Advice please if I got a greyhound..... Questions

I have seen a gorgeous one that needs to be rehomed. he was bred to race but was too big so they decided to find him a pet home.

I REALLY want him but for a start I dont know much abot Greyhounds (or any hound really!!).

I obviously have my two other dogs, who are generally very well behaved...but i would have 3 big dogs.
Do you think i could do it??
Or am i wishing for the impossible?

He is a very good natured boy but has had no real training.
Can you use a long line with them or is it a case of if they see something they go..??!!

Also how hard/easy is it to housetrain an adult dog...he has been in kennels his whole life...he is nearly 2 now?

Advice good or bad appreciated and any tales of your greyhounds would be great also xx

Chances are your dog if it is a racer will not be socialised to other dogs. Bringing him into a household of dogs that are not greyhounds is likely to provoke nervous aggression.

They are notoriously difficult to train (but not impossible). Do not expect to be able to let the greyhound off lead outdoors as you will not be able to calm down the prey instinct to chase furries.

Greyhounds are very easy to care for and require the minimum of dog-knowledge. If you want further information, I would strongly suggest you get in contact with your local retire greyhound trust rescue centre and talk to one of the many men and women there.

I have 2 greyhounds myself and know others with greyhounds. Although they are big dogs (tall) i don't find them a problem in the house i also have 2 other smaller dogs. Are your current dogs male or female?

I am so pleased you are seriously considering giving him a home. Happy to give you any advice you need (based on my own experiences) feel free to PM me at any time. They are lovely natured dogs and in my experience boys are more soppy than girls (in greyhounds that is). Training should not be a problem, and i let mine off lead all the time, i'm just careful where. Introducing to your dogs should be fine if you do it gradually and on neutral territory to begin with. As i said i'm happy for you to PM me . Hope this works out for you and you can give this boy a home. xx

My uncal races Greyhounds, and when he retires them he takes the time to find them pet homes, in fact he has over the years kept some of them as pets himself.

Him nor the new owners have had any problem letting them off the lead, or introducing them to other dogs in the house. If a racer did not get on and therefore fought with others dogs, it would not do well on the track.

House training an adult dog can take longer than a pup but can be and is done often.

I take my hat off to you, offering an x racer a home is a great thing to do, they make great pets and are really easy going dogs, in general anyway ;-)

I hope it all works out for you, keep us updated

Goodluck , I am sure the boy will be grateful to have a new home. I have heard good things about Grey Hounds and how lovely their natures are xxxxxx

ps sorry I can't offer any advice but I think you have had some good advice anyhow xxx

Greyhounds are probably the easiest large breed there is to own, must be why i get on with them so well!! you can't really go wrong with them as a rule, they are very laid back and will happily fit into any lifestyle. Especially if car rides are involved!
You can use a long line with them, but you have to be aware of what is in front of them before they are and keep it fairly taut, bearing in mind they can reach 40mph in 3 strides. i got a sturdy extending lead (i figure i've got more chance of holding on to him at the end of one of those than with a long line thats only going to give me rope burn) with a shock absorber at the end and only use it if he's harnessed so he won't throttle himself if he does launch after anything. He never has though. Luckily, as they are so dim I guess, I have always spotted things before he has and have time to reel him in while he's happily oblivious, and even if he does see something he will freeze at first. It's just a case of keeping him close when I go round blind corners really. If something were to run out right in front of him and he saw it he may bolt, but luckily most furries know better than to do that!
They aren't difficult to housetrain (obed. training is a different matter completely...). You have to teach them that the whole house is their new 'kennel', and the garden is their paddock. Jobie was in kennels until he was almost seven, and he has never pooped in the house (yet..). When we got him I took him in through the back gate, waited in the garden with him until he weed and praised him when he did before he was allowed inside, if you ask the kennels at what time they are let out for exercise etc you will be able to keep him in that toileting routine until he realises. Young greys tend to be very messy buggars (I knew one who was only too happy to lay across the pee gutter so he could get his head out under the kennel door and watch what was going on )but they are usually grown out of it by 18 months and are very clean after that. If he is clean in his kennel at the rescue then he will most likely be clean at home.
He may well not realise that your lot are dogs at first, but he will come round especially if they will play with him and not hold a grudge over a few testing nips! I was told Jobie would never get on with other breeds but once it's clicked with one dog he tends to be fine with all similar looking dogs. He said hello and stood nicely next to a westie and an Ambulldog in the vets a few months ago, which would have been impossible when we got him. To be honest we didn't have to put much work in to get to that stage, he is very rarely walked in places where we meet other dogs, he just seemed to realise it by himself after a few positive encounters. Then again I knew a bitch when I volunteered at the rgt who would (literally) do somersaults and thought it was the lure bunny coming up the road at her if she saw anything remotely un-greyhound looking!! I'd love to know how she got on, LOL!
If there is anything you need to know drop me a PM, and good luck with him if you get him, im sure you wont regret it

I have house trained two adult dogs who had never lived in a house before , one was 2 and the other was 8 .
I actually found it a lot easier than training a pup . I would have no hesitation in taking on a dog which was not house trained .
I have never had a greyhound but do have whippets and a lurcher which are similar . A lot of the people I know with greyhounds routinely muzzle them when out on walks and I think that saves a lot of worry . Greyhounds are used to being muzzled so it's really no hardship for them .
Good luck

Thanks so much for your lovely replies all!

Thought i may have a few people sayng not to do it!!

I am still completly split in half...not sure what to do. I would love him, but dont want to rock the boat if you see what i mean.

Will keep thinking, lol

SPOT tried to PM you...you are full up with messages love!

Yes you are right. During a race greyhounds have to be muzzled, therefore are trained to except a muzzle from an early age, so is not a problem for racers/x racers and is a norm for them, as it would be for a dog that is walked with a headcollar.

One of Kismet's best friends on the field is a retired greyhound, he wears a muzzle most of the time, but takes it off for ruff and tumble with the Kis. Pharaoh's dad was a retired g.hound. They fold up real small and aren't like a big dog at all...

Go for it, you'll never regret it.

When I had Button I asked about having to muzzle her whilst out walking. I was told by the ngrc that if she was registered as still in training then she would have to be muzzled. Once they are registered as retired they are no longer required to wear a muzzle.

I only ever free run mine in a secure area were no other dogs are but I always muzzle both my ex racer and my show greyhound as they have a tendency to nip at eah others necks when they are running.

You will find that a lot of racing kennels keep their greyhounds muzzled when in kennels except for when they are being fed. Button knew the difference between a wire racing muzzle and a plastic one which she used to wear in kennels

I hope you do give this lad a chance.
We recently expanded our pack to two. Our greyhound is an ex-racer who was dumped in a bog and left for dead in Ireland.
We got to know him while he was in the rescue kennels and fell for him hook, line and sinker.
It hasn't been a completely smooth ride ... house training took a couple of months, mainly due to us learning the signs, but now he is fairly reliable.
We were surprised and delighted at his cheeky, mischievous personality which began to show itself after a couple of weeks. He was so subdued in kennels.
Thieving is quite common in greyhounds as is counter surfing so you will need to be vigilant regarding remote controls etc.and any food. It just becomes habit to scan a room before leaving it to assess possible risks.
Greyhounds also need a very low protein food otherwise they can become hyperactive. The one we use costs £14.99 and lasts one dog about a month.
Hope this helps and let us know if you decide to bring him home.

Sorry to take so long to reply and empty my message thingy. Im so glad you took this boy on - he sounds a dream and will repay you time and time again.

If you do have any problems at all orjust want a chat about him try

greyhound gap - sorry cant put a link up because they are a rescue but do a search and you should find them they are an excellent rescue with very knowledgable members onthere.

Have a long and happy life with your fella and thank you so much for giving one of these beautiful dogs a loving home.

Ah thanks spot!

He is a beautiful boy, as you know i had my doubts about a third and whether he would fit in, but i cannot fault him, he is such an easy dog and a delight

Hi, I have a retired greyhound called Kym, i've only had her five months and she's fitted in with the family great - can't imagine life without her now ! Sure you won't regret taking him on. They have lovely temperaments, docile, placid and she's great with my kids too.

The RGT where i got her from advise you to keep them muzzled and on leads for a few months and i don't use a muzzle now, she doesn't take much notice of other dogs unless its another grey (they seem to recognise each other ) then she wants to play ! i do let her offlead but only in secure areas and she has been microchipped.

I am a member of Greyhound Gap forum but there is another forum on www.greyhound-data.com which is informative. You can also trace the dogs pedigree and racing history if you have the racing name or you can do it from the ear tattoos.

Good luck with your grey - whats his name by the way ?

Ah thanks!
he is called Blue (he is the colour too!).

He is a pretty easy dog ...i have been lucky i must admit as it was a risk taking him on!!
I let him off lead with my other two in secure areas and not sure if he would recall well by himself but he comes back when the others do!!! Anything for a bit of chicken, lol!!
I do put a muzzle on him when we are out tho as not sure how he would react if he saw a cat or small dog running, not to mention the rabbits and squirrells!

Hi again, i love blue greyhounds, i'd like another grey but my OH won't let me ! you don't see that colouring that often. Kym is fawn with big brown eyes, she reminds me of a deer.

I know what you mean about small furries, i had only had Kym 3 months and she killed my next door neighbours cat, it was awful. The cat was in our garden, it used to come in a lot (to poo) but its nine lives ran out this particular day. Luckily my neighbour was very understanding. Not much you can do really - its what they've been trained to do and its an inbred instinct. I did nearly lose her one day when we were out she chased a squirrel - i did more running than she did that day !

You must post some pics so i can have a look - i haven't worked out how to do it yet but i will post some of Kym eventually !

She sounds pretty!!
You must do pics!!!
Shame about the cat. Blue is very good with our cats at home but I know that if he sees one run when we are out and about he would be after it!!!! Thats why i leave the muzzle on...and he doesnt seem to mind!

I am so glad that your dog is fitting in so well (apart from the cat) one of my neighbours has a rescue greyhound called Sophie she is a wonderful natured dog.