Are you a Greyhound, Whippet or Lurcher owner? Come and have a seat on yet another 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 ).

Share stories, advice and shopping tips!
AK Creations
Dog O Nine Tails
Doggy Bags Bakery
Kitsch Collars
Meggie Moo
[[http://www.milgicoats.co.uk/ Milgi Coats
Silver Peacock

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.

When we're busy (or it is raining), ours get about 1-1.5 hours a day, split over two walks, with a longer walk at the weekend. At other times (like half term next week), they get maybe a short half hour morning and evening with maybe another hour or so in the daytime.

I'm back at work in a week so I guess it's lucky they are flexible! Although my aching thighs are reminding me how long i've been without a dog

Mine are like MagratGarliks two walks in working days usually about an hour total but weekends and school holidays they will have longer and they do run with me at least once a week which is 45min-1hr.

That's a great idea, tooold (btw, can I just say, you're NEVER too old for glitter... :D) where did you get the hi vis from?

I've decided not to take the girl as I just don't want to be worrying all the time when she'll be my first. I've chosen a gorgeous boy, really affectionate, walked really well on the lead, he was so excited about everything, but not in a manic, pulling and jumping kind of way, just had a massive grin on his face and sort of danced around in glee!

Re your boy following you, I think they do tend to decide who they belong to, and IME it tends to be the woman, but maybe that's because the woman may be around more? I'm fully expecting to have a pointy, excited boy joining my toddler in the spectator sport that is me having a wee. Given up on any hope of having some blooming peace in the loo for the next several years!

at all of us having accompanied visits to the loo.

I made the mistake of chucking Pip a cardboard loo roll inner once when he was tiny. Now he sits outside the door every single time looking hopeful and if he doesn't get one, starts shoving his nose through the door.

We are mean as mutt is not allowed upstairs! Shame same can't be said for the children.

Tell us more about your boy Is!

Where we walk there are lots of small dogs, assuming that Westies, JRTs are classed as small furries so that would be a major no for me. Like Cin I often have children with me and can't be managing a manic dog whilst herding cats DC.

Walk wise we do a minimum of an hour, in either one or two walks, though often or not it can turn into 90mins or two hours. When we are together as a family we tend to do activities that we can include the dog in and so that might be a 3-4 hour ea somewhere different.

Ours are allowed upstairs either Peanut - downstairs bathroom though, so still no escape.

Isis - we need to see photos you know!

Mine usually get an hour to an hour and a half in the morning and another hour later in the day. Then they get a good few hours over the weeken when we take them somewhere further afield as a family.

Lurcherboy has been getting a bit less than usual recently though, as Pip can't be walked for as long just yet and they're both in a grump at the moment, as on short rations of only one walk a day with dh, as I've been ill all week.

should have said aren't allowed upstairs.

Poorly again moosemama, that's not good :(

Mine go upstairs, we take them up to bed with us, they are on their beds and that's it for the night. Peanut sometimes wakes dh when his feet start going while dreaming and scratch the wall but they never disturb me. They do jump up as soon as they hear us talk in the morning and come to say hello!

More like poorly still cinnamon. It's just been relentless. GP says she thinks we've just caught one particularly nasty virus on top of another and our immune systems are struggling to cope.

Dd was off Mon/Tue last week. Sent her in and found she was really ill when I picked her up. She's been off all week this week and only really started to show signs of improvement today. Ds2 started with it last weekend and ended up screaming in the night on, I think, Tuesday = perforated eardrum and I was slowly coming down with it last weekend and it really hit this week. Whether it's one or two viruses, whatever it is, it's truly evil. I've been literally off my feet with it, legs shaking, sweats, migraine like headache so bad I couldn't lift my head and been home with 2 dcs and 2 dogs, until yesterday since when, as ds1 broke up on Wednesday night I've had all 3 dcs on my own. Basically been on the sofa with a duvet and pillow trying to direct things without having to stand up too much. Much joy!

Have heard of lots of people having it locally and for some reason it seems to hit the adults harder than the children. Dd's old nursery teacher was off for a week with it and my Mum's best friend has been in bed for over a week too.

I don't understand Defra's stance. Surely maintaining a rabies free status for the UK should be one of their most important activities?

Anyhoo, enough whingeing about my health.

All our dogs slept upstairs until we moved to Lancashire in the mid 90's. Prior to that we had a little room off our bedroom (typical terrace) and the dogs had their own sofa-bed in there! They then came into us in the morning for cuddles while we had coffee in bed. I miss it actually - although our GSD snored worse than dh and she did drive me to distraction with it when she was elderly.

When we moved to Lancashire we had a brand new newbuild and were a bit precious about it I suppose. We also went from 2 to 3 dogs and decided to keep the dogs downstairs where we had hard floors. We did let them up sometimes, but generally they stayed downstairs.

Then I guess we got used to not having any dog-hair upstairs - although the kitchen is basically a kennel, so it's not really any better. Ds1 and dh have asthma though and dh's is allergy related with him also being allergic to dogs, so I think it's probably for the best.

Mind you, with me not sleeping properly for listening out for noisy Pip pup so I can get to him before he wakes the neighbours if he does start up, I regularly think it would be easier if they were upstairs with us.

I am thankful for wooden floors. The amount of dirt and debris that the dog and the family bring in is absolutely shocking. We can never have carpet. Ever.

moose so sorry you've been so poorly, are you feeling better? Bad enough being ill without having to take care of children and dogs. I remember MS when pregnant with número duo and that floored me. Appreciate this is not even comparable to your circs tho.......

Weird, how did a sentence from my post on LL end up in the middle of that post!

Thanks Peanut. I feel embarrassingly pathetic - only mitigated by others who've had the same virus telling me they've taken to their beds for at least a week with it.

I am feeling a lot better today and determined to get even better so we can enjoy the days dh had booked off for our cancelled holiday - weather allowing of course. Might have to rethink a beach trip if this storm that they're promising rolls in.

moose sorry to hear how poorly you have been. Sounds pretty relentless for you.

Just spotted you are in Lancashire. Me too!

Thanks TooOld.

Sadly no longer in Lancashire. We came 'home' when we had ds1, so he would have a proper relationship with his Grandparents etc.

Lived up there for years. It was the right decision for ds1, but dh and I both still miss it terribly.

Oh shame. I know what you mean though. We moved to Devon when DD was 18 months. Then moved back here in 2012 to be nearer my parents/sisters.

This is Annie don't know if you remember I had a long phone conversation with her owner and got a very different story. Sounds like with the right home she could be great, might be worth a look PeanutPatty she's beautiful!

I love the look of Annie - although I would pm her current fosterer and have a good talk with him as he will have a lot of info

Sorry - been away with DS for the week (the joys of 2 week half terms!) - without the dog who stayed with DH. She didn't know what to do with herself when we got home!

She got fixated on DH at the start - probably as he's at home working... To the extent she couldn't settle and panted heavily when he was out... She, however, tends to shadow me when I'm home - including to the bathroom. When we were in Peterborough she even had to sit on the bathmat whilst I showed in the hotel in the morning....

I would also not have chosen a dog that was aggressive to other small dogs. I have a friend with two ex racers and his are both dog aggressive - it means he can't visit with them, and we can't visit with the dog - which makes it a problem... We thought we might not be able to let our dog off the lead - so we had decided that she was worth persevering with even if we had to keep her on - but it is really nice being able to let her off when its safe. Muzzles and sighthounds - it really isn't an issue - they'll get to realise that muzzle = walk - so it doesn't bother them - however, they can still do a lot of damage even with a muzzle on if they really want to!

Helloooo,

Here at last.........marking my place for next week when we pick up our new addition. She is a very pretty 4yr old Brindle Greyhound, matched to us through GRWE. Very excited, now got to do some serious shopping for collar and coats

Just saying hi to Mistlethrush, Moose and anyone else who may know me from my other thread. I'm sure I will be back next week wanting advice on settling her in. She is a bit nervous about life in general at the moment, just getting used to everything but coming out of her shell everyday.

Also, any good names???? Really don't like the name the rescue have given her (she has only had it a few weeks and doesn't really respond to it so they suggested we change it) and we have a shortlist of quite a few. DD keeps coming up with a new one about every half an hour!

What's her character like? If she's a bit shy, something like Fern might be rather nice... other 'natural' ones Bracken, Rowan, Breeze, Hazel, Gale, Storm... But names are good too - and things like Toffee...

Hi there! Can I butt in please?? We have been considering a dog now for over a year, and have finally agreed to a whippet puppy after Christmas. We are on the waiting list with a lovely breeder. But......we have to cats. Any suggestions for introductions, or am I just plain (barking) mad to attempt this?

My cats have met a large, non cat safe greyhound before and were interested but a little frightened, and enjoyed sitting on the fence watching my neighbours GSD before she died.

I know it'd going to take time for them to settle, and we plan to crate train and put a stair gate up to allow the cats to go upstairs without a houndy following.

We are very excited to get a puppy, but at the same time I'm anxious about my girls....

Ahhhhh, noooooo my DH want Toffee, have you been conspiring with him Mistle?

He is a massive Everton fan, that's his reasoning.

My DD likes Betsy, Delilah, Leia and Tilly.

I like Fern and Hazel.

Was thinking something with an Irish connection, as predictably she is from Irish racing.

*two cats, not to cats sorry

What's Toffee in Irish?

Eddie - hopefully if you get the whippy puppy early enough that it will grow up knowing that the cats are part of the furniture and nothing to worry about - I know there is advice on older dogs (eg muzzles to start with and lead on the dog and see how things go very gently) but not sure about puppies.

BTW, Delilah - not good, ,shouted at some volume from the side lines of a football match from which you're trying to remove your errant hound that has become rather enthusiastically involved with the game...