It was a terible thing that happend to the cat and for the owner to witness, we can say it`s the dogs nature all we like, but coments like lurchers do what lurchers do are not helpfull, so why do owners not have muzzels on when out. Even on GAL walks around Strathclyde Park there are a lot of owners without muzzles on their dogs and there are lots of other dogs/animals about when we walk around. I have had problems when walking round with our lurcher and King Charles so much so I only bring the lurcher now, mainly due to very few muzzles being on the other dogs after a greyhound went for the king Charles. In the article the man said that the dogs were great with kids and they are, but what if a child would have tried to rescue the cat, what then, just think what the press would have been like. So I would like to see more dogs with the muzzle on when we take them out for a walks and most of all when they are off lead. 

Well said, Suzanne!

I too believe that dogs should be muzzled if they are even remotely likely to pose a threat to another dog. But I don't believe all lurchers and greyhounds should be muzzled when they are out. There are many that are safe around small dogs, children and other small furries.

I read this article and really felt sorry for the cat's elderly owner to witness such a terrible thing happening to her pet. But really, the man in charge of the dogs, as far as I am concerned, should have had better control over them. He had become complacent because the dogs had passed the same cat many times without reacting. And with hindsight, if the dogs had been muzzled, the cat would still be alive. The dogs just did what they are bred for.

Christine

I agree not to muzzle GH or lurchers all of the time as it said if ur dog is on a lead and ur in control  then the need to muzzle is one of ur choice. But if in doubt muzzle ..In saying that one experience ive had with dogs of lead and mine on lead the dogs of lead not undercontrol of their owner and chargeing at my two if they were muzzled i feel that they would have been at a disavantage to defend themselves,and a needless  injury may have resulted in my two but because they were not muzzled they defened themselves and repulsed the attck by the two dogs .  ie rotty cross and a collie cross before the owner decided to try and collect his dogs  and told me he never has his dogs on a lead as they normally  like other dogs?--

I have found all your comments really interesting and agree that greyhounds do posess the hunt/kill instinct whether it is visible or repressed, it can reappear without warning.

The problem I have with muzzling is that it leaves mine totally defenceless against some really nasty dogs. In any case Tiger hates being muzzled so much that he has learned to hit you as hard as he can all over to get the muzzle removed. Believe me it really hurts to have a dog hitting you repeatedly with the muzzle. I have muzzles that I use if there is a cat/hedgehog about in the garden. My dogs never go off the lead in public places. I have them firmly leaded at all times and as an added precaution have a house collar on even with the other collar as it can pull very tight.

The problem I have with all this is I think that I am being responsible despite not muzzling, if a small furry approaches I get hold of both collars (tight).I then explain to the other owner that mine are not safe around small animals and in any case most people respond sensibly by putting the lead back on their dog.The only times that I am worried are the times that people show a total lack of responsibility by continuing to let their dogs come up and sniff, snap or bark.

I am aware that many of you will disagree with me but the onus does, in my opinion, need to be on the small dog owner if I have given a reasonable warning and in many cases gone as far as running away. I think it is unfair that their dogs are allowed to wander off lead,while mine have to be practically strait-jacketed with no freedom at all in case others cannot face their own responsibilities towards their dogs safety. I am sorry but to me this is just another extention of the lack of responsibility visible in society on a daily basis. I just hope they take more care of their children.

Em, Tig and Chad x

OMG Alan! Is your neighbour nuts, or what? He/she must know that you have two greyhounds - and such beautiful and good natured dogs as they are, it doesn't mean they wouldn't have a gulp of rabbit given the chance!

Hope your neighbour does turn the hutch around, or better still, move it altogether to a different part of their garden where it's not so easily seen by 2 pairs of beady eyes peering through the fence! It must be so frustrating for you to have a good garden for Lulu and Douglas to run around in, but can't let them out there on their own as things are at the moment.

Please let us know what happens.

Christine

I have to muzzle Petra around the streets, as she will take any opportunity to grab a cat (even when on lead). I presume that although they were on leads, being 4 of them, the owner in this case couldn't control them and they must have pulled the leads out of his hands, or were close enough to lunge and get the cat, even if he still had hold of the leads. It sounds horrendous, awful for the old lady owner of the cat.

I don't however muzzle her in the park or other walks away from residential areas, as I do not expect to see any cats on those areas and she is fine with small dogs. With some of the foster dogs I had that were not small dog safe, they were always muzzled. Small dogs will run up to your on-lead greyhounds and IMO even though it is the owner's fault for allowing them to approach strange dogs, it's just not worth the risk; if a high prey-drive dog grabs hold and starts attacking because of prey drive, there is really nothing you can do stop them, even if they are on a lead.

I think that if a dog warrants muzzling (i.e. it would attack another animal) then it should be muzzled when in areas where it's target are likely to be around. Although they don't like being muzzled, it's just what you have to do to avoid these things happening.

Having said that, IF the cat had wandered into the dogs' own private garden, then I feel that is just too bad. We are required to control our dogs in public, not on private property and a dog has the right to be free and unmuzzled in its own garden. If another animal strays into its own private garden and gets killed, that's unpleasant and not what we want, but I would draw the line at muzzling dogs in their property. What makes this newspaper story particularly tragic is that the old lady was being very responsible keeping her cat on a lead in her own garden when these dogs went into her garden and attacked it.

Edited to add: on occasion I have had dodgy looking men taking an unhealthy interest in my greyhounds (possibly to steal them), so if any of them are muzzled I don't say it's because of prey drive, but because they pick up rubbish and eat it (also make a point of mentioning they are all neutered, injured, 'no use')

Yep,

       I bet they can smell it a mile off! I have 2 rabbits living next door to me and live in fear of the fence blowing down. My neighbour used one side of the fence as part of the hutch/run (yikes) Chad began digging within days of being here (presumably to get under the fence!) luckily my neighbour moved rabbits when I explained. I now spray the fence with jeyes fluid if the wind is in the right direction and it seems to throw them off the scent!

Em, Tig and Chad X

Christine,

I have 17 "Next door Neighbours" so erecting a new screen fence all round would be too expensive.    I don't intend keeping the dogs in.  One of my reasons for taking 2 GH's was because they would have the benifit of a big garden to run around in and enjoy themselves (which they do).    I'll just have to keep an eye on them but the screening by my neighbour seems to have helped a bit.

Regards,