greyhound or staffie or something else? another thinking of rescuing a dog thread..

[ridiculoussingle]

The time has come, when I need to fill the dog-shaped hole in my life. I've had dogs all my life, but my last dog died about 3 years ago.

As an adult I've had a excellent terrier from a puppy, and a rescue JRT who was absolutely insane, as well as GSDs when I was growing up.

I'd like to rescue a dog, but I have a few major requirements, and I'm hoping you can give me some advice. I've whittled my choice down to Staffie or Greyhound, though I'm open to other ideas!

My major requirements are:
good with kids and cats (I know you can find cat-friendly greyhounds and all staffies I've ever met have been incredibly soft!)
not too demanding with exercise, as I'd be taking a 6 yo boy with me and he can't go too far or fast (yet)
able to be left alone - I work 2 and a half days a week for 6 hours a day, and can come home to visit at lunchtime, but I also go out in the evenings sometimes (not on work days though) so not prone to SA is very important

I like the idea of a greyhound, but heard ex-racers are SA prone. And a staffie - smaller and great with kids and cats - but not sure about how much exercise they need. I'd be able to give a good walk on those days when I don't work, but when I work I'd need a dog that can cope with 2 shorter walks in the day.

any advice is appreciated :)

oh, and I do realise a lot of it is down to the individual dog, but I'd like an idea of what breeds are more suitable - for example I know I couldn't meet the exercise needs of a lab or another JRT...

My friend used to have a staffie (not a rescue one) called Clinton and he was a gorgeous creature. He got two short-ish walks a day three days a week and longer walks the rest of the time and on weekends.
He was incredibly protective of my friend, and of her baby. He used to hoover up any food the baby dropped, so did gain a little weight! He also used to try to sit on you, and he was a BIG staffie - around the size of a pygmy goat.

If I had the space, a staff would be my choice of dog. But I was spoiled meeting Clinton!

My staffy is incredibly undemanding when it comes to walks. He's happy snoozing the sofalike he is now.
Mine hasn't got SA but my mum's has although I think it's because she babies him. He cries and whines and destroys when alone. Mine was/is happy to be crated or left to take up the whole sofa.
YES YES YES to the sitting on you! If the laptop wasn't on my lap, he would be! I swear they think they are Chihuahua sized in their heads!

Aw, I miss being sat on by a dog

some promising examples, shame about your mums staffy's SA though PersonalClown.

I'm a bit biased as I adore my Staffie - but greyhounds are lovely too; my friend has an ex-racer. She says that she can't let him off-lead as he'd bolt off, never to be seen again. They're also a bit prone to being bitey with small furry things, like they're supposed to do. He's not very cuddly - think giant spider - but he's gentle and quiet and very, very loving. He is a bit nervous though, as I would be if I'd lived the first seven years of my life in a cage.

My Staff just goes to sleep while we're out - we never leave him for more than 4 hours max, but he probably wouldn't notice if it was 6. He chews stuff up when we're in - such an attention seeker!

He gets lots of short walks and he's fine with that. I keep him on-lead because his recall isn't 100% but if I did, he can sprint like Eusain Bolt! And then need to have a little lie down :).

He gives the best cuddles.

We have an ex racing greyhound, he's a massive softie and is fine around kids but hates cats - however that could just be him rather than all greyhounds, I'm sure some are fine

He gets a couple of walks a day, then literally sleeps all day until we come home, we've never has any issues with him being destructive or barking/making any noise when we've left him whatsoever - we had a few wee accidents at first but I think that's to be expected with any new rescue dog

We only occasionally let him off the lead for a proper run, and bloody hell he can shift - only if it's totally enclosed and no other dogs about - he always comes back and just runs in circles like he's on the track, bless him!

He's a massive softie and I love him, definietly recommend greyhounds :)

There is no 'shame' Single. It's all of her own doing.
Every little whimper or cry when he was pup and she gave in. He sleeps in my brothers bed because he gave in too.

In the 2 weeks I had while they were on holiday, I had stopped his jumping up and mouthing etc. He went home, is spoilt again and is a terror again.
Yet they have the cheek to say mine are untrained because they get excited at visitors.

I'd recommend a greyhound, but I may possibly be biased (we currently have four)

Come over to the thread on Pointies, greyhounds, whippets etc - have a read and you'll get a very good idea of what life is like with a pointy. Mainly your sofa will never be your own again, and you will fall in love with a bony love sponge with terrible farts. Many can be cat friendly, many can be child friendly - have a chat on the thread as there are plenty of MNetters there with both small DC and cats.

there are also many rescues operating in other countries who bring dogs to the UK on a regular basis for rehoming: www.streetdogrescue.com, www.romaniaanimalaid.co.uk/, www.siriusdogsanctuary.com, sos-animals.org.uk/. Some of their dogs are fostered in the UK until they find a forever home. I know it's difficult because you can't visit the puppy/dog before you apply for adoption but they seem very dedicated and committed organisations who would happily talk to you about dogs they have in their care. What about sos-animals.org.uk/dogs/don-julio/ for example (being fostered in Surrey) The Mayflower Sanctuary also rehomes dogs from Cyprus and Dog Watch in the Midlands. All the above can be found on Facebook as well. I know some people say it's wrong not to pick a dog in a UK rescue but some of these dogs would definitely be poisoned or killed if they weren't taken in by these rescues. I wish councils, government etc would get their act together regarding breeders in the UK.

A friend of mine has a Staffie, a gorgeous, shiny, black one, not too big and not with enormous jaws that some Staffies has. She says that he is the most lazy, sweet dog she's ever had and also says that, if she gets a second dog, she would always go for the same breed again. Good luck!

I have a Doodle too but we've both said that Staffies are our 'breed' now.
My baby isn't huge for a Staff either. Very slim/sleek and not hugely muscular. Still has the smile though.

Staffy every time

I have one, 11 months old, and he is so very wonderful with the children. Afraid of dogs right now, but working on it.

Another staff here!

She's a big cuddly baby :)
Dp works 5 days a week I work 4! On those 4 days we both work she gets a short walk! She's happy with this! The day I'm off and at the weekend she gets longer walks and we will go the woods etc by the time we are home she will sleep for hours! :)
If its raining she doesn't get a walk as she hates the rain and refuses to step outside! She won't even go out to go the toilet!

She's good being left, she just sleeps. We do have to move certain shoes with sequins, buckles, bows etc has she likes to remove them for you!

I love my staff and if we were going to get another dog it would be a staff too!

thanks for all the positive stories :)

There's more feedback from people with staffs than with greyhounds! And all of your staffs do sound lovely :) I do like the idea of a lazy dog!

I think the thing that pulls me more towards staffs is that they are a bit smaller, and less pointy, and dare I say it, more cuddly perhaps! But greyhounds are less muscular, and quieter, but maybe not so cat friendly. both seem to be suitable tbh. I guess the thing is to have an idea of what breeds suit, then see if I can find one that will fit in with my life. then visit it and fall in love, decision made ;)

Our mutt is 25% Staff, and pretty laid back at 18 months - but, OP, not all Staffs are lazy or have low exercise needs: check out individual dogs, rather than going on breed

I personally know three Staffs that need heaps of exercise, are very strong and bouncy, and whilst lovely definitely not low maintenance. And ours is definitely not cat friendly, he has a very strong prey drive (that might be the other components in him, though!).

Just ask ask ask about individual dogs, be they Staffies or Greys - have fun!

I agree. Patch is a happy medium, I'd say. He has a mad 5 minutes if he gets excited, and walk does him wonders, but he's also of the mind that if there's no action, he might as well catch a bit of shut-eye However, he definitely isn't a dog that doesn't need exercise, he's just of a personality that he would just take what he got. Other dogs will demand exercise.

I have a staff greyhound cross. Hes so lovely. Hes big (greyhound big, just a wee bit smaller) and he is always trying to sit on you. . He is no trouble at all. He is affectionate (esp when he knows a walk to the park is in the offing ) but he doesnt impose himself. He hardly barks and is gentle and well mannered. The best of both breeds.

It doesn't matter what the question is, the answer is always a staffy :0)
Seriously, mine is as mad as a box of frogs, but will happily exercise herself in the back garden with a squeaky toy for half an hour at a time. All i have to do is stand there and laugh, and occasionally egg her on.
We do take her for walks, but by far the biggest part of her exercise is tug of war and running round the garden like wall of death whilst shaking the kong wubba. She is very cuddly, and at half the size of a greyhound you
are a lot more likely to be able to sit on the sofa together.

It's worth going to the thread on Pointies just to read the story about the greyhound and the leaf - hilarious!! I would be worried about not being able to let them off-lead EVER in case they run off and never come back. Also, my brother and his girlfriend have 2 small dogs (bichon and shih-tzu) wouldn't a greyhound think they were rabbits?

We'll be picking up our rescue greyhound on Saturday and have a 6 year old and 3 cats. On our test drive at the weekend, greyhound was totally unbothered by the cats. He is a gorgeous, cuddly boy, who is v big, but curls up to an amazingly small size.
I'd def recommend looking into a greyhound

I'm a Staffy person who also knows lots of nice greyhounds. You can sometimes find a cross - a "bull lurcher" needing a home. I've seen Whippet staffy crosses on rescue sites too.