Rescue dog - dilemma

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Lacuna

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Thanks to all those who posted on my last rescue dog thread. We've now got to the point where we have 2 likely looking pointy candidates for a pet.

We went to a greyhound kennels in Warks at the weekend and met a very nice natured black bitch. Almost 3yo, fairly small at 26 in or so, friendly (almost a bit too enthusiastic to start with, feet were flailing a bit) and successfully cat tested in a local home. Wasn't worried by almost 2 yo squeakign and running around, and got fairly chilled when we took her on a 20 min walk round a neighbouring field. Only downsides are that she does like to de-stuff teddies (although I got the impression that this might only be boredom as she is kennelled alone atm) and she has never lived in a house so would need house-training on top of de-training around our resident cat.

The other is through a small rescue and is a lurcher that is/has just come over from Ireland. Haven't met her yet, but apparently is 18mth, fawn and has been in foster with cats. Has some recall and pretty sociable. She will be in foster for the next couple of weeks for spaying and hopefully we can get a look at her soon.

OH is quite taken with the greyhound and we're currently looking into training classes, as she's very much a blank canvas and we want to go into this right first time. If anyone has experience with adapting an ex-racer to house life, any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated. Would crate-training be applicable? I've been considering it as a possibility for the short-term just so dog could be secured at night away from cat until we're sure they can put up with each other. Or would simple segregation in different rooms be preferable?
 
I have had rescue greyhounds for 12 years now, and currently have 4 of them :) I have always found them incredibly easy to settle into a home environment - my latest boy was handed in from the trainers on Saturday and brought into rescue kennels (by me!), castrated and numerous teeth out on Tuesday and came home to me that evening! I took the following day off work as he was so knocked back by the anaesthetic, and then went back into my normal routine immediately, he adapted without a problem.

I haven't seen your previous posts so not sure if you have had rescues or sighthounds before, but greyhounds are lovely to have around the house - lazy, laid back and they love their sofas! I have never crate trained mine as such, just popped them into a crate when needed and they have always been fine. I have never had cat-safe hounds but would strongly recommend that the cat and dog are introduced to each other slowly and carefully, with the dog being muzzled initially. There are some great information sheets available on www.grwe.com which I would really recommend.

ETA - whoops, sorry, forgot house training! Again, I've never had a problem - I have always treated new rescues as if they were puppies, so put them outside every time they wake up, after a meal etc, and they have always been clean in the house. I would advise standing out in the garden with them to make sure they do go, particularly if it is wet and/or cold, greyhounds like their comfort and will rush back indoors at the first opportunity given the chance :)
 
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I can't offer advice on the cat bit as ours would dearly love to chase and eat them!

He was super easy to settle in and 'house train', tbh he got the hang of where to go for a wee after the first day :D We got him home he had a mooch about and then frequently took him outside to the loo so he cottoned on to where it was - day 2 he got the idea but was super polite about asking and we missed a clue from him *oops*

Boots will always try and come in asap in cold/wet weather so sometimes I'll either be evil and just leave him till he does whats needed or I have been known to put his coat on. Boots is also an 'unstuffer', I don't think it's boredom I think it's a need to play with something with him as he does it to all sorts but never to any furniture or shoes etc, only his own bed or blankets or the squeaky pheasant (he just ripped the fur off then left it). I make sure he has a bone to knaw on and that seems to stem the unstuffing!

Make a choice about if allowed on furniture or not before you get them home - we have lost both sofas to our grey!!! (I don't mind but OH does lol). They are fab and absolutely no bother, I am still amazed at how much sleepy time they like, I am also equally amazed at Boots doing zoomies too lol :D
 
We have had ex racing greyhound, lurchers and whippets and would trust none of them with cats or small moving objects. The natural instinct to kill is too strong and they are VERY quick. The ex racer of course has spent most of its formative years being encourages to chase so can be hard to retrain. BUT they have all been lovely natured dogs & a joy to own.
 
I think a greyhound will be easier than a lurcher, the lurcher is probably half not sighthound, so could be collie, staffie, terrier, whatever. I have always found greyhounds quieter and needing less exercise than lurchers.
 
I'd definitely agree with Clodagh, greyhounds are far easier than lurchers :) But I would have to disagree with poddypea, I've seen plenty of greyhounds that are cat/small furry safe when volunteering for GRWE - it is simply a case of finding the right dog to suit your circumstances :)
 
Picklenash said:
I'd definitely agree with Clodagh, greyhounds are far easier than lurchers :) But I would have to disagree with poddypea, I've seen plenty of greyhounds that are cat/small furry safe when volunteering for GRWE - it is simply a case of finding the right dog to suit your circumstances :)
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Both my lurchers are fine with the cat, within reason, but were tested by the rescue before we got them. They do want to chase her if she teases them so they are not allowed to play together and we aways make sure the cat has access to her cat door, under the beds etc. If you are worried about leaving them unattended when you aren't there get a gate and make sure they are on opposite sides of it, if you aren't going to crate. (One of mine is greyhound sized and the crate he needed even as a young dog was HUGE - it was easier to use a gate!) We also don't let them out in the garden with the cat.

Mine are both de-stuffers, unfortunately. We don't have kids though so have never had need to train them out of it as every stuffed toy in the house is theirs anyway. They have never so much as looked at a pillow or any other soft furnishing though, so I suspect they know the difference.
 
Do you have a two year old child or did I misread your post? If yes then you should only consider dogs that come from a family environment and are used to children. With the best will in the world (yes my dogs are crate trained and we have baby gates and room dividers) the dog and the toddler will be together in all sorts of situations (yes my daughter is being supervised around the dogs and she is learning how to behave around them but you can't control everything 100% of the time) and you want a dog that is likely to put up with young children.

If I misread the OP and you don;t have a young child...sorry!!!! Go with your gut feeling. Personally I could only ever view one rescue dog as I would want to take home any I saw and would end up with two!
 
I've got 2 dogs, a whippet type lurcher dog and bitch. Both currently race. Not proper greyhound racing, but lure racing where they chase a small furry animal type thing. The dog also hunts, not with me officialyl, but he takes himself off hunting in the woods. They both live with a cat. The bithc is frightened of the cat if anything, and the dog knows that cats are spiky and mean if cornered, but also make lovely fluffy cushions, which you can cleary see in the picture :d Please ignore the mess and dont ask about the superglue on the end of his nose either!

https://www.facebook.com/vickie.ald...1093431233667.438778.606503666&type=3&theater

Just to add, both of mine are destuffers! I buy teddies in bulk from the charity shop. The both like to "kill" the teddy by violently shaking it and bashing it off walls and doors etc while making ferocious noises, then they lay down and calmly rip it to shreds. I think its just instinct for them :)
 
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One issue you might have is separation anxiety. Both the lurchers we have had have struggled with being left alone and I gather it is a common sight-hound thing. You don't want two dogs do you? It would make things much easier on that front. When our second dog died we had trouble leaving the lurcher home alone but he has gradually got used to it. We have found that he is happier if he is shut in one room, rather than having the run of the house. He is also a de-stuffer. We have 2yo son and the dog knows he is not allowed to take his toys but we have to make sure that none are left in the room if he is home alone or they will be de-stuffed when we come home.
 
Thanks for your thoughts everyone, I grew up with a lurcher (grey/whippet) and always loved the type of dog. Its taken us several years to get to the point of looking seriously at dogs so this isn't a flash in the pan idea. We're trying to be quite careful with rescues to only go and actually look at dogs they feel would do well with both cats and small children. I don't want to meet one you fall in love with - only for it to go wrong down the line.

FC - love the look on your boy's face - he looks very like the bitch we saw at the weekend. (minus the glue of course!)
 
Hes a beautiful dog and the absolute love of my life! There isnt a day goes by where he doesnt make me howl with laughter. And nothing on earth is more breathtaking than a sighthound at full pelt running for the love of it :) I've got a picture, which I cant post as they arent my children, of him and my 2 nephews all curled up asleep in bed. When they used to stay for the weekend Dylan would be distraught when they went home and take a good 24 hours to stop sulking. He was my first sighthound and I dont think I can ever see myself being without one now
 
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