Are you a Greyhound, Whippet or Lurcher owner? Come and have a seat on another new Pointy Hounds cushion!

[TheCunnyFunt]

Pointy hounds include-
Greyhounds (Grunds)
Whippets (Whippys)
Lurchers
Italian Greyhounds (Iggys)
Salukis
Afghans
And any others I have forgotten. If you are a new pointy hound owner, an old and experienced owner or looking into getting one of these fabulous creatures, come and have a seat (that's not taken up with a hound :o).

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Come The Day
Come the day I take that final bend,
Can I count on you to be my friend?
To see I?m treated just and fair,
It means so much to know you care.

For, what the future holds in store,
Now that I can race no more,
Should be addressed for every hound,
Who parts the punter from his pound.

Tell them I don?t ask for much,
A kindly word, a gentle touch,
Somewhere warm to lay my head,
A meal each day to keep me fed,
Not just life- but quality,
This is how it ought to be.

Do not see me swept away,
I long to live another day,
With peace of mind, tranquillity,
And those who care surrounding me,
So tell them all- you have that choice,
I beg of you to be my voice.

By Denise Dubarbier.

I can't wait until we are a two hound family. I get such sad looks if I even pop to the shops and leave him on his own and he is like my shadow in the house, so even if I get up to put the washing on he has to come with me and inspect my work . I am hoping he will put some of his affection onto the new dog, especially as when my friend brings her girl pup around (7 months, tiny petite whippet and her coat is pure black and oh so shiny, I am utterly in love with her!) he has eyes only for her and they play silly games together and then curl up in a heap not remotely interested in us hoomans. I keep telling her if she was a good friend she would just give me her dog but apparently that's unreasonable?

Moose I think we have identical boys! I have DS1 who is 13 and on the spectrum, when he is excited/nervous about something he just goes motor mouth and won't leave my side. Although we are not having a yearly review this year because the consultant has left and not been replaced. Which is interesting because he is starting some GSCE's early next term and I need a letter for exams so he gets extra time. Ah well, there's another thing for my long long list.

Whippety boy is a terrible food stealer, I got a call when we were whizzing back up the M4 after a hospital visit that we were to come to the beach to collect him (a friend was dog sitting him for me) and we needed to bring a dozen sausages to make up for the load he had just stolen off the BBQ . He is behaving much better on the school run though now I have remembered to pay attention to him and his reactions. Although one day I was carrying a very large shopping bag so I just put him the opposite side of it to his nemesis and confused the poor little thing immensely, he was hopping about on his wall sure there was something he should be barking at but he couldn't see where .

Look, look We could do some training on here

     <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Tennis" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/tennis-FlgAYEHZ.png">                              


                         <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Tennis" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/tennis-FlgAYEHZ.png"> <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Tennis" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/tennis-FlgAYEHZ.png">

Aaargh! Just met the neighbours on the drive - they took in a parcel for me (Lurcherboy's new treat ball).

I think they were just going to run walk away, when I asked if the dog has been any better (I knew the answer, as am recording him myself) ... and they said they hadn't heard him at all - which is odd, because he's howled like a good un twice in the last fortnight and both times the husband was home.

So, got a chance to explain that we'd lost oldgirl and lurcherboy couldn't handle being alone, as he's never been an only dog - but we are doing a comprehensive behaviour modification programme with him and he is making progress. Also told him we'd been advised by several experts that ultimately the only thing that may work is to get another dog for company for him, but that I want to do everything we can to get him calm and settled first.

Then they said they left the note because they thought we should know he was doing it, as much as anything and I thanked them and said yes, we did need to know.

Then I came in the house - having been 20 minutes, instead of 10 due to talking to them, switched on the recording and ironically, he'd been howling and barking the place down for 10 minutes, despite not finishing his kong or kibble toy (I made them a bit more difficult for him today).

Honestly, if I could play the tape to you - I would. It sounds so different from a couple of weeks ago. Now it's like temper, not distress and when I got in he was lying in his bed, no sign of dribble or stress - just lying there.

He now likes it when I go out. Runs to the worksurface to wait for his treat toys and starts on them without a backward glance. If I have to pop back in he ignores me and carries on scoffing. I'm starting to thing we have successfully counter-condition the actual leaving, but once he's had enough food from his toys he is just fed up of being on his own and starts shouting for us to come back.

This morning he's had a good walk, off and on-lead, a half hour ball playing session in the garden and been out to the dentists with us. I had hoped he might be at least a bit tired.

Just had to shut the door and walk away, because I felt myself getting cross with him when I was listening to the tape and that's both stupid and unhelpful.

at

Lurcherboy would have a ball (pun intended) on here today.

Forgot to say - took three tennis balls with us on our walk this morning and he would only pay any attention to the bright pink one we've been taking for the past couple of weeks. He would run after the others - with the pink ball in his mouth - then sniff them and leave them there.

Tried again in the garden and he would play with the others, but only if the pink one was hidden from sight, so not an option. He would also properly retrieve with the other two, but wouldn't bring the pink one right back.

I think he luffs his pink tennis ball and no-one else can have it - it's his and his alone.

Little does he know, pink tennis ball is going into early retirement and will only accompany us on walks stuffed safely inside my bag, where it will stay - unless he does something worthy of an A grade reward.

Mean moosemama

Yup - that's me.

Oldgirl had a squeaky toy she was totally obsessed with, but could 'kill' in 20 seconds and we could no longer get hold of new ones. In the end we took it everywhere with us and she would recall like a rocket if she heard even the slightest squeak from it, but she was never allowed more than one throw and that was for mega-good top grade behaviour.

See .... mean, mean, mean.

My concerns are obviously cost but we have 4 cats and a snake as well as soon to be a dog so we already have quite large insurance/vaccine/ worming/flea treatment/food costs. But my main concern is that I have 2 children of my own (6 and 2), a stepson (almost 12-4 days a fortnight) and daily between 3 and 6 additional children (18months to 10years) in the house as well as two or three school runs, snack times, lunch times etc where I can keep control of one dog but perhaps not two. Billy very quickly improved with food and I shut him in the garden while getting children in and out at school runs or if all walking just held him while kids went out and I then squeezed out afterwards.
I worry about them winding each other up and getting very excited with a living room full. Walking I do alone most week days so I think I'd be fine with that as it's usually pretty quiet when I'm out too. I also worry about space as we have a corner where Nelly and then Billy had thier beds but I don't think two would fit in that space and with a busy house I think it's important for the dog/s to have a space out of the way to go to if they choose to. In the future there's no reason they can't go upstairs but in the beginning we plan to have the upstairs for the cats to escape if the dog we get needs some training wrt them.

I think you're concerns are valid, especially the ones about handling/controlling two dogs around your dcs and charges. We have a wooden baby gate on our kitchen and the dogs stay in the kitchen when we are going in and out of the front door or if I'm unable to supervise them - so if I go to the toilet and lurcherboy is in the living room with the family I send him to his bed in the kitchen and shut the gate.

I have always enjoyed having multiple dogs, but am not sure if I would take on two at the same time, iyswim.

That's what I said to dh, perhaps settle this one then think about a second. He just really wants peanut and doesn't want to force me into a dog I don't want again! Hoping tonight will give us some clarity on which to get or perhaps leave both and go for Mali

I feel for you cinnamon, it's a hard decision.

I feel similarly confused about the pup that dh has fallen for. It's really unusual for him to be the one that gets the 'heart thud' moment about a dog, although he's always completely daft over any new dog/pup we take on once it arrives. So I kind of feel, if he feels about this pup like I did about lurcherboy and oldgirl then I would be wrong to stand in his way - but - it's me that is going to be home with this pup 24/7 and will do all the training and 99.9% of the walking etc and so there's a part of me that wants to just say no and go with what I want instead - but - then again, I also know I am hopeless for loving every dog I meet, so I know I would love this pup if we did go for it.

That's tough, Cinnamon. We took on two fosters last year that came as a pair, but they are elderly and lovely, and we don't have DC or the other animals that you do. With all that going on, I think you are right to be cautious.

I took the Norty Minx with me this afternoon to the CARIAD demonstation at the Welsh Govt building (the Senedd). Aged 10 and her first demo! She was very good. Being a pointy, I of course took a nice fleece blanket with me and when we arrived I found a nice shady spot with a good view of the speakers. Unrolled my fleece and set it out before her as befits her royal status. She sniffed approvingly and then had a massive wee on it. Sigh. So she was cruelly forced to sunbathe on hard slate steps. Fleece is now in the washing machine.

Scuttle, I think I am starting to understand why she is called Norty Minx.

I am feeling a bit happier after having a much nicer walk with Lurcherboy this afternoon. He was much better behaved and did some lovely lurchery obedience training.

He also loved his new treat ball and it kept him quieter much longer than the other toys - so that's hopeful.

He's looking happier as well. Currently flat out on the living room carpet, dreaming of rabbit chasing - judging by the manic nose and foot movements!

Soooo.....we went last night and I forgot to take photos of course!!!!!!

We spent more time with each and both still feel the same :( We ended up with more time with peanut as the girl had to go and sort something with the other dogs. He chased the boys a bit but lost interest very quickly, he chased a ball for two seconds and lost interest so quite good for cats I guess, just still love Barry. DH feels peanut was calmer whereas I feel the opposite. We ended up tossing a coin and he won. Didn't know how else to do it, one of us is going to be disappointed. I'm concerned if we say no to these and go elsewhere (as my mum suggested) the same will happen again. I'm sure I will grow to love peanut but it's so hard to ignore your gut.

I feel a bit disappointed at dh as he said he felt guilty for forcing me to have Billy and wanted me to be happy. He knows I'd rather have Barry and I will be spending most time with him but he won't let me have him :(

Barry is much smaller than peanut which I think would be easier for me and he was hand reared. We asked the girl (who is the daughter of the trainer 16-17 I'd guess) who she felt would be most suitable and she said she couldn't choose between them! They hand reared Barry so she's very close to him but Peanut came to them from a small puppy so she's very close to both. She couldn't give us and idea as to which would be less likely to chase the cats and she said both are very soppy so would be great with the kids.

I've got to ring him back today and let him know we are planning to go Friday to collect one. Dh said we can spend a bit more time with Barry then but I feel he won't change his mind so would just be more messing the trainer and dog around and we really can't have two :(

Sorry to moan, all I've done since I joined this thread is whinge!

I can understand the dilemma Cinnamon - and sharing it is the obvious thing to do. I wouldn't get two rescue dogs at the same time, I would definitely give one time to settle down and learn the house rules before you get a second - then the first can actually help by showing the second the rules anyway.

DH is being a bit of a swine then if he is demanding his choice even if its you that's going to be doing most of the dog care. DH and I had a good discussion about which of the two dogs to try out - we went through the pros and cons of both - DS wanted the first - I had a leaning towards the second, if only because she was 2 not 5....

What I would say is that the lack of going after a ball does not have any indication of prey drive. We had two collie crosses. One was COMPLETELY ball mad and could have got fixated upon them if we'd taken them on walks (but we didn't, on purpose). She would chase deer and hares but wasn't really bothered about anything else and didn't regularly catch things. The other had absolutely no interest in the ball whatsoever - if you threw it you could go and get it yourself type attitude. She was a killing machine on legs right up until she died aged 14 - you could tell where she was by hearing the dying cries of rabbits and seeing pheasants explode from the ditches half a mile away. She once caught a woodpigeon out of the air.

What is peanut going to do with you? He clearly isn't going be terribly interested in playing with the children - which could be a positive or a negative - but I specifically wanted a dog that would like to interact with DS (he's 8) and be good with his friends. Wanting to chase a ball is good from the pov of playing with children too as they can learn to use a ball flinger or throw a frisbee. Peanut doesn't sound as though he will be toy-mad - which means that he'll have plenty of attention to give to the cats. Having a dog that you can play with keeps them mentally stimulated and hopefully means that they might be less keen on going after the cats??? (that's just a supposition, but you can see how it might work).

What does DH see in Peanut that he doesn't in Barry? And in what way does he think that will help?

Thanks for your input mistlethrush, esp. with the ball. Nelly would never play with a ball, sticks or ropes but was interested in animals outside home but fine with the cats. Billy was obsessed with balls and got excited by anything moving at all. It would be great for a dog to play with the children but as I have lots around that have varying interests in animals I don't really want one that jumps up and wants to play everything they move a bit quickly iyswim.

Peanut was running around with them but once he realised they didn't have anything just left them until they ran again and then he looked interested again. I honestly think dh wants him because he is a very striking dog, he's really gorgeous and he wants a dog that looks good when we're out with them. He also likes big dogs and he's 32Kg so pretty big. He said he felt he was calmer but I disagree with that and I think that both of them being around 2 will be quite excitable.

I am home every day, I do most walks (all morning ones as we can then get up at the same time, I take dog while he gets ready for work and I get myself and the children sorted after he's gone). My reasons for Barry are I felt he had lots of character, got excited about the children running around but a bit of fuss from me easily distracted him. He's smaller so easier to handle for me, he's been hand reared so lots of human contact and has been in a house at least part of his life and his reason for not racing was that he gave up after 200m because 'it wasn't worth his effort' according to the trainer. They have his sister at home and she has a lovely temperament (not sure about how similar littermates are) and he's just so cheeky and cute I couldn't say no!

Everyone I know seems to assume that I will get my way because I'm the woman but I don't want him to be disappointed as I really feel gutted (much more than I expected) that we're not getting Barry and I don't want him to feel that way. Peanut is next on the list to go into homefinders so also if we don't get him now he'll be gone and I think at the back of dh's mind is that Barry may still be there when Peanut is settled and we could get him at a later date. The thing is you don't know how long it will take as they could have a splurge of rehomings and he's young and lovely so I'm sure he won't hang around long either.

Look at it this way... Peanut is going to find a home BECAUSE he has such good looks. He won't be waiting long. Barry is less striking so will get overlooked - a bit of the black dog syndrome. We had the same with the two we looked at - the first had Saluki feathering and was very attracting - and was definitely housetrained, mistlehound was rather a non-descript scruffy - although you wouldn't think that to look at her now. And she was probably not housetrained. We thought we could cope with mistlehound whilst some other people might not, whereas the first one would almost certainly get rehomed pretty quickly (she was). So we brought the more difficult to place dog home with us.

Re the 'interest' - one of the things I commented to DH last night was I love the fact that mistlehound sees DS coming in her direction out in the garden and immediately wags her tail and asks for a tummy rub - or suggests a game of ball. And she'll go adventuring with him. I like the fact that she is interested even if you don't have a treat because that means she's interacting with you because she wants to and gets pleasure from it, rather than just because she wants a treat.

Another thing to think about... you're out walking Peanut and he injures himself and you have to pick him up and carry him and get him in the car.... It might seem just about doable with Barry but I think that you would struggle a lot with Peanut - mistlehound is 24kg and is just about doable for me but 32 kg would be out of the question.

That's also what I think, I bet he will be in and out in a few days as he's so lovely looking and young. I imagine Barry will be too, he's no gargoyle! So wish I'd remembered to take photos, was concentrating on the dogs :(

Cinnamon - that's what you should be doing, concentrating on the dog, not worrying about a camera. To me, Barry sounds as though he was interested in you for being you, not just for treats - and for me that's a really important thing for a dog - that willingness to connect with you, to look at you and try to work out what you'd like them to do etc. And another one of my requirements (part of a very long list) for mistlehound was that she needed to want to be close to us - have a cuddle on the sofa, sit on our feet etc - rather than being more independent like a cat (I know some whippets and greys can be like that).

They were both very keen for a fuss and very friendly, both very licky which I said I didn't want but they were so pleased to see us!

I emailled dh a list of my reasons in case he would see my point of view, he has replied to me :-I thought peanut was very playful, licky and played well with the boys, much much better than I thought he would, showed no inclination to chase the ball and seemed much calmer than billy, he is very much what i would want in a dog and is every bit the replacement for billy for me. He didn't pull at all while holding the lead unlike Billy did when when he strained against the collar to get at toys in the cage at yarmouth. Barry is nice enough but doesn't light me up and is a little disappointing, bit small tiny ears that i can't pull on or twiddle in my fingers and I didn't see him as being more playful just more manic.

I agree about what you say re hand rearing but neither Jim or daughter would be drawn on saying which of them would be safer for the moggies where I would expect them to fall onto Barry's side straight away. Barry has spent at least the last 12-18 months in a kennel so how much use house rearing would be I don't know and we don't know how peanut started his life.

I think I'm worried because I had that connection with Nelly the first time I met her. I wasn't at all sure about Billy and it ended badly, don't want the same to happen, but the sensible side of my brain says it didn't end as it did because he wasn't my choice it was because he was the wrong dog for us. My heart is making me sad because I so want it to be right and I feel if it's my choice of dog it will be right and that is not necessarily the case!

No, its not necessarily the case - but you husband is not giving you ANY choice in this - Billy was his choice, not yours, don't let him force you down the wrong route again.

Can you arrange to walk first one then the other dog at the weekend? Don't rush into things just to get a dog.

DH is thinking very much about HIS needs (twiddling ears (!!!)) but absolutely nothing about your needs - and you are going to be the primary carer - or the rest of the family's needs - which, given school hours etc I would have thought should actually take priority over his needs! With that many smaller children around I would again be going for something smaller rather than larger - even our nearly 23" tts lucher scares the living daylights out of some of DS's smaller friends even though she's not at all pushy. Having a dog with its head at your head height is daunting for many people....

And what is his issue with the ball - again, this has absolutely no indication of his prey drive.

I guess I feel a bit backed into a corner, which he told me he wouldn't do after feeling very guilty about everything with Billy.

I had fallen in love with Billy by the time he bit me and if it hadn't been for that we would have worked through everything else with him as he was very much our family dog even if it was only 3 weeks. We took him everywhere, spent lots of time with him, tried to find good distractions to the cats and he had improved loads with stealing food from the children. I'm sure I will love peanut once he's here it's just very sad to find a dog you somehow connect with, even if you can't explain it, and not take them home. I was single when I got Nelly so it was my choice and my choice alone. I am not good at saying no and seeing as he never felt Nelly was his dog but did with Billy I'm more inclined to let him have his way!

Have you told him you feel backed into a corner? I think he is being very unfair - this needs to be a joint decision but he's not giving you an inch and you're giving him a mile. And yet you are the one that is going to have to spend most of your time doing most of the stuff. I know exactly what you mean by that connection - that's what we got from mistledog - and we got it again with mistlehound - despite being pleased to be out of the kennel on a walk she was still interested in us and making that eye contact that made me think that we had some hope of creating a good bond with her.