Why Are Greyhounds Always Suggested As "no Fuss" Dogs?

[Salukifan]

Over the many years I've been here, I've noticed a tendency for people to suggest retired racing greyhounds for people looking for a "no fuss" dog.

I get that people are keen to see as many as possible rehomed and I fully support that. However Greyhounds are large dogs and they have needs like any other dog. Those needs include company, decent exercise and enough room to move in a yard or a lot of walking.

I think it does a wonderful breed a considerable disservice to recommend them as an "easy no fuss dog" if it means that the dog is meant to cope well with little attention or exercise.

If I'd not recommend a Whippet for a family, I certainly wouldn't recommend a larger, faster dog, especially one that's generally had the company of other dogs in its early life.

Greyhounds are dogs, not statues. Please don't recommend them into less than great homes.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Haredown Whippets

[Dewclaws]

I agree .

There is definitely some homes out there that unfortunately unsuitable for ANY dogs, or even the majority of pets .

A greyhound loves company , loves to be around there humans .

I think people interpret the term 'couch potato ' a bit literally .

[Rebanne]

I don't often recommend them here. If I do it's because they would most likely fit in quite well. They are a no fuss breed, which does not equal ignore them and shove them in the backyard. And greyhounds are not bigger whippets either.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Rebanne

[Dame Aussie]

I often see all kinds of breeds recommended for unsuitable homes, not just greyhounds. Its a subjective thing. Different people will have different opinions on what no fuss means.

I think they're generally considered no fuss due to the short coat/no real grooming required , the fact they aren't normally barkers and their great temperament.

As rebanne said I don't consider these things to mean the dog should be ignored.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Dame Aussie

[BlaznHotAussies]

I would say they are no fuss, but my interpretation isn't that you can ignore them. It's that they are happily self-contained, don't get restless inside all day (I don't know if it was just one of the Greyhounds I knew, but we let him out for some exercise in the backyard, he chased his favourite soft rabbit toy for a couple of throws then laid down in the sun for a snooze - super lazy), don't need hours of daily grooming and they take about 5 minutes to wash and no blowdrying time!!

So that's my take on them from the few I've met.

[Maddy]

100% agree, Haredown.

I constantly see them being recommended for people with no fences, people with piles of cats, people who want a dog to walk off-lead and homes otherwise totally unsuited to owning grey/s.

I absolutely LOVE the breed but people have to understand the cons as well as the pros. Prey drive is one of the most important things and it shits me endlessly to see people claiming that greys are great with small animals when the vast majority just aren't. That doesn't make them a bad dog but it makes management different from breeds with less drive to chase. I don't think glossing over the realities necessarily helps either. I've had dogs surrendered to me from pet homes because the owners were told one thing (basically a skinny, inert blob that occupies couch space) but discovered that the dog was something else entirely (would take off after wildlife when walked offlead, wasn't overly fond of their loud kids, had no interest in fetching balls or otherwise being a "normal" dog, etc) and some of the things those owners say.. "Oh, I knew about the prey drive but I didn't really understand what it meant until Houndy here "escaped" out the open front door and killed a neighbour's cat in front of our kids" <-- Was an actual example. I didn't know how to even respond to that.

Greys are awesome dogs but they're just not for everyone. Personally, I love their traits and find them really easy to live with but I did my researching before ever getting involved with the breed so there were no surprises. Dumping greyhounds (or sighthounds, in general) on unsuspecting homes is a recipe for misery, I think.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Maddy

[Dewclaws]

I think people should just give more honest, even if it's upsetting , advice and say a dog is not suitable for your home instead of throwing in the 'default' greyhound .

Because a greyhound won't rip the house apart or annoy the neighbours with constant barking does not mean they will be happy if left alone for long periods for days on end

[Dame Aussie]

I dont think any dog likes being left alone for long periods. I wouldn't recommend that as a good life for any dog.

[Dewclaws]

Yet the current thread that people are recommending greyhounds, bull terriers ect is doing just that . The op was honest enough to say they both work very long days .

[Scottsmum]

They're often marketed that way.

"Hey did you know they don't need to be walked 10000's of miles a day"

"they make great pets - all they really want to do is sleep on the couch"

I'd say the recommendations are a result of good marketing from adoption groups. The marketing has worked on me - Greys are at top of my list for next dog I'll own...

Greyhounds are dogs, not statues. Please don't recommend them into less than great homes.

So hard - All dogs are dogs - and next to none are "no fuss" - NO dog should be recommended into less than great homes... but people are people and will get a dog no matter what you or I think a good, or great home is. You just have to hope and prey that if, or when, a problem comes up the person has the right moral attitude, financial ability and time to work the issue out - not ignore the situation or dump the dog.

I also think people should be applauded for coming onto a forum and saying "we want a flying purple people eater, but not too purple, and ideally he'd only eat bad people, not good people, plus if it came in mini that would be great, hypoallergenic is a bonus or and we'd only be able to let him fly once a week - the other 6 days a week he'd have to entertain himself" ...

It's good that they're thinking it through - not just jumping on gumtree and getting the first thing that appeals and hopefully they're going away and doing some research and soul searching on other recommended breeds before finally jumping into 'flying purple people eating' territory.

This is just a personal view - but I would hope / suppose that a G.A.P or any breed based rescue (and certainly breeders) , would work with a family to match the right kind of dog / the right temperament to a home? Or even have the guts to say "I don't actually think this breed is right for you".

Edited February 1, 2016 by Scottsmum

[Maddy]

I think people should just give more honest, even if it's upsetting , advice and say a dog is not suitable for your home instead of throwing in the 'default' greyhound .

Because a greyhound won't rip the house apart or annoy the neighbours with constant barking does not mean they will be happy if left alone for long periods for days on end.

I've had plenty of destructive greys (often SA, fixable but not fun to live with) and generally speaking, it's the younger dogs who do it- up to about 3 years of age. Unfortunately, younger dogs are also more popular with adopters. So some people adopt a grey thinking it will be a perfect, polite dog only to discover it's a food stealing, cushion shredding maniac teenager or (even worse) an anxious dog who eats wooden furniture down to the last twig, while the owner had just popped out to get some milk.

Good rescues should be picking those sorts of issues up so that dogs can be rehomed appropriately but greyhound rescues is packed with cowboys- which became a lot worse after February 2015- and some of the horror stories coming out are almost unbelievable. We're lucky that greys haven't ended up on the banned breed list thanks to some of the wildly irresponsible rehoming going on :/

[Rebanne]

Yet the current thread that people are recommending greyhounds, bull terriers ect is doing just that . The op was honest enough to say they both work very long days .

Some very long days with half the week someone home all day, not at work all day every day.

[Rebanne]

This is just a personal view - but I would hope / suppose that a G.A.P or any breed based rescue (and certainly breeders) , would work with a family to match the right kind of dog / the right temperament to a home? Or even have the guts to say "I don't actually think this breed is right for you".

which is what I do and have done. I have gone into threads where greyhounds are recommended and said no way do I think a grey would work out. But if this is about the current thread I still do think a greyhound would suit. Of course there are proviso's, as there are with all breeds, but it is very doable. But they aren't interested in a grey so I've bowed out and left them to it.

[Scottsmum]

This is just a personal view - but I would hope / suppose that a G.A.P or any breed based rescue (and certainly breeders) , would work with a family to match the right kind of dog / the right temperament to a home? Or even have the guts to say "I don't actually think this breed is right for you".

which is what I do and have done. I have gone into threads where greyhounds are recommended and said no way do I think a grey would work out. But if this is about the current thread I still do think a greyhound would suit. Of course there are proviso's, as there are with all breeds, but it is very doable. But they aren't interested in a grey so I've bowed out and left them to it.

Fair enough. I know the thread which is being discussed - I really do think they're after a flying purple people eater - but as I said - good on them for asking the questions - hopefully there's food for thought there and the end up with a good match - which might well be no match at all. Better than someone I know who got a lab - because they'd always wanted one - even though they have two daughters in dance troop who dance 3-4 nights a week, parents both work full time - including one who does shifts and yeh - you know the drill - oh plus she's on outside dog.

The pup sits in the yard, eats things, causes mayhem with anyone who visits who needs to go into the yard (tradies and the like - stole a quote book once, and a pair of glasses the week later) and is just a neglected, poorly behaved dog....Point being - I think this forum is a great tool for gentle gentle - and I really do applaud anyone brave enough to come in and ask a newbie question or anyone with enough patience to answer the same question over and over again :)

[Maddy]

This is just a personal view - but I would hope / suppose that a G.A.P or any breed based rescue (and certainly breeders) , would work with a family to match the right kind of dog / the right temperament to a home? Or even have the guts to say "I don't actually think this breed is right for you".

which is what I do and have done. I have gone into threads where greyhounds are recommended and said no way do I think a grey would work out. But if this is about the current thread I still do think a greyhound would suit. Of course there are proviso's, as there are with all breeds, but it is very doable. But they aren't interested in a grey so I've bowed out and left them to it.

I just had a look at that thread and personally, I'd not recommend a grey.

My reasons..

guard dog/protector. We've been robbed before and I want to prevent this again.

Greyhounds are highly unlikely to fit the bill here. You might find the odd one that barks at strangers but I'd say 90% of the greys I've fostered have LOVED stangers. Of the remaining 10%, most were nervous of strangers and would make themselves scarce as quickly and quietly as possible.

dog that is happy in a double story unit with a small yard

I don't think a double storey unit is really ideal for a dog built like a grey. Add in a small yard and my feeling is that the dog is not going to get the exercise it needs once the novelty of walks wears off.

my partner would prefer a not too large dog, someone who can be a couch companion and not take up too much space.

They might not weigh a great deal relative to their height but they are large dogs.

Besides that, on the days they are out, it's substantial blocks of time and I think many dogs would struggle to cope. Honestly, I'd be recommending they just get a cat.

Edited to add..

I think what many people don't understand about racing-bred greyhounds is that they aren't the completely self-contained units they're made out to be. Greyhound pups are usually raised with their litter (or in with a second litter), they are trained in groups, they live in groups. As racing adults, they are generally given individual runs but they are still surrounded by other dogs. In the absence of those other dogs, they have to seek company from humans and to take a dog from that sort of environment and toss it into an empty house for half of its life is asking for trouble. Even if they can outwardly "cope", is the dog actually going to be happy? I have my doubts.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Maddy

[raineth]

Yet the current thread that people are recommending greyhounds, bull terriers ect is doing just that . The op was honest enough to say they both work very long days .

Very long days, but only three days a week. The other four days someone is at home most of the time.

I don't think it necessarily rules dog-ownership out because if they are committed the dog will still be exercised on those days and provided with stimulation and companionship when they are home. Some dogs would be just fine in this situation.

[Dame Aussie]

Yet the current thread that people are recommending greyhounds, bull terriers ect is doing just that . The op was honest enough to say they both work very long days .

I haven't seen the thread in question. Was just speaking for myself. No dog is suitable for a situation in which they don't receive attention.

[Maddy]

Yet the current thread that people are recommending greyhounds, bull terriers ect is doing just that . The op was honest enough to say they both work very long days .

Very long days, but only three days a week. The other four days someone is at home most of the time.

I don't think it necessarily rules dog-ownership out because if they are committed the dog will still be exercised on those days and provided with stimulation and companionship when they are home. Some dogs would be just fine in this situation.

That's a pretty big "if".

[raineth]

Yet the current thread that people are recommending greyhounds, bull terriers ect is doing just that . The op was honest enough to say they both work very long days .

Very long days, but only three days a week. The other four days someone is at home most of the time.

I don't think it necessarily rules dog-ownership out because if they are committed the dog will still be exercised on those days and provided with stimulation and companionship when they are home. Some dogs would be just fine in this situation.

That's a pretty big "if".

The premise was that their home would be unsuitable because they work long days. So my point was that 3 long days per week doesn't automatically mean that they couldn't make it work with the right dog.

eta: I've had three dogs that I think would cope with such a situation just fine in middle age. And one who I think would have been fine from the time he was a puppy as he was so independent minded and lazy.

But yes, it is all dependent on whether the exercise, stimulation and attention (when the owners were home) were still provided on those days.

Edited February 1, 2016 by raineth

[Dogsfevr]

Having owned 8 Greys they are low fuss,don't like massive exercise & enjoy the couch & happy to chill out on there own BUT they still love there humans & time with them .

I rarely recommend them because people don't like the look,just like Whippets ,under estimated pets based on looks & pre conceived ideas of them chasing everything .

I don't recommend my current breed either because generally peoples want list is obviously based on a stuffed dog or the dream dog .

But i will say i don't get why people always suggest Greys because like every breed out there there not for everyone but i still firmly believe there a hidden treasure as a breed

Edited February 1, 2016 by showdog