Thinking About Getting A Greyhound/questions

[Guest dsmithpdx]

Hello! My wife and I live in Portland, OR, and we have been thinking about getting our first dog. We have had a couple of cats, and both had dogs growing up, but have never had a dog since we've been together (22 years). We were originally convinced that a corgi was the breed for us, but learned that they have a tendency to bark quite a bit. We live in a condo, so that could be problematic. We were out the other night and met a nice couple, and started talking about dogs. They mentioned that a greyhound might be the perfect fit for us. Our initial thought, as I'm sure it is with many uninformed people, was that a greyhound is a relatively big dog and wouldn't be a good fit in our small space. After doing some research, we found out that greyhounds can actually be quite happy in a small home. However, we do have quite a few questions.

 

Our condo is 850 sq. ft., so it's not as tiny as some other apartments/condos, but still smaller than most houses. And of course, we do not have a yard. We live about five blocks from a large city park called Laurelhurst Park that has an off-leash area (unfenced). I have been reading some horror stories about greyhounds misbehaving in such environments (chasing/attacking small animals, taking off and not responding to calls to return, etc.). It sounds like most greyhounds don't require (or even desire) a ton of exercise, but they do like to have the opportunity to sprint on a regular basis. We thought that off-leash area was the answer, but then I started getting concerned after reading some of those aforementioned stories. So now we are beginning to question whether or not a greyhound is the right breed for us.

 

My wife works from home running her graphic design and illustration business, so she would be able to be with the dog most of the time, take him/her for regular walks, etc. But how critical is it that they be able to full-out sprint on occasion? Are there alternative solutions? I'm sure it depends on the particular dog, as with everything else, but I would like to know if there are any general guidelines.

 

I would say that's our primary concern right now. We are a fairly low-key, easy going couple, we don't have kids (and we have decided not to have any), and are excited about adding a companion to our lives. But obviously, we want to make sure we've done all the research so we can make the right decision for us AND the dog.

 

I apologize if this is not the correct category to be posting a thread like this. I look forward to any and all feedback!

 

Cheers,

Doug

Edited December 9, 2016 by dsmithpdx

[Hubcitypam]

No to off leash in a non fenced area. My house is 892 sq. ft. and I've had three or four greys including fosters (along with a poodle) at the same time with no issues. I do have a fenced yard and dog door that makes things easier but unless there was a squirrel involved I'm not sure any of my six ever did a full out sprint.. There are a lot of people that live in condos and have greyhounds. I used to take mine to the dog park and none of them wanted anything to do with it. Rex used to just go stand by the gate hoping someone would let him leave.Maybe Greysmom will reach out to you - she is in the Portland area.

[greysmom]

Hi from Portland!

 

There are a LOT of greyounds who live without access to fenced areas - condos, townhomes and the like - in Portland. And as long as you have a couch and a space for a dog bed in your bedroom, you have plenty of space. Our entire HOUSE is only about 900 sq feet, and we've had as many as 5 greyhounds at a time. We do have a fenced yard, but we're really only out in in a few times a day.

 

As far as running is concerned, mine certainly don't *choose* to run every day. Usually they do a big run-shase-wrestle between the three of them about every 4-5 days. 30 seconds later, it's all over and they go back to trotting around and sniffing. As long as you're committed to 3-4 potty walks a day, and maybe a longer one for exercise, there's no reason for you not to look further into having a Greyhound.

 

There are two active adoption groups in the Portland area: Greyhound Pet Adoption Northwest (gpa-nw.org); and Oregon Greyhound Adoption (oregongreyhound.com). They are both great organizations to work with. We adopt and volunteer with GPA-NW, but one of the founders of OGA lives right around the corner from us.

 

Good luck and keep us posted!

[ramonaghan]

Agree with the above. Your situation sounds a lot like ours when we first brought Sweep home: we lived in a townhouse with no fenced yard, had two cats but no dog experience as adults, I work from home, and we're a quiet, no-kid household. We took her for three walks (15-45 minutes) daily and a short bedtime potty break, and that met her exercise needs just fine. On weekends when weather permitted we'd take her to a fenced baseball field where we didn't have to worry about interactions with other dogs, and she'd run like crazy for a couple minutes and be done. We bought a house with a yard after two years (motivated in part by her), but even now we have pretty much the same schedule; the only difference is she gets to have zoomies in her own yard a couple of times a week.

 

If you haven't spoken to an adoption group or attended a meet and greet yet, I highly recommend it. We talked to a group for a while and then dipped our toes in the water. Sweep's foster needed a sitter over Thanksgiving, so we did that first; then we took over fostering her; then we fostered with intent; and, finally, we adopted her. The group was wonderfully patient with us and understood our nervousness as first-time adopters. If you're able to do something similar, it's very helpful. Dog ownership is a lifestyle adjustment for sure, but it's incredibly rewarding!

[robinw]

Greyhounds are dogs. No need to overthink it

[Hubcitypam]

Greyhounds are dogs. No need to overthink it

Well said Robin. That's one of my mantras.

[SPDoggie]

All 3 that we have had have gotten 2-3 ~1mile walks per day and that is that... no runs... so your apartment dog will be fine!!

[EllenEveBaz]

It does sound like a quiet greyhound might be a good match. This is where working with an adoption group can be a real bonus -- a group can help pick out the right candidates for you, and steer you away from barky dogs and crazy-energy ones.

[Guest dsmithpdx]

Thanks for all the replies! We went to an event today that one of our local adoption organizations was hosting (http://oregongreyhound.com/). We met three beautiful greys (two females and a male). There were three ladies working the event, and they graciously addressed every question and concern we had. They even let us take two of the dogs for a walk!

 

Their adoption process is very thorough. You first fill out an application, and then an adoption representative calls you to start the conversation. Then another person comes to your home to survey it and talk about anything that might be a concern. Next, they have you out to their kennel where they will have 4-5 potential matches ready to meet you. You get to interact with them, walk with them, play with them, etc. At that point, hopefully a perfect match will be found!

 

Maybe all of that is typical, but it struck us as beyond the norm. We are convinced more than ever that a greyhound is the right fit for us. I hope we can introduce a new companion here soon!

 

Thanks again,

Doug

[sarabz]

We lived in midtown Manhattan with our first grey for 4+ years, in a 600 square foot apartment. Never bothered with dog parks because she didn't care about them. Perfect apartment dog

 

We're in CT now, with 2 greys and a toddler - our first grey has adapted just fine to this, too.

 

We didn't have a home visit, but the rest was what our group does as well.