Train Tracks

[Guest greynewb]

I am thinking about getting a greyhound. I also have train tracks that are literally 200 feet behind my house. I was wondering if there was anybody else here that lives close to train tracks that could tell me about their experience with how their grey reacts.

[DocsDoctor]

Hi, I live next door-but-one to one of the main railway lines into London! The trains run on an embankment and over a viaduct across our road. The road's a busy one too, though inside the house is nice and quiet thanks to efficient glazing.

 

You can see trains from my back garden, but Doc has never taken the least bit of interest in them. (The squirrels and the foxes who live along the embankment are a different matter though, so we have a six-foot fence around the garden!) I'd thought when I adopted him that he might find walking on the pavement under the viaduct a bit alarming at first, because of the rumbly train-noises, but actually he never turned a hair.

 

That said he is, and always has been, a big happy confident dog. A more nervous individual might have reacted differently - I've certainly heard of greyhounds being spooked by train noises, but also of them being successfully desensitised with reward-based training.

 

The other possible concern I suppose might be that a greyhound would see a train as something to chase. I rather doubt it, though - I've certainly read of dogs who are desperate to chase cars and trucks and buses, but they usually seem to be herding breeds like collies. No way could these be taken for a living target though, which is what seems to kick off a sighthound's prey drive. There are some inanimate things that set Doc's off - radio-controlled toy cars, carrier bags blowing in the gutter - but again because of their size and random movements he clearly thinks they are alive!

 

Edited for grammar and to add that again, if a greyhound did want to chase trains this could again be addressed through training.

Edited February 5, 2010 by DocsDoctor

[Guest greynewb]

Thanks for the reply. I hope that the dog that I end up bringing home is confident. One thing that I forgot to mention about the trains is that we also live at the train crossing where the horn is blown so that will be my main concern. I also live in a house that has no air conditioning so I will have to leave the windows open . Which will make the trains that much louder. I am also thinking that having the windows open will be a bad idea considering the nature of a sight hound.

[GeorgeofNE]

I live about 200 yards from train tracks myself!

 

It totally depends on the specific hound; you really cannot generalize how all hounds (or dogs or horses or children or anything else!) will react to something like a train.

 

I was prepared, and the first time were outside and the train started coming, I gave George a treat when the whistle blew, as it got closer, and as it whizzed past us. I did this consistently and now when he hears the train whistle, he wants a treat!

 

It doesn't bother him at all, and may well never have--now I have a dog who associates the train with cookies, and he couldn't be happier that we live right next to the tracks.

 

FYI, amusing note: I knew there were tracks in the general area--but it was just dumb luck the train never went by when I was looking at the condo, and the realtor didn't mention it, and the big wooden fence totally hides them! You can imagine my surprise my first night in my new home when the first train went by!

[Guest 2greygirls]

I live in the city, I ah one hound, Marble who was terrified of trains..we used to enjoy this one park until she saw a train, I'm not even sure she heard it, after that we couldn't go there..she hated thunder, hated overpasses, got all twitchy around high tension wires, I always assumed she was way more sensitive to some frequencies than other hounds..her sister, Leda, couldn't care less about any of those things...I think it really depends on the dog.

As far as chases cars and buses..Stretch would if he could attack all noisy vehicles.

[JAJ2010]

Well the only train experience we've had was walking Rainy next to the train tracks when a train came zipping by. Afterwards she just looked at me like "what the heck was that?" and went sniffing on her way... As long as your grey isn't playing ON the tracks I can't seem to think it would matter. Get a confident one and they will get used to the trains quickly.

 

Now if a train came whizzing by Sunshine her world would end!

[MaryJane]

The vibration that comes from a train will be very much like the vibration that the dogs feel when the "rabbit" is sent around the track and they are waiting in their boxes. They usually hear it right before the doors fly open and they are expected to run. With this in mind, your dog may start pacing or even pulling against a leash (or maybe not react at all).

 

Get the schedule for the train and if necessary, just be prepared to distract your dog the first few times the train goes by ...

[DocsDoctor]

Thanks for the reply. I hope that the dog that I end up bringing home is confident. One thing that I forgot to mention about the trains is that we also live at the train crossing where the horn is blown so that will be my main concern. I also live in a house that has no air conditioning so I will have to leave the windows open . Which will make the trains that much louder. I am also thinking that having the windows open will be a bad idea considering the nature of a sight hound.

 

Others have given already good advice on how to desensitise your dog to the train horns, should the need arise. I just wanted to add that I wouldn't worry too much about having to leave windows open, at least so long as there's no danger of the dog being able to jump out of them - a risk with any breed, not just sight hounds! What I'd suggest is that you talk through all these concerns with the greyhound group you pick, as that'll actually help them pick the dog that is the best fit for your home. They should also come out to do a home check - the person who did mine lived locally and had lots of helpful suggestions for 'dog-proofing' the house and also information about the best local vets, walk, etc.

 

Oh, and I was also going to say that Doc also quite often travels on trains with me, as I don't have a car! The first time we did this we picked a quiet time of day, took lots of treats, and just travelled one stop to a park for a nice walk before coming home again. He was a little apprehensive about the movement of the train to begin with but has now become a very seasoned traveller who also tackles buses, trams, ferries and the London Underground without any qualms!

[Finnsliz]

Great solution for you.... Get a hound that raced at Wonderland in Revere MA. They heard the train running directly behind the track every nite of racing!