I've just been to watch a class where my mum takes her greyhound to train. Someone produced a squeeky toy to use for a recall and a hell let loose. My mum's greyhound slipped his collar and charged straight at the dog and toy. He got the toy and squeeked it in manic way. He was totally anxious when we got him and he didn't engadge with any other dog. Now obviously this squeeky toy hugely motivated this greyhound (nothing else did) but would it be wise to use one for training. The trainer there suggested it wasn't a good idea as it could teach the dog to kill a small puppy making similar noises. Is that a good bit of info?
My exacer doesn't play with squeaky toys but likes to chew them up. Has this greyhound been worked it may have associated the sound of the squeak for a rabbit. As for attacking a puppy that made the same noise I don't know. If the dogs prey drive is that high then it could attck a small puppy anyway. My bitch is fine with small dogs. If he can slip a collar so easily I would try him in a martingale collar as they are not so easy to slip out of as they are designed to tighten up to a small amount if the dog pulls away.
Sorry had to laugh!!! My greyhound is totally fixated by squeaky things too!! I could just see him doing the same thing at a training class ! But he wouldnt attack a small dog or even a cat...he is a gentle lump....tho a squirrell would be another matter!! In all seriousness I would not use a a squeaky toy to train a hound cos once they have it they aint gonna give it back!! i dont even know if you can "train" a greyhound
Of course you can train a grehound. Mine does a superb 'down', 'waits', heels 'off lead' does an A Recall and knows the 'leave' command. I didnt train her to sit as she's got a boney bum and I don't think it's comfotable for her. I simply used the odd treat.
Whether or not you can train a greyhound depends very much on the dog itself. My show greyhound is as thick as two shorts planks I think he even struggles with his name. I don't think he is actually that stupid he just knows how to get what he wants. He will bark if he needs to go for a wee in the night were as my racing bitch will just wee in her crate. So really he is probably quite clever he just make sout he is daft as he knows it gets him more.
Totally know what you mean! Mine know exactly what is going on and how to behave etc but it's all done in their own time if they feel like it!! They are never badly behaved as such but kind of have the attitude of "i'll do it in my own time when i'm good and ready, not rushing for anybody!!" As greyhounds don't easily do "sit" i have recently taught mine to do a play-bow instead. So when i say sit before a treat or whatever they both play-bow for me, its really cute. They learnt to do this within a week.
Wow, someone needs to tell me how you did this! Axel learnt his name in less than a week (was previously 'Darkie') but still struggles 4months later with 'wait'. He generally behaves himself so he's a 'good' boy, but I'm not sure if he's just slow or stubborn! He's good at 'wait' sometimes, but other times rubbish! So I'm not sure if it's our tone of voice or something else that's different. Onto squeeky toys, he's not bothered and would rather chuck about a pigs ear or chew...but my little nephew had a noisy racing car toy which seems to excite/scare him...
My lurcher is obsessed with squeaky toys and i use for recall as well, don't bother with them apart from that coz she destroys them in seconds ! My greyhound loves soft toys, apparently they like these as the lure is thrown to them after they race. As for attacking a puppy, if you have good recall and muzzle the dog whats the problem, my dogs are fine with other dogs even small ones but i always put on lead around small ones and puppies, i wouldn't take the risk. Thats part and parcel of being a grey/lurcher owner !
Holly is obsessed with squeaky toys!! She loves them!! She sqeaks them manically!! My lurcher Danny has now discovered how to do this and he does the same!!
I was once told a long time ago never to use squeeky toys for play or to train with. The trainer said that it excites the dogs and they may forget themselves and attack anything that squeeks i.e. babies or small animals. Since then I have never had squeeky toys in the house just in case this might be right.
See our Megan is completely terrified of squeeky toys O_O She has a panic and runs upstairs if anything squeeks
Most of my greys go mad at a squeaky toy and in all my years of having them I have never been able to train one to sit and stay!!
Zero on the trained scale here Paris has good recall but apart from that no sitting, staying or waiting goes on in our house As for squeaky toys... phil can make a toy stop squeaking, by 'killing' it within a few seconds.. So no toys here, also he doesnt share so they only have kongs and only supervised.
I read somewhere its anatomically very difficult for greys/lurchers to do the sit position, i must say neither of mine sit, they lay down sphinx like instead.
