Greyhound, Whippet or Lurcher owner? Here's another pointy hounds cushion!

[EasterBunnyFuntStoleAllTheEggs]

Pointy hounds include-
Greyhounds (Grunds)
Whippets (Whippys)
Lurchers
Italian Greyhounds (Iggys)
Salukis
Afghans
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 ).

Share stories, advice and shopping tips!
AK Creations
Dog O Nine Tails
Doggy Bags Bakery
Kitsch Collars
Meggie Moo
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.

Saw a lovely small lurcher on my walk to school this morning .... Waiting on a homecheck from one charity. Patiently impatient about it all!

Was there someone on here who rehomed through a Norfolk lurcher rescue? A person rather than a charity? Can't recall who. The owner I met this morning mentioned someone locally who rehomes rescued Lurchers so I wondered if it was the same one and whether you would recommend them....

Obviously it would be very careful they had been properly assessed and were operating as a rescue not a small business selling on strays etc as I know has happened.

Anyone else going to the Great Greyhound Gathering on Saturday? We have a stall, so if you're going, pop in and say Hi. (Milgi Coats) We'll have Callie and Sara with us.

Bit far for us - I would have like to come and meet you otherwise!

The picture of the dark grey dog with white spots at the bottom of the 'page' for the event looks just like a dog I met on the Greyhound walk nearby - who sadly died suddenly a month or so later. I have been defriended on FB by the organiser as I questioned why it was 'cruel' to let my dog do simulated coursing (she absolutely loves it and we only do it for fun). So I don't think I'll be welcome back to that gathering.

Sorry to hear that, Mistle. Can't possibly see what's cruel about lure coursing - there's no live quarry. I'm also presuming owners are sensible about things like not working in heat, and ensuring dogs are fit enough to take part.

We took our girls down to the whippet racing club near us on the weekend - they very kindly allow the girls to have a chase of the lure there (it's a straight line). The girls love it, and there's always a nice assortment of various pointies (mostly whippets, but lurchers, windhounds etc as well). I only do one sprint with them but they get so much pleasure out of watching the others as well.

I don't think we can (or should) ignore our dogs' working heritage - we may not wish to participate in working our dogs but it's a massive element of what they are and how they behave.

I was planning on going Scuttle, but now dh is working all weekend, so we can't get there.

Mistle sounds like she was probably uneducated about how organised simulated coursing works.

Scuttle I don't go myself, but know quite a few people that do and it's very well organised and controlled. Dogs have to be fit enough to run and they're very careful about things like heat etc. The dogs love it and as you said, there's no live quarry, just a lot of dogs doing what they love most - running.

Totally agree, we shouldn't ignore our dogs' heritage, but that doesn't have to involve working and simulated coursing fills the gap, as they get the fun without harming or even scaring, any other animals.

Don't think I could ever enter Pip - daft dog would be more interested in jumping on the other dogs than running. Lurcherboy isn't fit or fast enough and I don't think it's his sort of thing anyway - although if the lure was a big pink tennis ball he might be interested.

Such a shame Moose. We'll be at Perry Barr Show in October if that's any good for you.

The organisation and welfare checks you describe are pretty much what I've heard too, Moose, about the SC events. It's very similar where we go with the whippets - all are family pets, safety is taken very seriously, and dogs are introduced very carefully and thoroughly. Quite a few even do a half-distance (e.g. if they are older). Interestingly the greyhound friend we go with, has a dog who is currently going through chemo, and he loves it. Our friend finds that even just attending is enough to perk him up for a whole week.

The rescue I got mine from organises events - and there are always some daft dogs that are racing hte other dogs not chasing the lure. Indeed, mine had a race with the kennel mate she had been with whilst in rescue and she (very unusually) ignored the lure, waited for him and had a lovely race with him instead. Ours gets cancelled if its too hot, and no dog is run a second time if it looks at all winded or lame after a run - and longer distances are by invitation only too.

Moose, I think lurcherboy and mistlehound would be much of a muchness probably - if you're hoping to do the October event, perhaps we can let them have a bit of a mooch together? Once she's laid down the law about not being interested in 'any of that', she quite enjoys a play.

A friend brought her Toller puppy (5mo) for an evening walk - then we let mistlehound and her off in the garden - mistlehound was a bit grumpy to start with but warmed to the playing suggestions - the Toller was reading her body language (and frankly, her spoken language at times) very well and giving off all the right signals which meant that mistlehound thought she was safe enough for a little play. No bitey face games - but perhaps when they've got a bit more familiar with each other they may even manage that. BT was kept well out of the way due to ASBO tendencies - not letting her near a puppy!

Not sure Scuttle dh seems to be working 24/7 these days. They're on a deadline for a software release, but it keeps getting put back and then it's yet another weekend gone. Will see what's happening nearer the time.

Doesn't look like we'll be going in October now Mistle, between life and dh's job, we seem to be missing out on a lot just recently.

Lurcherboy is usually the perfect gent when it comes to socialising/playing with other dogs. Pip is downright, blooming rude with Lurcherboy, with constant neck and bum nipping and paws on the shoulders etc, but played really nicely with Jelly when we went to Jim's workshop. Problem we have with him at them moment is barking at off-lead dogs. I think it's leash frustration, but am not 100% sure as, with his teenager head on just at the moment, his recall has gone a little awry and he always seems to do it somewhere I can't just let him off and see what happens. He's a lot worse since the Labradoodle incident though, so I'm worried there might be a complex mix of wanting to run, but also some fear aggression thrown in. To be honest, I'm not really enjoying walks at the moment because of it.

He's certainly not been an easy pup to raise. Seems to be one thing after another with him, we just never seem to have a period of time where we can just enjoy him. It's exhausting and emotionally draining. He's just gone through a period of night waking (talking waking and yelling several times a night) which has thankfully now settled down and his SA tendencies have got a lot worse since the summer holidays with everyone being home so much. My school run has reduced to only 10 minutes now, due to the times the dcs come out now they're in different years, so that's not a problem, but I still can't go out for longer than half an hour without him yelling the place down unless I leave the kitchen door shut for an hour, then sneak out leaving some music on in the living room - not ideal and basically keeping me housebound.

Oh - and the flipping Labradoodle kindly donated fleas to both mine, as well as upsetting Pip, so that's been another joy to deal with. None of my dogs have had fleas since the late 1990's when they caught them off PIL's cat, so needless to say I'm not at all happy about it, especially as they were caught off a non-friendly, loose dog who's owner was standing outside the exit of the park.

Oops, sorry, ended up a bit ranty there. Let's just say life is a bit er ... challenging just at the moment.

Has anyone heard from Peanut recently? I know she was having a tough time with her new lad and am a bit worried, as she seems to have disappeared.

On our way to the great greyhound gathering, really looking forward to it.

We were going to enter muttonhound and muttondog in the "family" class but a friend who went last year said it was all taken very seriously so I think we'll just have a mooch around and buy some stuff.

I know a few people that are going to it - very jealous! Have a great time.

Moose - no, I've not seen Peanut recently, I hope all's well with her.

Really jealous here too. Dh is working a long day today and I'm stuck at home with all three dcs, including ds1 who has both a stomach upset and a stinking cold.

I'm trialling a different bed option for Pip, as he's been waking regularly (and being noisy) at night and I'm working my way through all the possible causes. They've always had XXL plastic dog beds with plenty of duvets, blankets and vet bedding in and one with a memory foam mattress in the bottom, but I've noticed he seems quite stiff on rising and regularly comes in the living room to lie stretched out full on the carpet.

I'm thinking of investing in a good quality memory foam bed or 'orvis' type (not orvis though, as sadly we didn't win the lottery - again) dog bed, but want to make sure he's not going to go all daft and refuse to settle if we change his bed, so have sacrificed the spare duvet (kingsize) folded it up, topped it with vet bed and a really soft blanket and invited him to lie on it to see how he goes.

First time I moved it, as I think a cushion-type bed is likely to be a tripping hazard for the dcs where it currently lives (1 with ASD and 1 with hypermobility = poor co-ordination and high -ided beds avoided that problem). Unfortunately he looked absolutely horrified and lay there looking really awkward and unhappy, so I've moved it back to where his old bed was and he's currently looks like he's in heaven roaching away with his favourite cuddly duck for company - so it looks like it might be a winner. It will need to be something fairly substantial to avoid the dc's tripping over it and I have a feeling dh is going to be rather unimpressed at the cost, but desperate enough to pay-up if it means a decent night's sleep.

Every time a new lurcher appears on the rescue sites I am thinking ... This could be our dog! Then I read the small print and find out it likes eating cats (we have 2) or is nervous at sudden movement (we have a 4 year old child) or very very big and bouncy (the 5 year old child is skinny and easily felled).

Soon I am sure our perfect canine will surface.

And when I see the puppies in need of homes I just read the doghouse puppy threads and feel quite, quite certain that this is not for us!

Meanwhile I am stalking all lurcher owners within 100 miles and asking about good places to walk them.

Moose - mistlehound has one of the fleece covers made by one of the LL people - except she has one that fits a double duvet folded into 4. She has 2 of them - one where she normally sleeps at night in our room - that one is on top of a PAH memory foam bed we got for our old dog. The other one is just on its own in the hall and she sleeps there quite a lot. That's the bed that goes travelling with us. The fleece is bearing up to use well and it does keep it remarkably well contained - digging doesn't work too well with it but she still seems to manage to make a nice nest. Small dog thinks it's a good place to sleep to and ignores her hard sided bed and sneeks onto mistlehound's bed instead if mistlehound is not on it.

Lovethesea - have you spoken to LL to ask about child-friendly, cat friendly lurchers?

Thanks mistle. Not sure it's our answer after all, as he chose to go in the other plastic bed as soon as Lurcherboy vacated it, so now we have the wrong dogs on the wrong beds.

Mind you, there's a bit of an ongoing battle for supremacy of the 'under the kitchen table' bed and often when he yells at night it's because he's got up for a drink of water and Lurcherboy has swiped his spot.

I had a cover for folded duvets in the living room, but I honestly don't know what my two do that flattens the duvets, no matter how big they are or how many times they're folded to begin with. I think we need something a bit more study/substantial.

Lovethesea, we found a lurcher type that would suit you, very sweet, doesn't jump up, no barking, not manic, good with cats and children. She came from Exmoor Lurchers. (they have a FB page, last time I checked two smoothie lurcher pups still looking for owners, as everyone wants fluffy..tsk, we love our smoothie)

She is a Whippet, greyhound, deerhound, beddie cross

recommended mix! Fabulous nature.

remember to hold my horses! Obviously a rescue lurcher is much better idea!!!

We are thinking about a No. 2 lurcher....

mistlethrush, I've been in touch with LL who want to see the home check I'm about to have via hounds first before they can properly match. But none at the moment. Evesham's Aris needs somewhere quieter as she's nervous.

Puppies there are aplenty but I think an 18 months plus dog will be a better match to our child, cat, part-time job mostly from home but out a bit type of home.

I like the smooth, scruffy, big and wee lurchers so easy on everything except character!

We expected to get a black smoothie (because we didn't care on looks or colour) but ended up with a tan (well, red with blonde highlights) scruffy. She's smooth in all the best places though (bottom of her legs, undercarriage, head and ears - so we don't have mud and food problems on her whiskers!)

Now I keep staring at the photos of Colin the whippet cross on Evesham's site....don't know now he is with cats yet as they've just got him so probably needs a while to let his character show!

Have you seen the little Podenco cross that's just been listed on LL Other Homeless Hounds by SOS? He sounds a real little sweetie.

Worried about Lurcherboy this evening. Ds2 had left his laptop charging leaning up against the wall. Lurcherboy must have knocked it while lying asleep near where it was and it fell and it him. I wasn't in the room, but ds1 told me that was what happened. Poor dog was squealing and panicking, so I checked him all over, but can't find any tender spots or signs of anything amiss. Then, after he went back to sleep he woke up and seemed to struggle a bit getting up off the floor. He was whining and looked panicked. Worried now that it may have hit his spine.

Poor old Lurcherboy. Hope he is fine soon. Could it have hit his head?

The wee podenco looks lovely, though they say with another dog preferably. Otherwise it would be his escape artist tendencies which seems to be the only reason the young family he was with have returned him to the rescue. Not sure my 4 and 5 year olds will be hugely better at not letting the dog into the hallway when I'm opening the front door.

I did wonder about his head. He didn't seem head-shy immediately afterwards, but he was walking strangely, despite me not being able to find anything wrong with his legs.

He is such a sturdy boy, I don't think he's ever been injured and it's extremely rare for him to be ill, so for him to be squealing and whining is really unusual.

He's been sleeping for a couple of hours now, so I'm going to go and see if he can get up in a minute and if he can't I'll be onto the vets straight away.

Well he seems ok. Dh has just checked him all over too and then Lurcherboy initiated a bit of play and had a little dash around the living room, so I'm assuming he's alright. Phew!

Oh good. Hopefully just being a lurcher drama queen!