Any fellow greyhound owners?

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I have recently adopted a greyhound who is very inquisitive with other dogs. I still use the muzzle as I don't know if she would go for them but would like her to socialize with other dogs. Whats the best wsy to train her other dogs are ok?

You need to find the "pointy" threads!

Thanks - is that in the doghouse section?

Not an expert but DDog1 is a greyhound. He has always been fine (if slightly grumpy) with Ddog 2 and loved her predecessor (an elderly, very bad tempered JRT x).

I never let him off the lead but he doesn't wear a muzzle now unless we're going somewhere crowded. He gets nervous if approached by large, bouncy male dogs and I am always extra-cautious in these situations.

Thanks Mitzi, my elder grey has always been fine. The young one has only just finished racing and is very interested, am wondering if she will get better as her memory of chasing fades or if she will be unable to be around other dogs. She's fine with my elder grey

It's absolutely natural for her to be inquisitive, since many racing greys won't have met other dog breeds in their working lives. Wearing a muzzle is a sensible precaution. Keep her on lead, walking nicely at your side, and keep an eye on her body language as she approaches/interacts with other dogs. Look out for stress signals and if she is displaying these, then make sure you are between her and the other dog and just gently move onwards. She needs to know she can trust you to get her out of stressful situations. By doing this, you are showing her you are responding to her signals and this will give her confidence and help keep her calm. I'd reward calm interactions and again, keep it short so she leaves it on a positive note.
Our trainer (an APDT member) recommends the 10 second rule for initial greeting - this gives enough time for a quick sniff then walk on.

You'll very quickly find out what her "bubble of safe space" is like, and be prepared for this to change over time.

Many greyhounds are extremely comfortable around their own kind, but slightly less so around other breeds, which is why so many of us get together for sighthound playdates, walks etc. It's lovely to see hounds looking so visibly relaxed.

As she settles in, it would probably be worth taking her along to a nice friendly training class - it's a good thing to do anyway, and it will give her the opportunity to meet some other breeds in a controlled environment.

scuttlebutter
an interesting point about dogs being comfortable about their own kind.
my lurcher (border collie/bearded collie cross greyhound ) will be fine around border collies, greyhounds, whippets and other lurchery dogs but has a particular dislike of yappy overexcited small dogs (particularly spaniels)

I now know which dogs he will tolerate and keep an eye out for the ones he is averse to and it seems to work although I have had some remarks about him as a big dog being 'scared' of a little friendly dog and have to explain that he hates dogs being 'in his face' and over-rumbustious around him (he is 11 after all). I get the feeling other small dog owners think I am being a bit of a loon

Thanks all. What would you consider stress signs? She gets very alert and upright iyswim, strains at the lead. Doesn't make sounds though.

Lots on the web about it. This will get you started... here

Hi, mollie, I'm not an expert, but we have been having a 2 year old male grey in our lives for 4 months now.

He is an extremely excitable dog (never raced as his trainer felt he was 'too playful', read 'totally crackers' ) and does that greyhound 'chittering' thing at the drop of a hat: when I come downstairs in the morning, when somebody gets his food ready, he will chase and retrieve a ball to the point of exhaustion, he is very bouncy and jumpy-uppy (we are working on that).
He has also managed to kill a (feral) cat - I feel terrible about that, I clearly had underestimated just HOW fast a grey can be, but I thank my lucky star that it was not somebody's beloved pet .

So, other dogs: he is hugely interested in them. Smaller breeds clearly confuse him ("You are not a cat, but just what are you?"). He loves to play with other dogs, but can be rough and I only let him off lead in fenced in areas with other larger breeds (usually friends' dogs, labs, pointers, retrievers and the likes). He is reactive to timid dogs which can be quite difficult to manage - the smallest confident dog he is absolutely fine with, anything that cowers or puts their tail between their legs and back away, he takes an unhealthy interest in.

I now make a point of allowing a sniff'n'greet on lead, and then swiftly move on while praising him (he is not very food-driven and it is hard to find treats he is motivated by). I don't linger and I will move on from any kind of play if he gets all stiff/alert/chittering/startspanting/gets an erection (oh yes, siree, he does that too when something terribly exciting is going on, neutered or not, the hydraulics are all working! ).

He has settled down an awful lot since we got him and I am hopeful that that will continue.
I'd continue encouraging contact with other dogs and always praise/reward good behaviour.

I adopted mine 10 days ago!

He is beautiful. Extremely well behaved, puts my other two to shame and great with the cats.

He is just now starting to come out of his shell and now sleeps on the couch. He doesn't do much else except sleep.

We a used a muzzle with him when he met our dogs at the rescue centre and for his first walk. It was obvious he was fine with other dogs so we didn't see the need to keep it on. He wants squirrels but not interested in small dogs or cats.

I hope soon your grey will be able to go muzzle free :)

They are so beautiful aren't they?

I'm not an expert. I've had my greyhound for two years on 13th October. He's been an 'easy' dog with other dogs. He loves them all. He has no trouble distinguishing tiny dogs from rabbits. He plays, off lead, with dogs from Japanese chins to westies to pugs to great danes. I accept his low prey drive isn't common in the breed but greyhounds aren't stupid. They know a dog is a dog and not a rabbit. The issues arise in play. A small, fast moving dog can arouse the chase instinct in a sighthound and there lies the issue.

You need to watch your dog on walks. How he reacts to cats on the street, squirrels in the woods. Can he be distracted from a cat by a morsel of cheese? Cn you distract him (on lead) from a squirrel? Build up a profile of your dog and from there, decide if he's prey driven, interested or distractable.

I can call mine off a squirrel, off lead, at full pelt. Because his drive is fairly low and Ive spent over 9 months training him.

That sounds twatty. I mean 9 months, on going, training recall.