Please talk to me about greyhounds!

[JorisBonson]

This is a very long way off, but DH and I will at some point be in a rhythm with our shifts where someone will be at home most of the time. We've decided, when it comes, to re-home a dog and have thought about taking on an ex racing greyhound.

Would love to hear people's experiences of this!

My friend got an ex racer and he's the most docile dog I've ever met.

I think they're nice but dim, fab family dog but unlikely to win any prizes for tricks.

You're dog sounds amazing poorpaws , I read the text before I looked at the photo thinking I bet you she's a black greyhound .... and yes , she is .

And ..she sits ! loads of them don't , they find it difficult due to their build .

When I watch Coronation Street , Maureen Lipman's character Evelyn has an amazing greyhound Cerberus who is either out with her or very close by , beautiful hound .

Mine is black too and from Ireland
She can't sit at all but will lie down on command
She hates hard floors so never ventures far into the kitchen
She's now 4, we've had her 2.5 years. Insurance is £20pm

@70isaLimitNotaTarget I should have said that photo as taken because she was sitting and it was so rare to see her sit.

She stand most of the time.

@fuckthisforagameofdarts they are wonderful aren't they? Treated so badly in Ireland too. When we first got ours every time she went in her basket she lifted her back leg to be injected with steroids. Her back legs were enormous and rubbed together when she walked. She used to cower at everything so I assume she's been kicked and beaten. She's ok now though, she's very loved.

Mine is Irish too. Guess that explains the nervousness.

Oh less of the casual xenophobia.

There are good and bad greyhound owners and trainers in Ireland same as anywhere else. I don’t personally train them, I only have a pet greyhound but I have known a number of greyhound trainers who treated greyhounds better than most people treat their children but there are of course shit ones too. The two kennels where our dog goes if we are on holidays are former greyhound trainers and they adore the dogs. One of them is a vet nurse and she practically has the dogs in the bed with her. Loads of people here adore greyhounds.

Disclaimer: I love greyhounds and have a 9 year old male ex racer. BUT not all greyhounds are docile and gentle.

Today, my smaller whippet sized lurcher was bitten by a black female greyhound. She chased my dog and pinned her down repeatedly biting her. My dog has 3 wounds that have been stapled, and 2 smaller ones. The owner has paid my vet bill and has said she will be kept on her lead from now on.

I have one - fantastic dogs. And I have at last succeeded in teaching her to fetch! (Took months - they're not bright...)
She's nervous of other dogs but once she's met them she's fine. Perfect in the house, great with children. Exceedingly lazy.
Incredibly loyal with a great vibe about them.
Would definitely kill cats, though.

I do dog sitting as a side hustle so have experience of looking after lots of breeds of dogs. I also have my own lurcher and have fostered sighthounds. I can confidently say greyhounds and lurchers are 100% the best dogs in the world ever!

Mine is like this. Can be quite embarrassing because not everyone wants a great big black pony-dog sticking its snoot in their hand, in search of treats and pats!

The welfare laws for greyhounds in Ireland are different though, unfortunately.

We went to the retired greyhound trust looking for a cute small female and adopted a large black male....He's Irish, had a great upbringing and raced there and in England and lived the life of riley, which shows in his temperament and behaviour. Very charming and friendly with people and either gets on with other dogs or ignores them (or puts them in their place by showing how much faster he can run than them). House trained from day one. Sleeps a lot, of course. Recall is good and he's walked off lead every day - and loves a zoomie, whether on his own or with other dogs. Sniffs a lot on walks and follows trails - and will enjoy a day out walking. Ton weight to lift over stiles.

Will happily run after and play with a ball but looks at you as if you're the stupid one if you ask him to fetch it. I'm convinced they're not remotely dim. Not generally doing tricks or doing agility courses is more about it being beneath their dignity, I reckon. Ours is perfectly capable of jumping a big log or a ditch or stream on walks. I think they're more like cats.

Will chase a rabbit, squirrel or fox, but not through hedges, fences or brambles. Ignores other wildlife. Now will generally ignore cats, except one he hates. Gets stressed by bird scarers (freezes or goes homeward/back to the car) so we have to condition him with treats when they start up again.

Bestest dog ever.

I've not read the other replied but we have three. They make lovely pets.

Some don't like bring left alone. If this is the case, it's easier solved by having two.

They are very lazy. Don't expect them to walk far. If they aren't eating or walking they are sleeping.

Agree with this. You can't let them off the lead and may need to be muzzled in public die to squirrels, cats and small dogs looking like an electric hare.

Some do get 'happy tail'. Two of ours did. It makes a mess and one tail had to be amputated. He doesn't care though.

Here are my three