Terrier Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 simple pick em up would be ever so rude to expect a greyhound to do that now wouldn't it LOL - fair point! and now, wouldnt of thought of it before but recall off lead, as Elvis (greyhound) has NONE..and cannot run free..I do miss that in him ALOT I must admit, it makes me extremely sad Are there no fenced in areas near your home? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elricc Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 my greyhound jumps fences/stiles she copies the lurchers, but my galgos won't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndwoman Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 I think you have to look at why you want the dog really, I would take a dog out of compassion for the problems they had. Why I have ended up with totally loony tunes etc. Same here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 Our greyhounds will walk for miles with us, sleep well afterwards, but no trouble walking for ages Mine too, but if you've worked out how to get yours to go over a fence or stile could you please share the secret? For myself, I'd source any from somewhere that met my ethics and my requirements. At the moment that's something that's best met by the rescue system. I don't rule out going to a (well-researched) breeder at some stage in the future, but my home life is just not suitable for a pup right now. No matter, there's loads of great dogs in the rescue system. my greyhound jumps fences/stiles she copies the lurchers, but my galgos won't Thanks for the corrections Right, in that case I would add: must be able to do stiles and not have a mad prey (or pray!) drive. I want to be able to let dogs off their leads without having to worry that they'd do themselves and others a mischief by chasing another animal for miles. Kiera is def not sheep proof, that's why I'm very fussy about where we're going for walks. She would find the gap in the fence or the wall and go "play" with the woolly wonders - and if we'd be unlucky she'd get shot by an angry farmer Bottomline is that I couldn't care less about a dog's looks or breed; if they'd be happy to share our house the way it is then that is all that counts for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reds Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 Rescues every time for me, they need a home - simple as that. Temperament is the deciding factor. Only today I was talking to someone with an 18 month old collie who's already been through £3k worth of operations and long periods of crate rest due to being born with no cartilage in his hocks. He was 9 weeks old when symptoms were evident. The whole litter was affected - they were from incredibly good pedigree show lines, half Australian bc, half English. I've thought about it a few times especially as my friend is breeding this year (after hip scoring) and whose dog is simply fantastic in every way. I could never do it though, I honestly could not live with knowing I had said 'No' to a dog already born and in much greater need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrier Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 (edited) Right, in that case I would add: must be able to do stiles and not have a mad prey (or pray!) drive. I can categorically state that my dogs has shown no interest in religion whatsoever whilst he's been in our house. I think pray drive is rare in dogs of all breeds. Prey drive is pretty easy to handle though. Edited June 20, 2009 by Terrier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gremlin22 Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 would like to say would only ever have a rescue but never say never, i wouldn't go to an unknown breeder but i have some friends that breed (very resposibly with all the health checks and things) and if they ever had a puppy whose new home (she reserves before breeding) had fallen through and it was looking unlikley to home, and if i was in a position to offer the dog what it needed..then i may consider taking one. however i do have a dog now, she's a medium cross..probably some collie and she was a rescue. she was 6 years old..allegedly, when i got her.She is a fantastic dog, and although she has had some issues with other dogs we have worked through them and she is a lot better now and officially un asbo'd from training classes.:-) when i was looking for her my req's were cat friendly or at the very least not cat agggressive as i have 3 cats and only a small house. ok to be left alone a while as i work full time and although my partner is usually home all the time he does occasionally work away from home so my dog ends up alone for a few hours. medium sized and up (sorry terrier peeps but they just aren't my thing) if possible some collie or gsd in them ( grew up with gsd's but well aware i couldn't give a full gsd the time it would need) good with people in general as my grandad occasionally looks after dog during day and he's not as young as he once was so dealing with a nervous/aggressive dog wasn't an option. i am contemplating getting a second dog, but my other half says no... but i have been thinking what it would need to be cat friendly or not aggressive child friendly (my best friend has a baby now and we spend a lot of time with her) ok to be left not too bouncy with other dogs as mine still doesn't like being jumped on, she's better with young dogs in general and seems to tolerate much giddier behaviour from them medium and up i would certainly look for a rescue that fit the bill first..but i am well aware the dog listed above is likley to find a home very quick in rescue and i think probably a better home than me as i don't have a secure garden at all, but my garden does back onto fields. my current dog arrived as a foster, tho i suspect as a specially selected foster as the rescue in question knew what i was looking for and she was a forever doggie within 24 hrs...she was very nearly a burmese cross but it ended up not coming in to the rescue..hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGAR Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 I think it's up to the individual to decide which dog they want to spend their life with. Apart from the very first and very last dog all my dogs were rescues, most of which were "sticky's" no one else wanted, like Merlin the handicapped GH or Toughy the grumpy Lurcher from a Limerick Itinerant camp. The very last dog was chosen by me not for his breed (although floppy ears are a HUGE plus for an "ear fetishist" like myself) but for his temperament and his ability as a pack dog to fit into my already existing house pack without a hitch or drama. He is from a breeder who is also running a rescue. However, since middle age as irrevocably (sp) crept in, I feel unable to handle big strong dogs anymore, so this has already reflected on the breeds/types I take into EGAR. No more Great Danes or Johnson AmBulls for me, I am simply no longer able for them physically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 I can categorically state that my dogs has shown no interest in religion whatsoever whilst he's been in our house. I think pray drive is rare in dogs of all breeds. Prey drive is pretty easy to handle though. Phhewww, it's good to know that pray drive is pretty rare in all breeds, but trust me to get the "unusual" one As for prEy drive, it might be easy to handle but I don't want the dog as well as myself to suffer the consequences when I c0ck up. At the moment I wouldn't feel ready to add another dog to the family with "issues", especially like that, because Sparks and Kiera are both so easily excitable - together they're causing enough mayhem as it is! :wub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumpole Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 my dogs seem to just come along, usually, but not always unrehomeable or difficult to home elsewhere. Pudding my last bulldog had serious idiopathic aggression issues (rage) and came from the pound before his days were up as they could not get near him, luckily we learnt fast how to spot an episodes arrival giving us time to clear the room of visitors. currently i have two who hate children one of whom is also aggressive to other dogs and adults too, two deaf ones, one who cant walk, two agoraphobic and one fearful nuisance barker i have no children, facilities to seperate whilst integrating and the scary ones dont scare me nor can they ever escape fort knox to scare anyone else. i would always look for something with issues that may not appeal to others because at least then they get a chance. that was the main reasoning to my decision not to have kids, im much better with dogs Breed isnt really important though either pointy or blunt is good i have no problem with the occasional rottie/yorkie cross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrier Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 Dog with high pray drive: http://www.guzer.com/pictures/boy_dog_pray.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greytgirl Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 LOL - fair point! Are there no fenced in areas near your home? Not really, tennis courts etc, not much use in size and we take him there regular, he does get a good hour to 2 power walks a day but its not the same as going to the beach and watching him play and wonder freely or just potter about with us its just something I stupidly took for granted as none of my other dogs past or present have done this so I really didn't even think about it have to be on constant guard with front gates etc or he just does one? we have only had him since last Oct but I have no trust in him now and am far too scred to risk his life and losing him to let him off again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 Dog with high pray drive: http://www.guzer.com/pictures/boy_dog_pray.php Hmmm, I could deal with the dog (he looks rather lovverly ), as long as the kid wouldn't tag along Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 Rescues every time for me, they need a home - simple as that. Temperament is the deciding factor. Only today I was talking to someone with an 18 month old collie who's already been through £3k worth of operations and long periods of crate rest due to being born with no cartilage in his hocks. He was 9 weeks old when symptoms were evident. The whole litter was affected - they were from incredibly good pedigree show lines, half Australian bc, half English. Health is not entirely dependent on where a dog comes from. Someone locally has a 6 month old crossbreed who had a liver shunt and has cost her £5000 so far. a multibreed from rescue, at my training class, had HD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mop Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 Merlin my Greyhound has a really good recall, but not to the proper word, he will come from anywhere if I say"Look what I have got". 2 weeks ago, Merlin, Bonnie, Tilly and Joe escaped from my caravan, they had a wonderful time racing round the field to the encouragement of the other caravaners, I stood at the back of my caravan and shouted "Look what I have got", Merlin was first back but the others weren't far behind. I would be very careful of taking on a dog with health problems again, I have to many dogs with them now so don't want any more. Health of the dog would be top priority for me now even though I know ths can't be guarenteed, at least I would be starting with a healty dog. Joe came with brain damage when about 10 months old, his previous owner's son had given him drugs. Gracie came with waterworks problems, when I asked about this I was told the kennel staff hadn't noticed, she was in those kennels for at least 8 months. Ellie came as a foster dog at first to recouperate from having 2 very large tumours taken off her which could come back eventually. Merlin had an operation on his spine in April 2008, vet thinks it was the result of a racin accident and Bonnie had both back legs broken when she was about 6 months old. I have had to really scrimp and save for insurance on my dogs, at one time I had to choose between dogs insurance or my buildings and contents, my dogs won. It was the right decision. Both Joe and Gracie were biter when they first came, they had learnt that only biting worked, turning this round has left me with scars on my hands. Gracie had terrible dog aggression, she even tried to kill Joe when she arrived, now she is lovely with strange dogs and ignores any that are bad mannered. These took a lot of time and patience to solve, not sure I could do it now. Financially I couldn't take on another dog with health problems, but may consider a permanent foster dog for a rescue if the dog fitted in with mine. It is lovely to get a dog that is house trained, Merlin wasn't but didn't take long but if I am out and he wants to go, he will go, he doesn't hold like my other dogs who were house trained as pups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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