Considering a rescue dog - maybe a greyhound or lurcher, we are first timers!

[doggydays]

That's it really!

We are first timers, please be gentle! Kids are early teens. We have a large garden, I work 2 days a week during school hours (might possibly be able to change this if I negotiated with work, not sure).

No experience of dogs before but feel we could offer something, we are in no rush and if you think it's not a good idea, fair enough!

Would be able to give at least an hours exercise a day and probably more in reality if required or it helps?

No specific love of any particular breed and happy to be guided if another breed would be more appropriate, just at the start of our journey and thought I might post initially.

[mistlethrush]

DogsTrust Leeds - we got our last dog from them - and they are actually really nice people - same manager then as now (11 years). But they see lots of people there - most of whom won't adopt from them - so you might not have seen how much they really know about the dogs they have or want to get the right homes for the dogs and vice versa....

[doggydaze]

Mistlethrush - Yes, I fully appreciate that, I didn't want to be too critical on one visit, they do an amazing job. Agree, they had no way of knowing if I was serious or not. That was my initial impression only.

Being close, a number of people I know also have good experiences with them. I just felt it was a little clinical, but wouldn't discount on one visit.

Why do so many people think all rescue dogs are crazy though?

[SaskiaRembrandtVampireHunter]

"All responsible greyhound charities provide advice to new owners on managing a dog with a strong prey drive, though it is also worth pointing out that around 20% of greyhounds can live very happily with cats and other small furries."

Purely anecdotal and it might be different with greyhounds, but I've had three lurchers over the years, none had a problem with small furry creatures, and all lived quite happily with cats. Two came as puppies so probably learnt to coexist with them, but the last one came as an adult and was highly recommended as being very good with cats. She loved them!

[stleger]

Mine can find a decayed tennis ball from miles away. Many rescue dogs have to learn how to fit into a household where everyone is their friend - often they have had a sad time (although some are handed in for other reasons). Most of the dogs I know are rescues, they all have individual 'characters', but they are no crazier than the non rescues.

[stleger]

And many dogs love going to work!

[mistlethrush]

The collie/terrier cross we had had a very high prey drive right the way through her life. We could tell where she was by the pheasants errupting from the hedges and the rabbits screaming.

Our foster dog seems to like the idea of chasing squizzles and cats - but has yet to have the chance as we can't let her off at the moment!!!

[Vivalebeaver]

I've got a greyhound, who does have a prey drive. She's killed rabbits, hares and tried to take deer down.

She lives happily with the cats and chickens. Poor dog is bottom of the animal pecking order in this House and she knows it. She's scared of the cats, terrified of the chickens!

She sleeps a lot. I changed my job two years after getting her and its not ideal but 2 days a week she's left from 7:30 to 3pm. However the other 5 days someone is with her all the time, and she gets long walks. She seems fine with this, no signs of separation anxiety or boredom. I think she just sleeps all the time.

[reasonstobecheerful]

I have had 3 greyhounds, 2 straight off the track and one a stray and all three were fine with cats, small furries, small dogs, horses etc also a spanish galgo who was used for hunting and she was also fine with other animals and just loved our cats. All of them would kill a rabbit in the fields or a squirrel however.
Well done for considering a rescue OP, greyhounds are great dogs, you might like to have a look at //www.greyhoundgap.org.uk they are a fabulous rescue who take time to match families with the right dog for them and are always there for advice afterwards.

[LadyTurmoil]

Some great dogs looking for homes at Dogwatchuk www.dogwatchuk.com/ Fluff and Jonesy (pg 4) look lovely although they aren't pointy!

[moosemama]

I have a lurcher and he is actually scared of next doors cats.

He does bark at them, but they uses his fantastic burst of speed to move as quickly as he can ..... in the opposite direction!

I don't know why - as far as I know he has never been wronged by a cat.

That said, we don't let him off to run if we go walking in the fields. He's never actually chased, but I can't help thinking the temptation would be too great should a rabbit shoot out from the undergrowth in front of him.

He is a fantastic family pet, beautifully lazy, as long as he gets a good burst of speed once a day, very gentle with the dcs generally lovely to be around - oh and he does a wonderful line in lovely 'lurcher-lean' hugs and soulful gazes. The only downside is his head being at worksurface height at he is a bit of a worktop surfer - but you soon learn not to leave anything edible low enough for him to reach.

[mistlethrush]

We got told of the 'worktop surfing' and true to form, our foster dog had paws up on the counters and the kitchen table - and even popped right up onto the kitchen table once. However, she's not ventured a foot near the table or counters in days - even when there was clearly delicious food on the table and no one in the kitchen. 'sit' might be proving a somewhat difficult concept to grasp - but she worked out that paws or chins on the table or counters was not acceptable quite quickly.

[moosemama]

We have come home on a couple of occasions to find our boy standing in the middle of the kitchen table. We hadn't left any food there, he just seems to like it.

We've caught him asleep up there a couple of times as well.

He knows well enough not to do it when there's someone looking, but he's pretty wily for a pointy dog - I reckon it's the saluki and border collie in him that does it. Mind you, he has a bang on recall as well, so I guess the border collie blood has it's uses too.

[mistlethrush]

Sounds as though the collie is foremost on the recall then! I understand the saluki side sometimes just don't come on occasions - asserting their individuality or something!

[moosemama]

Gotta love the saluki personality traits though. I have honestly never met a dog who is so easily offended and capable of disdainful looks. I'm told this is typical saluki behaviour.

Lord help us if we stroke our other dog but not lurcher boy - he gets seriously offended and bears a serious grudge for ages afterwards!

His mix is, mum: saluki/grehound dad: greyhound/border collie. It's a lovely mix really and he's a beautiful beardy-faced boy as well as having lovely soft droopy ears (must be the saluki in him again there I guess). You would never know he had bc in him at all unless you were told.

[SpicyPear]

Moosemama I went on your profile to see if there was a photo of your hound and now I'm desperate for cake. They look delicious!

Sorry for the non-dog diversion, as you were...

[moosemama]

Sorry. I keep meaning to put pictures of the dogs up, but they're on my old laptop which gave up the ghost. Oddly though, after much nagging dh has just fixed it this afternoon, so I may be able to put a picture of my pointy boy up soon.

[TwoIfBySea]

Oh wow LadyTurmoil, wish you hadn't put that link there. Desperately wanting to rehome Filipe now! Those Podencos are lovely.

[LadyTurmoil]

Felipe looks lovely, doesn't he? He's a bit smaller than a lot of the Podencos, they usually have supermodel legs and need 10' high fences! Good write-up on him too - what about it Two??

[TwoIfBySea]

We live too far away and I have my own lab retriever to think about so would need a few meetings before committing. Otherwise...

We're looking for another dog though! Ours is in desperate need for a brother or sister as he never gets to play enough at the park or on the beach. I puppy walked him for Guide Dogs but a problem with his back legs meant he couldn't progress so they offered him to us for rehoming as soon as the decision was made. I drove 70 miles to the GD centre that afternoon to bring him home!

Had never heard of Podencos before. God if I had the room and money I'd have a whole pack of dogs!

[doggydaze]

Got to laugh at a dog being 'easily offended'

Ok, update.

So far, we have decided that YES, we will have a dog, and it will be a rescue dog (doing a virtual grimace at Rhinestone for being right)

DH very keen to explore Greyhounds. I am a bit more impulsive than him and would have already emailed GRT (I like one at their West Yorks website called Bob, although I think we are actually probably geographically closer to the North Yorks centre but actually live in West Yorks if that makes sense). He loves their gentle nature. DH wants to chat to a friend that has adopted two recently to ascertain their experience.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire Rose Rescue have been amazing. I have tried to be as honest as I possibly can be, explained we are first timers and that, while we have tons to offer a dog (IMHO!), in reality, I would need to leave any dog for short periods, given my work, kids activities and DH working away often etc. I am not talking for hours on end but trying to be honest. Tried to outline worst case scenario etc.

I got a phone call within an hour of submitting my form and have had lots of contact since. 3 dogs would fit our criteria. Here's the link. I hope I am not breaking any confidentiality by doing this?

www.yorkshirerosedogrescue.co.uk/needingahome.html

I initially enquired about Ash without knowing his background (although, I wasn't desperate for a specific dog tbh, happy to be guided), I happen to think staffies have a bad name and really the problem is at the other end of the lead. DH doesn't agree and has discounted. Apparently, Ash has a lovely nature but strong on the lead and has had 3 owners already, the latter fact would concern me more (first owner young lad who gave him up after 4 months, second the owner had 3 young children and he was two much, third because the owner had another strong dog and that was too much, he's in foster now but the home is small and he's not showing himself in his best light!).

Lucy too but staffie cross so DH wouldn't go with that option, regardless. I don't agree but it's not just me our decision affects so fair enough.

Lastly, and ideally for us in their opinion, Baxter. They don't think he will be with them long, he's not ready yet as they have only just got him and he needs to have his injections, be neutered etc and the foster seems to think he hasn't any significant issues. I know NOTHING about JRT's though?

So, we will have a dog but that's as far as we have got!!

[doggydaze]

www.yorkshirerosedogrescue.co.uk/needingahome.html

[doggydaze]

Blimey - had a two minute google about JRT's and scared myself half to death!!!!

[MadAboutHotChoc]

Lurcher Link are based near you I think.

We adopted a lovely natured 2 years old lurcher bitch from them - she does like chasing rabbits but her recall is very good and will come back. She leaves cats alone though. She is friendly with other dogs, children etc and her only vice is counter surfing. Definitely not a crazy rescue dog.

[mistlethrush]

doggydaze - I pmd you - did you get it?

[LadyTurmoil]

JRTs certainly quite a different type of dog to a greyhound?! I would ask a lot more questions: does he yap/bark quite a lot? Exercise needs? Does the fosterer have children? How does he get on with them? Does he get on with other dogs? That sort of thing...