Is A Greyhound Right For You?

There  are so many dog breeds and breed mixes in the world now, from toy  poodles to great big Spanish mastiffs, bratty cockapoos to speedy  lurchers, crack head Malinois to the good ol’ reliable labrador, and  everything in between.  People looking to adopt a dog have, quite  literally, have endless options available to them.

But while the options are endless, not all of them are necessarily appropriate.

While  most dog breeds were originally bred with a purpose and were  selectively bred to enhance specific traits to be able to perform that  job, such as herding, driving, or protecting livestock, flushing badgers  out of their burrows, hunting game, fetching shot birds, pulling sleds,  or even hunting lions…There are now endless breed mixes that have been  bred specifically to cater to the pet market, such as the poodle mixes,  or those that have been bred to rectify breed specific health issues  while maintaining the temperament and character of the original breeds  such as cockerbulls or cockerpugs.  Yes, they’re a thing (google it),  and they rank slightly higher than poodle crosses for us, but not by  much!  Poodle crosses are a hard no for us.  

Yes, we said what we said.

At  the end of the day, every breed is different, and while individuals  will differ within an overall breed or breed mix, there will always be  certain factors, their historic breeding, their genetic and innate  traits, that still hold sway over things like their base instincts,  drive, character and energy levels, as well as breed specific health  concerns and training needs, amongst other things.
These  factors define the suitability of different breeds to different home  environments and lifestyles.  This is why doing your research is  essential before taking on any dog.

For  instance, if you’re looking for a quiet, reliable, laid back and  obedient dog who would be happy with a ten-minute walk around the block  before work…you’re not going to go and get yourself a husky.  They’ll be  throwing all the sass while singing the song of their people and  destroying your house.
On the flip side, if you’re  looking for a dog that will go for miles and miles of exercise,  cani-cross, or hiking on the daily, with very little rest, you’re not  going to be getting yourself a cavalier king charles which would  probably keel over from a heart attack…

This  past week at work, we had a family come in looking to adopt a dog, but  they didn’t know what they were wanting.  Just that they liked the  appearance and size of dogs such as malis, shepherds, collies and labs.   Medium to large sized working breeds, ultimately.  They were quite  enamoured with the idea of a german shepherd or mali.
We asked if they were an active family…no.  They weren’t.  And this would also be their first family dog.

Now  these were the nicest people we have met in a long time, such a  genuinely lovely family who we have no doubt will be phenomenal dog  owners…but shepherds and malis, as first-time pets, in a low to moderate  exercise home.  No, it’s not worth thinking about!

When  it comes to adopting a dog, you want to be looking for dogs that fit  your honest lifestyle…not the lifestyle you think you’re going to have  when you get a dog.

While you  can intend to take a dog out for great long walks and adventures (and  may very well do this for the initial weeks), if you’re default setting  is to get in from work and turn into a potato (like us) …chances are you  aren’t going to be able to maintain that initial pace and exercise.   Really, you want to get a dog that fits your lifestyle as it is and if  you want to evolve and do more exercise down the line, they can evolve  with you!

Regardless of this,  everyone has a specific vision in mind for adopting a dog. That vision  is different for everyone, as they have different goals for what they  are hoping to get from a canine companion. Be it simply companionship  and someone to talk to, or a running mate, that vision dictates what  breeds, or breed mixes, are going to be most appropriate to you and your  household.

So, it begs the question, is a greyhound right for you?

Yes, the answer will always be yes!

We  dare anyone to give us a reason why a greyhound might not be suitable  for the various home environments!  While not every hound is suitable  for every home, you can pretty much guarantee that there will be a  greyhound out there to suit yours.

Greyhounds,  as an overall breed, are known for their affectionate, calm, gentle,  passive and easy-going natures.  Often referred to as the ‘45mph couch  potato’, they are low-energy dogs and (typically) not demanding of your  time.

In comparison to many  other dog breeds, greyhounds are reliable.  While they all differ in  personality, their needs came be easily met in just about any  environment.

They have low  exercise requirements (though many enjoy more) and are very adaptable  dogs that would be just as happy to laze around sleeping regardless of  whether they live in a flat, house or even a narrow boat.  They don’t  care, so long as they have somewhere to lay their head, they’ll be  happy!  While they are considered ‘large’ dogs, they do not take up a  lot of space…just sofas.

Though  they do enjoy a garden to have their funny five minutes, a bit of a zoom  around and play…but then it’s back to sleeping again!  A short burst of  energy and they’ll zonk back out again.

While  some will go for miles of walking, it isn’t required to keep them  healthy, and even those that enjoy longer walks will be satisfied with  20 minutes of sniffing round the block.  We’re lucky to even get ours  out the door most days they’re so lazy!

They  are great around children, are typically great on the lead for older  individuals and make excellent therapy dogs for those with special needs  due to their (usually) endless tolerance and indifference to what is  going on around them.

Greyhounds  have very low grooming requirements but do benefit from regular nail  trims, and as a breed they are considered very healthy!

They  are also good at being left for moderate periods (for the most part!).   While we would never recommend leaving any dog more than 4 hours, once  settled and used to being left, greyhounds will just sleep the day away  without a care.  We’ve accidentally left ours for much longer than this  in the past and in checking the nanny cams…they haven’t moved an inch,  fast asleep, dead to the world!
There are those that  struggle with separation anxiety, especially in the initial weeks, but  if handled carefully and built up in a positive way, they usually adapt  well to those with busy work schedules.  But they do appreciate  companionship and like any dog it can be boring being left for extended  periods.

Another benefit is they  are very used to being in kennels, so if you holiday a lot (outside of  the UK), they don't take any notice to going into kennels while you're  away!

While it can take a little  minute for greyhounds that retire out of racing to adjust to home life  and become comfortable with everything that comes with it, they make  phenomenal pets.

They have a way of getting under your skin, and as they say, once you’ve had a greyhound…you’ll never have anything else!

We’ve  put hundreds of hounds into homes of every kind.  We’ve seen many  greyhounds go onto be PAT dogs or companions to children with special  needs, there are those who have hiked up Snowdonia or that regularly do  cani-cross with their owner, there are those who have become the lazy  couch companion to retired individuals, and those who are the perfect  family fit, there are those who live with cats and house rabbits, and  those who curl up and sleep with their tiny chihuahua friends.

Greyhounds can make wonderful pets, and we will never stop saying so!

So,  if you’re in the throws of deciding what kind of dog you want to  get…consider a greyhound.  You won’t regret it!  There are hundreds of  greyhounds across the UK waiting for homes as you read this, have a  look…but be warned, they’re addictive!