Rescue Greyhounds and Lurchers

[GreekOddess]

I've been looking online at rescue centres. At the moment I'm researching and seeing if it's right for us as dh needs winning over.

There are lots of greyhounds and lurchers available. What are they like as pets? I remember when I was very young and my Gran had a greyhound and he was lovely. Why so many of these breeds available? I don't generally see them out and about.

Yup Greyhounds are amazing. You won't be able to stop at just one. They have the most soulful eyes.

Best dogs ever! Sweet, gentle & totally lazy once they've had their zoomies 😀

My girl spends about 20 hours a day just lazing around the house in her various comfy spots...mostly my bed 🤦🏼‍♀️

Glad to find this post. We have just started the process to adopt a greyhound and hoping to meet one at the weekend. It's great to see such positive posts

I have two ex racers, both opposite in personality. One is very cat like and the other very lab like. Both adorable and affectionate and impossible to fill their stomachs. They happily live with two cats even one fluffy white one. I would never have any other kind of dog, their greedy brown eyes bore straight into my soul! My DP was reluctant to have a dog but now wants to rescue them all!

I have had Salukis on and off for 30 years. They are pretty easy but in many ways more like cats than dogs. I would imagine that other sight hounds are similar. As long as they have space to run and play, a soft bed to lie on and attentive humans, they are pretty happy.

Perpetual begging...

@notquiteruralbliss, my saluki x grey would like to add to your list a) a large range of warm coats and b) lots of sun. He can't be warm enough and sleeps under the duvet with ds, and unless its hot needs/ wants a coat on

We've got rescue whippets and I think they're pretty similar. Sleep for 23.5 hours per day. Are either stationery or zooming about. Very affectionate. Will steal any food you turn your back on for a second. Terrible recall. Preferred location is on the sofa under a blanket or in our bed under a duvet.

I have a lurcher who was in rescue from 5 weeks. She lives with (& loves) our cats but is obsessed with them when out and about. We absolutely adore her and will def rescue more hounds in future. So much nicer than my Jack Russell who's a bloody nightmare 🤣

As previous posters have said, they are couch potatoes. Zoomies outside a couple of times a day , they are built for speed not endurance.
You have to watch out for small animals though as they will see them as prey.

Greyhounds are amazing dogs. They are so laid back, very good temperament, tend to be quiet so aren't barkers, quite independent in that they don't demand your attention constantly and are soooo lazy. We adopted an ex racer as our first dog and he is brilliant. He sleeps 20 hours a day and is happy on two 15/20 minute walks a day. However, they can be very adaptable. Our boy is happy with short walks but equally we have taken him on long ones and done hikes that last a couple hours in the Peak district and he also loved that too!

I'm very obviously biased, but from my experience they are really great dogs for all the above reasons. They have their own little quirks which is quite amusing to see. The downsides are their size, they can be huge. Ours is basically a mini horse but he folds himself up really small haha. Another possible downside is they can be quite reserved at first, as in they aren't the most cuddly dogs initially and can come across as quite aloof. The prey drive from their racing days needs to be managed but honestly, it's not too bad as long as you are responsible and use a muzzle when nessesary and don't have them off lead when it's not enclosed until you are a 110% sure they can be recalled. One last thing, due to their thin skin and low body fat content, they do need jackets and coats for winter and rain but it's so cute and you can find so many options online: greyhounds are very fashionable with their wardrobe! 😂

@toomuchgoingon. Good luck I'm jealous. These posts and photos are fabulous! I really really want one now!

Can't go wrong with a couple of lurchers (these are both collieXbedlington, the terrier is strong in the scruffy one). Both terrified-but-in-love-with the household cat, although any other cat is fair game. An off lead blast and then a 30 min walk a day is plenty for them. Lazy, loving, tolerant of small people and very cuddly.

@Shmithecat2 gorgeous!

Where are you finding dogs to adopt at the moment? I’m longing for a lurcher after losing ours last year but local rescues aren’t rehoming

Met our forever dog this morning. He moves in next week. We are all very excited

Lurchers are lovely. I grew up with one that we got as a puppy from the RSPCA and he was the best dog ever. I always wanted another dog, and DD was desperate for a pet, but for a long while DH wasn't keen. I posted about it on here last year, in fact. Anyway, he changed his mind and we got our rescue saluki x just before the lockdown. We've had him for 5 weeks now and he's the loveliest little(ish) dog. As others have said, they are very affectionate and love to cuddle up on the sofa with you. The lady at the rescue said salukis are "cat dogs" and I can see why. Our dog is very, very lazy. He will zoom around the garden very fast for 5 mins or do, seize his ball and plonk himself on his bed. Since lockdown we have occasionally done "family runs" where we all do laps of the garden. We leave the door open so the dog can join in if he wants. He rarely does! He sleeps a lot, and although he is a bit pully on the lead sometimes he is very easy to look after and not demanding at all.

We did have a few toilet issues in the first few weeks but he is increasingly reliable at night now and I can leave him alone for maybe 40 mins relatively confident he will no longer wee in the house just because he has been left alone! He does have the odd accident still but we are working on that. They say it takes 3 months for a dog to properly settle from rescue, so he is doing very well.

Best of all, I think, is when I hear my non-doggy DH saying things to him like "There you are, my lovely boy!". I think he enjoys the love that he gets from the dog as well.

PS OP, I hope you do win your DH over. I'd say that they are really good dogs for non-doggy people. My sis has a labradoodle and he is lovely but very in your face. Our dog is so much more laid back and I think that's why DH likes him. He does a prancey thing with his front legs but he doesn't jump up (some greys and lurchers do, though). He is quite delicate and dignified and I think that's maybe a saluki thing. My childhood dog was not quite as dainty! We think DDog is saluki whippet x.

Echo everyone’s comments so far!

We got a family greyhound last year, shortly before I moved out to live with my OH. I had begged for a dog for practically the whole of my childhood and my Dad definitely got one to fill his nest with me moving out and my brother at University.

Getting a greyhound was definitely the best fit for my parents and I would recommend them highly as family dogs. Lily has been with us for just over a year, and was a racing dog in Ireland rehomed from the Greyhound Trust. She is incredibly laid back, absolutely adores my parents and fits impeccably into the family.

She was foot perfect from the minute she came home, no accidents in the house and she also slept through the first night, and has done every night since! She used to wear a muzzle out walking and now doesn’t need to - she’s also been to dog training classes and achieved her Bronze Citizen award, so you could definitely take it to training classes with the family.

I would highly recommend going to walk some at a greyhound trust or a similar - just because some of them, especially the larger males, can be quite strong on the lead, and prey-driven. I would also recommend going up to visit a couple of times and trying to get to know the different dogs - you’ll know when your grey picks you!

Good luck!

Ooh, something else I forgot to mention - we are also very lucky in the sense that our kennels (Greyhound Trust) will take Lily back for holiday board at a very reasonable price if needed!

Best dogs ever. Our last rescue wasn't because we wanted a pal for our daughter, but lurchers are still my favourite and will be our next rescue

Greyhounds make amazing pets. I have two retired hounds and they are so low maintenance but are the sweetest, gentlest dogs we could wish for. I have three young children and I childmind and the dogs don't bat an eye at the children's noise, in fact I had a child recently who was terrified of dogs who took to my two straight away.

How hard is it to house train an ex-racer? I am so tempted..

I have a rescue lurcher and have also fostered lurchers. I think they are the perfect pet. My boy is so sweet and gentle and loves being around people but is not needy. He lives happily with our cat, although many lurchers and greyhounds are not cat friendly. He is perfect with other dogs.. big and small.. And loves children. He is happy with long or short walks and will snooze happily for hours. He is playful and funny... Doesn't shed and never barks. We all love him to bits.

We are also thinking of rehoming a greyhound and the comments here are encouraging. We have 2DD’s aged 8 and 10. We have a small garden, but would a greyhound jump a fence?