Greyhounds and other breeds!

joyful164
joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
edited 1. Feb 2010, 07:34 in Community Chit-chat archive
Since a friend of mine has asked me to paint a picture of her greyhound which is black and white, I have sent off from Amazon for books on the breed plus some 'drawing different breeds'.
It's a good job there are some great pictures in the latest book to arrive. Because it is in German.
I shall have to find my German exercise book from school. It's somewhere. Or try to get the book on the internet and get a translation. Mind you, it's only the pictures that I want.
They're a beautiful dog and my OH and I were thinking of getting a rescue dog. Now that I have the books, I definitely want one. Our last rescue dog was a Sheltie (small Lassie).

Joy

Comments

  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Joy,

    Greyhounds are nice and the rescues have loads of them. Shelties, well they are more difficult eh? I quietly looking for another Springer or maybe a Dobe....... Just recently I have been thinking about another Lab...... :lol::lol::lol:

    Hope your colds ok today and stay warm cus if we got snow you lot must have :wink: Cris x
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Skezier

    I brought the subject up with OH about getting another dog. would love a greyhound. They are so intelligent and affectionate too.
    But he said that we are getting on (hark at him) and they need plenty of exercise. After his heart attack, he says he's alright but this cold weather is not good for him. Hurts to breath.

    Therefore, exercising a dog like this or any breed would be difficult, not fair on the dog.

    A thing with having a dog is, they know how to look after you don't they? They are always there for you and did you know that having a pet is the biggest de-stresser. Wish i was 10 years younger again.
    Joy
  • bertyboy
    bertyboy Member Posts: 1,860
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Joy
    sounds as if you are good with a pencil , have you looked at the greyhound rescue as i dont think they need as much excersise as some people think , for me it has to be a Jack Russell every time x
    I know i am a lady ,all life is a journey xx MAY xx
  • dachshund
    dachshund Member Posts: 8,899
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi J oy.
    7 years ago i was taking my standard dachshund for a walk i was on my mobility scoota and she was walking by my side as i went past a house two greyhounds ran out and got hold of her a round the neck the man that owned the dogs was on his hands and knees trying to pull them of her
    then a lady came by in a car and she hit the dogs on the head so they dropped her then the kind lady took my dog to the vet.
    my dog was on a drip for 3 days and she had 30 stitches. the bill came to over a 1000 pounds.
    the man said he would pay i wanted him to see her and he said i'm not going to like am i.
    my dog had to go back to the vets once a week to have a shower so as the skin on her back could fix back down it all left her with a heart murmer.
    she was a lovely dog and would not hurt anything.
    sorry to go on joan xx
    take care
    joan xx
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Joy

    I love greyhounds and whippets - beautiful, elegant dogs. I've also read that they don't need as much exercise as you'd think - couch potatoes a lot of them!! Lots of rescues and retired racing hounds looking for homes.

    Our first dog was a Sheltie - he knew what we were thinking and feeling before we did!!!!

    Lynn xxxxx

    We loved our Sheltie Prince. As you say he was with you the whole time, he was OH's dog when I came along with my cat and the two gradually got along.
    Prince lived to be 17 years old. His markings were known as Jurasic. I sometimes think it's his ghost that I can hear, the little sounds of him on the kitchen floor. Stop it, I'm getting all sad! :cry:
    joy
  • trisher
    trisher Member Posts: 9,263
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Joy

    We got our last dog from Battersea Dogs Home.

    She had been beaten and was afraid of anyone going near her with a long twig, stick anything.

    Well, we bought her home, she was only a mongrel, but as she got old she turned into my favourite dog that I had rescued. I mean that the other poor dogs, although never agressive, was always frightend.

    However my Suzie, trusted me completely. When we gave her a nice large marrowbone, she would walk around with the bone in her mouth, then one day when she was sort of crying I took hold of the other end of the bone, she promtly sat down and started to eat it.

    She ended up doing that all the time. She love Christmas, and enjoyed pulling crackers. We had to buy her a small box of them at Christmas.

    I did loose her when she was 17 or 18 the vet said she had been well looked after.

    It broke my heart though. I have not got over it fully.

    Trish xxx
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Sorry to bring back the sad memories of losing Suzie to you, but you brought a lot of happiness to her and she to you.

    I can't see us getting another dog at this moment in time, but I'm certainly 'broody' for one. Think about it again when we get back from our trip to Norway

    Joy
  • Wonkylegs
    Wonkylegs Member Posts: 3,504
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    when my mother-in-law had to have her dog put to sleep the vet suggested that if she decided to have another dog, that a retired greyhound would be ideal.

    He knew that she couldn't walk the dog easily (uses a motorised wheelchair outdoors) and said that they usually only wanted a warm fireside and a little bit of exercise every now and then.

    she didn't get one, decided not to get another animal, but from what I ahve heard they make great house dogs.

    Anyone who rescues a dog is a hero in my eyes. SO many need homes where they are shown love.

    we have never regretted getting our rescue dog
  • jean123
    jean123 Member Posts: 642
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi all,

    I am mum to a rescue whippet. He does chase our cat (also a rescue), but when he catches her he "play bows" with his tail wagging happily. At first he did it close to her, but she swears at him, and punches him on the nose - claws safely in. He now practices bowing to her at a safe distance. They sleep together on the sofa.

    He also loves running up to other dogs of all sizes, and enticing them to chase him. He runs unbelievably fast, so they snever catch him. We were told he was fine with other animals, big and small before we got him, but at first we put a muzzle on him (a kind one) to take him out. Good greyhound/whippet rescues will always test the dogs for their compatability with other animals, and note it on their cv's, but if you are not sure, they are very used to muzzles. Sadly a lot of bigger dogs will attack a smaller one, especially if they are in a "pack" of two or more, and I don't understand why the owners of such dogs don't keep them on a leed, or muzzle them if they want to let them run.

    He is the cleanest dog we have ever had. When hubby thought he had swallowed his headache pills the vet told us to make him sick with salt water. Bless him, he refused to be sick in the house, so we had to take him into the garden where he immediately chucked up. He loves cuddles and being taught new tricks, and is not too bothered about exercise as long as he gets a run every so often. We have to drag him off the settee to go for walks.

    He was so depressed when we got him, and pitifully thin. Now he is playful, has the loveliest grin on his face when he cuddles up, and so beautiful we get stopped in the street.

    Jean
  • jean123
    jean123 Member Posts: 642
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    The awful thing was, hubby found the headache pills later - where he had left them!! He had forgotten where he had put them. He thought the dog had taken them because he licked his lips, but he always does that when he hears the word eat (the dog, not the O/H). We felt SO guilty!!

    Jean
  • annebr
    annebr Member Posts: 730
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have always been scared of dogs, better now than I used to be. But, I have always loved Greyhounds and Whippets. Every one I have met has been loving and friendly.

    Jean, your dog sounds like a darling, do you have any pics?

    Anne
  • jean123
    jean123 Member Posts: 642
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Lynn,

    Your staffie/whippet sounds totally gorgeous, and so like mine. Your dog has certainly fallen lucky too. :D

    Jean
  • mellman01
    mellman01 Member Posts: 5,306
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Just watch what dog you get from a rescue home though, a lot of these dogs are around as the gypsies/pikies use them to race and illegal hare coursing and a lot have been treated really roughly and then dumped/abandoned when they are past their best,.
    Mind you not all are bad but just watch to see how the dog reacts to you and other dogs, my sister in law rescued one from Stadhampton and it was an odd dog no social interaction with humans kept itself to itself until one day she bent down to pick up something by the side of her and it attacked her and gave her a load of stitches in her arm and hand.
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    dachshund wrote:
    Hi J oy.
    7 years ago i was taking my standard dachshund for a walk i was on my mobility scoota and she was walking by my side as i went past a house two greyhounds ran out and got hold of her a round the neck the man that owned the dogs was on his hands and knees trying to pull them of her
    then a lady came by in a car and she hit the dogs on the head so they dropped her then the kind lady took my dog to the vet.
    my dog was on a drip for 3 days and she had 30 stitches. the bill came to over a 1000 pounds.
    the man said he would pay i wanted him to see her and he said i'm not going to like am i.
    my dog had to go back to the vets once a week to have a shower so as the skin on her back could fix back down it all left her with a heart murmer.
    she was a lovely dog and would not hurt anything.
    sorry to go on joan xx

    What a sad story Joan.
    You hear stories like this now and again. There is an instinct with some dogs, when in pairs to 'run with the pack'
    This happened to a cat I had when I lived in the country and there was a hunt on. The hounds tore my cat from ear to ear. I shall never forget it. Perhaps my cat was the wrong colour.
    I hope the man was able to pay for such a large bill.
    This one of the things that makes me hesitate in getting a dog. You need the funds to be able to keep a pet in the first place and I don't think I would be able to do it.

    Joy
  • joyful164
    joyful164 Member Posts: 2,401
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    mellman01 wrote:
    Just watch what dog you get from a rescue home though, a lot of these dogs are around as the gypsies/pikies use them to race and illegal hare coursing and a lot have been treated really roughly and then dumped/abandoned when they are past their best,.
    Mind you not all are bad but just watch to see how the dog reacts to you and other dogs, my sister in law rescued one from Stadhampton and it was an odd dog no social interaction with humans kept itself to itself until one day she bent down to pick up something by the side of her and it attacked her and gave her a load of stitches in her arm and hand.

    There are a lot of things to consider. Even if you were to have any other breed from a rescue centre, there is a reason they are there and all need expert handling. If you have a nervous nature, then this is no good for dog handling.
    Joy
  • skezier
    skezier Member Posts: 11,333
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Joy,

    Rescues tend to be very careful and assess each dog, often having dog trainers/behaviorists on their books and well the majority of dogs are in the kennels through no fault of their own. They also assess potential owners so they get an idea what dog would suit best.

    All but one dog I have ever had have been rescued, some from rescues the bulk I rescued myself and they have become 'normal' and well adjusted members of the canine world. The cost well thats a problem eh? If you decide to have one though the greyhounds and whippets are really nice and actually quite lazy dogs.

    Hope your feeling fine today? Cris x
  • dachshund
    dachshund Member Posts: 8,899
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Joy.
    yes thank you he did pay the bill.
    [treacle] was nearly 14 last jan 09 and she had cancer in her spleen and liver so i had her put down
    i now have a mini chocolate dachshund that was not wanted.
    good luck joan xx
    take care
    joan xx