phil Collins, Fizz!

So careful feeding?

Going to have a look at some this afternoon.

I think a lady rather than a boy. I don't want any erections or humping. DH does enough of that

[FizzBombBathTime]

Haha I'm massive fan of phillis so he's obviously onto great things

It was mainly when they got over excited it triggered diahorea or if they managed to break into the bins/fridge/cupboards 🙄

The best advice we got was let them choose you. We went to the kennels wanting a small girl the first time round, but when our big old lump came bounding towards us we just knew he was ours

[tabulahrasa]

Humping isn't a male behaviour, it's an over excitement issue...not often a problem with greyhounds, lol.

They often don't play fetch btw, but, that's not to say they don't play or interact in other ways.

[ofudginghell]

I'm convinced our grey has cleptomania lmao!!

She will walk passed something anything and suddenly take a fancy to it,pick it up and plop it on the rug and stare at it.
So far she's had a roll of sandwich bags,a set of wooden coasters,the hand towel off the bathroom rail,loo roll,oh and a side lamp
She has actually awkwardly sat a few times now. She mostly does it when the other dogs sat on the decking.
She will lumber right next to him and plonk herself down for a minute or two.
My mil is currently making her a house jumper and matching schnood.
We bought her coat and collar and harness when we got her from the rescue as the proceeds go back to looking after the greys there.
She's great at leaving snot trails on jeans aswell

[ofudginghell]

Our girlie 😀

[CMOTDibbler]

I have two lurchers - one more greyhoundy than the other who is probably whippet x doberman. They are super family dogs, love playing fetch, don't seem worried by normal family noise (ds's friend has a lurcher and a drumkit) and walk nicely on the lead.

I get my coats from Milgi, and my fave collars are from Meggie Moo, though I'm also fond of Slouching Hound and Dogs on Bikes.

Both my dogs came from EGLR who foster all their dogs so know them better than if they were kennelled. In fact I am a puppy fosterer for them now

[BagelGoesWalking]

Look at Lily

[luckylambchop]

I feel like just answering 'yes' and leaving it at that! We adopted a 2 year old male in November last year. Despite only having one child we are a pretty noisy bunch and also have a cat and 3 chickens, he has taken it all in his stride (mostly...bit of work to do on the chickens to train him out of thinking they are his dinner...)

He has just recently started to play and absolutely loves tearing around the garden with my daughter. He doesn't quite 'get' playing with balls, though. He just looks at it. He does sleep a lot but he goes for a 4 mile walk every morning and a play in the garden every afternoon so he's not completely inactive.

I won't lie, we've had teething problems, but nothing specifically greyhound related, just things that could occur with any recently rehomed rescue dog, and all things we should be able to solve with patience and training.

Our greyhound is incredibly affectionate and will present himself to the nearest human for stroking, whether we know them or not!

We have a coat from the Forever Hounds Trust and a fabulous pirate one from The Funky Hound. Here he is modelling the latter!

So, in other words, yes. Yes you should get a greyhound!

[BagelGoesWalking]

Or Gypsy

[ofudginghell]

Lucky lamb chop what a gorgeous dog

After having collies for over ten years I was never interested in another breed but since getting our grey her quirky little ways and temperament have turned me completely.
Yes our cost was from forever hounds trust and am going to look at the others suggested here aswell.
Our house is fairly warm so she doesn't have pyjamas but has a big snugly bed and a blanket if she wants it.
She's also very fond of our sheepskin rugs and pulls them round till they're in a bundle and snuggles down into them.

[AlreadyGone]

Thank you everyone for your helpful stories and beautiful photos!!!

We saw 3 dogs this afternoon, all retired racers. One girl I really took to but she seems quite shy and looking at her race records, she's done a LOT of racing so maybe burnt out and not up for making two new kiddy bffs!

We also saw Will who has got to the be the most cuddly dog ever. He wouldn't let his walking leave his kennel until they'd had a good bear hug.

Taking the kids to see him tomorrow.

[ofudginghell]

Our grey only had her last race early November and went to rescue a week later.
We adopted her early December so only a few weeks out of racing
We were really worried about burn out and the hecticness at home etc but she's honestly just slotted right in.
She has a big squidgy bed on our bedroom floor where it's quiet and calm and she just goes up there to have a kip when she wants.
The kids know that when she's on her bed they are to leave her be as greys can startle quickly and wouldn't want her or the kids to be frightened.

When we first got her she was very timid and didn't show anything really but that's to be expected and we had to keep reminding ourselves she's not used to human affection and contact and now she's settled in and trusts us she gets so excited and she's starting to play and bounce around so give the timid ones a chance

[SleightOfMind]

Just popping on to say that I have 4 children (youngest two are 3-yr-old twins) and we've always had greys.
Our newest girl has been with us a couple of weeks and is currently helping with bedtime by snuggling up to DD (7), who is scared of the dark!

Lovely dogs with children and such funny quirky characters.

[AlreadyGone]

Yes, fair point fudging.

How big a bed/blanket would I thoretically need to get? Is 100cm x 70cm too big/just right? Or 70cm x 50cm for £10 cheaper?