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Original poster

Adopting a retired greyhound

52 replies

eddielizzard · 08/06/2019 08:33

Hello!

I've been thinking about adopting a retired greyhound for a year now, and have finally persuaded my DH.

But pet insurance - if I were to get comprehensive lifetime cover, what sort of figures am I looking at per month? Is it ££ or £££?

We have no cats, older children (youngest is 8) and a very calm household. I think we're the perfect family for a greyhound . Any tips, other things to think about?

Daily walks aren't a problem. Only problem I can see is finding a fenced in field so it can have some off-lead running time, assuming it won't respond to recall...

TIA

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Original poster

eddielizzard · 08/06/2019 21:16

Sorry, must have been scary for her.

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Original poster

eddielizzard · 08/06/2019 21:18

On one rescue site they said they prefer to take in females, and that there's a waiting list for males. Any reason that females are more popular? Is it just general preference or are there behavioural issues?

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CMOTDibbler · 08/06/2019 21:29

The chickens are scary tbf. He likes to lie outside when it's sunny, but I have to put his bed on the garden table otherwise they bully him off. Having got used to pushing the dogs around they have no fear of the foster pups either, and one of them does a great impression of a frilled lizard and will peck them.

Some people want bitches as they think they are more affectionate, or to go with an existing male, but I don't think we particularly find the boys harder to rehome. Older dogs, black dogs, and those with separation issues - very much so.

Wolfiefan · 08/06/2019 21:54

Maybe people prefer the girls if they are smaller?

Original poster

eddielizzard · 09/06/2019 08:54

CMOTDibbler thank you. Very interesting. Is your saluki/grey long haired?

TBH I'm now stuck.

I was really wanting a dog for running company. So doesn't sound like greyhounds are the right choice. No guarantee I'd get a dog like NoNoNoOohmaybe's.

OTOH I don't think I could handle a dog with lots of energy and I'd worry about a lurcher. I really need one that sleeps 22 hours. I WFH, got 3 kids, and worrying that the dog isn't getting enough stimulation or exercise is a deal breaker. My heart was set on a german shepherd for ages, until I talked to my breeder friend who takes her dogs doggie swimming once a week, training, plus all sorts of other activities. Her dogs did more than my kids extra-curricular wise!!

Also, with greyhounds, if you have a kid who is dog mad, will it be happy to interact say for an hour? My DD is very gentle and sensitive, but she would like to play and cuddle with the dog. She's desperate for a dog. Would the dog handle it or get upset?

I totally get the need for a muzzle. I absolutely wouldn't consider taking it out without one.

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CMOTDibbler · 09/06/2019 09:23

No, most of the saluki crosses will just have a feathery tail (or in the case of a MNetters gorgeous pup I met this week lovely feathery ears) - mine is the white one in this photo.
I'd recommend getting out and meeting some lurchers. EGLR (who my dogs are from and I foster for) have all their dogs in foster and so can tell you if they are settled, chilled dogs or the sort who need lots of stimulation (we are v careful about this).
If you are in the gloucs/worcs area I'd be more than happy to meet so you can play with the dogs.

AnnaMagnani · 09/06/2019 09:35

Lurchers are not like greyhounds!

My parents had a lurcher having decided that a greyhound was too big a dog - while they loved their lurcher madly, what they really should have had was the giant lazy greyhound.

Think carefully what the non-greyhound bit of the lurcher is. Because that is what you are getting.

They had a Saluki cross and it was the most beautiful dog in the world not biassed but you then get all the Saluki traits, so dog had no recall, wanted to run for hours, v bonded to one person, not cat or small animal safe. But we did get her singing, to watch her amazing running and beautiful delicate features and feathers - she was very Saluki looking.

I think the greyhound bit was she was not prepared to go out in the rain and loved a sofa

Same if you get a Collie cross - be prepared for herding, intelligence and so on.

So a lurcher might work for you but if you really want a dog to be by your side for running, you probably want something else.

Original poster

eddielizzard · 09/06/2019 09:54

CMOTDibbler they are absolutely gorgeous!! Ahhhh

Thank you for the offer, but we're quite a distance away. If we're in the area I will let you know though. I looked at the EGLR site, and the thing that struck me was the state the dogs were in before you rescued them. I imagined that they were ex-racing dogs and had been reasonably treated and handed on by the trainers (this impression from the Greyhound Trust), but this certainly isn't always the case is it?

Yes, AnnaMagnani, I was thinking of them as opposite ends of the spectrum - grey = lazy, lurcher = loads of energy. I see what you're saying, the other half of the lurcher is very important!

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Sexnotgender · 09/06/2019 09:59

My big moron.

He’s awesome. Think of them more as giant bony cats.

My husband tried to take him running, he was wildly unimpressed.

Sexnotgender · 09/06/2019 10:00

I imagined that they were ex-racing dogs and had been reasonably treated and handed on by the trainers (this impression from the Greyhound Trust), but this certainly isn't always the case is it?

My boy above is a failed racer and was horribly abused to try and get him to run.

Floralnomad · 09/06/2019 10:03

The thing is OP no dog is guaranteed to be anything , in theory my patterdale x should be an excellent running companion , in reality , although he does run for 90 minutes a day off lead he can’t run on pavements / very hard ground due to issues with his legs , which we didn’t find out about until he was 2/3 . I walk greyhounds for the local greyhound trust and most of them would definitely be more than happy to cuddle for hours . Personally I’d always go for a boy but they are generally much larger than the girls .

Sexnotgender · 09/06/2019 10:07

Personally I’d always go for a boy but they are generally much larger than the girls

I’ve got a boy and he’s pretty average for a grey boy and he’s huge. There were a couple other boys in the rescue who were bloody enormous.

I wouldn’t change him for the world, just be prepared that they are big loooong dogs. My idiot can block a corridor with ease.

Floralnomad · 09/06/2019 10:08

As a guide when they are in training apparently they get walked 1-1.5 miles a day , the ones we walk which are fairly newly out of training are visibly slowing after 1 mile although obviously they will plod on for longer . It amuses me because I’m used to my own very active dog for whom a mile is nothing . Care whilst racing can vary wildly , in the same way as it does with horse racing .

WhoKnewBeefStew · 09/06/2019 10:10

I did this and he was a lovely pet, easy to look after, never any trouble and really loving

woollyheart · 09/06/2019 10:15

Have you thought about whippets? Our last one was very energetic and loved running. But also loved spending the day cuddling with children and was small enough to share sofas and not crush children when he flopped down on top of them.

AnnaMagnani · 09/06/2019 10:17

With lurchers the state they are in could be anything too.

My parents dog, being Saluki x had clearly been used for illegal coursing. She was ex-rescue and had never been in a house before and they had to lure her into the house with ham She had scars all over her chest, was v nervous and had clearly been abused.

She turned into the most lovely dog as she spotted she was on to a good thing with my parents but worth thinking about why people might breed a lurcher in the first place.

Sexnotgender · 09/06/2019 10:21

Have you thought about a galgo? They are more into running than greys. Similar temperament though.

woollyheart · 09/06/2019 10:22

As someone said, lurchers can vary wildly in behaviour. We have one - she looks all sighthound but often runs with her nose to the ground and sometimes digs just like a terrier. She is far too clever for her own good and always into trouble.

The other one behaves just like a greyhound or whippet should. Quick runaround, sleep all day with cuddles, looks beautiful, nice but dim!

iklboo · 09/06/2019 10:28

I had a whippet / greyhound cross. Gorgeous girl. Lazy as buggery. Her favourite thing was a run on the beach and a plunge in the sea. Then she'd come up for a 'fuss' and blatantly dry herself on you. She adored DS. I miss her so much even after 10 years.

CMOTDibbler · 09/06/2019 10:55

Greyhound racing (for its huge number of flaws, and it is appalling the number of dogs that disappear before they are registered) is an industry, and trainers have a business that is visible to the world so some efforts are made to get the dogs that race into rescue.
Lurcher breeding however, belongs to the underground world of illegal hunting with dogs. Utterly cutthroat. So we get dogs dumped, thrown out of cars, dumped when they've broken a leg, seized when they've been used as bait dogs. But due to lots and lots of work locally, also handed in if they don't show promise.
Then there is also the routine of 'I didn't realise a puppy would be hard work', 'I thought it would be nice for my bitch to have puppies' (hint, its very, very hard work), 'We're separating and I can't look after them' and lots of other reasons. But all the fosterers - who in general would never have more than 3 fosters, and mostly only have 1 or 2 - know them so well as they live in the house with them and are like their own dog until a new home is found

mydogisthebest · 09/06/2019 12:08

Among my many friends with rescue greyhounds a lot can let them off lead as they have good recall. I only know of 2 that have to be muzzled because they would catch and kill cats, squirrels and quite likely small dogs. The others though don't chase anything.

Most of my friends' dogs will play. One of my friends does all sorts with her 2 dogs - obedience, agility, intelligence games as well as just throwing a ball to be returned or playing tug

Original poster

eddielizzard · 09/06/2019 19:26

Ah iklboo she was gorgeous

Shameful what some of these dogs have been through. The cruelty and lack of regard for life beggars belief.

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MardAsSnails · 09/06/2019 19:36

My lanky fucker is currently keeping me awake trying to move all the comfy bits of his bed to the side so he’s practically on the floor.

He’s a giant bony beast. Definitely not one for cuddles, although he’s learning that when we say ‘Frankie cuddle’ to come over and put his head on your shoulder/knee/face then he’ll get attention. He gets bored of it after 2-3 mins and goes back to sleep.
Not very good for anyone who wants a ‘dog’ dog. That’s why we have the lab too - for the cuddles.

He’s awesome though.

iklboo · 09/06/2019 20:59

@eddielizzard - she was scared of cats & rabbits too!

Mind you, she was only 14 weeks old when we got her so she'd never been used for anything.

Original poster

eddielizzard · 10/06/2019 17:13

Ahh bet she was gorgeous!

MardAsSnails

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