Brandiandwe

Ex horse current sight hound person here as well!

Perfect!!!

Agreed. I love those stories! We walked past her house today. The terriers didn't bark and neither did her dogs. So I guess the anxiety vibes were switched off? I think what bewilders me is that people don't do any research of their own. I think my vet hates me because I research first, then ask questions, then research, then ask more questions. I cannot fathom handing over that much money without having researched aggression, reactivity etc etc by myself and having thought about different schools of thought and known where the current thinking and science is at. I could charge her $500 and offer her an alternative. Or $250 for a list of awesome resources easily found online? The really sad thing is that that wasn't the worst I heard on the weekend. Leaving aside the idiots who seem to like telling me stories of appalling animal cruelty (and it's the obvious relish which really turns the stomach) or who tell us that greys are no good as pets and shoukd be shot and bulldozed and that's how they handle it (don't get me started), because we get them at every adoption event, the award for Most Clueless goes to the young gentleman who really really wanted a dog. I established he lives alone in an apartment and works full time. He wanted a dog who could manage that. I then asked a couple of questions about whether he had owned a dog before (no), what his lifestyle was (busy social life, I'm no loser, lots of friends etc etc). Then I asked whether he'd be getting up early every morning to exercise his dog, come home straight after work to let the dog out and exercise it again, then be home for three or four hours to give the dog some company and love and stimulation? (ummmmm....). Because that's what the dog would need and deserve. No spontaneous after work drinks. No extending your day out by dinner and then watching the footy and the pub. No easy weekend trips away. Every day, home to your dog. Apparently his sister had told him the same thing (thankfully) but he hadn't believed her because how hard could it be? He is on the Do Not Adopt list. Keep in mind I would, and the group has, adopted to young, singles in apartments who work full time. But they did their research, did doggy day care, gavel lower their social life to revolve around their dog.... That guy really just wanted a living thing to be there when convenient and to vanish when it wasn't.

Love it! I laughed out loud at the 'What fresh hell is this?!'

Yup. That one of the kid going up to the dog on the bed.....

Yup. She actually described her dogs sitting there motionless in the house and it broke my heart. It just sounded as if they'd totally shut down. That, combined with the ten minute walk they each get daily, is just building up a pressure cooker. I REALLY don't like Milan's work, but the two things I've taken away from him are the way dogs pick up on your calm as a leader (though the rest of his stuff is rubbish) AND his emphasis on exercise. I guess her behaviouralist didn't pick that bit up, but that bully could do with a couple of hours a day walking with a weight vest as well as obedience stuff. He's a young fit dog going crazy. This all happened before spending the weekend at an adoption event. DDD saw first hand some of the idiocy that goes on there.

Done. Some of those videos would be great educational tools.

Just wanted to share some information that I know will be of great interest to fellow dog enthusiasts. I found out over the past weekend that dogs are psychic. There is, in our street, a couple of particular dogs who are known throughout the neighbourhood for all the wrong reasons. One is a bully of some sort who was a rescue. He is extremely reactive, dog aggressive and strong. There is also a smaller Heinz girl who is very submissive. On Saturday morning, I was out with my pooches when I hear someone hail me from behind. It is the owner of these two dogs, who only has the Heinz dog with her. She keeps coming, telling me not to worry. I back off and move away, but get caught on a corner with traffic, so tell her it's not OK, that I have reactive dogs. She tells me again not to worry, and then looks surprised when my dogs react. Sigh. I settle them down and we (unfortunately) are walking in the same direction, so, given her dog is ok, I give mine some manners training and socialisation. Sure enough, everything is oK. And then she tells me I'm handling my dogs wrong. I should only correct using 'Shh!'. I ask her how to correct specific dogs when walking multiples using a noise which impacts them all. And then it came. She has paid $600 for a behaviouralist to come her to her for her other dog. Shhhh is the way to discipline. When the dogs are inside the house, they must be on their mats and not allowed to move. If they move, they are corrected. I asked about rewards for good behaviour. No, apparently what they are doing is correcting the wrong behaviour. I gently suggested further research about the benefits of positive reinforcement, particularly for the rather submissive girl she's currently walking. Then, I was told that she'd asked about why her dogs always reacted to the greyhounds. According to the behaviouralists, it might be because the greys give off 'anxiety'. Now, I know my dogs. Sometimes they are anxious. Usually because they can hear her dogs going nuts and then, apparently fighting each other because they can't reach my dogs. Sp I took a deep breath and suggested it might be because they can hear the tags of the greyhounds jingling. Nope. Because her dogs are inside, with doors and windows closed and no eyeline. So, clearly, they can't see or hear my dogs. I then asked if it wasn't possible that her dogs heard the terriers who live opposite and who live outside and race to the gate barking every time we walked past. She said that couldn't be it because the terriers didn't bark. We then rounded the corner, and the terriers started barking. She insisted that her dogs, directly over the road couldn't hear them. Then her other dog started up. Nope. Not related to the terriers. And there you have it, folks. Either my dogs are psychic and send out anxiety vibes that other dogs pick up but which are completely invisible to dogs and humans within eyesight. Or her dogs are psychic and can pick up other dogs' anxiety even when completely cut off from them. And to fix the problem of her dogs' reactivity, apparently I need to introduce my dogs to hers more often./ The one we met? Possible. The bully boy? Not a chance in hell. $600 for that? I'm in the wrong business!

you do know all dogs, wherever they come from, need good homes? Of course! But you also know how many thousands of greys are bred for racing. This wasn't about whether to buy from a breeder or whether to adopt. It's about where I am now in terms of having a show dog in the future. I love the show greys too. Paige, for instance, is one of my favourite dogs out and about and I can't wait to see her again once she's through this whole puppy business. But for me a dog to show will be a complete indulgence. Greyhounds, on the other hand, are a necessity. So intellectually, showing a grey would be weird, but having a different breed would be ok. I never claimed to be logical,about this! And it's about the right dog to fit into our pack anyhow. Which may, in fact, end up being a greyhound, in which case, watch out Rebanne! Incidentally, Benny spend the weekend out promoting greyhound adoption at Winterfedt. He was a bit confused at first, then realised that everyone was giving him cuddles so let the way smooching up to people.

It's not that. More that all of mine are from adoptions with racing backgrounds. I know some cross over very successfully, but with so many needing homes, would I cope with the guilt? But I'm not ruling anything out. The more time I spend with different hounds the more I love them.

I do find this interesting. I can't imagine ever not having greyhounds, but I'm not sure about showing them. I can't imagine ever not having sight hounds. DH thinks whippets and Iggies are too small, he likes deerhounds (though wolfies are too big apparently) but I prefer the borzoi. I rule out a lot of the rarer breeds because I suspect I'd be outsmarted by a pharaoh, Ibizan, or pod. But when it comes time for me to have a show dog (which I'm hoping is not too soon because it means our current pack will have been reduced ), if will depend on who is left, what our lives are like, and the right dog coming along.... But I will own a Zoi, a whippet and more greys in my life. And if any are show quality, we'll take it from there.

Yup. nods head. :D Unless the distance is about 2 or 3 km. ;-) But, as mine believe, if you've not caught it in the first 500 metres, why bother? :laugh:

If it's any consolation a vet I knew once told me that she'd NEVER own a Dalmatian. When I asked her why she replied: "I don't want to live with a dog that is smarter than I am" :laugh: On that note people think I'm exaggerating when I try to explain that Zig was the biggest pain in the Spotted @r$e as a youngster. They just watch him compete and say "it's surprising there aren't more Dallies doing agility and obedience!" Actually it's not :laugh: See, one of the reasons I wanted greys was for that reason. Paige really blew all of that ut of the water. Fortunately I think she believes that I'm on her side. For now. As for Jedi mind tricks, yeah. It's like the mice in The Hitch-hiker's Guide.....

People think I'm exaggerating when I tell them how smart Paige is particularly because she really has her own agenda and does nothing unless it fits in. But the day I watched her work out how to tip half a shell pool towards her so that the water caught in the lip ran towards her so she could get a drink without having to move from her comfy spot, I felt a bit of a chill up my spine. That kind of problem solving ability combined with her prey drive and speed, independence and drive to take over the world I find a bit scary. But no one believes me because she refuses to master any basic obedience, only responds to me and DH and really is a cat in a greyhound costume.

As I've said, I think we're the lucky ones! This was a group effort! And Benny, as a DOL dog is always available to meet fellow DOLers.

(Looks for 'like' button). Or the other: If you don't consider dog hair to be a condiment.....don't get a dog.

Benny demonstrates the dance of his people. No idea what he's doing there or why... DH and I spoke at the end of last year about adding another dog. In the end, we decided reluctantly that three was enough. Obviously the universe knew that someone else was coming along who needed a hand. So I delayed my Borzoi, DH has delayed his deerhound, because the hole in our family was Benny sized and shaped. Thanks for looking.

Showing the whippersnappers, and 'Mum! Look at me!' Gratuitous Paige shot!

And yesterday we went down to the dog park for the first time. I was interested to see how he went. Our girls love to run, Hermon runs occasionally but takes his retirement very seriously. But Benny I wasn't sure about - he did race, but it was a long long time ago and I wasn't sure how his body would feel about it. We started with a gentle warm-up.

What??? I think we broke him! BFF?

My sunbather. In 'his bed'. He doesn't actually use that bed any more. He prefers to sleep at the foot of our bed, while Hermon sleeps on that bed beside DH who is 'his' human. However, Benny is also the dog most often found wedged between DH and I on our bed. This coat is a real favorite. He snuggles into it and it really suits him.

Benny has been living with us for a month now - tomorrow it will be a month to the day, as we picked him up on June 1st. DH and I were giving everyone a pack hug (two humans, four greys, big smiles with everyone), and he agreed that he couldn't imagine Benny living anywhere else. So, while I'm not sure if I really believe it yet, I think it's safe to say that Benny has found his forever home. No surprise to anyone else here! So, I thought I'd put the photos I've taken this month up to share with everyone because so many of you have been so supportive of our bringing him home and settling him in. Benny in the pound - this is his photo from the Renbury site. First night home - he'd had a vet visit, a bath, a long car ride,a walk with three new dogs and two new humans. First week, in at work with me.

We'd organise something for you - even if the grey(s) you got were adopted by me and lived with you so they had back-up. But I'm so glad we met you and now someone else can rave on here about how fab he is!

You both look very happy there!

Lovely to meet you yesterday - will you be sharing photos? Benny had a great time and backed if up this morning with a full lap of the park (about 4 km) with no limping. I'm beginning to think he's a bit of a diva. It's an on-leash park which makes it nice for people like me. We were there this morning with 14 greyhounds for a walk and everyone found parking. Really it's only an issue if there are events on. For instance next weekend is Winterfest so parking will be tight.