How Loud And Scary Is A Greyhound's Bark?

[NeylasMom]

The consensus seems to be "get the most petite girl hound, they have the biggest WOOF!"

 

Johnny is a greeter when strangers come over, got to get those face licks in!

I'll get on board with that. Violet, who is 60 lbs has a really loud (often obnoxious ) bark while Zuri, my bigger black boy had the most high-pitched squeaky you can kind of call it a bark thing.

[GreytHoundPoet]

I've had defective Greyhounds because they've all barked and had much more energy than most. My fosters even barked here. I think that I have had barkers because through the years I have had a Dalmatian, a Galgo, and a pack of Ibizan Hounds living with my Greyhounds.

 

I found that most people don't know anything about dogs and the size alone scares some people, especially with the darker colored hounds.

 

Personally, I'd be honest with your adoption group about what you are looking for and let them match you up.

 

Sometimes dogs surprise you too. I have a very mild-mannered, constantly happy, marshmallow sweet Ibizan who does an excellent movie-worthy guard dog impression when we're alone and he senses trouble (people coming to the door/in the driveway/when we're traveling in the evenings/etc). He switches from *life is YAY mode* to *protection mode: enabled* quickly.

Edited July 3, 2017 by GreytHoundPoet

[Stoney]

I had one boy who whined, but didn't bark. I had one boy who barked, but sounded like a chihuahua. I have one boy who has barked twice in the 6 years we've had him. He has a deep bark.

 

All greys are different, most don't bark much, but if you have other dogs around to teach him bad habits then a grey will probably learn.

[Guest MikBee]

I think most rescue groups want to help you with choosing the right dog for your situation. Especially since returns are hard on any dog!

 

I work from home but live next door to my parents who have two dogs of their own, and I often end up over at their house for at least part of the day. I wanted a dog that I could bring with me when I am, and both my husband and I wanted a dog we could take with us when we go places, like pet stores and things like that.

 

Odin is pretty laid back about all of that. At my parents' house, he sleeps. Out in public, he calmly goes up to people to see if he can get them to pet him, but never jumps or acts pushy or anything. (Until they do pet him, then he tries to follow them!)

 

I think one like him would probably be good in your situation. One that's pretty calm and confident and doesn't mind going around to different places throughout the day.

 

But... he doesn't bark! I honestly think he doesn't care enough about what's going on to bark at anything. He'd sleep through a burglary. LOL. He is on the larger side though, so his size alone might be enough to scare someone off.

 

In short, yeah I don't see why a greyhound wouldn't be a good fit for you!

[Busderpuddle]

Ruby has never ever barked. It would scare me to death if she barked now.

[anniebellshafe]

Zeppelin is 85 pounds and has a deep scary bark. He really doesn't use it often but when we first got him (maybe a month in) someone cut through the house next door's backyard because the house was vacant and Zep had a fit - needless to say nobody cut through that yard again. He doesn't bark very often, mostly at night when we are in bed and oddly, more often when my husband is on night shift and I'm home alone. He definitely makes me feel a little bit safer.

[Guest chickenpotpie]

The only way I can get Lucky to bark is with a cookie

[Sundrop]

We've had 6 greyhounds - 3 boys, 3 girls. Our first two almost never barked - I can honestly say, combined it was maybe 5x in 5+ years. Our next two (boy/girl) were barkers - our boy was a big guy, about 85 lbs and he sounded very menacing, and he actually brought out the barking in our girl. Both were great at alerting us when someone came to the door, or a car/trucked parked outside, but were quiet other than that. It was pretty perfect - our girl didn't sound quite as scary, but still sounded like a big dog.

 

We currently have two and one is a barker (our boy) - he's about 76 lbs and sounds scary - again, only barking when someone is at the door or he hears something. Our current girl barks very infrequently - and mainly at our boy when they play, hah!

 

As others have said, do NOT get a greyhound if you want a dog to deter people outside. You might be able to work with a group who has a barker, but I wouldn't count on them being a barker when they come home with you. All 3 of our barkers have honestly scared the crap out of people at the door (we had one UPS man who was running away when I opened the door, haha) - but I'd never count on a greyhound barking when you want them to.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Sundrop

[Hubcitypam]

In some places a "beware of dog" sign can be used against an owner in a lawsuit.

 

If you want a watchdog that'll bark its head off get a terrier.

[Wantsagrey]

I think I mostly want it known around the neighborhood that I've got a large dog. I do think just the knowledge of there being a large dog is enough to make many people hesitate to make trouble.

While greys don't seem at all intimidating to me, I think they would seem that way to those who aren't dog savvy.

 

I'd really prefer a dog that's not a huge barker, my Chihuahua and Havanese do enough of that! But I wouldn't be disappointed if I got a grey that would chime in when something suspicious is going on!

 

Thanks everyone!! I really appreciate the feedback.

[ramonaghan]

The consensus seems to be "get the most petite girl hound, they have the biggest WOOF!"

 

Wish I could train Sweep to do it on command, because I think her bark is pretty impressive.

 

[GreytHoundPoet]

I used to live in a pretty bad neighborhood and having a house full of Greyhounds, a Dalmatian, and a Galgo Espanol scared people away from my fence. They crossed the street to avoid the big dogs. Houses routinely got broken into in that neighborhood but ours was never touched until a week after we moved. Our old neighbor told us as soon as the dogs were for sure gone people broke in. Of course, we didn't leave anything behind so that was pretty pointless.

 

My sister-in-law lives on my road and has a high tech alarm system. She got broken into. We haven't. Of course, we also have nothing of value. Our tv is 16-years-old, furniture and electronics are all old, and I wear artsy, but not expensive, jewelry so really it would be a waste of a burglar's time and the entire neighborhood would know thanks to 4 loudmouth Ibizan Hounds and a loudmouth "Wannabeezer" Greyhound.

Edited July 27, 2017 by GreytHoundPoet

[Remolacha]

I think if they live with other (non greyhound) dogs that bark, they do pick it up. If you already have two small barkers, your grey may very well learn to chime in Their size is usually enough to make people hesitate, unless of course they are sprawled out on the floor asleep

Edited July 27, 2017 by Remolacha

[XTRAWLD]

Kasey has made me jump out of my skin when he would bark and I didn't expect it. The only time mine usually do is if someone comes to the door. They still are surprisingly protective of their home and mamma!

[Melly]

Here is a video where you can hear the sound of our old Grey's bark. It was deep, but she was not a guard dog - the only time she would bark was when you stopped petting her and she wanted more, as you see in the video (my Minpin who you can hear in the background was the guard dog in the house).

 

 

 

[brindlehound]

I don't think I saw it suggested that maybe your adoption group will know which dogs are barkers. Joy barks sometimes and it's pretty deep.

[RachelV]

Arya (my little 56 lb female) is not much of a barker. If someone approaches the front door, at the most, she will trot up and stare at the door while wagging her tail. She does the same when meeting new people and dogs. If she is super excited, she emits a high-pitched whine (the opposite of scary. Just annoying ). However, she can be downright terrifying if she thinks I need protection. No barking, but when I was at my old apartment complex's dog park near the highway at night one time, there was someone hidden back in the nearby trees that run right along the highway that I did not see. Arya noticed the hidden person immediately, however, and ran to the fenceline closest to them, froze, raised her hackles and gave the fiercest, deepest growl with an intense accompanying stare that I have ever heard. I was scared and I was still near the entrance of the park behind her. Clearly, the person got the message, because she stepped out of the shadows, raised her hands, and walked away. We never saw her again, and I have always felt safer knowing that Arya can and will protect me if she sees the need. People that do not appear suspicious to her, however, would never guess. To everyone else, she is the happiest, most wiggly, lover of a hound.