Getting Cold Feet About Adopting A Greyhound

[EnzaFerrari]

When I first adopted Enza, I started reading GT and thought, "holy son of a...what have I done!!??" I kept staring at her waiting for her into a Kujo and eat me in my sleep. Every problem I freaked out about never happened. Ever thing that never crossed my mind....did occur. SA monster? Nope. Hate being alone? Prefers it immensely - in fact, I think she'd like it if I moved out. Freaking out over her eating mushrooms, rushing her to the E-vet, and calling my parents at 1 AM and crying so hard they thought Enza had died....never cross my mind. Realizing this dog owns my heart? heard about - happened. Wouldn't change a thing.

 

Now I liken reading GT as a newbie to going on to Wedmd with a mild cold and walking away convinced you have ebola, bird flu, and bubonic plague all rolled into one.

 

You will be fine. You're dog will be fine. And if not...we will likely tell you a thousand different ways to make it fine. So go get your dog- he or she is waiting for you.

[Sambuca]

I leave my 2 loose, but muzzled in the house with 2 cats. I generally don't have to take things out of their mouths because a quick "no" makes them drop anything l like a hot potato. When I do need to take things out of their mouths, I can easily go wrist drop down their throats and they don't fight me. I can take them more places than I'd ever be able to take any other dog because they walk perfectly on leash, stand by my side patiently when I stop and are quiet and calm. Even friends who don't particularly like dogs, invite my dogs over. When my dad died, there were easily over 50 people at the house every day for Shivah. Bu was the perfect gentleman. Once there were about 20 or so people in the house, he would go lay on his bed in the family room until the house cleared out some. Some of these guys do have issues, but many do not. They can take a little while to settle in, but once they do, they are the best dogs.

[cello]

Some Greyhounds LOVE to share the couch with you! (All four of mine certainly do!)

 

[silverfish]

You've had a lot of great advice and input already. Greyhounds are dogs, so each one will be a little bit different, but most do display sighthound traits: they're lazy dogs, they get very, very attached (usually to one particular person), their training needs a slightly different approach to a herding dog, etc.

 

To me, they are very low maintenance. They need little grooming, little walking (compared to the high energy breeds), and they are sensitive enough that a sharp 'Uh-uh!!' will let them know they need to stop what they're doing - and mostly they do, even if they've never heard the 'Uh-uh' before (I've had it work on dogs who hadn't been in my home for five minutes and had never heard it before).

 

 

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. :>)

 

And you should see them at Dewey - multiple dogs from multiple households sharing a condo, unmuzzled and with no problems whatsover, and not only meeting in the street but literally rubbing shoulders with strange dogs and strange people in crowded situations as if it were an everyday occurence. Obviously there are some who need to be muzzled due to snarkiness etc, and there are some who are ultra shy and need more space, but until I went to Dewey Beach I had never, ever seen that number of dogs brought together so closely with so little trouble or posturing.

 

It's the same at the Great Greyhound Gathering here in England. So many dogs from all over the country brought together in a small space - it's like a shopping mall (outdoors) on a Saturday afternoon, and yet they all seem to get along. They lie down together in the grass, they lie under the stall holders' tables and watch the world go by, wiggle through the crowds following their owners ... if there is one that doesn't like close contact he'll often wear a bandana and/or a muzzle, but they really are the exception.

 

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

They are definitely more low key, but once you get used to the greyhound way of showing you affection, you will be melted by it. It seems to me to be more sincere and deep, somehow, than a lively, excited dog jumping all over you trying to give you your second bath of the day, but perhaps that's just my perception.

 

Greyhounds come in various different types. My first (Jim) was the best all-round dog; I could let him off the lead anywhere, in any company and he'd behave. He played roly-poly with small dogs and nobody got hurt. He was smart & knew all kinds of tricks and commands (in fact he could beat the sheltie living up the road, hands down), he was joined with me at the hip, and he could be left for hours with no problem - once we'd worked on his SA. That took less than a week, by the way.

 

Then I had a high-prey girl who was not safe any any company except greyhounds. She was a handful, I admit, but not unmanageable. I'd suggest that if you (as a newbie in your situation) were given one like that in error, the adoption society would take her back in a heartbeat.

 

Jack and Renie came next - again, great off-lead dogs, both loving and affectionate, both easy-peasy to have around.

 

Sid is also an off-leader, except that I can't do that very often since he's a senior tripod and I have to be very careful where I let him run.

 

Jeff, well, I adopted him at ten years old straight from the kennel. He's not so easy to train, though he's learned the basics that I need him to know.

 

If you get a young dog, who is suited to your situation, you should be able to train him or her to the standard you require.

 

However, as others have said - not matter what breed you choose, there are no guarantees on that.

[Guest SeeJoy]

You have received awesome thoughts and advice from our greyhound sisters and brothers!

Having gone from no greyhounds, to 4 greyhounds, in 4 months, I will only add that I was nervous bringing home the first one due to the "unknown" factor too.

We just didn't know for certain how the hound was going to adjust to our living situation nor how we would adjust to having her in our lives.

And there were things to adjust to, on both sides..but they were simple things.

Each addition was a breeze for the most part.

Establishing a schedule helped us all settle in.

We have a work week routine and a less structured weekend one.

 

We have a cat too and the cat rules the house..and hounds. lol

Oh, and we all live in less than 1000 sq. ft.

 

You'll do fine!

Go see your hound and be prepared to fall in love..much sooner than later

Edited February 3, 2013 by SeeJoy

[45MPHK9]

Burke and Holly

B&H by 45mphk9, on Flickr

[JAJ2010]

You're going to get a new dog every 6 months or so. That's how their personalities tend to morph. It's always a change for the better! I've had my girls for almost 5 years...

 

Sunshine came as a borderline spook but is now a normal slightly shy pup. We still work daily on her braveness and socialization. When we got her she was naughty enough to need a crate. LOL heck she still gets into the trash. She just thinks naughty is fun. It's such a normal dog behavior that she never did at first that you just laugh it off.

 

The first dog they give you really is the easiest... sneaky that way. You'll want to add a second quickly. Rainy came perfect. Our at least perfect once us humans figured things out. She was also crated for the first 6 months while we were at work. That structure is important to them as they settle into their new lives. Rainy thought the cats were food not family so she wore her muzzle for the first 4 months when uncrated. You'll get a general feeling of when they are trust worthy. Never hurts to be extra safe, so extend that time and extra 2 weeks past what you think it might be.

 

Sunshine can't in and slurped one of the cats in a greeting. She has no cat rating issues. She also my snuggler. Rainy is not fond of Cuddling but loves her belly rubs.

 

We travel every weekend 3/4 of the year. My dogs are amazingly polite and awesome house guests. Greyhounds seem to come with basic manners installed. You're not really going to have to do much obedience training. Rainy is not interested in doing silly tricks for us humans and will just ignore you and go lay down and sleep! Sunshine would stand on her head for a cookie. So she know how to jump through a hula hoop, jump straight up and target my hand, will leap on any rock or picnic table when asked to, plus the basic commands.

 

Try not to freak out. Does you adoption group give you a support buddy that you can contact for instant advice at any time? If you need one just pm me and I'll give you my cell number. You never know what personality the dog that you bring home will have in a year. It's the journey that's a blast.

 

Yes I see all my typos above... I'm on the phone so I think it was pretty functional! LOL

[Guest zombrie]

My parents adopted our first greyhound when I was a senior in high school. We didn't do research, I wasn't on greytalk (I had never heard of it!). She was/is the easiest dog in the whole world! No issues at all and loves people! After that we fostered several greyhounds. I am now a senior in college and have 2 greyhounds of my own, and may I add they are extremely affectionate, they are love sponges. They can't get enough! They fight for the spot next to me on the bed and couch

Every single dog we have brought in has been a piece of cake. My lastest addition Minerva was a little bit tougher but it was nothing bad at all, she just needed more time to adjust than the others we have brought in. They are the easiest dogs to have in the city because they are so well behaved and adjusted. They don't mind hoards of people surrounding them (they actually enjoy it!) and when other dogs walk past us barking their fool heads off at them, they just look the other way. Mine have been in schools, an airport, on road trips, hotels, trains, etc and they take it all in stride. That is what is so wonderful about these dogs.

 

Now if we had gone on greytalk and looked at the behavioral section before my parents adopted Mira, we may have been scared off from the breed. But like others said, that is just where people go for help when/if they have issues to gather advice on how to deal with it. It is nice to have this option of posting in that thread if you have an issue because there are so many knowledgeable people on here. Like someone else said above, there is a possibility for issues with any breed or mutt that you adopt as the issues you see on that section of the forum is possible for ALL dogs not just greyhounds, and it is nice to have support and advice if your dog does end up with a problem you need help with.

 

I really don't think I could have any other breed because of how easy, well-adjusted and loving these dogs are.

 

As for training, greyhounds are dogs. You can train any dog. You just need to figure out a way that works for them. You might be interested in this blog
http://neversaynevergreyhounds.blogspot.com/

Edited February 3, 2013 by zombrie

[jetcitywoman]

Please post to let us know what you decided, and most especially that we warmed up your cold feet!

 

All I can add is more "you'll never regret it" type comments. I'm not in academics, but I'm a researcher too, so I did my homework before adopting a greyhound. Capri was perfect. DH and I seriously wanted another one, but were worried that no other dog could possibly be as perfect as Capri. We prepared ourselves for serious thunderphobia, SA, spook, counter surfing, escape artistry, anything and everything. What did we get? Ajax is perfect. They're night and day, yin and yang and both are somehow perfection. Capri's naughtiness is that she's clever and tries to have her own way all the time and growls at Ajax. Ajax's naughtiness is that he's occasionally mischievous with the cat. Those are their worst sins that get them yelled at.

 

They're both bonded to DH and I equally and yet they're both social butterflies. We take them everywhere they're legally allowed to go and they charm everybody. DH and I have to be invited to go visit DH's mom (an Alabama lady with southern manners), but Ajax and Capri have standing invitations. Someone mentioned Dewey Beach, and everything she said is true. Go to any of the large events and observe how the dogs who have never met before amiably sniff each other and then proceed to stand and lay around together and rest their heads on each other's backs. No barking, no posturing or mounting, they don't even try to steal food (although Capri embarrasses me by being the prettiest beggar around - she knows how to "turn on the pretty"!)

 

I love my husband very much. I love my dogs with the heat of a thousand suns.

Edited February 3, 2013 by jetcitywoman

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

Another Graduate student over here! I adopted my first Grey a year ago. I also have a cat, and I was also nervous. I did WAY too much research, in all the wrong places! I would recommend Lee Livingood's: Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies. The book has very solid/practical advice, and isn't clouded by a whole bunch of opinions (although there are still some in there) Greyhounds are so wonderful, and each one is so different in their own way. My Greyhound is very cat safe, I muzzled him for maybe a few days, however, my cat does not bolt.

 

I had a few minor problems when we first got him, such as space/sleep aggression, but in most of the cases, it is simply a time issue. Something that helped me better understand my hound, and others is this article

 

http://dancinggreyhound.com.p11.hostingprod.com/no_fear_no_pain

 

Please read it in it's entirety. It really struck me, and I will preach it whenever I meet people who just simply don't understand their grey. I never grew up wanting a Greyhound, had never met one, never thought of one, until the bf and I googled "best apartment dogs" and I sure as hell didn't want a pug or a bichon (not that there is anything wrong with them, they are just not for me!) My greyhound is, my lifesaver, my life changer, my life in general. I love this dog more than I could ever imagine. I hope you work with your adoption group and air all your concerns, I know that mine is very willing to work with adopters and ensure they have the right hound. Please give the hound some time, their life is changing far more drastically than you can imagine.

[a_daerr]

I'm not going to say "you won't regret it" because truthfully, you might regret it. Especially if you are accustomed to another breed, you may find yourself comparing your greyhound to past shelties and being disappointed. When we brought Henry home, I had done all my research but was still vastly unprepared. Lots of times I thought, "Oh my God, what have we done??" Both of my dogs have had issues that needed worked out through patience and training. Even though I love greyhounds (obviously), and I would never trade my experiences with either dog, I wouldn't say they're the low-maintenance, couch-potato, "perfect" breed that a lot of people will have you believe. They require work, just like any other dog. My dogs have growled at me more times than I can count. One of them was very difficult to housetrain. One was fear aggressive and hates children. Many of the threads in T&B are common quirks about greyhounds. These are realistic possibilities that you'll have to consider. Sorry for being doom and gloom, but I've seen lots of dogs get bounced because the adopter was expecting an "easy" dog, and they weren't really prepared to deal with potential problems. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best, then make your decision from there.

[DesiRayMom]

Heard enough good stuff yet? Go meet the hound!!!!

I, for one, knew that absolute first moment that my boy would be the best thing in my life.

I met him at a meet & greet, put my hand on his head, he leaned into me & looked up with a

big goofy grin, and I was the proverbial TOAST.

 

I've owned dogs all my life, mostly mutts from here/there/wherever, and I have to say this

boy is the best part of my life. I'm pretty much a loner, but he forces me to be sociable.

Whenever we walk, someone always has to come up for pets & questions. Give it a whirl!!

[krissy]

I won't address anything beyond the cat since I think everyone else has that covered, except to say that we have no problems with either dog.

As far as the cat goes, you need to supervise interactions even with a dog that has been shown to be cat safe at the kennel or even in a foster home. Sometimes a dog is safe with certain kinds of cats (i.e. ones that don't run) and not so safe with other cats (i.e. ones that run). Some people elect to always keep a dog muzzled when they aren't home to protect their cats. Others just have an area baby gated as a "safe zone" that the cats can get into but the dogs can't.

I brought home a foster cat in the summer and never worried a bit about Summit. He's so safe my rabbits can jump on him while he's sleeping (also speaks to his lack of sleep/space aggression) and he'll barely bat an eye. Kili, the new puppy, is rabbit safe but learning that they are not play mates!

Here is Kili over several weeks working on rabbit/cat safeness

 

And Summit... the epitome of small animal safe

 

Edited February 3, 2013 by krissy

[Guest sweetpea]

I love GT, I really do, but I'm glad I didn't know about it until 6-8 months after I brought Sweetpea home.

 

Like you, my non-GT research led me to believe a greyhound would be PERFECT.

And she is, for me.

 

I went to a Rat Terrier website, a GT for Ratties, for a question about my Sebastian.

If I had gone there first we never would have had to courage to keep him.

One example: I asked my sister, "Did you know Ratties are notoriously hard to housebreak?"

She laughed and said, "So we probably shouldn't mention that he taps on the front door to go out?"

 

I would comment on your "commitment" to make it work, no matter what.

We have all seen and dealt with or read about hounds that are returned for, in OUR judgement, insufficient reasons.

And we're pretty quick to proclaim "shenanigans" whether we have all the info or not.

 

Keeping a hound in a situation where the owner is constantly stressed, or the other animals are stressed or in danger,

or the hound is resented, that's in no one's best interest.

 

Be as honest about your situation while you're in it as you have been in admitting doubts here;

everyone in your house should benefit from you opening your home and heart to a hound.

 

Good luck,

Buzzy

 

p.s. Not a great picture, but it does capture the moment.

[Guest grey_dreams]

I have greyhounds and a cat. Bring your greyhound home when you have a couple of days free. Walk in the door with the greyhound muzzled and on leash attached to you. Keep the muzzle on and keep him/her tethered to you. This way, chasing (if it might have occurred) is not allowed, and that's the best way to start. Watch how the hound responds to your cat. If there is some interest, redirect with praise and treats, but make sure that you reward the response of looking away or turning away, and not the initial interest. You will soon understand if the hound is interested in the cat or not. I am always super-cautious at first. With our newest member, the muzzle came off after a couple of hours, but I kept him tethered to me for 2 days. The only time there was any interest whatsoever was at night, when it was dark, and the hound would see something moving. It was simple to redirect, because I woke immediately when he moved (he was still tethered to me). He quickly learned that that something was the cat who was a member of the family. We removed the tether after two full days. He's been here for three weeks now. The cat likes him. I still muzzle him when I leave the house (I work from home), but that's only because I'm still being super-cautious. I'll give it some more time, and then will probably not muzzle him when I leave.

 

Be sure to post pictures of your new greyhound

[Guest Gemma]

I know exactly how you feel! When we were ready to bring our first foster home, I was SO nervous. In fact, I always get a case of the doubts before each foster we have brought in. I'm a worrier, and my mind goes to all the horror stories or things that COULD go wrong. But, really, it was all for naught. Peyton was our first foster and quickly became our first dog. He is such a love bug! He wants to be with us, always, and he is very demonstrative. He loves to cuddle and he sleeps in our bed with us at night. He's not needy, though; he sleeps the day away on his bed (or ours) and is quiet and peaceful.

 

All our fosters have been ones with issues that make them hard to place, and ALL of them enjoyed spending time with us, even the ones with space aggression. Greyhounds are such a wonderful, sweet, loving breed, IMO. They are devoted to their people, and many of them are much smarter than they're given credit for.

 

Peyton is not the kind of dog I can take anywhere since he is a breed-snob (does not get along well with non-greys) and doesn't enjoy being in the car. And as much as I'd love to have a 100% bombproof dog, the truth is that we're homebodies and rarely go out anyway, so he's really the perfect match. I've noticed that he's mellowing more as he ages, too, and has surprised me by being accepting of certain non-greys like our friend's small whippet, or a little chihuahua we met during a walk. Peyton is definitely more people-oriented and he always wins new people over.

 

The nerves are normal; try not to fret too much!

[Guest mvd5555]

Hey everyone, thank you all so much for the advice. I really appreciate it and I like to hear things directly from people rather than from general statements in books.

 

I went to meet her today, and she seems absolutely wonderful. Her foster mom says she has no trouble with sleep/space aggression (she actually crawled in my lap while I was on the couch and fell asleep/ woke back up with no issues). Not saying problems couldn't crop up later, but she seems great. She was a little jumpy at first but is very calm and mellow overall. She's "stubborn" according to the foster mother, but easily correctable so I shouldn't have any serious issues with training. I think she's exactly what I wanted.

 

I only have one more worry after meeting her. It is a small worry, and I don't think it will stop me from adopting her. I just couldn't get much personality out of her. She wasn't very interested in playing or toys, she would look when you called her name, but didn't perk her ears up in interest or anything. I think maybe I just need to get used to greyhound "expressions" but to me, she always had the look a dog gives when it knows it just got in trouble. She didn't "smile" or look happy, even when the foster mom let her outside for a run. She just didn't seem to open up much or be a very happy dog. The other foster greyhound there, a boy, just seemed happier. I'm thinking maybe she's just nervous, I'm a new person, and she's only been off the track for a two months. She should warm up after a little while right?

 

Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate the insight!

[Hubcitypam]

She might have just been uneasy because of all the to do.

 

In my experience the boys in general are the ones that are more eager to please and happy go lucky - especially the bigger ones. They are usually more bulletproof and kind of wear their hearts on their sleeve so to speak. Most girls I've know have been a bit more reserved (even if they weren't shy or spooky). I think if she crawled up on the couch with you and went to sleep in your lap at the visit that you are off to a good start.

[Brandiandwe]

I have one outgoing girl and one reserved. The reserved one took a couple of months to really begin opening up to me, about four months before I could see the dog she would become, and twelve months to open up entirely to my husband. She also tolerated being patted for three weeks. She certainly wouldn't have climbed into my lap first meeting. That took three weeks with no affect being shown at all.

 

She is now my heart dog, the one who I adore. Of course I adore Brandi too but Paige has been a true journey and is special.

 

Don't dismiss her because of the low affect. She might need time, space and consistency as well as the realization that you are her human to blossom.

[krissy]

I think maybe I just need to get used to greyhound "expressions" but to me, she always had the look a dog gives when it knows it just got in trouble.

 

Whenever I take Summit in to work my boss would say something like "God, do you beat that dog or something?" (jokingly) and one of my colleagues who has a whippet would say "No, that's his happy face. Can't you tell? Look how happy he is!"

 

I mean, sometimes he has this typical "happy dog" expression, but a lot of the time he doesn't. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that the normal position for a greyhound to carry its ears is back (most other dogs carry them up or forward) and also that I find unless it's very hot that my hounds rarely have their mouths wide open panting. So they seldom look like they are "smiling" simply because they keep their mouths shut. You get used to it, and although the "it's his happy face" was sort of a joke it is also true. Where sometimes people see a "sad" face, I can tell the difference between his "sad" (i.e. happy) face and a truly sad or anxious expression.

[Guest zombrie]

Some are more "in your face" than others. Both of mine are the "in your face" type. My parent's greyhound Mira is more the quiet type. She loves attention and cuddling and is not at all shy, but she is simply just quiet about seeking attention. The dog you met may be like that, or she just needs a little time to warm up.
If you want the more super outgoing kind of dog, then just keep looking!

[Guest Vers]

mvd, I'm so glad you got to meet your potential greyhound today, I'm glad you're doing your research and that you're getting so much good input here. I know that greyhounds aren't for everyone, but my greyhounds have my heart like no other companion has; I've had other breeds, but these hounds have been the easiest, most peaceful, loving dogs I've ever known (heck, my whole neighborhood knows and loves them). Adopting a greyhound has been the greatest gift in my life, and I could have done it sooner if I knew how easy they can be. They thrive on having a routine, and we built up affection by having cuddles at specific times of the day. They always want to be where I am, often cuddle and give me kisses, Simba sleeps in my bed at night, both have no issues with my cats after no-cat training, and both are really quite quick to learn. Yes, greyhound body and facial language is different and more subtle, but I'm going to include a few pictures in this post to show you how a greyhound can change after they realize that they're really home.

 

This is my Stella. She's mostly blind, and was awfully shy when she first came home.

 

She went from this scared, puckered-up sad thing:

 

 

To this girl who just can't fit enough bellyrubs into her busy day:

 

 

Stella came home "cat-trainable". She did fine.

 

 

And here are my two with my king cat:

 

[a_daerr]

A meezer!

[Guest Vers]

And I meant to include in my post what so many others have said... it takes time. Time, kindness, patience and sometimes a sense of humor and these dogs blossom and all the love you give is returned a hundred times over. Changes start within just a few days, but I saw amazing changes in my hounds over weeks and months, even a few special ones after a year or two. They bond very deeply.

[Guest Eyeblaura]

We adopted our first greyhound just over a year ago. Before that we'd had a beagle mix, a bichon and most recently a pit bull. We have 2 young kids (2 and 5) and both work outside the home. I have a love of large breeds. We wanted a dog that didn't need to be groomed, needed a daily walk for exercise (not hours of non-stop exercise) and was laid back and easy going.

 

We got the most bombproof big goofy hound I could imagine. He was crated for 2 days after we got him (and he hated it even though his foster said he liked to lay in his crate at her house) and since then he has had full run of the house, has never had an accident, has snagged a few things off the kitchen table when they have been left unattended and has chewed an animated dog toy of my kids. He is scared to death of my parents cats.

 

I think as a general rule greyhounds show affection differently then other breeds. They are sensitive and can almost come off as aloof. They really remind me more of cats in that they seem more independent and happy to be alone then other dogs. All of our other dogs were very in your face, looking for affection all the time, and although I loved them all they could almost be annoying with how needy they seemed sometimes.

 

Sometimes I wish Enzo would be more playful. He throws a stuffy around every now and again and he loves to play with balls in the yard but never for more then a few minutes at a time. But then I remember how we could walk our pit bull for miles, come home and throw the ball forever and she still never tired and how draining that could be.

 

He is a snuggler but on his terms. He doesn't get on the beds and I don't encourage it. He does get on the couch and will cuddle with whoever is there.

 

He is like no other dog we've had but I have fallen for the breed and don't see myself not having a greyhound (or maybe some day greyhounds) as part of our family.