Recall

[Guest kar]

What does eveyone think of a 50 foot leash. Someone suggested that I use this on the trails that I walk - this would allow me to let the dog out farther from me and also have some control. the person that suggested this had her grey loose on the trails - has anyone tried this. Wish I knew of a good trainer in the fairfield ct area.

[Sambuca]

I think 50 ft. is WAY too long. I have used a 20 ft. leash with a harness (NEVER a collar) for us to be able to play in brooks and ponds and such. That way we can both go in the water without making the other go in. I never walked trails and stuff with a long lead, because he is so good on leash I don't feel we need it. Plus, with a long leash it's easier for the dog to wrap around trees and such and that would get aggravating. If you use a long leash with a collar, and the dog takes off at a decent speed, it can really hurt the dog.

[Guest Scouts_mom]

I think you are asking for a broken neck! And for you, a damaged shoulder. Think about it. Greys have an instinct to run if they get scared. In 50 feet your dog will be going full speed, then it will hit the end of the rope with all of his weight going 45 miles an hour. If you are lucky, the rope will break or you will let go of it. Then you get the joy of trying to find your lost dog, knowing that he is going to get tangled in that rope or get it snagged on something. If you are not lucky you will have a dead dog.

And don't say that your dog will not run, any grey will run given the right circumstances. Teach your dog to walk nicely on a leash and then enjoy your walks.

Edited July 27, 2010 by Scouts_mom

[cleptogrey]

there is a fantastic trainer in greenwich ct.- not that far from you who i have worked with for many, many years(18 years now that i think about it). her name is mary elizabeth simpson, rienwood corgi. she has worked with felix since he was 4 months old and has fantastic dog sense and is a great person. her bio can be found at portchester obedience club and white plain school of animal training. m.e. does privates as well and speaks not only dog but horse.i would contact her about some training.do a google search, and find her and check out her bio. mary elizabeth is deaf, so i always email her even though she has her phone hooked up w/ accomodations. she responds really quickly. simicorgi@aol.com is her email, tell her andrea and felix have sent you! you will really learn a lot and have fun , check out her training moto.

 

i have tried using a 20ft leash, way to long.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

You cannot "train out" thousands of years of instinct (prey drive), plain and simple. Off-leash greyhounds in a rural setting is just as dangerous as in an urban setting.

 

 

Chad

[cleptogrey]

i agree that you can not train out instinct, but one can work on recalls, it's much deeper than just calling them and they come. a relationship needs to be established and that can take a while. the trainer in ct. that i mentioned works on targeting and focusing first, then other things start to fall into place including a recall, which can be tentitive at times, but worth while teaching.it can save their life. last night in obedience training we worked on recalls, we did multiple dog recalls which were fun, keeping them directed and focused on you not the other loose dog.we did parallel recalls in different directions and as usual i nearly got knocked over when my boy felix came bounding in. practice make perfect for most dogs, sight hounds.....that's another story.

[Guest BooBooMama]

I agree- NOT a good walking leash. Those 50 ft leashes are for when you are in a fenced-in area and are trying to teach recall. You are supposed to call the dog then reel them in so they understand what you want them to do. But if they are out for a walk and following scents, etc. you are taking a big risk for entanglements, etc.

[Guest Bang_o_rama]

Bang startles when a plastic bag blows in the wind. She FREAKS when a firecracker goes off. She stops when she reaches the end of our six-foot leash; not brought up short by it...she actually stops. However, I have no idea what would happen with a very long lead or with no lead and have no intention of finding out. Severe lacerations or a broken neck seem within the realm of possibility. Any actual cases to relate, anyone?

~D~

Edited July 27, 2010 by Bang_o_rama

[Guest Jubilee251]

What would happen if a rabbit ran in front of her and she darted off? A 50 foot lead gives her plenty of room to get up to top speed and break her neck when she reaches the end of it.

[Guest kar]

I do walk my dogs regularly on walks, we go on hikes all of the time. What interested me in the 50 foot leash was the fact that on my last hike I encountered a woman who had owned a grey and walked her on trails off leash all of the time - she said she taught this with a 50 foot leash. I also came across another grey off leash. The people stated they have always walked him on trails off leash no problem. So I began to question what I had been told. I thought to myself after all they are yes a greyhound but also a dog. If other dogs can be taught recall - why not them? Maybe I am wrong but are these two greys the exception to the rule. I also used to speak to a man from england with greys on another forum and he walked all of of his greys offleash all of the time (in the country not city). SO is everyone of the opinion that a good recall with a grey is impossible?

[Guest kar]

I have a six foot bungi leash. If I did want longer how long is suggested? I also always walk with a margtingale harness - never a collar.

Edited July 27, 2010 by kar

[Guest kar]

there is a fantastic trainer in greenwich ct.- not that far from you who i have worked with for many, many years(18 years now that i think about it). her name is mary elizabeth simpson, rienwood corgi. she has worked with felix since he was 4 months old and has fantastic dog sense and is a great person. her bio can be found at portchester obedience club and white plain school of animal training. m.e. does privates as well and speaks not only dog but horse.i would contact her about some training.do a google search, and find her and check out her bio. mary elizabeth is deaf, so i always email her even though she has her phone hooked up w/ accomodations. she responds really quickly. simicorgi@aol.com is her email, tell her andrea and felix have sent you! you will really learn a lot and have fun , check out her training moto.

 

i have tried using a 20ft leash, way to long.

 

tried to email her - it came back. do you have another email address?

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

Let me further explain my comment above. I do think that recall is one of the most important things to train with your greyhound. It is something that needs to be reinforced on a daily basis. I recall train with a sports whistle. Reason being that it is a relatively unique sound (as long as you don't live by a football/soccer field) and can be heard over long distances with wind and other noises. That said, I do not believe that it is responsible to have your greyhound off-leash in an unsecured area with one exception - lure coursing. Let me post something, please excuse the length, but please read in its entirety. This specifically addresses a hound in an urban/suburban setting, but replace the neighbor's dog with a squirrel:

 

TRUST ~ A DEADLY DISEASE

 

There is a deadly disease stalking your dog; a hideous, stealthy thing just waiting its chance to steal your beloved friend. It is not a new disease, or one for which there are inoculations. The disease is called TRUST.

 

You knew before you ever took your puppy home that it could not be trusted. The breeder who provided you with this precious animal warned you, drummed it into your head. Puppies steal off counters, destroy anything expensive, chase cats, take forever to house train, and must never be allowed off lead!

 

When the big day finally arrived, heeding the sage advice of the breeder, you escorted your puppy to his new home, properly collared and tagged, the lead held tightly in your hand.

 

At home, the house was "puppy-proofed". Everything of value was stored in the spare bedroom, garbage stowed on top of the refrigerator, cats separated, and a gate placed across the door of the living room to keep at least part of the house puddle free. All windows and doors had been properly secured, and signs placed in all strategic points reminding all to "CLOSE THE DOOR!"

 

Soon it becomes second nature to make sure the door closes .9 of a second after it was opened and that it really latched. "DON'T LET THE DOG OUT" is your second most verbalized expression. (The first is "NO!") You worry and fuss constantly, terrified that your darling will get out and a disaster will surely follow. Your friends comment about who you love most, your family or the dog. You know that to relax your vigil for a moment might lose him to you forever.

 

And so the weeks and months pass, with your puppy becoming more civilized every day, and the seeds of trust are planted. It seems that each new day brings less destruction, less breakage. Almost before your know it your gangly, slurpy puppy has turned into an elegant, dignified friend.

 

Now that he is a more reliable, sedate companion, you take him more places. No longer does he chew the steering wheel when left in the car. And darned if that cake wasn't still on the counter this morning. And, oh yes, wasn't that the cat he was sleeping with so cozily on your pillow last night?

 

At this point you are beginning to become infected. The disease is spreading its roots deep into your mind. And then one of your friends suggests obedience. You shake your head and remind her that your dog might run away if allowed off lead, but you are reassured when she promises the events are held in a fenced area. And, wonder of wonders, he did not run away, but came every time you called him!

 

All winter long you go to weekly obedience classes. And, after a time, you even let him run loose from the car to the house when you get home. Why not, he always runs straight to the door, dancing in a frenzy of joy and waits to be let in. And, remember he comes every time he is called. You know he is the exception that proves the rule. (And sometimes late at night, you even let him slip out the front door to go potty and then right back in.)

 

At this point, the disease has taken hold, waiting only for the right time and place to rear its ugly head.

 

Years pass -- it is hard to remember why you ever worried so much when he was a puppy. He would never think of running out of the door left open while you bring in packages from the car. It would be beneath his dignity to jump out of the window of the car while you run into the convenience store. And when you take him for those wonderful long walks at dawn, it only takes one whistle to send him racing back to you in a burst of speed when the walk comes too close to the highway. (He still gets into the garbage, but nobody is perfect!)

 

This is the time the disease has waited for so patiently. Sometimes it only has to wait a year or two, but often it takes much longer.

 

He spies the neighbor dog across the street, and suddenly forgets everything he ever knew about not slipping outdoors, jumping out windows or coming when called due to traffic. Perhaps it was only a paper fluttering in the breeze, or even just the sheer joy of running -- Stopped in an instant. Stilled forever -- Your heart is as broken as his still beautiful body.

 

The disease is TRUST. It's final outcome -- hit by a car.

 

Every morning my dog, Shah, bounced around off lead exploring. Every morning for seven years he came back when he was called. He was perfectly obedient, perfectly trustworthy. He died fourteen hours after being hit by a car. Please do not risk your friend and your heart. Save the trust for things that do not matter.

 

- by Sharon Mathers

 

Now you may say, well in the woods my hound cannot get run over by a car, this is true, but your greyhound is a "sight" hound, not "scent" hound. That means out of sight, out of mind. Your hound will be bounding through the woods not able to see you or smell his/her way back to you, then what? Its just not a responsible thing to do. In fact, should I come across anyone walking their greyhounds off-leash, I would not hesitate to let them know they are putting their hounds life in jeapordy for what? A few minutes of romping around the woods, just not worth it.

Edited July 27, 2010 by Greyt_dog_lover

[JohnF]

You just have to be aware of what you're doing. I'm using a 26ft extendable leash again at present while my dog recovers from an injury but ONLY in a safely fenced park area or along fenced trails. If walking on the road or on the moors she is always on a 6ft leash because a long one can be so easily ripped from your hand and/or injure you or the dog. Her recall is never going to be totally reliable and ranges from coming back to me to stopping still while I walk up to get her. You can tell if they're going to be good at recall if they get worried when you hide from them. Have them run between two people with treats about 100yds apart if you can. All dogs are totally different and some are just not going to be any good at recall.

[cleptogrey]

opps.....

 

simcorgi@aol.com

 

her name is mary elizabeth simpson, tell her felix and andrea sent you

 

as to using a "long line" for training" it worked well for one of my salukis. i stood still, called the dog, someone behind me reeled him in, then the light bulb went on...."oh, that's what you do!" but that was in a class many many moons(early 70s) ago with another experinced trainer.

Edited July 27, 2010 by cleptogrey

[Batmom]

For general walking, I sometimes take along a 10' leash ... and almost always use the 4' or 6' instead. Reason being, it's a pain in the rear with a dog that can take off as fast as a greyhound or whippet. To prevent whiplash or worse, you don't want there to be a lot of slack in the leash, ever, so you have to keep aware of where the dog is, pay out some leash if they wander off the side of the trail, reel it back in as they come back closer to you, etc. Easier to use the shorter leash and wander along with the dog if it's that kind of walkies.

[moofie]

I used a longline in the garden to help with recall but we've not found a large enclosed area with common distractions yet to work on it any further and i tend to be cautious about these things. I live in the UK so do come across a lot of people that do let there greys off and also plenty like myself that feel its probably not safe for their dog, so what works for one might not be suitable for another.

 

My friend who we join for walks in the woods occasionally, lets her greys offlead and has trained one to retrieve a ball to keep him focussed and they are generally very good but they have sometimes just ran off to chase a squirrel and she's just had to follow the sound of the bells on their collars calling them, knowing they'll appear and wander back at some point. She has often tried to persuade me to let my boys off with her dogs, but i don't feel their recall is good enough to have a go in somewhere which isn't fully fenced in and i'd quickly loose sight of them in the trees if they did run off. I do get jealous and some people we've met seem to make you feel like your dogs are missing out, but i know my boys still enjoy walks on the lead and they are safe which is the main thing.

 

I sometimes walk Hector on a 15ft lead in the woods as unlike an open space he'll just stick to the path and happily plod along, he does seem to know he's on lead so hasn't attempted to bolt off after anything so far, but we'd walked a lot in the woods on a normal lead so i had a good idea of his behaviour and knew to take care on the sandy horse tracks which he thinks are racetracks. I started out with it at a normal 6ft length and just gradually extended it, but i do have stay observant so the lead doesn't get tangled and to reel him in if a dog approaches so it is work as Batmom pointed out. I think any longer and i'd end up in a tangle, I guess a flexi lead would be much easier to keep taut, but i don't think they are that easy to reel the dog back in. I clip the end of the lead to a strap across my body with a carabiner so i don't have it wrapped round my wrist/hand and wear leather gloves so i can properly grip the lead if needs be without having to worry about friction burns, one day i might come a cropper.

 

[Guest Longdog]

We are using 5ft leads with Willie and Whizzy but unless we walk quite a way apart they are continually tangling each other up, they get tangled up in bushes etc., there is quite a knack to reeling them in successfully. We have to make sure we have reeled them back to heel as we approach blind corners etc in case there are small dogs, rabbits, squirrels etc, otherwise they try to bolt. It is working for the recall thing but only when there is nothing else to distract them. I am still actively looking to hire/borrow/use a closed in field so we can let them run at full stretch.

[Guest kar]

On second thought a 50 foot lead does sound a bit long to me. Might try a 15 foot on the trails I walk on. Took scotch to the lake today. It was his first time around loose dogs and I muzzled him just in case and he did excellent. I am really proud of him.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

Kar,

Its not a very good idea to muzzle your hound, and none of the other hounds. What happens if a fight breaks out, you are effectively taking away 1/2 of his defense (speed, and teeth). If he is boxed in, then they only thing he can use is his teeth, but with a muzzle on, well that is not possible.

 

Chad

[cleptogrey]

i agree with chad 100%.

 

also if you are having trouble with recalls, then why is scotch running loose? recalls take a while to build up. first they need to come to you in controlled environments, then outside in a controlled enviroment and even when you are walking on not such a long lead. the pup needs to associated his name and looking at you, then comming up to you and you have to be able to hold his collar.

 

slow and easy, take your time in teaching your pup and socializing him. it's easier to go slow than to undo a negative experiences. as to muzzeling your pup, all the other dogs need to be muzzled as well. it's only fair and safer- especially when it's a group of greyhounds.

[Guest LindsaySF]

I agree with Chad's posts. That's all I'm going to say.

[Guest kar]

#1 he was not running with a group of greys - #2 he was not loose he was leashed. I muzzle him around other breeds of dogs because he is unfamiliar with them - and the lake I go to I am familiar with all of the dogs and they are all friendly. Obviously I would not have a loose dog if I am just beginning to work on recall.

[cleptogrey]

if he is leashed watch out for tangled legs, very dangerous, especially with our long legged friends. also, if it's a nice group of dogs there should not be a need for a muzzle, socialize him-dogs become very familar w/ other dogs in a matter of minutes. that's what all that butt sniffing is about.

[Guest ctgreylover]

I had my new grey on a 20 foot leash in my mom's back yard and he took off. before I could blink an eye - react to say or stop brace myself, he reached the end and wretched his neck and pulled me to the ground. I hurt my left shoulder and he hurt his neck. Meds for both of us. I thought potty breaks at my mom's unfenced back yard would be easier if he had more room to roam. I never used that leash again.

If you do want to use something long, use a harness so he doesnt hurt his neck. but be prepared, if he feels the slack , he may try to run. Its instinctual.