Considering A Greyhound...active Enough For Us?

[dante2zoe]

Welcome! I have been owned by 6 greyhounds so far. Of those 6, 4 have been joggers. One had a nasty break racing and one came to me at 13, so those two didn't jog. We don't go fast and their preferred distances have ranged from 1.5 - 5 miles, 3-5 times a week. My current grey is using jogging to overcome our very recent loss of my littermates, leaving her as an only child. Her coping mechanism has been good for me, too. She is happy to snooze the day away while I am at work. But, ready for another long 2-3 mile walk, when I get home. She is more active than others I have had and will be 7 in a couple weeks. My energizer bunny greyhound!

 

As for temperament, we went to a winery over the weekend and one of the employees was telling me how excited she was to have greys in the winery because you can have a hundred there and it will be calm and quiet - unlike the other breeds. The winery is part of a wine tour in the spring for greyhound adoption and they are always excited to be included.

 

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Guest xengab]

You dont adopt a greyhound you adopt a whole new community!

 

I've met so many more people since getting my grey then I did in the last 5 years..LOL

My adoption is very supportive of everyone getting a dog from them or anyone in our area with a greyhound. They trade out dog sitting, recommend places to stay/eat/visit and will jump in a car and drive two hours to help find someones dog at 3am.

I've been welcomed into social groups JUST for greyhounds, I've been greeted by total strangers because they too have greys and like to talk.

It's a whole new world and very supportive for new dog owners. I know I can call 5 different people BEFORE going to my vet (who also owns greyhounds) if I have an issue any time of the day or night. No other group dog or cat seems to provide that but the greyhound groups do.

[Guest DarkHorse]

We don't do jogging much (neither of us are joggers), but hiking is definitely a yes. And although we don't do a lot of hiking, we do a fair amount of walking, and the boys love it. Dexter's getting a little old for the longer walks, but he still does his best to keep up with the younger two. We do try to keep to evening walks in the summer, but they will tolerate a shorter mid-day walk if that's all we can manage. A couple of weekends ago, we went camping with all three, and did about 4 hours of hiking throughout the day. It was a bit cooler than it has been, about 22-24C (71-75F), and we were mostly in the shade, but they still enjoyed being able to crash and sleep in the shade once the hikes were over, and we made sure they got water.

 

All of ours have been very good with our niece and her friends, even though they don't live with her. She's 7 and they've been around her since she was 1, and we've never had a problem. It's definitely important to supervise and set ground rules, but ours have never done more than bark on the few occasions when we missed something and they were tripped over or otherwise bother.

[Guest k9soul]

I think everyone has pretty much addressed your questions well, but I will just reiterate that they are individuals with pretty widely varying personalities. I'm positive the right greyhound could be found for you and your family! I have two male greys, and they are both instantly excited and ready to go if I get up and put my shoes on and grab leashes. However they are just as content to laze quietly the whole day if I don't. I really do find them "easy keepers" compared to many other dogs I've had in the past. They do seem more sensitive to temperature (hot or cold) than other dogs I have had.

 

As you've seen, the community is generally wonderful, supportive and helpful. You really do inherit a big "extended family" when you adopt a grey!

[GreytHoundPoet]

In their primes my Greyhounds could do 7-8 mile hikes easily once I built up their endurance. A lot depends on the individual dog and the owner's conditioning regime. They sound like a good breed match for you overall. If you get a breed known for endurance you'd have to provide a lot more exercise than your normal routine. Trust me, I have Ibizan Hounds and 7-8 miles is a warm up with that breed.

 

As for visitors, some Greyhound are outgoing with strangers and some are not. If it's a concern be sure to tell the adoption group that you'll be looking for a dog who is outgoing and fine with strangers (and kids) coming in and your of the house. Be sure to observe proper dog handling guidelines and read body language and you should be fine. My spooky dogs stayed far away from folks while my others (my current ones especially) mobbed strangers for love.

 

I have dog allergies (I developed them as an adult) and I take shots and meds. I do fine with short-coated sighthounds but I do still itch after snuggling and such. Dogs like Borzoi really kick my allergies off but I have short wire coats and short hair with little to no undercoats in my house (Ibizans and Greyhounds) and I seem to be fine.

Edited July 26, 2016 by GreytHoundPoet

[denisetanaka]

As everybody already said, it will depend of the greyhound that you choose and sometimes is hard to predict or know the dog before. Most of dogs from the rescue that I adopted were recently arrived and they didn't have much information about their habits. You should prefer the ones with previous foster care.

Some of them would be good at hiking and long walks, some not.

Mine is a huuuuuge coach potato, she hates a 20 min walking, when I try to take her for a Park or something that takes like one hour, she is almost dying during the walking.

Sometimes I think she is ill because she could nearly spent the whole day sleeping, I've read that is normal, I think she takes seriously her retirement.

 

Another point: Greyhounds shed a lot, they don't give you allergies, but the do shed and a lot. If you have cleaning issues, this would be hard.

 

You don't want a chewy, jumping, puddling puppy: mine is very lady and well behaved and I think most of them are well behaved, so I guess this is a good thing.

 

Another thing, maybe at the beginning during you hikes and walk you are not going to be able to let your dog off leash, I admire some people who can, but I don't think recently adopted Greyhounds are good off leash, I say that because always when I go to Parks I see golden retrievers, general dogs off leash walking free and happily and this is not a possible thing for a Greyhound, at least in the first years. I really envy them sometimes.

 

I think Greyhounds are more similar to cats, more calm, independent, very clean, silent, gentle, clever, in general they are very different from regular dogs. Sometimes mine seems to be little bit cold, like she doesn't care about anything, so sometimes I miss that doggy needy typical behavior, but when I remember the fact she is one month with me and is well behaved, clean and obedient, everyday she surprises me and I don't regret choosing a Greyhound.

[smurfette]

There are so many greyt advices already given. I just like to add on thought. The greyhound you get today will mostly not be the grey you have 2 month later and after a year it will be different hound... but still be the same dog you adopted in the first place.

What I want to say is. Their personalities develop during their life with you. Their eyes will change, their whole mannerism. They are like diamonds which get their beauty through grinding. The more time our greys spend with us the more they shine.

Edited July 27, 2016 by smurfette

[Walliered]

I have had three Greyhounds and all three cost me a lot of money over the years. DaVid has had two back surgeries and he has corns hulled weekly. He also has IBD which we are trying to get under control. Lady had three back surgeries and just died from bone cancer. Huck had IBD that was uncontrollable and he died from bone cancer. I have Trupanion dog insurance on them and that has helped. But, still all of the MRIs and X-rays, surgeries, bloodwork, and everything else that goes into these dogs is overwhelming…I am not saying ALL Greyhounds are like this, but I am saying ALL of mine were a nightmare on the medical things.

[Guest DarkHorse]

I have had three Greyhounds and all three cost me a lot of money over the years. DaVid has had two back surgeries and he has corns hulled weekly. He also has IBD which we are trying to get under control. Lady had three back surgeries and just died from bone cancer. Huck had IBD that was uncontrollable and he died from bone cancer. I have Trupanion dog insurance on them and that has helped. But, still all of the MRIs and X-rays, surgeries, bloodwork, and everything else that goes into these dogs is overwhelming…I am not saying ALL Greyhounds are like this, but I am saying ALL of mine were a nightmare on the medical things.

 

And just to contrast this, ours have been fairly cheap. Araley had to go to the E-Vet once for suspected bloat (~$400) and we took her to the vet a couple of times just before she died (~$600), and otherwise it was just yearly shots and heartworm.

 

Dexter has cost us a bit more because we had to have his eye out (~$1500), but otherwise hasn't ever needed anything other than the yearly stuff. He had one corn about a year ago, and the duct tape trick took care of it.

 

We're about to do our first ever dental (estimated ~$500) with KB because he's got absolutely terrible teeth. We're hoping that it's going to be first and last but it's hard to say, seeing as he had one a year ago from the vets the agency uses (we're hoping they forgot/missed him and this isn't a yearly thing, seeing as we already have been trying to prevent problems).

 

It's actually our littlest animal, Tycho, who's been expensive. He got blocked about 6 months after coming home and it cost a lot (~$2500) to keep him alive. We've had to keep him on vet food since, and 3 years of $60/month food is not cheap, especially for one cat. We keep telling him he's lucky he's cute. He was what burned us on pet insurance, as he had it and they declared the whole thing a "prior issue" and wouldn't pay for any of it. So it's definitely worth asking around and finding a company that doesn't just say everything is pre-existing.

[claudiav]

 

"He was what burned us on pet insurance, as he had it and they declared the whole thing a "prior issue" and wouldn't pay for any of it. So it's definitely worth asking around and finding a company that doesn't just say everything is pre-existing."

 

 

The key with pet insurance is that the animal is insured from DAY 1 of adoption, and hopefully avoid any vet visits in in the first 14 days of coverage. When you insure a pet you've owned prior to getting insurance, they will require all vet records and everything the pet has been seen for prior to insurance, becomes part of the record as pre-existing condition. That's why it doesn't pay to wait until something happens to get pet insurance, or to switch insurance carriers during the life of the pet. Get the pet insured from the day of adoption, try to wait at least 2 weeks for the first vet visit, and keep the pet insured with same carrier for the duration of its life. Pet insurance is the single best investment i have made with all my pets, but especially "sensitive, thin-skinned" greyhounds. It has paid for itself ten-fold, every single year.

[Guest k9soul]

I think health/vet issues can wildly vary and are not necessarily breed related. I've never had any major health issues with either of my hounds (going on 4 years now). But any dog or pet has that potential. It's my lab mix that is a mess with her health the past several months .

[Guest DarkHorse]

 

"He was what burned us on pet insurance, as he had it and they declared the whole thing a "prior issue" and wouldn't pay for any of it. So it's definitely worth asking around and finding a company that doesn't just say everything is pre-existing."

 

 

The key with pet insurance is that the animal is insured from DAY 1 of adoption, and hopefully avoid any vet visits in in the first 14 days of coverage. When you insure a pet you've owned prior to getting insurance, they will require all vet records and everything the pet has been seen for prior to insurance, becomes part of the record as pre-existing condition. That's why it doesn't pay to wait until something happens to get pet insurance, or to switch insurance carriers during the life of the pet. Get the pet insured from the day of adoption, try to wait at least 2 weeks for the first vet visit, and keep the pet insured with same carrier for the duration of its life. Pet insurance is the single best investment i have made with all my pets, but especially "sensitive, thin-skinned" greyhounds. It has paid for itself ten-fold, every single year.

 

 

We had the insurance from day 1 - it was actually arranged through the shelter. And his blockage happened 6 months later. They had no real excuse except "it happened because he's a small male cat and therefore it's pre-existing".

 

It was complete and utter malarky, of course, but we couldn't get them to pay up. Luckily the insurance was "free" (part of the adoption fee), so it didn't cost us anything extra. We told the shelter as this was the second time it happened (the first was with Amadeus, but we excused it as his issue was an URI and he'd had one at the shelter), though, figuring they might want to know that the insurance they (presumably) pay for doesn't actually help their adopters.

[claudiav]

 

We had the insurance from day 1 - it was actually arranged through the shelter. And his blockage happened 6 months later. They had no real excuse except "it happened because he's a small male cat and therefore it's pre-existing".

 

It was complete and utter malarky, of course, but we couldn't get them to pay up. Luckily the insurance was "free" (part of the adoption fee), so it didn't cost us anything extra. We told the shelter as this was the second time it happened (the first was with Amadeus, but we excused it as his issue was an URI and he'd had one at the shelter), though, figuring they might want to know that the insurance they (presumably) pay for doesn't actually help their adopters.

 

that's the other thing... the free insurance you get thru shelter or adoption group is garbage. my adoption group sent my pups home with free insurance, but i never considered it, because i know it's useless. i put them on my own insurance right away, a carrier that has insured my other pets and i know they are reliable and trustworthy. FREE insurance is not real insurance.

[Guest katie_dog]

I chose a greyhound for many of the reasons you listed.

- I work from home.

- I have kids, but mine are aged 7 and 13 years.

- I live in town in a small city.

- I have a yard, but it is not fenced in and we don't intend on ever fencing it in. I just take my dog out on a leash.

- I have no other pets.

- I wanted a dog that would normally be quiet while I was working (8 hours a day, 5 days a week)

- My husband is also allergic to cats and some other dogs. He seems to do OK with our greyhound. He has a mild allergy to her, but we manage it by keeping her brushed (outside the house), regularly cleaning her bedding and we never let her on the furniture or in our bedrooms. She has never wanted to go in our bedrooms because she would have to go up a steep set of stairs to get to them, so it works out.

- My youngest son, who is 7, was a little scared of dogs so I also didn't want a high energy dog that would be jumping all over him or barked a lot. Having a greyhound has been perfect for him. He is not scared of her and he seems to not be scared of other people's dogs much anymore.

- I also wanted a dog to take or walks, runs, hikes with me. My dog Katie loves to do those things. I think we've probably done up to maybe 6 miles in one trip, but usually we go for a couple shorter walks of about 2 - 3 miles. If it is running, she usually gets worn out after 2 miles. It is something you have to work them up to as others have said. She loves to go hiking too. In fact, I used to have to use a ramp to get her into the back of our suv, but after we took her on a trip to go hiking she seems to love riding in the suv and she will just jump right into the back of it because she is so eager to go places in it. One thing to be aware of is the weather. Right now it is just too hot where to go on long walks with her during the day. Morning or late evening might be ok. My dog hates the rain. She'll go out in a light rain, but if it raining hard, she will refuse to go out. If it is cold, you have to put a coat on them. Really, I find I don't like to go for long walks when it is really hot or pouring out and I also need to wear a warm coat in the winter, so I don't think any of this is all that unusual. Pack water for your dog when you go for hikes as you would for yourself. Greyhounds seem to be pretty happy to lay about the house, but they are also happy to go on outdoor adventures with their people.

 

 

Hello! We are wondering if a retired racing greyhound is the right pet for our family?

Why we think a greyhound might be a good match:
- I work from home. I go out maybe 2-3 hrs a day for sanity.
- We have a suburban home, and can easily fence our yard ( our neighbor just did it, will ask her for a referral).
- our kids are 1- off to college and 2- age 12 girl
- our house is quiet and organized with set mealtimes and bedtimes etc.
- no other pets
- attracted to greyhounds because I wanted a companion who would be content to quietly hang out while I work(5-6 hrs a day)
- wanted a quiet dog, because houses are very close together in our neighborhood and nobody's dog bArks
- wanted a short haired breed because my husband is Already allergic to cats, and I do not want to trigger any allergies with the dog
- wanted a breed who will not dominate my 12 yo dAughter, who is a quiet gentle girl and would not know how to handle a dominant dog. i am afraid that a dominant kind of dog might start nipping her or bossing her around.
- don't want a chewy, jumping, puddling puppy
- sympathetic to dogs being killed or sold for research after racing, and it would feel good to help

So, Our question-
I am a rambler...I go for after dinner walks of 30 min - 1hr almost daily. My grown kids are often reluctant to go, and my husband , who wants to relax at home after work, is not always in the mood to come out either - so I am looking for a dog who would be up for good long rambles with me (2-3 miles).
On weekends, we like to hike. Usually it's like 1.5 hrs on the trail, but occasionally we go out all day. We would love to have our dog enjoy that, too.

Reading over the forum, I get the impression that greys might not be active/outdoorsy enough? We veg a lot at home, but we also want a dog that can get active with us? Are greyhounds able to be active in the way described above? or is it like, we would drag them out for the walk/hike and then they would sleep the entire rest of day since we have exhausted him/her....?

The second question is, my daughter often has friends come to play, and I know they would want to interact with the dog. I would supervise of course, but is this terrifying to greyhounds? It sounds like they can be easily spooked ( ok, I know many people might be spooked by a bunch of giggling chatting preteen girls, but let's stick to greyhounds!)

Thanks for reading this long post....
Curious to hear your thoughts!

[cleptogrey]

You want to do what we do with our greyhounds.

 

DH and I both work from home. We take 3-5 mile walks on wonderful horse trails,take our dogs into the city (ny),antique shops and shows,long car trips (4 day),canada,new Orleans, and more. A 12 year old child is a good responsible age,my dog walker was 12. Just make sure

You want to do what we do with our greyhounds

DH and I both work from home. We take 3-5 mile walks on wonderful horse trails,take our dogs into the city (ny),antique shops and shows,long car trips (4 day),canada,new Orleans, and more. A 12 year old child is a good responsible age,my dog walker was 12. Just make sure your dog is under 4. Around 9 the aging process does kick in. My 9 year olds are starting to slow down,but then again it's 94 degrees out!

Edited July 28, 2016 by cleptogrey

[EllenEveBaz]

Most of my greys would love to be the center of attention with a giggling gaggle of pre-teens. Those that wouldn't, would just quietly remove themselves to a safe haven elsewhere in the house.

 

A story about walks: I used to take my dogs for a 1+ mile walk every morning and 1/2 mile in the evenings. One winter night, I decided to do laundry instead of walk. Dear Baz appeared in the laundry room, practically tapping on a wrist watch: Walk time! "It's freezing cold and sleeting," I said. "Give me a break." (The dogs had a fenced yard with a dog door.) He disappeared for a minute, but came back carrying one of my walking shoes in his mouth. He dropped it at my feet, and play-bowed. What could I do?

 

Two hounds and I, bundled up like Russian grandmothers traversing the steppes, braved the weather for our evening walk. Baz was overjoyed. My girl dog trudged along, head down against the wind, and clearly thinking, "300 million people in this country and I end up with the crazy woman who walks in the freezing rain."

[Feisty49]

Most of my greys would love to be the center of attention with a giggling gaggle of pre-teens. Those that wouldn't, would just quietly remove themselves to a safe haven elsewhere in the house.

 

A story about walks: I used to take my dogs for a 1+ mile walk every morning and 1/2 mile in the evenings. One winter night, I decided to do laundry instead of walk. Dear Baz appeared in the laundry room, practically tapping on a wrist watch: Walk time! "It's freezing cold and sleeting," I said. "Give me a break." (The dogs had a fenced yard with a dog door.) He disappeared for a minute, but came back carrying one of my walking shoes in his mouth. He dropped it at my feet, and play-bowed. What could I do?

 

Two hounds and I, bundled up like Russian grandmothers traversing the steppes, braved the weather for our evening walk. Baz was overjoyed. My girl dog trudged along, head down against the wind, and clearly thinking, "300 million people in this country and I end up with the crazy woman who walks in the freezing rain."

 

Love this story. They have their ways, not often as direct as Baz but they let us know.

[Guest Roux]

There are so many greyt advices already given. I just like to add on thought. The greyhound you get today will mostly not be the grey you have 2 month later and after a year it will be different hound... but still be the same dog you adopted in the first place.

What I want to say is. Their personalities develop during their life with you. Their eyes will change, their whole mannerism. They are like diamonds which get their beauty through grinding. The more time our greys spend with us the more they shine.

 

I really think this sums up so much about the greyhound experience, especially for first-time adopters. Thanks for expressing it so well, Smurfette.

 

We adopted our first greyhound through a group in the middle of the US that has literally rehomed thousands of greyhounds from tracks and farms through other adoption groups all over the US and Canada. Our first glimpse of our Roux was on their website, where we saw a young hound that was so full of energy they apparently couldn't even keep her still for a photograph. We contacted the group, and were invited to come meet her after we submitted out adoption application. They had a wonderful 12-14 hound kennel with large recreation area, and even a "living room", complete with couch so we could meet any of the hounds in a play or inside environment. We had brought our whippet to ensure there would be compatibility. The meeting of the hounds went well in the yard, so they asked us to take our whippet and wait in the living room. When they brought Roux in, she was so excited she was almost bouncing off the walls. Our whippet was so intimidated that he jumped behind us on the couch and hid, peeking out at the whirlwind before us. Even in her energetic state, there was not a bit of aggression, only pure excitement at having been chosen. She soon calmed down a bit and settled into a long petting session, leaning against my knees. She was the one for us.

 

Even though their kennel was 2 hours away in another state, the group required that their volunteers bring the hound we had chosen to us. They had to do an on-site home, yard/fence inspection to ensure she would be safe and secure. The two women who brought her to us had had their own greyhound rescue in Southern California for a number of years, and had recently retired from being involved. They knew greyhounds inside and out, and we were lucky to have met them. There are two things they said I will always remember. When looking at our backyard, one said "It's a good thing your yard isn't big enough for her to get up to full speed." Since our yard is about 140' wide, I found that pretty impressive. But the other thing was the most important: "It will take a full year or more before she really lets you know who she is." And that was so true. She became a confident, calm, gentle but strong household leader for not only the whippet, but another much larger male hound who joined us a few years later. She continued to open like a flower, learning to play, increasing the complexity of her interaction with our family, and letting us know who she was. Our experience is that once greyhounds know they are truly home, they open completely.

Edited August 14, 2016 by Roux

[kronckew]

one thing you mentioned - 'puddling puppy'.

 

ex-racers have been housed in kennels in crates or small enclosures all their lives up to retirement. normally clean in the crates, they are turned out into a large field to take care of business a couple of times a day, then returned to their crates.they, never having lived in a human home, do not initially know that peeing inside is frowned on, or how to let you know they need to go out. they must be house trained, even to go up and down scary stairs. if you can find one that has been fostered, they have generally done all the hard work for you, if straight off the track, be prepared for a few puddles.

 

my Blue (fostered) never had an accident indoors his whole life, even with haemorrhagic diarrhoea. Millie my straight off the track greyhound took a few months to be able to hold it while i was working, tho she did figure out the bathroom was where i weed, and she'd wee in there if she had to. i put towels over plastic sheeting in there & she used them. pooing indoors never happened. after a couple months she never weed indoors again. ever.

 

my current saluki x lurcher Poppy was fostered & also has never peed or poo'd indoors. (salukis are 'persian greyhounds' tho they do not come from persia - iran - they come from saudi arabia). Poppy is a cross between a saluki and a lurcher. itself a cross between another sighthound breed and another breed, i think Poppy has some collie in her somewhere tho she is a typical 40mph couch potato, she has excellent recall & learns/does tricks, loves people and small dogs and children, has never growled at anyone or tried to bite, only barks when you wind her up playing or when playing with other dogs.

 

yesterday she played 'catch me' with a little terrier puppy that can't weigh more than a few pounds (poppy is about 55lb.) and was very careful not to step on him. much like my 2 previous dogs, both greyhounds, tho Millie, the ex racer had to be taught small dogs were not scooby snacks, which took a few months too.

 

Poppy has a longer coat and sheds unmercifully. Millie, an irish bloodline, (i could trace her ancestry back to 1759) shed her undercoat in the spring, Blue did not have an undercoat & his shedding was minimal. Blue was an ex traveller (gypsy/romany) dog, not tattooed, he was however all greyhound tho on the small side of the breed standard. Poppy is also likely to be an ex traveller dog, they are breeding salukis into their dogs for stamina, so they come up frequently now in lurcher rescues.

 

(if you get a greyhound, and stay with us here, pee and poo, as well as weird sleeping positions, are normal topics of conversation and if/when you do, posting photos here is mandatory )

 

gratuitous Poppy Photo:

Edited August 15, 2016 by kronckew

[kronckew]

another Poppy photo from a few minutes ago (above was 2013)

 

do we see a pattern yet?

[Guest Roux]

All the greyhound adoption groups I know of require that you read one of the good books about adopting a retired racer. There are several out there, so you may want to contact the group you are considering and ask their preference. These books are a wonderful source for first-time adopters and give you many tips for making the transition to home easy.

 

For instance, if a hound has not been fostered, it is unlikely to understand glass. If you have a sliding glass door, or just a door the dog can see through, it is likely to assume it can walk straight through without stopping. You must show the dog, perhaps with something taped to the door at head-height, that glass is solid. It doesn't take them long to learn, but you do not want to risk a neck injury. Honestly, within just a few days, and with gentle reminders, these lovely hounds learn most of what they need to know in their new environment. Ours have been very quick studies. Like most animals, they do like consistency. Having a schedule they can expect for food, potty breaks, and places they are allowed to lounge will go a long way to making your new relationship an easy one.

Oh, and I must say, just loved the Poppy photos!

[Guest nnamdismom]

Everything you listed in bullets is what a greyhound is. Greyhounds are very loving and affectionate, docile creatures. They are not dominate or controlling. They require so little to be happy. They are not big "players" as most greys do not show much interest in toys or games, purely because they were never taught these things in the puppy life. They want to relax with someone in retirement.

 

That being said, I can get my greyhound to happily do ANYTHING with me. He LOVES walks. I take him for three short ones a day! He can definitely go for 30 minutes but I wouldn't take him for more than that just knowing him and how he gets a little slow and tired, but mine is 5. Greyhounds definitely do get tired! It's funny after an exhausting bout of fun, I can see mine struggle to keep his eyes open! They can sleep 16 hours a day! I am telling you, It is SO nice to not have a demanding dog constantly bringing you the tug-o-war and begging to play! If you are an extremely active family who wants to swim, hike, and throw the ball with your dog often I would go with a lab. But everything else you described sounds like you would fit well with a grey! Your dog does not need to go on an ALL day long hike with you as he will get tired for sure. Grey's also have very thin skin and can be clumsy, so that is something to think about when going places like hikes. Regardless, greys LOVE hiking and adventure outside. They are extremely athletic strong dogs. I think you will be able to get all the relaxation and adoration you need out of a greyhound companion, as well as all the fun and activity you want. Any time I am headed outside Nnamdi jumps up and runs after me! He loves to sprint around the backyard, trot after anyone who is running, go for a long walk! There is nothing more beautiful than a running greyhound. It is magic.

 

Greyhounds can be spooked by unfamiliar things like uncertain surfaces and such, just from life in a crate and on a race track. Giggling girls will excite him I promise! I truly believe that a greyhound would be the perfectly balanced dog that you are looking for.

 

When you adopt a greyhound, your agency will help you find the best fit for your family. Possibly match you with an outgoing personality, or a younger (1-2 yr old) who did not race much and has the energy to play!

 

Greyhounds are truly the most interesting, incredible breed. Some greys are more reserved and can be shy, some are like mine who will run up to any person with kisses and excitement. For such a loving, fun and exciting animal, it is so heartbreaking to think of how many are homeless. You will never regret giving a home to something so amazing as a greyhound. I have never met a more adaptable and perfect fit for a family than a grey.

 

Youtube about roaching, rooing, running, playing greyhounds and see for yourself how silly these dogs can be!

 

It is nice to see someone doing their research to find a good fit. Speaks volumes.

Everything you listed in bullets is what a greyhound is. Greyhounds are very loving and affectionate, docile creatures. They are not dominate or controlling. They require so little to be happy. They are not big "players" as most greys do not show much interest in toys or games, purely because they were never taught these things in the puppy life. They want to relax with someone in retirement.

 

That being said, I can get my greyhound to happily do ANYTHING with me. He LOVES walks. I take him for three short ones a day! He can definitely go for 30 minutes but I wouldn't take him for more than that just knowing him and how he gets a little slow and tired, but mine is 5. Greyhounds definitely do get tired! It's funny after an exhausting bout of fun, I can see mine struggle to keep his eyes open! They can sleep 16 hours a day! I am telling you, It is SO nice to not have a demanding dog constantly bringing you the tug-o-war and begging to play! If you are an extremely active family who wants to swim, hike, and throw the ball with your dog often I would go with a lab. But everything else you described sounds like you would fit well with a grey! Your dog does not need to go on an ALL day long hike with you as he will get tired for sure. Grey's also have very thin skin and can be clumsy, so that is something to think about when going places like hikes. Regardless, greys LOVE hiking and adventure outside. They are extremely athletic strong dogs. I think you will be able to get all the relaxation and adoration you need out of a greyhound companion, as well as all the fun and activity you want. Any time I am headed outside Nnamdi jumps up and runs after me! He loves to sprint around the backyard, trot after anyone who is running, go for a long walk! There is nothing more beautiful than a running greyhound. It is magic.

 

Greyhounds can be spooked by unfamiliar things like uncertain surfaces and such, just from life in a crate and on a race track. Giggling girls will excite him I promise! I truly believe that a greyhound would be the perfectly balanced dog that you are looking for.

 

When you adopt a greyhound, your agency will help you find the best fit for your family. Possibly match you with an outgoing personality, or a younger (1-2 yr old) who did not race much and has the energy to play!

 

Greyhounds are truly the most interesting, incredible breed. Some greys are more reserved and can be shy, some are like mine who will run up to any person with kisses and excitement. For such a loving, fun and exciting animal, it is so heartbreaking to think of how many are homeless. You will never regret giving a home to something so amazing as a greyhound. I have never met a more adaptable and perfect fit for a family than a grey.

 

Youtube about roaching, rooing, running, playing greyhounds and see for yourself how silly these dogs can be!

 

It is nice to see someone doing their research to find a good fit. Speaks volumes.

[sobesmom]

THanks!

I am mentally checking off boxes and feeling more comfortable...

 

- ok, greyhounds can walk/hike as long as you ask for one that's not the total couch potato - and don't drag them around in heat! That's fine, because we are "dusk/twilight" people in the summer too.

- my daughter would never put lipstick on a dog or disturb it in any way. She is the kind who, if the dog is asleep in the hall, would walk around the whole house to make a detour rather than asking it to get up...I am more afraid of a dog dominating her, than of her doing anything to the dog!

- sorry if I am wrong on the racing. If you google greyhounds, many horrible news stories show up. :-( but if untrue, I am very glad!!!

- fingers crossed on cat vs dog allergies...husband OK with our friends dogs, but never lived with one. I will vacuum daily with HEPA filter if need be ( I am a clean housekeeper).

- A furry head on lap sounds great. I hope it will get everybody off their devices!

- greyhounds are rare around here, and I have never seen one in person! So yep, I am prepared for "what is that weird thin dog" comments...

 

( Lastly - I have been to some other breed forums...you get a good feeling for dog personalities by seeing what kind of issues show up in the forums...and I realize you are all so nice, while being informative. You will not believe some of the judgmental, nasty comments that people post on forums for other breeds!!! Bashing the owners, the training method, etc, telling them " you should have never gotten a dog" etc etc...disturbing!! If it's "like dog, like owner" - phew, I pick the greyhound people! )

 

Looking forward to meeting some greys In August at our local pet store. THanks all!

Sigh..... it's too late for you now! You're a GONER! You've done your research, asked intelligent questions, have been open to suggestions and gracefully accepted having some of your "internet" info squashed. Now you're going to MEET some greys. You're a goner. You're a greyhound person! LOL! Welcome to the club.