Greyhound, Whippet Or Ig? Need Advice.

[Guest maybeagrey]

Im not a huge marathon runner or anything LOL. I typically only jog 2 miles, twice a week as a "recovery run" from my hard core exercising, which isnt running based ;-) A "hard run" for me, is still a short run, just at a higher speed.

 

Can a greyhound do a slow 2 miles at least?? Just how much of a couch potato are these guys??! hehehe....

 

No big deal either way. They'll get lots of walks.

 

Whats the furthest an average greyhound will hike before they plop down and refuse to move??

Edited April 26, 2007 by maybeagrey

[Guest jsk4x]

We do 1-2 miles on our morning walk every morning. But it's a slow walk with lots of sniffing. Also, our grey had a very long career and is wonderful with the cats. I think a slow two miles twice a week is very doable. Maybe not right away. You also should be prepared that your dog (of any breed) will want to investigate interesting bits of trash along the way.

[lothianjavert]

Two miles is definitely doable! I used to regularly run 3 with mine! My old gal is almost 13, so that doesn't happen anymore, though we do walks now, usually just a mile or two at a time, but still at a good clip, I'm just not much of one that strolls. So, when I walk, the dogs trot.

 

Most of the dogs I fostered were cat safe-- so they are out there! I know at least one of them for sure lives with a cat. And the cat bosses the dog around.

 

My boy Sully isn't, but since my husband is very allergic to cats, that was not an issue for us adopting. We were looking for a sweet, easygoing dog to get along with our bossy mixed breed. We chose a group that fostered, and would let us bring Sebau to meet any dogs we were interested in, so we could have an idea how they would get along. We discussed color, and then decided that we'd just take the best match. We adopted a gorgeous blue brindle boy, Sully, who settled in with amazing speed. He's smart, sweet, affectionate (he's a 75 pound lap dog ), funny... he's perfect! I don't think he's ever met a person that he didn't like! (he's pretty sure ALL people were put on this earth with the sole purpose of petting him and giving him treats ) He's a confident, outgoing dog, so not much phased him (or phases him, he just rolls along with it, I take him with me when I vend,and he LOVES to travel, meet new people, etc.).

 

My second is a much more timid, shy dog, who was a foster that we kept. He is another big male, 85 pounds, but is the sweetest most loving boy. He's come so far in the past two years it's amazing.

 

I love the big boys, but there are awesome girls out there too. Personalities in greyhounds vary from greys like Sully who are brimming with energy and are incredibly people-centered (he can NEVER get enough attention!), to couch potatoes, to shy to goofy, to aloof and everything in between!! Meet some dogs and ask about their personalities!

 

Read through some of the groups' websites. Talk to someone. THEN choose a group and fill out an application. I would recommend filling out only one application, as groups do invest a LOT of time into going over applications, talking to people, and those volunteer hours are hard to come by, so be respectful of them. Do your research and pick which group you think meets your needs best, i.e. fostering, etc.

[greypuppyluv]

I see you've already received quite a few responses, but I'll add what I wrote on Whippettalk in case anyone else is interested in the comparisons:

 

Hi and welcome to Whippettalk!

 

I'm also from California....Orange County to be exact. I've had both greyhounds and whippets and we've fostered one IG. I volunteer for The Greyhound Adoption Center in San Diego. My DH and I live in a condo with our greyhound, our whippet, and our chihuahua-mix.

 

My experience with the IG is pretty limited. He was 8 months old, neutered, and came from a pet store (a friend's daughter got him out since she felt sorry for him, but then couldn't keep him). He never housebroke in the 2 weeks we had him. He spent every waking moment trying to hump our Cocker-mix (except when he was crated). A whippet breeder friend used to breed IG's and said she stopped because they were so prone to breaking their legs. He was a smart little dog and would have been great if he had been an only dog (and we could get him house trained).

 

Our first whippet was cat-friendly, but our second is not. I don't know if the case would have been different for Zuma had we gotten her as a puppy (both were rescues). Both have also been poop-eaters but since we don't have a dog door, I just went out with them each time they pottied and scolded them whenever they tried to eat it. Once the first whippet gained weight, he stopped trying to eat poop. If we had a dog door, I think Zuma would probably still try to eat it .

 

If you want a whippet from rescue, there are only 2 rescues around the So Cal area.....WRAP and AllBreed Rescue. I don't know if WRAP tests for cat-friendliness (it probably depends on if the foster home has cats), but I know AllBreed does not test with cats (AllBreed is where we adopted Zuma from). If you want a puppy from a breeder, you may have a better chance at training the dog to not chase the cat, although it's never a guarantee. AllBreed doesn't usually have very many whippets in rescue, so you generally need to put an application in and when a whippet comes in that might work in your home, they would give you a call.

 

We crated Zuma for the first 6 months we had her since I knew she would be destructive in the house if I left her uncrated when I went to work. I joke with people that there's an invisible umbilical cord between us since she never wants to be very far from me. Our first whippet did not have SA, but I have heard it can be a problem in some whippets.

 

As far as greyhounds with cats, GAC places lots of greyhounds in cat households with no problem. The number one thing I tell people is to NOT let the greyhound ever chase or play with the cat. A greyhound can injure a cat even if it doesn't mean to. GAC cat tests the greyhounds in the kennel several times to get as accurate a reading as possible. Darren Rigg, GAC's main profiler, has handled greyhounds for 20-25 years and knows them pretty well. Having the electronic dog door is a good thing if you plan on having a greyhound and a cat together. The greyhound will get to know the cat inside the house, but it can be a different story once the greyhound and the cat are outside. You will have an easier time of it if the cat stays inside (plus, it's usually safer for the cat anyway).

 

If you want a greyhound puppy so that it doesn't chase the cat, that's not always a guarantee either. I have a friend who raised a pair of greyhound puppies, brother and sister......the brother was cat-friendly, but the sister.....well, my friend wasn't so sure. They lived with cats, but my friend was always on alert with the female, especially in the yard. And, greyhound puppies are HORRIBLE BEASTIES!! Some people have a fairly easy time with them, but for the most part, they keep their puppy brains for a couple of years. We adopted Phaelin as a 6 month old puppy and he was very good. The only chewing he did as a puppy was on the door frame of our front door. But, I have friends who have adopted puppies and even though they love them, they won't be doing it again any time soon.

 

I have known some greyhounds who enjoy jogging, but from what I've seen, most are not that keen on it. I would think a whippet would be a better choice if you plan on jogging with the dog.

 

My feeling on fence height for greyhounds is that 5-6 feet is the best. I've known some people with 4 foot fences, but that would make me uncomfortable. Our 6 foot fence has been fine for both our greyhounds and our whippets.....but we also don't have a dog door, so they are not unsupervised in the yard.

 

I love both greyhounds and whippets and will always have at least one of each. My greyhound friends don't understand why I love Zuma so much since she's much more active than most greyhounds, but she's got a BIG personality that is very entertaining. I think my whippet friends think greyhounds are a little on the big side, but some have actually thought about also adopting a greyhound to go with their whippets. Whatever you choose, you will be getting a wonderful breed that you won't know how you ever lived without.

 

[Guest KennelMom]

Im not a huge marathon runner or anything LOL. I typically only jog 2 miles, twice a week as a "recovery run" from my hard core exercising, which isnt running based ;-) A "hard run" for me, is still a short run, just at a higher speed.

 

Can a greyhound do a slow 2 miles at least?? Just how much of a couch potato are these guys??! hehehe....

 

No big deal either way. They'll get lots of walks.

 

Whats the furthest an average greyhound will hike before they plop down and refuse to move??

 

We walk at least two miles virtually every day (weather and schedule permitting). It's not a jog, but it's definitely a *very* brisk walk. Sometimes I get a wild hair a jog a bit until my legs and ankles remind me that they aren't keen on jogging Most of our dogs can quite easily do two miles at a brisk walking pace. Only our seniors and our part greyhound/part sloth hound won't/can't do the two miles. I'm sure a couple of our pups could easily handle a 2 mile jog if only my body would

[DianeFG]

Here is the email we send out to people inquiring about adopting:

 

Thank you for your interest in Italian Greyhounds! I work with Mary Frankio for IG Rescue, she's the Rescue Rep. We often have dogs, all ages, all temperaments. Sometimes we can move dogs around if the right home comes up in another area. It depends on the dog.

 

Some questions for you to think about in making the decision about adding an IG to your family:

 

Are you aware of the difficulty in house training them (the #1 reason they get turned in to

rescue)? Getting a new Italian Greyhound (or any toy breed) into your family may mean that it is tethered to your waist for two weeks while it is out of its crate to ensure good potty habits. IGs can very successfully be litter box trained as well as pee pad trained, so that in the winter and they can be trained both to go outside and to use the indoor facilities. If you don't like the idea of pads or litter boxes in your home, again reconsider this breed. Also, if you work, then having a dog walker come to your home during the day would be a great idea

 

They are sigh thounds and can not be let off lead outdoors, don't ever think your dog would be the exception to the rule, many people have lost their pet this way. Sight hounds can see up to a 1/2 mile away and if there is something as small as a piece of paper blowing across the street, it will catch their attention and they very well may go after it without caution. Sight hounds generally don't have good recall, you may get fooled into thinking that in the house your dog comes every time you call that you can trust them off leash, well, I would bet my house if you let them off leash and try to call them back you will be met with "Do I know you?" as they trott off. Think of it as letting a 2 year old child run free next to a highway. Would you do that?. Can you live with that?

 

IG's think they can fly! Legs are fragile and breaks are not uncommon. This may mean a vet bill of $1500 or more. Is that something you could manage? Also you need to have a vet who is sight hound savvy.

 

How busy are you, really? IG's love to travel with you, but the truth is that they cannot stay out in a cold car in winter, even when coated, for very long. They tend to need a lot of personal contact (preferably under your covers) and couch time! Will you be there for him? Do you work long hours (or even an 8 hour day without coming home)? Would you expect yourself to hold your urine for that long? Do you go away on vacation? IG's can not be in an unheated kennel. Who would take care of the dog? Is this really the right time in your life to adopt a dog? They are lap dogs, they NEED to be with their person. If you don't want a dog that's going to be on you every given chance, then this breed is not for you. I personally love the fact that they are so willing to love you unabashed. My two prefer to sleep in the bed, under the covers with me, which may very well be the case with your iggy. Would you mind that?

 

Are you in a stable relationship? Does your partner want a dog as much as you do? If you separate, where will the dog go? If you are in an apartment which allows pets, what are the chances of your finding another one if you have to leave it?

 

Do you have small children or are you planning to have children (or grandchildren) in the future? Each placement will need to be evaluated individually, but as a general rule, a household with little kids is not the ideal place for an IG. Kids leave outside doors open; kids play rough; children trip over their own feet as well as over the long, spindly legs of

the Italian greyhound; some kids are frightened by the bouncy exuberance that is

an integral part of this breed's nature. Sadly, we frequently find that the adopted IG will bond with the adults in the family, leaving children with hurt feelings because they don't understand why the dog "doesn't like" them.

 

They are quite sensitive little creatures and you can't yell at them, they do not respond well to that type of correcting. Any behavior that needs to be changed can be done so with gentle correcting and the response you'll receive from them will be much more satisfying.

 

Another important thing to know is IGs more often than not are barkers. When someone shows up at my house my two iggies sound the alarm. There is no sneaking someone in my house without their knowledge. Are there IGs that don't bark? Sure. But the majority do. Know that. If you live someplace where that would be an issue, this is not the breed for you.

 

Do know they can have bad teeth, it seems to be an issue for most iggies, you would need to plan again on having an IG savy vet and having a yearly dental as well as caring for the teeth at home.

 

There is a lot of information on the IG web site and the companion links. I would encourage you to look at it very carefully and visit Italian Greyhounds if you have not done so already before proceeding with adoption plans. This decision will affect you and your family and this little creature entrusted to your care for the next 10-15 years. Please make sure it is the right one for both you and the IG!

 

If, after reading this email you are still interested in adopting, please go to www.italiangreyhound.org, ; the rescue section, and fill out an application, mail it to Mary Frankio, 143 Fullerton Avenue, Whitman, MA 02382. Please contact me after you mail it to Mary and I'll give you her telephone number at that point for you to follow up. We do recommend you call Mary weekly so she knows you are still interested while she finds the right IG for your home. Sometimes we will already have the perfect IG for you or you may have to wait several weeks/months. We try very hard to match the right dog to the right person so that both will be happy!

 

We do home visits and vet reference checks for the safety of the IG. This needs to be done before we can search for a dog for you. We do not screen apps for a particular dog only. Once you have an approved app we can talk with you about a certain dog or dogs.

 

 

[kjw]

I don't know if anyone suggested this as I did not read the entire thread, but there's quite a few small girlie greys, and even some boys, who are around the 50lb mark, which is really large whippet size. If you requested a pupper this size from your group, this could help eliminate the whole large dog/rental home problem. I know 2 girlies down the street that are literally half the size of my biggest boy, and just adorable.

 

There's really nothing like a greyhound

Edited May 8, 2007 by kjw

[Guest maybeagrey]

We ended up with a beautiful 55lb girl!

 

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showtopic=168118

[JenniferS]

I haven't read all the replies either, but I know some people who have made up "resumes" for their dog while looking for apartments. Pointing out all their good features, despite their size, with testimonials from previous neighbors, etc about what good citizens they are. One thing worth noting is most greys are not barkers (my boy Quiet Man is, but that's another story)

Another thing to remember is adopting a dog should be for life, regardless of circumstance, barring things out of your control such as illness etc. I am one who personally does not see moving, divorce, having a baby, etc. as valid reasons to give up a dog. I actually quit my job which involved traveling after my divorce so I could be home to take care of my grey. Some might say that is extreme, but that is my committment to him, to be his "forever home"

Btw, I wouldn't go with anything lower than a 5 foot fence.

Good luck, and I commend you for doing your research.