Polecatty

I was moving my rabbit's hutch and he managed to give me the slip and hopped off across the lawn...and came to a halt about two meters away from my whippet. I immediately told her to sit and she did...very slowly...and then proceded to shake and drool whilst I retrieved him. I don't think she blinked once. :laugh:

It has never happened to me but I can easily imagine circumstances in which a dog owner could 'unbond' with a dog. Would be interested to hear of your circumstances. :)

...Farseer fan? :D

Beef bones are too big for my dogs. I've had them occasionally but if I get the leg bones cut in half Penny especially scrapes at them with her front teeth and wears them down. I haven't given it to them many times but now as an old dog she just has little stumps for front teeth. Ah, fair enough. :) The vertebrae bones are about the size of a woman's fist- they are also often sold as beef 'soup bones'. When they are all connected and forming a whole neck they are huge [HUGE!], but once seperated the individual vertebrae are a great size for my whippet. They don't seem to be anywhere near as dense as the large weight-bearing leg bones, as she can crunch most of them up but struggles to make a dent in leg bones [and like you, I worry for her teeth when she chews those, so she very rarely gets them]. What about turkey necks? They have a bit more oomph than chicken necks whilst remaining very manageable.

Try giving a good chewing bone everyday -I use beef neck vertebrae, little bit of meat, not a great deal of fat and excellent for chewing. Something that they have to work on to get the meat off- chicken necks are too easily crunched. :) Then a quick run over with the toothbrush every other night, whether they look like they need it or not. There are also additives used specifically for reducing plaque and tartar buildup that can be added to food and water...could be worth looking into.

Poor greyhounds.

Greyhounds are beautiful, take up very little room for a dog of their size and are very content when kept as indoor dogs. Whippets are very similar only smaller and without the breed specific leash restrictions that the greys have. :)

My whippet has absolutely minimal body fat and she swims like a champ! She loves water and if there is a dam, river, creek, puddle or ditch then she is in it. Hates baths more than anything, though. *eyeroll*

What it comes down to (this should be obvious but I wouldn't want to assume you'd figure this out ;) ) is that, as it stands, there are excess dogs and not enough homes for them, leaving trainers with three options- humanely euthanise, keep the dog and provide minimal care (in terms of costs) or keep the dog and provide it at least adequate care. The third option is usually out. Owners aren't generally willing to pay to keep dogs that aren't working- this isn't fair or ideal but it's the reality of the situation. This leaves options one and two. Option one is very likely going to be kinder on the dog, simple as that. This is not an excuse, this is making the best possible choice for the welfare of the animal. If I had to choose between a pile of greyhounds being put to sleep or a pile of greyhounds being retained with substandard care/feeding, after what I've seen, I'd pick the green dream for them, every time. This isn't because I'm a heartless bitch but because I've seen that suffering, held it as it died and then had to live with that decision. Your view on things, in my opinion, is incredibly simplistic. The racing industry has a lot to answer for but in the meantime, they're here and we have to do what's best for the dogs that are currently excess to requirements. Working with the industry is the best way to achieve small wins for the dogs that add up to improved quality of life and better welfare practices. Fighting and attacking gets the dogs nothing- and if the dogs aren't benefitting, welfare isn't your concern- that's animal rights and that's a whooooole other story. As would I, if those were the only options. However, I still don't think you quite understand why I find it upsetting or the angle I am coming from here. It isn't necessarily just about the individual dog that was put down- it is [at least for me] about the pervasive attitudes within the greyhound industry that leads to the overbreeding and large amounts of wastage. It is exactly your first point that I find distasteful. Do you personally find it disgusting that so many greys have so few good options once their racing careers are over? If so then we are in agreement. As for your last paragraph- I happen to be in agreement with that also. As a tactic working with the industry to increase welfare works well. However from a personal viewpoint I do not need to be nearly so diplomatic. I hope you understand the distinction and see that whilst I would love to see greyhound racing severely [comparatively] restricted I also know that it isn't something that can be achieved overnight and that sometimes goals are best achieved by working within the system. That still doesn't mean that I'm interested in keeping racing people happy, or that I have to excuse trainers who euthanise healthy dogs- I'm interested in the welfare of the dogs and am allowed to feel angry about practices that don't have their best interests at heart. My simplistic view [;)] is that the lady in the OP didn't have the dog's welfare at heart. She was making room for a new racing prospect. That's all. Preferable to some of the other options? Sure. The green dream beats having your ears hacked off and being dumped out along the highway. But she could also have done much better. I'm not a supporter of animal rights.

[quote name='Hardy's Angel' And Polecatty.. I hate to sound condescending here but you have no idea. I've seen plenty of dogs for whom humane euthanasia would have been a mercy. I cared for one last year (which ended in him having to be PTS) and in my opinion, his trainer keeping him on the verge of death constantly was far crueler than what the woman in the OP did. Some things really are worse than death and for greyhounds, just existing in a run, being fed the cheapest food and being kept alive for the sake of being kept alive is probably one of those fates I'd consider "worse". Of course, if you have a suggestion that would make both rescue groups and the racing industry happy, by all means share it Typo You do sound rather condescending when you make assumptions about whether or not a person has any knowledge of or experiences with the grey industry- I do, consequently, and have seen worse than a dog getting the green needle. This has not made me more inclined to be permissive or accepting of trainers who have their dogs killed once they are no longer profitable, however.:) No one is denying that there are crueler things that can happen to a greyhound than the green needle. That isn't really the point and I don't believe that I made any such statement in my post. If you think i did then please point it out. My point was, and I reiterate 'one does not need to excuse or ignore a morally questionable practice just because a worse practice exists'. I have seen what I consider to be ethical greyhound racing and I do not consider those who dispose of dogs once they are not winning to be in that category. Your mileage may vary. I'm sorry for what you experienced last year; it must have been horrible. However please do not make assumptions about a person's knowledge simply because they find things that aren't as explicitly cruel questionable or unethical- I think we have the scope to be able to question a wide variety of practices. Not just the worst of the worst. I'm not interested in making the greyhound racing industry happy any more than I am interested in making a puppy mill operation happy.

And as for those staking the 'there are worse things that can happen so people should not take issue with this' approach when defending the death of this greyhound...that is a really flimsy argument. The idea that one should 'excuse' or 'ignore' an ethically questionable practice [having healthy young dogs euth'd once they outlive their moneymaking usefulness] because worse things happen [people starving dogs to death etc] is pretty abhorrent. That is akin to saying 'This BYB bred a litter of crossbreed puppies, but people shouldn't complain because a puppy farm bred 100 litters of crossbreed puppies. That is worse and therefore we shouldn't have an issue with the BYB.' Can people see how dishonest that tactic is? Do you really need to resort to using such a logical fallacy?

Really like this idea. And there are plenty of sighthound breeds that are existing quite successfully without a racing industry to prop them up. Perhaps greyhounds would be better off as a breed if they were associated less with racing and more with being pets and showdogs- after all, greyhound rescue groups rather aggressively tackle the public perception that greyhounds are just 'vicious race dogs'. I don't think the racing industry has done the breed itself many favours. As for preserving athleticism...lure coursing! Edit: Also a very good point Telida!

So disgusting. The woman does not get a thumbs up of any description from me. She only gets the thumbs-down for treating a dog as a disposable tool- something to be thrown out once it is no longer useful. Sure, there are people doing worse things in the big wide world of canines. However there are also a plethora of people doing a heck of a lot better- no kudos to her for doing better than starving a dog to death. It isn't exactly hard to do better than that.

Thanks for posting, very nice to see. We do a lot of ferreting in the winter months with pursenets and longnets and it really is a wonderful way to fill the fridge. Lurchers are great dogs. :)

There's a gr a few streets away who hits the fence screaming and snarling whenever we walk past. Makes the whole fence shake...if he ever gets loose he'll cause trouble. Why do you think that this dog would be safe? Just because it's a gr?

Sighthound zoomies all the way! I will personally vouch for whippet zoomies.

Hey, How much has she researched Whippets? And what are her reasons for wanting a whippet and not a mix breed 'oodle? We have two whippets, and unless she has some time to dedicate to her pup... They arent like 'oodles! Many aren't affectionate with their owners or loyal like a lab might be. They also usually cannot be let off leash unless in a secure/fenced area due to having a high prey drive and racing off after things and deciding they have absolutely no recall. They are extremely fast which can be scary if they see a bunny, bird, or another dog in the distance... They shoot off with no warning! Whippets aren't particularly fond of playing with other dogs at the park and have such thin skin that doesn't handle the rough and tumble and tears easily. They feel the cold and heat a lot more than other dogs due to such a thin coat and require indoor living. They are not n outdoors dog. Not to mention that whippets can easily clear the average backyard fence if they want to. If she wants a lap dog, maybe she's better looking at a Maltese? Pomeranian? I hear your frustration. Tell her to join the whippet breed thread in the sub forums. Whippets aren't for the faint hearted. Best of luck. My whippet girl must be atypical- she loves playing with other dogs of any breed and the more rough and tumble the game, the better. She loves to instigate chasing and tackling games. She has also never had an issue with getting skin injuries whilst playing with other dogs, and nor has her best pal [another whippet] who enjoys joining in just as much. Nor can I complain about her recall and she never turns her nose up at an outdoors expedition, no matter how freezing, windy or wet it is. I think she must be a rather rough and ready type of whippet.

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A good workout with a flirt pole before work might tire her out and encourage her to sleep all day.

Once when I was about 11 I put my roller blades on, stood on the cement, clipped my ball-obsessed dog onto her leash, threw a tennis ball and hung on tight. I was pulled flat over and landed hard on my knees! It hurt so much and I was hobbling for about a week.

it's like anything. You just dont overthink it and you just do it. I was more worried I wouldnt do it properly but do it once and any anxiety dissipates I'm so pissed, at the moment everyone is at me to go ferreting. I tell them about snakes and they say 'oh but we havnt seen any' warm weather + baby bunnies ... risk is too high at the moment but they still dont get it. Sayig that we're booked solid for months. I should charge by the hour Same here. It's the same every year- no one is interested when it's cold, foggy or there's a hard frost on the ground [perfect ferreting conditions in other words] but the second it warms up and the snakes are out I have stacks of people saying 'how about that ferreting then? Nice weather for it.' We won't be starting back until April when it cools off.

Almost meter of snow, all roads icy and -25 degrees. If that is your idea of paradise, happy journey Tell you the truth, only reason why people don't abandon their dogs, is because who could have a heart to abandon your dog in the middle of the horrible winter :D Well, summer is beautiful and it will be light whole night as well. I've been taken with the idea of putting Max in snow since reading that delightful blog/comic strip/cartoon about the two dogs that have to move across the country and find themselves in snow. I can't think of the name of it, but there's the 'simple' dog and the 'helper' dog. I can imagine Max would be absolutely delighted! I've done blitz ice, and seen snow sparkling blue, and it does seem kind of nice. You have to pay a price for culture (dog culture!). Hyperbole and a Half. Love it!

Totally agree. Mentioning the breeds that make up a crossbred dog and asking if anyone else has the same cross is hardly threatening to purebred dogs.

Elevated wire cages under open sheds is fur farm industry standard. Makes it easy to keep a lot of animals in a relatively small area and keep it relatively clean. The plain wire cages are called furring cages and adult and weaned animals are kept in these. When the animals have young they are kept in whelping cages, which have an enclosed, ajoined box for security/privacy. Bisart Dobes- foxes are still raised and bred that way, both for that breeding program and on fox fur farms. Mink, also.