Talk to me about rescue greyhounds/lurchers/whippets

[Cadela]

I’m DESPERATE for another dog, but there is nothing on this planet that could make me have a dog from a puppy again. Scarred from my sadly deceased cocker who was gorgeous, but took 3 years to get there 😅

I have an 8 yo Dd and we live in a a city but about 5 mins from a massive secure dog field, and another 5 from a big heath.

Are they good with kids? No cats/other animals in the house etc.

@Cadela Your post has inspired me to stop lurking and get an account to tell you that we used Norfolk Greyhound Rescue (despite being nowhere near Norfolk) and they seem like lovely people. We had various phone calls with them to find out about our situation after doing the application and then a local volunteer came to do a home check. Our ddog was in a foster home and we spoke with the foster carer so she could also decide if we were the right fit. They were interested to know if we planned to have children as apparently rescue dogs sometimes get “returned” after people have a baby, which makes me sad and angry in equal measure.

I’d echo what other posters have said that temperaments in lurchers can vary depending on what’s in the breed mix. Ours is a greyhound mix and is pretty stereotypical: lightening fast, but bone lazy. Absolute sofa hogger, best cuddles ever, almost no dog smell and food (and bin!) obsessed. Definitely not safe around small furries.

I’m watching him snooze now, it’s been 4 hours since he got up and apart from a walk and then breakfast he’s been napping for almost 3 of them 🤣

Had my rescue greyhound for 8 years now (he's nearly 10 - retired very early from racing because he was rubbish!). I chose a greyhound because they are so gentle and loving. He's very popular with everyone we meet on walks as he is very calm but loves a fuss.

He's the perfect dog for us because he's great with DD and happy to slob about of the sofa while I work. It's so lovely to watch him run too!

I'd say the pros of greys are:
Peaceful and gentle
Need surprisingly little exercise, although love a run and happy with long walks too!
Both endearingly dim and surprisingly smart when he wants to be!
They are generally very healthy dogs. The main issues are bone cancer and clumsiness-induced injuries (see Cons!).

Cons:
They have VERY thin skin and can easily cut themselves very deeply. Ours has had to have surgery once on a deep gash that nicked a vein and stitches under general anaesthetic another time. Both cost about £800 each. (Edit to add that I regularly (probably every couple of months) have to bandage up a more minor cut from walking into something sharp or cutting his leg on brambles when out).
He is very reactive to fireworks
He will absolutely chase cats and small fluffy animals (luckily not small dogs, but we once went to a greyhound event where another greyhound bit a small fluffy dog).
He doesn't really "play" like a normal dog. Like he won't chase balls or fetch sticks, but he LOVES to play chase with other dogs. He can annoy other dogs who don't like to play in the same way.

Absolutely love this dog and I'd have another if I had the space. :)

DD got a rescue lurcher a few years ago. She was his 4th attempt at finding a home. He is WONDERFUL and we all love him. When he first arrived his separation anxiety was off the scale (not surprising). You couldn't even go to the loo without him howling outside the door. Now, he doesn't move off the sofa even. He's perfect on the lead, never pulls. Just trots alongside, head up, scanning the horizon. Off lead, he still likes to be close and will stop and wait for you to catch up. As long as you have his ball in your hand, he'll stay close. However, if a hare or rabbit, or even small deer catch his eye, everything is forgotten and off he zooms, flat out. But he does always come back, looking panicky about losing you.

He completely blanks other dogs to the point of turning his head away. But if they come bowling up to him, he will growl and snap.

He's a Wheaten terrier, Greyhound cross.

My whippet is the gentlest, laziest fog on earth. He lives kids more than any other humans. He doesn't bark, he doesn't need loads of walks, a secure dog field would be perfect. He's not overly affectionate and if he has had enough cuddles he will just walk off!

My Whippet has beautiful recall and will turn back to me on a sixpence , a dream in the house BUT like others have said has the sighthound idea of play with other dogs . Runs into dogs on purpose , lots of face snapping and would do it for ever . I wouldn't have another ..

The paper shredding thing meant that DD1 legitimately got to use the excuse "the dog ate my homework"

Mine is from NGR. They are kept in fister homes, so they really try to match you to the dog, and they are always on hand, even years later. He's my first ( and probably only) dog so I don't know about ither rescues but they have been great.

I have recently lost our greyhound who we had from rescue for eleven years. He had never been in a house when he came to us but adapted brilliantly. I have had rescue dogs all my adult life and he was the easiest. He was good on and off the lead, had great recall (which I think may be unusual), was laid back with other dogs and was very chilled at home.
His faults were that he was a food thief (and huge so could reach to the back of counters) and he would chase small animals. He also had terrible teeth, despite regular dentals etc. Apart from that he was very healthy and was still bounding around in his last week.
I have also been very lucky with some wonderful lurchers, including 3 Saluki crosses who sometimes get bad press. They have all been intelligent, loyal and easy to train (but were collie/GSD crosses, which probably helped). One is asleep at my feet as I write this. He is a lovely dog, always eager for a walk but good as gold in the house. We also had a legendary staffie lurcher who was bouncy but the most fabulous family dog ever. She was well known in our area and adored, especially by children.
Good luck with your search. I hope you find the dog that’s right for you. It is lovely that you are giving a dog a new future.

@DoNotScrapeMyDataBishes
One of our dogs ate my DD’s homework book when she was little. She used to pride herself on her tidy work so I was devastated when I discovered it. I took the tiny pieces of book to the primary school to break the news to her and her teacher. Luckily, they thought it was hysterical!

Ds1 and his wife have a whippet they had from a puppy, and a rescue greyhound, and they are both lovely dogs.

The rescue greyhound needs to be on the lead most of the time, although they do occasionally let him off. He is a lovely, soft dog, who is happiest asleep on the sofa. They have a two year old, and he seems very relaxed around her, though of course they are very vigilant all the time, and don't let her grab him.

He is a terrible food thief - and he is so tall, he can reach food from the back of the work top and the top of the fridge freezer. Ddil has still not forgiven him for stealing the sandwich that was the only thing she fancied eating when she had morning sickness! His farts can clear a room.

He doesn't like being cold at night, so they tuck him up under a blanket - and he then shrugs it off in the middle of the night and whinges until they cover him up again (he has them well trained - lol). They did try fleecy pyjamas for him at night, but he took them off and then whinged - the git.

On balance, I'd say he is a wonderful pet - he can be a bit of a git, but he has a lovely, calm nature and is a very cuddly, loving dog - though it is like cuddling a bag of spanners because he is all sharp corners and muscle.

We have three. Not going to add any more as everyone else has said everything.

Lol @ the blanket thing. Mine will stare at you until someone clears the sofa and lays his favourite blanket out for him to sleep on, then you have to tuck it round him! I often remind him he would be sleeping in a kennels if it wasnt for me, but he ignores me and pushes me off the sofa!

I’ve had 2 hounds (one a Saluki x greyhound from ELGR). Currently have a whippet puppy.

Pros- Bond really well with their people.
Sleepy giants, great with children. We had cats and they ignored them and even neighbours cats when they appeared in the garden. Although I removed them quickly just in case!
Beautiful, elegant on the lead.

Cons- recall can be hit and miss regardless of the work you put in. Be prepared to only have them on a lead when out and about.
They love to play and are fast and boisterous. Other dogs might not like it. I’m pretty sure that’s why I ended up with 2- they loved to play together- other dogs weren’t as much fun!
They are addictive!

First aid- I have a bandage, lotions and potions supply for cuts etc.

Catlike- they can quite happily lazy around ignoring you all day long. They don’t all need to follow you around, want cuddles etc. but a greyhound lean is very special.

I think Whippet boy will be my last puppy. My plan is to get elderly greyhounds in my dotage!

Greyhounds are lovely, just not very dog-like dogs! They're more like cats that are the size of a small donkey. My sister had a rescue till he died a year ago, and another family member had one as well. Happy with short walks and mostly sleeping on the sofa, ideally need a secure large space for occasional off-lead zoomies.

My sister's greyhound considered all other dogs smaller than him were pointless and to be ignored, and larger than him were a bit intimidating. He only really liked other sighthounds, and would really enjoy zooming around with another lurcher or greyhound if he got the chance. They're brought up as puppies and young dogs only ever seeing other greyhounds so makes sense that they gel best with them.

He was a stubborn sod and if he didn't want to walk would just freeze in place. Didn't like the rain, even when wearing a coat. Had some gastritis type issues and was fairly fussy with his food. Loved killing squeaky soft toys. But was a sweetheart and when roaching on the sofa and snoring was adorable.

I was told sighthounds seek out and love other sighthounds! True ime. We have a saluki cross but she's not as affectionate as the 2 Lurchers.. Tall ones =bench robbers...

I've got a rescue lurcher, we think she is possibly Bedlington x whippet with possibly some deerhound in her. She is rather scruffy but oh she is just such a gorgeous soul, so gentle and sweet. I fell in love with her in 5 seconds flat. Incidently I also have a spaniel and I'd say they are quite different.

She loves people in a different way to my spaniel, who will lose his shit with excitement anytime anyone enters the house. She is much calmer, but still pleased to see people and will follow us around like a little shadow.

She needs far less walking, we go out for an hour twice a day because its what the spaniel needs but when I get the lead out the second time she looks at me as if to say 'must i'. She's much happier conked out on the sofa under a blanket. She can be reactive with other dogs though, so she stays on the lead. It seems to be certain breeds and colours of dog e.g black labs so we have to be very mindful when we are out. She is a dream on the lead though, unlike my spaniel who we have never managed to train out the pulling. She is just happy to trot along next to me.

SHE IS SO GREEDY!! My spaniel is not food orientated AT ALL so I was unprepared for how much of a devious thieving beast she is around food. We have to shut her out at mealtimes because she's tall enough to reach the table with her nose and pinch things. She's (extremely gently) pinched food out of my 3 year olds hands before and I've caught her taking biscuits from our cupboards.

But all in all she's slotted into our family amazingly and I think she's the most wonderful creature.

Greyhound yes, whippet no

No one seems to have mentioned the title of the thread is wrong. Whippets these days are generally bred as pets, lurchers can come from accidental matings or the desire for hunting dogs and as crossbreeds can vary considerably in temperament. As such any dogs that end up in rescue could be subject to behavioural problems.
Greyhounds though are retired , they have been bred for a specific purpose which they no longer can do due to age or injury, similar to assistance or service dogs.
I say this because greyhounds tend to be reared to the same standard they are reared through puppyhood with their litter mates as saplings until 10 mths or so until they start training.They are well socialised and treated and fed well because the breeders want the best prices. So greyhounds as pets although they have their own particular idiosyncrasies because they have the similar upbringing and the same breed characteristics you know what you are going to get. They are gentle,non aggressive love routine, used to long periods alone in the kennels, so they are used to sleeping alone for example.