Greyhound Breed Description

JanW · Master

Greyhound Breed Description

neeroz · Master

LOL Janet! Would some like to tell my three/ four that they need considerable exercise! (Mum its raining, mum its cold..............put the heating on...........)

Amber · Master

I guess the breed standard refers to show greyhounds, rather than racing greyhounds. The show greyhounds are a different strain, stockier (more like coursing hounds) and perhaps they have more stamina and do need more exercise than a racing greyhound, that has been bred specifically for very short bursts of intense speed? Not sure though, as I have never met a show greyhound.

Whilst greyhounds (ex-racers) as we know are very adaptable and adjust to all sorts of lifestyles, have to say, I would far rather be in the country with mine, as they do need space to run and let off steam and can be difficult to find suitable areas for free running if you're in a very built-up area. Although in a city centre suburb, I'm lucky being in Aberdeen where it is easy to get to the beach or the country fields.

greyluvver · GAL Membership Co-Ordinator

Amber,
I'm unsure if show greyhounds are stockier, as ones I saw at the Scottish Kennel Club were certainly taller (head up to a ladies waist).

But yes I think the coursing greyhounds may well be stockier built, if our foster Max is anything to go by - I initially thought he was a lurcher! His coat seems thicker/coarser too. He doesn't run in the same style as Tyler (ex racer). He swoops around the ground lying low - and never seems to run in a straight line.

Jan,
yes it would be interesting to know what the kennel clubs base their info on.

Lucretia · Old Hand

I don't think it's unreasonable to say that Greyhounds do need a lot of exercise, as although they do adapt very well to whatever conditions we impose, they do need to run. I walk Billy 5 times a day during the week, and he still can't get enough exercise, only really tiring himself at the weekends when he gets to run.

I think they should maybe put a note down though to say that although Greys need a chance to run, they also like to sleep in the most comfy, warm spot in the house for a few hours afterwards!

Dawn · Guru

Amber wrote:

I would far rather be in the country with mine, as they do need space to run and let off steam and can be difficult to find suitable areas for free running if you're in a very built-up area. Although in a city centre suburb, I'm lucky being in Aberdeen where it is easy to get to the beach or the country fields.

I agree totally about living in the country...I would love to live in the country too, but I dont due to work committments.

Having said that, although I do live in a Glasgow suburb, I am also lucky enough to live right on the Green Belt of the City and have easy access to the country and the beach. Despite that, none of my Greyhounds, past or present need a lot of exercise, and they are perfectly happy not getting their freedom on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. The nearest they get to 'freedom' is their sprint around my totally enclosed garden, (ploughfield now).

This beautiful breed of dog does require special attention when they become family pets, sadly after a lot of ill treatment, and I defy anyone who tells me that any of my Greyhounds past or present do not have a quality of life far beyond that of the average pet, even without a huge amount of exercise or a regular run.

Dawn, Mac, Presley, Denzel, and Molly x

Siouxsie · Enlightened One

It would also be great if all our greys where able to run off lead, but sadly not all can, so big open fields etc aren't always necessary.

Amber · Master

Siouxsie wrote:

It would also be great if all our greys where able to run off lead, but sadly not all can, so big open fields etc aren't always necessary.

I let mine off in fully fenced secure fields; I think the difficulty is in the city - many cannot get off the lead in urban parks due to roads, other dogs etc. Of course they can still have a good quality of life if you have a large garden, but it seems logical that the best conditions for many of them are rural. For example, with 2 high prey drive fosters that I had, they could never be let off lead to run in urban parks adn walking them around suburbs that are full of cats was stressful. Both these dogs went to country homes where the owners had private land (fields) that they could safely run in.

Karen G · Master

Amber wrote:

seems logical that the best conditions for many of them are rural. For example, with 2 high prey drive fosters that I had, they could never be let off lead to run in urban parks adn walking them around suburbs that are full of cats was stressful. Both these dogs went to country homes where the owners had private land (fields) that they could safely run in.

Private land is still not all that safe, My friend just lost her whippet last week after a very stressful few hours looking for her she was found on the new M77 orbital on the south side of Glasgow. They have had Annie for 6 years from a 6 week old puppy & she is always at the farm where I keep my horse & she potters about in what you call "enclosed fields" NO SUCH THING if they want out they will get out as she did, just seemed that instinct took over - she must have saw a fox & went for the chase (it was found on the road right beside her) so she must have crossed about 6 fields before making it to any traffic, so I think even on private land these fields all lead somewhere as wee Annie found out last week

Amber · Master

Agreed, you would need to consider the type of fencing or wall that you use on your property and whether the dog is a jumper or small enough to wriggle through a fence - however, people let their dogs run free in their back gardens and the same applies there. That's horrible what happened to your friend's whippet, but if you let a dog off the lead at all, anywhere, there is always a slight risk of something happening. But what life would it be for them never, ever to get off lead? It seems to me that you get to know the dog well and minimise the risk by doing your own risk assessment. Freak accidents can happen anywhere - I know of 2 dogs that died through running, one broke it's leg so badly in a pothole, the owners had it put down and the other jumped up in the air after a bird, landed awkwardly and broke her leg and ultimately had to be put down - the latter happened to an experienced rescuer in her private field but could jsut as easily ahve occurred in someone's back garden, it was the way that the dog landed. Freak accidents happen, but on the other hand you cannot wrap them up in cotton wool.

-- Edited by Amber at 12:03, 2006-01-18

-- Edited by Amber at 12:04, 2006-01-18

-- Edited by Amber at 12:06, 2006-01-18

Amber · Master

Sorry Siouxsie but I don't quite understand that - surely all dogs are let off lead in their own gardens (providing that it is secure for them of course)? Therefore i see no real difference in letting any dog off in a field that is free of animals if it is as secure as a garden (for that particular dog) and it cannot escape? If a dog was never ever allowed off lead even in a secure back garden then I would have to disagree and say that the dog would not have a particularly good quality of life.

There are very very few securely fenced in areas where you can let certain dogs off in the town that I live in, where you can also be guaranteed that no other pets will come in - I do live in a city and there are none really that I can think of. That was the point that I was trying to make.

To say that 'some' dogs can never be let off lead no matter how secure the fencing would only apply I should think to a very tiny minority that can actually climb.

Amber · Master

Siouxsie wrote:

I thought it was obvious with talking about on lead would not be in their own secure garden, it was meaning out in public areas.-- Edited by Siouxsie at 15:38, 2006-01-18

Oh sorry, i thought I'd made it clear that what I was saying was...in the city there are not any public areas where you can let high-prey drive dogs off, therefore that is why I had high prey drive foster dogs re-homed to the country where the owners have their own private land and where there were no cats or small dogs anywhere in the vicinity. The last one Susy went right out into a remote farm in Aberdeenshire, miles from anywhere. I was referring to dogs being let off in secure private land.

Dawn · Guru

Amber wrote:

i see no real difference in letting any dog off in a field that is free of animals if it is as secure as a garden

I am not sure what type of 'fields' that you are used to, but having been brought up in the countryside most of my life, I have never found any field that could be 'considered free of animals', nor I have I ever known any field to be as secure as that of a totally enclosed garden. All fields are full of wildlife and wildlife are very adept at hiding from humans, but not necessarily from the eagle eye of a sight hound.

I think we will have to agree to disagree on this point, and although I am not totally against letting the dogs run free in a field eg: a relatively safe enivronment, I do think owners of sighted hounds need to be aware of the dangers of letting them off the lead, whereby they have to be especially vigilant and appreciate that they are increasing the chance of their dog being injured or worse.

Dawn

JanW · Master

I live in an urban area and don't feel there is a problem with finding somewhere to let the dogs off lead, although facilities will obviously vary tremendously from one town/city to the next. I'm in Paisley and we use the fenced dog areas in Barshaw Park Paisley, and Bellahouston Park in Glasgow. Although on lots of occasions they don't run about when they're off lead!

In general the dogs get a few short/medium walks a day, and have a run in the garden. Admitedly if we didn't have the garden it would be more problematic, but I still feel this is nowhere near the exercise needs of some other breeds which are considered to require "considerable" excercise e.g. Border Collies etc.

Kathye · Old Hand

There was me thinking of starting a thread recently about the 'only needs twenty minutes exercise a day' myth that Daz doesn't seem to have heard of. I'm finding he and I are mutually extending each other by the week so that when I tried to tire him out last week on a really long walk all that ended up was we were out for two hours and it was ME that was tired out ;)

Seeing how Daz is on the beach walks with other dogs though he does seems to have a startling amount of energy.

I've been walking a lot here in the area of Midlothian I'm in and scouting carefully for any field that I'd trust him in with the intention of asking the owner's permission but I've not found a single one yet. At least we do have the beaches we can get out to from time to time though I've still not tried that without the other GAL members as backup.