Getting Cold Feet About Adopting A Greyhound

[Guest mvd5555]

I've been reseaching for several months and think a retired racing greyhound is right for me. I'm all set and have been matched with a dog. I go meet her tomorrow.....but the more I read about retired racers the more I'm re-thinking my decision....I picked this breed because I am a grad student, and spend a lot of time studying. I need a couch potato who's happy to chill while I study for hours and hours

 

I've only ever owned shelties, I grew up with three and love them. This will be my first dog that I own. I live alone so I'm alone in trying to train her.

 

I love shelties because of how much they love humans and how trainable they are. I could bring them anywhere and they were well behaved and trustworthy. I thought initially that with training and time greyhound could be left at home un-crated with cats. The more I read, the more I worry that I will wind up with a dog I have to crate every time I leave, that isn't well behaved enough for me to bring to friend's houses, etc. Possibly even a dog that doesn't particularly even like me, that's just a room mate. I read about people who have trouble with their greyhounds growling when they don't want their human to sit near them on the couch/bed. This will be the first dog and only dog I will own for the next ten years, I don't want to spend them with a dog that can't sit on the couch with me, that can't be left alone in my house free.

 

Also, I am relatively un-experienced with training. I trained the shelties and know how to train sit/lie down/ stay....I could repeat this with my hound I think, but I assume it will be much more difficult. It took my old dogs about 10 minutes to master all of those commands. I understand greyhounds will take longer. Are they reliable, or will they only do it when there's a treat in my hand and never any other time? If she grabs a bar of chocolate I drop, and I have to dig it out of her mouth (have done it with shelties) am I going to get bit? I can't live with a dog like this, and the more I read the more I think this breed isn't "low maintenance" as it has been described, because I define low maintenance as a dog I can trust after I have trained it. Maybe I've just been reading too many bad stories on these forums....

 

Please don't think I am not willing to be patient and work with a dog, because I don't expect miracles and know it will take months for her to acclimate. I can wait, but I can't wait forever. There is a reason I am not adopting a puppy, because I'm not prepared for the work load associated with a dog that young. Is a retired racer going to be as difficult for me as training a 6 month old?

 

I guess I'm just looking for some advice? Do you feel like your hound actually likes being around you, or do you just happen to also be on the couch when he/she is....

 

[mychip1]

My hounds are attached to me at the hip. Some of them appear reserved in their affection....my Dustin is not demonstrative, but he is certainly loving. My JJ is a ball of life.

 

Your group should have cat tested this hound if they know you have cats. Some people have hounds who love cats.

 

My dogs are uncrated all day in the house. In my case, I do leave them muzzled because I have a cat and one of my greys is not cat friendly.....

 

They can go anywhere with you....except off-leash places and are usually wonderful guests.

 

My boy Jack who passed away loved nothing more than to hop in our Explorer and run around on errands with me or go for walks to the ice cream shop.

 

Good luck with your decision. Just remember, if a grey is very reserved initially, it doesn't mean that he is not loving....it takes some of them longer than others to come out of their shell.

[Guest Giselle]

People who post here are a small minority of people who have specific training problems. So, if you're looking for a problem, it's going to be here. It's like going to a hospital and thinking that everyone will just up and get desperately sick because that's what happens in a hospital. You're seeing a lot of problems here because this forum tends to be about training problems

 

If you want my honest answer, I think ex-racing Greyhounds are the easiest breed alive. They aren't fussy. They're jovial and easygoing. AND most (honest to DoG, MOST!) are incredibly well socialized and bombproof.

 

Where else are you going to find an adult dog who has been extensively handled by people and has been living mostly peacefully with multiple other dogs and is generally well acquainted with odd objects and odd sounds? Retired racing greyhounds, in general, tend to be a very easy group of dogs to deal with.

 

I've met many more poorly behaved "X" breed than I ever have of Greys, including Shetland Sheepdogs. I was around them A LOT when I was training seriously in dog agility, and I met many more high-strung, neurotic Shelties than I did space-sensitive Greyhounds. Take these forums for what you will, but this is a Training & Behavior forum.. So, of course, you're only going to read about problems here. The other 99% of Greyhounds are incredibly easy.

 

Edit to add: If you ever need training advice, seek a professional. It's not a hard skill, but it's something you need to practice, and it's something I'd recommend you do regardless of breed/type of dog you get. Greyhound, Sheltie, Border Collie, Lab, Pittie, Rottie, whatever = should seek professional training classes.

Edited February 3, 2013 by Giselle

[Guest bayhorse]

Good thing you can be honest with yourself.......My hound will arrive on the 10th, and i started waiting in Nov.

I also had the "cold feet" for . . .a day i guess....(.but I AM really no help here sorry....) only you know whats best for yourself, but i think it's going to be a wonderful jouney.......

[cleptogrey]

shelties are working dogs, that's what they were bred to do and train really easily.

greyhounds are sight hounds, what they were bred to do is hunt independently and think for themself. they are not herders waiting for signals like the sheltie or border collie.

 

yes, greyhounds can work- especially x-racers, but it's a different attitude and a different type of work. a well trained racer can easily transition to basic obedience and agility- that's what i did w/ my first grey- but she was a working gal and LOVED every second of it.she came to life when i took her to classes. my second female shut down and didn't want anything to do w/ training. went into shut-off mode at classes. basic commands she has down, but that's it.

 

you never know what you are going to get, they are far more sensitive than shelties(i had a good friend who bred them years ago). i can understand your doubts. they are there for a reason. listen to your thoughts and don't let anyone push you into a situation that you may not be ready for.

 

best of luck

[Trihounds]

I suspect you will get a ton of advice and you can take from it what you wish.

 

My thoughts on your post --> people come to GT for help and so the board often has pages and pages of advice when people need it. The overwhelming other majority of folks who don't need advice, aren't posting about it and asking questions. So, you are only reading about the challenges and very rarely about the easy successes. Your post makes greyhounds sound problematic and I can guarantee you anyone with more than 1 GH (which is a TON of people) wouldn't have them if they were that much trouble. Sure some dogs can be a pain, but that is not breed specific.

 

We have 4 hounds and only 2 will willingly get on the couch with us. There is no growling. We can lie on the floor with any 4 at any time. We can take whatever we want from them whenever we want. They follow us around the house so much it's sometimes hard to get ready. We have 2 cats and they often sleep on the dog beds with the dogs. 2 of the 4 dogs will sleep with my kids (now 7, 9). They all travel well, I can take them anywhere. In fact, we drive 2.5 hours every weekend away 6 months a year with them and the kids to go skiing. No problems. It's just coordination and logistics. We don't crate any of them, they don't wear muzzles at home. They lounge outside with the cats all the time in our fenced yard. See? Boring update!! All that said, they can be pains in the butt sometimes....but then again, we all are as humans, too.

 

Be positive, roll with stuff, fix stuff you need to, and it'll work out. If it doesn't, you have a safety net in your group and you'll always have tons of support. Any one of my dogs would be great with a grad student. But you can't have them .

 

Gather your wits and go meet that hound! If they aren't right for you, then don't adopt just yet. Take your time, be thoughtful, and enjoy the experience.

 

Welcome to GT.

[Guest FinnsMom]

We got our first greyhound 4 months ago and he is the perfect dog. No space/sleep aggression, loves to go places with us, could care less there is a cat in the house and has been that way since he walked through the door, does not counter surf, rarely even goes into the kitchen, he has never messed in the house, is not a chewer, and only shows signs of SA if he cannot walk on the really cold days to school in the mornings when I take my son. That got to be part of his routine as soon as he came home so he gets quite upset if its too cold to come in the morning.

 

I've had numerous dogs throughout my life, but Finn is the easiest most laid back dog I've ever had, and I am now a proud greyhound snob and will probably never own another breed. LOL

 

Just like in every other breed there are going to be some with issues. The only thing you can do is meet your dog and go from there.

 

Good luck.

[Finnsliz]

In the last 10 years I have brought 3 permanent and 3 fosters into my home with NO problems. The 3 permanant dogs were all cat safe and lived with 3 cats (indoor cats) One of the fosters was very high prey drive (no cats at this point) so that had to be managed outside of my home, but here at home he was an absolute peach. He was with us for 9 months. The other 2 short term fosters were not a speck of trouble.

I personally feel that retired greyhounds are the easiest breed to adopt, if a couch potato is what you are looking for.

Sticking to a schedule will go far in making your hound's transition to a home the easiest. Crate, a consistent schedule, and allow privileges gradually I have found are the key to success.

[vjgrey]

As others have said, only people with issues post in the training and behavior forum, just like only people whose dogs have health issues post questions in the health and medical forum.

 

I have three hounds, and none of them are crated when I go out. One is muzzled, because he chews, but the muzzle doesn't bother him in the slightest. All of them share the couch with us with ZERO issues, and at night, we often sleep with two people and three hounds piled in a queen-sized bed. People end up draped over hounds, hounds over people, hounds over other hounds, and no one has any space aggression or sleep aggression. All three know how to sit, lay down and shake, and they all picked those commands up within a day or two. I'm sure they could all learn "stay," as well, but I've been too lazy to teach it to them. They're all VERY loving and affectionate and very gentle. I could easily take food out of their mouths if I wanted to - and I've even seen them take treats out of each others' mouths.

 

Two of these three (plus another hound I lost to Osteo) were with me during law school, and all of them were happy to nap while I studied.

 

So I don't think greyhounds are necessarily the wrong breed for you. I think it's just a matter of 1) communicating your needs clearly to the adoption reps so that they can find a hound who's a good fit for you and 2) realizing that no hound is perfect, and ANY dog is going to take some time and some work to settle in.

[Guest mvd5555]

It's good to hear the good things, thank you all. I've read the "greyhounds for dummies" book and everything, but was trying to be prepared for problems and got carried away reading all the stories of difficult dogs. I guess I was just looking to see if these problems are as common as they seem from reading the forums. I'll won't ever give up a dog, from what I've seen switching homes and lives and trying to understand what each new person wants of them is extremely stressful and I won't put a dog through it. If I take this dog home I'll do what I have to to make it work, I'm just trying to be prepared and pick the right dog.

[kolarik1]

I haven't read all the replies, but I will say that both of mine are cat safe...both are left unmuzzled with the cat during the day. Now, when I have a foster, the foster and Zelda are muzzled...Pop, well he eats dog poo so it's easier to leave him unmuzzled.

[Guest mvd5555]

How soon did you trust them without a muzzle with the cats? The dog I am considering is cat safe and lives with them in her foster home, but she's only two months off the track and I'm afraid of her reverting if the cat runs away too quickly or something. These cats will tend to sprint around the house....I wonder if they could trigger a cat safe dog to chase? I will muzzle her for a few months but I don't know when to start trusting her....could be the biggest mistake ever if I trust her too soon.

[Jenbo]

You will be amazed at how quickly you fall in love with your grey. Go meet your dog and watch your life be transformed. You will never regret it :-)

 

2 months? No worries, then. This dog has already shown who he/she is. :-) Do it, you won't regret it, I promise.

[Feisty49]

We got our first greyhound 4 months ago and he is the perfect dog. No space/sleep aggression, loves to go places with us, could care less there is a cat in the house and has been that way since he walked through the door, does not counter surf, rarely even goes into the kitchen, he has never messed in the house, is not a chewer, and only shows signs of SA if he cannot walk on the really cold days to school in the mornings when I take my son. That got to be part of his routine as soon as he came home so he gets quite upset if its too cold to come in the morning.

 

I've had numerous dogs throughout my life, but Finn is the easiest most laid back dog I've ever had, and I am now a proud greyhound snob and will probably never own another breed. LOL

 

Just like in every other breed there are going to be some with issues. The only thing you can do is meet your dog and go from there.

 

Good luck.

 

This, except for having numerous dogs and walking to school. I adopted Annie in July 2011. She's an only dog and I live alone. She honestly does almost nothing "wrong." Actually, what she does do that is "wrong" -- which is planting herself on walks -- is easily corrected so I don't have an issue with it. She doesn't cruise countertops, go in garbage or chew. She doesn't cry or wreck things when I leave her alone. She never has an accident in the house.She either ignores the cat or is intimated by it. She is a welcome house guest because she lays on the blankets I bring and sleeps. She almost never barks. She has extremely low prey drive. It took a couple of months to get the right food combo so that her poos were healthy, so to speak, but once I found that, she's had no issues. It took a few tries to get her to climb stairs but it would have been sooner had I not given up so easily.

 

She goes in the car with me when I take trips to visit relatives. She's not 100% happy or it could be my interpretation of the sad look she has when not sleeping. She's not snarky with other dogs or people.

 

Two things she doesn't do, which you want, is get on furniture and train easily. I would have discouraged the furniture anyway, especially the bed because I like to spread out, but she has never shown an interest in getting on anything. She simply doesn't climb or even put her front paws on any furniture. The training is another matter. Annie will do some things but there are other things that have just not sunk in. I don't care too much because she's a wonderful dog.

 

My suggestion is to work very closely with your adoption group and get details from her foster home of what your potential hound is like. The people who foster for my group know all about the hounds before they are adopted: whether they are cat safe, get on furniture, have space issues, like garbage, prefer stuffed stuffies or unstuffed stuffies, etc., and we don't adopt a dog who doesn't fit the lifestyle and needs of a potential adopter.

 

I imagine there'll be a lot of positive posts on this topic so you'll see that many of us have dogs with no, or easy-to-fix, issues.

 

I hope we make your decision easier.

Edited February 3, 2013 by Feisty49

[Guest EvanstonGrey]

I just want to say that your honesty, consideration, and care are really admirable

 

I'm still a rookie (never had dogs before, ever!) - adopted my first grey last March from a prison program/foster home and then brought home her brother from the track in November - and we've had a pretty easy experience, my nervous mama worrying aside. GT has been a great resource for us and I think you'll find a lot of really smart folks here who can give you wonderful advice.

 

I can say that greys are fantastic companions for academic sorts. I'm in the last year of finishing my PhD and they've kept me on track, made me smile, and been patient with me when I'm buried in books.

[Guest snoopycomehome]

You will be amazed at how quickly you fall in love with your grey. Go meet your dog and watch your life be transformed. You will never regret it :-)

 

2 months? No worries, then. This dog has already shown who he/she is. :-) Do it, you won't regret it, I promise.

 

This.

My grey has changed my life completely. I was a 'cat person' before...and I am definitely not a 'dog person'...but living with a greyhound is amazing. My boy is a velcro dog and takes that job very seriously. My girl is a nut, and not a day goes by that she doesn't make me laugh. It does take 6-12 months for them to really adjust and let their personalities shine thru, but it is SO worth the wait!

 

Yes, on occasion I have concerns and post them here so I can get greyt advice from fellow grey-addicts...but I can't imagine my life without them! What they give back is so much more than I could ever give to them (or at least it feels that way!)

 

Good luck with your decision, whatever you choose.

[Brandiandwe]

I went from never having owned a dog to owning two greys within 2 weeks. I'm a regular poster in training and behavior because Paige is a little high prey but it's manageable.

 

I've found, as a complete novice that greys are the absolute best! I'm greeted with two helicopter tails and smiles when I walk through the door after even a short absence. Both snuggle on the sofa. One sleeps on our bed at night ( DH kicks her off when he comes in. She returns within the hour), and she often shares my pillow. No sleep startle or space issues. I can take things from their mouths and take high value treats without a problem. Neither are cat safe or small dog safe. We don't own cars and work with the rest. Both love outings.

 

I'm an academic so I know where you're coming from. You are trained to do as much research into something as possible and to prove for strengths and weaknesses. You've found all the problems with greys because that's what we document. But most greys don't have these issues, or have only some of them. It's going to be ok.

[Guest Doggone]

I'm so glad that I happened on this thread!

I, too, was getting a bit concerned over all the problems, destruction, and other issues I kept reading about on this forum . I was starting to think that instead of a relatively easy breed to adopt, greyhounds were extremely difficult .

It's good to hear positive posts too, which reinforce my decision to adopt a greyhound .

Edited February 3, 2013 by Doggone

[Houndtime]

You have to realize, if these were such difficult dogs we wouldn't be having 3, 4 or 5 dogs in our homes at one time. And, the first one they give you is always the easiest. :>)

[GreytNut]

Bring your questions to your adoption rep so they can either put your mind at ease about the hound they've selected or match you with a different dog. If they know exactly what you're looking for they can make the best match. They want both you and the hound to be happy with each other.

 

FWIW, greyhounds have been the easiest breed I've ever owned. I grew up with Labs, German Shepherds, Shelties and terrier mixes. Compared to all of the above greyhounds are quiet, clean, mellow, laid-back and low maintenance. They do have individual quirks like any animal, and can have behavioral issues like any animal. You only read about the problems on the Training and Behavior forum because the people who aren't having problems aren't posting about not having problems.

 

Greyhounds are no less loving than other breeds, but they do have a different and more low-key way of showing it. They don't usually jump all over you and lick you to death. They don't smother you. They just like to be where you are. They come over for petting and snuggling every so often, but most of the time they're content to watch their person and see what you're doing. Many of them will follow you around the house. Some like to curl up on the couch with you (my big boy Tiny tried to be a lap dog and failed miserably, but never gave up trying). Some are content to be on their bed across the room, keeping a watchful eye to make sure you don't get eaten by the couch cushions. If you're used to being knocked over and slobbered on by a hyperactive Labrador it might seem that they don't love you. They do... they're just more polite about it.

 

All of my hounds have been easy to train. They are eager to please. Most of them aren't on the same level as a Border Collie, but they are pretty smart and they figure out what you want from them as long as you are clear and consistent about what you expect of them.

 

Make sure your hound has at least been cat-tested, and preferably lived with a cat in a foster home. I always supervise interactions between cats and dogs and put the cats in my bedroom when I am not around, but I am of the opinion that safe is better than sorry with ANY larger breed of dog. 3 out of 4 of my hounds have been so cat safe that a cat could do a tap dance on their heads and they wouldn't flinch. My newest addition is what you would call cat correctable more than cat safe, so I am more vigilant with him.

[Trihounds]

How soon did you trust them without a muzzle with the cats? The dog I am considering is cat safe and lives with them in her foster home, but she's only two months off the track and I'm afraid of her reverting if the cat runs away too quickly or something. These cats will tend to sprint around the house....I wonder if they could trigger a cat safe dog to chase? I will muzzle her for a few months but I don't know when to start trusting her....could be the biggest mistake ever if I trust her too soon.

 

Our 4th dog was cat tested in our home, literally. We got him from his kennel owner and knew very little about him, other than he was a "good dog". Our group backed us up so if there was a problem, we would have considered the 20 hour 2 day trip to get him our "contribution" to his retirement and then handed him over to our group. So, he was as fresh of a racing dog as you could find and with 85 races in his career, he was no stranger to the chase. His muzzle was off within half an hour after arriving as it was very clear he had no interest in the cats, no matter how fast they ran. Almost a year later, he is still not caring much about them!!

 

Every dog is different but you'll figure it out. You can also reinforce to the dog that kitty is off limits....while some greyhounds have very high prey drives, some have none at all, but they may still love to chase a lure. I think our dogs see the cats as part of their pack....and us too.

[mychip1]

My attitude about muzzling is, "when in doubt, muzzle"....Mine really don't mind it at all...they can drink through them, etc. Many are muzzled on the track for hours a day and are very used to it.

 

You can tell from a hound's face how interested he is in cats. Our first Grey, EZ, has been the most easy-going dog in the world. He was a great racer, but is actually afraid of the cat! LOL!!!

[Guest OPointyDog]

I'm an academic so I know where you're coming from. You are trained to do as much research into something as possible and to prove for strengths and weaknesses. You've found all the problems with greys because that's what we document. But most greys don't have these issues, or have only some of them. It's going to be ok.

 

This is so true! I'm also an academic, and I did soooo much research before we got our first greyhound! It's good to be informed, but in forums like this one, you absolutely do see the worst of things without seeing the best side, too. You should search for the "my dog is so bombproof" thread, which has hilarious stories about people who can vacuum their greyhounds, among other things.

 

We have two now, and they're both just amazing. Zoe came to us with a broken leg and after an orthopedic consult, had to have a second surgery, so we were dealing with that at the same time as we were getting to know her, but she was an absolute trooper through the whole thing. She is so laid back that they didn't have to sedate her to do x-rays! She roached during her obedience classes! When I take her to M&G events, everyone always wants to adopt her. She lays down in the middle of the aisles at PetCo because she knows people will stop and pet her there.... She's just funny and sweet and loving and just an amazing dog. Never had an accident in the house. Our main issue was really working with her with the cats, and now she doesn't bat an eye at them. It just took time and patience.

 

Our second greyhound, Mika, fit right in from the start and is very smart and eager-to-please. He'd been in two homes and two foster homes, so we were a little wary, but we've had no problems with him, other than being over-curious with the cats. He marked in our house exactly twice the first day we had him, and after the second time I hauled him outside in the snow to pee, you could see the wheels spinning in his head, and he figured maybe he'd stop doing that. He did try to get on the furniture, but we told him "OFF" and that's the end of it.

[Hubcitypam]

One of my guys went thru an all breed obedience class and he was right up there with the best of them. Someone on GT had a grey win top dog in their obedience class just in the last week or two. In general I can't think of any greyhound being a bigger challege in general than a 6 month old puppy. I have never crated except for medical reasons but have left crates out with doors open for shy dogs to use as a den.

 

Greyhounds are some of the best behaved dogs around so I'm not sure where the idea most are so ill behaved that they are unwelcome guests. None of mine have ever growled at me over couch space, but then out of six only three would ever get on the couch - their choice. In my experience greys in general are not hard core snugglers but some are. The big boys are total love sponges - which mayor may not not include snuggling.

 

Can't help you with cats as I am allergic but adopted many hounds to homes with cats - and one to a home with a ferret. Pop the ferret and Honor the greyhound were never alone unsupervised but would snuggle and eat out of the same bowl. My adopters all just trusted their gut so to speak on removing muzzles around cats after a few weeks of watching interaction.

 

Greyhounds really ARE very adaptable dogs and very happy to snooze while you read/work.

[JJNg]

I think the most important thing to keep in mind when adopting any dog, regardless of breed, is that they are all individuals. Don't have any set expectations, and you won't be disappointed. That's not to say that breed traits and tendencies aren't helpful in choosing the breed for you, but each individual will be a little different and there is a lot of variety even within a breed.

 

For the most part, dogs are very adaptable, and with some time, patience, and training, you will have a companion who adjusts to your routine. The advantage to working with an adoption group is that they will match you with a dog who fits your lifestyle, so you'll have a head start on this adjustment process.

 

The general research you've done on the breed probably gave you information that is true for 95% of greyhounds (or will be true after they've had a chance to settle in). If your reservations are from reading the Training and Behavior section of this forum, I'd like to emphasize what others have already said - these are the minority, and this group is here to discuss problems, so you're seeing a small, biased sample.

 

Also keep in mind that most of the problems discussed here are issues that arise during the initial adjustment period, not a reflection of what your long-term relationship with a greyhound will be like. Once the dog settles in and and you develop mutual trust and respect for each other, many of these problems go away.

 

I'm not sure why you're concerned that your greyhound may never particularly like you. While greys often aren't as demonstrative about affection as other breeds, they do love their people and form a very strong bond. I'd suggest reading in other topics like "Everything Else Greyhound" and "Cute and Funny" to get a more balanced picture of what life with a greyhound is like.

 

Regarding cats, I find that how much interest a dog has can depend a lot on the cat's response. Greyhounds that test completely cat safe with confident cats can show interest in chasing a cat who acts skittish and runs away. If you have cats like this, it can take a little more time and training, but it's doable.

 

I know that many people leave their cats and dogs home alone with no problems, but I'm personally paranoid and prefer to separate them when I'm not home. Some cats seem to get a kick out of taunting the dogs, and anything can happen when you're not there. I also crate most of my dogs when I'm not home too, and as long as you're not gone for long hours, I don't think there's anything wrong with this. My dogs don't mind their crates and just sleep for most of that time anyway.