I may be in love with Ellie...

[PacificDogwood]

Ellie

But, alas, it's not to be:

• garden not fences
• DS4 too young
• work hours too long/not sorted
• DH not on board
• Too much chance of needing to suddenly travel abroad (ageing parents)

I'm sure I've forgotten something.

So, she's not for me.
But she is gorgeous, a bit on the skinny side (only just stopped racing), v gentle and calm, in foster care at the moment, so being further assessed, but seems to be good with children and small furries.
Sigh.

Gawn, one of you have her.

Ah, rubbish: garden is not fenced.

I know my grammar, I just cannot type when in love

Ahhh, Pacific
I'm not a dog owner/dog person but IMO greyhounds fit all the criteria,

Good size , not too hairy, no long hairy tails to get tangles up with brambles and pooh.

Good manners and routine lead though not all are readily adapted to life as a domestic.
Used to people and their excercise regime will fit most lifestyles.

But, you cannot leave an animal alone that is used to the hustle and bustle of kennels until it is used to your household.

And there's the prey drive, the recall , the scavenging to consider.

And sadly, even if Ellie is snapped up tomorrow, there will be a thousand more Ellies waiting for you.

4yoDS might struggle with such a large dog ploughing round with it's whippy tail (my own 14yo DS gets leaned on in parks by greyhounds. They curve round him )

And your DH has to be on board, he might be called on to do early morning toilet breaks .(He'll love that)

Aww, she's lovely. Get her and put a fence around the garden, your dh will come round. mine did. This what a lovely hound looks like all curled up on your sofa..

Stop being so bloody sensible, woman!

I know you are right.

I took the Littlies to a large park today and a dog show was on: some agility and a 'show' for all takers, large and small, pedigree and mutt. It was great.

This particular rescue is close to my heart and not far away from us and whenever the time is right, that's where I'll start looking.

There was a gorgeous whippet there as well, coat as smooth as silk and such a practical size…

Pat, I don't need enabling, thank you very much

He's (?he) gorgeous.

I know DH will be fine - he just doesn't know it IYSWIM, never had a dog whereas I grew up with them. Never had a sighthound, mind, but I'll learn.

Oh and my DS is 5 and he loves having a big doggy. She's very gentle with them.

I get the point about working though :-( although Dee will happily go for a 5-6 hour stretch snoozing on mornings when I work.

It was because of other sighthound 'enablers' on Mumsnet that we got our girl in the first place!
DH wasn't keen as he had never had a dog before but before long he was all won over by her gentle ways and big brown eyes. They cuddle up on the sofa every night now.

Our childcarer comes to our house and has already said she's happy to walk whatever canine friend we end up with - she has a dog herself.

The garden is a problem - it is walled, but the plot is on a slope, so what is a 10ft wall at the back is barely knee-high at the front (hard to explain. We'd need fencing on top of the wall and some gates to secure part of the garden. It's a really small suburban city garden, too, just awkward and expensive to fix.

And DS4(4.3) is just insane - none of my other 3 where as mad as he is. It's not the hound I don't trust, it's the blessed child….

Have you been on the PointyHound threads pacific?

You know about butter dishes and a rather expensive collar and coat habit that you'll develop?
And the fact you'll never, ever be able to sit alone on your sofa or leave a KitKat unwrapped on the table.
And your pockets will be full of cheese and sausage?

Oh, yes, I have been known to lurk on the pointy thread - I rarely come out of hiding but I lurk and follow the links to all the shopping opportunities

I am not so sure about the pockets full of sticky stuff though - phew, that might save me from really, really wanting one Right Now.
Thanks, 70, you are a woman of wide knowledge right across the animal kingdom

Ahh if only my knowledge extended to children

According to my DS , I was born at 48 so I know nothing. But at least my little boys eat veg

Ha!

I keep saying the GPs' diet is by far the healthiest in this house...

I have whippy. I'm getting a greyhound too.

Do it do it do it ;-)